protection – King David 101

Influenced but Without Surrender

In an odd scene in the life of King Saul is recorded in 1 Samuel 19:18–24, where Saul, enraged, sends soldiers to capture David. Three groups are overpowered by the Holy Spirit, and each group begins prophesying instead of arresting David. Finally, a frustrated Saul himself goes to Ramah, and there he too is overcome by the Spirit:

“He tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The people who were watching exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet?”

1 Samuel 19:18-24

“Influence Without Surrender” is one of the better ways to explain this strange passage. Even after several readings, this seems to be the best interpretation. Saul (and three groups of soldiers) come under “the influence” of the Holy Spirit and are prevented from capturing David.

God proactively intervenes in the life of His anointed one.

David must have been in shock. God defends him in an astonishing way, but in a manner that amazed the onlookers. And David was learning what God was really like. When the Lord goes to battle, anything can happen. In His powerful sovereignty, God decides the weapons He will use. In Saul’s case, the prophetic works perfectly.

Troop after troop is floored by the presence of a mighty God. Finally, Saul decides to intervene. Why isn’t David in custody? Saul intends to find out; when he steps into the prophet’s presence. When this happens, Saul falls under the very presence of God and encounters the Lord.

And really, we must understand that Saul comes under the influence of God but refuses to surrender. Isn’t this the epitome of his life? He may understand, but Saul refuses to surrender and to yield and submit to the Lord God.

That’s what God does to His rebellious and disobedient children.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.

1 Samuel 15:23

Saul does this every time.

Please understand. God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9.)

Climbing Out the Window

¹¹Then Saul sent troops to watch David’s house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.” ¹²So she helped him climb out through a window, and he fled and escaped. ¹³Then she took an idol^[^b^] and put it in his bed, covered it with blankets, and put a cushion of goat’s hair at its head.

¹⁴When the troops came to arrest David, she told them he was sick and couldn’t get out of bed.

¹⁵But Saul sent the troops back to get David. He ordered, “Bring him to me in his bed so I can kill him!” ¹⁶But when they came to carry David out, they discovered that it was only an idol in the bed with a cushion of goat’s hair at its head.

¹⁷“Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy escape?” Saul demanded of Michal.

“I had to,” Michal replied. “He threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him.”

1 Samuel 19:11-17

Let’s consider the resourcefulness of Michal:

Much of this passage deals with Michel, David’s first wife. She is clever, showing ingenuity in helping David escape. An explanation– When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him, ²⁹Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life. (18:28-29.)

Her actions enabled David to escape. First, she warned him. Second, she gave him directions to leave their bed chamber. Third, put a facsimile of David in their bed to buy him more time to escape. They both knew that Saul’s troops were coming.

Notice Saul’s distorted thinking; he considered her actions as a “betrayal.” He knew that David escaped due to her actions to gain David some time,

Saul interrogated her himself; he strongly asserted that she helped David escape. She lied to protect herself–” “He threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him.” (v. 17.) Now this wasn’t true, but her own life was at stake. Whether or not the lie was necessary, it created enough latitude for her to escape any punishment.

Her crafty wisdom would give David a chance to escape.

One thing struck me reading the text. These troops were most likely man who had served under the direction of David against the Philistines. There is something false about them, a betrayal of what they knew as false orders to apprehend and to kill David.

David would face these men again. Saul’s hatred and his attempted murder of David had just begun.

Evil Carries a Spear

^“And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. ⁹Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. ¹⁰And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.”

1 Samuel 19:8-10, NLT

There are things in this passage that I don’t fully understand. I will try to share what little I do know. Let’s have a go at it.

If I could, I would get out my X-Acto Knife and carefully cut out verse 9, I would do it. The very idea that the Lord would send “a harmful spirit” to come to Saul is hard to grasp. Perhaps we need to recognize that after his sin, sparing Agag in 1 Sam. 15:20, nothing good is ever spoken of Saul in scripture.

Sin develops over time. Nothing is a mere trifle or insignificant.

Saul’s sin metastasizes, and any real repentance becomes impossible. This is sobering. And scary. It’s no wonder we’re warned repeatedly to renounce our sin. At this point Saul comes under the direct influence of evil powers. His continued disobedience becomes his very character.

Saul sits with his spear in hand, and David, his arch enemy, stands before Saul playing the harp. Instead of being comforted, he becomes murderous. It seems he cannot control himself. And with that spear Saul throws it at David, and Saul intends to “pin David to the wall.”

Somehow David eludes it, and escapes into the night.

Some of this seems logical and understandable. The “good” escapes; but the evil in the heart of Saul remains. From this point on, Saul is basically “unreachable.” He becomes full of darkness.

