Wednesday, September 7, 2005
STAND UP, STAND UP, FOR JESUS
It was expected that Saul's whole family, including David, would gather for the festival of the New Moon. David stayed away. Saul said nothing the first day, but when David was missing again the next day, Jonathan defended David's absence. "Then Saul's anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, ' . . . send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.' And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, 'Why should he be killed? What has he done?' Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David" (1 Samuel 20:30-33).
Jonathan informed David of his father's plans. From this time until Saul's death David was a fugitive, always running and hiding, going from one place to another to escape his own father-in-law's murderous intentions.
Now what about the Son of David, our Lord Jesus Christ? Did He also have to flee from those trying to kill Him? Yes, during His ministry the authorities from time to time pursued Him, trying to trap Him in His speech, trying to find grounds for punishment. Several times, the Bible says, they picked up stones to throw at Him, accusing Him of Sabbath-breaking and blasphemy. But Jesus always managed to escape, for the appointed hour of His suffering and death had not yet come.
Did the Son of David have any defenders in high places like David's friend Jonathan? Yes. One time (John 7) when the Pharisees were determined to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus dared to speak up for Him. "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" But even this mild defense brought about a swift reaction from the leaders. Just as Jonathan got in trouble with his father for defending David, so Nicodemus got in trouble with his fellow Pharisees when he dared to speak up for Jesus. They turned on him and said: "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee." As it was not safe to defend David, so it was not safe to defend David's Son Jesus. And it is not always safe for us now to believe in Him and confess His name. But safe or not, David's Son and Lord He remains, our Savior, who at God's right time went to the cross to take away our sins. May we always praise His name, even though such praise may lead the world and its leaders to "throw spears at us." May God give us strength to remain loyal to Jesus always.
