Sometimes it is hard to see in the moment why certain events happen in life. Certain doors open, others seemingly slam shut in our face unexpectedly. While we usually throw the phrase “everything happens for a reason” around, or perhaps acknowledge God’s mysterious and sovereign hand, it is often not until later on that we come to understand the reason why things happen.
David’s call to Saul’s service, immediately in 1 Samuel following David’s anointing to kingship, is one of those situations. Why does the rejected king bring the new king (unknowingly) into his service? What is the reason? These questions help us understand God’s purposes in placing David in His Majesty’s service, and what that tells us about our own relationship to the world.
The first reason to note why David ended up in Saul’s service is found in whom God’s Spirit favourably rested. In verse 13 we read that God’s Spirit rushed upon David when he was anointed king by Samuel.
By contrast, verse 14 reminds us that God’s Spirit had “departed from Saul”. No longer was Saul empowered by God for the kingly office to which he had been appointed. He operated by his own strength. Yet worse still, God was punishing Saul for his unfaithfulness and unbelief by sending “a harmful spirit” to torment him (v.14).
No doubt Saul was not pleasant to be around, just as some people afflicted today are difficult too (sometimes as Westerners I think we rush to assume mental problems when in the case of unbelievers, a spiritual cause might also be valid).
Saul’s advisers recognised that his alienation from God was the cause of his issues (v.15). But instead of calling him to repent and believe in God, they reached for treating the symptoms, by seeking someone to play soothing music, to which Saul agreed (vv.16-17).
God’s providential hand was clearly at play, because one of the young men in Saul’s court suggested David, from a small town out of the way down in Judah, as the right man for the job. The perfect candidate: “skillful in playing, a man of valour, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him” (v.18). While all of these are admirable attributes, the last one is the most important and likely indicates why he also had the others!
Since this resume was outstanding, Saul called David into his service (v.19). The rejected king unknowingly called his replacement to his side, which never would have happened had Saul known. David’s father obeyed Saul, and sent David with provisions and gifts to Saul’s court (v.20).
David’s entry into Saul’s court would have served a number of purposes. First, it took the country boy to the big city, where he was exposed to the ways in which big power, big sin, and big influence is exercised. Second, it would have introduced David to a wider group of power wielders, which would become important when he was older. Thirdly, it exposed David to the nature of Saul’s worldly reign and the torment upon him as judgement for his misrule of Israel. A classic education in “what not to do” which would have left a large imprint on David in later years.
But David’s entry served another purpose. Saul delighted in David, making him his armour bearer, and “asking” Jesse to keep his son because of his favourableness to Saul (vv.21-2). Whenever the torment came upon Saul from the harmful spirit, David’s skillful lyre playing soothed Saul’s mood (v.23).
Saul, then, was able to focus on ruling Israel, and Israel’s leadership (however sinful and worldly it was) was not thrown into utter confusion. A blessing on God’s People.
In a sense, David was already blessing Israel by his presence in Saul’s court, ensuring the confusion and decay which occurs around an unstable autocrat wasn’t felt to its greatest extent.
Believers today also serve that same purpose. We are salt and light to the world, enabled by God to be such. We preserve that which would otherwise spiral into decay and destruction.
This occurs at the “macro” level, where nations that order themselves after Christian principles and are blessed by Christian service are more likely to prosper overall than those that do not. It occurs on the micro level too, because we are salt and light in our workplaces, our homes, our clubs, our friendships.
As we do, we also with attuned eyes and ears see the implications of living life in ways which displease God, and bring his judgement upon people.
We serve in this way because Jesus served in that way before us. Jesus did far more than soothe the torment we face when afflicted by the punishment due for our sins; he took the torment on himself on the Cross, that by repenting of our sins we might enjoy the presence of God’s Spirit.
We may not know why God places us where he does, but like David we can trust and serve On His Majesty’s (God’s) Service.