And without God’s Holy Spirit convicting and leading us through our own sin, we too will destroy ourselves. The lesson of Saul’s repeated rebellion should terrify the believer who wants to follow Jesus. Let’s not trifle with sin; if not dealt with will also destroy us.

“One great power of sin is that it blinds men so that they do not recognize its true character.”

Andrew Murray

Saul Hates David

“Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. ²⁸But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, ²⁹Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.”

^30 “Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.”

1 Samuel 18:28-30

David was fighting two battles at once. He had to face King Saul’s hostility, and the ongoing war with the Philistine’s army. I suppose that it was a tremendous drain. After the battle he came home and found nothing but jealousy and anger.

Saul was very afraid of David.

Fear like this turned into deep seated malevolence and hatred. Despite his tremendous success he, upon returning home, found zero recognition. To many he was a hero, but to Saul he was despised and detested. And again, Saul was deeply afraid of David.

Fear accomplishes nothing. Fear only destroys.

Saul was in a spiritual downward spiral. It was just a matter of time before the end. King Saul had become evil. God’s Spirit had left him, and he was nothing more than a shell, vacant and empty of anything good. Perhaps David was grieved to see the king turn into something unrecognizable and dark.

David had been anointed as the next king.

“Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.”

(1 Samuel 10:1, ESV.)

The prophet’s word had been spoken. There would be resistance and hostility which seemed to contradict this prophecy. David would soon discover the enemies battle against what God had declared. (But what choice did he have?)

God’s declaration of David’s anointing didn’t matter to Saul. He would continue the path he had chosen. David would continue to find success against the Philistines.

“David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed: Saul’s plan has completely backfired. David is not only alive but also more popular and closer to the LORD than ever. Saul isn’t finished and will use more manipulation, cunning, and outright violence to attack David.”

David Guzik

100 Foreskins

²⁴When Saul’s men reported this back to the king, ²⁵he told them, “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight.

²⁶David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired, ²⁷he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife.

²⁸When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him, ²⁹Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life. ³⁰Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, David was more successful against them than all the rest of Saul’s officers. So David’s name became very famous.

1 Samuel 18:24-30, NLT

A snare had been set. King Saul wanted David dead. A trap would destroy him; Saul had the bait, and he also knew that nothing could be traced back to him. David had become very popular, and so Saul had to be very careful.

Saul had a plan, and yet it seemed it was a good one.

David was called upon to do what seemed impossible. Saul declared that David was to bring him back 100 “foreskins” taken from the dead Philistines. Now the Philistines had been a terrible problem for the people of Israel. They had been attacking and destroying without any restraint.

Saul surmised that whether to win or lose, that the David problem would be resolved. If anything, David would be tarnished in the minds of the Philistines. Perhaps a bounty would be placed on David’s head. He would become a “target” and be especially hated. Perhaps this is true?

But David would ultimately prevail.

David exceeded and even doubled Saul’s wishes. Instead of just meeting, he doubled what Saul had required. Returning from the battle, he carried 200 of the foreskins back to the king. He returned with not just the minimum but surpassed it.

Ah yes, the matter of the foreskins. First, we must understand how the Philistines had attacked and harmed Israel. They continued to advance and Israel hadn’t really responded to their continual harassment. Saul understood that many had died and he had no answer to their constant attacks.

Second, David was a man of his times. Things were brutal and the very survival of Israel demanded a response. Yes, David needed to respond with force. The Philistines needed to know that Israel could return fire with fire. David did this.

Third, these were dead men. David collected these foreskins from the dead his men had already killed. He didn’t seize the enemy and forced them to endure “surrender” their penises at “gunpoint.” David collected these foreskins from the Philistines that were already dead.

Now granted this wasn’t perfect or New Testament theology, and yet it was the need of the moment.

The Shield of Meekness

²⁰In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it. ²¹“Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Saul said to himself. But to David he said, “Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!”

²²Then Saul told his men to say to David, “The king really likes you, and so do we. Why don’t you accept the king’s offer and become his son-in-law?”

²³When Saul’s men said these things to David, he replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?” ²⁴And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.”

1 Samuel 18:20-24

There are a couple of layers here. In this passage we read 1) Saul’s thinking. 2) Saul’s men being faithful, 3) David’s response about it all. I suggest that we should gather up all three to understand what exactly is happening.

In #1 we see something a bit sinister. Saul’s heart is full of evil. He wants David dead. When he finds that Michel really loves David, he manipulates that into his purposes. Saul doesn’t rejoice, rather he hates it. He devises a way to destroy David.

In #2 we see that the king’s trusted men are those who smooth it all out. They manipulate it all to declare Saul’s “wonderful” offer of advancement. They are faithful, but not to the truth, but to Saul. (Every king, president or prime minister needs these sorts to do what he wishes.)

