He'll Be Coming Round the Mountain

1 Samuel 23

            There’s a certain humor in today’s reading—Saul chasing round one side of the mountain; David fleeing round the other.

            Of course, it’s no joke to David, who is fleeing for his life, and who, we’ll find out Monday, still honors Saul as the Lord’s anointed.

            As I was reading this chapter, I was thinking about Jesus. In His earthly ministry, what we call His state of humiliation, Jesus said that foxes had holes and birds had nests but that He had no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20). He was a king with none of the kingly trappings—no palace, no army (just a misfit bunch of followers), no royal robes. Right to the cross, Jesus’ kingliness is a matter of mockery. Yet, he walks all around the countryside, saving people from their troubles, just like David saved the people of Keilah. Ultimately, on Good Friday, He’s betrayed by the very people he had saved. The whole story just sort of swirls around Jesus, our great and good King.