Chronological Bible Study – April 13
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What I Noticed Today (1 Samuel 18-20; Psalms 11 & 59)
1 Samuel 18
In verses 1-9, Saul brought David into his household and did not let him return to his father.
- Saul’s son Jonathan and David became very close friends. Jonathan gave David his own tunic, sword, bow, and belt.
- But as David was successful in battle, Saul became more and more envious of David’s popularity.
In verses 10-19, the next day, an evil spirit entered Saul while he was in the palace, and David was playing the lyre.
- Saul tried to kill David by throwing a spear at him, but David got away.
- Saul made David a commander over 1,000 men, and David was successful in everything he did because the Lord was with him.
- Saul became more and more envious of David, but the people loved David.
- Saul kept sending David on missions hoping the Philistines would kill him (ironic considering this is exactly what David did to Uriah the Hittite in 2 Samuel 11).
- Saul then attempted to get David to marry his oldest daughter, but David said he was not worthy of becoming the King’s son-in-law.
In verses 20-30, Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and it was reported to Saul.
- Saul offered to give his daughter Michal to David as his bride hoping that she would be a snare to him, but Michal loved David, so Saul despised David even more.
- David again expressed reluctance to become the King’s son-in-law because he did have an appropriate bride price for a king’s daughter.
- Saul asked only for the foreskins of 100 Philistines as a bride price in the hopes that the Philistines would kill David.
- Instead, David killed 200 Philistines and returned with their foreskins as a bride price for Saul’s daughter.
- Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage. Saul realized that the Lord was with David, and his daughter loved him. Saul became even more afraid of David and viewed David as his enemy from then on.
- David became the most successful of all of Saul’s officers, and he became well known throughout the land.
Saul was God’s anointed King, yet he stood afraid of the Philistines. Perhaps if he had finished the battle with the Philistines (1 Samuel 16), he would never have had this problem. Regardless, it’s interesting that for 40 days, Saul listened to the threats of the Philistines and never consulted God.
David came along in the power of God and defeated Goliath, and as he did, he gave credit to the Lord. Through all of his battles that led to his increasing popularity with the people, David gave credit for the success in battle to God.
Saul went from caring for David like a family member to angry because of his success and popularity with the people (v. 8), to fear of David (v. 12), to fearful awe (v. 15), to plotting to have him killed (v. 17, 25), to even more afraid of David (v. 29), and finally to making him his enemy (v. 29).
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- God will prepare and use those whose hearts are devoted to him!
1 Samuel 19
Saul is jealous of David and tries to kill him.
In verses 1-7, clearly fearful that David will take his kingship away from him, Saul ordered Jonathan and his servants to find and kill David. Jonathon spoke up in defense of David and gave his father three reasons why killing David was not a good idea:
1) David had not sinned against Saul,
2) David had brought great victories to Israel, and
3) Saul would be guilty of shedding innocent blood.
Because of Jonathon, Saul swore an oath that David would not be put to death.
Note: The phrase “As surely as the Lord lives” was often the way an oath to God was made.
In verse 8, war broke out between the Philistines and the Israelites again. David led the Israelite army and defeated the Philistines.
In verses 9-17, an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, and Saul tried to kill David again. First, by hurling a spear at him (v. 10), then by trying to have him captured (v. 11). David eluded Saul with his wife, Michal’s help, then again with Jonathan’s help. Saul’s children, Jonathan and Michal, both lied to Saul to protect David.
In verse 18, David fled to Ramah (three miles) to tell Samuel everything Saul had done. Samuel and David left Ramah and stayed at Naioth
In verses 19-24, Saul sent agents to seize David at Naioth in Ramah. Three times Saul sent men to seize David. Each time the men encountered Samuel and the prophets, the Spirit of God came upon them, and they also began to prophesy. Finally, Saul himself went to Naioth. The Spirit of God came upon Saul, and he also prophesied before Samuel
1 Samuel 20
Jonathan and David meet secretly, and Jonathan protects David.
In verses 1-24, David left Naioth and met Jonathan. David enlisted Jonathan’s help in determining what Saul’s intentions toward him were.
- David was supposed to join the King at the New Moon festival.
- If Saul missed David but was not angry, he knew he would be safe. If, however, Saul became angry because David was not at the festival, then David knew Saul intended to kill him.
- David and Jonathan agreed to meet in a field the day after the festival. If Saul were not angry, Jonathan would send for David. If Saul was angry, Jonathan promised to warn David and send him away to safety.
In verses 24-42, at the New Moon festival dinner, Saul noticed David’s absence. At first, he thought David was ceremonially unclean and was unable to come. The second day when David did not attend, Saul confronted Jonathan, who deceived his father about David’s absence.
- Saul became so angry he tried to kill his own son, Jonathan, with a spear.
- The next morning Jonathan went to the field to meet David and told him about Saul’s anger toward him.
- Jonathan and David pledged allegiance to each other in the name of the Lord.
- David left, and Jonathan returned to the city.
Note: David lived about ten years in exile. During that time, Saul repeatedly tried to kill David.
Psalm 11
The psalmist describes not fleeing to the mountains to avoid danger but instead flees to the Lord (vv. 1-3). Flee to the Lord because He is in His temple, He is righteous, and He will uphold the righteous (vv. 4-11).
Psalm 59
Psalm 59 is a prayer of David to protect him from Saul, who was coming for him (1 Samuel 19:8-14).
In verses 1-5, David prayed for deliverance from the bloodthirsty men who were coming for him and asked God to punish them.
In verses 6-10, David describes his enemies as snarling dogs but is confident that God will destroy them and rescue him.
In verses 11-13, David prays that the Lord would shield him and punish the wicked in a way that would humiliate them by exposing their lies.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.