Escaping the Trap of Envy

Escaping the Trap of Envy

1 Samuel 18:1-30 

 

This morning we turn to 1 Samuel 18, which is the chapter that follows the great triumph of David over Goliath the giant Philistine. We studied the story of that battle the past two Sundays. A scene where we saw the people in fear and trembling, even Saul who at that time was the current king in Israel.

David had come on the scene, still a young man, and volunteered to take on Goliath. He believed that the Lord would give him the victory, and he walked by faith onto the battle scene. It was there, that the Lord brought about great victory, just as David declared, and it was to God that David gave the glory, knowing that the battle was the Lord’s!

From there, Saul asked for more information about David. There was a three-part promise from the king in chapter 17 for whoever defeated Goliath. First, that man would be given riches, next, Saul would give him one of his daughters to marry, and lastly, his father’s household would become tax free (1 Samuel 17:25).

David becomes well known in Israel. He will no longer go back and forth from shepherding sheep and playing the hard for Saul from time to time, now, he will be in service of king Saul full time. He will be servant of the king, a military leader, and also a musician to the king. So, in one sense he is promoted, but his promotion and his continued victory will bring about a big problem, that is, Saul will begin to be filled with jealousy and envy.

David was a man after God’s own heart, and previously, the Lord had revealed to Saul that his kingdom would not endure, meaning, no more kings would come through his line, because the Lord was seeking a man after His own heart. Saul continued to disobey the Lord and he was told in chapter 15 that the Lord had rejected him as king. In the next chapter, David was anointed as king in a private ceremony with his family.

Saul is then introduced to David, and it is David harp playing that helps Saul when evil spirits begin tormenting him. It is David who defeats the giant Goliath who was tormenting the people. And as David enters into the king’s service and is in King Saul’s court full time, Saul begins to recognize that David is the one who the Lord had defined as his replacement. And ultimately, there will be a hit out on David’s life, and we will see it unfold and then things unravel in the chapters ahead.

Saul’s intentions for David will become quite clear, he will want him dead and put hits out on his life. What we will see happening begins here in chapter 18, with Saul’s disposition seen quite clearly toward David, and defined with one word, envy.

With that said, we are going to look at three different dispositions clearly seen in chapter 18, the disposition of Saul’s son Jonathan, that of David, and also that of Saul. As we do, I want to give strategies for escaping the trap of envy in our lives personally.

Envy is a word defined as “a feeling of discontent of covetousness with regard to another’s advantages, success, or possessions.” When envy is used in Scripture, it is often used in an interchangeable way with the word “jealousy.” Jealousy is defined at “resentment against or opposition toward a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage.”

The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary has a good description: “That discontented feeling that arises in the selfish heart in view of the superiority of another, nearly tantamount to jealousy. That malignant passion that sees in another

qualities that it covets, often resulting in hate for their possessor. Envying is ill will, malice, spite. It always desires and often strives to degrade others, not so much because it aspires after elevation as because it delights in obscuring those who are more deserving. It is one of the most odious and detestable of vices.

As we circle the words envy and jealousy this morning, it is also important to note that they are words the Bible repeatedly warns us against, and they are words found on many biblical “do not do” lists…

In Galatians 5:19-21 we find envy on the list that defines the deeds of the flesh, which the Spirit is set against.

 

Galatians 5:26, Let’s not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

 

1 Peter 2:1, Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander…

 

James 3:14-16, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

 

Proverbs 14:30, A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

 

Illus. Store Owners…

 

Illus. Examples.

 

Read 1 Samuel 18:1-9

 

 

1. Make the Commitment to Love and Contentment

 

• The first person I want to look at in chapter 18 is Jonathan, Saul’s son.

 

• We were first introduced to Jonathan in 1 Samuel 13. We are introduced to him at a time when the Israelites were at war with the Philistines. Jonathan led an attack against Philistines and won the battle. Saul then took credit for what Jonathan had done…

 

1 Samuel 13:3-4, Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” And all Israel heard the news that Saul had attacked the garrison of the Philistines…

 

• It was right after Saul blew the trumpet that he blew it with the Lord.

 

• The Philistines then assembled a great army, 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand on the seashore.

 

• The Israelites go run and hide, Saul was to wait for Samuel to come perform his priestly duty and offer the sacrifices and offerings to the Lord, but Saul panics and takes matters into his own hands, and in doing that, he disregarded the command of the Lord.

 

• Samuel came on the scene and told Saul, you disregarded the command of the Lord, the Lord is looking for a man after his own heart, “your kingdom will not endure,” meaning, your son will not be the next king, the Lord was going to appoint a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

 

• Saul’s actions would have an impact on his family line. The one in line at that time was his son, Jonathan.

 

• Jonathan is shown in chapter 14 again pursuing the Philistines with faith, he is noted in that chapter saying “the Lord is not limited to saving by many or by few!”

 

• Saul continued to act foolishly, Jonathan is shown bringing wisdom and victory in battle.

