Saul’s hypocrisy is in contrast to the words and actions of Jonathan.

1 – Saul orders David to be put to death (vs. 1)

David’s enemy was the king of Israel! David was a marked man because he was God’s man. His life appeared to be forfeit, but the Lord’s arm is not shortened that it cannot save. The Lord was to choose Saul’s own family as instruments of David’s deliverance.

2 – The faithfulness of Jonathan (vs. 2-7)

• He is a man of his word. Unlike his father, Saul.
• He warns David of his father’s plans.
• He intercedes for David.

3 – Saul’s hypocrisy (vs. 6 & 8-11)

Saul swears by the Lord not touch David but then changes his mind. This happens again and again later. It has been said that hypocrisy (playing religion) is more contrary to Christianity than heresy. (Perverting religion) A hypocrite is “one who puts on a mask”. They are pretending to be someone they are not. You see it in today’s movies – Actors. Some are good at it and others are not. The same is true of hypocrites. Some classic Bible pictures of hypocrisy are:-

• Shields of gold and shields of brass (copper). Solomon had 300 shields of gold. In ancient warfare soldiers used such shields to reflect the light of the sun into the eyes of the enemy. When Rehoboam lost the shields of gold, he quickly substituted shields of brass. He tried to have something in outward appearance that would pass (from a distance) as gold, but there is no substitute for the real thing. Gold can be under the sea for thousands of years and still not lose its shine. We either have a testimony that constantly shines and glows and glitters for the glory of God like gold or a hypocritical lifestyle that reflects inconsistently like a shield of brass.
• Wolves in sheep’s clothing – See Matthew 7:15. Beware of false teachers! See 1 Timothy 4:2 – “Speaking lies in hypocrisy”.
• Pharisees – They were prone to hypocrisy because of their teachings. They had sacrificed truth to appearance (Disney do this all the time). They deceived others and deceived themselves! Teaching as doctrine the traditions of men. Traditions become more important than the Word of God. Matthew 15:9 & Mark 7:7 “whitewashed tombstones” Matthew 23:27 “leaven of hypocrisy” Luke 12:1; Matthew 16:6, 12 & Mark 8:15 “strain at a gnat and swallow a camel” Jesus called for REPENTANCE from the Pharisees. Repentance required facing the truth.
• Paul rebuked Peter and Barnabas in Galatians 2:11-12. They would normally eat with Gentiles but when the Judaisers came they withdrew from them. They were being hypocritical – inconsistent to the truth.
• Titus “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 1 Peter 2:1 James 3:17.

4 – Michal’s ruse (vs. 11-17)

Saul’s children had more of a sense of justice than their father. There are several reasons for thinking that she had a heart not right with God:-

• She readily had available a household idol (teraphim). This suggests her personal religion involved elements of Canaanite idolatry.
• Her later inability to understand David’s dancing before the Ark of the Covenant. (See 2 Samuel 6:12-22).
• God’s judgment upon her attitude – no children. (See 2 Samuel 6:23).

From a natural viewpoint Michal’s faithfulness to her husband was commendable, but from a spiritual standpoint her deceit and falsehood were reprehensible. She loved her husband but was unable to resist the temptation to malign David and feed her father’s wrath against him. Why? It was to divert possible reprisal for her behaviour. It was fleshy scheming and devising. This is in contrast to the spiritual courage of Jonathan.

5 – David flees to God

David fled to Samuel at Ramah (A mere two miles from Saul’s capital at Gibeah). He told Samuel of all that had happened and together they went to Naioth (Prophetic school?). David’s flight to Samuel is an appeal to God for His help. He sought sanctuary with the great prophet of Israel and in effect cast himself upon the mercy of the Lord.

6 – Saul’s trance of humiliation (1 Samuel 17:18-24)

This is one of the most intriguing and mysterious interventions of God’s Spirit ever recorded in the Word of God. Three times, Saul sent men to seize David and three times they were reduced to utter helplessness by a prophetic utterance induced by God’s Spirit.

Saul took the road to Ramah in an attempt to do the job himself. He too was overwhelmed by the Spirit of prophecy, to the extent that he lost control over his actions – but for far longer and with more dramatic and humiliating effect. The king threw off his robes and lay on the ground in his undergarments “all that day and night”. Saul was utterly humiliated by the experience.

Saul’s actions were the object of scorn, as he lost all dignity. There was no blessing for Saul in this experience. It is not an experience which any believer would seek. God intervened and manifested his power in such a way as to express his disapproval of Saul’s intent towards David and to expose him to the self-destructive folly of his ways. David escapes once more!

Categories: 1 Samuel