FROM amid the brilliant luster of the valley of Elah, David passed into very different scenes in the household of Saul, where envious looks, and heartless attempts upon his life, were the only returns for the soothing notes of his harp, and the valiant exploits of his sling and his sword. Saul owed his continuance on the throne, under God, to David, yet the javelin was Saul's return. But the Lord in His mercy kept His dear servant, amid all the intricacies of his extremely difficult position. “David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him. Wherefore, when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.”
Thus was David, while anointed king of Israel, called upon to-endure the hatred and reproach of the ruling power, though loved by all who were enabled to trace his moral worth. It was impossible that Saul and David could continue to dwell together; they were men of totally opposite principles, and, therefore, a separation should take place. David knew that he was anointed king, but, inasmuch as Saul occupied the throne, he was quite content to wait for God's time, when all that was true of him in principle should be fully actualized. Till then, the Spirit of Christ led him to take his place outside.
The path of an exile—of a pilgrim and stranger—of a homeless wanderer, lay before the anointed king of Israel, and he forthwith entered upon it. His way to the throne lay through multiplied sorrows and difficulties. He, like his blessed Master and antitype, was called to suffering first, and glory afterward.
David would have served Saul to the end—he honored him as the Lord's anointed. If the moving of his finger would have set him on the throne, he would not have taken advantage of it. Of this we have the fullest evidence in his having twice saved his life, when, to all appearance, the Lord had put him in his power. David waited simply upon God Here was his strength, his elevation, his entire dependence. He could say, "my soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him." Hence we see that David was carried happily through all the snares and dangers of his path as a servant in the household and army of Saul. The Lord delivered him from every evil work, and preserved him unto that kingdom which He had prepared for him, and to which it was His purpose to raise him, "after that he had suffered a while." David had, as it were, but just issued from the place of secret discipline and training, to appear in the battle field, and, having accomplished his work there, he was called to take his place again on the form, to learn some deeper lessons in the school of Christ. The Lord's lessons are often painful and difficult, because of the waywardness or indolence of our hearts; but every fresh lesson learned, every fresh principle imbibed, only fits us the more for all that is yet before us. It is truly blessed to be the disciples of Christ, and to yield ourselves to His gracious discipline and training. The end will unfold to us the blessedness of such a place. Nor need we wait for the end; even now, the soul finds it most happy to be subject, in all things, to the Master. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Inc; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-3028Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28‑30).) There are, we may say, three rests spoken of in scripture; first, the rest which, as sinners, we find in the accomplished work of Christ; second, the present rest, which, as saints, we find in being entirely subject to the will of God. This is opposed to restlessness. Thirdly, the rest that remains for the people of God.
Now, David knew much of the blessedness of the second of these rests, inasmuch as he was entirely subject to the counsel and will of God, in reference to the kingdom. He was prepared to wait for God's time, being assured that it was the best and wisest time. He could say,
“My times are in thy hand;
Father, I wish them there.”
This subjection is truly desirable; it saves one from much anxiety of heart and restlessness. When one walks in the habitual conviction that "all things are working together for good," the spirit is most wonderfully tranquillized. We shall never set about planning for ourselves, if we believe that God is planning for us; we shall be satisfied to leave all to Him. But, alas! how often is it otherwise with us. How often do we vainly imagine that we can manage matters far better than the blessed God. We may not say so in so many words; yet we virtually feel and act as if it were so. The Lord grant unto us a more subdued and confiding spirit. The supremacy of the will of God over that of the creature will characterize the millennial age; but the saint is called now to let the will of God rule him in all things.
It was this subjection of spirit that led David to give way, in the matter of the kingdom, and to take his place in the lonely cave of Adullam. He left Saul, and the kingdom, and his own destinies, in the hands of God, assured that all would yet be well. And, oh! how happy was it for him to find himself outside the unhealthy atmosphere of Saul's house, and from under the jealous glance of Saul's eye! He could breathe more freely in the cave, however it might seem in man's view, than in the household of Saul. So will it ever be; the place of separation is the freest and the happiest. The Spirit of the Lord was departed from Saul, and this was faith's warrant for separation from his person, while, at the same time, there was the fullest subjection to his power as the king of Israel. The intelligent mind will have no difficulty in distinguishing between these two things. The separation and the subjection should both be complete.
But we must view Saul not only in a secular but also in a religious point of view; and it was in reference to the religious element in his personal character, and official capacity, that there was the greatest need for distinct and decided separation. Saul had manifested throughout a desire to rule the conscience in religious matters; witness the scene in chap. 14, where, as we have seen, spiritual energy was cramped and hindered by Saul's religious rule. Now, when such rule is set up, there is no alternative but separation. When form without power prevails, the solemn word of the Holy Ghost is, "from such turn away." Faith never stops to inquire, Whither shall I "turn"? No; the word is, "turn away." We are told what to turn away from, and we may be sure that, when we have yielded obedience to this, we shall be left at no loss as to the rest.
