Category: 1 Samuel

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The story of Jonathan and David’s friendship reminds you of Jesus’ with the beloved disciple. John records Jesus’ words: I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15. How do I count my friendship with the Son of David?

SJA Notes

* Holy God, please be gracious to us and bless us, please make Your face to shine upon us.

“And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.”

Saul tries to kill David again with a spear.

Michal loved David, and deceives her father for David. But even here there are breadcrumbs to her spiritual state, using a household god as a dummy.

Saul’s character and heart continues to be revealed as a rotten core of anger, frustration, bitterness.

Saul tries to kill his own son.

Jonathan, a faithful and loving character, kind and generous. His heart is knit with David’s, his trust in the Lord rock-solid.

Jonathan is such an important element of today’s passage. It is his mediation that is at the crux.

These characters help us see what life is like with, and without, the Lord. They help us see consequence and responsibility.

How good it is for us that Jesus is a mediator whose work was entirely and completely successful – there is no time limit on His work!

Jesus mediated not between a man and a man, but between God and His people.

In Jesus we see God keeping both sides of His covenant with us, in an act of love that is without precedent.

What a wonderful King we have, a loving God, faithfulness unending, steadfast love that never fails.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Gracious Lord God,

Thank You for saving us through Your work at the cross and in the grave and on the third day.

Thank You that Your love is steadfast and Your faithfulness is without end.

Thank You Lord!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The story of the relationships between Saul, Jonathan and David is one that gives many insights into the Gospel. Jonathan and David are said to be one in spirit. Look at Philippians 2:2. Saul sought to entrap and kill David, just as the Pharisee Saul and his compatriots sought to do with Jesus.

SJA Notes

* Dear Lord God, how awesome are your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies come cringing to you.

“And Saul eyed David from that day on.”

What different threads we read here. The wide and broad way, the narrow and straight.

If we read from David’s perspective, there is a bullet-proof sense clad about him. His star is on the rise, with glory upon glory heaped upon him.

But then there is Saul.

If we read from Saul’s perspective, we see pain, loneliness and desperation.

It is a sorry lot that Saul has, much of his own making. A sad king, watching as his people flock to the upstart David.

The people love David. Saul’s jealousy runs rampant.

It is important that we think about Saul.

What do we do when another gets glory – Is jealousy our go-to response?

What do we do when opportunity to play spiritual politics appears – Do we try to manipulate a situation our own perceived gain?

These are temptations.

In the new testament book of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 we read,

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

We are called to let go of our petty squabbles, our inner jealousies, our broken desires – Instead we have this truth, that OUR GOD IS FAITFHUL!

* God Above,

Please help us to resist temptation.

Please put within us a heart for the lost, a desire to seek Your face, to point people to Jesus.

Please write Your word upon our hearts, let it be our guide and roadmap, our lamp for the way.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

David comes and does what the Christ should do – deliver his people from their enemies. David is revealed to Israel as the Messiah or the Christ of Israel. The point about Saul not seeming to know who David is, is that in such a culture, when a young man does something really brave or outstanding, you praise his father, not the young man. It’s the father who has produced such a son. Notice Saul does not say “Who is this?”, but “Whose son is this?”

SJA Notes

* God Above, praise is due to You, and to You shall vows be performed. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple!

“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, …”

And the giant comes tumbling down.

The general details of this story are well known, for good reason! This is a pivotal moment in the history of God’s people.

The world gets it wrong, and some believers too.

The primary truth here is not that David killed Goliath with a sling. It is not that David was without a sword. And it is certainly not as some say that David looked within himself for the strength to overcome his “goliath”.

The truth of the matter is that the LORD is at work.

The LORD is the one who saves. The battle and strength of arm is HIS.

David is the right-heart vehicle for God’s purposes. These words resound through history,

“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, …”

Once more we see that the Lord turns things upside down to how we would think everything should go.

Martial strength means nothing, neither does personal strength or battle frenzy (the pride of the warrior self that Goliath displayed).

What matters instead is whether we can say with certainty, because our hearts are fixed and founded in the Lord,

“For the battle is the LORD’s”!

* Dear God,

You are without equal, there are none like You.

You do not look on things like the world does, but You look at the heart.

You do not work as the world works, You choose the little and the small, the forgotten and the humble.

Lord please help us to be humble servants of You.

Amen.