Here is a 9000 word article on the story of David and Michal:
The story of David and Michal is an important one in the Bible that reveals much about God’s plan for Israel. Michal was King Saul’s daughter and David’s first wife. Their relationship was turbulent and impacted the transfer of power from Saul’s family to David’s. While there are certainly lessons to learn from their story, the overarching narrative shows God’s faithfulness to His promises in establishing David’s kingship.
Michal first appears in 1 Samuel 14:49 simply as Saul’s daughter. We later learn in 1 Samuel 18:20-27 that Michal loved David, so Saul offered Michal to him as a wife, hoping David would die trying to pay the bride price of 100 Philistine foreskins. But David succeeded in this challenge and married Michal. The marriage seemed to begin happily, as Michal helped David escape from Saul’s attempts to kill him in 1 Samuel 19 by lowering him out of a window and deceiving the men Saul sent to capture him.
However, the joy was short-lived. Saul soon gave Michal to another man, Palti, in 1 Samuel 25:44. This may have been to punish Michal for deceiving him or to hurt David by taking away his wife. David later reclaimed Michal as his wife in 2 Samuel 3:13-16 when he became king of Judah and Abner returned her to him, seeing the potential political advantage. Unfortunately, by this point their relationship was damaged beyond repair.
2 Samuel 6:16 describes a critical incident where Michal scorned David for dancing nearly naked in the street as the Ark of the Covenant entered Jerusalem. She accused him of being undignified before the slave girls, but David asserted he was celebrating joyfully before the Lord. As a result, 2 Samuel 6:23 states that Michal remained childless, which was a disgrace in their culture. This contempt Michal showed for David displeased the Lord.
Some Bible scholars speculate reasons for Michal’s contempt. Perhaps she grieved that David’s affection shifted from her to his new wives. Maybe she felt David valued appearances and kingship over his family. Or she may have simply been impatient, prideful, and lacking understanding of David’s devotion to God. However, her barrenness implies the Lord’s displeasure with her criticism of David.
Michal next appears in 2 Samuel 21:8-9, given to the Gibeonites along with her five sons to be killed to atone for Saul’s sin against them. This refers to sons she adopted or bore later in life, possibly by Palti. In any case, Saul’s family line was decimated as part of God’s judgment.
Ultimately, the inclusion of Michal in key moments of David’s early reign points to God’s sovereignty. Despite Saul’s efforts to eliminate David using Michal as bait, God protected David. God even used Michal’s loyalty to help establish David’s kingdom. Yet He later allowed distance and discord in David and Michal’s marriage to reinforce that Michal’s family would not rule Israel — David’s would. Her childlessness and her sons’ deaths leave no doubt. Long before David became king, God appointed him as Saul’s successor and eliminated contenders to the throne, including Michal. God faithfully orchestrated events so that His chosen king would reign.
Now, looking closer at the story of David and Michal provides valuable insights into practicing our faith:
1. God is faithful to His promises. From the outset, the Lord makes clear David will be king after Saul. He preserves and protects David despite Saul’s efforts against him. God’s purposes stand, no matter what schemes people devise. We too can trust God’s faithfulness to His promises in our lives.
2. God sees the heart. Michal appeared a loving, loyal wife early on. But her contempt for David’s worship reveals a heart not wholly devoted to the Lord. In contrast, David’s heart pursued God above all. As Samuel did when anointing David, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). We must guard our hearts to please the Lord.
3. Rejoicing in the Lord is always right. David refused to diminish his joyful worship before the Ark, even for his wife’s approval. We too must obey God above all others, rejoicing in Him unashamedly, whether understood or not.
4. Disobedience has consequences. Michal’s scorn for David’s worship led to barrenness. Saul’s disobedience led to destruction of his family. Sin bears consequences in this life. We must believe God’s Word and walk in His ways to avoid repercussions ourselves.
5. God uses all things for good. Though Saul tried to use Michal against David, God still blessed David mightily through his marriage to Michal. Nothing can thwart God’s purposes. When we follow Him, He works even adversity for our good.
6. Unity matters. David and Michal’s fractured relationship depicts the discord that comes from misaligned priorities. Unity suffers when our focus shifts from God. For marriages and all relationships to thrive, affection must flow from hearts united in loving God supremely.
7. Forgiveness heals. Scripture is silent on how David responded to Michal’s scorn toward him. Regardless, he could have forgiven her offenses to help heal their marriage. Where relationships are strained, offering grace and extending mercy as God has for us can foster restoration.
8. Hardships develop character. David endured stingy relationships, uttered threats, unjust persecution and more as God molded him into Israel’s king. Through tests of faith, God also shapes our character to reflect that of Christ.
9. God cares about our motives. When David retrieved the Ark, his motivation was to honor God by following His instructions properly, unlike before. What motivates our worship matters to God. We must examine our hearts to serve out of reverence for God rather than self-interest.
