"So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

"As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter, looked out of the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart" (2 Sam. 6:15-16).

Notice how David's wife, Michal, reacted when she saw David dancing before the Lord. She didn't run up to him and give him a big hug around the neck and a kiss on the cheek, she despised him in her heart.

Then David returned to bless his household. And [his wife] Michal, daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, who stripped himself of his kingly robes and uncovered himself in the eyes of his servants' maids as one of the worthless fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"
(2 Sam. 6:20)

She was so ashamed of him, she was offended at what he did—he had embarrassed her.

Look at verse 21:

David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord, Who chose me above your father and all his house to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord. Therefore will I make merry [in pure enjoyment] before the Lord."
(2 Sam. 6:21 AMP)

You have to read between the lines here. I can just imagine by her response, how offended and disgusted she was with him. He had embarrassed her.

A wife has a way of saying things to her husband. She knows which buttons to push. We can say things with just a little edge to our voice—that can set off World War III. Am I right?

Well, I believe that's what Michal did that day with David. She went up to him and said, "How dare you, you're the king! You've stripped yourself as some worthless fellow out in the streets. You have humiliated me! You have embarrassed me!" (Author's paraphrase)

She gave him a piece of her mind. And notice his response: "It was before the Lord who chose me above your father...." I mean, he's telling her off.

He said, "God chose me before your own father...." He's putting her down. There were some words exchanged that day, probably quite a few more than what we see written here.

I will be still more lightly esteemed than this, and will humble and lower myself in my own sight [and yours]. But by the maids you mentioned, I will be held in honor. And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
(2 Sam. 6:22-23 AMP)

A seminary student pointed out to me one time that the reason she didn't have children was because David was never intimate with her again after that day.

Whether that's true or not, you can decide. Because of an offense in her heart, their marriage never reached the full potential that God had intended for it to reach. Think about that.

It could be the case in your marriage. Go back and look at these verses here. Quite possibly David became offended at her, and she became offended at him and there was no more intimacy between the two of them which prevented them from ever having children.

What does this speak of allegorically? You get offended in Jesus and what Jesus is doing to others, and you will be smitten with barrenness because the Bridegroom won't have intimacy with you. You will be barren in your spirit, barren in your life, barren in your ministry, and barren in your church.

Let's make the decision not to be offended—today!

Source: Conquering The Spirit Of Offense by Carolyn Savelle.
Excerpt permission granted by Jerry Savelle Publications