1 Samuel 19:1-24
Q.1. What were Saul’s plans for David? How did Jonathan convince his father to change his plans? What was David’s attitude to Saul? Why did Saul try to kill David yet again? – (1 Sam.19:1-10)
Saul’s jealousy knew no bounds, and he now openly told his servants to have David killed (1 Sam.19:1). He even shared his plans with Jonathan. Jonathan’s first response was to warn David. He devised a strategy to safely direct David in the future (1 Sam.19:2-3). He then reminded Saul about David’s faithful service to him and the nation and pleaded for his father to refrain from shedding the blood of an innocent man (1 Sam.19:4-5). The erratic Saul changed his mind, and Jonathan was able to tell David that he was safe to resume his ministry to his father (1 Sam.19:6-9). When war broke out against the Philistines, David routed them (1 Sam.19:8). This fanned the flames of Saul’s jealousy. He tried to spear David to death again (1 Sam.19:9-10).
Q.2. How did David’s wife protect him? How were Saul’s assassins tricked by Michal? Why was she less than truthful with her father? Where did David find safety? How did God confound Saul’s plots? – (1 Sam.19:11-24)
David fled to his wife, Michal. However, Saul set spies around his house with the object of murdering him. Michal warned David to leave in order to save his life. She helped David escape Saul’s henchmen and disguised a household idol that she laid in his bed (1 Sam.19:11-13). When Saul’s messengers arrived to arrest David, she claimed he was sick (1 Sam.19:14). Upon learning this, Saul told his servants – Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death (1 Sam.19:15). It was then that his men realised that they had been duped. Saul was furious, but Michal claimed she had no other option, and replied – He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I put you to death?’ (1 Sam.19:17). This was not the truth. However, this is sometimes the only recourse for those who are in an abusive relationship, as was certainly the case for Saul’s children. We read that – David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him (1 Sam.19:18). Saul still did not desist from trying to kill David and sent messengers to arrest him on three occasions. Each time – Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied (1 Sam.19:20 c.f. 1 Sam.19:20-21). Eventually Saul went to Ramah himself, and he had the same experience. These ecstatic experiences stopped Saul and his men from executing their evil plans. It is clear that the experience was not godly, because Saul – stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore, they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets? (1 Sam.19:24). Clearly, Saul was not one of the prophets because he was in the grip of an evil spirit (c.f. 1 Sam.16:14, 23; 18:10; 19:9). God confounded Saul and his messengers, thus stopping them from killing Israel’s future and greatest king.