March 12 - I Samuel 20-23
This passage shows us the strong friendship between Jonathan and David, but it also shows David's anxiety. It really seems that the fear of Saul was weighing very heavily upon David, because he said that there was but a step between him and death. Even though David had the Spirit of the Lord upon him, he had killed Goliath, and he should have known that he could trust God to protect him until he became the king, he let the fear overcome him. This is always a danger for all of us. At any time we can revert back to acting in the flesh, if we do not constantly allow God to direct our thoughts and actions. We must be sensitive to His voice, and He will tell us when we have become disoriented toward His will.
In this case Jonathan helped David to escape the wrath of Saul, even though he knew David would be the next king instead of himself if David lived. He even made a covenant of friendship between his family and David's family, so that they each pledged loyalty not only between themselves but between their family members. That was a great act of friendship on Jonathan's part, but it was also very soothing to David in his fearful condition.
David's fear led him to lie to Ahimelech the priest and to pretend to be crazy when he came to Gath in his flight from Saul. These were examples of fleshly thinking. They were terrible sins, and the family of Ahimelech paid for David's sin with their lives. I think it was the news of the deaths that brought David to see that he must trust God and not his flesh in his fight against Saul. From that point we are told that David inquired of the Lord before he made decisions on how to proceed.
As David returned to trusting the Lord, God began to send him an army of men who were faithful to follow David and to aid in his protection. David did not ask God for this. This was God's way to protect David. It was much better than David's way. David's men grew from 400 to 600 in a short time, and with God's help to divert Saul using the Philistines, David remained secure. God always blesses us in a way that is greater than we would have thought possible, if we will do it His way and not our way. His way is not always the easy way, but when He goes with us, we are safe in His hands. I urge you to place yourself in His hands today. Do not let yourself fall back into trusting the flesh like David did here.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Samuel 24-27.
In this case Jonathan helped David to escape the wrath of Saul, even though he knew David would be the next king instead of himself if David lived. He even made a covenant of friendship between his family and David's family, so that they each pledged loyalty not only between themselves but between their family members. That was a great act of friendship on Jonathan's part, but it was also very soothing to David in his fearful condition.
David's fear led him to lie to Ahimelech the priest and to pretend to be crazy when he came to Gath in his flight from Saul. These were examples of fleshly thinking. They were terrible sins, and the family of Ahimelech paid for David's sin with their lives. I think it was the news of the deaths that brought David to see that he must trust God and not his flesh in his fight against Saul. From that point we are told that David inquired of the Lord before he made decisions on how to proceed.
As David returned to trusting the Lord, God began to send him an army of men who were faithful to follow David and to aid in his protection. David did not ask God for this. This was God's way to protect David. It was much better than David's way. David's men grew from 400 to 600 in a short time, and with God's help to divert Saul using the Philistines, David remained secure. God always blesses us in a way that is greater than we would have thought possible, if we will do it His way and not our way. His way is not always the easy way, but when He goes with us, we are safe in His hands. I urge you to place yourself in His hands today. Do not let yourself fall back into trusting the flesh like David did here.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Samuel 24-27.