Year 1, Day 304: 1 Samuel 18

David and Saul

Today we get to watch David go from “honored general” to “hated fugitive.”  There are really two issues at stake in this chapter: David’s success and David’s faith.  Both issues intertwine throughout the whole chapter.

Clearly David had a great career beginning with Goliath.  1 Samuel 18 is quick to tell us several times that whenever David went out against the enemies of the Hebrew people he had success.  He was so successful that Saul set him over the army according to 1 Samuel 18:5.

In addition to this success, Jonathon and David had developed a great friendship.  Jonathon and David’s friendship was so true and faithful that they cared for one another as they cared for themselves.  This put David once again in close proximity to Saul, but on this account Saul didn’t seem to mind.

We also see that David is popular with the people, more so than Saul even!  Saul is given credit for his victories, but David is given ten times the credit.  Now, whether this is because David actually killed more people in battle or because his battles were simply fresher in the minds of the people we don’t really know.  Given Saul’s hesitation when Jonathon went out to battle against the Philistines, Saul’s hesitation to fight Goliath, and Saul’s hiding before his coronation it is quite probable that David actually was a more famous soldier.

If we add all these things up, we begin to see the picture of David.  He made a few close friends.  The people liked him.  He was successful.  He was put into a position of power.  There is good worldly reason for Saul to be jealous of David.

There is an old proverb that says “Praise is like a hot furnace to man: it reveals of what kind of things a person is made.”  As Saul sees David growing in power, he becomes jealous of David.  Saul does not stop to consider the spiritual reasons for what is happening.  Saul does not stop to think that maybe he is making worldly decisions instead of spiritual reasons.  Saul becomes jealous of David’s popularity and success and it spoils the relationship completely.

David and Jonathon

On the other hand, let’s look at how David’s success affected Jonathon.  By rights, Jonathon is next in line to be king.  He is the heir to the throne.  If David’s success should threaten anyone it should be Jonathon.  Yet their friendship remains true.  Even after Saul tries to pin David to a wall, Jonathon remains loyal to David.  This is great example of how spiritual relationships are unaffected by worldly conditions.

David and Himself

Finally, we look at David’s reaction to his success.  First, notice that we aren’t given an official reaction by David with respect to the praise of the people.  And did you notice that the people praise David and Saul rather than the God who enabled the victories?  David is wise to ignore the praise of the people.  A truly spiritual person will let praise of themselves roll over them and pass on by.  A truly spiritual person will be the most flattered when their work leads to the praise and glory of God.

This is actually what we see David do in this chapter.  David does whatever Saul appoints him to do.  Verse 5 seems to indicate that David was set in front of the whole army as a general-type figure.  Verse 13 seems to indicate that after David has the praise of the people Saul removes him from that lofty position and demotes him to simply a commander of 1,000.  Yet David rolls with the action and continues to find success with the leading of the Lord.  David does not seem to get caught up in worldly things but rather maintain his focus on God.

David and Saul’s Daughters

Of course, all of this is said without even considering the portion of this chapter with respect to David’s marriage to Saul’s daughter.  Before we get to Micah, let’s get to Merab.  There are some that want to say that Merab is given to Adriel to spite David.  However, I don’t think we can be quick to say that the text indicates this.  It is possible, but it is equally possible to read the text as saying that the offer was made to David, David turned the offer down (1 Samuel 18:18), so the daughter that should have been given to David was given to someone else.  I find no concrete reason to force this text to say that David was wronged in this process.

More Sin On Saul’s Behalf

Where I do see the text lifting up Saul as doing something wrong is in the bride price required for Michal.  Saul demands the death of 100 Philistines.  This demand is probably made hoping that David would be killed in the process of collecting the Philistine foreskins.  At the very least, Saul realizes that if David is successful then he will have put enmity between himself and the Philistines.  Saul is trying to get David to make enemies who might rid Saul of the problem of David.  Saul’s corrupt character is coming out even more now.

What can we learn from all of this?  When people focus on the world, bad decisions are made.  People get jealous, greedy, and selfish.  When people focus on God, worldly problems cannot break the spiritual bonds that exist.  This chapter gives us a pretty good place to analyze the differences between spirituality and worldly thought.

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