Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of I Samuel Chapter 18
Metaphysically Interpreting I Samuel 18:1-9
18:1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 18:2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 18:3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 18:4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. 18:5And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
18:6And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music. 18:7And the women sang one to another as they played, and said,
Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.18:8And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 18:9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
July 4 , 1920: I Samuel 18:5-9
What does David’s obedience to Saul signify? That the spiritual Ego shall do the will of the natural man and cooperate with him until all opposition to the higher law has been overcome.
What is represented by the singing and dancing of the women? It is the outflow of the natural harmony and rejoicing of the soul, when it feels that the Love Ego is becoming victorious over sensuousness (Philistines).
July 31, 1927: I Samuel 18:1-4
Metaphysically considered what does the history of Saul, Jonathan, and David represent? The history of Saul, Jonathan, and David symbolizes the soul's development from the human into the divine. The value of this history lies in the accuracy with which it portrays the various aspects of personal will (Saul), human love (Jonathan), and divine love (David).
What is the metaphysical significance of Jonathan’s relation to Saul? Saul represents the will working in personal consciousness and bringing forth a certain degree of human love (Jonathan). Since all love is divine by nature, human love (Jonathan) automatically makes union in soul consciousness with divine love (David). “And it came to pass ... that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”
Explain how human love links man with divine love. Human love (Jonathan) works in the soul to perpetuate the link between the inner and the outer, the heart and the head. Even when we are willful and selfish and ambitious in worldly ways, deep within we yearn for love. If it were not for the link of human love, we should, through the selfishness of human will, be cut off entirely from divine love. These hidden soul processes (typified by the compact which Jonathan so strongly urged David to make with him) save man from being disconnected wholly from his divine source.
What is David's part in the evolution of the Christ as manifested in Jesus? David was a Christ type; he was an ancestor of Jesus of Nazareth, who so perfectly expressed and manifested the Christ in human form.
August 17, 1932: I Samuel 18:6-9
What is signified by Saul's jealousy of David? Saul represents the expanding personal will, which is at first humble and responsive to the activity of divine love. As it achieves outer success and glory, the personal will turns away from its perception of divine love, and begins to express opposition to things of the Spirit.
What do Saul's jealousy and wrath signify? They signify the opposition often found between the head (Saul) and the heart (David). The intellect and the personal will override the intuition and the love of the heart. Sometimes the heart runs away with the head.
September 10, 1933: I Samuel 18:1-4
In today's lesson what does the story of Jonathan represent? This story represents one phase of the progress of the human soul from the limited to the universal.
What does Jonathan himself represent? Jonathan means “Jehovah hath given,” “God-given”; that is, he came forth from Being. He may be said to signify human love, while David is typical of divine love, not yet fully realized.
Explain the activity of human love in individual consciousness. In human love the heart sets its affection on certain definite objects, and lavishes on these objects the wealth of its loyalty and devotion. Toward all others human love may indifferent or even hostile.
In this lesson, what does Saul symbolize? Saul symbolizes a certain phase of the will, which has become entangled in the meshes of personal pride and arrogance and is now working in opposition to the higher laws of Being.
What does David symbolize? David symbolizes divine love not yet operating from the sure foundation principles of Being.
When personal will (Saul) is at enmity with divine love, manifesting itself from the heart center (David), what is the status of the intellectual concept of love represented by Jonathan? The intellectual concept of love rests on an insecure basis, inasmuch as it is in a divided state. Jonathan was a devoted friend to David, and a loyal son to his father, yet he was a warrior and considered it his duty to slay the enemies of his people.
What is represented by Jonathan's stripping himself of his robe, his sword, his bow, and his girdle, and giving them to David? The intellectual concept of love (Jonathan) realizes that the origin of all love is divine. Therefore divine love must be built up in consciousness by unreservedly giving it defense and will and power. In fact, all that the external mind claims must be developed in the inner mind. Paul says, “Put on the whole armor of God.”
