2024-12-11 - 1 Samuel 18:1-16

1 Samuel 18 (NKJV)

---------------A Friendship Was Born---------------

1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore.

Saul wanted to keep a close eye on David. He was beginning to see him as a threat.

In life you only keep someone close to you if :

Trust them and love them.

Don't Trust them and want to hurt them.

3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

Jonathan had to be at least twenty years old to be in his father’s army, and the fact that Jonathan was already commanding one-third of that army and had won two great victories (13:1–4; 14:1) indicates that he was a seasoned soldier and not a callow adolescent. Some biblical chronologists calculate that there could have been an age difference of twenty-five to twenty-eight years between David and Jonathan. - Warren W. Wiersbe

Jonathan was Saul’s eldest son, destined for the throne of Israel, and the Lord had already given it to David, so their friendship was certainly unique.

When Jonathan gave his official garments and his armor to David, making him a friend and equal, Jonathan was acknowledging that David would one day take his place, so David must have told Jonathan about his anointing.

The two friends covenanted that when David became king, Jonathan would be right by him, quite possibly second in command (20:16–17, 42; 23:16–18), and David covenanted to protect Jonathan’s family from being slain.

1 Samuel 20:16–17 “So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” 17 Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.”

1 Samuel 20:42 “Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’ ” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.”

1 Samuel 23:16–18 “Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.” 18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.”

You might have a program, a plan, a passion. But the Lord would say to you today, “Let go. Give Me your robe and your weapons. Knit your soul with Mine, and what you’ll find is freedom and fulfillment like you’ve never known.” - Jon Courson

Saul was determined to remain on the throne and in control. Jonathan does just the opposite. Saul goes down in infamy; Jonathan is exalted eternally. - Jon Courson

Application:

Are you willing to get off the throne of your life? Are you willing to give control to the God who loves you so much that He became the Good Shepherd who gave His life for you? - Jon Courson

This is a daily issue for those of us who know the Lord, as well. Who will be on the throne today? Will I give up my abilities and appearance to follow the One who gave up the throne of heaven to die for me? - Jon Courson

---------------The Beginnings of Hostilities---------------

5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.

7 So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.”

In comparison:

Saul: when a leader nurtures himself on pride, jealousy and fear, he suspects everybody.

Saul was prideful, jealous and fearful. This is evident in how Saul treats David.

David: Proverbs 27:21 “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him.”

How we respond to praise reveals what we’re made of and whether or not we’re ready to take on new responsibilities. If praise humbles us, then God can use us, but if praise puffs us up, we’re not yet ready for a promotion.

This is true in Davids life as he remained humble.

---------------Saul Resents David---------------

8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”

Saul concludes at this point that David must be the man that God was referring to back in 1 Samuel 15:28 “So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.”

9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

During the ten years or so that David was a fugitive, the Lord not only thwarted Saul’s plans repeatedly, but He even used the king’s hostility to mature David and make him into a man of courage and faith. While Saul was guarding his throne, David was being prepared for his throne. - Warren W. Wiersbe

10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand.

11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

Both men were anointed by God

One had a spear in his hand, trying to inflict pain

One had a harp in his hand, trying to heal

It was evident that God was with David, as it would be no small feat to dodge a javelin cast by such an experienced warrior as Saul.

One question I read when studying this is:

Have you thrown a spear today?

Have you made your point?

12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul.

Remember, we saw this back a few chapters in 1 Samuel 16:14 “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.”

13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

Moving David closer to the front lines, probably hoping he’d die in battle.

Be Successful 2. Saul Plots to Have David Killed. (1 Sam. 18:13–30)

“Faith is living without scheming,” but Saul was better at scheming than at trusting God. If Saul disobeyed God, he always had a ready excuse to get himself out of trouble, and if people challenged his leadership, he could figure out ways to eliminate them. Possessed by anger and envy, and determined to hold on to his crown, Saul decided that young David had to be killed

14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.

15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him.

David was one with the people, and God rewarded Him as a leader. What Saul did to try to get rid of him, only made him stronger.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

David took all he was given and was faithful to it. God kept him safe and was using this to rise him up before the people that one day they would follow him as Gods annointed.

---------------LEFT OFF HERE 12-11-2024---------------

---------------David Marries Michal---------------

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18 So David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”

19 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

Mear-Ab

20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21 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.”

22 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.’ ”

23 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?”

24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.”

25 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.

26 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;

27 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.

28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him;

29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually.

30 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.