PROTECTION OF THE TESTIMONY BY LOVE
[p. 358] PROTECTION OF THE TESTIMONY BY LOVE
JT In this chapter we get the love that Jonathan had for David over against the love that others had for him. There is the masculine and feminine love. In the previous chapter the women answered one another, “Saul hath smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands”. Then we are told, “All Israel and Judah loved David”. Then we get Michal’s love for David. Chapter 18 is a chapter of love, masculine and feminine love. In chapter 19 we have agencies that are set to protect Christ: first Jonathan, then Michal and finally the spirit of prophecy, the most effective of all.
AG It seems that the enemy would be bent on attacking all that is of Christ from the outset. Herod was slaying all the children. That spirit seems to be in Saul.
JT It exists today.
WAS You distinguish between masculine and feminine love?
JT Yes. Masculine love is seen in Jonathan, it says, he stripped himself. Then the other is seen in the women; they sing of his victory. Then we have Michal’s love for David. It would be the difference between the love of the brethren as such and the assembly’s love for Christ.
WAS The assembly’s love is the feminine love?
JT Yes. When David had made an end of speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David. Jonathan was affected by the speaking and manner of David. David distinguishes the love of Jonathan as the love above the love of women.
AI How do you understand Jonathan and Michal being agencies? Both were [p. 359] connected with the house of Saul.
JT David himself was connected with the house of Saul. He is still a servant of Saul here. The question in Jonathan is love, a love that thought of David. Michal too has thought of him in measure. But Jonathan’s love is exceeding; it protects him by his own personal influence; he stands between Christ and the murderer; that was more risky. “Jonathan told David saying, Saul my father seeks to kill thee; and now, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning ... and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and will speak of thee with my father: and see what it is, and tell thee. And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father”. That is a great matter to be able to speak to the murderer, a very important side to face the enemy. Jonathan had great moral power.
JDS Does that bring out the authority of love? Saul listened to what Jonathan had said.
JT Yes, the sincerity of love. Jonathan acts as a man. In all difficulties the real solution depends on manliness — to act in a manly way. Jonathan had a great place in Israel. Why should he not use any advantage he has? Any advantage we may have we should use in favour of Christ.
CL Does Nicodemus come out like that?
JT Quite so. It is only fair to Jonathan to say that David is not yet in the position of rejection; he risks his life in seeking to save David. The secret of this is manliness. Use whatever you have of advantage for Christ. You do not know what great results may be achieved, you may turn a murderer into a peaceful man.
WAS Why did you say, It is only fair to Jonathan to say that David is not yet in rejection?
JT He is still a servant of Saul here.
AI In what particular setting do you regard this?
JT It is a question of any who would take action against the truth. It is to be met frankly and openly.
[p. 360] Jonathan might have taken counsel in another way, but he goes straight to his father.
RS You mean letting things lie for twelve months is not the way to get them settled?
JT No, indeed.
GA Jonathan’s words would have weight.
JT Yes. He was the king’s son. The people did save Jonathan once from Saul’s murderous intention. He is an experienced man. He sees David’s place in the testimony for God.
GT Does the way he acts bring to light those masculine affections of which you spoke?
JT “Quit yourselves like men”. Evil had risen very high. It had to be faced.
JB Do you think there is a call for this kind of thing?
JT There is in every locality. Letting things lie is not to any advantage. He who hates his brother is a murderer. This was pure envy on the part of Saul. Rivalry and jealousy are as cruel as the grave; there is no knowing where they will end. It is the exercise of love to face the person or persons. What comes out here manifests what there is of good influence among the saints. It is beautiful to see Jonathan’s surrender for David. He recognises that David had been used of God; he himself had been used, but David had been used in a far greater way. “And it came to pass, when he had ended speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David”. Jonathan was a man who valued the right spirit, a brother who had influence. He acted wisely, and it is successful. He says, “Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, in slaying David without cause?” And Saul answered, “He shall not be put to death!”
AI “Innocent blood”, what does that mean today?
JT [p. 361] It is usually the innocent that are attacked, and more often it is the righteous; it is the righteous here. It is said of David, “Thou art worth ten thousand of us” (2 Samuel 18:3). It would have been a great disaster if David had been slain.
AG There is a danger of that spirit of jealousy being amongst ourselves.
JT If God puts a man forward for the good of the saints we are to shelter him.
Rem Jonathan spoke good of David.
JT Yes, and he brought David back to Saul. A great disaster is averted, peace is restored.
CL Is this in contrast to the way in which Joab acted in regard of Absalom?
JT Joab was just a politician seeking to gain favour for himself. He was fishing in troubled waters for his own interests; not so Jonathan. Jonathan is acting as a man.
GA Did the exercising of Jonathan’s influence involve righteousness?
JT He is saving a man from slaying another. He valued David. It is not by means of great exploits, but because of the way he spoke to Saul. It is always seemly if a young brother knows how to speak to an older one. He will earn love. It is worth while earning love, if you act in love. It is the only way you will earn love. Special friendship is no good in the things of God. Joab fished in troubled waters; when troubles arise there are always those who fish in troubled waters for their own ends. But Jonathan saved the whole position here. But then Saul, alas, never alters; another victory brings forth more enmity. It says, “David went forth and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him”. This is another great exploit. “And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul”. God is acting judicially. When God acts judicially there is no hope for the man. “There is a sin to death” (1 John 5:16). His testimony is over. He is judicially dealt with.
GT It was this envy that was in his breast, Saul never judged it.
JT If you are in the habit of being envious of your brother, God says, a time is coming, “If any be ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:36) — a solemn thing — he does not want to see things. Jealousy is so common to us all. Saul’s case is settled: he is rejected, his time is ended. These things are going on all the time.
