1 Samuel 19:11-12 Sing To The Lord!

 ”Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped.“ I Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him: Previously, Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed” (1 Samuel 19:6). Now for the second time Saul goes back on that oath.

b. Michal, David’s wife, told him: She saved the day. Michal was Saul’s daughter, so this was a conflict of loyalties for Michal. Should she act in her father’s interests or in her husband’s interests? Here, she made the right choice and supported her husband David.

i. Michal acts according to the principle of Genesis 2:24: Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Though the Genesis passage speaks specifically of the husband it expresses a principle that applies to both partners in a marriage: that the former family loyalties and obligations take a back seat to the loyalty and obligation to the new family.

c. Told him: Michal helped by warning David. She perhaps saw the assassins coming before he did, and she also knew the character of her father better than David did. Michal was probably less surprised than David was to find that her father sent assassins to kill David.

i. David did well to receive this warning from his wife. Sometimes men are so hard-headed and so hard-hearted that they never hear how God might warn them through their wives. If David would have ignored this warning because he didn’t like the source, he might have ended up dead.

d. Michal let David down through a window: As David decided on a course of action, she was there to support and help him put it into practice. Michal’s help was successful, because David fled and escaped.

i. During this night, when men watched his house and David escaped, he composed a song to the LORD found in Psalm 59. The introduction of that Psalm says, when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him. In a time of danger David could sing to the LORD. (Guzik)

Sing To The Lord!

”Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; 

Defend me from those who rise up against me. 

Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, 

And save me from bloodthirsty men. 

For look, they lie in wait for my life; 

The mighty gather against me, 

Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. 

They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. 

Awake to help me, and behold! 

You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, 

Awake to punish all the nations; 

Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. 

Selah“ ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭59‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

”But I will sing of Your power; 

Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; 

For You have been my defense 

And refuge in the day of my trouble. 

To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; 

For God is my defense, 

My God of mercy.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭59‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

It’s hard to sing praises when you are in danger, let David be an example for us!

Life is hard especially when you get older, sing praises that you made it through another day!

Have you ever been in danger and came through it safely while singing to the Lord?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 19:8-10 And There Was War Again!

”And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him. Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. And there was war again: In context, this speaks of more war between Israel and the Philistines, but it was also true spiritually. At the end of 1 Samuel 19:7, there was a truce in the spiritual war involving David and Saul. But whenever we are at a time of cease-fire in the spiritual war, we know the battle will begin again before long. It can always be said of our lives “and there was war again.”

b. David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him: Spiritually, these are warning clouds of a coming storm. It was David’s success that aroused Saul’s jealousy before. When David was successful again, surely Saul would be tempted to jealousy again.

c. Now the distressing spirit from the LORD came upon Saul: Evil spirits were more than ready to attack Saul where he was most vulnerable. The attack was on the way.

d. Saul…sat in his house with his spear in his hand: Saul is in a bad place. He is tempted and spiritually attacked, and now he has put himself in a potentially sinful situation. David was playing music with his hand, but Saul knew spears better than praise music.

e. Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear: Saul wavered from his change of heart and broke his oath to not kill David. All of that was thrown away as easily as the spear was thrown. But it didn’t “just happen.” Saul was unprepared to handle temptation, unprepared to handle spiritual attack, and had the opportunity to sin close at hand. Most of us will trip up under those circumstances.

f. But he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall: David was gone, but the spear remained. The thing Saul didn’t need – the spear – was left. The one thing Saul really did need – the person David – was gone. Saul was a loser on both counts.

g. So David fled and escaped that night: David never returned to the palace until he was the king of Israel – perhaps some 15 years later! From now until the day Saul dies David lives as a fugitive. (Guzik)

And There Was War Again!

Many of us only pay attention to the earthly realm and don’t give two thoughts to the spiritual realm. In Saul’s case the Spirit of the Lord departed from him and it opened the door to the distressing spirit which came upon him, so he tried to kill David with his spear.

I like what David Guzik says about the spiritual war:

“But whenever we are at a time of cease-fire in the spiritual war, we know the battle will begin again before long.” (Guzik)

How do you prepare for the spiritual war? Read Ephesians 6:10-20

The Book of Job and the Book Daniel gives us some insight to the spiritual world.

But Jesus tells Nicodemus what must happen to enter the kingdom of God.

”Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”“ ‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Your physical body has a soul which is spiritual.

”And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.“

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Will your last breath of earth be your first breath in heaven?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 19:6-7 As The Lord Lives

 ”So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.“ I Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan: This took real humility for Saul. It was easy to say, “I’m the king and I’m right. I don’t care what you say.” But in this case, Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan.

b. Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed”: This shows that the LORD had genuinely touched Saul’s heart. God used Jonathan, but it wasn’t the work of Jonathan. It was the work of the LORD, and Saul recognized this by declaring this oath.

c. So Jonathan brought David to Saul and he was in his presence as in times past: It seems to have all worked. The command to kill David is revoked. Saul and David are together again as in previous days.

