From Unknown to Known
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week we looked at the one of most well known, and most loved stories of the entire Bible, David battling the Philistine Hero and Giant, Goliath.
Today we are going to continue our study of the book of 1 Samuel. So if you have your Bibles, and I hope that you do. Turn to 1 Samuel 18, and we’ll begin reading with verse 1.
After killing Goliath, David is taken back to King Saul. We closed last week looking at their discussion.
David & Jonathan
David & Jonathan
This morning we come to chapter 18.
After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
I love the way the New Living Translations translates this verse.
After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.
The friendship between David and Jonathan is going to become an important part of this story.
Verse 2 tells us about a serious change that occured in David’s life. It tells us that David’s days as a shepherd are over.
From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family.
See, no more shepherding. Verse 3 brings us back to the relationship between Jonathan and David.
And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
The two of them make a “covenant.” One translations suggests that they become “blood brothers.” Another one says they made a solemn pact. We know Jonathan was a man loyal to the Lord (1 Sam 14:1-15). When he met David, he realized that David was also a man of faith and committed to Yahweh. That bond become extraordinarily strong between the two of them.
This bond is an amazing part of the story, but as amazing as it is what happens next is, to me, even more amazing!
Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
Remember, Jonathan is the king’s son. He wore the royal outer robe, and he wore a royal tunic—or inner robe. I don’t know if Jonathan realized David would be the next king but whether he did or not, he puts the royal robes on David! It is all part of God’s training for David to prepare him to become the second king over Israel.
David’s Success
David’s Success
David had already amazed everyone by killing the Philistine hero—a giant that one believed could be conquered. But God’s blessing of David does not stop there.
Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
David was successful in all that he did!
David was given a high rank in the army.
The troops were pleased because David found favor with the troops.
The other officers were well pleased with the king’s decision.
His success began to be known throughout Israel. Which stirs up trouble for David.
Trouble Between David and Saul
Trouble Between David and Saul
Look at verse 6.
When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres.
As the men returned home after the battle, the women would come out to meet the returning army and the king.
They would dance and sing for joy with tambourines and lyres—a stringed instrument.
And they danced and sang:
As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
Saul does not like this song!
Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”
Saul was very angry!
He is mad because they credit David with killing 10,000 Philistines and only credit Saul with 1,000 Philistines!
Once again, Saul makes a prophetic statement when he says, “What more can he get but the kingdom?” God will, indeed, give David the kingdom of Israel.
Saul Tries to Kill David
Saul Tries to Kill David
Saul’s anger comes out in full swing, when an evil spirit comes upon him. Look at verse 10.
The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
Saul knows one thing. God’s Spirit is with David and NOT with him. And that scares him. Look at verse 12.
Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.
I wish you and I would really grasp this fact. You and I have God’s Spirit in us and because of God’s Spirit in us people should be amazed and afraid. The truth is you and I ought to be amazed!
Saul is afraid of David, so he sends David away from him.
So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns.
When Saul sends David away, he puts him over 1,000 men.
David led his troops in campaigns.
In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.
David has great success—in EVERYTHING.
David’s success was not due to David, but because the Lord was with him—So his success was the Lords!
You would think this would please king Saul. If David is successful, then Israel is successful. And if Israel is successful then Saul is successful. But Saul isn’t pleased.
When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
Saul’s response is just the opposite. The more success David has, the more afraid of him Saul becomes.
What about the people? Well, look at verse 16.
But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
All of Israel loved David.
All of Judah loved David.
All because he led them in their campaigns. And because David was successful!
Part of the King’s Family
Part of the King’s Family
Now think back to last week. One of the rewards for killing Goliath was that David would become the king’s son-in-law. When you come to verse 17, we begin to see an evil plot rising up in Saul’s mind.
Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
Saul keeps his promise and offers his oldest daughter to David. But he has some stipulations.
—Serve only king Saul
—Serve him bravely
—And fight the battles for the Lord.
Saul believes he won’t have to do anything to David. He will simply let the Philistines do his dirty work.
But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”
David turns Saul down. He basically says that he and his family are not worthy of being connected—married—into the king’s family.
So when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
So Saul gives his daughter to be married to Adriel of Meholah.
Saul was not happy that David refused to marry his daughter. But he’s not done trying.
Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.
Okay new plan. Michal, Saul’s younger daughter was in love with David.
Saul hears about it and is really pleased, because he sees another opportunity to deal with David.
“I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
His plan—he could use Michal to trap David.
His plan is still to let the Philistines do his dirty work.
So Saul approaches David, and says, “You have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
But Saul isn’t going to leave his plan to simply asking David again. look at verse 22.
Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’ ”
Saul has a talk with his servants.
He wants them to talk with David privately.
He even tells the servant what to say.
—The king likes you (that might be a lie).
—All of the king’s servants like love you.
—Why don’t you become the king’s son-in-law.
David gives a humble response.
They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
David tells the servant that it is not an insignificant thing to become the king’s son-in-law.
David still sees himself as:
—A poor man—a man without much to offer.
—And a man that isn’t well known.
When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’ ” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
Saul’s servants go back and report what David said to Saul.
Saul tells the servants to tell David that he will have to pay for Michal.
Saul wants no less of a bride price than 100 Philistines foreskins.
Saul says he wants revenge against the Philistines.
But really Saul is expecting David to die in battle!
When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,
When David hears this, he decides that he would like to marry Michal.
So David comes up with a plan of his own. And gets busy before the time limit is up.
David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
David takes his men and kills 200 Philistines.
The go to the king and present him with 200 Philistine foreskins, the price of the king’s daughter.
So Saul gives his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
Saul’s Fear Grows
Saul’s Fear Grows
When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
Saul realizes two things:
—First that Yahweh was with David.
---And that Michal really loved David.
These two things cause Saul to fear David even more.
And Saul saw David as an enemy the rest of his days—the man that saved Israel from Goliath, and the man that was successful in the campaigns against the true enemy of Israel, the Philistines!
Why would Saul see David as an enemy when he did nothing but make Saul look good. Jealousy and fear cause people to do strange things. But to make sure we understand the success of David, verse 30 reinforces the success of David.
The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
David wasn’t successful stopping the Philistines raids.
But David had more success against the Philistines than any of Saul’s other officers.
And David’s name became well known!
David went from unknown in Israel to well known—because of the Lord was with him!
I love this story because if is full of lessons for us.
So What?
So What?
When God chooses you or me for a job, He prepares us for that job, just like He’s in the process of preparing David to be king!
And God always puts people in our lives to encourage us. Everyone needs a Jonathan in their lives. Do you have a Jonathan in your life?
As you and I go down the path of life, God will give you little signs (okay, sometimes big signs) that you are on the right path!
When we have success we need to realize that it is not our success, but God’s favor!
And God’s favor will be cause some to love you, but remember God’s favor can cause some to see you as an enemy, because they are an enemy of God.
Everyone one of us needs to be careful that jealousy and envy don’t lead to hatred.
It is not about people knowing who we are, but about being known by God. David loved God, and so he was known by God. That is why I chose this week’s Memory Verse. 1 Corinthians 8:3 makes this point.
But whoever loves God is known by God.
So as we conclude this morning, let me ask you two questions. First, do you love God? If your answer is, “Yes.” Then I want to ask you a second question, are you experiencing being known by God?