patriarchs and prophets-第156节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


water　that　was　at　his　bolster。　And　Saul　knew　David's　voice；　and　said；　Is
this　thy　voice；　my　son　David？　And　David　said；　It　is　my　voice；　my　lord；　O
king。　And　he　said；　Wherefore　doth　my　lord　thus　pursue　after　his　servant？　for
what　have　I　done？　or　what　evil　is　in　mine　hand？　Now　therefore；　I　pray　thee；
let　my　lord　the　king　hear　the　words　of　his　servant。〃　Again　the
acknowledgment　fell　from　the　lips　of　the　king；　〃I　have　sinned：　return；　my
son　David；　for　I　will　no　more　do　thee　harm；　because　my　soul　was　precious　in
thine　eyes　this　day：　behold；　I　have　played　the　fool；　and　have　erred
exceedingly。　And　David　answered　and　said；　Behold　the　king's　spear！　and　let
one　of　the　young　men　come　over　and　fetch　it。〃　Although　Saul　had　made　the
promise；　〃I　will　no　more　do　thee　harm；〃　David　did　not　place　himself　in　his
power。

The　second　instance　of　David's　respect　for　his　sovereign's　life　made　a　still
deeper　impression　upon　the　mind　of　Saul　and　brought　from　him　a　more　humble
acknowledgment　of　his　fault。

672

He　was　astonished　and　subdued　at　the　manifestation　of　such　kindness。　In
parting　from　David；　Saul　exclaimed；　〃Blessed　be　thou；　my　son　David：　thou
shalt　both　do　great　things；　and　also　shalt　still　prevail。〃　But　the　son　of
Jesse　had　no　hope　that　the　king　would　long　continue　in　this　frame　of　mind。

David　despaired　of　a　reconciliation　with　Saul。　It　seemed　inevitable　that　he
should　at　last　fall　a　victim　to　the　malice　of　the　king；　and　he　determined
again　to　seek　refuge　in　the　land　of　the　Philistines。　With　the　six　hundred
men　under　his　command；　he　passed　over　to　Achish；　the　king　of　Gath。

David's　conclusion　that　Saul　would　certainly　accomplish　his　murderous
purpose　was　formed　without　the　counsel　of　God。　Even　while　Saul　was　plotting
and　seeking　to　accomplish　his　destruction；　the　Lord　was　working　to　secure
David　the　kingdom。　God　works　out　His　plans；　though　to　human　eyes　they　are
veiled　in　mystery。　Men　cannot　understand　the　ways　of　God；　and；　looking　at
appearances；　they　interpret　the　trials　and　tests　and　provings　that　God
permits　to　come　upon　them　as　things　that　are　against　them；　and　that　will
only　work　their　ruin。　Thus　David　looked　on　appearances；　and　not　at　the
promises　of　God。　He　doubted　that　he　would　ever　come　to　the　throne。　Long
trials　had　wearied　his　faith　and　exhausted　his　patience。

The　Lord　did　not　send　David　for　protection　to　the　Philistines；　the　most
bitter　foes　of　Israel。　This　very　nation　would　be　among　his　worst　enemies　to
the　last；　and　yet　he　had　fled　to　them　for　help　in　his　time　of　need。　Having
lost　all　confidence　in　Saul　and　in　those　who　served　him；　he　threw　himself
upon　the　mercies　of　the　enemies　of　his　people。　David　was　a　brave　general；
and　had　proved　himself　a　wise　and　successful　warrior；　but　he　was　working
directly　against　his　own　interests　when　he　went　to　the　Philistines。　God　had
appointed　him　to　set　up　his　standard　in　the　land　of　Judah；　and　it　was　want
of　faith　that　led　him　to　forsake　his　post　of　duty　without　a　command　from　the
Lord。

God　was　dishonored　by　David's　unbelief。　The　Philistines　had　feared　David
more　than　they　had　feared　Saul　and　his　armies；　and　by　placing　himself　under
the　protection　of　the　Philistines；　David　discovered　to　them　the　weakness　of
his　own　people。　Thus　he　encouraged　these　relentless　foes　to　oppress　Israel。
David　had　been　anointed　to　stand　in　defense　of　the　people　of　God；　and　the
Lord　would　not　have　His　servants　give　encouragement　to

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　673

the　wicked　by　disclosing　the　weakness　of　His　people　or　by　an　appearance　of
indifference　to　their　welfare。　Furthermore；　the　impression　was　received　by
his　brethren　that　he　had　gone　to　the　heathen　to　serve　their　gods。　By　this
act　he　gave　occasion　for　misconstruing　his　motives；　and　many　were　led　to
hold　prejudice　against　him。　The　very　thing　that　Satan　desired　to　have　him　do
he　was　led　to　do；　for；　in　seeking　refuge　among　the　Philistines；　David　caused
great　exultation　to　the　enemies　of　God　and　His　people。　David　did　not
renounce　his　worship　of　God　nor　cease　his　devotion　to　His　cause；　but　he
sacrificed　his　trust　in　Him　to　his　personal　safety；　and　thus　tarnished　the
upright　and　faithful　character　that　God　requires　His　servants　to　possess。

David　was　cordially　received　by　the　king　of　the　Philistines。　The　warmth　of
this　reception　was　partly　due　to　the　fact　that　the　king　admired　him　and
partly　to　the　fact　that　it　was　flattering　to　his　vanity　to　have　a　Hebrew
seek　his　protection。　David　felt　secure　from　betrayal　in　the　dominions　of
Achish。　He　brought　his　family；　his　household；　and　his　possessions；　as　did
also　his　men；　and　to　all　appearance　he　had　come　to　settle　permanently　in　the
land　of　Philistia。　All　this　was　gratifying　to　Achish；　who　promised　to
protect　the　fugitive　Israelites。

