Good Morning Yamon Ki Yesepar and Nevim Arith Hayomim:
I Samuel 18:9: “And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.”
I remember hearing an evangelist tell of a time he went to a church in some back water town. He was asked to conduct a two week revival. After the first few days he noticed he was not moving in the same direction that the rest of the congregation. On the fifth day he was approached by the deacons who asked to speak with him. They informed the evangelist that he needed to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. The evangelist handed his Bible to the deacons and asked them to show him from the Word of God that he did not have the Holy Spirit. They ignored the Bible and simply said: “You don’t jerk.”
Apparently somewhere in the history of that church, the Holy Spirit manifested himself through causing the people to “jerk.” Ever since that time they figured that the way you got the Spirit of God to move was to get into one of those little Pentecostal huddles, start moaning and then when you were filled you began to get these muscle spasms and jerk around.
Those deacons had what I call the “King Saul syndrome.” King Saul was a very religious man, he followed the law very closely. He only had one wife and as far as we know he was faithful to her. He would fast and pray and seek the face of God. Yet, there was this time he was ready for battle but would not go to battle until Samuel offered a sacrifice. Did I tell you that King Saul was very religious? When Samuel did not show up and Saul’s army was ready to desert, he offered the sacrifice himself. Because of this disobedience Samuel advised Saul he would lose his kingdom.
Along comes David. With a clap of his hands and a shout of God’s name (if you follow my interpretation) he demonstrated the power of God to bring down the greatest warrior among the Philistines. Now Saul knew all about the power of God, he had at one time moved in the power of God but the Spirit of God had long since left him. Many translations of I Samuel 18:9 renders this as Saul casting a “jealous” eye on David. This is based upon a double Ayin. You have one word spelled Ayin Vav Nun and another one spelled Ayin Yod Nun in this verse. The KJV just ignores this second Ayin. Other translators will say that the Ayin Vav Nun comes from the root word Ayin Vav Hei which means to be jealous. But I ask, why not keep the root word as Ayin Vav Nun which means to dwell and inhabit. Translators tend to ignore this rendering as they feel it doesn’t make sense. I say it does. King Saul had not yet reached the point of blind jealousy. He was in awe of David. David had what he wanted, David was able to move in the power of God which King Saul once did but could no longer do. As a result he kept a “eye” on David. The word “eye” is Ayin, Yod Nun, which means spiritual insight. I would render this verse as “And Saul watched David seeking spiritual insight.”
In I Samuel 18:21 we learn King Saul had David marry his daughter to “snare” him. The word “snare” in Hebrew is “yakash” which is often used to express the idea of trying to trap someone into revealing a secret. As a condition to the marriage David was to secure the foreskin of a hundred Philistines. Now when you read the English text it appears that King Saul is plotting to have the Philistines kill David. I can see how that can be translated to express this idea. However, I can also see an alternative translation which would suggest that what King Saul was doing was indeed setting David up, but not to be killed, but to once again use the power of God. King Saul would keep this “watchful, insightful, eye” on David to see just what David did and said to capture the one hundred foreskins.
As I said, eventually King Saul turned against David filled with rage and jealousy, but I believe you could properly translate this story to suggest that King Saul’s first reaction to David’s victories was not blind jealousy, but a desire to regain the power of God he once knew.
My point is that King Saul followed a pattern not unlike many ministers and/or Christians. First King Saul really moved in the power and anointing of God. Then he became disobedient and lost that power, only he did not fully realize the reason for losing that power. He then observed David who was moving in the power of God with the hope of finding out David’s secret so he could once again move in the power of God. Instead of looking to himself and his relationship with God, he looked to a method and means to the power of God. Eventually, he realized he could not get that power by imitating David so he then chose to eliminate the competition.
I have noticed a similar pattern for many Christians, perhaps you have also. Someone really moves in the power of God, they appear to have a real anointing. Then for whatever reason, this anointing leaves. Someone comes along who is moving in the power of God. The initial reaction is to watch that person, see what they are doing and try to imitate them hoping they will also demonstrate God’s power. They will copy their preaching style, or prayer style. Perhaps they will sing the same songs, recite words this person who has the power of God uses. When, after all attempts fail, they start to kill off the competition, they start to discredit this person, say they are practicing mysticism, or not following the proper Biblical guidelines.
The bottom line is that the manifestation of God’s power does not depend upon how you do or say something, how dramatic your prayers are or how powerful your preaching is, or even the music you use. The secret is in your relationship with God. King Saul was a very religious man, David was a rascal but David served God because he loved Him, King Saul served God because he wanted to be a king. When King Saul sinned he feared losing his kingdom, when David sin he feared losing the presence of God (Psalms 51:11)
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