“Glory to the Precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

2 Corinthians 4: 8, 9

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 

persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

Even if we, the bride, the church are oppressed on all sides, we should not be weary.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in the portion of the Bible that we meditated upon in the past days, we meditated that in our soul, the bride, the church we should put on Christ then the Lord will not submit us into the hands of the enemy.

Next what we are meditating upon is that 1 Samuel 23: 15 - 21 So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. 

Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 

And he said to him, “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. Even my father Saul knows that.” 

So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.

Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 

Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.

According to what is written in the above-mentioned verses, David feared Saul and stayed in one of the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph and we can read that. So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “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. Even my father Saul knows that.” So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house. Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.” And Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me.

But what Saul told them was that 1 Samuel 23: 22, 23 Please go and find out for sure, and see the place where his hideout is, and who has seen him there. For I am told he is very crafty. 

See therefore and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout all the clans of Judah.”

By these words, Saul wants to know if surely David is there. Also, regarding David what Saul said is that he is very crafty. Because Saul said in this manner, they arose and went before Saul to the city of Ziph. Then when this was informed to David, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon. Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. So David made haste to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were encircling David and his men to take them. But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!” Therefore Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines; so they called that place the Rock of Escape. Then David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at En Gedi.

My dear people, the facts mentioned above are that those who have put on Christ, will become afraid of the tribulations that are coming against them and will lose the spiritual blessings that they have received. And to show this as a pattern, God is telling regarding David that he stayed in strongholds in the wilderness and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. And when the Lord was his protection, he knew that Saul was coming with his army David comes down from the mountain and stays in the forest. The life in a forest means that fearing those with evil spirit and living with stunted growth in the Spirit. 

In this manner, when David was in the forest Jonathan came and is telling him the word of the Lord as comfort. Then the people of the city of Ziph are also working against David. They are telling Saul about the place where David was staying. But Saul is calling David as crafty. 

My dear people, whom the Lord loves is that those who obey his voice. So the companions of Saul were jealous upon those whom the Lord loved. Those who are jealous means they will be oppressing the children of God. But those who are oppressed will be blessed by the Lord. The pattern of this is David. But by words or by deeds those who are oppressing others will be cursed by God. The pattern of this is Saul. But he who is oppressing, his heart will always be evil and will always speak things of guile and will be of evil deeds. His end is death and as we go on we come to know from the days of Saul. But David, who lived truthfully and uprightly for the Lord were encircled by Saul and his people and when they came near, God safeguarded David in a fraction of a second and we can read how God did not submit him in their hands and protected him. 

Therefore, my dear people, if we will also walk in a way pleasing to the Lord then God will safeguard us in this manner, and this is sure. In this manner, even if our enemy oppresses us the Lord will bless us. Therefore, even if we are crushed on all sides, we must not be weary and let us submit ourselves.

Let us pray. May the Lord bless you all abundantly. 

- To be continued