I Samuel 18:17-30
Years ago, a large statue of Christ was erected high
in the Andes on the border between Argentina and
Chile. Called “Christ of the Andes,” the statue
symbolizes a pledge between the two countries
that as long as the statue stands, there will be
peace between Chile and Argentina.
Shortly after the statue was erected, the Chileans
began to protest that they had been slighted—the
statue had its back turned to Chile. Just when
tempers were at their highest in Chile, a Chilean
newspaperman saved the day. In an editorial that
not only satisfied the people but made them laugh,
he simply said, “The people of Argentina need more
watching over than the Chileans.
Last week we talked about David and Jonathan’s
friendship and Saul’s envy and jealousy towards David.
King Saul even acted on his envy by attempting to kill
David with his spear, twice.
Today we are going to see Saul transition to a more
subtle approach to killing David.
As I studied our text, I noticed a bit of a pattern in the
interaction between Saul and David in the remaining
verses.
I’m going to show the pattern with the following
headings.
Saul’s Offer with strings attached.
Saul’s Deceptive Motives revealed.
David’s Humble and Heroic response.
I Samuel 18:17-19
Saul’s Offer
Here is my elder daughter – Merab.
This isn’t the reward that David may have thought he
was going to receive after killing the giant Philistine
Goliath.
Remember, the rumor was that whoever could slay the
giant would receive great riches, the king’s daughter, and
make his father’s house free in Israel.cf I Sam 16:25
But that wasn’t what Saul was offering at all. This offer
came with strings attached.
Strings attached
Only fight the Lord’s battles.
Saul knew David was a poor shepherd and wouldn’t be
able to provide the required dowry, so Saul told him he
just wanted him to fight the Lord’s battles for him.
It’s funny because he had already beat the giant. What
more did Saul want? We find out what Saul really wanted
when his motive is revealed.
Saul’s Deceptive Motive
Saul will keep his hands clean and
let the Philistines kill David.
He has already tried twice to no avail to kill David, now
he will attempt to get him killed in action by having him
fight the Lord’s battles.
David’s Humble Response
I’m not worthy to be the son-in-law of the king.
David asks, “Who am I, and who are my relatives?”
He displays humility in his response.
Even though he truly deserves to marry the king’s
daughter.
The Bible tells us that Saul didn’t force his daughter on
David, instead he gave her to Adriel for a wife.
Now, let’s take a look at Saul’s second offer.
I Samuel 18:20-27
Saul’s Offer
Let me give David my daughter Michal as a wife.
The Bible tells us that Michal loved David and when some
of the king’s servants found out about it they told Saul
and the wheels started turning again.
This time there is a slight variation to the pattern.
Here we see Saul’s Deceptive Motive twice.
Saul’s Deceptive Motive
She will be a snare to David.
Maybe Saul thought she would distract David from his
fighting or that she would turn him away from God.
May the hand of the Philistines be against him.
Let’s think for a moment how selfish Saul is being here.
He offers his daughter as a bride in hopes of killing her
new husband. Not a great way to treat your own child, is
it?
As the deception continues, Saul proactively sends his
servants to speak to David and try to convince him to
marry the king’s daughter Michal.
Saul told them to lay it on thick – tell him how much the
king takes delight in him and how much the other people
love him.
David’s Humble Response
David asks the servants of Saul if it seems to them a little
thing to become the son-in-law to the king.
He again mentions his poverty and humble status.
He knows he has no money to provide the dowry for the
king’s daughter.
But that is not a problem.
Saul’s servants then describe the;
Strings Attached
Just kill 100 Philistines and bring me their foreskins.
What is Saul up to now?
Saul’s Second Deceptive Motive
Saul hoped that one of the 100 Philistines would kill
David and he would be unsuccessful at obtaining the
bride price.
Again, Saul is attempting to use the hands of the
Philistines to kill his enemy David rather than doing it
himself.
David’s Heroic Response
This pleased David, because he knew he was a valiant
warrior and he knew he had been anointed by the Lord to
be the next king.
David Arose, Went and Killed 200 Philistines.
And brought all the foreskins to the king.
Can you imagine the sight as David unloaded not 100,
but 200 Philistine foreskins on the king’s floor?
I just wonder what kind of backpack or wagon he used to
transport all of those!!
I’m sure Saul was not expecting David to return from
that mission. But he did keep his promise and gave
Michal as a wife for David.
Let’s see how the chapter ends.
I Samuel 18:28-30
Saul Fears David
This is the third time in this chapter that we read of Saul
fearing David.
This time the Bible says he was even more afraid of
David.
Why was he so afraid of David?
The spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul and rushed
upon David.
God was with David as he defeated the giant Philistine.
Saul was jealous/envious of David.
So, Saul was David’s enemy continually.
The word translated enemy is a participle of a verb that
means to be hostile or to hate.
Until his death Saul continues to hate David and try to kill
him.
But we know that this is not part of God’s plan.
God had already chosen David and had Samuel anoint
him because he is going to be the next king.
This passage shows us two different ways to approach
conflict.
Saul uses deceit and hostility to attempt to eliminate
David.
David on the other hand uses humility and faithfulness to
accomplish God’s will.
APPLICATION
What does God want to teach us this morning?
With God We Have Nothing To Fear
Saul didn’t trust God and tried to do things his own way.
He feared the man of God and rejected God.
In his fear, he tried everything he could to kill David.
But God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power and
love and self control.
What are most people afraid of? Death.
Christians should not fear death.
Paul wrote that to be absent from the body was to be
present with the Lord.
Nothing in this world can separate us from God.
David trusted God even when Saul was trying to kill him
or get him killed.
Church, our enemies can be cunning, but our God will not
be defeated. There is no enemy that God cannot beat.
Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.