.. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you..." (John 15:20).
Frustrated at his lack of success in slaying David, Saul extends the scope of his fury to those who would be faithful and true to David even at the jeopardy of their lives. He complained to his servants: All of you have conspired against ME, and there is none that showeth ME that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for ME, or showeth unto ME that my son hath stirred up my servants against ME...Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest...and all the priests...And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against ME, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against ME.
One has little difficulty in seeing who was foremost in Saul's thoughts. Me, me, me! everything in Saul's mind focused on himself.
Self-importance, loving prominence, "honor me" (1 Sam. 15:30). "It is indeed most grievous...to find some forward, self-sufficient one making himself the center of the meeting"—JND. It is the opposite of the spirit of Christ, who "emptied Himself," "humbled Himself," was "meek and lowly."
"Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased" (Luke 14:11).
"Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not ..." (Jer. 45:5).
"Put not thyself forward..." (Prov. 25:6, JND).
Self-exaltation is the very thing that will characterize ANTICHRIST! "... and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god..." (Dan. 11:36). "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God..." (2 Thess. 2:4).
Beware of too sublime a sense
Of your own worth and consequence;
The man who deems himself so great,
And his importance of such weight,
That all around and all that's done
Must move and act through him alone,
Will learn by deep humiliation
The folly of self-exaltation.
"THAT HIS HEART BE NOT LIFTED Up above his brethren..." (Deut. 17:20). These words were instruction for the king, given long before Israel was in the land. How grievously Saul, their first king, failed in this very thing!
Ahimelech, faithful to David, answers the king, and said,.. and who is so faithful among all thy servants as David...and is honorable..." Such faithfulness cannot escape Saul's hatred and he said: ... thou shalt surely die... and... slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not show it ME... and Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons... and Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep with the edge of the sword (1 Sam. 22:8-19).
What ruthless murder!
Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David.... he came to...a cave; and Saul went in...Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly... went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying,... See... I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not... And he (Saul) said to David, Thou art more righteous than I ... And now I know well that thou shalt surely be king... and Saul went home (1 Sam. 24:8, 11, 17, 20, 21).
Again: Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen of Israel with him to seek David... David came to the people by night; and behold Saul lay sleeping... and his spear stuck in the ground at his head... So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head... for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them... And David cried to the people... See the king's spear and the cruse of water that was at his head...Then said Saul, I have sinned... My soul was precious in thine eyes... I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it (1 Sam. 26:2, 4, 7, 12, 14, 16, 21, 22).
This bitter pursuit had gone on for three years, until David hid himself in Gath for sixteen months (1 Sam. 27:4, 7).