Thoughts from my personal time with God.
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 »
And so, without a sword, David defeated and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone!
Samson killed 1000 men with a simple jawbone of a donkey (Judges 15:14-16). The big difference though is that with David, all the glory was God’s – with Samson, it just seemed to be all about himself. May your glory be made manifest in me, Jesus (John 17:10).…
1 Samuel 17:50 – 54 Read More »
David answered, “…This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat.”
What a declaration! Courage – audacity even. Does that spirit exist in me? If so, may it be seen, Lord! May it see the light one day…
…“Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people.
1 Samuel 17:46 – 49 Read More »
“All right,” Saul answered. “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
Saul doesn’t get enough credit here! He discerned that the hand of God was with David and gave him free reign, much like Pharaoh did with Joseph (Genesis 41:37-43). How frustrating it must have been for Saul to see that what came naturally to David, he had to proceed as if memorizing lines for a part in a play that was not destined for him.…
1 Samuel 17:37b – 45 Read More »
Some men heard what David had said, and they told Saul, who sent for him.
How Saul must have been disappointed to see a mere boy standing in front of him when he was no doubt expecting an imposing soldier that he had somehow failed to notice in the past!
…David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine!
1 Samuel 17:31 – 37a Read More »
…A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was over nine feet tall and wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet. His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder. His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver’s loom, and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds.
1 Samuel 17:1 – 30 Read More »
The Lord’s spirit left Saul, and an evil spirit sent by the Lord tormented him.
This would not be the last occurrence of such an event (2 Chronicles 18:18-22). Please don’t ever leave me, Spirit (2 Samuel 7:15)!
…His servants said to him, “We know that an evil spirit sent by God is tormenting you. So give us the order, sir, and we will look for a man who knows how to play the harp.
1 Samuel 16:14 – * Read More »
…And Samuel said to him, “No, the Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” Then he asked him, “Do you have any more sons?”
Jesse answered, “There is still the youngest, but he is out taking care of the sheep.”
“Tell him to come here,” Samuel said. “We won’t offer the sacrifice until he comes.” So Jesse sent for him. He was a handsome, healthy young man, and his eyes sparkled.
1 Samuel 16:8 – 13 Read More »