The elect king is now
rejected. He repairs to the priest, who gives him the
hallowed bread, according to the sovereign grace of God,
who rises above the ordinances that are connected with
blessing, when that blessing is rejected—when He
Himself is rejected in His chosen one, and in the power
of His testimony. When this is the case, He sets faith
above ordinances in His sovereign grace. Since God
Himself and His testimony are rejected, the shewbread was
considered common. God in fact was ordering all anew.
It was precisely the case
of the Lord Jesus. The Person of the rejected One is
above all the carnal ordinances, which have lost their
signification where He is. Christ submitted indeed to all
the ordinances and authorities; but the rejection of God's
testimony in Him caused it to be perceived by degrees
that He was One greater than the ordinances—One who
set them aside, and replaced them by the manifestation of
the effectual and eternal grace of God. It was much more
important to give David food than to keep that which had
grown old. God cared more for him than for the bread of
the tabernacle.
The sword of
Goliath in a new arsenal
David then takes the sword
of Goliath. It was by the power of death that the Lord
destroyed all his strength who had the power of death.
Death is the best weapon in the arsenal of God, when it
is wielded by the power of life.
Refuge sought
among the Philistines but driven forth by God
David, his mind full of
Saul's enmity, seeks refuge among the Philistines. What
business had he there? This time God drives him thence
without chastisement, but abundantly proving to him at
the same time that he was out of place there. We escape
from the wisdom which leads us into the midst of God's
enemies, by the shame of that folly which causes us to be
driven out again.
1 Samuel 21 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
The elect king is now rejected. He repairs to the priest, who gives him the hallowed bread, according to the sovereign grace of God, who rises above the ordinances that are connected with blessing, when that blessing is rejected—when He Himself is rejected in His chosen one, and in the power of His testimony. When this is the case, He sets faith above ordinances in His sovereign grace. Since God Himself and His testimony are rejected, the shewbread was considered common. God in fact was ordering all anew.
It was precisely the case of the Lord Jesus. The Person of the rejected One is above all the carnal ordinances, which have lost their signification where He is. Christ submitted indeed to all the ordinances and authorities; but the rejection of God's testimony in Him caused it to be perceived by degrees that He was One greater than the ordinances—One who set them aside, and replaced them by the manifestation of the effectual and eternal grace of God. It was much more important to give David food than to keep that which had grown old. God cared more for him than for the bread of the tabernacle.
The sword of Goliath in a new arsenal
David then takes the sword of Goliath. It was by the power of death that the Lord destroyed all his strength who had the power of death. Death is the best weapon in the arsenal of God, when it is wielded by the power of life.
Refuge sought among the Philistines but driven forth by God
David, his mind full of Saul's enmity, seeks refuge among the Philistines. What business had he there? This time God drives him thence without chastisement, but abundantly proving to him at the same time that he was out of place there. We escape from the wisdom which leads us into the midst of God's enemies, by the shame of that folly which causes us to be driven out again.