1 Samuel 18:5-16 etc. – LONG LIVE THE KING?
“Long live the king!” – a common and familiar blessing for a ruling monarch.
“Long live the king!” – words wishing someone in authority a long and happy reign.
“Long live the king!” – easy words to say when the king is good, and loving, and kind!
“Long live the king!” – but what if the king is a tyrant? What if the king has a personal hatred for me? What if the king seems to have a personal vendetta against me?
I might start to question and say, “Long live the king?”
David was in this position.
David had already been secretly anointed king over Israel. 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Although Saul was still on the throne, David and a few select people knew David was the next king.
David had played soothing music for King Saul when Saul was visited by an evil spirit. He had also been the kings’ armor bearer. 1 Samuel 16:14-23
David became a national hero when he, with God’s help, defeated Goliath. 1 Samuel 17
David became a good friend of the King’s son, Jonathan. 1 Samuel 18:1-4
Vss. 5-9 – A problem arose. Saul knew that his days as king were numbered (1 Samuel 15:58).
Saul became the enemy of David when, in his jealousy, he figured out that David would be the next king.
David was a faithful, loyal servant, who wasn’t looking to take over. David was just striving to serve his God, and serve the king that God had placed over him. Vss. 10-12 tells us of the beginnings of a vicious assault by Saul on the life of David!
As we study these Scriptures we want to place more emphasis on the reaction of David than on the actions of Saul. We can’t control how people treat us, but we can, with God’s help, control our reactions.
I want us to think of a “king” as anyone who God has placed over us. It might be a parent, a husband, a boss, a teacher, a leader, or a pastor. Sometimes these leaders will seem to be against us, and we are going to have to react to unfair treatment. There will be times when somebody over us has a personal vendetta against us.
The way David reacted to Saul, is the way we should react to the “kings” in our lives.
DAVID RETREATED WHEN HE HAD TO
Vs. 10 – Saul threw a spear, and David got out of the way. David escaped again in 19:8-11.
20:1 – David had been faithful, but was forced to run.
Sometimes we need to “retreat” before our kings. Often this retreat may mean humbling ourselves before those in authority over us when something is not our fault. My son had to do this in high school when a teacher was picking on him. He apologized because I insisted. The end result later was peace between him and the teacher.
There are times when we can retreat to get out from another’s authority. However, we must be careful that we are doing this according to God’s will. Retreat should only be practiced after every effort for reconciliation has been exhausted.
DAVID NEVER RETALIATED AGAINST SAUL
David had slain a giant and defeated the Philistine enemy on more than one occasion. But even when Saul was at David’s mercy, David never got “even”. 1 Samuel 24 & 26
May we practice Matthew 5:43-48 and Romans 12:14, 17-21
DAVID RESPECTED SAUL’S AUTHORITY
God raised Paul up. God put Saul in power. David allowed God to remove Saul from power in God’s perfect time. As long as God allowed Saul to reign, David never questioned Saul’s right to the throne.
There are times when you will be under a tyrant. May sure you let God do the removing, and only do what is Biblically right. Don’t take matters into your own hands.
DAVID REMAINED LOYAL
Even when David appeared to join the opposing Philistines, he remained loyal to his King and to Israel. 1 Samuel 27
Even when we can not agree with all that a person does, let us strive to remain loyal as much as possible.
DAVID RESPONDED WITH FORGIVENESS
One day God removed Saul. David indicates his forgiveness of Saul by his response to his death. 2 Samuel 1:17-27
May we remember our obligation to forgive those who have hurt us! Matthew 6:12, Ephesians 4:31-32
May we from the bottom of our hearts exclaim, “LONG LIVE THE KING!”