However, we shall see this principle in a much clearer light when we regard David in a typical point of view. In reality, David was forced into the place of separation, and thus, as one rejected of man, and anointed of God, we see him a type of Christ, in His present rejection. David was, in principle, God's king, and, as such, experienced man's hostility, being driven into exile to avoid death. The cave of Adullam became the great gathering point for all who loved David, and were wearied of the unrighteous rule of Saul. So long as David remained in the king's house, there was no call upon any one to separate; but the moment the rejected David took his place outside, no one could remain neutral; wherefore we read, "Every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men." Here was, then, the line of distinction clearly marked. It was now David or Saul. All who loved form,—loved an empty name,—a powerless office, continued to adhere to Saul; but all who were dissatisfied with these things, and loved the person of God's anointed king, flocked around him in the hold. The prophet, priest, and king were there,—the thoughts and sympathies of God were there, and though the company assembled there must have presented a strange appearance to the carnal and the worldly, yet it was a company gathered round the person of David, and linked with his destinies. It was composed of men, who, in their original condition, had sunk to the very lowest ebb, but who were now deriving character and distinction from their nearness and devotedness to the person of the beloved. Away from Saul—away from all that marked the day of his power—they could enjoy the sweetness of unhindered fellowship with the person of him who, though now rejected, was, ere long, to ascend the throne and wield the scepter, to the glory of God, and the joy of His people.
Reader, you may observe in David, and his despised and disreputable company, a precious sample of the true David, and those who prefer companionship with Him to all the joys, the honors, and emoluments of earth. What had those who had cast in their lot with David to do with the interests of Saul? Just nothing. They had found a new object, a new center, and communion therewith separated them from all beside. Nor was their place about the person of David, at all dependent on, or connected with, what they had been. No; it mattered not what they had been; they were now the servants of David, and he was their captain. This gave them their character.
They had cast in their lot with God's exile; their interest and his were identical. Happy they! Happy to escape from the rule and influence of Saul—still more happy to find themselves in companionship with God's prophet, priest, and king. Their discontent, their distress, their debt, were all forgotten in their new circumstances. The grace of David was their present portion, the glory of David their future prospect. Just so should it be with Christians now. We have all, through grace, and the gentle leadings of the Father, found our way to Jesus—the anointed and rejected Jesus—now hidden with God. No doubt we all had our respective features of character in the days of our guilt and folly—some discontented, some in distress, all in heavy debt to God, wretched and miserable, ruined and guilty, void of everything which could attract the thoughts and affections of Christ;—God has led us to the feet of His dear Son, where we have found pardon and peace through His precious blood;̈Jesus has removed our discontent-alleviated our distress—canceled our debt—brought us near unto His beloved person. What return are we making for all this grace? Are we gathering, in ardent affection, round the captain of our salvation? Are we weaned from the state of things under Saul? Are we living as those who are waiting for the moment when our David shall mount the throne? Are our affections set upon things above? “If ye then be risen with Christ," says the apostle," seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:1-41If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1‑4)).
It is greatly to be feared that few really enter into the true nature and practical consequences of their position, as associated with the crucified and risen Jesus—few really enter into the depth and meaning of our Lord's words, "they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world;" or of the Spirit's word, "the Sanctifier and the sanctified are all of one." The measure of the saint's separation from the world is nothing less than Christ's; i.e., the principle of it; looked at practically, alas! it is quite another thing; but in principle there is no difference. It is of vast importance to enforce this principle just now. The actual standing, calling, and hopes of the Church are but very imperfectly understood. The feeblest believer in Jesus is, in God's view, as separate from all belonging to earth as Jesus. It is not a matter of attainment, but of positive, simple, abstract standing not an object after which we must strive, but a point from which we must start. Many have been led astray by the idea that we must work up to a heavenly position by shaking of the things of earth. This is to begin at the wrong end. It is the same error, only in reference to another department of truth, as to assert that we must work up to a condition of justification, by mortifying the sins of the flesh. Now, we do not mortify self in order to be justified, but because we are justified; yea, dead and risen with Christ. In like manner, we do not put away things of earth, in order to become heavenly, but because we are so. We have the heavenly calling independent of everything, and in proportion as we enter into it, will we be separate from earth. But to make our standing the result of conduct, instead of conduct the result of standing, is a grievous error. Ask a saint, really intelligent as to the heavenly calling, to give a reason for his standing apart from the present system of things, what will be his reply? Will he tell you that he does so in order to become heavenly? Nay. Will he tell you that it is because the present system is under judgment? Nay. No doubt it is under judgment, but this is not the true ground of separation. What, then? "We are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God."—"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." "Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling" (κλησεως επουρανιου μετοχοι). Here we have the grand reason for the saint's present separation from the world. It does not matter what the world is, be it good or bad; he is not of it, though in it, as the place of his daily toil, conflict, and discipline.