 

• Saul’s ways had an impact on Jonathan. It had an impact on Jonathan’s life in a big way. When the kingdom was taken away and given to another, it didn’t just impact Saul, it impacted Jonathan.

 

• In chapter 18, with David on the scene, now in the court of the king, a valiant warrior, bringing about great victory, becoming well known, people were beginning to see that.

 

• In chapter 20, Saul will call out their awareness of David’s identity directly.

 

1 Samuel 20:31, As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!

• Jonathan knew what had been taken from him, and with his replacement now on the scene, a replacement who was going to take his place due to nothing he had done personally, it would seem in many cases that he would be filled with anger and jealousy toward David, but his posture is depicted much differently.

 

1 Samuel 18:1(b) – 4, Jonathan committed himself to David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. And Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his military gear, including his sword, his bow, and his belt.

 

• Jonathan remained committed to David, and in the commitment he was willing to love him as himself and was content with his own circumstances.

 

• Jonathan would not have what David had. It was taken from him, due to the failure of his father. Jonathan displayed contentment.

 

1 Timothy 6:6-8, But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

 

• When Paul wrote the word “contentment” it is a word that describes a mind contented with its lot in life.

 

• Our English definition is “satisfied with what one is or has…”

 

• Envy begins by seeing what someone else has that we don’t, or what a person has been afforded that we have not, and we begin to be discontent with the contents of our lives.

 

• At this point, what Jonathan had or didn’t have was because of his dad. And for David, he was selected as a son of Jesse.

 

Illus. Contentment commitment.

 

Illus. Needs.

• Jonathan had a commitment to contentment. But he was also willing to love David as himself.

 

• We escape the trap of envy when we do the same personally.

 

Matthew 22:36-40, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

 

• Jonathan is described as loving David as himself. In that posture, he puts on display the way Jesus encourages us to be towards others today.

 

• Jonathan could have walked right into the trap of envy, thinking only selfishly, or the impact David would have on his future promotion personally…But he didn’t.

 

• When Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself, He spoke of agape love, which is to love supremely, with your whole heart.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

 

• Jonathan made the commitment to love and contentment. Jonathan not only made these commitments to love and contentment, but his actions also put his posture on display.

 

• He gave David his robe, his military gear, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

 

• One commentator described Jonathan offering to David this way, “He said by his action, “You will be the next king of Israel, you should be dressed and armed as the crown prince, God’s hand is on you, and these rightfully belong to you.”

 

Illus. Make the commitment.

 

• In giving his armor to David, Jonathan had awareness, not just who David was, but who he wasn’t. If David was the crown price, Jonathan was not. So it wasn’t just about what David was being clothed with, it was also what Jonathan was clothing himself with. This leads us to the next point…

 

1. Clothe Yourself in Humility

 

• Jonathan saw what was happening and displayed great humility. I have heard it said that “humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”

 

• I like that definition, and while humility was something seen clearly in Jonathan, his father was a different story.

 

1 Samuel 18:5-9, David went into battle wherever Saul sent him, and always achieved success; so Saul put him in charge of the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. Now it happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with other musical instruments. The women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Then Saul became very angry, for this lyric displeased him; and he said, “They have given David credit for ten thousands, but to me they have given credit for only thousands! Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David with suspicion from that day on.

 

• David had killed Goliath and was promoted into the king’s service, on full time staff so to speak. Saul would sent David into battle at times, and other times David would play the harp for Saul to help when an evil spirit tormented him.

 

• Once David went into full time service of Saul, he was successful wherever he was sent. Verse 5 tells us that he “always achieved success in battle.”

 

• Saul put David in charge of the men of war and everyone was glad about it…Everyone except Saul.

 

• After David won the victory, the women in the city would get their tambourines and begin singing… “Saul had slain his thousands!” …That was verse 1, and then they would add verse two, “and David his ten thousands.”

 

1 Samuel 18:8-9, Then Saul became very angry, for this lyric displeased him; and he said, “They have given David credit for ten thousands, but to me they have given credit for only thousands! Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David with suspicion from that day on.

 

• It was in chapter 15 when Saul had disobeyed the Lord that he was told by Samuel that God was going to rip the kingdom out of his hands and give it to another who is better than him.
• Saul’s response to Samuel was “honor be before the people.”

 

• Saul knew what was coming, but it seemed as long as the people were honoring him still, all was well.

 

• But now he is seeing the people pleased with David in the lead, he is seeing the women sing about him, and here it seems to dawn on him, “this is the guy.”

 

• He asks the question, “what more can he have but the kingdom?”

 

• From that day on, Saul looked upon David with suspicion.

 

• Saul went from seeing David as a blessing to him, to seeing David as a threat to him. What was it tied to? His pride. Pride is word and subject seen in the Bible, and a word that is always referred to negatively.

 

James 4:6, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

 

• Word there for “proud” is showing oneself above, pre-eminent, overestimating oneself, their means, merits. Other words translated “pride” in the New Testament depict one who trusts in their own power, their own way, and puts their trust in empty things.

