"But as the Ark of the Lord's covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David dancing and leaping for joy, she was filled with contempt for him." 1 Chronicles 15:29
Michal is the epitome of a tragic figure. In the previous post, I quoted 1 Samuel 18, where we're told she falls in love with David. Now, we see she is filled with contempt for him. The more her story sits in my heart, the more I think, "this poor woman". It's not difficult to imagine a woman like her in our midst. A woman in love with a man who, maybe, didn't love her back; raised in a home with a jealous & vindictive father; neglected by her husband; used by her father. I wonder, did she have any friends? Where was her mother in all of this? Were the women in her life absent or did she push them away?
There are so many avenues to explore in this story! But, for the purposes of this study, we'll stick to a few that will, hopefully, help us in our understanding and faith journey.
1: Having a heart for God. Clearly David had a heart for God (Acts 13:22), but Michal obviously came into the marriage on the fence when it came to her faith. 1 Samuel 19:13 says she put an idol in the bed and covered it up to look like David! Having a life-sized idol in one's home may point to the fact that you're not wholly in the camp of the Lord Almighty!
2: Choosing the right path isn't always easy or obvious. In 1 Samuel 19, starting at verse 11 we find Michal in a very sticky situation. Her father is trying to kill her new husband! In the heat of the moment, fearing for her life, she makes a few decisions that impact the rest of her life. And she makes these decisions based on God's laws. She is caught between a rock (her father) and a hard place (her husband). Should she "honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you." (Deuteronomy 5:16) or should she leave her father and mother and join with her husband, "and the two are united into one." as it's written in Genesis 2:24? For me, her downfall was in the embellishment. Just like Eve's embellishment to the Serpent, "God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die." (Genesis 3:3), Michal's claim that David was going to kill her if she didn't help him, was crossing the line.
3. Jealousy leads to bitterness. Even though I can understand why Michal was jealous, the lesson for me personally is that jealousy, left unchecked, leads to bitterness. And bitterness is like an invading vine in the garden. It takes over everything! It takes root in the pit of our stomach and grows, wrapping itself around our hearts and minds, taking control of our tongues, obscuring our vision, and clogging our ears.
So, what does all this mean for you & me? Think in ink as you consider the points above. Read and answer the Study Guide questions in the back of the book. How do you have a heart for God? How can you make the right decision, even in sticky situations? When your loyalty is divided, what can you do? How can you combat jealousy and bitterness? Is there someone or some situation that stirs up jealousy in you? How should you handle it? How can you help others when you see the green-eyed monster reflected in their eyes?
Finally, consider once more the contrast between Jonathan and Michal. What is the difference between their decisions? How do their decisions effect their lives? How does that inform our personal faith? And does it help us help others?
I look forward to reading your reactions, comments, and questions! Click here to post them on the blog if you are reading this in your e-mail.
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
warrior
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
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