Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Year 7, Day 304: 1 Samuel 18

Theological Commentary: Click Here


In this chapter, we get to hear about love.  First, we have Jonathan and David’s shared love.  They are like brothers.  Jonathan and David grow to have a great appreciation for one another, as we’ll see later.  Jonathan and David forge a covenant together.  They are truly even closer than family because of their kindred spirit.

On the other hand, we hear about Saul’s love for hating David.  I find this interesting.  Here is the boy who soothes Saul’s temper by being a great musician.  Here is a boy whole just killed Goliath and freed the people from his threat.  Yet, Saul loathes David.  What is it that causes this hero to be hated by Saul?  There are two reasons.  First of all, there is sheer jealousy.  That’s a great lesson to learn.  We will be hated by those who have a jealous eye.  The second reason, though, is far deeper.  Saul hates David because the Lord is with David and no longer with him.  David is hated because God is with him.

Then we hear about Michal’s love for David.  What I find despicable about this story is that Saul is willing to use his daughter’s love to get at David.  Saul puts a bride price for Michal as something that will draw him into direct physical conflict with the Philistines.  Saul is willing to use his daughter’s love as a tool to destroy David.  It’s very interesting to see the how people can corrupt something as beautiful as love for their own pleasure.

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