Christians should ponder well the heavenly calling; it is the only thing that will give full deliverance from the power and influence of worldliness. Men may seek abstraction from the world in various ways, but there is only one in which to attain separation from it. Again, men may seek to render themselves unearthly in various ways; there is only one way in which we can become really heavenly. Abstraction is not separation; nor is unearthliness to be mistaken for heavenliness. The monastic system illustrates very fully the distinction between these things. A monk is unearthly, in a certain sense, but by no means heavenly; be is unnatural, but by no means spiritual; he is abstracted from the world, but by no means separated from it.
Now, the heavenly calling enables a man to see his entire separation from, and elevation above, the world, in virtue of what Christ is, and where He is. The heart instructed by the Holy Ghost, as to the meaning of Heb. 2:1111For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:11), knows the secret of his deliverance from the principles, habits, pursuits, feelings, and tendencies, of this present age. The Lord Jesus has taken His place on high, as head of the body, the Church; and the Holy Ghost has come down to lead all the foreknown and predestinated members of the body into living fellowship with the living Head, now rejected from earth, and hidden with God. Hence in the gospel, as preached by Paul, the remission of sins is inseparably connected with the heavenly calling, inasmuch as he preached the unity of the one body on earth with its Head in heaven. He preached justification, not merely as an abstract thing, but as the result of what the Church is, as one with Jesus, who is now at the right hand of God, Head over all things to His Church, angels and principalities being made subject to Him. Paul preached remission of sins, no doubt, but he preached it with all the fullness, depth, power, and energy, which the doctrine of the Church imparts to it.
The epistle to the Ephesians teaches us not only that God can forgive sinners, but far more than this, it unfolds to us the wondrous truth, that believers are members of the body of Christ; "for we," says the apostle, "are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." Again, " But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved); and bath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. "Again," Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. "These passages present far more than mere remission of sins. To be the bride of the Lamb is a very much higher, very much more glorious thing, than merely to have our sins forgiven.
“Yet 'tis not that we know the joy
Of cancell'd sin alone,
But, happier far, thy saints are call'd
To share thy glorious throne,”
Just so; the blessed God has gone beyond all man's thoughts in His mode of dealing with the Church, He has called us, not only to walk here below in the full sense of His pardoning love, but also to know the love of Christ to His body, the Church, and the high and holy dignity of that Church, as seated in the heavenlies.
My reader may, perhaps, inquire, what has the Cave of Adullam to do with the Church's place in the heavens? It has to do with it only so far as it illustrates the present place of rejection into which Christ has entered, and which all must know who enjoy fellowship with Him. We are not to suppose, for a moment, that David's men knew anything about the heavenly calling, as the Church now knows it. We may frequently discover, in Old Testament Scripture, foreshadowing of the heavenly calling, in the characters, walk, and circumstances of certain prominent persons which are introduced to our notice; but this is a very different thing, indeed, from asserting that such persons actually knew the heavenly calling. The fact is, the heavenly calling, properly speaking, was not known until the Lord Jesus took His seat on high, and the Holy Ghost came down to baptize believers, Jew and Gentile, into one body; then the heavenly calling was developed in all its power and fullness. This truth was peculiarly committed to Paul; it was an essential part of the mystery committed to him, and was embodied in these words, "why persecutest thou me?" Saul was persecuting the saints, and the Lord Jesus appeared to him in heavenly glory, and told him that these saints were part of Himself. Henceforth this became Paul's great thesis; in it he found involved the unity of the Church, and the heavenly calling of the Church.
And let the reader observe, that all this was not merely an admission of the Gentile into the Jewish fold.No, it was simply a taking both Jew and Gentile out of their circumstances in nature, and setting them down in new circumstances—new to both. The work of the cross was needful to break down the middle wall of partition, and to make of twain one new man, i.e., to make of Jew and Gentile a new heavenly man, to be totally separated from earth and the things thereof. The present place of Christ in the heavens is connected with the rejection of Israel and the earth, during what is called the Church period, and this serves to bring out, still more fully and distinctly, the heavenly character of the Church of God. She lies completely outside the range of earth; she has nothing to do with "this present age" (τον νυν αιωνα); she belongs entirely to heaven, though manifesting, or at least, called to manifest, on earth, the living energy of the Holy Ghost who dwells in her.
