Friendship, Father-in-law foe, and flight

1 Samuel 18

- Johnathan and David became like brothers and David went to work for Saul full time. Saul set him over the men of war and this pleased the people. This is a prime example of working for or being in service of someone that is not following the LORD. GOD would bless the people as it pertained to David, just not Saul himself.  A good reminder if you are employed by a person or company that doesn’t follow GOD, he can still use you to make a difference.

- when David and his men came back from a successful campaign against the Philistines. The women of the cities came out to greet the victors with singing and dancing. They sang a song that attributed more kills to David then King Saul, whether this was accurate or not it still infuriated Saul. He was worried that David would soon take the Kingdom from him. The irony here is that GOD had already given the Kingdom to David. This is a prime example of an already done, but not yet instances that get repeated throughout His-story.

- Saul tried to kill David and failed, which instilled more fear in Saul because in knew the LORD was with David and was no longer with him.

- Saul’s solution was to put David in charge of more men, so more battles and more chances of him getting killed in combat. David was even more successful though and Saul was in fearful awe of him. Israel and Judah loved David because of all he did. Saul again had his focus and priorities all wrong, for him as well you and I, our fear and awe should be in the LORD. GOD alone is worthy of our awe, respect and fear only if we willing choose to disobey. Obviously that didn’t seem to bother Saul, he was more preoccupied with David.

- The next idea Saul had was to get David married and perhaps trip him up that way. Saul tries to marry off his daughter Merab to David, but David doesn’t take the idea of being a son-in-law to the king lightly. David says “who am I, and who are my family in Israel that I should be joined to the Kings household by marriage. Evidently Saul or Merab felt the same way because she didn’t marry David she married into money and power, Adriel the Meholathite the son of Barzillai. So either Saul found a better deal in this marriage arrangement or Merab had more sway and final say with her father.

- Plan B for Saul (more like H or I) was to marry off another daughter Michal who unlike Merab loved David. David still considered himself unworthy, “I am a poor man and have no reputation”. Saul’s trap for David, the bride price that would seal the deal, a hundred Philistine foreskins. Saul’s plan was cut short, much like the foreskins, David was successful and then married Michal. Saul became even more afraid of David than he thought possible.

1 Samuel 19

- Saul eventually confides in his son Johnathan and his servants for help in trying to kill David. Evidently he finally realised his plans were not going the way he wanted. Never mind the fact that he was obviously fighting against GOD’s will. Jonathan immediately goes to David and warns him. Jonathan then arranges to talk with his father to try to understand his hatred for David and why he wants his best friend dead. Up to this point the attempts on David’s life were most likely attributed to the evil spirit that would come upon Saul, but Saul’s will and actions were not always directed by a evil spirit, Saul made lots of those decisions all on his own without any help, good or bad.

- Jonathan is able to talk some sense into his Father or maybe Saul realised just how much his son cared for David and only told Jonathan what he wanted to hear. Either way the peace was short lived. Possibly when the evil spirit came upon Saul again it reinforced his original desire to be rid of David once and for all.

- Saul sent for David to have him killed, but Michal came up with a plan to buy David time to escape. Saul was angry about the deception sort of like the pot calling the kettle black. Michal lied and said David threatened to harm her if she didn’t help him escape.

-David fled to Samuel and told him everything that had happened. In Ramah they stayed in Naioth a place which was a school for prophets.

- Saul sent messengers three times to take David at Naioth, but each time the men were overcome by the spirit of GOD, they strip off all their clothes, lay on the ground and prophesy all day and all night.

- Saul eventually got feed and went up with the ‘I’ll do it myself mentality.’ So after he arrived he in Naioth in Ramah. He too laid on the ground, naked, babbling all day and night. From an uniformed view of things the average person not knowing what Saul’s plan was would probably ask,“Is Saul also among the prophets?” I don’t know about you, but I find that somewhat amusing.

Closing thought - David considered being part of the King’s family a matter not to be taken lightly. 

The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

We are called to be part of GOD’s family, adopted, grafted in, poor, unworthy and of no reputation, a matter not to be taken lightly.

Next – Love and Loaf a Nob and Knowledge