In #3 we read about the thinking of David. He seems unaware of the evil that he has stepped into. We hear of his humility about it all. He recognizes that he’s unworthy to become a son-in-law. He brings up the subject of a dowery, the payment he must give to earn a marriage.

It’s here that King Saul’s efforts seem to advance.

Again, it’s how Saul works. He is still thinking that he’s in control (but he really isn’t). Saul doesn’t realize it, but he’s fighting against the purposes of God. It all seems simple to us now, but at that moment it’s not so easy.

I think that its David’s humility protecting him. That’s a bit counterintuitive and I struggle with it a bit. Perhaps it all seems he’s walking out of meekness. That characteristic keeps David safe from Saul’s wickedness.

And perhaps it will cover us from evil as well?

“We had long known the Lord without realizing that meekness and lowliness of heart should be the distinguishing feature of the disciple.”

Andrew Murray

Leave the Spear Behind

“And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.“

1 Samuel 18:11, ESV

“And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.“

1 Samuel 19:10

King Saul has gone mad.

We need to understand that David is completely different. He would leave Saul’s spear in the wall. Remember that David was the giant killer, the boy who faced Goliath. I don’t really think that David was really afraid, he knew God’s protective hand was on him and this made the difference.

Saul attacked David twice.

But David spiritually understood God’s heart. He understood the spiritual principle of “turning the other cheek” and “loving your enemies.” He overcame with love and kindness. And lots of grace.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good“

Romans 12:21, ESV

The Greek word for “overcome” is νικάω which can be translated as “to conquer or to come forth victorious.” It is also used when someone is arraigned before a court of law but wins the case.

To follow Jesus means you entirely reject using the spear. It’s not for you. Never.

You cannot attack another without destroying yourself.

“We win by tenderness. We conquer by forgiveness.”

Frederick W. Robertson

We must leave the spear in the wall. You must not throw it back.

King Saul is Poisoned

“Danger, Will Robinson, danger!”

(B-9 Robot, “Lost in Space,” 1967)

⁶As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. ⁷And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” And Saul was very angry.

1 Samuel 18:6-8

David was quite successful. His tactical prowess exceeded the other military leaders; he was a dream come true, and everyone knew it. But, there would be a downside to being victorious in battle. Gavid was about to find this out. Things would start to get crazy, and it wasn’t his fault.

Out came those who could sing.

Everyone knew it. David’s successes became the song of Israel. What he achieved was the stuff of legends. When he returned, he found those who received victory. They would sing, but those songs would create issues. Saul would become offended, and that would become dangerous. David would soon find this out. He understood, and yet, he really didn’t. King Saul would never really accept David’s accomplishments; Saul blocked out the wonderous battles of David.

King Saul could never accept this.

“The anger of the king is a deadly threat.”

Proverbs 16:14

Saul’s anger would develop into jealousy, and that was dangerous.

We’ll look at this closer.

Decapitating the Monster

Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. ⁵²Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of ^[e]the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. ⁵³Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. ⁵⁴And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

1 Samuel 17:51-54, NKJV

The war has been decided, Goliath is quite dead. The shepherd boy David has killed him, and the “coup de grace’ is when he chops the head of his (or, God’s) enemy.

There’s a finality about it all. When David raises up the severed head, the Philistines run. They understand that it was God who has given the victory to the army of Israel. They weren’t fighting against them, they were fighting against the Lord God.

I believe that the “battle is the Lords.”

As believing Christians, we’re starting to understand that we live in battle–a war has developed around us. It came about when we committed ourselves to walk in the grace of God. The enemy understands, even before we do. It’s the believer that is a threat.

We are dangerous to Satan, a very real threat to his kingdom.

Clothed in God’s grace, and wearing His “invisible” armor, we stand like David before Goliath. Our faith in the living God will always give us the victory. I believe that it was the Lord who guided the stone that was slung from David’s sling.

We must step out in faith–the victory is ours, and God guides the rock.

“The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came. Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory.”

R.A. Torrey

“The Battle is the Lords”

I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, ⁴⁷and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

David knew what would happen before it actually did. Most likely it had to do with a faith that understood God, he truly accepted that “the battle was/is the Lord’s. He accepted this.

Not only did David see this in Goliath, but notice this in the text, “I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

David understood that David would be killed by him, but the entire army would also die that day.

It would be a total victory over the entire Philistine army.

Also, let’s consider this phrase “the battle is the Lord’s. David says this and establishes something each believer must embrace today. We live in a war that Satan has instigated. Each of us must know exactly what we’re up against. A killer, and a destroyer of people!

