Join for our live streamed Sunday School (9:30am) and Worship Service (10:30am). You can view them HERE.

David & Saul

Bible Stories Which Teach Us How to Live in This World

Jun 20, 2021


by: Jack Lash Series: Bible Stories Which Teach Us How to Live in This World | Category: Old Testament Stories | Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:14–23, 1 Samuel 18:6–11, 1 Samuel 19:8–10

I. Introduction
A. Series
B. Background and Scripture
1. After Israel made it into the promised land of Canaan, the land was ruled by a series of judges. But Israel longed for a king, for the nations around it had kings.
2. Finally God relinquished to their desire and gave them their first King, Saul, anointed by the prophet Samuel.
a. Saul was the very kind of person you would expect to be king – very tall and impressive.
b. But also the Holy Spirit came upon him to empower him (1Sam.10:10).
3. But because Saul disobeyed the Lord (1Sam.15:1-29), the Lord told Saul he was being replaced and – unbeknownst to Saul – send Samuel to anoint David as the next king. Saul wasn’t happy.
4. 1Samuel 16:14–23 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.
5. So, David is hired part time to play comforting music when King Saul is troubled by evil spirits.
6. Then comes the story of David and Goliath, when David kills Goliath after Saul doesn’t step up.
7. 1Samuel 18:6–7 As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
8. David also won the heart of Saul’s son Jonathan through his heroic actions. But he also made an enemy, for Saul began to grow jealous of David’s popularity & feel threatened by David, especially after Samuel told him he was being replaced.
9. 1Sam.18:8-11 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on. 10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.
10. A little later...
11. 1Samuel 19:8–10 There was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. 9 Then a harmful spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
12. We’re not talking about amazing displays of spear marksmanship here, pinning David to the wall by his clothes. We’re talking about the spear going through David to pin him to the wall!
13. So, eventually David has to flee from Saul’s court for his own protection, which was hard for David because of the bond which had developed between him and Jonathan. 1Sam.19
14. David remained a fugitive from Saul for quite a while, experiencing a number of close scrapes in the process, and eventually attracting a group of men around him.
15. The most memorable scrapes were times when David found Saul in a cave – 1Sam.24:1-22.
16. But David repeatedly refused to do anything to hurt Saul. (E.g. 1Sam.24:3-7)
17. Eventually King Saul died in battle (1Sam.31) and David became king. Sadly, Saul’s son and David’s dear friend, Jonathan, also perished in the battle with his father.
II. What do we learn about how to live in this world from the story of Saul and David?
A. Once again, it may seem like our lives are far removed from the days of Saul and David, or their situation, or their language or culture.
B. But actually the lives of those who are followers of Christ have striking similarities to David in his relationship with Saul.
C. Saul is like a new Adam, who is put in God’s land to rule over it, but who sins & loses his standing.
D. And, like David, we were chosen by God.
1. You remember the story of how David was chosen. God told Samuel to go to Jesse’s house in order to anoint a new king. So Samuel asked Jesse to bring out his sons. When Samuel looked at the oldest son, he was impressed, “This must be the one!” But the LORD said, “Don’t look on his appearance or his height, because I have rejected him. For I don’t see as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but I look on the heart.” The same thing happened with all seven of the sons Jesse called. And so Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these. Are all your sons here?” And Jesse said, “Well, my youngest isn’t here. He is out in the fields with the sheep.” And so Samuel said to Jesse, “Well, send for him; I’m not leaving till he comes.” And so they sent for him and when the boy David finally got there, the LORD said to Samuel, “Anoint him; he’s the one.” – 1Samuel 16:6–13
2. David was the little guy, not even worthy of consideration. His brothers were big, strong and impressive.
3. And like David, we were chosen not because we were wise according to worldly standards, not because we were powerful, not because we were of noble birth. But God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. (1Corinthians 1:26–27)
4. Why? So that none of us might boast in being believers. It’s because of the grace & power of God that you & I are in Christ Jesus. So, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1Cor.1:29-31
E. Like David, we have been given a lovely song to sing. It’s the song of the gospel. And it’s the only comfort we can offer to a world being tormented by the devil.
F. Like David, we are being attacked by the very one we are trying to help (2Tim.3:12) – even if we’re doing nothing wrong.
1. They hated Jesus for no reason, Saul hated David for no reason, and the world hates us for no reason.
2. Of course, sometimes we do stupid things and get persecuted for our stupidity. But even if we were perfect, we’d be persecuted, just like Jesus.
3. This is the way things are – and the way it’s always been: the seed of the serpent is opposed to the seed of the woman (Gen.3:15).
4. (And when we fall all over ourselves trying to be approved by the world, we have made them our god, our judge. We have given them the right to tell us who we are and whether we’re acceptable, instead of God.)
5. Of course, persecution doesn’t only come from the world. Sometimes it comes from the church.
a. Remember the false apostles we read about in 2Corinthians.