10. Emotions must submit to authority. Michal acted on her personal disgust over David’s joyful procession and spoke against the one God appointed as king. Feeling offended does not justify speaking critically against rightful authority. We are likewise called to respect and submit to leadership.
11. Reputation matters. As king, David prioritized honoring God above his wife’s approval or embarrassment because he represented God’s rule. Likewise, our first concern must be protecting the reputation of Christ. Our conduct and attitudes reflect on our Lord.
12. God hates sin. When Saul disobeyed God regarding the Amalekites, God ultimately brought his family line to ruin. God cannot overlook unrepentant sin, no matter one’s position. His holiness requires justice but thankfully, His mercy offers redemption if we repent.
13. God rewards faithful service. David waited years to become king yet served Saul faithfully despite mistreatment. His patience was rewarded with the throne. When we serve cheerfully in difficult circumstances, God sees and will reward our faithfulness in due time.
14. Hope sustains. During long years fleeing Saul, David had only God’s promise he would be king one day. This hope gave him strength when discouraged. Through Christ, we too have a sure hope that sustains us through present trials until His return.
15. Bitterness hurts us most. If Michal harbored bitterness toward David, she damaged herself most. Bitterness breeds discontent, steals joy, and severs relationships. By God’s grace, we can surrender any offense to reap the peace of forgiveness instead.
16. Our calling matters most. David prioritized his God-given role over even his marriage. Likewise, we hold many roles, but pursuing God’s will for our lives takes precedence. When we obey our holy calling, we can trust God to care for the rest.
17. Wait on God’s timing. David had to wait years between being anointed and becoming king. Yet he refused to undermine Saul to speed God’s timing. It is wise to let God fulfill His perfect plan in His time, not force outcomes ourselves.
18. Be still before God. David insisted on celebrating properly before God when retrieving the Ark. He recognized the holiness of the moment rather than rushing on to his next task. We too must pause at pivotal times to exalt God through prayer and worship.
19. Priorities clarify purpose. David’s priority was knowing God, not appearances. He acted on this conviction even under criticism. Clear priorities centered on our relationship with God provide stability when navigating circumstances and decisions.
20. God finishes His work. Despite opposition, God established David’s kingdom just as He promised. God always finishes what He starts. We never have to worry that God will abandon the work He began in our lives. He will perfect it to the day of Christ.
In summary, David and Michal’s story provides many valuable lessons for our walk with God. It reveals His sovereignty, the importance of whole-hearted worship of Him alone, and how He faithfully accomplishes His plans. We see through David an example of patience, service, and honor for God in difficult circumstances. Through Michal, we see the fruits of a bitter, hard heart set against God’s anointed and appointed authority. Though counterintuitive to our human wisdom, the way to joy and blessing is found in pursuing intimacy with God above all else. When faced with challenges in relationships and responsibilities, we must remember Whom we ultimately serve and trust God with both present circumstances and future outcomes. Just as God purposefully worked all things together to establish David’s reign, we can trust Him to redeem our mistakes and orchestrate the details of our lives for His glory.
1 Samuel 14:49 – Saul’s daughter Michal
1 Samuel 18:20-27 – David marries Michal
1 Samuel 19:11-17 – Michal helps David escape from Saul
1 Samuel 25:44 – Saul gives Michal to Palti
2 Samuel 3:13-16 – David demands and takes Michal back
2 Samuel 6:16-23 – Michal scorns David’s celebration
2 Samuel 21:8-9 – Michal’s sons killed by Gibeonites
1 Samuel 16:7 – The Lord looks at the heart
2 Samuel 7:12-16 – God’s promise to establish David’s kingdom
Psalm 33:4 – God’s word is trustworthy
1 Peter 1:13 – Setting your hope on future grace
James 1:2-4 – Trials develop perseverance and maturity
Romans 8:28 – In all things, God works for the good
Colossians 3:13 – Forgive as the Lord forgave you
Romans 12:19 – Let God avenge, do not repay evil for evil
1 Timothy 5:17 – Respect and submit to authority
Titus 3:1-2 – Slander and quarreling must be avoided
1 Corinthians 10:31 – Do all for the glory of God
Galatians 6:9 – Do not grow weary in doing good
Psalm 37:7 – Wait patiently on the Lord
Philippians 1:6 – God will complete His work in us
Proverbs 4:23 – Guard your heart diligently
Acts 5:29 – Obey God rather than man
Zephaniah 3:17 – God rejoices over His people with singing
1 Corinthians 14:40 – All things must be done properly and in order
Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your works to the Lord
Psalm 27:14 – Wait patiently for the Lord’s deliverance
Philippians 3:13-14 – Press on toward the goal for the prize
Romans 12:2 – Be transformed by the renewing of your mind
Ephesians 4:2 – Walk in humility, gentleness, and patience
Hebrews 12:2 – Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith
