Family Feud Between Saul and David

One memorable feud is the war between Saul and David. Here is our text. The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. 2 Samuel 3: 1

It is from this verse that we note some interesting but heart-wrenching facts about these sons and servants of the LORD. We look first at who Saul is and who David is, during this time of warring against each other. Saul is God’s chosen king to rule over His people Israel. Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance? 1 Samuel 10: 1

David is also God’s chosen king to rule over His people Israel. 1 Samuel 16: 12b – 13. Then the LORD said, Rise and anoint him; this is the one. So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Having shown that both David and Saul were God’s chosen and anointed leaders, to rule over His holy people, Israel, we are curious to know how it is, God has them both ruling at the same time. We know this from our text. The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. This feud, this war, which went on for a long time, took place when both were leaders. In a nutshell, this is what happened.

Saul was chosen and anointed by God to be the first ever king of Israel. God gave His Spirit to Saul, blessing him and instructing him to obey the Lord. However, Saul became very arrogant and disobedient in his ways and this greatly displeased God. We hear Samuel, God’s prophet, speak these words to Saul. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel! 1 Samuel 15: 26b. Now God could not take away His anointing from Saul, for His anointing remains forever, but He could take away His Spirit, and He did just that. In 1 Samuel 16: 14, this is what we read. Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.

Saul lived as a tormented man, the rest of his life, as he continued to see himself as Israel’s king, anointed by God yes, but without the Spirit of the LORD upon Him.

David was chosen and anointed by God to be the second king of Israel, to rule in place of Saul, when God rejected him as king. You have done a foolish thing, Samuel said. You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave to you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command. 1 Samuel 13: 13 – 14. God gave His Spirit to David, blessing him and instructing him to obey the Lord. David’s heart was with the Lord his God. We are told that, in everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.

These victories of David, and the public showing of God’s Hand with him, angered Saul no end. Untamed jealousy, unchanged anger, unscrupulous deceitfulness and demonic vengeance, kept Saul fired up to ensure that the life of David was taken. Such feuds are very nasty and bitter indeed, as they always come from minds which have lost all sense of self-control, self-worth and self-esteem. Vengeance is always a double whammy, for it attacks the victim and the perpetrator.