When Imagination Finds Favour: Saul, David, and the Pleasing Offering of Abel

In 1 Samuel 16, Saul—the reigning king and symbol of the current dominant perception or "man"—sends for David:

“Then said Saul to Jesse, ‘Send me your son David, which is with the sheep.’” (1 Samuel 16:11)
“And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, ‘Let David stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.’” (1 Samuel 16:22)

At a glance, these verses describe a historical event. Yet beneath the surface, they echo a profound psychological and spiritual concept about consciousness, alignment, and manifestation—mirroring the symbolic drama first revealed in Genesis 4:4-7.

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God’s Pleasure in Abel’s Offering and Saul’s Favour toward David

In Genesis 4, we read:

“And Abel gave an offering of the young lambs of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord was pleased with Abel’s offering;
But in Cain and his offering he had no pleasure.” (Genesis 4:4-5, BBE)

God’s pleasure in Abel’s offering signals alignment between the inner imaginative state and divine order—Abel’s offering represents the “feeling of the wish fulfilled,” the assumption of already being, which evokes harmony and favour.

Fast forward to 1 Samuel 16, Saul’s words,

“He hath found favour in my sight,”

echo this divine pleasure. Here, Saul’s favour toward David symbolises the outer consciousness recognising and accepting the new imaginal state, David, the beloved and favoured son who embodies the fulfilled assumption.

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The Parallel Between Abel and David: Inner State Favoured by Awareness

Abel and David both represent the inner man, the imaginal self aligned with divine order and spiritual truth. Abel’s offering pleases God because it reflects an internal state of alignment—imagination manifesting harmony.

Similarly, David finds favour in Saul’s sight because he represents that new assumed state ready to be acknowledged and expressed in outer reality.

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Saul and Cain: Outer Resistance to Inner Truth

Saul’s initial hesitation and eventual acceptance of David mirror Cain’s resistance to Abel’s inner reality. Saul, like Cain, stands for the outer conscious mind that is tied to appearances and old assumptions.

The transition from rejection to favour represents the turning point when the outer mind accepts the new inner state—when imagination takes precedence over limiting outer facts.

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Neville Goddard’s Law of Assumption in Play

Neville’s teaching that “feeling is the secret” is demonstrated here in both stories:

• Abel’s offering pleases because it is given in the feeling of the fulfilled state.

• David is favoured because he embodies the inner feeling that must be assumed before manifestation.

Saul’s favour is symbolic of the outer world reflecting your inner assumption once it is held firmly in consciousness.

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Conclusion: The Spiritual Law of Favour and Manifestation

The Bible’s narrative reveals a repeating spiritual principle:

• God’s pleasure in Abel’s offering illustrates the harmony of aligned imagination and consciousness.

• Saul’s favour toward David mirrors this acceptance, signalling the outer world’s readiness to manifest the new inner state.

The message is clear: When your inner assumption aligns with the feeling of the wish fulfilled, the outer world “finds favour” with you. You move from misalignment and “sin waiting at the door” to a state where your imagination shapes reality.