MICHAL, DAVID'S FIRST WIFE


A. "AND MICHAL SAUL'S DAUGHTER LOVED DAVID; AND THEY TOLD SAUL, AND THE THING PLEASED SAUL" - I SAM. 18:20; 14:49; 19:11-17; 25:44; 2 SAM. 3:13- 15; 6:16-23; 21:8; I CHRON. 15:29
  1. The story of Michal, the daughter of King Saul reveals the mysterious ways God uses to carry out His purpose:
    1. Saul was glad to hear that his daughter loved David, and he felt sure that would be a sure way to slay David - I Sam. 18:20-30
    2. But God used Michal to foil her father's plans - I Sam. 19:11-17
  2. It is too sad that Michal's story ended in hatred to David and in isolation:
    1. She was forcefully removed from Phaltiel, who followed her weeping - 2 Sam. 3:13-16
    2. But she did not share the love of David for God; and she ridiculed David when he danced before the ark of the Lord - 2 Sam. 6:20-23
B. LET US CONSIDER A NUMBER OF THE HIGH POINTS OF THE BIBLE STORY OF MICHAL THE DAUGHTER OF KING SAUL
  1. She loved David, what young woman would not love a man with such strong, athletic character:
    1. He put the men of the army of Israel to shame when he offered to meet Goliath, the Philistine - I Sam. 17:20-58
    2. In slaying Goliath David saved the day for the army of Israel and the honor of God too
    3. He was loved by the people, foremost by Jonathan, Michal's brother - I Sam. 18:1-3; 20:17
  2. She demonstrated her love for David:
    1. By risking her own life to save the life of her husband - I Sam. 19:11-17
    2. David, too, loved her and had her brought to him when he became King 2 Sam. 3:13-16
  3. But from here on the story of Michal takes a turn for the worse:
    1. She married another man though she had not been divorced from David; her marriage was contrary to God's word - I Sam. 25:44
    2. She became estranged to David
C. TIMELY LESSON FROM THE STORY OF MICHAL
  1. She was a princess:
    1. But failed to portray princely virtues
    2. She was ambitious for notoriety and prestige
    3. Also, though she was the daughter of the King of Israel, who was serving the God of Israel, yet she secretly practiced idolatry - I Sam. 19:13; that was a weakness of Rachel in early days of her marriage - Gen. 31:34
  2. This weakness in Michal's life:
    1. Marred her otherwise hopeful future; she could have been the queen of Israel and shared with David the honor and blessing of his successful reign in Israel
    2. But Michal is not alone in this; she has many others after her who failed in this virtue; Examples: We think of Zipprah, Moses' wife and her attitude toward the right of circumcision - Ex. 4:25; of Jezebel, Ahab's wife who introduced idolatry to Israel and others
  3. Michal demonstrated:
    1. That unless a person serves God wholeheartedly, the weakness will undermine all other virtues
    2. It was a sad commentary to the lives of a number of the kings in Israel and in Judah when their life story ended in these words - I Kings 18:13; 2 Kings 13:2; 17:15
  4. So as we take retrospective look into the history of Michal:
    1. We see that the fear of the Lord was missing in her life and yet the Bible says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" - Pr. 1:7
    2. She followed after vanity or that which exalted her in the eyes of the people; and that too marred her life
    3. How different were Hannah, Mary, Elizabeth and a host of other godly persons
  5. That David loved her is seen:
    1. By him making the restoration of his first wife to him a primary condition of peace
    2. But, Michal was a changed person, she had her first love for that of another and that ended her history in sorrow


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