A Life Long Enemy

O. T. #622 "A Life Long Enemy"
October 26, 2015
1 Samuel 18-Part 4
Saul became still more afraid of him (David), and he remained his enemy the rest of his days. 
1 Samuel 18:29

LET IT GLOW


Life is real. People hurt one another because they are sinful. That is just the way it is in this world. I don't like to have to inform you of this, friend. (You probably have realized it long before now, though.) People just won't forgive and forget the wrongs and harbor resentment all their life. What a waste.
Even on his wedding day, we read of David having a life long enemy. Want to know who?

Everyone loved David, except one-Saul. (Keep that in mind when it appears their relationship is fine.) Twice David fled and escaped Saul's spear. This will become a means of survival in David's life. He had been brought into the army, proved himself faithful, even heroic. David will never again serve in Saul's army. His good position is removed.

Saul had promised his daughter to the man who killed Goliath. Now we know that Saul had at least two daughters. The oldest, Merab, was the one Saul intended to give David, but she came with a condition- if he would serve Saul bravely and fight the battles of the LORD. However, when it came time, Merab was given in marriage to another, Adriel. (verse 19)

What do we know about Merab?

• Her name means compensation or substitute.
• She married Adriel the Meholathite instead of David.
• She bore him children.
• Five of their sons were later executed by David as punishment for Saul's disregard of Joshua's covenant with the Gibeonites (2 Sam. 21:8; Joshua 9:20). (MacArthur)

Sounds like an earlier retraction of betrothal and Laban's trickery with Jacob to Rachel (Gen. 29:25)

Don't give up David, there is another who will be a better wife for you than the first-Michal.
What do we know about this other daughter of Saul's?

• Most importantly, she was in love with David. (verse 19)
• Therefore, we can conclude that she would not do him harm but good.
• She was given to David with the intent of Saul to be a snare, which did not happen.
• The king required a dowry for her, which required David killing a hundred Philistines (hoping he would be killed in the process).
• David delivered more than Saul asked, in fact it was double. So Michal and David and lived happily ever after. (I wish it were so, but it did not turn out that way. There was no fairytale ending to this story.)

Do we trust God to give us the best instead of just good? It would have been a mistake for David to marry Merab instead of Michal. He found out later. Can we look back and see through our disappointments that God had something better when we don't get what we wanted?


LET IT GROW

Saul realized that the LORD was with David. Saul became still more afraid of him and remained his enemy the rest of his days. It was a 12 year on-going thing, Saul seeking to kill David so he would not overtake his throne as king. Saul became obsessed with it. (I don't want to leave this out-David became will known.) It was in spite of his father in law's horrible treatment, too.

David was more successful than any other officer in Saul's army against the Philistines. (verse 30)

Do you have a lifelong enemy? You have tried to make amends with them, but they will not? God can change things so hand in there. I am still waiting for mine to have a change of heart.

LET IT GO

Trust God to work things out for my good and His glory.

Keep loving my enemy and pray for them.

Realize that God knows what it takes to bring folks down on the knees of repentance.