'Household Images' and a Heart Like God's

Then Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death."  So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped.  Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with clothes. When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick." (1 Samuel 19:11-14 NASB)

 One of the things about David that is often pointed out is that he is considered by God to be a man after His own heart.  In other words, David has a heart like God's heart (1 Samuel 13:14).  It's not a pursuit, it's a quality of David's heart already.  I think it's interesting that having a heart like God's doesn't mean that David doesn't make mistakes.

The other thing most pointed out about David is his sin; usually David, Bathsheba, and Uriah the Hittite.  But what about the issue of David having an idol in his house while God is using him with Saul and the armies of Israel?  That's one we don't bring up much when we think of David, sin, and having a 'heart like God's heart.'

Samuel condemns these 'household idols' before Saul, and the implication is that he had wiped them out in Israel (1 Samuel 15:23 'idolatry').  So it's not likely that Michal brought it from her father's house.  I think this is David's 'household image'.  This term is one of those Hebrew words which is translated differently depending upon the context, but I think it's a common term used for a fairly common item.

I find a few common things:  1) they are condemned from Judges to Samuel to Kings, and into the prophets.  2) they are common in Israel and Judah.  Those are really somewhat odd when you think about it.  How can they be condemned and still be common?  I have a theory (go figure).

I suspect that the term used (which is not the normal term for 'idol'), is more of a common term for a category of object.  It's not an object from or used in a sacred site or temple.  Rather I think it's a common object used in a house or home.  I also suspect that it was an image of some sort of animal or bird or person.  Like a picture on a wall we use now.

Because of that, whether it's used for worship or other purposes may not be necessarily consistent. I'm not saying it was a paperweight for David, but Saul worshiped his (at least not according to 1 Samuel 15:23).  I'm saying that these household objects were a problem in that they were a violation of a basic command of God: not to make an image representing any created thing (Exodus 20:4).  I think that was the problem.  It was a compromise.

So here's what I learn from this:  A heart like my Master's heart is still a human heart, and not without compromise.  So, I know that I sometimes discover areas of my life and heart that I have been blind to; that are contrary to my Master's commands.  What I do with that discovery is where the character of my heart being like my Master's heart becomes evident.  Do I repent?  Do I change my mind to agree with the mind of my Master?

I have to remember that the 'heart' as Scripture uses the term is different than we typically use the same term.  It's not the same as 'mind' and it's not the seat of the emotions (like it is for us).  A heart like my Master's doesn't mean I 'think' like Him, it means that I pursue with dogged determination what He pursues to the same degree.  I'm faithful to the end, I'm patient to wait for Him, I never waver in my belief in His goodness.  But I may have 'teraphim' in my life that need to go.

Keep in mind that this 'household image' wasn't so precious to David that he takes it with him when he leaves.  So, what will I do when I find these things in my life, these unknown compromises with my Master's commands?  That's the question I have to ask myself from this passage.  I'm not sure David ever recognized the problem with his, Scripture never says.  But that's beside the point.  What will I do?  When his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah was pointed out, David repented (although I'm sure he was aware of that one).  What will I do when I discover my own?