It is written that Jonathan loved David as his own soul. Please explain. Jonathan and David represent soul love expressed in the outer and the inner states of consciousness. In truth, David represents the very soul of Jonathan. Thus they are inseparably bound together.
In the 3d verse it is stated that “Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.” What is the covenant? Human love cannot endure, unless it is linked with divine love. The human love of the soul sees the destructive tendencies of the human personal will (Saul) and secretly links itself, or makes a covenant of eternal friendship, with David (the unselfish love of God).
July 25, 1948: I Samuel 18:1-4
What does the story contained in this lesson portray? It portrays the human soul in the various aspects of its development. Divine love (David), human love (Jonathan), and personal will (Saul) are all seen in action in the story.
What is the significance of Jonathan's relationship to Saul? Saul represents the will working in personal consciousness and bringing forth a certain degree of human love (Jonathan). All love is God in expression, and human love makes spiritual union with divine love (“the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David”).
What is the significance of Saul's restraint of David? The personal will (Saul) motivated by selfishness at first endeavors to suppress the innate love of the heart (David). Later it seeks to kill out this love (Saul sought to slay David).
What is the work of human love? To perpetuate in the soul the bond between the inner and the outer, the heart and the head, love and will (David and Saul).
Can human love and divine love be merged? They can be. This linking of human and divine love is symbolized by the covenant made by Jonathan and David.
What is shown by Jonathan's act of giving to David all his apparel? The sacrificial nature of love, which gives its all. Jonathan gave up to the shepherd boy David the symbols of his rank and the outer signs that he was to succeed his father as king.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Samuel 18:10-16
18:10And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand; 18:11and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
18:12And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him, and was departed from Saul. 18:13Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 18:14And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Jehovah was with him. 18:15And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 18:16But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
August 16, 1903: I Samuel 18:5-16
GOLDEN TEXT: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. – Psalms 46:1.
Personal Will is the centre around which self consciousness gathers its faculties. It is a necessary factor in character building, and is recognized by God as an integral part of man. King Saul was chosen by Samuel under God's direction, and throughout his reign he had recourse to spiritual methods in his government. Up to the very time of his death he invoked Divine guidance, but “he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.” “And when enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets” (I Samuel 28:5-6). Thus fear drives away Divine guidance, and produces weakness of the heart.
Personal Will is Personal Freedom, and its function in making character is fraught with many departures from the perfect law. But man would be a puppet without this element of freedom at the very centre of his being. So it is cultivated even at the expense of his happiness. In the exercise of that freedom he often gets so far away in his acts from the source of his being that he is to all purposes insane. This is personality, selfishness and ignorance. Personality is often so filled with its own ambitions and desires that it loses its bearings, and wanders in the wilderness of ignorance. This lesson today depicts that phase of personal delusion known as jealousy.
Love and jealousy are closely associated. Divine Love is never jealous, but Personality is jealous of the success of this higher force (represented by David) and when it has slaughtered the unruly Philistine thoughts in some part of the body, and the affectional nature rejoices (represented by the women dancing and singing), Personality is “wroth” and “displeased.”
One would think that we should be pleased at the success of our own loving volition, but it is a fact of metaphysical experience that where Personality is dominant and ambitious, there is an immediate repression of the Love power, when it is found to be verging onto the emotional. Instead of the out-pouring of Love in Sympathetic generosity we “eye David from that day and forward.” We are really afraid of our loving power, because it seems to require us to give up some of our selfishness. We think that we shall lose the whole kingdom, if we let this generosity of Love go on. As a result of this adverse or evil state of mind comes uppermost, according to the Law of Being, which is, “As a man soweth so shall he also reap.” Whatever thought you plant in mind will produce a crop for you. The soil is Universal Thought Substance, and it is always right at hand to fructify every seed-thought that we put into it. “He prophesied in the midst of the house,” means that Personal Will anticipates evil to the body, and is day by day on the defensive; “his spear in his hand.”
