Safe And Secure

“Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.” (1Sa 22:23 AV)

That was quite a boast David made to his men.  But he could!  The LORD anointed him to be the king in the stead of Saul and his house.  This promise was unconditional.  David was destined to be the king and there was nothing that could alter this.  As long as David obeyed the LORD, he would ascend the throne.  So, too, would all the men who served him be safe.  He made this promise to Abiathar.  Abiathar was the sole survivor of a slaughter of the priests at Nob.  Doeg the Edomite, a pagan servant to Saul, showed no fear and carried out the execution order of Saul.  The rest of Saul’s servants had enough respect for the priesthood not to raise a hand against them.  But not a heathen.  He was glad to do it.  Abithar got away and fled to David.  This we read the promise above.  Since they shared a common enemy and the promise was to David, whoever allied themselves with David would also enjoy some benefits from that promise.  This is a great picture of the church and the LORD Jesus Christ.

The LORD has many enemies.  The world and the Devil hate Him.  They do everything they can to destroy Him.  They are enemies of all those who seek to follow Him.  For the moment, it seems those who hate God far outnumber those who desire to worship Him.  This isn’t to say we love and serve an inferior God.  Not so.  There are promises made by the Father to the Son.  “For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.” (Mr 12:36 AV)  Jesus teaches us that He sits on the right hand of the Father until the Father brings all into subjection to the Son.  This promise was made in eternity.  It is unconditional.  There is nothing that will change this.  Jesus made this promise secure by living and serving the Father in complete holiness and obedience even to the cross of Calvary.  By His obedience, the Son secured forever the promise of the Father.  Philippians tells us that because of His obedience to the Cross, the Son will sit on the throne of glory where everyone ever created will bow the knee and confess Him to be the King of kings and LORD of lords.  This brings us to the picture and promise above.

When we accepted Him as our Savior as Abiathar accepted David as his protector, Jesus is able to make the same promise.  This promise is not one from all trouble.  David would flee from Saul for several years.  In those years, Abiathar would be inconvenienced as well.  Being safe with God does not mean we will never suffer hardships.  How temporal and short-sighted it is of us to think of this promise strictly in terms of the terrestrial.  Rather, we are safe with the Savior no matter where our life may take us.  Through deep waters and better days, we are safe and secure.  Through troubles, trials, and persecutions, we are safe with the LORD.  We are by His side.  Or, rather, He is by our side.  He will never leave nor forsake us.  He is always there.  He never abandons us.  When we pass off into eternity, no matter how that happens, Jesus is there to walk us, hand in hand, to the glory that awaits.  There is nothing the enemies of God can do to separate us from the love of Christ.  Nothing.  They may breathe out great threats.  They may huff and puff.  They might even inflict painful experiences.  But nothing they do can separate us from the love of Christ!  Nothing!  Glory!