Check this out:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

(Notice Jesus’ ministry on us though in this “wonderful” verse.)

Let’s go back to David. It seems when he was good he was very good, but if we’re to be honest, when he was bad, he was very bad. (But forgiven.) Now I don’t understand what you think about all of this. But he did repent, and he was pardoned.

Wearing Armor that Fits You

“Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, ³⁹and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.”

1 Samuel 17:38-39, see also NLT

I sense that king Saul was worried and scared. Facing Goliath was a man’s job, not for a skinny boy. A defeat would be catastrophic. But the terms offered by Goliath would allow the Philistines total control over Israel. This was unacceptable.

But David had heard Goliath’s bellowing blasphemy, The God of Israel was being challenged and mocked. Something inside of David rose up. God’s honor was at stake.

No one thought that David had a “snowball’s chance in hell.”

In this passage we read that Saul offered David his own armor. Now I don’t know what was going through Saul’s mine–did he feel guilty or embarrassed? Why did he do this?

To allow David the boy to go ahead and fight Goliath was disturbing but David presents his case rather forcibly; he tells of his encounters with bears and lions attacking his flock. (1 Samuel 17:34-36.)

So, what traits is he showing? I think the first is zeal, and then courage, faith, self-sacrifice and righteous anger. But perhaps the most significant (and easily forgotten) is love. He simply loved God, and loved the nation (and armies) of Israel. Love is not always gushy. It’s action. It pushes one to take risks.

As I survey this passage I’m struck by Psalm 23. Most commentators believe this particular Psalm was written previously before this fight with Goliath. It was composed while David was with his flock out in the pasture.

That makes perfect sense. (Psalm 23:4-5.)

Wearing armor is necessary as a Christian. If you’re a born again believer, then it’s to be a critical part of who you are spiritually. When the apostle Paul writes to the Ephesian believers he pointedly refers to what we’re to wear spiritually when we stand against our personal “Goliath.” I would stress that this isn’t an optional feature.

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹²For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.“

Ephesians 6:11-12, NLT

The Smear of the Holy Spirit

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.”

1 Samuel 16:13, ESV

I’d like to step back a little. Something quite significant happened when the boy David was anointed by the prophet Samuel. David the shepherd boy had been divinely chosen to become the future king of Israel.

This was a big deal.

And yet it was never mentioned again. We do know that David was anointed a second time when he actually became the king and took the throne. (Check out 2 Samuel 2:4.)

Why two, not exactly sure. Maybe the first was done privately, but the second was done publicly. The first was for the boy, David, and his family. The second was done openly in front of the nation.

It seems to me that both events were incredibly significant.

When David the boy was anointed by Samuel it gave him the power and strength to face Goliath. That first event was one of consecration for it gave David confidence and awareness of his destiny. He now operated with a new awareness that the sovereign God was now with him.

“Before we follow any man we should look for the oil on his forehead.”

A.W. Tozer

I believe that these anointings gave David the awareness of the Father’s special presence to be bold and confident. The second anointing not only placed him as king but also assured the people that David was different. People needed to know that this new king had God’s special touch.

Later on David would sin greatly with Bathsheba and Uriah. Sin diminishes the anointing. Compromising with sin does this; it always drains away God’s favor. (We need to understand this.) David would lose much by turning away from his calling.

That is why Psalm 32 and 51 are quite critical in his (and God’s eyes). David frittered away God’s special touch, but he would regain it by his deep repentance.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.“

Psalm 53:10-11

Lions and Bears

He looked straight in the eyes of the predator. Lions and bears would be faced down, and the lamb would be freed.

“But David said… “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, ³⁵I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.” (1 Samuel 17:34-25)

David understood his duty to protect. When he encountered predators he didn’t retreat, rather he faced them down. He protected the flock, even if the bear or the lion attacked his flock. Perhaps David was being trained to be king?

David carried two weapons. He had a cudgel, a hard stick designed to be a club. He also carried a sling, that could be accurate to 100 yards. He most likely trained with both, until he became lethal. Nothing was left to chance or luck.

In the future, David would face Goliath, and he would be ready.

What David faced down is a clear statement of our own situation. Those around us, family maybe or more, are being attacked by the enemy. He comes and wants to seize them. We must stand in this if we want to rescue them.

We must use the weapons that have been assigned to us.

If we resist and attack, we may overcome the predators, and drive him away. That decision is yours. What you perceive or understand will determine your response, what will you do. Maybe your “rod” or your “sling” will determine the reality of their eternity.

Lions and bears. Both will attack, count on it. Will you be ready, or will you even fight against them?

We dare not minimize their strength, so, we must be ready. So much is riding on us. Will we step up, will we attack the enemy? You must decide what you will do.