 

Psalm 10:4, In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

 

• The term here means again to put oneself above, exalt oneself, interestingly it is a word used to describe Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.

 

Proverbs 16:18-19, Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the needy than to divide the spoils with the proud.

 

1 John 2:16, For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

 

Proverbs 11:2, When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

 

Illus. The Envious Eagle.

 

2 Corinthians 10:17-18, Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself that is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

 

• Saul commended himself, but David did the opposite.

 

• David is humble, he didn’t raise himself up, or celebrate his own way.

 

• He never went to Saul and told him, “you know, I am the next king and you should be serving me!”

 

• He is never seen lording it over his brothers, over the current king, his son, or the army.

 

• He is however, consistently seen serving, and if he boasts, he is seen boasting in the Lord consistently!

 

Illus. What have I done?

 

• Again and again he pointed and looked to the Lord when he found himself in difficulty. Noted as the one declaring that the “battle belongs to the Lord,” when facing a giant enemy!

 

Psalm 25:8-9, The Lord is good and upright; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way.

 

Matthew 23:12, Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

 

• David, in contrast to Saul, displayed great humility.

 

• With suspicious and angry eyes upon him, David remained in Saul’s service.

 

1 Samuel 18:10-16, Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand. Then Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence, twice.

 

• In verse 10 we read that an evil spirit again came upon Saul and he raved, the word depicts someone who under the influence of an evil spirit.

 

• David was called in to serve Saul and play the harp, and Saul, with a suspicious eye on David and a spear in his hand, hurles it at David to try nailing him to the wall….and it seems this happened not once, but two times. David escaped both times.

 

• I find it interesting that David’s response was escaping rather than retaliating. Once thrown and dodged the first time, the spear would have been on his side of the room, but David is not seen retaliating.

 

• We will see this type of thing as the story continues, in the very next chapter, Saul puts a hit out on David’s life, David will be evading and avoiding Saul for over a decade of his life, David will have opportunities to take Saul out, but he won’t.

 

Illus. The Bite.

 

1 Samuel 18:12-15, Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had left Saul.

 

• Saul was insecure and afraid of David’s anointing, the Lord was with David and had left Saul.

 

1 Samuel 18:13-15, So Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. David was successful in all his ways, for the Lord was with him. When Saul saw that he was very successful, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he would go out to battle and return before them.

• David stayed humble, did as Saul ordered.

 

1 Peter 5:5(b)-6, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time.

 

• That is what the Lord would do for David, the Lord was with him. Rather than repay evil for evil, or get entangled in envy or jealousy, David clothed himself in humility, knowing the Lord was with him, and would exalt him at the proper time.

 

III.       Cast Your Cares on the Lord Continually

 

• If Saul was so suspicious of David, so envious, why would he promote him again over a thousand soldiers? Interesting question, the answer is, he would be out at war, and as commander, could be more a well-known target for the enemy to take out.

 

• And Saul is trying to find a way to do away with David, first, he exposes him to danger, and second, to his daughters.

 

• In verse 17, Saul ends up offering his oldest daughter for David to marry if he would fight battles. This thought process is, if he enters into the king’s family, he will be a marked man, the Philistines would throw their spears at him specifically and Saul wouldn’t have to.

 

• Saul had given a promise of marrying one of his daughters to whoever took out Goliath, but that promise had not yet been provided.

 

1 Samuel 18:18-21, David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who is my family, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” So it came about at the time that Merab, Saul’s daughter, was to be given to David, that she was given instead to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they informed Saul, the thing was pleasing to him. For Saul thought, “I will give her to him so that she may become a trap for him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time you may become my son-in-law, today.”

 

• In offering his daughters to David, David considered himself unworthy. In the oldest daughter’s case, he ends up giving her to someone else, then offering his other daughter, Michal to David.

 

• That daughter is given because Saul believes she would be a snare to him, a trap for him. He would be in the king’s family, but also, as the story unfolds we will see the way things start unfolding, there will be disagreements and some trouble.

 

1 Samuel 18:28-30, When Saul saw and realized that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, then Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually. Then the commanders of the Philistines went to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David was more successful than all the servants of Saul. So his name was held in high esteem.

 

• No matter what Saul tried to do, the traps he was attempting to set, the fact that he was intent on being his enemy continually, the Lord was with David and brought him success despite all that was coming against him.

 

Psalm 91:1-4

 

• The Lord would cover David as he cast his cares on the Lord… And throughout his story, we get insights into many of the prayers he prayed, and real examples of the way he kept his heart and mind centered on the Lord.  

 

• In the next chapter we will see Saul sent men to watch and surround David’s house through the night with the intent of killing him in the morning…From that situation, we are given Psalm 59.

 

Psalm 59:1-2, Rescue me from my enemies, my God; set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me. Rescue me from those who practice injustice, and save me from men of bloodshed.

 

1 Peter 5:6-7, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.

 

Psalm 121, I will raise my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who watches over you will not slumber. Behold, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

1 Samuel 18:1-30