When the King of terrors comes knocking, how precious to have the King of kings answer the door.
In our passage today (1 Sam 23:14-29), David and his valiant 600 are moving from one hideout to another along the southern border of Israel. Anyone who has traversed this territory knows what a menacing land it is. The first hideout was “in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph” (v 14). This desert region extended east of the city by the same name, only 4.5 miles (7 km) southeast of Hebron. While there, Jonathan went to meet with David, “and strengthened his hand in God” (v 16). On that occasion, he said, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you” (v 17). In his beautiful sketch of Jonathan, C.H. Waller writes: “Were the bright words of Jonathan a mistake—the untimely offspring of his own desires? I think not…These words Jonathan spoke not of himself, but he was strengthening the hand of David in God. He had made a covenant with David, which is mentioned seven times over, and we cannot but wonder if Jonathan knew the true force of those words…Was he looking beyond?” Don’t be surprised if he is yet beside David in that kingdom still future. Now although the wilderness of Ziph is almost impassable for an enemy army, the Ziphites were always eager to inform Saul of David’s whereabouts (v 19). As David declared, “There is but a step between me and death” (20:3). And yet there is Someone who intervenes within the distance of that step. David wrote Psalm 57, titled “when he fled from Saul into the cave.” There we read, “In the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by” (v 1). Death may be just one stride away, but what does it matter when we’re enwrapped in the wings of the Lord?