God's Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

permanently in the land of Philistia. All this was gratifying to Achish, who promised to protect the fugitive Israelites.” Patri archs and Prophets , 673.1. The immediate result was that Saul abandoned his plans to persecute the refugee which was a welcome relief for the human nature of David and his band. “When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.” 1Samuel 27:4. It is not difficult to imagine the satisfaction with which David looked upon the result of his plan. It was impossible for Saul to reach him unless he achieved a major victory against the Philis tines, and they were too powerful to be subjugated to this extent. So now David could relax and enjoy life without having to sus pect every man around of being a possible spy. Once more he had the pleasure of his wives and children, and the threat of an ear ly death was averted. He seemed to have every reason to believe that a very wise maneuver had been made. But there was not one thread of divine devising in his plan— it was entirely of human origin. Therefore, nothing could go right, even though it might seem to, at first. Any peace and rest which David and his men enjoyed was not God’s rest, it did not render them true Sabbath keepers, and it was, in fact, the calm during which Satan enmeshes the soul in preparation for un leashing the awful storm. The time would soon come when Da vid was to see where he had erred, and to regret his decision from the depths of his being. He was to see that the results which he had judged as being good, were assessed in God’s sight as being evil of the worst kind. Some of the dire consequences are described in the following paragraphs. “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 work ing directly against his own interests when he went to the Phi listines. 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.