The Devil Didn’t Make You Do It

We cannot blame our own selfishness or jealousy on anyone else.   ~~~   Saul’s jealousy comes to the surface in chapter 18 the moment he hears the women sing, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” So angry and jealous is Saul that he says “What more can he have but the kingdom?” In other words, Saul is saying, “David has their attention, their praise, their hearts! He might as well try for the throne!” In verse 9, when we read of Saul’s jealous statement, the text says, “And Saul eyed David from that day on.” The word translated “eyed,” is an interesting one. The idea is that Saul looked on David with a crooked eye, or sinful eye. It was a way of saying that Saul looked for opportunities to harm David. And in this chapter alone, there are five private, secret attempts on David’s life by Saul. The first two attempts are with a spear, while he was in a fit of rage brought on by a harmful or disturbing spirit from God. This is not the first time we have seen this harmful spirit from God come upon Saul. We saw this back in chapter 16. But let me make two points about this. First, Saul’s jealousy and anger came before this tormenting spirit came upon him. This is not an evil spirit of jealousy or an evil spirit of anger. Saul cannot, nor can you, blame being jealous or angry on anyone but you. Saul is responsible for this jealousy, not a demon. In other words, the devil didn’t make you do anything. In this society in which we live where everyone is the victim, we naturally make Saul, or ourselves, the victim here. But God doesn’t play by the current narrative. He knows exactly the intention of your heart. You might be able to manipulate other people, but not God. And that is what we see with Saul. His jealousy and anger led him to manipulative maneuvers to try and get David killed, all because Saul was afraid of David. And here is the thing, it was David’s righteousness that was threatening to Saul. You know you are in a bad, rebellious place when someone else’s humility and other fruit of the Spirit make you proud, angry, jealous. Is that you today? Does that describe your disposition? Angry because of someone else’s holiness? If you are, you are in bad company. But you don’t have to stay in it.