The Rock of Escape
Sometimes we can feel trapped between the past and the future. I feel quite sure that David understood this. He had the promise from God that he would one day be king, but the space in between held danger and hardship and trials, not to mention multiple murderous plots on his life. Most of the trials came at the hand of Saul, who steadfastly clung to the past and refused to acknowledge God’s rejection of him as king over Israel. David found himself pursued and almost trapped by Saul many times, but several times God sent him encouragement from an unlikely source—Saul’s own son, Jonathan.
Jonathan, too, probably understood feeling trapped between the past and the future as well. His father was a king rejected by God, but he refused to let go of his own plans for his future as well as his son’s. Jonathan’s love for David and his acceptance of God’s plan for Israel placed him directly in the line of fire, but hear his words of encouragement to David: “Do not be afraid because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also” (I Sam. 23:17, NASB). Even trapped in the space between the past and the future, Jonathan and David both knew that God was in control of their lives—not Saul. Shortly after Jonathan’s encouragement of David, it seemed that Saul would certainly trap David after his hiding place was given away, but God intervened yet again. Just as David was being surrounded by Saul’s men, messengers came to tell Saul that the Philistines were raiding the land (vs. 26-27). Once again, David escaped Saul’s best-laid trap because God’s plans for his future were secure. By the way, the place where Saul thought trapping David would be a sure thing came to be called the Rock of Escape (vs. 28). When we’re feeling trapped between the past and what God is leading us toward, we need to take a lesson out of David’s book and heed the words of encouragement God sends us and flee to the Rock of Escape that he provides.
Jonathan, too, probably understood feeling trapped between the past and the future as well. His father was a king rejected by God, but he refused to let go of his own plans for his future as well as his son’s. Jonathan’s love for David and his acceptance of God’s plan for Israel placed him directly in the line of fire, but hear his words of encouragement to David: “Do not be afraid because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also” (I Sam. 23:17, NASB). Even trapped in the space between the past and the future, Jonathan and David both knew that God was in control of their lives—not Saul. Shortly after Jonathan’s encouragement of David, it seemed that Saul would certainly trap David after his hiding place was given away, but God intervened yet again. Just as David was being surrounded by Saul’s men, messengers came to tell Saul that the Philistines were raiding the land (vs. 26-27). Once again, David escaped Saul’s best-laid trap because God’s plans for his future were secure. By the way, the place where Saul thought trapping David would be a sure thing came to be called the Rock of Escape (vs. 28). When we’re feeling trapped between the past and what God is leading us toward, we need to take a lesson out of David’s book and heed the words of encouragement God sends us and flee to the Rock of Escape that he provides.
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