19:1
Saul’s previous approach had been more secretive.
Now he openly tells all of His servants to kill David.
19:2-5
Notice that Jonathan calls what Saul is doing “sin”.
He doesn’t soften it, but it direct.
Proverbs 27: 5, 6 5Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
19:6
Saul was an insanely jealous man.
He had forfeited the kingdom through disobedience.
Samuel the prophet had already announced to Saul that God had disqualified him from being King.
Instead of repenting of his sin, Saul maintained his jealousy of God’s favor towards David.
He also hated that the masses loved David.
We see Jonathan trying to reason w/his father about David.
Saul seems to agree with Jonathan, but a jealous man will not act reasonably unless he repents of his jealousy.
NOTE- we see a principle here.
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.
Matthew 12:33-35 33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
Saul’s mind may have been changed for the moment, but his heart was still jealous.
19:7, 8
We see David once again being blessed by God with a victory.
God’s blessings on David continued to be a source of anger and jealousy in Saul.
How sad when we cannot rejoice that God is blessing one of His children.
Instead, we harbor jealousy because God is using someone else, and not us.
1 Cor. 12:26, 27 26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually
19:9
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.
NOTE- Though David was a military commander, he served the Lord by serving Saul, and the best thing he could do for Saul was to play music before him.
- David didn’t insist one what kind of service he performed. Whatever was needed was what he would do.
- David was willing to serve in this manner though he knew that he could once again have a spear thrown at him. How willing are we to serve God, knowing that it is not only possible, but likely, that someone will attack us…..again?
- David didn’t think himself too “macho”; he was willing to go from the battlefield to the parlor.
19:10
Saul was not going to be able to kill David, for God had said that David would be king.
Notice the tremendous force used to sink the spear into the wall.
- Saul was a head taller than everyone else.
- Saul was very jealous
No one would have blamed David for throwing the spear back at Saul…
…But David is not a Saul.
He will trust Saul over to God.
19:11-13
The image is a household idol, which tells us that Michal was into idol worship as well as the worship of God. Teraphim
19:14, 15
Saul’s jealousy is such that he is willing to kill a sick man in his own bed.
19:16-18
David goes to the true man of God: Samuel the prophet.
May we be like a Samuel: someone to go to when people are in trouble.
19:19-24
We see the Holy Spirit moving upon these messengers in a powerful way.
Keep in mind what is happening …
- Saul has sent messengers to find David, so that Saul can kill him.
- Saul eventually arrives at where David was, with the intention of killing him.
Perhaps the messengers were indifferent, but Saul was surely not interested in the things of God.
And yet, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they fall prostrate on the ground, naked, and prophesied before God.
What happened after that….?
Saul returned to the same old thing, seeking to kill God’s choice for king.
NOTE- what do we learn from this?
God can overcome anyone by His spirit, but that doesn’t mean that that life is surrendered to God.
Saul was used by God to speak well of God, and it was dome by the Spirit of God…
But when church was over, Saul was still a murderous, insanely jealous man.
NOTE- What do we learn?
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.
John 13:34, 35 34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
NOTE- That doesn’t mean that we can have sloppy theology, or unorthodox behavior or church services, and call it love.
What it does say is that though you prophesy, do miracles, and look really good in church, you can still be insanely jealous and murderous in your heart, and be a reprobate regarding the things of God.
20:1
NOTE- There was no sin in David’s life that would defend what Saul is doing to him.
Saul was jealous over David being chosen of God.
Saul had been self-willed in his kingship.
He had started out well, and many had loved him.
Over time, he became corrupted by pride and self-will.
Many still supported him, and probably yearned for earlier days.
But Saul was now disqualified to serve God, though the actual removal of Saul had not taken place yet.
This is a question that we will often find ourselves asking…
This is very much a parallel of the life of Jesus…
Jesus warned us that the unbelieving world would hate us…
John 15:18-20 18“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
If we are living like Jesus, speaking his word, standing for righteousness and against sin, speaking of heave and hell, then this will be true of us.
The Bible speaks about Jesus suffering from unrighteous unbelieving men.
1 Peter 2:20-23 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
It is different when those from within the “household of God” speak unfairly against you.
This is something that some of us may be more likely to deal with.
We see David taking the same road as Jesus…trusting the Lord with the outcome of this unfair attack.
David did not attack Saul back, but trusted Saul to the Lord.
NOTE- Does that mean we never speak out and defend ourselves when we are attacked?
I believe that sometimes we need to speak out against those who would undermine our character and credibility.
We can speak out against their accusations, but trust the Lord to deal with them.
All of it needs to be covered over in love for them as people, and sometimes as brothers and sisters.
Matthew 11:16-19 16“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17and saying:
‘We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.’
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
Jesus tells some of his audience that no matter what he does, they won’t be happy about it.
He ends it by saying “wisdom is justified by her children”.
He is saying that if they are so wise, look at their lives, and what is coming out of their lives.
That will tell you if they have godly wisdom.
Paul spoke against the actions of those who wrongfully came against him from within the household of God.
1 Timothy 1:19, 20 19having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
2 Timothy 4:14-16 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.
16At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
Paul was bold in speaking against Alexander, who not only turned away from the faith, but did much harm to Paul. Paul spoke out against him, but trusted that the Lord would deal with him.
Vengeance is not ours, but there may be times when we need to defend ourselves for the sake of God and the work he is doing through us.
It should never be motivated by anger, though there may be a holy anger.
It should never be motivated by revenge; we need to trust people to the Lord.
It should never be motivated by self-preservation, but only by a genuine concern for God’s name and God’s work.
20:2, 3
As loyal as Jonathan was to David, he had a blind spot about Saul’s actual intentions against David.
The last thing that Jonathan head heard from his dad was that he wouldn’t kill David.
Nobody knew Saul’s intentions like David did.
David’s will find themselves alone with God when there are Saul’s coming after them.
David did have Jonathan, but Jonathan wasn’t quite as convinced as he would be.
David suffered uniquely during this moment.
Proverbs 14:10 10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.
David would suffer his own unique fears and sorrows.
He would also enjoy his own unique deliverance and salvation.
The same is certainly true for our wonderful Savior, isn’t it?
Hebrews 12:2 2looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
20:4
Consider the godly devotion of Jonathan.
He knows that David called to be king.
He is not sure about the truth regarding his dad.
He has already expressed his willingness to give up the throne to David.
Proverbs 17:17 17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
He is not sure what it will cost him to love David in light of how his father feels about David.
Jonathan knows his own unique bitterness as well.
This is all because of the jealousy of Saul.
20:5-9
Jonathan is so willing to divulge the truth. as soon as he perceives it
He just doesn’t see it yet, but he will.
20:10-15
After Jonathan and Saul were dead, David would honor this covenant to show kindness to the house of Jonathan.
David would find Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, and he would care for him all his life. 2 Sam. 4
20:16-26
Religious uncleanness at this monthly feast.
20:27-34
Finally, Jonathan sees his father’s true colors.
NOTE- When you defend the righteous, the spears thrown at them will be thrown at you.
John 15:20 20Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
Whether you are standing by a righteous man or standing for a righteous cause, the enemies of righteousness will immediately perceive you as a target as well.