1 Samuel 18:1-20:42 "Following David" There is a common theme running throughout these three chapters, which convinced me that there was really only one sermon here: and that is the theme of Saul's family (and everybody else) following David. 18:1-5 Jonathan loved David and made a covenant with him 18:6-16 All Israel and Judah loved David 18:17-30 Michal loved David 19:1-10 Jonathan delighted in David 19:11-17 Michal protected David 19:18-24 Samuel protected David 20:1-42 Jonathan protected David and made a covenant with him There is even a chiastic structure to this with Jonathan at the beginning, end, and middle of this love-fest for David! And the completeness of this particular passage is seen in the fact that Jonathan and Michal then vanish from the narrative. We will not hear about Jonathan again until his death in chapter 31, while Michal only reappears in 2 Samuel 3. But in 1 Samuel 18-20, David is the general who goes up against Saul's enemies the LORD's enemies. After Goliath we hear about David's victories in 18:5, 18:14-16, 18:27, 18:30, and 19:8. And Saul is not blind to who David is. Saul understands full well that David is the Lord's anointed (20:31). But Saul is jealous and wants to see his own line follow him as king. What is interesting is that Saul's family (and all Israel) sees more clearly than Saul. They see that the LORD is with David, and that is enough for them. If we are going to keep our Messianic theme here since the king is the Lord's anointed one (meshiach)-- then we need to see that loving David, protecting David, and making a covenant with David is all about loving Jesus, delighting in Jesus, and protecting Jesus. 1. Loving David (18) Chapter 18 is all about loving David. Verse 1 "Jonathan loved him as his own soul" verse 16 "all Israel and Judah loved David" verse 20 "Now Saul's daughter, Michal, loved David" (echoed in v29) Loving David is not just an abstract feeling. Loving David is, in every case, given practical expression. Jonathan gives David his armor, his robe, his sword, his bow and his belt. The women of Israel sing his praise, Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands. The armies of Israel and Judah follow David for he went out and came in before them. Michal, Saul's daughter, desired to marry him. Why does Saul's family and all Israel love David? Because David was successful in battle. The women sing of his great triumphs (greater than Saul's!) David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him. (18:14) But because of this great success Saul hated him and was jealous of him: Saul stood in fearful awe of him. (18:15) Something we rarely really think about, is that David was loved by his people because he was really good at killing people. This is repugnant to the modern world. We think of mighty warriors as a thing of the past. But throughout American history we have frequently elected great generals as presidents: George Washington Andrew Jackson William Henry Harrison Ulysses S. Grant Dwight Eisenhower. None of these men campaigned on their political ideas. They campaigned on their war record. "I like Ike" is not exactly a slogan designed to persuade! "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" was a slogan used to remind voters of Harrison's great victory. Andrew Jackson kept saying he was for reform, even though nobody ever did figure out what he was going to reform! Some liberals have thought it somewhat odd to reward men who are especially proficient at killing others, with political office! But when you are encircled by enemies who want to kill you and your children and take your land, you tend to reward men who are especially proficient at defending you! And while the liberals may not like it, the very heart of Christianity is about a man who is remarkably proficient at destroying the wicked. And this is prefigured in David. And all who refuse to bow the knee to Christ are prefigured in Saul the one who was jealous of the LORD's anointed warrior. Saul's jealousy is revealed in his statement, what more can he have but the kingdom? Saul had been made king so that he might be the one who goes before his people, and deliver them from their enemies. But Saul's focus on his calling slipped. And he did not pursue the kingdom of God but his own kingdom (literally). And so in pursuit of his own kingdom, Saul will demonstrate once again that folly is set upon its own destruction. If you are like Saul, and you have the tendency to seek first your own kingdom, then pay attention to Saul and learn from his mistakes. In chapter 17 we heard that Saul had promised his daughter in marriage to the man who killed Goliath. Now we discover that Saul tries to use his daughters to lure David to his death. Verse 17 Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD's battles. But he was thinking, let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him Then, after proving faithless, and giving Merab to another, we hear that Saul's younger daughter, Michal, loved David. And Saul once again tries to use this to send David to his death: The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged on the king's enemies. Saul already owed David his daughter for the death of Goliath! But he adds an extra 100 Philistine foreskins as a way to make David odious to the Philistines. And David brought 200 foreskins to Saul, so Saul gave him his daughter, Michal. But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, Saul was even more afraid of David. He wanted to destroy David, so he used his daughters as a lure to entice David to do something foolish. Instead, David is now his son-in-law that much closer to usurping his throne! (Or at least that's how Saul's thinks of it) If you want to pursue your own kingdom, then don't let your kids anywhere near Jesus. He has a way of drawing them to himself! Saul should have rejoiced that his children loved David. If Saul had yielded to the LORD's anointed, then Jonathan probably would not have died in battle; and quite possibly Michal would not have died childless. But because Saul stood against the Messiah, even the children who loved David paid a price for their father's folly. 