David stands afar off to proclaim his mercy and grace to Saul: As followers of Christ, we are set apart from this world while proclaiming the Gospel of Christ.

1 Samuel 26:13-16

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Now David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great distance being between them.” 1 Samuel 26:13 

There is a great gap between Jesus Christ and those who despise Him. Even then, the Lord Jesus came to atone for the sin of each and every one of them. As followers of Jesus, we are to maintain that gap between the ways of the world while lifting up His name. There is a great distance between the broad way of mainstream society which leads to destruction, and the narrow way of the faithful few which leads to life. The Cross of Christ is on a hill far away, lifted up for all to see, and He is able to bridge that gap,

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross
The emblem of suff’ring and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
Oh, that old rugged Cross so despised by the world
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left His Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary
(Church hymn)

The first time David spared Saul’s life and called out to him, David and his men were hiding in a cave, “David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.” 1 Samuel 24:8 As followers of Jesus Christ, whether we are in a “cave” amidst the “democratic” society, as well as being a great distance from them, we call attention to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. We take up the old, rugged Cross.

The reason there is a huge distance between Christians and the “democratic” society is obvious. They deny God, reject the need for the remission of sin through Jesus, and blaspheme the Holy Spirit. We believe God, accept our need for Christ Jesus, and welcome the Holy Spirit. They allow the image of the beast to live and speak through them by the thing which forms what they think, feel, do, and speak. We desire the image of Christ to live and speak through us by the Holy Spirit. They are conformed to their worldly place in life by what they say and do. They are conformed to their mark in life as they are groomed to the mark of the beast. We are conformed to our place in Heaven by the seal of the Holy Spirit.

“And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you, calling out to the king?” 1 Samuel 26:14 

Jesus Christ asks a question of this world, “Do you not answer?” Why are the masses not answering the call of Jesus Christ? Like Abner, they feel that Christians have no right to call them to reconcile to God through Jesus Christ. As they serve their worldly king, they reply, “Who are you, calling out to the king?”  As we call out to this world in the name of Jesus, we are humble and respectful of their authority, Like David was the first time he spared Saul, “David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.” 1 Samuel 24:8

“So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.” 1 Samuel 26:15 

There is no way the masses of people in this world can guard their global culture whose king is the thing which forms what they think, feel, do, and speak. They feel they are superior and boasts, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with it?” However, Jesus Christ has come to destroy sin and death, and the global government is being destroyed day by day by their rejection of the work Jesus Christ did on the Cross.

Jesus Christ has not come to destroy but to save lives. Christians will not lift a finger to harm anyone in this world, this world is destroyed by their denial of God, rejection of Jesus, and blaspheme of the Holy Spirit, “And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’” 1 Samuel 24:9-10 By the words of people, Christianity is portrayed as “right wing” extremists and an enemy to the “democratic” global culture. However, we have no hostile intentions while we live for the testimony of Jesus.

“This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.” 1 Samuel 26:16 

Those living for their king, which forms what they think, feel, do, and speak, are not doing a good thing. There is no way they can protect their king, and the sentence of death is in them in this world, and in the life beyond the grave they suffer the second death of eternal hell. Jesus Christ has the jug of the Water of Life and the spear of the Holy Spirit which this world needs to fight against lawlessness and spiritual wickedness. Without the Holy Spirit, lawlessness is unleashed, which only the Lord Jesus will destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Judgment belongs to the Lord Jesus and is not in the hands of His followers while on this earth. Our mission is to share the Gospel of Christ to prepare for the day we meet Jesus face-to-face. For Believers, the judgment will be for eternal life in the new heaven and earth, for unbelievers the judgment will be for eternal hell. That is what David referred to the first time he spared Saul’s life. “Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.” 1 Samuel 24:8-12

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1