Michal

 Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.

Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.”  So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.  Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.

  When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, “He is ill.”

  Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.”  But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.

  Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”

   Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

~I Samuel 18:20; 19:11-17

What do you think attracted Michal to David so that she fell in love with him?  How far was she willing to go to protect him?

• possibly his looks
• She was probably willing to go pretty far to protect him if she loved him so much

David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.  But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

~I Samuel 25:43-44; II Samuel 3:14

How do the events in the intervening years affect Michal and her feelings for David?

• I thinkshe was feeling sad that the love of her life has not returned yet so she would miss him very much

Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.  When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.  Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might,  while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

~II Samuel 6:12-15

Describe in your own words what you think this scene of worship looked like.

• I imagine there was a big procession amongst a large crowd of people

As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.

~II Samuel 6:16

Why do you think Michal reacted as she did?  Why do you suppose she was in her room watching the scene from the window instead of in the crowd participating?

• Because she was not happy that David chose to marry another woman so she didn't want to have anything to do with him in the celebration

How often do you merely watch worship rather than participate in it?  What needs to happen in order for you to become a participant instead of a spectator?

• Actually, I do participate in worship a whole lot.  I believe I have been doing so for all of my life.

 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

~II Samuel 6:20

How often are you more concerned with appearances than you should be?  Why?  What can you do to chnage?

• I usually find myself more concerned with appearance when it comes to looking professional for work or when it comes to a first date.  I do know that when it comes to a first date, that I just just be myself when it comes to appearance.

David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD.  I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

  And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

~II Samuel 6:21-23

What is David trying to tell Michal here?  Do you think Michal had any idea of the depth of love David had for God?  Why or why not?

• I think he was telling her "Hey relax!  My dance was not to show my love towards any woman, let alone any slavegirl!  My dance was for the love of the Lord."
• I don't think Michal realized David's love for God at all

How hard would it be for you to claim verse 22, as David does here?  Do you think God wants this kind of Submissiveness from everyone?  Why or why not?

• I don't think it would be too hard.  I think that it would be great, but also, very ideal, if we all would submit to God like David did.  We are all imperfect.  If we are all to submit to God at some point in our lives, it will happen in His time.