June 30, 2022

1 Samuel 19:1-11 (HCSB)
David Delivered from Saul
19 Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much, 2 so he told him: “My father Saul intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning and hide in a secret place and stay there. 3 I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and talk to him about you. When I see what he says, I’ll tell you.” 4 Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. He said to him: “The king should not sin against his servant David. He hasn’t sinned against you; in fact, his actions have been a great advantage to you. 5 He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?” 6 Saul listened to Jonathan’s advice and swore an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.” 7 So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before. 8 When war broke out again, David went out and fought against the Philistines. He defeated them with such a great force that they fled from him. 9 Now an evil spirit sent from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his palace holding a spear. David was playing the lyre, 10 and Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear. As the spear struck the wall, David eluded Saul, ran away, and escaped that night. 11 Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning. But his wife Michal warned David, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!”

Mark Jenkins
David had an interesting time after being anointed – I encourage you to read the chapters that we have skipped. Saul is on a mission to save his position, as we have seen the Jewish leaders do against Jesus. Jonathan, Saul’s son and heir to the throne (in the most common application of hierarchy of the throne) was friends with David. Jonathan argued against the order to kill David because of his friendship and his understanding of the things God had revealed about David. Saul temporarily accepted David but his desire to remain in power turned quickly. This is a beautiful picture of God using those in our path, often those you never expect to help in accomplishing His will. We often talk of God’s will in our lives…. Jonathan had every human reason to align with his father, Saul, and get David out of the way…but that is not what He does. God’s will is always better than ours. If we are in a relationship with God (two-way communication), if we are studying His word, if we are allowing Him to lead us, we will always find peace in the world that surrounds us!