July 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
441
the will of God and fled from the city. Saul sought to cap ture David, but Saul was not in the will of God and sought in vain (Prov. 28:5). “Evil men understand not judgment; but they that seek the Lord understand all things.” (John 7:17) “If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine» whether it be of God» or whether I speak of myself.” David withdrew from Keilah and his men separated into the strongholds of the wilderness. God’s plans must be worked out in His own way. He has servants of all kinds. He had prophets and priests. He had statesmen and sol diers. David and Jonathan are each in His will, and in His providences He will work out His plan. Jonathan goes to the forest to meet David and encourages him with v. 17: “Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king: over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father lgnoweth.” There are plenty of places and opportunities for the Jonathans. Leaders need words of appreciation and ap proval. David knew that he was the king and entitled to kingly place and power, but he must await God’s time. It was comforting to have Jonathan “ strengthen his hand in God.” Here are three verses which carry some sweet and ster ling messages. They suggest a picture that calls for the brush of an art ist as the anointed king and the son of the rejected king bow before the Lord and, with clasped hands, covenant to gether their mutual fidelity,—a covenant which they did not break (2 Sam. 21:7). (3) DAVID SPARES SAUL’S LIFE, Ch. 24. f‘I will not put forth mine hand against *** the Lord’s anointed.” v, 10. This chapter presents a drama in real life of unusual brilliance. The place— a cave. The personsr—two kings of God’s chosen people. The plot—the opportunity for one to settle forever their differences; the hatred of one; the for bearance of the other; the overruling providence of God; the finale. David is in the wilderness of Engedi where he had fled for safety from Saul. King Saul with 3000 men is pursuing him. When they come to the rocky hills Saul steps into a cave and lies down to sleep. David saw that it was his enemy that Providence had brought within his power. David’s men urged him to slay Saul. Had the conditions been reversed how quickly Saul would have slain David. An evil spirit possessed Saul as it did when he made his third attempt to kill David, (1 Sam. 19:9) but a good spirit possessed David. He stooped down and cut off a portion of Saul’s coat. Picture these two men in the dark cave,— Saul, with a heart darkened by jealousy and hatred, ready to murder. David, with a heart illumined by the wisdom of God, jealous for God’s righteous will. The scene changes, Saul is without the cave and David is calling him, “ My lord, the king!” David holds the por tion of Saul’s coat in his hand and tells Saul how easy it would have been to slay him. He compares himself to a “ dead dog” and a “ flea.” He quotes the proverb of the ancients, “Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand shall not be upon thee.” He lays the burden of the removal of Saul upon Jehovah (v. 12). “The r.ord Judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge thee of me; bnt mine hand shall not be upon thee.” Saul is subdued. He is convicted. He makes confession of his wrong and of David’s righteousness. He seeks a covenant with David in behalf of his seed which David makes good (2 Sam. 21:7).
We are studying human character when we study the Bible, and we have in this chapter some truths well worth emphasizing. The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked. Circumstances reveal this. ' Saul had some ’ fine traits, but he had an evil nature. (1 Cor. 2:14). “But the natural man receiyeth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness linto him; neither can he know them» because they are spiritually discerned.” What but the power of God could have stayed the hand of David in such an emergency? God tested him and he stood the test. Malice, wrath, revengeg-were all subdued in him by the power of God, in whom he trusted, and to whose will he submitted himself. Practical Lessons (1) The Lord Jesus is a rejected King. (2) The world knows Him not, but it is a sorrowful world. Sin has made havoc of human lives (Isa. 53:3). (3) Those who gather to our Lord are those who are dis tressed, discontented debtors—a mixed multitude. (4) Some among those who flee for refuge to Jesus, be come mighty men and women (1 Cor. 1:26-29). (5) Satan held the hand that slew the saints (22:18, 19). (6) Some suffer by reason of the sins of their fathers (2 Sam. 21:1). (7) Safety is found in the Saviour. (John 17:12). (8) Deliverance from danger was by the hand of the Lord. (Josh. 8 :7). : (9) Our hearts should be in harmony with the heart of God (1 John 3:20, 21). 1PP| I. 22:1, He was now an outcast from both nations. Is rael and Philistia were alike closed against him. There was no resource but that of an independent outlaw.-^- Stanley. 22:2. How many a persecute®1saint, COMMENTS of whom the world was not worthy, FROM THE has praised God, like David, for the COMMENTARIES shelter of some such dark, miserable V. V. Morgan hole.—-Blaikie. The distressed per sons were those who were persecuted under Saul’s government on account of their love for David. The debtors were such as, under Saul’s arbitrary misrule, were oppressed by their creditors, and received from the government no protection against the violation of the law of loan and interest (Exod. 22:25, Lev. 25:36, Deut. 23:19) Horn. Com. There is no straining of the meaning in dis covering in all this picture a type of the position of Jesus Christ in the world. He was despised and rejected of men; He had not where to lay his head; and the people who immediately surrounded Him were characterized by unaccountable expectations, personal inferiority, social de gradation, and also by need of every description; surely it was no valiant or brilliant host that gathered around the Son of God whilst He tenanted this Adullam cave which we call the earth.—Parker. As David then stood, so Christ, his illustrious descendant, “ according to the flesh,” now stands almost everywhere, misapprehended by the world where not hated and persecuted, and only surrounded by a little band of devoted followers, comparatively small and insignificant and for the most part contemptible in the eyes of the world, and, moreover, reviled by bitter ene mies. A world stands in arms against the decided follow ers of the crucified King of Glory, and they are dealt with as very outlaws, on whom anyone may lay his hands. But even to them also the time comes when, as our fugitive must exchange the cave of Adullam for gorgeous palace on Mount Zion, even so for those the simple dwelling in which the Church now gathers together shall become trans formed into a glorious building, irradiated with heavenly splendour.—Horn. Com. We learn from 2. Sam. 23:13 that three of his chief heroes came to him in the cave of Adullam, one of whom was his nephew Abishai, after wards a famous general. A little after (1 Chron. 11:15-19) occurred that noble act of loving daring, when the “ three mightiest” broke through the Philistine army and brought their leader water from the well of Bethlehem, for which
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