Samuel 18: Saul Feared David

Samuel 18: Saul Feared David 


v1-5: Love of Jonathan and David

Jonathan loved David, and his soul is said to be "knitted" (bounded) to David. This is despite that Jonathan was the crown prince, the first son of Saul, in contrary to David who was the last son of a farmer.  Their souls are intertwined for they have the same relationship with God, the way that Christians have with one another.

Jonathan gave his own royal robes and armor and weapons to David, and made a covenant with him. This was as if it was a premonition that David will become the next king instead of Jonathan. 

In the same way, Jesus had everything in heaven, but yet loved us who are nobodies enough to become a moral sacrifice. Jesus gave his heavenly robes to become naked on the cross, and made a covenant with us to be co-heir with Him in His kingdom. Jesus also gave us his armor, the Holy Spirit, to protect us from spiritual enemies. 

He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:2-3,14).

What was the covenant Jonathan made with David? Perhaps Chapter 20 gave a hint:

Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” (20:42)

Jonathan also made a new covenant in chapter 20: "And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.” (20:16)

v6-12 : Saul's Jealousy

David became a very popular warrior among the soldiers, leaders and the community. As a leader, Saul should be happy that David had brought success to Israel, but Saul became extremely jealous of David. 

Saul attempted to kill David by throwing a spear at him while he was playing the harp. Previously, David's music gave Saul inner peace, but now it couldn't control his anger and violence. He tried again the second time, but God protected David, and Saul realized it. 

Despite this terrible treatment, David did not strike back or leave Saul. His level of tolerance and forgiveness was amazing.

v13-19: The Lord was with David

Saul put David in the frontline by promoting him to be a commander "of a thousand", known as a battalion in today's army. Saul offered Merab, his elder daughter, to David as wife on the condition that David "be valiant .. and fight the Lord's battles." (v17)  Saul's was trying to manipulate David, even by using the Lord's name. Saul's real intention was to make sure that David will go to war frequently and put himself as risk. 

David refused to accept Merab, taking a humble position, saying "“Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” (v18)  Saul gave Merab to someone else instead. 

However, David always return from the wars victoriously, for "the LORD was with him." (v14). David became even more popular and Saul became afraid of David.

v20-30: Saul's trick backfired

Saul commanded his servants to convince David to marry his other daughter, Michal, instead. when he found out that Michal loved David. David replied as before adding that he is too poor to pay the dowry. Saul asked his servants to tell David: "‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” (v25)  His hope was that David will be killed on this mission.  

David did not remind the king that he had previously offered his daughter for the person who killed Goliath, and he didn't have to do this risky mission. David had high integrity and would not accept anything without earning it. H accepted that challenge and went with his men and came back with two hundred Philistines foreskins, doubling the "KPI" that was given to him. 

Saul gave Michal to David as his wife. Saul became even more convinced that the Lord was with David but continued to be his life long enemy. Even the Philistines esteemed David's name for his victories. 

Just as David became "esteemed" by his people and enemies without taking over Saul, Jesus too was "esteemed" by God for humbling himself and sacrificed for us. 

"Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name..." (Phil 2:5-9)

 

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