1 Samuel chapter 19 continues to contrast King Saul and David, this time through the eyes of the people closest to them. The chapter begins, “Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David“. Jonathan did two things; first he warned David, and second he advised the king, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David… he has not wronged you… innocent man“. Saul then gave an oath, “As surely as the Lord lives, David shall not be put to death“. But notice what happened when conflict began, “Once more war broke out and David went out and fought the Philistines… they fled before him“. Saul was not leading or fighting the enemy, he seems to have sat idly by. The next time he is mentioned it says “An evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with a spear in his hand“. Remember in 1 Sam 16:14 the “Spirit of God had departed from Saul“. While God can and does use bad men to accomplish his goals, I believe a better translation here would be “troubling” or “disturbing spirit”. When we rebel against God, we often do feel troubled, and I believe God uses that to draw us back to Himself. We will always deal with conflict in our lives. Someone once said, “We are all like a tube of toothpaste, under pressure, what is inside will come out”. What comes out when YOU are squeezed? Only with the Holy Spirit of God can it be good. Once again, “While David was playing the harp, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him“. Saul broke his oath, but no one seems surprised.
Saul then sent men to David’s house to kill him, “But Michal, David’s wife, warned him“. Genesis 2:24 reminds us that the new family created in marriage must be something unique and different, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” There cannot be dual loyalty in the home. This separation creates an opportunity for the permanent new bond. “So Michal let David down through a window and he fled and escaped“. But then we read something very troubling: in David’s place, “Michal took an idol and laid it in his bed, covering it with a garment“. This was used to fool the king’s hit-men, but it also gives an indication that spiritually, Michal is not honoring God completely. King Saul said to his daughter Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” For the second time David found favor in the eyes of one of Saul’s own children.
David fled to Samuel and told him all that Saul had done. It is interesting to read what happened next. Saul heard where David went, “so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men and they also prophesied… Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied.” Each group sent by Saul came to kill David, but ended up praising God when they came near the High Priest. Finally, we read Saul himself left for Ramah, “But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay that way all that day and night.” The Holy Spirit of God causes every heart to be humbled and sing praise. Need relief from a troubled heart? Draw near to our High Priest Jesus Christ.