Lesson 6: King David: A Servant to Saul

Lesson 6: King David: A Servant to Saul

The Kings of Israel & Judah

1 Samuel 18-20

Last we looked at David as he came out of obscurity. It wasn’t that there wasn’t record of him or his family like Elijah the Tishbite, there is nothing known of his background other than what his name says – it was just that he was not important – outside of his family, and even in his family he was the youngest of 8 brothers.

We saw that he was special in his willingness to serve and honor God. He was not going to allow anything to discourage or stop him from following His God – that is why God chose him.

We also discussed the fact that God is not a respecter of persons, he did not use David because he was bigger, stronger, more athletic, had more charisma, was better looking, had more talent than anyone else. No, the reason God used him is because he had faith in God.

So, we looked at his youth up to quickly going over his defeat of Goliath. This week are going to look at King David: A Servant to Saul. We will start about with:

I. Initial Results of David’s Victory Ch.18:1-16

There are a couple of things that happened after that battle, some blessings, reactions, good things and some difficult things.

A. David is blessed with a friend vv.1-4

1 Samuel 18:1-5

1. A true friend is a gift from God

Jonathon was the great friend

2. True friends have their souls knit together

3. True friends love unselfishly

Jonathon desired David’s blessing and promotion

4. True friends stay through adversity

Proverbs 17:17 AV

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

5. True friends stay friends for life

B. Saul’s hatred begins vv.6-7

Here we see the inconsistencies and sins of Saul start to take their toll on him and ultimately his kingdom.

He acts in a way that is befuddling to both David and anyone who reads this passage.

Here David has been acting valiantly and faithfully before his king and for his countryman – yet Saul reacts with a wicked attitude toward David.

What set him off is found in

1 Samuel 18:6–7 AV

And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

When ever you and I start defending our rights or trying to promote our image above another, we are on dangerous grounds. Especially when we are worried that someone else is getting more credit that we are.

C. David behaves wisely v.5

Remember this, most successes and victories are short-lived and forgotten quickly. Even when a memorial is built or left – people don’t remember what they were even there for.

So, don’t try to ride that train too long. Continue to do valiantly and right and God will continue to bless.

1. He followed every direction given

v.5 – I don’t know where Saul had sent him, but I believe at this point they were legitimate tasks that were given to him.

He was representing the king and did what the king commanded him to do. He did not question the king, he obeyed every command and every direction.

2. He stepped up to tasks that were new

He had gone from tending sheep; be the youngest of 8 brothers and the least of them in rank and stature to being in charge of an army, possibly this meant he was the commanding general.

In the U.S. Military, both in officer and enlisted ranks, there is a learning curve. No one is thrust to positions of important leadership roles without first proving themselves in minor ones. Especially in the Marines and Army, there is a ranks structure that is set up that all are leaders, from even an E-3 and up.

This is one of the reasons that we have had such success in fighting in the past. Most armies are built upon the leadership of their officers only. Look at the Red Army of old, they didn’t teach leadership to everyone, only senior enlisted, and officers. So if you could take out the officer, you rendered a unit useless. Whereas in the our style of military leadership, if you knocked off the officer, the next person in rank or file would take his place.

But David never received that type of training, never was able to learn as he was promoted and develop the leadership traits needed to the commander of an army, but he had one thing – a heart that loved God and want to please God.

Friend that is enough for you and me too.

3. He continued to play for his master

v. 10 – Though he was a commanding general of an army, he was still humble enough to serve the king in a simple place of service. To play the harp before his master.

I wonder if we still have the humility that as we are promoted in life, to lower ourselves to continue to serve in lowly positions if needed to fulfill a greater good for the Lord or for our church.

4. He was wise in all of his ways

v.14 – Now most of us are wise in a few ways, but David was wise in all his ways. There was only one reason that was given for this – it was because the Lord was with him.

5. He lived a life that was an open book

1 Samuel 18:16 AV

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

II. Saul Seeks David’s Demise 18:17-19:24

A. Through using the battle to destroy David 18:17-19

B. Through challenging David to kill more Philistines 18:20-30

C. Saul’s outright hatred is shown 19:1-10

In v. 29 it says “Saul became David’s enemy continually.”

Now he hated David and could not hide it; no longer was rational; no longer did reserve some good feelings for David, or did his conscious battle him, now he was David’s enemy.

1. Saul shares his desire for David to be killed vv.1-5

Jonathon protects David

He keeps his friend from danger v.2

He doesn’t keep secrets from his friend v.3

He speaks well of his friend v.4-5

2. Saul attempts to slay David himself vv.6-10

While David is again performing valiantly on behalf of Saul, v.8

While David played the harp to help the spirit of Saul, v.9

Saul rewards him by throwing an javelin at him, v.10

3. By seeking to slay him in his own bed vv.11-17

4. While David visited Samuel, Saul tried to apprehend him 19:18-24

III. David’s last days in Saul’s household 1 Samuel 20

A. David’s complaint vv.1-3

David was certainly suffering from the pressures of life.

Think about it for a moment, David was going through some really tough times, without a doubt. He had the pressure of the world bearing down on him. You might ask in what way – I say in the worst possible way; when you think about how bad you have it, just remember that you don’t have some looking to kill you.

• Let’s take that a step further, you don’t have the king of the land out to kill you.

• It is like having President Biden putting a wanted poster out for you – and you are playing Logan’s run for your life.

So, David, as a result of his many pressures, opens his mouth a little bit carelessly.

I want you to know, that this convicts me.

Notice what he says here, he says nothing but true things – all of it is known by all that were present at this conversation.

David was present, Jonathon was present, and so was the Lord.

o These were not new things, they all knew the things that were transpiring – but David lost his character for a little bit of time, we will see other cracks in his character along the line to.

o He started complaining to his friend.

o He start letting things out, he started questioning why - to all kinds of things. Before you know, complaining leads to us justifying other things in our lives because we perceive others, circumstances and ultimately - GOD is unfair, and God is always just.

B. Jonathon’s loyalty vv.4-23

Right or wrong in their actions at times, these two were wonderful friends. As we have spoken in past weeks, Jonathon was a better friend to David. Jonathon seemed to be the most active in their friendship at this point, David would be the one showing himself true as a friend years down the road.

These two men, made a league, a commitment, a covenant.

Covenant simply means: A contract or agreement between two or more parties.

A covenant is a very serious term in the Bible.

When people made a covenant they did not go back on it. When the made an agreement, they would keep it at all costs.

C. Saul’s bitterness vv. 25-33

Saul’s bitterness and bad spirit had now really started affecting everything in his life.

At first his bitter spirit was only affecting himself, thus he go David to play the harp.

Then his bitterness started affecting his subjects, the people he worked with or that worked for him, his jealousy of David.

Then his bitterness started making manipulate his family, friends, and servants to destroy David.

Now his bitterness causes him to try to kill his own son v.33

Bitterness is a wicked disease that just keeps spreading. It ruins lives, and you can stop it, so could Saul, he would have repented.

Oh, tonight, that we would learn the lessons of David, Jonathan, and Saul, David was at the edge of bitterness, Jonathon was the true hero of this chapter, and Saul allowed bitterness to destroy him, his family, and his kingship, What about us, can we learn from these examples.

Can we guard against bitterness? When that hurt, that problem, that burden or that sin, comes - give it to the Lord.

Lesson 6: King David: A Servant to Saul

The Kings of Israel & Judah

1 Samuel 18-20