The last Line of the last Verse in 1 Samuel chapter 18 says … “David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.”

Truth be told, that Chapter tells of David’s “wise behavior” three more times! In Verses 5 and 14 and 15!

Surely this is one of the major Themes the Holy Spirit want to emphasize in this action-filled Portion of Scripture!

Here we are taught God’s View of proper “behavior,” Christain conduct we’d say today.

This idea of “behaving oneself wisely” (in Hebrew a verb spelled “sakal”) means “to act prudently, with understanding and skill!”

David has been around Saul for a while now, in various capacities. He had even been “set over the King’s men of war!” At least for a while. (1 Samuel 18:5)

But Saul had already noticed that David was gaining more attention and popularity than even he himself. An annoying situation!

By now the King (under the influence of an evil spirit) had twice tried to kill David with a javelin! See 1 Samuel 18:10-11 for the details.

Yet David still acts wisely?

Yes …

… even adopting this course of action (for the most part anyway, with only a few major exceptions) which David vowed years later (when King of all Israel) … “I will (still) behave myself wisely in a perfect way.” Psalm 101:2

Wow!

Back to our Text verse today … “David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.”

David’s name was “much set by,” meaning “valued, esteemed,” and translated “precious” 8 times (of only 11 total occurrences) in the King James Version of Scripture.

Sounds like if one lives right, with God’s approval on his conduct, God will reward that person handsomely! With a good reputation, a sterling testimony!

David and wisdom … no doubt a godly trait more fully described in James 3:17 … “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

Look …

David knows how to “encourage himself,” according to 1 Samuel 30:6.

And he also knows how to “behave himself!”

Valuable, essential lessons to be learned!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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1 Samuel chapter 18 tells us a lot about one of the most famous friendships the world has ever known. That of David and Saul’s Son Jonathan!

Read with me these words from the first verse of the chapter … “The soul of Jonathan was knit (tied, bound together) with the soul of David.”Knit together, with God in Heaven being the Weaver, I believe.

This is a friendship that lasted for years, too! When Jonathan was killed (on the battlefield with his father King Saul) David lamented, as if still speaking to his dead friend … “Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.” 2 Samuel 1:26

I am wondering what made this special comradery “work.” What are here, found in Scripture, the traits of true friendship?

Proverbs 17:17 teaches us … “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Jonathan fits these criteria, for sure. Through many a hard time, he was “there” for David.

First, it was a giving relationship. Jonathan actually gave David his armour one day! And the very shirt off his back! “And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.” 1 Samuel 18:4, no selfishness here!

Then notice Jonathan’s manliness. (These two were NOT physical lovers, not homosexuals. Rather, two real men with deep respect one for another! Jonathan fought so gallantly in the army of Israel, under Saul’s command, that he even had his own armourbearer! See 1 Samuel 14:12 for Bible proof. In fact, Jonathan inspired his armourbearer to feats of bravery, and loyalty!

Yet, though a warrior, Jonathan had a tender spirit! More concerned about David than even himself! “He loved David as his own soul.” (1 Samuel 18:4)

David was also loved by his friend in the sense of “protection.” Saul tried again and again to harm David, but Jonathan served as a “buffer” between his father and the young (though future) King of Israel. A delicate balancing act indeed. 1 Samuel 19:5 gives an early example.

Jonathan was also an encourager to David. Yes, Jonathan was apparently that strong in the Lord. “And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.” 1 Samuel 23:16

I am sure other admirable characteristics belonged to that dear man. A friend to David when a friend was sorely needed!

After Jonathan’s life was cut short by a Philistine arrow, sword or some other weapon, David wrote these words … “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.” Psalm 142:4

But he could have never written “no man cared for my soul” while Jonathan was alive.

David was blessed … he had found a friend “That sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I am a blessed man today! I have friends, God-given friends. And if Debbie were not so humble, even at times embarrassed when I mention her … I might even say (Glory to God) … “I just may be married to my very best friend!”

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One “David” Book I am reading as research material for these lessons labels this 1 Samuel chapter 17 episode, “David and the Dwarf!”

Though Goliath was over nine feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4) and had draped about his massive body over 200 pounds of armour! A mere dwarf in God’s Eyes!

Even the arrow or head of his spear weighed over 20 pounds! Plus, he had an armourbearer going before him carrying a large (door-size) shield to further protect the rascal! (1 Samuel 17:7)

Trouble is, no one in Israel would fight Goliath, man to man. Not even King Saul, head and shoulders taller than anybody else in the Country! Even though he had challenged the Jewish army for forty days now, 1 Samuel 10:23.

Enter young David! (Remember … David and the Dwarf!)

He will fight him!

Not with Saul’s armour either, 1 Samuel 17:38-39.

David was relying on his faith, God had never failed him yet, especially in times of danger! He had killed a bear. He had killed a lion, singlehandedly! While watching the sheep his father owned, 1 Samuel 17:34-37.

Thus David, empowered by God, needed but one stone … “And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and SMOTE (killed) the Philistine, and SLEW him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.” 1 Samuel 17:49-50

I am wondering if God might help some of us to defeat the Goliaths that come our way! (By focusing one some past victories, the bear and the lion, David was able to trust God for future victories! We can do that too!)

