David Made Good His Escape

1 Samuel 19:1-24

1 Samuel 19:10b

David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

In this passage, we will see the providence of God in the life of David especially in time of trials. God protected David through

[1] Jonathan: persuasion (v1-7)

[2] a missed spear (v8-10)

[3] Michal: escape from his house (v11-17)

[4] The Spirit of God: Saul prophesying (v18-24)

May God open our eyes to see the providence of God in our life so that we can fully trust Him and praise Him in the midst of trial!

1. Read verses 1-7. What does Saul tell his son and all the attendants to do to David? (1a) How does Jonathan warn David? (1b-3) What does Jonathan say to Saul concerning David? (4,5) What is Saul’s response? (6) What does Jonathan do?(7)

1-1) Read verses 1-7.

1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan was very fond of David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” 4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?” 6 Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.” 7 So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.

1-2) What does Saul tell his son and all the attendants to do to David? (1a)

a) Saul commanded his son and all his servants to kill David.

Previously, Saul tried to kill David by himself privately. (1 Sam 18:11)

He also tried to kill David by the Philistines before. (1 Sam 18:21-25)

Now, he wanted to kill David publicly. (v1a)

He commanded his son and all his servants to kill David.

b) Saul wanted to kill David because of his jealousy. (1Sam 18:9)

David became more popular than Saul after he killed Goliath.

c) Jealousy comes from greed. [Desire to have more: idolatry]

Greed is a form of idolatry. (Col 3:5)

Ultimately, greed comes from rejecting [the sovereignty of] God.

How important it is to be content under the sovereignty of God.

1-3) How does Jonathan warn David? (1b-3)

a) Jonathan [meaning of his name: “YHWH has given”] was very fond of David. (v1b)

He delighted greatly in David.

Jonathan had a covenant with David. (1 Sam 18:3)

b) Jonathan warned David.

My father (Saul) is looking for a chance to kill you.

Be on your guard: Hiding and stay there.

I will speak to my father (Saul) about you and tell you what I find out.

c) Jonathan disobeyed his father.

We should obey our parents; submit to the government, to employers, and church

Leaders.

But we must obey God; His word is more important than anything.

If people including parents command us to do things which God commands not to

do. Then we should obey God, rather than our parents (men). (Acts 5:29)

1-4) What does Jonathan say to Saul concerning David? (4,5)

a) Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul, his father.

“Let not the king do wrong [sin] to his servant David.”

Jonathan told his father that killing David is sin.

Murder out of anger and jealousy breaks the 10 commandments.

b) Jonathan provides convincing reasons not to kill David.

i) David’s perspective

Morally: David did not wrong you. (innocent)

Practically: What David has done has benefited you (Saul) greatly.

David’s Sacrifice for Saul: David risked his life to kill the Philistine.

Therefore, killing David is against an innocent man.

ii) God’s perspective: Spiritually

The Lord won a great victory for Israel.

It was from God: it was for God.

Therefore, killing David is against God.

iii) Saul’s perspective: Morally

Personal experience: You (Saul) saw it (killing Goliath) and were glad.

Morally: Killing David would be wrong.

Therefore killing David is against you (Saul); your conscience.

1-5) What is Saul’s response? (6)

a) Saul listened to Jonathan.

He was persuaded because it was more reasonable: morally, spiritually, and practically.

He became humble before his son.

b) He took this oath.

“David will not be put to death.”

He might be sincere at this time, but eventually, changed his mind.

1-6) What does Jonathan do?(7)

a) Jonathan brought David to Saul.

He worked as a peace maker between Saul and David.

b) Jonathan trusted his father.

In some sense, he was naïve or did not know who his father was.

Eventually, his father, Saul betrayed him later.

2. Read verses 8-10. What does David do when war breaks out, and what is the result? (8) What happens to Saul after David’s victory against the Philistines? (9) What does Saul do to David? (10a) What does David do? (10b)

2-1) Read verses 8-10.

8 Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him. 9 But an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

2-2) What does David do when war breaks out, and what is the result? (8)

a) David went out and fought with the Philistines.

David was faithful to his duty; loyal to king Saul.

He might fight the battle harder than anyone to convince Saul not to kill him.

b) He had great victory:

David struck them with such force and they fled before him

2-3) What happens to Saul after David’s victory against the Philistines? (9)

a) Evil spirits came upon Saul.

He was tempted by an evil spirit.

b) David’s victory might cause Saul’s jealousy again.

2-4) What does Saul do to David? (10a)

a) Saul attacked David with his spear.

Due to jealousy, Saul was not able to hold his hatred toward David.

Despite his oath before God and his son, he decided to kill David again.

b) Power of sinful desire [jealousy and hatred]:

Sinful desire is too powerful for Saul to control.

Saul did not have any power to do good.

Jealousy is extremely dangerous; twisting everything even the truth.

Jealousy causes extreme pain; bone-twisting pain

2-5) What does David do? (10b)

a) David eluded (escape) from Saul: Saul’s spear missed.

Then he ran for his life. He was a refuge for about 20yrs:

From this until David became the king of Israel

b) Why God allowed this kind of trials to David?

We should be able to see the protection/provision of God in the life of David.

To discipline him as a man of God.

