1 Samuel 19

Bible Passage:  1 Samuel 19

We read of Saul’s continued attempts to get rid of David, this time, using those closest to David – namely Jonathan, his son and David’s best friend…. and Michal, his daughter and David’s wife!

And what those 2 did – with God’s grace mixed in there – helped preserved the life of David.  Let’s see if my points resonate with you….

Obey All Authority?

We read in the last chapter of the wonderful bond of friendship that Jonathan had with David that was sealed by a covenant (1 Sam 18:1-4).  Jonathan knew that David was destined to be the next king of Israel, even though officially, he should be next in line.  But that did not stop him from loving his good friend and protecting him.

Imgaine you are Jonathan for a moment.

Now…. you king…. your own father now tells you to kill your very best friend!  What will will you?

I can imagine Saul telling Jonathan…. “Didn’t the 10 commandments tell you to honour your father and mother?  I am your father and king.  Now, obey me as your father and king and go and kill David!  Perhaps God has arranged for you to know David better and he now trusts you.  So you are in the best position to take his life!”

Now… if you were Jonathan… what would you do?  What kind of friend would you be?

It must surely be a testatment of Jonathan’s character and close friendship with David that David proclaimed he could trust Jonathan explicitly and that he will never betray him.

So.. Jonathan was loyal to his good friend.  Even to the extent of disobeyig the king.  Even to the extent of warning David about his father Saul.

The Bible clearly teaches that disobeying authority and lying are wrong.  But the Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharoah’s order to kill baby boys (Ex 1:15-21), and Rahab lied to the people of Jericho to save the lives of the two Israelite spies (Joshua 2:1-7; James 2:25).  Jonathan and Michal likewise chose a higher good and were willing to accept the consequences of their choices in order to help an innocent man… a man of God.

Have you ever told or implied an untruth to achieve a higher good?

Many years ago, I read the story of Corrie ten Bloom.  For those who do not know, she was a Dutch Christian Holocaust survivor who helped many Jews escape from the Nazis during World War 2.  It may be argued that when confronted with the policies of a madman, she was very justified in lying to protect innocent Jews during the war.

How would God react to this?  I am not sure but I trust that God will evaluate our behaviour and we can only throw ourselves on the mercy of God.  After all, he is well aware of our motives and understands our human frailities (cf. Ps 103:13-14; Heb 4:12-13).

Of course this does not give us the blanket permission to go and lie all the time.

The Spirit of God

It was interesting for me to read in 1 Sam 19:23-24 of Saul’s experience with the Spirit of God versus his first experience in 1 Sam 10:1-13.

The terminologies used are slightly dissimilar but the context and results are vastly different.

The first experience marked the anointing of the Spirit and signaled the beginning of Saul’s career.  This time, in today’s passage.. it marked its end.

It is this same Spirit that prevented Saul from harming David.

To me… it just means this…the Holy Spirit can be our Counsellor and Helper – interceding for us before the Heavenly Father and the guarantee of our heavenly inheritance.

But when we choose to disobey God and allow our lusts, our pride, our desires to overcome us… the Spirit of God will leave us.  So even though in this case the Spirit of God came on Saul, it was the last time.

Terrifying isn’t it?  Knowing that God is no longer willing to dwell in you and be with you.

Let us keep that thought in mind as we go through our lives.