2. Delighting in David (19) Jonathan, on the other hand, delighted much in David. And so when Jonathan heard of his father's desire to kill David, he warned his friend to hide, while he interceded with his father. Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause? And Saul listened to Jonathan. As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death. There is a certain fickleness to Saul that amazes us. Unstable as water, he could not stand firm. Jonathan's voice could remind him of what was good and true, but the harmful (or evil) spirit from the LORD continued to plague him. Why does God keep sending this evil spirit? Isn't it enough that God has judged him for his sins, and has removed the kingdom from him? Why send this harmful spirit? First of all, Saul was supposed to be the son of God. He was supposed to be the one who would succeed where Adam failed. But he didn't. So this evil spirit is simply what he deserves indeed, it is better than what he deserves! Just as Israel was plagued with enemies when they rebelled against God, so is Saul. But secondly, this really isn't about Saul. This is about David. Why do bad things happen to some people and not others? Why do some people die quietly in their sleep, while others have prolonged agony? Why are some people born blind? Is it because they are worse sinners? Because their parents sinned? No. Jesus told us that it was so that the power of God might be revealed. Even so, while Saul does deserve what he gets, it is really not about him. The LORD's anointed must be brought through suffering to glory. The only way for a son of Adam to become the son of God is the way of the cross. And even as Israel was tested in the wilderness, in order to learn to trust in the LORD, so also David must be tested in the wilderness. And that won't happen as long as David is getting comfy as the great warrior, the king's son-in-law. And so God sends the evil spirit to Saul in order to drive David into the wilderness. First, David flees to his house to his wife, Michal. But Michal told him, If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed. So she helped him out the window and he fled and then she deceived her father in order to give David time to escape! And David fled to Samuel. This is an interesting twist not surprising at all. Where else would he go, but to the prophet who had anointed him? And Samuel protected David as well. Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. (19:20) Three times this happens, until finally Saul himself comes to find David. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" (19:23-24) 15:35 says that Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death. This may well be that time. This is certainly the last time that Samuel is mentioned until his death in 1 Samuel 25. It is the one and only time that Samuel, David, and Saul appear in the same place at the same time. And Samuel appears as the protector of David, the powerful prophet who subdues Saul by the Spirit of God. This passage clearly demonstrates that the Holy Spirit may come upon a person temporarily. Our confession speaks of this as the "common operations of the Spirit"-- by which the Spirit uses the wicked temporarily in his service. The key distinction between these "common operations" and "saving operations" is that the common operations are not permanent. There may be a temporary change of attitude and action, but in time the old man reasserts itself because the old man isn't dead! 3. Protecting David (20) David is not quite sure what the situation is. After all, he just saw the Spirit of God come upon Saul. Is it possible that Saul is a changed man? Or will Saul continue to try to kill him? So he comes to Jonathan with a plan. The new moon feast was being celebrated the next day, and so David wanted to ascertain the king's attitude. As the king's son-in-law and general, David should be at the feast, but if Saul was okay with David's absence, that would mean that Saul was happy with David. But if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him. (20:7) Verse 8 is especially interesting: Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. How do we make sense of Jonathan's covenant-making? After all, Jonathan makes two covenants with David one at the beginning of their relationship (18:3) and one at the end (20:16). And for that matter, what exactly is a covenant? We are used to talking about God's covenant with his people. God imposes the covenant it is unilaterally established. But throughout the Bible we also hear of covenants (or treaties) made between tribal leaders (Abraham and Abimelech in Gen 21:32) or between nations (Israel and Gibeon in Joshua 9). So what is Jonathan