1 Samuel 18: Jealousy

In times of trouble it is easy to look to your neighbor, your family and friends, or some stranger you barely know and say “why do they have it better than me?” Jealousy starts off with an honest observation. It is not just some random observation but rather it strikes against something you hold dear. Mostly likely, it is something you hold to dearly.

In the case of Saul and David, it is over kingship (v. 8). Saul was once God’s anointed but is now rejected by God. He has lost this blessing. David excels in all that he does. It does not matter if it is from good motive or not, David receives promotion or glory (v. 7). As Saul tries to setup David, David gains more glory. Michal was given to David to be a snare but it only gives David greater authority in the kingdom (v. 28-29). Saul is afraid and jealous of David.

Saul’s disobedience to God has caused him to lose the kingdom, and as God brings up his successor Saul cannot handle it. This jealousy causes Saul to try to kill David repeatedly (v. 11), or set him up for the Philistines to do it (v. 25). The kingdom has become a snare to Saul. Saul would rather have the kingdom than serve the Lord’s anointed. It works the same for us. How often would we rather have our idol than the Lord’s anointed? How often would we rather have some material or earthly blessing than Jesus Christ? Jealousy works slowly but it is terribly deadly. And it is only choosing to love and serve the Lord’s anointed that we are saved from jealousy’s grip. It might work slowly but it is terribly corrosive to our heart. Let us then look to Christ to be free from its grip.

Posted by Aaron Miner