1 Samuel 18 vs 1-16

1 Samuel Chapter 18 Verses 1 – 4

 A brotherhood is born between Jonathan and David. They were very

much alike. Recall when we were introduced to Jonathan back in

chapter 14 that it was Jonathan that went to battle while Saul and his

army sat idle. It was Jonathan that trusted in the Lord giving that

incredible statement in 1 Samuel 14:6, “For nothing restrains the Lord

from saving by many or by few.” It was Jonathan who was a fierce

warrior and yet also it was Jonathan that was a man of great humility

as he fessed up immediately to eating the honey and even encouraged

his father to carry out his oath which meant he himself would die!

Jonathan and David were like the same heart in two men…

 So, David is taken into the house of Saul and immediately a kinship

between them is established. David would later write of this

relationship giving us a great truth from the Lord in Proverbs 18:24,

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend

who sticks closer than a brother.”

 Actually, the Bible has a lot to say about the blessing and

supernatural comfort that is given to us with true friends. Just a word

on “true friends.” You’ll have many friends in your lifetime that you

like and they like you for different reasons. And, there is reserved a

God-designed special experience for only those like David and like

Jonathan…, who before anything else, put the Lord and others. There

aren’t many out there like that… But if you are one, and you find

another one…, it’s like heaven itself has come down to comfort and

encourage you… It’s because that relationship is knit together by Jesus

Himself…. So, perhaps less “true friends,” but more, “friends in

truth.” That’s where a hidden blessing is…

 Look ahead at the knitting of their relationship, and what that means in

1 Samuel 20:42, “Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, since

we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be

between you and me, and between your decedents and my decendants,

forever.’’” This was the commonality of their closeness and for this

reason they had one heart, two chests. Some read into this some sort of

Biblically inappropriate relationship between them but that is so

incredibly ignorant. Look at what David says to Jonathan in 1 Samuel

20:8, “Therefore, you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have

brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you.

Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself…” Case

closed!

 While the Bible is clear in condemnation of romance between two

men, there is a love that can be shared between two men that is hardly

accessible between a man and a woman. And that is two hearts knit

together in agape love for each other, rooted, founded and maintain in

loyalty to Jesus. I say hardly for a man and a woman because nature is

just what nature is and unless the man and woman or biological

brother and sister, best friends between opposite sex turns into sex.

Maybe not the actual act, but certainly things that are not honoring to

God.

 If you are a married man/woman, this best friend relationship with the

opposite sex, two hearts knit together in agape love for each other,

rooted, founded and maintained in loyalty to Jesus is off limits for

you. This is infidelity to your spouse. Why? Because you turn your

heart from your wife. It’s inappropriate, it harms, it’s cheating, it’s not

permissible and very very unwise. Someone says, well I don’t have

that connection with my spouse…, then you don’t get that connection

with another man, or another woman. You took a vow, made a

covenant to have and to hold in preservation your heart for only

one… The truth is, you don’t want to put in the work…, prayer,

counseling, sacrifice, to create that covenant with the bride/husband of

your youth as it says in Proverbs 5:18.

 So, there is a bond that can be closer than just a romance. Between a

man and a man, a woman and a woman, or a man and his wife…

These are the three possibilities. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves

at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for

their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to

him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.”

Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the

countenance of his friend.” John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than

this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

 A bond is born that does not speak of romance here, not at all. And

those that read that into these words are putting that into these words

because that is not what it says. It says that a bond was born between

two brothers that saw in each other all they each one aspired to be…

And even more than that, both are kings. One the son of the king and

the other the anointed of Samuel.

 Now the actions of Jonathan are telling. He is giving to David the right

to the throne with these actions and saying to him, when it comes time,

you are the rightful king. It is an act of reverence, respect, incredible

maturity, humility…, it is an act of obedience and trust in God by

Jonathan. And it serves to crystalize the bond between them. Listen,

friends in truth will always be set in stone not by loyalty only to each

other but loyalty to the Lord!