Thus, as David's men were withdrawn from all connection with Saul's system, by virtue of their association with him, so all those, who are led by the Spirit to know their oneness with the absent Jesus, must feel themselves dissociated from present things, by reason of that blessed oneness.
Hence, if you ask a heavenly man why he does not mix himself up with the plans and pursuits of this age, his reply will be, because Christ is at the right hand of God, and I am identified with Him. The true way in which to test the various objects presented to the saint, is simply to ask, could the Lord Jesus engage in them? If not, we can have nothing whatever to do with them. All who understand the true nature of the heavenly calling will walk in separation from the world; but those who do not, will just take their portion here, and live as others.
Many, alas! are satisfied with the mere knowledge of the forgiveness of sins, and never think of going further. They have passed through the Red Sea, it may be, but manifest no desire to cross the Jordan, and eat the old corn of the land of promise. Just as it was in the day of David's rejection; there were multitudes of Israelites who did not cast in their lot with him; but this did not hinder their being Israelites. It was one thing to be an Israelite; it was another thing to be with David in the hold. Even Jonathan was not there; he still adhered to the old system of things. He, though loving David as his own soul, lived and died in companionship with Saul. True, he occasionally ventured to speak for David, and sought his company when he could. He had stripped himself to clothe David; but he did not cast in his lot with him. And, consequently, when the names and the deeds of David's worthies are heralded by the Holy Ghost, we look in vain for the name of the affectionate Jonathan; when the devoted companions of David's exile were mustering round his throne, and basking in the sunshine of his royal countenance, poor Jonathan was mingled with the dust, having ingloriously fallen, on Mount Gilboa, by the hands of the uncircumcised Philistines.
Oh! that all who profess to love the Lord Jesus Christ may seek a more decided identification with Him in this the time of His rejection. The citizens have sent a message after him, saying, "we will not have this man to reign over us;" and shall we go and associate ourselves with those citizens to forward their Christ-rejecting plans? God forbid. May our hearts be with Him where He is. May we know the hallowed fellowship of the Cave of Adullam, where the Prophet, Priest, and King, are to be found embodied in the beloved Person of Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins, in His own blood. We cannot walk with Saul and David at the same time; we cannot hold Christ and the world; we must take our choice. The Lord grant us grace to reject the evil and choose the good, remembering the solemn words of the apostle; "This is a faithful saying; for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us." This is the time of suffering, the time for enduring afflictions and hardness (κακοπθησον); we must wait for the time of rest. David's men were called, by reason of their association with him, to undergo much toil and fatigue, but love made all light and easy to them; and their names and exploits were all faithfully remembered, and minutely recorded when David was at rest in his kingdom. None were forgotten. The twenty-third chapter of 2 Samuel will furnish the reader with the precious catalog, and will, no doubt, lead his mind onward to the time when the Lord Christ shall reward His faithful servants—those who from love to His person, and by the energy of His Spirit, have performed acts of service for Him in the time of His rejection. These acts may not be seen, known, or thought of by men; but Jesus knows them, and will publicly declare them, from the throne of His glory. Who would ever have known the acts of David's worthies, if the Holy Ghost had not recorded them? Who would have known of the three who drew water from the well of Bethlehem? Who would have known of the slaying of a lion in a pit, in the time of snow? Just so now, many a heart throbs with love to the Person of the Savior, unknown to all; and many a hand may be stretched forth in service to Him, unobserved by every human eye. It is sweet to think it is so, specially in an age of cold formality like the present—sweet to think of those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Some there are, alas! who are not only indifferent to His beloved Person, but who even go so far as to traduce Him—to rob Him of His dignity, and make Him little better than Elias, or one of the prophets. But, my reader, we shall not dwell upon these; we have, thank God, a happier theme, and we shall, with His help, pursue it. We shall think of those valued men who risked their lives for the sake of their captain, and who, the instant he uttered his desire, were ready, at all cost, to gratify it. Love never pauses to calculate. It was quite sufficient for those worthies to know that David longed for a drink from the well of Bethlehem—the drink must be procured at all cost; "And these three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.”
Lovely scene Sweet sample of what the Church ought to be! Loving not her life unto the death, for Christ's sake. Oh! that the Holy Ghost may kindle within us a flame of ardent love to the Person of Jesus—may He unfold to our souls more of the divine excellencies of His Person, that we may know Him to be the fairest amongst ten thousand, and altogether lovely, and be able to say with a true worthy, "Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." (Phil. 3:88Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:8).)