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 

1 Samuel 19:1a Difficult Place

 ”Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; I Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬ a NKJV‬‬

a. Jonathan his son: Saul put Jonathan in a difficult place. Jonathan loved David, and God made a wonderful bond of friendship between them, sealed by a covenant (1 Samuel 18:1-4). Jonathan knew David was destined to be the next king of Israel, even though Jonathan was officially the crown prince. At the same time, his father and king told him to kill David.

b. And to all his servants: Saul put his servants in a difficult place. They all loved David (1 Samuel 18:5) yet they were commanded by their king to kill David.

c. That they should kill David: Saul put David in a difficult place. Who can he trust? Even if he trusted Jonathan he surely knew there was at least one ambitious man on Saul’s staff who would do whatever Saul said, without regard to right or wrong. (Guzik)

Difficult Place

Saul put Jonathan in a difficult place, family over friendship, wrong verses right. Some of us face this in the workplace or in public. It’s in that time we need to ask ourselves, what would Jesus do? 

A difficult time will come and if you take the time to pray and ask Him what to do He will show you the way.

Blessings 

1 Samuel 18:28-30 Highly Esteemed, This mind, This heart!

 ”Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭18‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Thus Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David: Saul did not use this knowledge to stop trying to kill David. He did not find it in his heart to respect David and make a way for the LORD’s choice to smoothly come to the throne. Instead, the closer David got to the LORD, the further he got from Saul and Saul was still more afraid of David.

b. Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war: Saul’s cunning plan against David continued. No doubt, the Philistines went out to war against David in retaliation for what they felt was a terrible disgrace against the Philistine people. Saul wanted to make David a marked man, and he succeeded.

c. David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed: Saul’s plan has completely backfired. David is not only alive but also more popular and closer to the LORD than ever. Saul isn’t finished and will use more manipulation, cunning, and outright violence to attack David.

i. David’s wise behavior and high esteem were both closely connected to his humble heart. The same is true (in a far greater sense) of the Son of David, Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:9 says of Jesus, Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name. Why was it that the name of Jesus became highly esteemed? Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:5-8). This mind, this heart, was in David. This mind, this heart, is in Jesus. God wants this mind, this heart, to be in each of us. (Guzik)

Highly Esteemed, This mind, this heart!

We may not be highly esteemed like David or Jesus but we can have “this mind, this heart”! How? All you need is a humble heart that seeks the Lord continually starting with your prayer life. 

We’ve been praying for 10 years that the Lord matures our son and to straighten out his paths. Last week our prayers were answered as he setup a payment plan for his debts and he got his drivers license! But why did it take 10 years?

His timing!

”But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.“

‭‭II Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

”Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;“

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Keep praying even if it takes 10 years or more!

Blessings 

1 Samuel 18:26-27 Not Illustrated!

 ”So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭18‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. It pleased David well: David had such a pure, humble heart that he seemed to be blind to Saul’s manipulation and cunning. A simple man can survive amid such treachery when God is with him.

i. David had a humble heart. Many men would say, “Dowry? You want a dowry? You promised to give your daughter to the man who killed Goliath. If you want to see my dowry, look at the ten-foot grave in the Valley of Elah. That’s enough of a dowry. I demand my rights!” But David humbly agreed to Saul’s demand for a dowry.

b. Therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines: David answered Saul’s attempt at manipulation by taking control of the situation and being a humble servant, and by giving more than what was required.

c. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king: There are many times we wish we had a visual Bible or could see Biblical events exactly as they happened. This is one instance where we are happy the Bible is not illustrated. (Guzik) 😇

Not Illustrated!

I have to agree with David Guzik, this is one instance we are happy the Bible is not illustrated! But why giving double the amount? 

Maybe because David knew he was being manipulated and didn’t want to give Saul a chance to argue or manipulate the situation any further?

Will the Philistines take revenge on David as Saul intended?

Blessings 

This is how a children’s bible illustration dealt with these verses. 😳

1 Samuel 18:20-25 Snare-Goad

 ”Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.” And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.” Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.“ ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David: Saul was happy to hear this (the thing pleased him). It doesn’t surprise us that Michal was attracted to David, because of his character, qualities, and fame. But as is evident later in David’s marriage to Michal, she was not really attracted to David’s heart for the LORD.

b. That she might be a snare to him: This may be meant in two ways. First, Saul obviously wanted David to be snared by the dowry. But it may also be that Saul knew Michal’s character and heart and knew that she would be a snare for him as a wife, as turned out to be the case in some regard (2 Samuel 6:16-23).

c. The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines: Now, Saul builds on his clever plan. “David won’t marry Michal because he doesn’t have a big enough dowry. He’s too humble to ask me for terms, so I will suggest them.” Even the way he phrases it is clever: “The king does not desire any dowry.” That makes it sound like Saul doesn’t want anything from David. “But one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” That makes it sound like Saul isn’t asking for much, when he is really asking for something far greater than a lot of money. He asks David to put his life in great jeopardy because Saul wants him dead.

i. Even the specific request – one hundred foreskins of the Philistines–was manipulative. It was designed to goad David on (“Go get those uncircumcised Philistines”). It was designed to be difficult because the Philistines would obviously have to be dead. And it was designed to make the Philistines completely outraged at David, because from their perspective, not only were their men killed but also their dead bodies were desecrated. (Guzik)

“Here is a fair glove drawn upon a foul hand.” (Trapp)

Snare-Goad

Snare: often serves as a metaphor for physical, spiritual, or ethical traps throughout the Bible.

Goad: an instrument used by ploughmen for guiding their oxen. 

Jesus used the term kicking against the goads. Acts 9:5

The devil will often use the ungodly to snare and goad a godly person into doing something that causes them to fall from grace. 

”looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;“

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Bitterness is an easy snare for many. Praying for the Lord to remove it helps cleanse the soul.

Blessings