Go Forth

# 280 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 20:20-23 "Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target; 21 "and there I will send a lad, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I expressly say to him, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come' -then, as the LORD lives, there is safety for you and no harm. 22 "But if I say thus to the young man, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you' -go your way, for the LORD has sent you away. 23 "And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the LORD be between you and me forever." (1 Sam 20:20-23) Jonathan has come up with a plan to convey a message of safety or grave danger to David. David was to hide in this field on the third day and wait for Jonathan to come to him with the news. If Saul meant to do David harm, Jonathan would shoot the arrows beyond David, if the coast was clear, he would shoot the arrows short. Why the elaborate plan of secrecy? I believe there is some symbolism involved here. The three arrows are symbolic of the word of God going forth to conquer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is an instance in the 6th chapter of Revelation that speaks of the first rider on the white horse going forth with a bow “conquering and to conquer.” It is the proclamation of the Word of God (the Gospel) that does the conquering, for it goes right to the heart. Heb 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” So Jonathan sends David off from the stone of Ezel (which means, the stone of departure) with a reminder to go forth with the arrows of the Word of God, relying on God and His word to bring him the victory over Saul who personifies the devil. This is exactly what Jesus did when He departed. He charged His disciples to go forth in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit preaching the message of the Gospel. Mt 28:19says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. And in Mark 16:15,16, “"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. The strategy hasn't changed, let us go and do the same. Father, You have armed us with a special message of mercy and grace, let us go forth shooting the arrows of the gospel, in the power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.