1 Samuel 19: Jealousy Kills

​And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” 4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before. 
 
8 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. 9 Then 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. 10 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. 
 
11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. 13 Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’ ” 
 
18 Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 
 
Meditation
God’s sovereign plan is centered on His anointed king. God’s grace invites us to worship His King rather than jealously seek to establish our own autonomous rule. 
 
Saul sought to kill the Lord’s anointed, David, because Saul was jealous. The destruction from Saul’s jealousy is a word of warning to sinful self- kingdom builders like us. The gospel invites us to be free of jealously by helping us see the selfless love of the true King.
 
Jealousy seeks to destroy: Saul’s insecurity sees David as a contender to his authority and he plans to eliminate David with death (1). 

Jealousy fuels ungodly competition: After David’s victory, while David was playing music in the service of king Saul, the king lost control and attempted to kill David with his spear (10).

Jealousy leads to a lack of compassion: Saul heard David was sick and asked David be brought on his bed to be killed (15) … poor bedside manner!

Jealousy manipulates others for personal agenda: Saul attempts to manipulate people close to David, even his own children Jonathan and Michael.
 
God protects His anointed, delivering David time and time again (10. 11, 12, 17, 18). And God will deliver you from the harm of jealousy, too. The gospel displays God’s selfless love, Jesus’ agenda to enter destruction to death so we can experience the compassion of His Covenant care. By the power of the gospel, Christians can put away (or kill) jealousy and envy (1 Peter 2:1; Ephesians 4:31) before it harms the health of Christ’s Body or kills ourselves.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about Saul’s jealousy and the devastation coming to his family and kingdom through his lack of self-awareness and self-control?
 
-Where do you identify, needing to kill jealousy before it kills you or others?
 
-How does the gospel highlight the selfless love of Jesus in a way that frees you to put away jealousy and put on compassion and care for others?
 
Key Verse
1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David.