Saturday, June 5, 2010

A lesson from Michal

She looked out from behind the heavy drapes that separates the children's quarters from the king's court. Who is this young, handsome man that all the town has been talking about? His name is on every lips and he is gradually becoming even more popular than her father, the King. Michal knew his name is David, a shepherd boy from Bethlehem and she has heard from the palace guards and servants how he slayed the big, strong Goliath. She wants to know him better, and every story she hears about him makes her heart grow fonder of this tender yet strong Shepherd boy.

Saul has gradually grown weary of hearing the women in his courtyard singing with playful frolic the latest release from the town's musician. The words of the songs, innocent they may seem, only stirs up his anger at the boy. The women sang," Saul kills by the thousands, David by the ten thousand" What impunity! How dare he take the shine off me!! He took it as a personal insult, he said to himself," before i know it, these people will give David the kingdom"!

By allowing hate in his heart, Saul sanked deeper into depression and sought to kill David. He decided that rather than kill him with his own hands, he will send David to fight all his wars and allow the enemies of Israel to finish him off. He therefore called David and offered him Merab, his first daughter - David couldn't believe it! Saul however didn't go on with the Merab conspiracy as another chance presented itself - He found out that Michal loved David! I will use Michal as bait to get David out to where the enemies will get a good hold of him, he thought.

Saul ordered his servants," Go and tell David that he needs to become the king's in law!" However, David was careful, he thought himself too low to become the king's in-law. His thoughts was that he could never afford the bride price anyway. However Saul devised a way out, " Go kill 100 Philistines and bring evidence of their deaths to the me, and the bride is your, He said."  Easy, David said and did what the king demanded. Mission accomplished! Michal was married to David.
Michal's heart never ceased to love her husband and she was content to be his wife. The only snag is the obvious hatred her father seems to harbour for her husband. Her love, unknown to her makes her father's hatred for her husband to increase more. To Saul, David has not only taken away God's favour from him, his son and daughter loves him too! David kept winning all battles, and became even more popular to Saul's chagrin.

Michal heard of her father's conspiracy to stake out her house and kill her husband, David. She quickly told him what was going on. " Quickly now - make your escape tonight. If not, you'll be dead by morning!" She let him out of a window, and he made his escape. She also took a dummy in his bed, place a wig on it's head and covered it up. That was what her father's guard saw when they came in the morning to kill David. That was the beginning of David's life as a fugitive and his hide and seek game with Saul that ended at Saul' death years after. David as a fugitive married other women like Abigail,Ahinoam,Haggith, Abital and Eglah while Saul  married Michal off to Paltiel Laish.

David did not forget Michal, her love for him and how she made good his escape that fateful night, so when he heard of the offer to be king of the United State of Israel, his first condition to the general that made him the offer is that Michal should be brought to him in Judah (that is where David was reigning as King at  the time as Saul's son Ishbosheth ruled over the rest of Israel supported by his army general, Abner). It was this same Abner that gave David the offer to rule both kingdom after being reprimanded by Ishbosheth for sleeping with Sauls' mistress. Please note that Paltiel Laish wept and followed the soldier that came to take Michal back to David. Michal was definitely a good wife and loved even though she did not have a child for Paltiel.

Obed-Edom had the ark (which signified the presence of God) in his house after an unfortunate situation at the first attempt to transport it back to Jerusalem. David knew the ark should be where the king is and made arrangements to bring it to the city of David, being a Shepherd boy e did not care about royalty and danced before the ark like an excited child will do when his father returns home after so long. Michal, who had spent so many years in the palace been groomed as a princess  saw this as a bad behaviour for a king. She became judgemental of David's mode of worship and refused to key in into the sacredness of the moment.

After David had led the dance group, offered prayers and offerings to God who is present in the ark he blessed the people and sent them home. David then returned home to bless his own family. I am sure he had it in his mind to pray for the blessing of a child for his wife Michal, who met him as he came in and rather than receive the blessing, blurted out," How wonderfully the king has distinguished himself today - exposing himself to the eyes of the servants' maids like some burlesque street dancer!" Instead of a blessing, David replied her," In God's presence I'll dance all and how I want! He chose me over your father and the rest of your family and made me a prince over His people, over Israel. oh yes, I'll dance to God's glory - more recklessly even than this. And as far as I'm concerned...I'll gladly look like a fool...but among these maids you're so worried about, I'll be honoured!"

Many of us know Michal as Saul's daughter and David's first wife. We are also too familiar with the fact she is the only woman in the bible that died barren. Every other childless woman in the bible had a child of promise but Michal died without a child. I have always believed (and I am sure you also did) that it was all due to the way she despised King David when he danced vigorously at the party heralding the return of the ark into the City of David was her offence. She meant no bad and to the best of her knowledge she was protective of the sanctity of the throne which she grew up to know.

Most of us do today are like that, we judge others actions without knowing what the motives are, we condemn one form of worship against another as long as it does not suit our background or style. We have failed to develop a firm belief in God so we need outward piety to show we are law-abiding children. Legalism made Michal miss her time of blessing, will you let it take yours from you? Comments are welcomed.

Story taken from  between 1st Samuel 18 - 2nd Samuel 6. Message bible version