Jealous Eyes

One Year Bible (May 17)

I Samuel 20: 1-21:15

“Jealous Eyes”

“What have I done? He exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?” (I Samuel 20: 1) These are David’s questions to Jonathan, who is his brother-in-law and friend.

“Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, and appointment that was welcomed by the people, and Saul’s officers alike.” (I Samuel 18:5)

What had David done to infuriate Saul? ... “So, David’s name became very famous.” (18:30)

THE TRIUMPH.

“Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” (I Samuel 18:7)

Well, there was one little problem bothering Saul… “This made Saul VERY angry. “What’s this?”, he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next, they’ll be making him their king!” (18:8)

“From that time on Saul kept a JEALOUS eye on David.” (I Samuel 18: 8-9)

Eye Spy with my little eye… The color is green. Yes, it is ENVY!

THE TORMENTING.

Remember Saul hiding when it was time for them to crown him as king? They had to ask the Lord where to find him. Looking back on that now, I am wondering… Was he a humble man or an insecure man?

David, as a young boy, took down Goliath, who stood over nine feet tall, with just a slingshot and a smooth stone. Saul (who was handsome and stood tall above all the others) was hiding in the baggage when it was his time to step forward. It makes me wonder who his eyes were focused on all along.

“For where you have jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” -- James 3:16 NIV.

Insecurity, Disobedience, Selfish Ambition, Jealousy, Rage…

Saul is truly covered up by all of his “baggage” now!

“The very next day a tormenting spirit from GOD overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman.” ( I Samuel 18:10)

We need to remember that Saul has already been warned by Judge Samuel that ‘his kingdom will be swept away from him”. Does he think that by fighting God and attacking HIS future anointed king he can stop the judgment coming his way?

Why is Saul being “tormented” by this evil spirit from God?

I Samuel 15:14 told us the beginning of his downward descent, “The Spirit of the LORD had DEPARTED from Saul, and an evil spirit FROM the LORD tormented him.”

Saul LEFT GOD, and God LEFT SAUL!

An empty vessel is a vessel begging to be filled with something.

There are only TWO options: THE LORD GOD, or SATAN, the enemy of God.

Empty things need to be FILLED!

God took HIS SPIRIT away and allowed Satan access to torment Saul’s depraved spirit!

THE TRAP.

David is playing his harp to calm Saul. The tormented spirit comes on Saul, and he throws the spear at David which sticks to the wall. David flees into the night. Saul plots to take David as his son-in-law and kill him in the process of getting a Dowry because he has no wealth.

Next, Saul “boiled with rage” at (his own son) Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!” he swore at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want him (David) to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother? As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!” ( I Sam. 20: 30-31)

And there it is… the answer to all of our questions. What is this nonsensical evil all about?

Saul knows that the kingdom is to be taken from him and he does not want Jonathan to step aside and allow David to be king in his place. But, he is not the only one fighting this battle!

The greatest enemy of all is the one that rages against God and desires to stop the Messianic seed which will save all mankind. That seed will come through the lineage of Jesse (David’s father) and then David, the King after God’s own heart.

Not only will Saul seek to kill the next anointed, King David, but he will order the executions of “eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments, and their families.”.(22:18)

You see, both Saul and Satan had a lot in common. They both wanted what belongs to God alone, and Satan is happy to use ‘empty vessels’ to attack God and his servants.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion LOOKING for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout this world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (I Peter 5: 8-9)

Beware of “Jealous Eyes”!