 I’ve learned to be a bit wiser about those I identify as friends in truth

in my own life. Just because they say the things that express loyalty to

me as someone important to them isn’t enough anymore. What I look

for now is loyalty to the Lord above all else. (1 Timothy 3 MUSTS)

And may I just say, that is very rare. Many are great friends and men I

love, but when it comes to truly doing what the Lord would have them

to do, very uncommon and scarce…

1 Samuel Chapter 18 Verse 5

 David becomes the general over all the armies of Israel. And there is a

phrase we just read that will be repeated over and over relevant to

David which will serve to promote him continually in the eyes of the

people. “David behaved wisely.” What does that mean? Well, here’s

what it doesn’t mean. He didn’t conduct himself in reaction to others.

He didn’t act rashly. He didn’t act selfishly. He didn’t act foolishly. He

didn’t act out of emotion.

 The word in Hebrew means that he considered, he pondered, he was

circumspect and understanding of the situation and the perspective of

the people around him, and as a result he had additional insight and

found additional success. Intelligence is not the ability to

comprehend or compute. That’s just data ingestion. Intelligence is

ability to control yourself to a greater result. Data processing to

valuable and actionable information. Wisdom is real intelligence and

the Bible says in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning

of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

 This habit of David will catapult him in the favor of the people…,

except, there will always be haters. Those that envy you and look at

your wisdom as a personal insult to them that you think you are better

than they are… That is only ever the response of those that lack

wisdom themselves…

1 Samuel Chapter 18 Verses 6 – 7

 This was a time for rejoicing for the people of Israel and this was one

of the ways they celebrated a great victory. Notice it says that this

happened in all of the cities of Israel, so as Saul and his armies

returned, each one of the little villages and cities they passed through,

this happened. Now, you know who was in the army of Saul? David’s

brothers! I just love that!!

 By all accounts that we have in the scriptures, David’s brothers were

not great to him. But he still kept their sheep. But he still brought

food to them in the camp of the battle. Even though they weren’t great

to David, David behaved wisely and God saw it all and knew it all

because that it just like Him!!!

 The world says be good to those who are good to you. The world says

choose people who choose you. But maybe you might know, thoughts

and quips like that are entirely self-centered! God says, Jesus said this

in Luke 6:27, “But I say to you who hear; love your enemies, do good

to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those

who spitefully use you.” Why? Because that is exactly what He did

and does!!

 Being in sin, you and I are the enemies of God. Yet God so loved the

world… Do good to those who hate you, which deny it all you want,

when we exalt self over God as chief and primary in our lives, it

expresses a hate towards the Most High. Yet when we were actively

hating Him, He sent His only Son. Bless those who curse you. They

spat on Him and beat Him and ridiculed Him, and He died for them.

And pray for those who spitefully use you…, oh how God wants to

hear about it from you because there is a special connection waiting

for you in righteousness with the righteous one.

 God loves to fight on behalf of the righteous! Psalm 119:114 says,

“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word!”

Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather

give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’

says the Lord.” Here’s what I’ve learned. And I’ve learned it, I haven’t

practiced it too terribly much but I get it now… The more I speak, the

less He will. The more I defend, the less He will. The more I bless,

the more He will. The more I draw near to Him, He will draw near

to me!

 David is such a great example of this and even though the camera is

not on them, I’d love for Samuel to have described the state of his

brothers in this moment. Saul hates it, that’s for sure… Because this is

less a historical factual song and more a song of popularity!

1 Samuel Chapter 18 Verses 8 – 9

 Saul is so blinded and he doesn’t even know it… It’s the saddest

human condition possible. David’s popularity and success under Saul

as the king is VERY good for Saul. If he behaves wisely. But he

doesn’t know how to do that without God showing him… So instead

of celebrating David and lifting David up as the champion, which

make no mistake would also exalt Saul as a good and wise king,

instead of that, he feels threatened… Horrible leadership!

