Good morning,
David is a larger than life character in the Bible. A shepherd, warrior, musician, fugitive, king, adulterer, murderer, liar, repentant sinner, and sweet psalmist of Israel.
The next few weeks we will be looking at the people David interacted with. Goliath, Saul, Bathsheba, Nathan, and God. Then we will look at the consequences of his sin.
Each week we will begin with a bio of the individual interacting with David. Then the Biblical account.
King Saul Bio
King Saul had the honor of being Israel’s first king, but his life turned into a tragedy for one reason. Saul did not trust in God.
Early in his career, Saul made a fatal mistake. He disobeyed God by failing to completely destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions, as God had commanded. A key part of the conditional covenant between God and Israel was obedience. Saul, as God’s anointed king, was responsible for keeping that command.
The Lord withdrew his favor from Saul and had Samuel the prophet anoint David as king.
Some time later, David killed the giant Goliath. As the Jewish women were dancing in a victory parade, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Samuel 18:7, NIV)
Because the people made more of David’s single victory than all of Saul’s, the king went into a rage and became jealous of David. From that moment he plotted to kill him.
Instead of building up Israel, King Saul wasted most of his time chasing David through the hills. David, however, respected God’s anointed king and despite several opportunities, refused to harm Saul.
Finally, the Philistines gathered for a huge battle against the Israelites. By that time Samuel had died. King Saul was desperate, so he consulted a medium and told her to raise Samuel’s spirit from the dead. This kind of occult activity angered God because it relied on satanic forces instead of him. Whatever appeared, whether a demon disguised as Samuel or Samuel’s true spirit sent by God, it predicted disaster for Saul.
In the battle, King Saul and the army of Israel were overrun. Saul committed suicide. His sons were killed by the enemy. Ironically, David, who had been hounded by Saul for years, sincerely mourned the king’s death. (Zavada, Jack. “Meet Saul: First King of Israel.” Learn Religions, Aug. 28, 2020, learnreligions.com/saul-first-king-of-israel-701170.)
David anointed King (1 Samuel 16:1,11-13)
1 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
Saul rejected from being King (1 Samuel 15:22-23, 26-28)
22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.
David serves Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-23, 1 Samuel 18:5-7)
David refreshes Saul with his harp (1 Samuel 16:14-23)
14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
David fights for Saul and Israel (1 Samuel 18:5-7)
5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself 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 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
Saul jealous of David, tries to kill David (1 Samuel 18:8-13)
8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
David continues to serve faithfully and Saul deceives David (1 Samuel 18:14-19)
14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
David spares Saul’s life twice because Saul is the Lord’s anointed! (1 Samuel 24:6-22, 26:9-25)
I Samuel 24:6-22
“6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. 7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.15 The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.21 Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.”
I Samuel 26:9-25
“9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?10 David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.12So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.17 And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.22 And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.23 The Lord render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed.24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.”
Conclusion
King Saul’s disobedience caused God to remove him as King
David is anointed as King of Israel
David serves King Saul
King Saul’s jealousy causes him to want David dead
David never tries to kill King Saul
David was a Godly man who understood he would be King. He also understood he would not be King till the death of Saul. He was willing to wait on God’s timing.
This is a very appropriate topic for this day. Many people today, including believers in Christ, orchestrate events so they can get what they want. They are not concerned about God’s will, word, or way. They want what they want and they want it NOW! David waited patiently, many years, over horrible circumstances, with death knocking at his door daily. His patience was rewarded by God. God allowed him to be King over His people Israel.
God has a plan and purpose for our lives. The process takes a lifetime to execute. The reward is to spend eternity with God in heaven.
Think about your priorities. Do they line up with God’s word? Are you waiting patiently on the Lord? Is Jesus the highest priority in your life?
David put God first. King Saul did not.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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