Why is David's throne established by so much deceit?
This question made note that David acts in a deceitful manner towards the priest when he goes to ask for help as he flees from Saul. This isn't the only time, however, that deceit is a feature in David's ascension to the throne. In 1 Samuel 19, Michal helps David escape from Saul's men by dressing up an idol in his bed and letting him escape through the window. In chapter 20, Jonathan and David create a ruse wherein Saul is told that David has gone home to sacrifice with his family. In chapter 21 we have the already mentioned story with Ahimelech and then another where David pretends to be a madman so that Achish king of Gath does not kill him. Even the very beginning of David's story starts in this manner, oddly with God telling Samuel to tell Saul that Samuel is simply going to Bethlehem to make a sacrifice.
Since this is clearly a recurring theme, what is the author trying to communicate through it?
From a theological point of view, though the author would not have known it, the deceit involved in David as a type or shadow of Christ, as well as that of Jacob and others, intends to convey that when the Messiah comes, he would be hidden from the masses.
When David asks for bread it, he prefigures Christ being made a high priest through death, since he was separated from the flesh (women) for three days.
Micah's idol prefigures Christ as an idol. The people worshiped him not for who he really was, but for a Messiah made in their image. He escapes through the window an a parallel story with the spies at Jericho.
Jonathon's ruse prefigures that although Christ has gone to make the sacrifice, he is still with us.
When David pretends to be a mad man, it prefigures the incarnation where he became like us. He could live among us as long as we didn't take his claim to be God too seriously.
And Samuel told no lie. Obedience is a better sacrifice, and he was obeying God.
The riddles are all a type of deceit, without lying, since they are intended to hide the truth in plain sight until the appointed time.
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
