Day 33 – Review 1 Samuel 18

Scripture Reflection Chapter Review

1 Samuel 18 Three Hearts

As I come to the end of 1 Samuel 18, I find myself asking another simple question,

What does a heart after God look like when the giant is already dead, the songs are being sung, the promotion has come, and the traps have started?

Chapter 17 showed me David in the valley

Chapter 18 shows me David in the court.

This chapter lets me look at several hearts.

When I look at Jonathan, I see love. A heart that is knit.

When I look at Saul, I see envy. A heart that is poisoned.

When I look at Michal, I see affection.

When I look at the women of Israel, I see rejoicing.

When I look at Saul's servants, I see a court being shaped by a crooked leader.

When I look at Israel and Judah, I see people drawn to wise and faithful leadership.

But when I look at David, I see the heart I want. A heart that is humble. A heart that is wise.

And by laying these hearts side by side, the Lord helps me see what to pursue and what to avoid.

Why this matters so much.

"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

And later the New Testament confirms what God saw in David:

"And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." (Acts 13:22)

That is my goal of this study. Not just to admire David. But to ask, What is a heart after God?

When I look at Jonathan, I see a heart that is knit to what God is doing.

Jonathan's heart is one of the sweetest pictures in the chapter. He is the king's son. He is the natural heir. He has every earthly reason to compete. But instead, he loves David, binds himself to David, and gives to David.

That tells me a heart near God does not have to be the center of attention. It can rejoice when God's hand rests on someone else.

A heart after God is not threatened by God's will.

When I look at Saul, I see a heart in spiritual decline.

This is one of the saddest progressions in the chapter.

Jonathan's soul was knit to David. Saul's eyes were fixed on David.

Jonathan saw God's hand and drew near. Saul saw God's hand and drew back.

Here is Saul's tragedy, he knows the difference. He knows the LORD is with David. He knows something has departed from himself. But instead of repenting, he hardens.

This is what envy does. It does not stay emotional. It becomes strategic.

Saul moves from anger to suspicion. From suspicion to violence. From violence to fear. From fear to manipulation. From manipulation to continual hatred.

David's gain felt like Saul's loss

Saul's pride expressed itself in anger, jealousy, fear, and then calculated attempts to remove David while hiding his true motive.

That warns me.

A heart that is not guarded will start calling light darkness and darkness light. It will use spiritual language to hide selfish motives. It will even say, "fight the LORD'S battles," while secretly hoping for failure.

Saul helps me know what not to do.

When I look at David, I see a heart that stays low when God lifts him.

The chapter keeps repeating one line about David:

"And David went... (1 Samuel 18:5)

"And David behaved himself... (1 Samuel 18:14)

"... David behaved himself (1 Samuel 18:30)

That phrase is related for importance.

"behaved himself wisely."

David is praised, but he behaves wisely. David is promoted, but he behaves wisely. David is hunted, but he behaves wisely. David is tested, but he behaves wisely.

That tells me a heart after God is not just emotional. It is governed. It is steady. It is disciplined. It knows how to walk with God under success and under pressure.

And David's wisdom is tied to another repeated truth:

"... because the LORD was with him (1 Samuel 18:12)

"...the LORD was with David (1 Samuel 18:28)

David's heart after God is not magic. It is not attractiveness. It is not natural talent. It is the fruit of a man living under the presence of God.

David remains wise under both public praise and private attack because the Lord is with him, and he refuses to use popularity or pain as a weapon.

David has already killed Goliath. The women are singing his name. All Israel and Judah love him. Yet when royal honor is offered, he does not say, "It's about time."

He says, "Who am I?"

That is grace shaped humility.

I hear three inner voices

Jonathan is thinking, "God is doing something in this man, and I rejoice."

Saul is thinking, "God is doing something in this man, and I am afraid he's going to be king."

David is thinking, "God is the reason for every blessing, so I will stay humble, walk wisely, and obey."

Where is my heart? I'd be lying if I said it was anything like Jonathan's or David's