As The Lord Lives

This seems to be a popular oath in the Old Testament but how many times was the oath broken?

I suspect it was broken a lot because this is what Jesus said about oaths and if you have a red letter Bible it’s in red so it must be an important lesson!

”“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.“

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭33‬-‭37‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Will Saul keep his oath that he swore, as the Lord lives?

Blessings 

1 Samuel 19:4-5 Envy and Jealousy

 ”Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”“ ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Now Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father: Jonathan did more than secretly help David with information, he also spoke well of David to Saul his father. Jonathan let Saul know, “Father you have a certain opinion of David. But I don’t share that opinion. I love and support David. You should also.” That took a lot of courage, and it was the right thing for Jonathan to do.

i. “Jonathan spake good of David, which he could not do without hazard to himself. Herein therefore he performed the duty of a true friend, and of a valiant man.” (Poole)

b. Let not the king sin against his servant: Jonathan was bold enough to tell his father that his anger and jealousy against David was sin, and to say, “he has not sinned against you.” Saul felt that David had sinned against him in some manner and he felt righteous in his cause. Jonathan delivered a needed word of correction.

c. For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel: Jonathan reminded Saul of these events because Saul colored them with a meaning that justified his jealous desire to murder David.

i. Saul knew that David killed the Philistine, but he could not believe that David did it for a righteous reason. He thought, “David did it just to become famous and to take my throne. He’s a grasping traitor. I’m justified in killing him because I have to kill him before he kills me.”

ii. Jonathan tried to bring Saul back to reality. He reminded his father: “You saw it and rejoiced.” It was as if Jonathan said, “When David first killed Goliath, you rejoiced just like everyone. Now Satan has filled your mind with envy and jealousy. Go back to how you thought before.”

d. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? In Saul’s mind, there was a cause. In Saul’s mind, David was not innocent. But the truth was that David was innocent, and there was no cause to kill him. Jonathan calls Saul back to reality. (Guzik)

Envy and Jealousy 

These are two of Satan’s tools that start us down a slippery slope! In Saul’s case he envied David’s popularity with the people and became jealous!

”The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.“ ‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Remember you are a child of God, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and walk in His footsteps with His armor of light. Be satisfied and joyful in everything as you have a reward in heaven!

Blessings 

1 Samuel 19:1b-3 Conscience

 ”but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.”“ ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David: Without doubt Saul and many on his staff criticized David. They looked for anything they could to bring against him, and if they could find nothing, they made something up. Jonathan got an earful of this, but it didn’t change his opinion of David. He still delighted greatly in David.

b. So Jonathan told David: This made Saul furious, but Jonathan knew he did the right thing. He should not kill David because his father and king told him to do something that was clearly disobedient to God. Jonathan knew the Bible said, You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13). The Bible was clear, and Saul was on record as saying that they should kill David (1 Samuel 19:1).

i. We are under authority and commanded to submit to God’s order of authority in many different arenas. There is a Biblical submission of children to their parents, of citizens to their government, of employees to their employers, of Christians to their church leadership, and of wives to their husbands. But in all these relationships, we are never excused from sin because we obeyed an authority that told us to sin. In this case, it would be wrong for Jonathan to obey his father and kill David.

ii. This was a case where Jonathan could say what the apostles said when they were told to stop preaching the gospel: We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). But Jonathan also had the heart of the apostles in Acts 5; they were beaten severely and were willing to suffer for what was right before God, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name (Acts 5:40-41). Jonathan was willing to pay the price for obeying God, and he did not whine about it.

c. My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide: Jonathan did more than refuse to help Saul. He helped David. Jonathan could have said, “Look, I want no part of this. I’m not going to help my father do something I know is wrong. But I won’t try to stop it either. I’ll just be neutral and let God work it out.” But Jonathan didn’t take that attitude.

Conscience 

Saul was being disobedient to God and his conscience was being seared because of his disobedience.

”This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.“‭‭Acts‬ ‭24‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Bible has a lot to say about our conscience:

“The New Testament concept of conscience is more individual in nature and involves three major truths.”

“First, conscience is a God-given capacity for human beings to exercise self-evaluation.”

“Second, the New Testament portrays the conscience as a witness to something.”

“Third, the conscience is a servant of the individual’s value system. An immature or weak value system produces a weak conscience, while a fully informed value system produces a strong sense of right and wrong.” 

https://www.gotquestions.org/conscience.html 

Recently during a Bible study a person in recovery said they were traveling to visit an old high school friend. I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to me to warn him to be careful with old friends and associations as he was in recovery. I didn’t act on it. When he returned, he confessed that he “fell” out of recovery. I apologized for not warning and praying for him. 

I should have been like Jonathan and said something instead of keeping my mouth shut. Iron sharpens iron and as brothers or sisters in Christ we have a duty to be obedient to God and strive to have a conscience without offense. 

Blessings