CL “He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1).
JT Quite so.
JB David knew all this.
JT Indeed no one knew better than he did.
JB It is fine to see how David acts. What do you suggest he represents?
JT Christ in type. Christ in testimony. David is outstanding. The Spirit of Jehovah came on David. He is the Beloved. He stands all the way through.
Rem David seems to go on still playing.
JT It was a sorrowful scene. David is a most remarkable man in the way he regards his enemies. It brings out his moral greatness. David over and over again heaps fiery coals on Saul’s head.
JB David was quite in contrast to Saul.
JT It was the way David carried himself, the spirit of the man.
RS Saul was in a position that could not endure.
JT He was already set aside. God had rejected him.
AI There seems to be no distrust on the part of David towards Saul.
JT He was simple about it; he admired the king. This is intended to be a balance to young men who may be made much of. David keeps simple.
FI [p. 363] Is there any difference in the playing here and the playing in chapter 16?
JT This would be greater. In chapter 16 he is brought as a servant before Saul, “David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly”. What a lovable man David must have been that even a man like Saul loved him! He “took the harp, and played with his hand, ... and the evil spirit departed from him”. But here it says, “An evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul”. Saul was a terrible man; his spear was in his hand, and yet it says, “David played with his hand”.
RS David had confidence in God.
JT Well, who would have done it? In the ordinary way he would have fled. It says, “Saul sought to smite David and the wall with the spear; but he slipped away”. It is a remarkable thing, David here is like the Lord Jesus; He went away through the midst of them.
Ques Is that a great matter when things are coming to an issue that we do not change our way and manner?
JT If we do we become like an armed camp.
GT It is beautiful that David supplied the heavenly music, the harp.
JT That is David’s weapon.
CL Does the slipping away connect with “The spiritual discerns all things, and he is discerned of no one” (1 Corinthians 2:15)?
JT Quite so. David knew better than any that Saul was not going to change; he knew that he was rejected, and yet he never opposed him.
Ques Do we see in verse 11 developments in the way he would pursue David; he sent messengers to David’s house?
JT Yes, but Michal saves him. Another influence comes in on behalf of David. Saul is unchanged. Why should he wait until the morning? Is God’s [p. 364] hand not in that? The wise men “departed into their own country another way”. God is watching over the testimony. So it is worthy of note that Michal saved him. She saved him by device and by devising. Love devises things, so that she is to be credited in all this.
RS What does the image set forth which she put into the bed instead of David?
JT The superstitious stage of things. We know how much there is. Take the Church of England, she had love for Christ until God raised up another testimony. Wherever the Church of England was, it had influence over against Rome until God moved in a more direct way by His prophetic word which came out a hundred years ago, and has gone on ever since. I believe God is using it to protect the testimony to the end.
Ques How would you apply this principle of prophetic ministry, speaking of what Saul did at the end of the chapter?
JT The point in Saul is that he is capable of being influenced by the prophetic word. He comes under its influence. The ministry was going on; there was a company of prophets prophesying, and the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. It is a real thing, it is not casual; that makes it a protection for the testimony. You cannot overcome it: it overcomes you. “And it was told Saul, and he sent other messengers and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied”. If an unconverted man comes in, “he is convicted of all, he is judged of all”.
GT Would that prophetic word carry conviction and power with it?
JT The Spirit of God came upon a man like Saul, an unregenerate man. So at the end of verse 24 the proverb is applied: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” It was applied in chapter 10. Here it is to show that Saul was under reproach. Saul is exposed. What a terrible exposure!
Ques Would you distinguish between the prophetic word and the words of a single prophet?
JT In chapter 10 it was more like that. But here it is the last great means that God has given for the protection of the testimony.
Rem David is lost sight of here.
JT The point is he represents Christ. He is the testimony.
GA Is that the effect of the way David moved?
JT Quite so. David maintained his proper attitude, he is now rejected, but so far he is saved; he is saved by this instrumentality, the prophetic ministry.
RS In verse 23 the Spirit of God came also upon Saul.
JT That is the most striking of all. A most remarkable thing, a doomed man, and yet the Spirit of God coming upon him. It shows the mighty influence.
RS This happened by Naioth by Ramah. Ramah means ‘height’.
JT Yes, there is moral elevation connected with it. The action of the Spirit of God exposes Saul, just as Judas was exposed. When Peter says, “Thou art the holy one of God”, the Lord answered and said, “Of you one is a devil” (John 6:69,70).
RS Samuel dwelt in Ramah.
JT Yes. Then there is Naioth which means ‘dwelling’ and then the well of water in Sechu, ‘watch place’. There is a whole group of circumstances which ought to have overcome Saul if there was any work of God in him. Paul says, “If indeed ... we shall not be found naked” (2 Corinthians 5:3).
Rem So we must have the ministry [p. 366] meeting.
JT The principle here is that Samuel is over the movement.
GT If a gathering could not say that there are prophets amongst them, could they have a ministry meeting?
JT They may not be able to tell. The prophets may come to light. 1 Corinthians 14 provides for it: “Be emulous of spiritual manifestations, but rather that ye may prophesy”.
FI So it is good to see that at the present time the meeting for prophetic ministry is necessary for the protection of the testimony.
JT I never saw it more clearly than tonight, the Spirit of God acting, coming upon the messengers.
GA There must be conditions for the Spirit to speak.
JT The conditions are indicated here: the Spirit of God ready to come on anyone, even on a man like Saul, if he comes into such circumstances. Why should we not come to it humbly and come to see its value?