Through these, David learned to trust God; the power, grace, love of God.

All his psalms came from his personal relationship with God.

Saul’s intention was evil, but God used this evil for the greater goodness. (Gen

50:20)

3. Read verses 11-17. Why does Saul send men to David’s house? (11a) How does Michal help David? (11b,12) How does Michal deceive Saul’s men? (13-16) What does Michal say to her father about her actions? (17)

3-1) Read verses 11-17

11 Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head. 14 When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, “He is ill.” 15 Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16 But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

3-2) Why did Saul send men to David’s house? (11a)

a) Saul sent men to David’s house to kill David in the morning.

It was when he failed to kill David by his spear.

He decided to send others to kill him in his house.

b) Saul’s wickedness is getting worse.

Saul’s oath to God came to nothing.

Jonathan was not able to protect David anymore.

3-3) How did Michal help David? (11,12)

a) Michal warned David to run for his life immediately.

Although she was a Saul’s daughter, but she was David’s wife.

She supported her husband in time of crisis.

b) She said, “You will be killed tomorrow”.

Somehow, Michal knew David’s imminent danger.

Possibly, she noticed men from Saul around her house.

c) She let David down through a window and he fled and escaped.

Michal helped David by letting David down through a window.

d) David’s heart at that time. (Psalm 59)

David desperately prayed to God for His protection. (Psa 59:1,2)

David faithfully expressed his trust in God. (Psa 59:9,10)

David wholeheartedly praised God in time of trouble. (Psa 59:16,17)

3-4) How does Michal deceive Saul’s men? (13-16)

a) Michal took an idol.

The idol was teraphim, a household idol, and a fertility and good luck charm.

Previously, people of Israel removed all kinds of idols before. (1Sam 7:4)

Obviously, some of them [Saul’s family] started worshiping idols again.

b) Michal had an idol at home.

This shows her spiritual problem, which became worse later. (2Sam 6:16-23)

Probably, David did not know about this. [He should have known this.]

Probably, David was not able/ no time to purify his wife spiritually. (Eph 5:26)

3-5) What does Michal say to her father about her actions? (17)

a) She lied to her father to protect herself.

She described David as a man who would murder his wife.

b) Michal; an idol worshiper and a liar.

Daughter and Father are both unfaithful to God.

Outwardly, she was a princess in the kingdom of Israel.

Inwardly, she was an idol worshiper and liar.

c) Saul said David as “My enemy”:

David was faithful servant to Saul.

But Saul considered David as his enemy.

How mistakenly we treat our faithful brothers/sisters in Christ as enemies.

4. Read verses 18-24. Who does David go to after escaping? (18) What does Saul do when he finds out where David is? (19,20a) What happens to the men that Saul sends to capture

David?(20b, 21) What does Saul decide to do after he sends his men to capture David three

times? (22) What happens to Saul? (23, 24) How does God protect David from Saul? What can we learn from this?

4-1) Read verses 18-24

18 When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19 Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men and they also prophesied. 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said. 23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

4-2) Who does David go to after escaping? (18)

a) David went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him:

David sought godly advice from Samuel.

b) How difficult it is to give any advise in this tragic situation.

Samuel might just have just listened to David’s agony and pray for him to trust

God’s sovereignty.

4-3) What does Saul do when he finds out where David is? (19,20a)

a) Saul sent men to capture David.

Saul is persistently wicked, never give up.

4-4) What happens to the men that Saul sends to capture David?(20b, 21)

a) Saul kept sending men to kill David three times.

God kept sending the Spirit of God to protect David.

b) Saul’s men prophesied with a group of prophets

because the Spirit of God came upon them.

c) The Spirit of God came upon people who did not seek God or want to be filled with the Spirit.

because God was protecting David.

because possibly God was sending the messages to Saul; to stop seeking to kill David.

4-5) What does Saul decide to do after he sends his men to capture David three times? (22)

a) Saul went to Ramah to kill David.

He was determined to kill David against God’s will.

b) Saul knew that killing David was against God’s will.

But he tried it anyway because he did not fear God.

4-6) What happens to Saul? (23, 24)

a) The Spirit of God was upon Saul as well:

Saul also prophesied. (1 Sam 10:10-13)

b) Saul stripped off his robes and prophesied in Samuel’s presence.

God exposed Saul’s wickedness symbolically.

c) What does it mean ‘prophesying/prophesied?’

Prophesying, not only predicting the future, but also speaking the words of God.

Prophesying is also involved praising the Lord (10:10-13; 1Chro 25:1-3)

Saul’s prophecy has nothing to do with salvation or spiritual regeneration.

4-7) How does God protect David from Saul?

God protected David through

i) Jonathan: persuasion (v1-7)

ii) a missed spear (v8-10)

iii) Michal: escape from his house (v11-17)

iv) The Spirit of God: Saul prophesying (v18-24)

4-8) What can we learn from this?

God protects us with His power.

God is in absolute, complete, and total control of our lives.

In Conclusion,

Sometimes, God leads us to the difficult situations like David. And sometimes, we do not understand the ways of God. But God works in higher ways and He keeps His promises to protect his own. May God grant us the Holy Spirit so that we can be sure that your control upon our lives is absolute and total.

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