Series: Israel’s 1st King [#12]
ACT #2- SAUL ENVIED DAVID
1 Samuel 18:5-29
Introduction:
Saul sent for David and brought him into his court. This was the beginning of a lot of drama between Saul and David. This type of drama still exists today- When you find someone who is being blessed by God and they come in contact with someone who has been abandoned by God, you find conflict.
This drama falls into 3 acts:
Act #1: Saul loved David (1 Samuel 16-17).
Act #2: Saul envied David (1 Samuel 18-20).
Act #3: Saul exiled David (1 Samuel 21-31).
In 1 Samuel 17, David kills Goliath and there was a great victory over the Philistines. 1 Samuel 18 begins with Jonathan, (Saul’s son) and David becoming best friends and Saul keeping David with him full time.
We studied act #1 last week and this morning we are going to look at act #2- Saul envied David. As we look at this 2nd act, I want us to see where envy leads us.
1 Samuel 18:5-9
Envy creates…
1. Anger.
David walked according to the will of God, he battled victoriously, and he won the admiration of the people; but he wasn’t ruined by their praise. The women came out when he returned from battle, dancing and singing. David responded to this praise with humility; but Saul responded with anger.
When you become envious of others, their success and recognition cause you to be angry. Envy keeps you from hearing the positive things said about you and instead becomes an unwinnable contest. You find no peace or joy in life because you are too busy being angry.
1 Samuel 18:10-11
Envy creates…
2. Violence.
The evil spirit came upon Saul; but this time David’s music did not help. Why? Saul’s envy put him in a situation that he could not be calmed. No matter what David was doing to help, Saul was not going to be calmed. Instead, he wanted to kill David.
When envy is not dealt with, it becomes dangerous. Your anger turns into violence. Notice how quickly Saul became violent. He went from doing something he normally did to trying to kill David twice. This is what envy turned to anger does- It becomes violent.
1 Samuel 18:12-16
Envy creates…
3. Fear.
Saul was afraid of David because God was with him. Saul’s next move was to remove David from his position as the court musician and captain of the bodyguard and made him captain over 1,000 men and sent him out to battle. He was hoping that the Philistines would kill David. The more successful David was, the more Saul feared him. Apart from God, there is always fear. Envy goes from anger to violence to fear; because you realize that you are alone.
1 Samuel 18:17-27
Envy creates…
4. Scheming.
Saul could not figure out what to do with David, so he began to scheme up ways to put David in dangerous situations. Saul had promised to give David his oldest daughter, Merab, for his wife; but he deceived David and gave her to someone else. Then Saul offered his daughter Michal to be his wife. Saul was plotting against David the entire time. For a dowry Saul required David to bring him 100 foreskins of the Philistines. He was hoping David would be killed in the process; but instead, David killed 200 Philistines in order to win his wife.
When you begin to plan ways to destroy your enemies; it always backfires. In fear, you begin to do things that you didn’t even know you are capable of.
Conclusion:
1 Samuel 18:28-29
1st, Saul loved David; and then envied David and tried to kill him. Saul even told his son Jonathan to kill him. Saul also sent men to David’s house to bring him back so Saul could kill him, but Michal deceived Saul, and David escaped. Then Saul went down to Ramah, intending to kill David, but again he failed. It is remarkable that a man who began by loving David was now envying David and trying to destroy him.
That’s what envy does to you. Envy is like a cancer of the soul that eats away at you. Envy grows until it takes control of your life and begins to destroy you.
