Reading: I Samuel 19-21
Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die(I Sam. 20:30-31).
David, the young shepherd boy whom King Saul had welcomed into his court with open arms (I Sam. 16:22-23), had grown into a man who was greatly feared by Saul. And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually (18:28-29). The king wanted nothing more than to execute David, but his popularity with the people, as well as his marriage to Saul’s daughter Michal and close friendship with his son Jonathan, made that a risky proposition. Several times, Saul had arranged for David to be on the frontlines of impossible battles (18:25; 19:8), yet each time, David had emerged victorious and unscathed, protected by the Lord he served with all his heart and soul. As hatred, anger, and jealousy continued to fester in Saul’s heart, his actions against David became more and more bold (19:10; 19:15; 19:20) until his true intentions could no longer be concealed: Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
The driving force behind Saul’s anger was the desire to see his kingdom secured in the person of his son and heir, Jonathan. Samuel had told him long ago that God had removed the kingship from him and his line, But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee (13:14), but Saul’s self-centered nature blinded him to the truth of his situation. Saul was unwilling to believe that God would move against him, and instead, he clung to the belief that David was actively seeking to replace him in the nation’s favor and steal his kingdom out from under him. He nursed this flame of paranoid jealousy into a burning hatred. In Saul's mind, if the threat of David were removed, then his family's hold on the throne of Israel would be assured.
Jealousy is one of the most dangerous of all human emotions. It first begins to take root when we allow feelings of envy and wounded pride to fester within us, and from there, it grows quickly, insinuating itself into every facet of our lives. It runs roughshod over positive emotions, leaving only burning anger, hatred, and suspicion in its wake. Left unchecked, jealousy suppresses our ability to give or receive love of any kind, including the love of God. This is what happened to Saul. His desperate jealousy against the man whom God had chosen as his successor ultimately destroyed him—heart, mind, body, and soul.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.(James 3:14-16).
Thought for Today: To act upon jealousy is to stand in rebellion against what God has willed.
Christ Portrayed:By David, who, as a servant of Saul, suffered at the hands of the one whom he served (I Sam. 19:1,10-11). Jesus suffered at the hands of the ones He came to serve and to save. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must . . . suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day (Matt. 16:21).
Word Studies:19:9 played with his hand = played music on the harp; 19:13 bolster = headrest; 20:2 but that he will shew it me = without first telling me.
Pray For Government Officials:Rep. Lisa McClain (MI), Rep. Lori Chavez- DeRemer (OR), Rep. Troy Nehls (TX) • Country: Japan (127,253,075) off the Eastern Coast of Asia • Major Language: Japanese • Religious Freedom • 83.9% Shintoism; 71.4% Buddhism (Exceeds 100% because many people belong to both Shintoism and Buddhism); 2% Christian; 7.8% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Pray for those who are in adverse circumstances (Heb. 13:3).
Optional Reading Acts 8