We all have situations in life, when someone who is a friend or a close colleague to you “envy” you. Some times you wonder what did I do to become so bad they hate you for no reason and be envious of you.. When you read the life of David and Saul in old testament, it has some life lessons that we can learn.
Saul was a king appointed by God to the Israelites after a long cry as they did not have king. Under his rule he was tormented by the Philistine’s and Goliath. David who was a shepherd boy, took this challenge to defeat the Goliath Philistine to death. His death paved way for the Israelites to chase the Philistines and plunder their camp. Read 1 Samuel 17 chapter for the whole story.
After returning from the killing the philistine ,Saul meets him and he get’s introduced to him like this..
1 Samuel 17:55,57-58 'As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.” As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head. “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him. David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”'
You see here, David is a servant’s son and that to a shepherd boy. He is young man, no match to king Saul. But when you read thru 1 Samuel 18. Saul had envy on David that he tried to kill him twice.. So in this lesson we look at what caused this envy to come for Saul.
Blessings of David
Following are the blessings that David received from God that made Saul to feel very envious of David.
Prince (Jonathan Son of Saul) Love for David 1 Samuel 18:1-4 'After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. '
We read Jonathan who was the son of Saul, he was the Prince for the king. He loved David as himself, its repeated twice in two verse 1 & Verse 3 “he loved him as himself”
Jonathan not only loved David he became One in Spirit with David “Jonathan became one in spirit with David” and made a covenant with him. “Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him”
When God is there with David in all he does, he arranges the situation for David to have some one from King’s family ~ the Prince to like him and love him. he even gave him the Prince dress that he wore to honour David “Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.”
Lesson to us :
When God’s blessing is there, you get the highest attention from someone whom you may not know. You will be blessed with the choicest blessing which Kings have.
David had a spiritual blessing from God to have the attention from the Prince, as he was humble to God
Promotion to High Rank in Army 1 Samuel 18:5-7 'Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well. When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”'
We read here David was not just successful, he was so successful . this tells that, he did with true spirit so he was successful.
David was a man after God’s own heart, even though he was a mighty warrior, he never drew his own plans to fight any battle, he always sought God’s advice to fight, he has written that in Psalms 18 Psalms 18:32-40 'It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.'
This kind of humbleness and dependency on God gave success to David. Not only did he win battles, he was also liked by his troops and fellow officers. “This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well”
The entire city enjoyed the success of David. Mostly the blessings of God are shared by others as well. “the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres”
David’s Success in all he did 1 Samuel 18:13-16 'So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns. '
David’s blessing was so much that in all the work David did, he was successful.
The entire Israel and Judah loved David for the work he did, as he had the hand of God upon him 1 Samuel 18:30 'The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.'
Envy’s foot steps
When you read thru the entire chapter of 1 Samuel 18, there are many things that troubled King Saul to be envious of David. Envy comes step by step
When God blesses, the enemy becomes jealous 1 Samuel 18:6-8 'When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” '
There is a spirit of Jealousness that comes from Saul against David - Its the act of Satan showing he is better than God
From Jealousness it gives birth to anger spirit because of the blessing - 1 Samuel 18:8 'Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” '
From Anger it gives birth to a Spirit to kill a person, Saul tries to kill David twice. 1 Samuel 18:10-11 'The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
The enemy is afraid, hence he attacks the blessed 1 Samuel 18:12,15 'Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul. When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him.
Saul was afraid of David as the Lord departed from him and was with David. “Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul”, So he attacks him.
If you understand this better, people are not afraid. Only the enemy is afraid. People seem to rejoice David’s presence 1 Samuel 18:16 'But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns. ‘
Enemy plans deceptive things to trap the blessed 1 Samuel 18:17 'Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord .” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!” ‘
God gives the wisdom to counter back, God provides a way out to fight the deception so that the enemy stays defeated
God’s wisdom to counter back the deception - 1 Samuel 18:18 'But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” '
God helps find the way out as well - 1 Samuel 18:19 'So when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah. '
Lessons to learn for us
Envy can come from anyone both people of the world and people inside the church or inside the Christian circles. There is no one who is immune to this. Example to relate this is the spirit of envy came to David thru Saul. Likewise when Jesus was doing his ministry the Pharisees and sadducees were filled with envy.
God’s blessing can bring this envy. Its to destroy the blessing of God. How does the enemy destroy the blessing ? when they are envious there are different tactics thats the enemy follows to arouse you to get your pride, discredit God and put yourself as a sole reason for success, there can be deceptions, there can be situations of anger that may be tempted to commit to sin which will lead to destroying the blessing of God.
When you are being looked envious from others, things to do.
Depend on God - Seek refuge in God’s shadow like David Psalms 91:2-4 'I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.'
Don’t go after enemy - Don’t fall into the trap of enemies trick of pride, deception, anger . Look inward to yourself to ask God to cleanse you of your self righteousness. Don’t think you are so great and so righteous since you walk close to God. Follow Paul’s advice Romans 12:3 'For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. '
Humble before God - Humble before God to show that you have no power and no knowledge. break yourself before God like how David submitted to God even though he was good at his battle skills.. Once you humble yourself ,he will lift you with his grace, he will give his mercy at the right time with unknown people in unexpected times. James 4:6,10 'But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.'
Pray for those who persecute you, This is one of the most difficult things to do. As humans we have a natural tendency to have the bitterness against someone who envy us or hate us. Very hard to pray for them or show love as the human self says to hate, but God’s spirit says to bless them by praying for them. When you pray the strong hold of satan will weaken “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”, the enemy’s plans will be nullified..
Matthew 5:44-45 'But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.'
Proverbs 25:21-22 'If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.'
Allow God to fight the battle for you : David’s life had numerous wars and many enemies, he was successful as God fought the battle for him rather he fighting the battle for him. Very difficult to follow, but ask God to give this virtue to you. So that you will see success like David. The more they hate, the more they are envious, the more they slander , the more you will be blessed Psalms 35:1 'Contend, Lord , with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. '