Over and over, Saul would try to kill David, but David always found a way to dodge Saul's evil intent. Jonathan, Saul's son, became David's "watch dog" as Saul, in his anger toward David, would always proclaim, "David must die!"
After David's first victory over the Philistines, he had married Saul's daughter, Michal, as was promised, and Michal, too, tried her best to inform David when her father was in a rage. One time in particular, Saul sent men to David's house to kill David while he slept. Michal warned him, and David climbed from a window and escaped.
Another time, David fled to make his escape and followed Samuel who was conducting a group of prophets prophesying., and when Saul's men turned up there, after following David, they, too, began to prophesy! And the more men Saul sent, they too began to prophesy! And finally, Saul himself began to join in with prophesying! The Lord must have enjoyed the excitement, and its humor.
When David fled to an area called Naioth at Ramah, he found Jonathan and asked him, "What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life?" "Never!" Jonathan replied. "You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn't do anything, great or small, without confiding in me. Why would he hide this from me? It's not so!" But David answered, Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself 'Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.' Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death." And Jonathan answered, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do for you."
And so their pact was made, and they also made a plan. David said, "Tomorrow is the New Moon festival, and I am supposed to dine with the king, but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. If your father misses me at all, tell him, 'David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan. If he says, "Very well," then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me. As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the Lord. If I am guilty, then kill me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?" But Jonathan said, "Never!" If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn't I tell you?"
David asked, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?" "Come," Jonathan said, Let's go out into the field." So they were there together.
Study/"Saul tried to kill David out of jealousy of David's popularity, yet David continued to protect and comfort Saul. Perhaps when there is jealousy in our lives or if someone is attacking us in some way, we must look for why they may be intimidated by our strengths, and therefore conscious of their own shortcomings. It would be easy to strike back or avoid them. A better response is to befriend them and ask God for the strength to love them , as David kept loving Saul."
Sounds good to me! More tomorrow with David, Jonathan, and Saul as we see the ambush in the fields.
Have you ever had someone despise you? or even dislike you? I think we all have at one time or another. I hope God will always help me to love that person, and not be afraid. I know He will...if I ask!
Loving the thought of you!
Jo inMN
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