I. Saul Uses His Daughters Against David

A. Saul Uses Merab Against David 18:17-19

1. V. 17 Saul hated David so much that he was willing to use his daughter as an excuse to cause David to be killed. Saul was indifferent to his daughter’s feelings.

a. Saul had already promised his daughter to whoever would kill Goliath.

b. He hadn’t delivered on that promise.

c. Now Saul is devising a way to get rid of David.

d. He will do it in such a way so as to not look guilty.

e. Be valiant for me-Saul played upon David’s sense of loyalty. Manipulation.

2. V. 18 David didn’t see himself as worthy of being family with Saul. Actually, the reverse was true. Saul wasn’t worthy of David. David was humble in his own eyes.

3. V. 19 Saul’s original plan didn’t work regarding his oldest daughter.

a. This may have been done to humiliate David, and perhaps cause him to commit some wrong action.

B. Saul Uses Michal Against David 18:20-30

1. Vs. 20-23a Saul learned that Michal loved David, so he planned to use her to lure David into death. Saul sent a message to David, pretending to love David.

a. Saul’s jealousy was so bad that he would even use his daughter’s pure love for David to lure David into a dangerous situation where he might be killed.

b. Michal’s emotions don’t matter to Saul. Saul used her emotions as a way to get to David. This was just another opportunity.

c. How could it have been that David would believe Saul about Michal?

i. 1 Corinthians 13:7 love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

2. V. 23 David didn’t feel worthy of being the King’s son.

a. In actuality, he was a very young man, with no real resources.

b. In the East, a man would purchase his bride; he would pay a bride price, a dowry.

c. A dowry was money paid to the father-in-law in case the marriage doesn’t work out.

d. It was like alimony in advance.

3. Vs. 24-26 Saul communicated his murderous plan to David, hoping he would be killed.

a. On the one hand….this could seem like a generous alternative.

b. Since David was poor, he could perform some act of public service instead.

c. V. 25 This might even make Saul look like a generous and kind man.

d. But in reality, Saul wanted David killed, so he sets the price of the dowry to be 100 Philistine foreskins. This would happen one of two ways…

e. David could have requested that 100 Philistines volunteer to become circumcised…

f. Or he would have to kill 100 Philistines.

4. Vs. 27-29 Saul’s plan didn’t work, and now he had to give his daughter to David.

a. Saul lost his daughter to David.

b. Saul became more aware that God was with David.

c. Instead of repenting and humbling himself, Saul hated David even more.

d. In reality, Saul wasn’t fighting against David, but against God.

e. Not only was God with David, but Saul’s own daughter and son loved him as well.

f. As son in law, David even had an outside sort of claim to the throne as well.

5. V. 30 God continued to grant David victories, because David’s heart was for God.

a. It seems that Saul wanted David to be a hated and marked man by the Philistines.

II. Saul’s Continued Efforts Against David

A. Saul Uses Jonathan And His Servants 19:1-8

1. V. 1 Saul’s previous approach had been more secretive. Now he’s open about it.

2. Vs. 2-5 Jonathan called what Saul is doing “sin”. He didn’t soften it but was direct.

a. Jonathan was not neutral. He didn’t want to “stay out of it”. He risked his own safety.

b. Saul thought that there was just cause to kill David. Jonathan tried to correct that.

3. Vs. 6-8 Saul allowed David back into his life for a short season, but it would not last.

a. Saul seems to agree with Jonathan, but a jealous man will not act reasonably unless he repents of his jealousy. (See Matthew 12:33-35)

b. The mind may agree with the truth of God, but unless the heart agrees, there is no change in a person. Following God is a matter of the mind and of the heart.

c. Saul’s mind may have been changed for the moment, but his heart was still jealous.

B. Saul Is Afflicted By A Demonic Spirit 19:9, 10

1. V. 9  If Saul was a man with a heart for God, he would have known not to have a spear in his hand, especially when David was around. There is wisdom in knowing what we should not have in our hands.

a. NOTE-The demonic spirit afflicted as/after he had the spear in this hand.

b. It seems that the spirit moved upon Saul to follow through with what was in his hand and in his heart.

c. David was a general, but he was also a willing servant willing to play music. He didn’t say that playing music was below him. He served wherever it was needed.

2. V. 10 Notice the tremendous force used to sink the spear into the wall.

a. Saul was a head taller than everyone else.

b. No one would have blamed David for throwing the spear back at Saul.

c. David did not return to the palace until he became king 15 years later.

C. Michal Turns Against Saul 19:11-17

1. Vs. 11-13 Michal understandably seeks to protect the man that she loves.

a. But she has been forced to choose between her father and her husband. Saul’s fault.

b. Image- Teraphim. Thought to be an aid in worship the true God. Not Biblical.

2. Vs. 14, 15 Saul’s jealousy is such that he is willing to kill a sick man in his own bed.

3. Vs. 16, 17 Saul’s jealousy causes his daughter to have to lie to him. Insane jealousy.

III. David Flees To Samuel

A. David Chooses To Flee Instead Of Fight. 19:18

1. V. 18 David goes to the true man of God: Samuel the prophet. Godly counsel.

2. May we be like a Samuel: Someone a David will go to when in trouble.

B. Saul Pursues David 19-24

1. We see the Holy Spirit moving upon these messengers in a powerful way.

2. Perhaps the messengers were indifferent; Saul was not interested in the things of God.

3. And yet, the Holy Spirit comes upon them and Saul, and they fall prostrate on the ground, naked, and worshipped before God. God changed their hearts & protected David

4. What happened after that? Saul returned to wanting to kill David.

5. NOTE- what do we learn from this?

a. God can overcome anyone by His spirit, but that doesn’t mean that that life is surrendered to God. But when the spiritual experience was over, Saul was still a murderous, insanely jealous man.

6. NOTE-Jesus said that the world will know we are His disciples not by our prophesying, miracles, or church services. The world will know we are Christians by our pure love for one another: From Christian to Christian.