At　David's　request　for　a　residence　in　the　country；　removed　from　the　royal
city；　the　king　graciously　granted　Ziklag　as　a　possession。　David　realized
that　it　would　be　dangerous　for　himself　and　his　men　to　be　under　the　influence
of　idolaters。　In　a　town　wholly　separated　for　their　use　they　might　worship
God　with　more　freedom　than　they　could　if　they　remained　in　Gath；　where　the
heathen　rites　could　not　but　prove　a　source　of　evil　and　annoyance。

While　dwelling　in　this　isolated　town　David　made　war　upon　the　Geshurites；　the
Gezrites；　and　the　Amalekites；　and　he　left　none　alive　to　bring　tidings　to
Gath。　When　he　returned　from　battle　he　gave　Achish　to　understand　that　he　had
been　warring　against　those　of　his　own　nation；　the　men　of　Judah。　By　this
dissembling　he　was　the　means　of　strengthening　the　hand　of　the　Philistines；
for　the　king　said；　〃He　hath　made　his　people　Israel　utterly　to　abhor　him；
therefore　he　shall　be　my　servant　forever。〃　David　knew　that　it　was　the　will
of　God　that　those　heathen　tribes　should　be　destroyed；　and　he　knew　that　he
was　appointed　to　do　this　work；　but　he　was　not　walking　in　the　counsel　of　God
when　he　practiced　deception。

674


〃And　it　came　to　pass　in　those　days；　that　the　Philistines　gathered　their
armies　together　for　warfare；　to　fight　with　Israel。　And　Achish　said　unto
David；　Know　thou　assuredly；　that　thou　shalt　go　out　with　me　to　battle；　thou
and　thy　men。〃　David　had　no　intention　of　lifting　his　hand　against　his　people；
but　he　was　not　certain　as　to　what　course　he　would　pursue；　until
circumstances　should　indicate　his　duty。　He　answered　the　king　evasively；　and
said；　〃Surely　thou　shalt　know　what　thy　servant　can　do。〃　Achish　understood
these　words　as　a　promise　of　assistance　in　the　approaching　war；　and　pledged
his　word　to　bestow　upon　David　great　honor；　and　give　him　a　high　position　at
the　Philistine　court。

But　although　David's　faith　had　staggered　somewhat　at　the　promises　of　God；　he
still　remembered　that　Samuel　had　anointed　him　king　of　Israel。　He　recalled
the　victories　that　God　had　given　him　over　his　enemies　in　the　past。　He
reviewed　the　great　mercy　of　God　in　preserving　him　from　the　hand　of　Saul；　and
determined　not　to　betray　a　sacred　trust。　Even　though　the　king　of　Israel　had
sought　his　life；　he　would　not　join　his　forces　with　the　enemies　of　his
people。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（675）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　66

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Death　of　Saul


Again　war　was　declared　between　Israel　and　the　Philistines。　〃The　Philistines
gathered　themselves　together；　and　came　and　pitched　in　Shunem；〃　on　the
northern　edge　of　the　plain　of　Jezreel；　while　Saul　and　his　forces　encamped
but　a　few　miles　distant；　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Gilboa；　on　the　southern　border
of　the　plain。　It　was　on　this　plain　that　Gideon；　with　three　hundred　men；　had
put　to　flight　the　hosts　of　Midian。　But　the　spirit　that　inspired　Israel's
deliverer　was　widely　different　from　that　which　now　stirred　the　heart　of　the
king。　Gideon　went　forth　strong　in　faith　in　the　mighty　God　of　Jacob；　but　Saul
felt　himself　to　be　alone　and　defenseless；　because　God　had　forsaken　him。　As
he　looked　abroad　upon　the　Philistine　host；　〃he　was　afraid；　and　his　heart
greatly　trembled。〃

Saul　had　learned　that　David　and　his　force　were　with　the　Philistines；　and　he
expected　that　the　son　of　Jesse　would　take　this　opportunity　to　revenge　the
wrongs　he　had　suffered。　The　king　was　in　sore　distress。　It　was　his　own
unreasoning　passion；　spurring　him　on　to　destroy　the　chosen　of　God；　that　had
involved　the　nation　in　so　great　peril。　While　he　had　been　engrossed　in
pursuing　David　he　had　neglected　the　defense　of　his　kingdom。　The　Philistines；
taking　advantage　of　its　unguarded　condition；　had　penetrated　into　the　very
heart　of　the　country。　Thus　while　Satan　had　been　urging　Saul　to　employ　every
energy　in　hunting　David；　that　he　might　destroy　him；　the　same　malignant
spirit　had　inspired　the　Philistines　to　seize　their　opportunity　to　work
Saul's　ruin　and　overthrow　the　people　of　God。　How　often　is　the　same　policy
still　employed　by　the　archenemy！　He　moves　upon　some　unconsecrated　heart　to
kindle　envy　and　strife　in　the　church；　and　then；　taking　advantage　of　the
divided　condition　of　God's　people；　he　stirs　up　his　agents　to　work　their
ruin。

On　the　morrow　Saul　must　engage　the　Philistines　in　battle。　The　shadows　of
impending　doom　gathered　dark　about　him；　he

676

lo