Power

 September 1, 2021

“Saul was afraid of David…,” “he was afraid of him…,” Saul was still more afraid of David…” (1 Samuel 18:12, 15, 29). Why was this king who had absolute power so afraid of this one he himself said was but a boy? Saul may have held absolute power, but he always felt in danger of losing it. The one thing people in power fear is the prospect of losing that power, of anything that in their mind threatens it. Fear is why people go to such lengths to maintain power, and why any challenge to it, no matter how slight or even innocent, is met by such fierce reaction. The Scripture says, “Saul became David’s enemy continually” (1 Samuel 18:29). So what was there about David that Saul saw as threatening?

1. He knew the LORD had left him and was with David. (v. 12) No matter that it was his own rash decisions and rank disobedience to God that caused this shift, Saul knew. Power has a way of knowing, and Saul knew. His violence towards David was measure of his fear.
2. David acted wisely. (v. 15) Power fears genuine wisdom because power is often built upon the ignorance of those under its control.
3. Saul’s daughter loved David. (v. 28) Genuine love is threat to power because it cannot be influenced by it. Love cannot be manipulated.

Saul was afraid, and his fear led to attacks upon one most loyal to him, who refused to retaliate in like manner. Saul was perceptive enough to recognize the threat to his reign, but blind enough to not know that the solution lay within his own grasp. Had he been willing to humble himself, his kingdom may have endured. The true threat to illegitimate power is rarely external; it is internal. That which is good, genuine, and holy exposes the rotten core of illegitimate power. The presence of God, genuine wisdom, and unconditional love are always a threat to power, which is why earthly powers have always attacked God’s people, beginning with the Jews, and continuing with Christians. Faith,Truth, and Love are always the targets of those who fear losing power because faith, truth, and love are the only forces on earth strong enough to topple the power structures erected by the powers of this world.