The Life and Times of

Conclusion

Let us now step back for a broader look at what chapter 18 describes. First, in a most unusual and unexpected way, God is bringing to pass the things He has purposed and promised. In chapters 13 and 15, God indicates to Saul that his kingdom will end. In our text, we watch his reign unravel.

Saul continues to lose a grip on his own life and on his kingdom. David is anointed as the new king of Israel in chapter 16, and we see how God prepares the way for David’s reign. David has very close links with Saul and his palace. Now, he is closely associated with two more members of Saul’s royal family, his son (now a close friend) and his daughter (now David’s wife). David now has authority in Saul’s army, and through experience, shows himself to be a brave man and a great leader. David is on his way up, and Saul is on his way down. It is not the way we expected this to happen, but then God’s plans seldom come about in ways we expect (see Isaiah 55:8-11; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16).

A second observation from our text is that God’s Word is absolutely certain and sure. God warns Saul of discipline to come if he does not repent, and Saul most certainly does not repent. God sees to it that Saul’s kingdom will be removed, in spite of Saul’s fervent efforts to prevent it. On the other hand, God has promised David a kingdom, and our text assures us that nothing short of the complete fulfillment of God’s promise should be expected. God keeps His promises, whether for prosperity and blessing, or for judgment.

Third, in Jonathan we see a most excellent illustration of the love which God requires of us. We are repeatedly instructed to “love our neighbor as ourselves” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19; 22:39, Mark 12:31; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). This is precisely what Jonathan does with respect to David (see verse 1). Thus, Jonathan is an example to us of how we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. I do not see any reference to Jonathan loving himself first, as a kind of prerequisite to loving others. I do see self-sacrifice as Jonathan willingly gives up his kingdom to David (not to mention his robe and his armor). Jonathan is a loyal and faithful friend, and he will risk his own life to save David’s life. What a selfless, noble man this Jonathan is. So far as the Bible is concerned, his actions are not “above and beyond the call of duty;” they are the fulfillment of his duty, and ours.

Fourth, we see in Saul what we see in our Lord’s disciples during His earthly ministry, and what we often see in the church today – competition, jealousy, and self-assertion. David is the most faithful servant Saul has ever had, and yet Saul is threatened by David’s competence, by David’s success. The disciples were continually seeking to assert themselves, arguing over who was the greatest, and angry when another disciple seemed to outdo them. In the church today, God has purposely given each Christian a spiritual gift or gifts, to enable him or her to excel in a certain ministry. We can either rejoice in the strengths God has given others, and seek to benefit from their ministries, or we can resist them with a competitive spirit. One has to wonder how much the criticism of other Christians, their ministry, and their doctrine is really rooted in jealousy and envy, rather than in faithfulness to God and His Word. Let us beware of jealousy, no matter how pious the label we give it or its manifestations.

Jonathan and Saul each illustrate the two logical responses to the fact that Jesus is God’s King. David is God’s choice for Israel’s next king. Saul seems to know this, and he strongly opposes it, even to the point of endeavoring to put David to death. Jonathan seems to know this as well, and even though it means that David will reign in his place, Jonathan enters into a covenant relationship with David and relinquishes his right to reign.

David: A Man After God’s Own Heart

#5 David’s Divine Deliverance (1 Samuel 18:30 -- 19:24)

I wanted to begin this message by comparing David to a cat, which is said by some to have “nine lives.” But that would not be appropriate for David because he appears to have more even more “lives” than this. In a mere two chapters (1 Samuel 18 and 19), Saul tries to kill David at least 12 times:

18:11	Saul throws his spear at David twice
18:13	Saul makes David commander of 1,000, hoping he will be killed
18:17	Merab is offered to David, if he will “fight the Lord’s battles like a valiant man”
18:20f.	Michal is offered to David for 100 Philistine foreskins, and he presents 200
19:1	Saul orders Jonathan and his servants to kill David
19:10	Saul slings his spear at David again
19:11f	Saul sends messengers to David’s house to kill him
19:18f	Saul sends three groups of men to Naioth to take David, then comes himself

In chapter 20, Saul not only continues to try to put David to death, he throws his spear at Jonathan for defending David (20:33). In chapter 22, Saul kills Ahimelech and his father’s entire household (except one), and then annihilates those living in Nob, the city of the priests.

I could not help but think that if Saul had worked as hard at killing Israel’s enemies (like the Philistines) as he did his faithful servants (like David, Jonathan, and Ahimelech), he would have been a great military leader and king. In his twisted state of mind, Saul’s best allies are considered his enemies, and his enemies become his allies (in putting David to death).

Saul becomes a very paranoid man. He fears his most faithful servant, David, who will not put his king to death even when he has what seems like the perfect opportunity to do so. Saul first seeks to conceal his animosity, jealousy, and hatred toward David, but this ends with the first verse of chapter 19. From here on, Saul becomes openly intent on killing David and anyone he thinks might support or defend him.

Our text depicts four divine deliverances of David from the hand of King Saul.

1. 
   The first is described in verses 1-7, where Jonathan rebukes and reasons with his father about his response to David’s success.
   
2. 
   The second is recorded in verses 8-10, where Saul providentially misses David when he throws his spear at him.
   
3. 
   The third deliverance comes from Michal, David’s wife and Saul’s daughter. She lowers David out their window, and then deceives her father and his servants to give David time to escape.
   
4. 
   Finally, there is the religious deliverance of David through Samuel, and the prophesying of the men whom Saul sends to capture David in verses 18-24.