 If someone on your team is better than you at something, let them be!

Celebrate it! Learn from them! Enjoy the success you get from having

them there! Push them down, subdue them or remind them who the

boss is, and it’s just a matter of time, all of the favor will go to that

person… I’m telling you, it’s the truth!

1 Samuel Chapter 18 Verse 10

 We covered the distressing spirit a few studies ago so I won’t revisit

that now… Or maybe just a bit… Notice no speak of the distressing

spirit when Saul was with the people in the battle. Notice, no speak of

the distressing spirit when Saul was trying to help David by giving

him his armor. Notice when the distressing spirit comes upon Saul?

After he has pouted. When he is in the flesh. After he has succumbed

to his own blindness again.

 Many would blame the dancing women or the would-be king for

giving a cause to the distress upon Saul. No one on God’s green earth

is to blame other than Saul. And if you and I would go that path with

our own selves, my how some would make incredible progress…

 We’re also not told what this bit about prophesying means coming

from Saul. This, however, is a solid proof text that prophesying is

simply speaking forth truth and not always accompanied by signs and

wonders or even wisdom from God. How do we know that? The Spirit

of the Lord had departed from Saul and yet here he is speaking truth…

 The Pharisees prophesied. The high priest prophesied. The donkey

prophesied… Anyone that utters the truth of the Word of God is

prophesying. All truth that God would have us to know is contained in

the complete and thorough and inexhaustible Word of God. Is there

truth outside of the word of God? Sure. For example. The law is that

all stop at stop signs. Is that true? Of course. And that’s just a dumb

example. The point is that folks pursue so much outside of the word of

God and in so doing you may discover that cars stop at stop signs,

great work! HA! But all prophesy is simply speaking forth the Word of

God.

 Now, when you are distressed, what’s in your hand? Saul, the blind,

the unwise…, a weapon. Some, a beer. A cell phone with video after

video or scroll after scroll. A credit card for some. A bong for some.

When you are distressed, what’s in your hand? It’s a sure sign of your

own maturity… How about a Bible? How about a pillow? Some that

are distressed just need some rest. How about the hand of your

spouse? There’s something the enemy has taken from us and

completely taken from the up-and-coming generation. When we need

connection, we turn to our phones rather than instigating a

conversation with our spouse or with someone who loves God and

loves us… Saul has a spear in his hand, very unwise…

1 Samuel Chapter 18 Verse 11

 Whatever you put in your hand you will use. Oh, it’s just a spear, it

makes me feel a bit better about myself, but he ends up throwing it at

someone who loves him, someone who has served him and is trying to

serve him… It’s ridiculous. If the Word of God is in your hand,

you’ll use it. If an article on how to connect with your husband or

your wife is in your hand, you’ll use it. If a list of things that are

encouraging to your wife that you should say is in your hand,

you’ll use it… So many, so so many think they are so wonderful and

so not the problem and yet man these things are so simple, and dude,

you are the problem!

1 Samuel Chapter 18 Verses 12 – 16

 Saul demotes David. To his own addition to fear and to his own

degradation. Terrible leadership. Absolute blindness. Foolish and

unaware, and the source of all his troubles. Yet, I bet you can’t tell him

anything without being opposed…, or having a spear thrown at you.

Don’t Saul your situation. David behaves wisely, behaves wisely,

behaves wisely and the Lord is with Him… Saul fears him…, and all

Israel and Judah love him… Why? Because he has decided to lead

well. Determined to not be blind but to be aware. Resolved even to his

own hurt to shun foolishness and God is with him.

 Now, the next couple of chapters are 10 years of David suffering.

Living in caves, running from Saul…, that’s the cost. Saul lives in the

castle for the next 10 years as a result of his behavior but he does so in

a lesser form of himself… David lives the next 10 years in caves and

on the run, and the Lord is with him. Which would you rather have…?