When we oppose the working of Divine Love, we separate ourselves from the most potent avenue of Divine Wisdom. To cultivate Divine Love by centering the Will in the region of the heart, and invoking the power of Infinite Wisdom, is a link in the chain of that supreme condition where Love and Wisdom are Divinely united in man.
When once Love has become active in our consciousness we cannot wholly slay it by our shafts and spears of jealousy. Saul put David away from him, but “David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.” Love must finally become king in all those who are approaching a conscious unity with the Most High Good.
– UNITY magazine.
August 16, 1908: I Samuel 18:6-16
After every victory in mind or affairs there is rejoicing; a certain joy and satisfaction floods the soul. The overcoming of error strengthens the man, and adds to his character, as the use of muscles gives them greater power. For this reason everyone should do his own overcoming. Where we depend upon medicine, doctors, healers, teachers, books, or external authorities of any description, we weaken the inflow of the Spirit.
The women who gave the larger credit to David represent the affectional nature, which naturally recognizes love and praises it. That there should be jealousy between the heart and the head seems paradoxical, yet analysis of man's character will show that these two are frequently in opposition. The intellect and the personal will often over-ride the intuitions and loves. Again in affectionate, sympathetic people, the heart runs away with the head, and such sometimes love unwisely.
The shaft of jealousy which Saul threw at David, had it wounded him, would in individual consciousness have worked out in the external as a disease of some kind. It is found that a thought of jealousy will touch the Substance Center, and jaundice fill the system with its sediment. But David stepped aside and the dart did not hurt him. The wisdom of God protected him. So those in spiritual understanding are protected, where without that understanding they would have had hard experiences.
David is called a type of Christ because of his forgiving spirit. Jesus Christ was the seed of David. The non-resistance of love is the one and only attitude that will permit the formation in mind of the Ideal man. In order to have Christ formed in us we must practice the principles of love. Love your enemies. Do good to those who persecute you. If they smite you on one cheek turn the other. This was the doctrine of Jesus.
“David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.” There is a wisdom of the heart; it is called intuition. It is very much surer in guidance than the head. When one trusts the Spirit and looks to it for understanding, there develops in soul a certain confidence in the invisible good. This trust and confidence opens the so-called “sixth sense,” intuition or Divine knowing.
The manner in which David dealt with Saul indicates that he had a spirit of magnanimity far transcending the average. Custom and law justify a man in defending his life to the destruction of one who is trying to take it. But love, Divine Love, knows a higher law, and “Love never faileth.”
– UNITY magazine.
July 21, 1918: I Samuel 18:6-16
What in consciousness does David represent? David represents an idea of love developing in consciousness. This idea culminates as Divine Love in the Jesus Christ man.
What in consciousness does Saul represent? Saul represents personal will, and is that in man which lies very close to sense-consciousness.
Why is there enmity between Saul and David? Saul (the will) is oft times wroth against David (love) because David draws to himself more adoration and harmony.
How does one in the David consciousness protect himself from the domination of the will (Saul)? The one in the David or love consciousness looks to God for protection and through spiritual understanding is able to turn aside the “darts” of feeling that originate in the personal will of man.
What is the wisdom of the heart (David) called in the early processes of spiritual unfoldment? The wisdom of the heart is called Intuition. Intuition is the “sixth sense” developed in man.
What is the one refuge from all destructive thoughts? The one refuge from all destructive thoughts is the establishment in consciousness of the principles of Divine Love. This does not mean a negative giving up to erroneous thoughts and conditions, but a conscious realization of God as the one Presence. In this way the devotee of Truth is both masterful and magnanimous in the overcoming of error.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Samuel 18:17-30
18:17And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. 18:18And David said unto Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 18:19But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
18:20And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 18:21And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law a second time. 18:22And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son-in-law. 18:23And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 18:24And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. 18:25And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 18:26And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired; 18:27and David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 18:28And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him. 18:29And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy continually.
18:30Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 02-04-2014
