“And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” —1 Samuel 19:23–24
“A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully” (Proverbs 14:35). That was written by a wise king. Saul is no such king. His wrath falls on his best servant. Thus, Saul destroys himself.
The themes introduced in chapter 18 continue to develop throughout chapter 19. Saul’s folly, his mad hatred, grows in intensity and consistency. The lighting strikes are brighter and come without interruption. There is now more storm than calm. Covert plans give way to overt missions. Subtlety is traded in for flagrancy.
The irony of all this is that darkness wants to shine, but only finds itself fading into oblivion. Saul’s deception makes David’s devotion more radiant. Saul’s depravity serves to highlight David’s integrity. And Saul’s faithlessness is the dark backdrop against which David’s faithfulness shines. The proud king thus brings himself down and exalts the humble king. The darkness in Saul that wants to snuff David out, only serves to extinguish itself. Saints, ultimately, the bark of evil is worse than its bite. The darkness may terrify, but in the end, we find that it has no real substance. God is.
With the lightest touch, the great I AM brushes aside the violence of Saul. “The Spirit of God,” writes Robert Bergen, “was gently invincible; those who had entered into Naioth under the influence of the ruler of Israel now found themselves under the infinitely greater influence of the ruler of the universe.”
Four times Yahweh’s anointed is delivered. He is delivered through Jonathan, through skill, through Michal, through Samuel. Through, through, through, through—these are only the means. Who is delivering David? David ends the prayer of deliverance that he penned on this occasion, with this praise, “But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love” (Psalm 59:16–17).
God delivers His king, and notice how effortlessly He does so. He uses the weak to shame the strong. Jonathan’s covenant loyalty to David is a fruit of the Spirt’s work in Jonathan. The true “spy” in Saul’s camp is the Holy Spirit. Jonathan’s covenant loyalty is an expression of Yahweh’s covenant loyalty.
David’s skill in warfare is as much a gift of God as is his heart for God. How is it that David evades Saul’s spear, now three times? David later sings, “For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great” (2 Samuel 22:32–36).
Michal’s idolatry and lies, like those of Rachel, are evil, but they are used for good. Yahweh makes sin, and Saul, and Satan nothing more than servants for His purposes.
Samuel is the most Moses like figure we see in the OT other than Moses, but this is as close as he gets to performing any wonder or sign. He does nothing. It is the Spirit of God that comes upon Saul.
God uses all of this to deliver His king. The king, even in his humiliation, is unassailable. Man’s strength is helpless against God’s “weakness.” The throne of God and the throne of David are united. God’s rule is manifest among man in this humble king. Though he may seem vulnerable, he is invincible. Man’s strength in rebellion only demonstrates God’s sovereign rule. Man’s time bound plots and schemes work nothing but God’s eternal counsel.
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:22–24).
God delivers His King, and in doing so, He delivers His kingdom. He delivers the undeserving—His wayward people who have sought a king like the nations. Despite this, He graciously gives them a King after His own heart, His only begotten Son, born in humility, resurrected in glory. God delivers His King and thus He delivers His kingdom.
“‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54–57).
God delivers His King, and thus He delivers the kingdom. This is the good news, “the gospel of God… concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:1, 3–4).
And “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).
God has delivered His king. He has delivered His people. Dear sinner, do not rebel. Repent. Do not be a Saul seeking to preserve your kingdom. Be a Jonathan, knit in covenant to God’s King, loving Him with all your soul.
No Other Boast 