1 Samuel 21:13 …so he pretended to be insane in their presence. He acted like a madman around them, scribbling on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

Up to this point in the First Book of Samuel, David has defeated Goliath, and then his fame spread.  Saul promotes David to lead some of his troops.  David becomes more successful than any of Saul’s other commanders.  Soon David’s fame exceeds that of Saul’s to such a point that Saul becomes jealous and fears David will replace him.  Saul plots to kill David, but David escapes and flees to Gath in Philistia. There he is taken to King Achish. David is scared and he pretends to be mad. Achish basically says, “I got enough crazy people here already! Get him out of here!” He drives David out of Gath where upon David hides in a cave.

According to the notes in my Bible, it is here that David writes Psalms 34 and 56.

This story struck me for a couple of reasons. First, the idea of David feigning insanity makes for a good story in itself.  However, upon further reflection, I couldn’t help but think about what David must be thinking. He was on top and going higher, only to suffer total fear and humiliation.

Perhaps some brokenness or humility is necessary. Perhaps it is those things that bring people closer to God.  We all face fear and frustrations; trial and tribulations. When we do, it would probably help us to remember some of the words that David wrote in his cave: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” (Psalm 34:18-19a).

1 Samuel 17:28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

The Lord was unhappy with Saul and chose David to become King of Israel. However, at this point in the storyline, no one is really aware of this and David had not yet ascended to the throne.  Saul, who was still King, led his men out to battle.

When the opposing armies assembled, Goliath the champion of the Philistines challenged Israel’s champion and taunted the Israelites and belittled them. Three of David’s brothers were with Saul at his encampment. David’s father, Jesse sent him with food for his brothers. When he reached the camp of Israel, Goliath was again hurling insults. David inquired what was going on. His older brother verbally blasted him.

The odd thing is, someone who should love David and know him best, accuses him of having an evil heart. Yet the Bible says that he was a man after God’s own heart. Eliab says he ignored the family’s sheep and came because he was conceited. Yet it was only because their father sent him that David was there. Finally he is accused of coming only to watch the battle. Yet no battle was going on. The Israelities, including David’s brothers were too afraid of Goliath. It would be David who would face Goliath with a sling and a stone.

We are often misjudged by others and misunderstood by people closest to us.  However, in the end, really only matters what God thinks of us (and what we think of God).

1 Samuel 15:12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel.  There he set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”

What struck me about this verse or the story of the Bible that this is taken from, is not that King Saul built a monument to himself, or that once again he did not do as the Lord asked. The thing that hit me was that he was at Gilgal again.  Gilgal was where he was crowned King; the Kingship was renewed there; and finally he is rejected at Gilgal because of his disobedience.

Then I remembered that Joshua and the Israelites camped at Gilgal before the Battle of Jericho. It was there the Gibeonites made a treaty with the Israelites. Samuel held court at Gilgal.  A quick glance at my Strong’s shows that Gilgal appears to be a rather important place in the Bible. The name means rolling stone or circle of stone. Perhaps as in “coming full circle”.

Think about this: the Israelites refuse to enter the Promised Land; after a forty-year period, they come full circle; and are given a second chance to enter.

Saul is crowned King.  He doesn’t live up to potential. He is brought back to Gilgal. He disobeys the Word of the Lord.  Goes full circle again, and comes back to Gilgal, only to be unrepentant.

Our God is a God of the Second and Third Chance (and sometimes many more). When reading the Bible, the name, the place or the significance of Gilgal may go unnoticed. Just as multiple chances and opportunities are sometimes overlooked in our own lives. How lucky we are for the times of Gilgal in our lives and the times we are often brought “full circle”.

1 Samuel 14:36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive”. “Do whatever seems best to you,” They (the people of Israel) replied. But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”

Saul was anointed King of Israel. However, his behavior and attitude began to get him into trouble.  God would choose another whose line would be established as King.

I think this verse is a harbinger of things to come.

God established a king because the people wanted one. Then Saul presented his ideas before the people instead of God.  The attitude of the people was that he should do whatever pleased him.

It may be a stretch, but isn’t that’s what is wrong in America? The leaders of our society (whether it is our government, our heroes or our celebrities) become less responsive to what is right than to what they think the people want or what idea, product or attitude they can sell to the people and sometimes just whatever pleases the leaders themselves.

The masses unfortunately often follow the personality rather than the good. When they did it in the Bible, trouble ensued. Is it really any different today?