Then David took home some souvenirs of the battle! Goliath’s big sword and (prepare yourself) the Giant’s (the Dwarf’s) head as well, 1 Samuel 17:54.

Hint … save some mometos of your latest victories as well. As the song says, “Each victory will help you some other to win!”

And perhaps in closing I share the “key,” the very “secret” to David’s triumph that day. David is here talking to Goliath, maybe even taunting him a little bit!

O wicked Goliath … “THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S!” And He, our great God, will give you into our hands! (1 Samuel 17:47)

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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As we consider the life of David for a few days, I must prayerfully choose which event to cover. And his famous encounter with Goliath cannot be ignored.

The whole affair began with the Philistines fighting the army of Israel, of King Saul. And David’s three older brothers (three of seven brothers) joined the army.

One day Jesse sent David to the battle front with some food for those brothers. (Bread, cheese, etc.) That’s when David learned of the giant, Goliath by name!

Before long, with no one else willing to fight this wicked mammoth, David himself volunteered!

What courage!

It is at this point David’s oldest brother attacked the young man. “Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.” 1 Samuel 17:28

Bitter!

One thing patently obvious here is the spiritual principle of (nearly always) opposition that will come when one is trying to do right, trying to serve the Lord.

An unprovoked attack!

From someone who should have been a friend!

Another thing is that in this particular point David is a type of Christ! Jesus Whose brethren (the Jews) opposed Him, even to the point of crying loudly “Crucify Him!”

Likely the emotion behind this attack is one of jealousy, David generally “outperforming” his brothers! Plus, and Eliab knows so, David is already the anointed-of-God next King of Israel. (King David, not King Eliab!)

Leaders are always under the gun.

Look at the sarcasm in Eliab’s affront to David, “those FEW sheep” you watch, who is with them? (Remember how Joseph’s brothers hated him? A way Joseph prefigures the Lord Jesus as well.)

But, good news, David sidesteps those belittling remarks and goes on to greater things. Fighting Goliath, fighting and killing him!

Here’s what David said, revealing a “secret” for pressing onward in any proper endeavor. “And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”(1 Samuel 17:29)

The noun “cause” as used her is “dabar.” which 807 times in the Old Testament is translated “word!”

Is there not a WORD … no doubt David meaning “a Word from the Lord?”

Yes folks, one Word of Scripture, one Line, one Verse, one Paragraph … can plot an individual’s very life course!

David had his Cause already in his young heart!

While these following words were spoken by David years later (as King) they were already percolating in his soul … “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

There’s David’s cause!

And he will fight anything or anybody who tries to squelch the good reputation of that great God, that dear Lord (as Goliath did)! See verse 43 of 1 Samuel 17 here … “And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.”

David’s life was built around the things of God. The Reputation of God, the “Beauty of the Lord!”

Wow!

Friend reading here today … do YOU have a Cause?

I believe I do, a “word” (“dabar”) from the Lord, from the Bible, God’s WORD!

“Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Quoting 1 Corinthians 15:58.

What’s your “word?”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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God is amazing, to say the least.

He initially united King-to-be David and King-on-the-throne Saul by means of music!

Read the Story with me, 1 Samuel 16:14-23 …

“14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

Please do not worry about the Spirit of the Lord “departing” from you, my friend. Since the Day of Pentecost, He (the Spirit) is here to stay and to indwell every Believer in Christ. You are His Temple, in fact! HE IS NOT LEAVING YOU. Saul lived in a different age when the Holy Spirit did “come and go” as God willed.

And that “evil spirit from the Lord” is not of concern either, not any longer. And evil spirit and the Holy Spirit cannot inhabit the same body! God was punishing Saul for all his disobedience!

Saul’s servants knew that “music,” well, “godly music” … would calm the King’s heart. He needed a court musician!

Then God does His mysterious (and wonderful) work! In Verse 18 “one” of Saul’s servants knew of David! How about that?

Saul subsequently sent for David.

David came and played that Spirit-filled music for Saul.

They even became close for a time. Things would have stayed that way had David been in command. But Saul, now bereft of the Holy Spirit, was extremely erratic.

But at least now they have met!

And when David played, at those times Saul was in torment, the evil spirit “departed!”

Oh, the value of music that glorifies God!

David the musician, unknowingly being trained of God … even when he was with his sheep those long days and nights … being trained as a King’s musician and more!

Once Elisha too had to have some godly music before preaching to two Jewish Kings! “Now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.” 2 Kings 3:15

David was such a good musician that he became known (eventually) as … “the sweet psalmist of Israel.” 2 Samuel 23:1

The Prophet of Amos says this … that David even designed and built musical instruments! “They invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David.” Amos 6:5

David wrote half the Psalms anyway, probably more. And those precious Psalms are all songs, many accompanied by instruments lifting sweet and glorious melodies unto the Lord!

Thank you, David.

And one might even say God used music to launch David’s Kingdom!

I’m quite sure when Jesus reigns on this earth someday, during the Millennium, He will have around Him music and singing and melody!

All magnifying our great God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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