Then the prophet Gad came to David and said, “Don’t stay here; go at once to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
A prophet that directs an individual – a bit exceptional, no? In any event, the model largely changed with the arrival of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2).
One day Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under a tamarisk tree on a hill, with his spear in his hand, and all his officers were standing around him. He was told that David and his men had been located, and he said to his officers, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Do you think that David will give fields and vineyards to all of you, and make you officers in his army?
Incredible. Distrustful (“spear in hand”), paranoid (“officers standing around him”), tribalist (“men of Benjamin”) and manipulator/user (“give fields and vineyards”) – could he be any worse?! He is totally the opposite of David (2 Samuel 15:14-18). May I inspire true loyalty, Father.
“…David, one of my own men, is right now looking for a chance to kill me, and that my son has encouraged him!”
Time and time again Saul has been given the opportunity to conclude the opposite (1 Samuel 24:8-12). How frightening it is to see how personal interests can blind an individual from the truth.
Doeg was standing there with Saul’s officers, and he said, “I saw David when he went to Ahimelech son of Ahitub in Nob. Ahimelech asked the Lord what David should do, and then he gave David some food and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
A snitch and kiss ass. Blind loyalty that was paid for (1 Samuel 21:7).
Saul asked him, “Why are you and David plotting against me? Why did you give him some food and a sword, and consult God for him? Now he has turned against me and is waiting for a chance to kill me!”
Saul betrays his own motives when he projects them on to Ahimelech and David. SELF.
Ahimelech answered, “David is the most faithful officer you have! He is your own son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and highly respected by everyone in the royal court. Yes, I consulted God for him, and it wasn’t the first time. As for plotting against you, Your Majesty must not accuse me or anyone else in my family. I don’t know anything about this matter!”
The king said, “Ahimelech, you and all your relatives must die.”
Ahimelech’s drove a stake deeper into the fault line of Saul’s character, serving as a mirror of his sin and thus providing fuel for his anger. Saul wants to imagine himself acting righteously and Ahimelech took that away (John 3:19).