b. You can see it here with David and Saul. Saul was not a pagan king. He was the king of Israel!
c. In fact, we have many enemies, but our greatest enemies are in the church. Our greatest enemies are not unbelievers. Our greatest enemies are false believers.
d. Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29–30, “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.”
e. Today this is true in many ways. Biblical Christianity is being attacked from every side.
f. So many counterfeits. So many people using Christian words to promote anti-Christian ideas. So many lies carefully wrapped up and sold as truth.
6. Or sometimes persecution comes from the government, which is supposed to protect. Saul was king!
7. And, of course, our assignment is to bear our persecution without retaliation.
a. We need to be willing to have spears thrown at us and not retaliate.
b. 1Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless.
c. Romans 12:14–19 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them... 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Cf. 1Cor.4:12-13
8. It is normal to defend oneself, but right now we can’t be involved in many kinds of self-defense.
9. But it’s even more than that. Just as David was playing the harp trying to help the guy who was throwing spears at him and later hunting him with his soldiers, so our Lord has called us not only to bear with unjust persecution, but to serve and seek to do good to those who persecute us.
a. Luke 6:27–28 Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
b. Rom.12:20-21“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
III. How can we do such a thing as love people who are trying to harm us?
A. How in the world did David do it? Well, David knew that there was someone else in his life who overshadowed Saul’s mischievous role in his life. It was the Lord.
1. We know this because David penned about ten psalms in the midst of his sufferings at the hand of Saul. I bet some of your favorite verses in Psalms come from these Psalms.
2. Ps.18 1 I love you, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears... 16 He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. 19 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
3. (Unless God allowed David to experience the persecution of Saul, we wouldn’t have about ten of the psalms in the psalter: psalms written by David while fleeing from Saul: 7, 18, 34, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 63, 142. Saul meant it for evil; God meant it for good.)
B. Just as God was with David, God is with us, too. We have modern-day Sauls in our lives, but they are never the big presence in our lives. Jesus is the big presence in our lives.
1. We don’t always see this, but it’s true. You know, everyday we wake up, we open our eyes and begin to see things. But we’re not supposed to walk by sight but by faith. Faith in what? Faith in God who can’t be seen, faith in the Truth we can’t see either. God and Truth can be known, but they can’t be seen. They can be remembered but they can’t be seen. They can be paid attention to but they can’t be seen. So, when we wake up, we need to not only open our eyes, we need to remember God and His Truth. We need to remember that God is with us, that He loves us, that He protects us.
2. David knew this, and that’s what made the difference. And we need to know it too, and pay attention to it.
C. Like David, we have been anointed by God (2Corinthians 1:21; 1John 2:20), and set apart to rule when the right time comes (1Cor.6:2).
1. This whole story of David being persecuted by Saul begins with David being anointed by God through Samuel. So, all that time David was being attacked, all the time David was fleeing from Saul, he knew that it was just a matter of time before he would be exalted to a high position.
2. On the one hand, it seemed like things were out of control and his life was in constant peril, but in reality, David knew that God had chosen him and set him apart for a grand purpose. David knew that a great turning of the tables was coming, when the first would be last and the last would be first, when people like Saul would be cast down and people like him would be lifted up.
3. And so it is for us! This season of persecution and apparent chaos is temporary! We are anointed to reign in the future as well, so this time of being persecuted won’t last long.
4. 2Cor.1:21-22 God...has anointed us & has put His seal on us & given us His Spirit in our hearts.
5. 1John 2:20 You have been anointed by the Holy One. (Cf. 1John 2:27)
6. Soon we will judge the world! 1Corinthians 6:2
7. This knowledge did not take David’s problems away, it didn’t stop Saul from throwing spears at him, but it did put David’s problems in perspective.
D. Another thing that helps us as we wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises to us is that He blesses us with dear friends who stand with us and support us. That’s what David had in Jonathan. He was the “friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Prov.18:24) “Two are better than one. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
1. God sometimes gives a friend like this, and it is a precious gift.
2. But when God gives this great gift, sometimes it is only for a short time. Sometimes He then takes the friend away, like God took Jonathan. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. – Job 1:21
IV. Conclusion
A. So you see, there really are a lot of similarities between our situation and theirs.
B. This is why this story has so much to teach us about how to live in our world.
C. Our calling is to play the harp of the gospel to a world harassed by evil spirits, while dodging spears thrown by the very ones we are trying to help, remembering that God is with us and that He has chosen us and anointed us to reign with Him soon.