It Begins
It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. The women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 1 Samuel 18:6-7 NASB
It happened – David’s relationship with Saul and the subsequent years of animosity and trials begins with an innocent accolade. Saul’s jealousy becomes the hidden motive for a number of events that lead to betrayal, compromise and death. It never should have happened. After all, Saul could just have easily taken credit for finding the young warrior and adding him to the king’s army. Saul could have been proud of David’s accomplishments as a close associate, a subject of Saul’s kingdom. Saul could have overlooked the lyrics as unintended exuberance, nothing more. But he didn’t. “As it happened” appears to introduce the radical change in relationship as if it were simply an accidental occurrence. But maybe that’s not the way we are supposed to read this.
The Hebrew is vayhi, the combination of the conjunctive vav and the verb hayah (to occur, to be, to become, to come to pass). In this sentence, the verbal construction indicates an incomplete action, i.e., something that was continuing. In other words, the sentiment of the crowd wasn’t a one-time affair. The people of Israel praised David whenever they could. As the troops marched back to the king’s palace, crowds extolled David (and Saul, by the way) so that the refrain became common. It was like hearing a ranked comparison over and over. “You’re great, O king, but, my, that boy David, he’s something else!” The song of celebration bites.
Of course, we know the story. Saul turns on David. Years of struggle ensue. All because of some ditty that no one really thought much about—except Saul. Certainly the women who sang the lyrics didn’t intend to diminish their king. Obviously David didn’t take it that way. But Saul did. We must ask why? Why did a king who could have exhibited this fine young warrior with the pride of a dotting father take umbrage at this accidental event and turn toward the dark side?
Why indeed! Have you and I never felt the slap of comparison when an accidental event reminds us that we aren’t admired as much as someone in close company? Have you and I never concluded that we deserved the accolades just as much, or perhaps even more? Have you and I never felt the pang of ego deflation? It takes a man of unusual character to say, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”[1] We are more apt to follow the yetzer ha’ra into protective mode. This is Luzzatto’s outstanding contribution—to analyze the inner workings of the yetzer ha’ra by showing us that its primary objective is the protection of ego. Anything, even the innocent lyrics of an unenlightened crowd, becomes a threat to our self-identity if we are unsure of YHVH’s purposes in our lives. There are no innocent events when we believe that our identities are measured by the inspections of others. With the yetzer ha’ra in control, “accidents” do not happen. The yetzer ha’ra inhabits a calculus of arbitrary worthiness. For Saul, being king was an identity without divine commission. Therefore, it was always at risk. And David became a threat.
Nothing just happens, at least not in the determination of the yetzer ha’ra. Everything either enhances or detracts from the mountain of self-proclamation. But for those who understand their place in God’s governance, events come to pass without concern for their results whether fears or triumphs. In God’s world, divine engineering can occur without any indication of planning. The yetzer ha’tov simply enjoys the flow.
Topical Index: yetzer ha’ra, Saul, it happened, vayhi, 1 Samuel 18:6-7
[1] John 3:30 NASB
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MUST INCREASE versus MUST DECREASE
Light become more darkness less…
Skip John refers to Christ. The relevance to Saul and David can only be chosen through man versus appointed by God.
Is this not but an introduction to being born from above..
Hello Seeker with this also be the plan of God that we would become the sons of Jacob and also the alignment to become the house of Israel?
Brett
The catch if the universe rests and functions on a perfect balance of good and bad, light and dark, right and wrong, etc
What will happen when we all rule over sin – good will outweigh. God’ will manifested our everlasting light the kingdom manifested.
Would this perfect light or imbalance not cause things to topside…Again.
Or am I reading too much in this balance thing.
Seeker, that is the yin yang of the orient. It is NOT a description of how reality works!
Evil is not a thing. You could say it has no existence of its own. It is a true parasite that requires good to agree with it to be able to exist at all. Evil is a fracture in reality.
Do you know the story of the freshman who signed up for a class in which the professor sought to ‘prove’ to the students that morality was an illusion? One student stood up and disagreed. The professor told him to ‘prove’ his position. The student asked “Is there such a thing as light and dark?” The professor said “yes”. “Wrong” said the student. “There is no such thing as dark. Dark is just the absence of light.” Then he asked about hot and cold. The professor said that both existed. “Not so”, replied the student. “Cold is just the absence of hot.” Then he asked the professor if there was good and evil. Well, you see where this is going. One of my good Jewish friends told me this one.
Was an interesting movie to watch… Professor died in the end after accepting the truth – real Hollywood propaganda if you ask me.
Let us assume God created only good for everything he created he said was good… including all the physical desires etc of us humans.
