As we continue with our study of David and Saul, we continue to see more and more of the flesh in action in Saul’s life. We want to remember that Saul is a picture to us of man in the flesh. At every test Saul has failed just as the flesh fails at every test. But we now begin to see David (a wonderful type of Christ as well as a type of the new man that constitutes a believer’s life) come on the scene. The more we see of David and his ways, the more we think of our blessed Lord Jesus.
We also want to see that David is a very good example of the way in which the new man reacts to the situations that he faces. Every real believer is a new creation in Christ. He has the Spirit dwelling within him and he possesses the very life of Christ. The eternal life acts in a very different way than the flesh.
We will see more examples of Saul’s reaction against David. There is fear, guile and enmity to good. All are the result of the flesh’s enmity with the new life.
1. When Saul realized that the Lord was with David after he (Saul) had tried to kill him, Saul became afraid of David, the one who had saved his life from the Philistines. What was the reaction of the Gadarenes after the Lord Jesus had healed the man possessed by the demons? Mark 5:___
2. What was the reaction of the soldiers at the tomb of the Lord Jesus when He arose from the dead? Matt. 28:___
3. Saul offered to allow David to marry his daughter Michal. But he really intended to use her as the means by which David would be killed. (See 1 Sam. 18:20-2720And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain. 22And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law. 23And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. 25And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired. 27Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. (1 Samuel 18:20‑27).) What did the Jews pretend to do to the Lord Jesus when in fact they were really trying to find something with which to accuse Him? Luke 1120But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 21When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. (Luke 11:20‑27):___
4. When Saul realized that the Lord was with David, the Word of God tells us that he “became David’s enemy continually.” When the Jews saw the miracles that the Lord Jesus did, they had very strong reactions against Him. Find one of these. Mark 3:___
5. Finally, when all else had failed, Saul openly commanded his servants to kill David. What did the Jews finally resort to when they could not stamp out the testimony of the Lord Jesus among the people? Mark 3:___