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Jealousy 2

The last few weeks we have learned about being available, fighting for a cause, and friendship from David’s life. In this lesson we will learn about jealousy. Jealousy is when a person wants a trait or ability someone has or wants more attention than the another person receives.  

King Saul had been a great king until his pride got in the way. He wanted to do things his own way instead of the way of the Lord. He knew better but chose not to obey. Kings went to battle in those days and Saul was a good warrior.

David as a young man, killed Goliath, a giant of a man feared by all, even King Saul. At first, Saul liked David and made him one of his armor bearers. Sometimes Saul got in a bad mood and David played a soothing harp. David lived in the palace and worked hard.

It became apparent that David was a strong and a capable soldier, so Saul promoted David into the regular army. David’s strength in a fight and his leadership made him stand out. Soon, he had men under his command and was getting a reputation as a mighty warrior.

One day as they came back from a battle, people shouted, “Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands.”

This made King Saul angry and the seed of jealousy was planted in his heart. Remember in the last lesson, Saul threw his spear at his son, Jonathan? If you missed that story, click here.

At a time when Saul needed David, he tried to kill him. Let me explain. Saul's terrible mood came on him again and David was called in to play his harp. The harp music normally calmed Saul but this time it didn’t work. He took his spear and threw it at David!

Then, Saul felt sorry for his actions and remembered he should have rewarded David for killing Goliath. The reward was his daughter’s hand in marriage. Saul’s oldest daughter should be the one to marry David. Saul told David about it but David declined.

“Why should I be the son-in-law of the king?” 1 Samuel 18:18

His daughter didn’t want to marry David either because she loved another man. Saul gave her to the other man in marriage.

Some time went by and Michal, Saul’s other daughter wanted to marry David because she loved him. Saul told David he should marry his daughter, Michal.

David replied the same. “Why should I be the son-in-law of the king?”

Saul thought his daughter Michal would become a snare to David and wanted them to get married. Maybe he thought he could keep an eye one him if he were near. Perhaps he felt Michal would tell him David’s secrets.

Saul sent messengers to David and talked him into marrying Michal. Saul required a dowry or a gift in order to marry his daughter. He should have given Michal to David for killing Goliath. Instead ,he asked him to kill 200 Philistines, their enemies, and bring back proof that they were dead. Saul hoped David would be killed at the hand of the Philistines, but that didn't happen. Before the day was over, David took his men and they killed 200 Philistines. Saul promised his daughter to David and couldn't back out now.  David and Michal were married. They probably had a big fancy wedding.

After they married, Saul’s jealousy reared its ugly head. He tried to kill David with his spear and again David escaped. Saul would not stop thinking of his jealousy and plotted with spies to ambush David and kill him. David didn’t do anything wrong but Saul wanted him dead.

Michal heard of the plan. In the night, she told David what her father wanted to do.

“If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 1Samuel 19:11

Michal helped David escape through a window.

Michal took a statue and laid it in the bed, pulled the covers up, and placed goat’s hair where David’s head would be—as if he were sleeping.

When the spies got to David's house, Michal said David was sick. They tip-toed in and saw what appeared to be David in the bed.

The spies returned to Saul and he sent them back. “Bring him up to me in the bed that I may kill him.” 1 Samuel 19:15 He probably thought with David sick, it would be easy to kill him.

The spies went back to David’s house and this time they were going to take David bed and all to Saul. But to their surprise, there was only a statue in his place. David was long gone.

Saul asked his daughter why she tricked him. She lied. “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’” 1Samuel 19:17

David escaped and lived far away on the run from Saul for many years.

 

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David wrote many songs and we have some of them in our Bibles, called
Psalms. The one he wrote during this time is Psalm 59.

Did Michal need to lie? Don’t you think God would have protected David without her lie? Yes He would have. We don’t need to do anything wrong to help God out. Saul’s jealousy caused him to have hatred in his heart enough to kill David. David was a man after God’s own heart and Saul had given up following God. Jealousy is a dangerous thing. It starts small but can build into a terrible monster.

Saul’s jealously cost him greatly. He lost closeness with David whom he had loved. It cost him his relationship with his son, Johnathan. It cost him his relationship with his daughter. He lost respect from many people who loved David. We will learn more about David in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.

 

Memorize:  Psalm 59: 17 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my defense, my God of mercy.

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