Fulfilling these is not evil per se. Then evil would be to use for other purpose than created including the building of the brick house we stay in with all electrical supplies and this technology we are using… Using bad things for a good purpose does not make the bad thing good does it…
We cannot argue one thing is evil when used contrary to what created for, then claim all progress is good because God willed it. Sorry that definition of good I did not read in the scripture… That is our definition of good.
But I agree on the yin yang balance that was never part of the creation it is our view of things…
Seeker, I came from the dark ages. There’s a movie? I didn’t get told that part! Do you remember the name of it?
Christian film, Kevin Sorbo plays the professor – we watched it some time ago… “God’s Not Dead” Another film along similar lines is “A Matter of Faith”
Thank you Leslee,
Do not need to pack out my DVD;s…
The center for struggles come to a focus in the struggle with Jacob and the ladder with God leading the charge
For all that Saul stood head and shoulders above men, it was the sin of pride that did him in.
“The yetzer ha-ra inhabits a calculus of arbitrary worthiness.” Skip, I just want to take a moment to say “wow!” You just described the wellspring of jealousy and covetousness and comparison. This is about identity. Who am I? If I am not hid in Christ I find myself scrambling for ego survival of the most inflated in a world that is calculated to control by assuming that everyone has an ego problem.
I pass people teaching this to their little ones. They encourage them to handle the vicissitudes of life these days, apparently, by appealing to their egos. They take them to movies about super heroes, and buy them costumes, and schools teach exercises that are, basically, divination. “Use your superpowers to overcome your problems and to get what you want.” Folks, this is sorcery! This is not innocent ‘play’! These are stumbling blocks people place in the paths of their little ones and Yeshua saved His strongest denunciations for such. I tremble for those teachers and parents. (There. I have had my rant for the day.)
The sin of comparison assumes that my identity lies under the rocks of others so therefore I can only achieve identity at their expense. This is not true! Nothing in nature corresponds to this! But we get taught this at every level. We participate in artificial societal constructs designed to train us in this sin, and it is the basis of most of the advertising we see. Also, the assumption that others are out to diminish us in our identity lies at the base of most antisocial behavior. We believe this is so and so are moved to ‘defend’ ourselves against a reality we perceive as hostile to all identity. So sad.
The truth is that my identity is established by CONNECTION with others, which operates on a trust basis. People who struggle with trust are people who struggle with identity. Howard Hughes, anybody? The world can only operate on the basis of what is, which on this planet is a collective disorder of mistrust which breeds the identity problem. We are called, however, to what we were created to be, which is a properly QUALIFIED, trust-based, collective effort to establish and empower the identities of others, thus building up our own worth. Who was it who said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”? I get to be real when you are. This is the identity we were created for. This is true garden stewardship.
And my comment was going to be something along the lines of “hayah” having more meaning for me as I karate-chop my way through life…….. can’t now. This is so great! Thanks Laurita {and SKIP!!!}
Lesli, not true! You need to explain ‘hayah’ to me. This is something that I do not know.
Say it out loud while making a chop with your hand as if you’re breaking a piece of wood between two blocks…. more like hiiiiYAH…… make sense?
I am just falling over here! I went and looked up “hayah” in Hebrew and got from it some deep esoteric meaning about identity coming into being, and I thought, “Lesli must really be on to something here”. But, no! She just uses her super powers to karate chop her way through life!
Lauritz
I heard this morning that we need to live a life chasing goals. Sounds very westernized. Is the Hebraic perspective not seek the good and the rest God will add as we need.. Cutting out our desires and lusts – the things we need to sacrifice to be clothed with Christ. Walking in the day not in the night. For this reason why the bible explains a day as God created from night to day…
From the beginning we must experience sin to be able to rule over it, hiding from it does not expose so no ruling can occur and we will then fall easier…
You are so right, Seeker. There was nothing worse for me than to be taught by example of those around me that we must hide from our secret faults as well as the faults of the world around us. There are no tools for dominion over sin in that toolbox! We must learn the rules of engagement (hint: main tool is forgiveness). This requires honesty, courage and humility and true compassion; not least for our own failings! There is a real difference between hiding (or hiding from) our faults or excusing them, and admitting them and accepting ourselves in the midst of them. I learned in Alanon that acceptance is the true platform for change. If I accuse or condemn myself, there is no relief from that tribunal. Even heaven is forced to agree with me! What I bind on earth is bound in heaven, too. I must learn to quit judging myself before I can learn to quit judging others. Judgment Day is set at the end of the age. Yeshua said He did not come to judge. That will be the next go round.
