1 Samuel 20
Fear is the enemy, and so the question must be asked, does God use fear to put somebody or something in the order of His will? We are often told in Scripture to fear God, to have a worshipful understanding of God’s authority over all life. But we are also commanded in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
If fear is allowed to take up residence in one's life it has a reverse affect than what love would do, Where love is patient, fear is not, where love is kind, fear is not, where love does not envy or boast, fear does. Fear always insists on its own way, Love does not. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, fear does not have the ability to do any of these!
It is always a choice to obey God or to put self in the driver's seat. And it is also evident that when looking at His commandments, there are no ifs in them. The if’s, when allowed bring Rebellion into our heart and minds and it is ever so clear as we look at two men, Jonathan and Saul. Saul’s rebellion began when he allowed fear of men over the fear of God, and he tried using the if’s to justify his action with Samuel. Fear is a sin, many places in Scripture we are admonished to look to the Lord when apprehension comes to our door.
As we explore chapter 20, we see David fleeing from Naioth in Ramah and coming to Jonathan to ask this question; what have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life? Now it seems that the King has done a good job of hiding his fear of David to this point from Jonathan, and so David makes his case before Jonathan and the two of them devise a plan to look into Saul's heart.
This is the deal, David is required to eat at the Kings table, and his place is empty, and the first day Saul did not say anything because he believed David was not clean so he would not come into the Kings presence, but on the second day Saul inquires of his son about David. And Jonathan told him the lie that he had agreed to speak to get his reactions. He did not get what he had hoped for, shall we look at verses 30-34, “Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David because his father had disgraced him.”
The next morning Jonathan followed the plan he and David had come up with and went into the field with a young boy and shot the three arrows, and as the kid was looking for them, these were the code words to David, get out of Dodge. Not the words, these were the words found in verse 37-38, “And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.”
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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