Thoughts from my personal time with God.
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.
1 Samuel 22:4 – 16 Read More »
So David left, fleeing from Saul, and went to King Achish of Gath. The king’s officials said to Achish, “Isn’t this David, the king of his country? This is the man about whom the women sang, as they danced, ‘Saul has killed thousands, but David has killed tens of thousands.’”
How word spreads fast (1 Samuel 18:7)! Interesting that the Philistines thought that David was king.…
1 Samuel 21:12 – 22:3 Read More »
David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.
And so it begins… This part of David’s life – on the run – will give birth to the Psalms, much in the in the same way that Job’s life mired in his own grief gave birth to the book in his name. Thank you, Father, for these absolute gems.
…David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest.
1 Samuel 21:1 – 11 Read More »
Saul became furious with Jonathan and said to him, “How rebellious and faithless your mother was! Now I know you are taking sides with David and are disgracing yourself and that mother of yours!“
So much for the religious facade; after all, there was no use in trying to fool his son Jonathan.
…“Don’t you realize that as long as David is alive, you will never be king of this country?
1 Samuel 20:27 – * Read More »
David replied, “…Please do me this favor, and keep the sacred promise you made to me. But if I’m guilty, kill me yourself. Why take me to your father to be killed?”
As with everything, Father, if what I’m doing is not of you, kill it. Why pursue something that will not endure?
……Jonathan said to David, “…May the Lord be with you as he was with my father!
1 Samuel 20:4 – 26 Read More »
David’s wife… took the household idol, laid it on the bed, put a pillow made of goats’ hair at its head, and put a cover over it.
Fascinating. How people looked at the world back then was deeply rooted in a “hodge podge” mix of beliefs (Genesis 35:2-4)! I wonder to what extent that’s true today? Of me?…
1 Samuel 19:8 – 20:3 Read More »
Saul realized clearly that the Lord was with David and also that his daughter Michal loved him. So he became even more afraid of David and was his enemy as long as he lived.
A bit like cement that slowly hardens to become rock hard. Fear. Jealousy. Hate. All of these deflect our attention from ourselves (Matthew 7:3). I see in Saul Satan himself: everything he tries to do or undo only serves God’s purposes.…
1 Samuel 18:28 – 19:7 Read More »
Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife on condition that you serve me as a brave and loyal soldier, and fight the Lord’s battles.” (Saul was thinking that in this way the Philistines would kill David, and he would not have to do it himself.)
Saul is to David here as Satan was to Job 1:9-12!…
1 Samuel 18:17 – 27 Read More »
Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had abandoned him.
I can’t imagine a worse situation to be in. Please be ever with me, Lord; don’t ever abandon me (2 Samuel 7:15).
So Saul sent him away and put him in command of a thousand men. David led his men in battle…
A demotion with respect to 1 Samuel 18:5?…
1 Samuel 18:12 – 16 Read More »
When Saul saw David going out to fight Goliath, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is he?”
There’s an inconsistency here with 1 Samuel 16:19-22.
So when David returned to camp after killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was still carrying Goliath’s head.
Now that’s a calling card (2 Corinthiens 3:2-3)!…
1 Samuel 17:55 – 18:11 Read More »