doing? Jonathan is a prince. He is the son of the LORD's anointed. So he has the authority to make such a covenant (or treaty). But his covenant-making has the effect of pledging his loyalty to David. David refers to this as a "covenant of the LORD" between them. This is not merely about friendship between buddies. This is about who will serve whom in the kingdom of God. This is not entirely clear in David's statement in verse 8. David refers to himself as Jonathan's servant, and plainly sees himself as the subordinate in the relationship. But this is only an example of our Lord's teaching about the greatest being the servant of all. David is not grasping for power. David has humbled himself and is serving the very man who has yielded all to him! But Jonathan explains how he views this covenant in verses 13-15: May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. That may sound a little strange, since the LORD was no longer with Saul! But Jonathan's point is that his father is the king! To say may the LORD be with you as he has been with my father, is to say, may you be king! If I am still alive [in other words, when you become king, if I am still alive] show me the steadfast love of the LORD, that I may not die; [after all, the children of the old king usually get killed when the new king takes power!] and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. You cannot be any clearer than this. You, David, will be king, and when you are king please don't kill me or my family. We will serve you. And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, May the LORD take vengeance on David's enemies. And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. This is what baptism is all about. Our baptism is our pledge to be the Lord's. (And if you wonder, how come we baptize our children, remember that Jonathan pledges that his house will follow David.) There are two sides to the covenant in baptism. One is what God says and does: he claims us as his own. He promises the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who respond in faith. But the other side is our pledge and vow: "Our engagement to be the Lord's." In baptism we are pledged to him, just as Jonathan pledged himself and his family to David. That is why the Reformed have so often spoken of the importance of "owning the covenant." If you fast-forward to the death of Saul. David honors Jonathan's covenant, and spares the son of Jonathan (though not all the house of Saul!). And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, owns the covenant. If he had rebelled against David, then David could have justly killed him, but to the end Mephibosheth remains faithful, and so David cares for him all his days. But Jonathan tells Saul that David went to Bethlehem for a sacrifice. Incidentally, what do you make of Jonathan's lie? Verse 24 tells us that David was hiding in the field. But Jonathan says that David is not present because he asked permission to go to Bethlehem for a feast. Obviously there are many instances in scripture of people who sinned. But it is not at all obvious that this is a sin. The classic example in the 20th century was "If the Nazi's ask if you have any Jews in your house, what should you say?" Well, Saul is trying to kill David, so no honest Israelite should tell Saul where David is. And so Jonathan tests his father. (The moral of the story is that if your father is trying to kill someone, please feel free to lie to him about where that person is! Otherwise, you should the truth to your father!) And the result is that Saul loses all sense of decency and honor: You son of a perverse, rebellious woman (Okay, now Saul is insulting his own wife) do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness!? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. (20:30-31) Saul's fear and jealousy have reached the nadir of self-destructiveness: and when Jonathan asks "why?" Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan! Talk about a good way to make sure that your son never becomes king! Try killing him! But then Jonathan and David met in the field one last time. As far as we know there was only one more time that they ever saw each other (23:15-18). And they wept at that parting. And we are told that David wept most. And they kissed each other it is still common for heterosexual men to kiss each other in much of the world. Then Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of Yahweh, saying Yahweh shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring forever. And he rose and departed and Jonathan went into the city. (20:42) It is perhaps no accident that it was a Benjaminite named Saul who took the gospel of Jesus, the son of David, to the Gentiles. We do not know whether Saul of Tarsus was a descendent of Jonathan. We do know that the house of Kish (Saul's father) lasted at least until the days of Mordecai and Esther. But Jonathan's tribe remained faithful to David, as Benjamin became united to Judah. And it was a Benjaminite who followed the last prince of his tribe, and yielded all to the son of David, proclaiming that the Son of David had come through suffering to glory, and had delivered his people from sin and death. And remembering how his namesake fell short, Paul declares Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (Phil 3:13-14, 12) Saul of Tarsus was a true son of Jonathan. He wanted no kingdom for himself, but only to exalt the kingdom of Jesus.