David: The Price of Greatness II
3. The Great Chase
David was riding high. He had done the impossible. The king took more notice of him and his family (1 Samuel 17:57-58). Prior to this time, he was merely one of Saul’s servants who played the harp when Saul was in distress, in addition to being his armour bearer. But, after his great achievement, he was given a high rank in the army. And just as he had done in the desert with his father’s sheep, David was certain to carry out his tasks faithfully.
Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people and Saul’s officers as well.
1 Samuel 18:5
The meet up with Goliath proved to be a turning point for David’s life and perhaps also an indicator of the might of opposition that awaited him. In the midst of his success, David got himself the most powerful enemy he could have imagined, King Saul.
When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul[…] they sang:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands.”
Saul was very angry[…] What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
1 Samuel 18:6-9
What crime had David committed to acquire such a powerful enemy?
When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
1 Samuel 18:15
Lesson 3:
Success and victory, whether small or great, will always attract opposition. The greater the success, the greater the opposition.
Saul began to devise ways to get rid of David.
a) Pin David to the wall
[…] while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand and he hurled it, saying to himself, I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
1 Samuel 18:10
Saul would try to kill David in this manner one more time.
b) Send him to his death
Because he was beloved by Israel, Saul devised a plan that would assure David’s death and his own innocence.
Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
1 Samuel 18:17
David declined the offer. Not one to give up, Saul offered his daughter Michal to him. In exchange, David was to hand over a hundred Philistine foreskins. Saul was certain David would die in this attempt. What did David do?
David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
1 Samuel 18:27
c) Kill him at his house
Saul’s strategies were failing. So he decided to send men to outrightly kill David at his house.
Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and kill him in the morning. But Michal[…] warned him[…]So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.
1 Samuel 19:11-12
Michal lied to her father’s men that David was ill. Rather than let the news deter him, Saul went straight to David’s room to personally kill him, only to realize that his own daughter had deceived him.
d) Kill David’s sympathisers
By this time, David was in exile, literally running for his life. His family joined him as well as four hundred men. Eventually Saul heard that David had been discovered.
But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. Ahimelech enquired of the LORD for him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
1 Samuel 22:9-10
Saul sent for Ahimelech and accused him of conspiring against him. He then ordered his officials to kill Ahimelech and his entire family. His officials had enough reverence for God to refrain from this command. That is with the exception of Doeg.
[…] That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women[…]
1 Samuel 22:18-19
The message was clear. Help David and die. This message was sent to David, by Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, who had managed to escape.
e) The First Pursuit
David heard the Philistines were fighting against Keilah and so he went to Keilah, fought them off and plundered them.
Saul found out David was in Keilah, and he and his forces went there with the aim of finally killing David.
David learnt of Saul’s plot and consulted God, who advised him to leave Keilah. David moved to the Desert of Ziph. The Ziphites informed Saul of David’s location and as a result he set out after David. On discovering this, David went to the Desert of Maon and as is expected, Saul followed him there.
This cat and mouse chase however came to an end after a messenger informed Saul that the Philistines were raiding the land.
f) The Second Pursuit
Not one to be deterred, Saul followed David to the desert of En Gedi. But as fate would have it, David would have the upper hand in this pursuit.
[…] a cave was there, and Saul went to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave […] Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe[…] “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.”
1 Samuel 24:3-6
David presented himself to Saul and informed him of his action. How did Saul respond?
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son? And he wept aloud[…] I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands[…] Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
1 Samuel 24:16-22
g) The Final Pursuit
Disregarding the oath he had made, Saul once more pursued David. In a repeat of history, David had the upper hand. He went to Saul’s camp, while they were asleep and took his spear and water jug. David did not harm Saul, whom he declared the LORD’s anointed, but he made his presence known to Saul.
And once again, Saul responded to David in a remorseful manner:
Then Saul said, “I have sinned […]I will not try and harm you again[…]May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph.”
1 Samuel 26:21-25
This would be the last interraction that David and Saul would have.
Lesson 4:
What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31
Lesson 5:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities[…] he who rebels against the authorities is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves.
Romans 13:1-2
We shall pick up from here 😊