1 Samuel 18:1-16
Saul Resents David
1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”
8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.
12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
The lesson we learn from king David here is to be wise and behave rightly in the face of threats and opposition to God’s calling of us to serve Him. Saul observed the LORD in David and had heard he lost the kingdom to him (1 Samuel 15:28-29, 28:17-18), and therefore sought every opportunity to end David before he even began to rule. He saw how his own son Jonathan who he imagined taking over the throne from him when he was old, this son had become best friends with David. These two made a covenant agreement of mutual support and protection as well. David behaved with wisdom as he went out to battle and gained more victories than Saul as he also gained the favor of all the people of Israel, even Saul’s servants. When Saul heard the women across the land singing victory songs exalting David over him he grew livid and feared losing the kingdom to him, and began to keep a very close eye on David. Then when David played soothing music to calm Saul when the evil spirit harassing Saul stirred him up, he tried to pin David to the wall with his spear to kill God’s anointed one as his new master aimed to do to end God’s work (Revelation 12:17) and lineage of the Messiah through him. David had the LORD with him who was no longer with Saul, and protected him twice from being impaled by that fiery dart (Ephesians 6:16) aimed at him. Then fear overwhelmed Saul and he sent David away to lead an army; David con to behave wisely in obedience so as not to incite further wrath, yet still achieved victories and loving fame for his proven calling and blameless name. Do we likewise act wise as serpents yet harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16) as we live godly with righteous lives of wisdom in the face of the opposition that tries to defame or even harm us to stop proclaiming the gospel?
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