Jealousy

Introduction: (Taking on the personality of Saul)

A. I hate him!! This boy; this David. Did you hear the women when we came back from our battle with the Philistines? “Saul has killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands.” It was obvious that all eyes were on this kid. I am the king. I am the one who led the armies out to battle. I should have all the attention. It took all within me from grabbing David right then and there and choking the life out of him. No teenager is going to take my place.

B. David must die. I must get rid of him. He wants my throne. He wants my crown. David used to be my personal musician. He played such sweet music. It calmed me and helped me to think clearly. One day while David was playing I became so angry thinking about him and all the attention he was getting, I picked up my spear and threw it at him. Give David credit, he dodged the spear and kept on playing. That made me even angrier. I picked up another spear and threw it at him again. He got the message that time. But I have to admit I became very afraid. It was like he had this invisible shield around him. From 20 feet I am extremely accurate with a spear and I missed both times. God must be with David.

C. Then I decided the best way to kill David was to send him to war. So I put him over a thousand men and sent him out to battle. I never gave him enough time to rest between campaigns. I kept him on the front lines day after day. Sooner or later an arrow, a spear, or a sword was bound to take care of business for me. But he came back with more and more victories and the whole countryside praised him as a great warrior. They used to say those things about me. I hate David!! Something has to change.

D. I offered David my oldest daughter for a wife with the stipulation that he fight more Philistines to get her. The Philistines could do for me what I couldn’t do for myself. I thought it was a great scheme. But David said no. He said, I’m not worthy to be the king’s son-in-law. He got that part right. Then I noticed that my youngest daughter, Michal, really loved David. David could do no wrong in her eyes. So I offered her to David to be his wife. I set her price at 100 dead Philistines. Proof would be their foreskins. Surely in hand to hand combat, one of those Philistines will kill David. But did that plan work? NO! It wasn’t just 100 it was 200 that David and his men killed.

E. All my plans have failed. Nothing works like I have planned. Tomorrow will be the beginning of the end for David. I have a high level meeting with the Cabinet tomorrow. They will all know the truth about David and they will know what I want done. David is surely going to die.

F. Saul is jealous of David. His jealousy has brought Saul to the point of killing David. There is not enough room for both of them. David is just trying to do his work, but Saul is going to have his way. Saul intends to eliminate the competition. Three times in chapter eighteen the author tells us about the relationship between God and David. Twice the author tells us what Saul is thinking. Look at verses 12, 14, and 28. God is with David, Saul knows it, and Saul is afraid. This morning we are going to be looking at the protection of God. We will notice some important truths about God’s protection as seen in the life of David and his encounters with one who wants to harm him.

God’s Protection

A. Chapter 19 is three episodes in which God protects and delivers David. In 1-7, it is Saul’s son, Jonathan, who persuades his father to not harm David. The relationship between Jonathan and David was a special relationship. In 18:3-4, Jonathan gives David his royal clothes and weaponry. Such a gift was a sign that Jonathan was giving the throne into David’s hands. Jonathan understood that David was to be the new king. In chapter 19, Jonathan persuades Saul that David has done only what was expected and has brought honor to Saul.

B. The second episode is in 19:8-17. This time Saul’s daughter, David’s wife, Michal, helps David to escape. Saul has placed a guard around the David’s house. They were to kill David when he came out. Michal learns of the plot and allows David to escape. Even pretending that David is sick to help him put some distance between him and Saul. Not only his son, but his daughter is helping to protect David.

C. The third episode is in verses 18-24. David goes to a place of refuge. He goes to Samuel to seek help and protection. When Saul finds out where he is, he sends a delegation to bring him back. They arrive to see Samuel and a group of prophets in the middle of a spiritual revival. Saul’s delegation joins in. Then a second and a third experience the same thing. Saul finally arrives. And he is thrown into the spiritual revival with such force that he lies naked in the dirt all day and night. In other words, Saul’s prophesying is a disgrace. Giving spiritual utterances lying naked in the dirt demonstrates just how far removed Saul is from reality.

So what?

A. What are we to do with these episodes? What do chapters 18 and 19 teach us about God’s protection? First, God’s protection is instructive. God uses Jonathan then Michal to protect David. In both of those episodes David doesn’t take an active position. He is allowing others to help him and to provide a way of escape. When we come to Samuel, we may expect Samuel to do something. Instead we see that God protects directly. Samuel does nothing other than amass his prophets and God’s prophetic spirit confounds Saul and his delegations. Indeed it is at the house of the great prophet that God protects David directly and completely.

1.  But notice through each episode the pressure on David is not relieved. The trials do not end for David. Each episode intensifies Saul's hatred for David and the precarious position David is in. It will not be until years later that David finally is free from the wrath of Saul. So what are we to learn about God's protection?

2.  Just this. God's protection demonstrates that we have not been abandoned nor forsaken. The clearest evidence that God has not deserted you is not that you are successfully past your trial but that you are still on your feet in the middle of it. God's protection doesn't mean an end to problems. It may mean an escape when the walls are closing in. It may mean strength to stand when the arrows of hate and disharmony fly around you. God's protection may mean a friend or group of friends who hold you up when times are hard.

3.  If you are in the middle of a struggle and you are still standing, then thank God for his protection. For you have not be killed. You have not been destroyed. Instead, God has protected you.

B. The second thing we need to learn about God’s protection is that it is diverse. God used different ones and different situations to protect David. God used Saul’s children to protect David. He used the prophet to provide a safe haven. And what about all those battles that David fought against the Philistines? Surely we understand that hand to hand combat isn’t a piece of cake. Surely God was protecting David during those battles. God protects us in a variety of ways. He isn’t limited to protecting us in certain ways or even in ways that we understand. But if you are still standing then God has brought protection to you.

C. Did David know about this protection? Turn to Psalm 59. This psalm was written when David found out that Saul had sent men to watch his house in order to kill him. We will look at this psalm more tonight. David prays for God’s protection. The word “protect” comes from a word which means fortress. It is the idea of being set away from the reach of those who would harm him. David asks for God to separate him from his attackers; to fortress him against those who seek his life. Did God answer his prayer?

D. Chapters 18 and 19 show us David’s rise in status within Israel. It shows us that all people love David (18:16). But while these chapters illustrate David’s rise within the borders of Israel, these chapters also reveal something about God. Will God do for me what he did for David? I can’t make those claims. After all, David had been specifically chosen to be Israel’s next king. God wasn’t going to allow anyone to keep his will from taking place. But I don’t have to experience all David did. It is enough to know David’s God and by principle to know that he is a God who protects. If David’s God is my God then I can experience his diverse and instructive protection. If I am still standing then I know that God is protecting me. Are you under God’s protection? Invitation.

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