Laurita (No typing error – sorry)
You have just explained what hayah implies.
– to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
Shalom Sister through Christ
Great comment. This is the beginning of the fall of Solomon, a generation later, as I hope to explain in the book that I am supposed to be writing now. 🙂
“See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world rather than Messiah.” [Col 2:8]
“BE ALL YOU CAN BE”??? Are you kidding??? This is much of the ha’satan-promoted, subtle, “whatever-seems-right-in-their-own-eyes” kind of thinking and motivation behind this kind of yetzer ha’ra exhibited by Saul, and not exhibited by David. It is empty deception expressing an ancient humanistic philosophy of man dating back to the Garden.
“For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [Gen 3:5]
The philosophy behind this slogan continues to be highly esteemed and was even more popularized in modern Western history when it was used for two decades, bridging the 20th to the 21st century, as a recruiting campaign slogan by the U.S. Army and widely adopted in the minds of the masses, regarding which we are warned not to be deceived and taken captive.
It is not the attitude of Messiah, despite what is widely promoted by the Christian church, as exemplified by a popular American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership, and one with the same slogan as it’s title.
However, we are not called to “See It, Say It, Seize It”, as this author exhorts it’s readers to do in the title of one of his chapters, which is preceded by another chapter related to the Biblical passage referenced by Skip in this blog article. The title of that chapter? “The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall”, possibly suggesting, as many preachers and their congregants declare, we are to take on everything and anything bigger than ourselves to prove we have “great faith”.
We are not called to greatness in whatever way we wish to dream. We are not called to presumptuous arrogance. We are called to humble confidence in YHWH. We are not called to selfishly ambitious, prideful competition in the guise of an others-flattering, man-pleasing, false humility. This is the wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing philosophy, motivation, and message often touted by the multitude of mega-church pastors! We are called to YHWH-esteeming obedience, even if if that means being nameless and faceless in our own generation.
With the Creator’s intended uniqueness of each of our own designs, purposes, destinies, gifts, callings, ministries, and more, what basis in Scripture could we ever expect to find for the common carnal practice of comparing ourselves to, becoming jealous of, and competing to be better than another? The only one I can see which has the remotest appearance of similarity, but is world’s apart in essence, is to follow someone as they follow Messiah, and that is only in the manner of obedience to His voice and instructions and righteousness of character.
King Saul would have chosen far better, and we would do well to do the same, by having the kind of attitude that was promoted and exemplified by a man from a much later era, yet called by the same name, Saul. He exhorted his readers as follows:
“Have this attitude in yourselves, which also was in Messiah Yeshua, Who, though existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal to God a thing to be grasped. But He emptied Himself—taking on the form of a slave, becoming the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man. He humbled Himself—becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue profess that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord—to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my loved ones, just as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence—work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” [Php 2:5-12]
Regarding making wrongful comparisons with others he wrote this:
“For we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding. But we will not boast beyond limits, but within the limits of the area that God has assigned to us—to reach even as far as you. We are not extending ourselves too far, as if we did not reach you—for we did come even as far as to you with the Good News of Messiah. Neither are we boasting beyond limits based on the labors of others, but we have hope while your faith is growing for our area among you to be greatly enlarged—so that we may proclaim the Good News even to regions beyond you, not boasting about what has been accomplished in another’s area. But ‘let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’ For it Is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” [2Co 10:12-18]
And, finally, he then gives his readers this advise regarding making comparisons with another:
“Therefore let all who are mature have this attitude; and if you have a different attitude in anything, this also God will reveal to you. Nevertheless, let us live up to the same standard we have attained. Brothers and sisters, join in following my example and notice those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. ( For many walk who are enemies of the cross of Messiah—I have often told you about them, and now I am even weeping as I tell you. Their end is destruction—their god is their belly and their glory is in their shame. They set their minds on earthly things.)” [Php 3:15-19]
We don’t have to try to be unique from another. We don’t have to try to be better than another. We don’t have to scheme and manipulate. I agree with Skip. We can just trustingly and lovingly “go with the flow”, obey YHWH, live within His commissioning and governance, hang on for the ride (even white knuckling it if we must), and let His divine engineering bring about His desired outcomes. May YHWH be highly esteemed!
Amen and amen. Powerful and refreshing answers from the Scriptures itself. May I add – we must find our security in the Father’s love so that we can ‘go with the flow’. The divine engineering is always full of adventure, excitement and the unexpected, never mind the cost (there is always a cost). Yeshua is our eternal example. Thank you Skip and thank you Jerry. I appreciate all the other wonderful comments too…