Read 1 Samuel 18:8-11
Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash.
Saul was not always jealous of David. When David was employed as music therapist to play the harp or the lyre to calm Saul's bad temper, the Bible records that David had found favour in his sight. In other words, he liked having him around - for purely selfish reasons because his music calmed him down. Although David had been anointed as the next king, there is no record of any negative reaction to him from the reigning monarch. Even when this young lad turned up at the Valley of Elah and was asking awkward questions and then decided to take on Goliath, Saul was not angry with him. It is unclear why Saul agreed to allow David to fight Goliath. Perhaps, Saul argued that he had nothing to lose and that this youth was expendable. He perhaps reasoned that if David was defeated, there would still be another chance to defeat the Philistines.
There is an intriguing passage at the end of chapter 17 when Saul is discussing with Abner about David's father and neither Saul nor Abner seem to know anything about David even though Saul had employed him in his household as his musician. After David's victory in the battle of Elah, Saul decides to keep David at the palace and will not let him return to his father's house. Jonathan is very impressed with David but Saul never thanks David for his bravery even though he had solved a huge problem for the king - humanly speaking. Saul is neutral about David until he hears what the women are chanting. This causes him to lose the plot. He now sees David as a real threat to his throne.
It is interesting to contrast Saul's attitude with that of Jonathan. At the beginning of chapter 18, we have the beginning of a wonderful friendship between David and Jonathan that is entirely unexpected. But Saul's jealousy takes root at the same time as his son's admiration and affection for the same man, David. Saul's insane jealousy will grow in intensity and will affect his judgement.
And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David from that day on.
The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice. [1 Samuel 18:8-11 ESV]
I am struck by the sentence - "And Saul eyed David from that day on." Here is the same verse in the NIV translation. "And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David." This Hebrew word is unique in the Bible - there are plenty of references to 'eyes' in the Bible but this is the only verse where eye is used as a verb. Saul was watching David in a jealous way. I have to be honest - there have been times when I have been affected by jealousy and envy. Jealousy is a horrible sin which spreads like a cancer and needs to be dealt with ruthlessly. That first look of envy at this young man David who was receiving more praise than he was, was the start of a downward process in Saul. This jealousy provoked Saul to make a serious attempt to murder David. The rest of the book of 1st Samuel is a description of Saul's attempts to get rid of David and he becomes more and more desperate in his desire to eliminate David.
If we are prone to jealous thoughts, we must make every effort to resist this temptation to eye someone - a brother or sister in our church, perhaps - with suspicion and jealousy. It means that we interpret every look they give in a wrong way and that we misinterpret their every action and every word. There is no evidence that David encouraged the women to elevate him above the king and there is no evidence that David was deliberately seeking popularity.
Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them. [1 Samuel 18: 12-16 ESV]
Saul was not interested in the glory that David was giving to the Lord by his careful living and the good relationship he is building up with the Israelites. Saul did not care that people were benefitting from David's good conduct. Jealousy makes us very selfish - it is all about Saul and his feelings.
Jealousy is a sin which we observe in other people easily but we often fail to notice it in our own hearts. Paul speaks about Christian love in his first letter to the Corinthians.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 ESV]
Love does not envy. How can we be jealous or envious of someone whom we love with agape love? Notice that the other features of Christian love reinforce this. If we love someone, instead of being jealous and bitter about them, we will be patient and kind. If we love someone with genuine Christian love, we will not be selfish - their welfare will be as important to us as our own. Notice love believes all things - this is the opposite of the cynical eyeing up of every action, word or even look of the victim of our envy. We will go out of our way to believe the best about other people rather than the worst.
If we have any doubts about the deadly effects of jealousy, they will be removed as we read the story of Saul's conduct against David in the remaining chapters of First Samuel. Jealousy is bad for our health - spiritually, emotionally and physically.
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