“And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?” [1 Samuel 20:27 KJV]
It is a beautiful thing to gather with the brethren. To be sat at the table of the king. But, which king’s table?
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!” [Psalm 133:1]
Many have been deceived to be sat at a table that looked like the King’s table, but unfortunately, they are not discerning enough that this is a table of man and not of God.
Saul was displeased that David was absent from the table. He had tried to use all sorts of tactics to draw him close. Gifts, nice words, etc. He even offered his daughter in marriage.
“People like that take note of how much you eat. They say, “Take all you want!” But they don’t mean it.” [Proverbs 23:7 CEV]
If David had sat at this king’s table then his life would always be in danger. Not only are bitterness and anger working against him, but death would be staring down on him, too.
The Fifth Rib!
Abner was an experienced soldier, a general of Israel, but he let down his defences at the table of an enemy who pretended to be a friend and he was destroyed.
“And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.” [2 Samuel 3:27 KJV]
Abner was struck under the fifth rib. Five speaks of grace, but being struck under the fifth rib speaks of the grace that has been turned into lasciviousness.
See what the Britannica encyclopedia says about the fifth rib, “The configuration of the lower five ribs gives freedom for the expansion of the lower part of the rib cage and for the movements of the diaphragm, which has an extensive origin from the rib cage and the vertebral column. The motion is limited by the ligamentous attachments between ribs and vertebrae.”¹
Before modern medicine, the ribs are counted from the bottom up excluding the last two false ribs, which means where you see 6, was actually 5 (as in the diagram below), hence “the fifth rib”.
The Rib Cage
In other words, the “fifth rib” is the point at the sternum where access to the liver and gall bladder would occur. That is, severe injury at this point, where vital arteries connecting with her heart are severed, causing a slow but certain death.
The victim would not die instantly as he would be very much aware of his surroundings, yet his mobility would be with unimaginable pain.
Sternum Attack – Slow Painful Death
Another expert wrote: “As part of my secular job (I’m a Respiratory Therapist), I do EKG’s (aka ECG’s and cardiograms) on people. EKG leads V1-V6 are ventricular – the 2 larger pumping chambers of the bottom portion of the heart – leads. Lead V5 is placed in the left 5th intercostal space between the 5th & 6th (below the 5th and above the sixth) ribs, and would be most proximal to the Left ventricle of the heart. This is the largest and most vital pumping chamber of the heart, responsible for pumping blood to the entire body (including the heart’s own blood supply). Thus, in my opinion the text mentioned (2 Samuel 3:27) is simply saying that Joab stabbed Abner in the heart. In all of the texts mentioned (2 Samuel 3:27; 4:6 and 3:27) it seems that possibly the inspired writer was indicating that all of these stabbings were calculated to inflict an immediate and irremediable fatal wound.”²
Do you know how many saints are behaving like Abner, and are always thinking the Joabs of this world truly count them special and would like to have a private audience with them?
David made himself absent at Saul’s table. He would not allow the aroma nor the glamour of the king’s food to influence his decision.
Like Daniel, he refused the food of death. What is determining your source of energy? Where are you seated? Saul’s table or Jesus’ table?
“He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.” [1 Kings 13:18 KJV]
We all know how the story ended for the young prophet. It was the same old prophet who motivated him to come and seat at the table in his house who also prophesied his death.
“And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:” [Luke 24:3-4 KJV]
These women who loved Jesus like Jonathan loved David were looking out for Him, too. The next statement they would hear is what should be heard of every son of God.
“and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?” [Luke 24:5]
Jesus had made His seat in the grave empty! David refused to sit at the table of death. David was the living while Saul was dead.
It is often said, “only stay where you are celebrated instead of where you are tolerated”. That is true, but how do you know who is truly celebrating you and who is tolerating you when they are speaking motivational words and even praying for you?
Beloved saint of God, you need to focus on Christ, and Him alone. Jesus never allowed Himself to be distracted by the praise of men. He was always following the Spirit.
“When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” [John 6:15]
Countless saints have fallen into this trap. For when they are called to come and sit at the table of king Saul, they throw away their heavenly robes and put on the attire of Babylon to grace the occasion. What a degeneration.
Table of the King?
Those who refuse to accept the invitation of the King of glory and sit at the Table with Him end up being fed by witches and familiar spirits. Saul refused to sit with the King of kings when he had the opportunity, but it was a matter of time before he would grow hungry. And where did he get his meal from?
“And she (witch of Endor) brought the meat before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate, and rose up, and departed that night.” [I Samuel 28:25]
If you would not spend time eating the meat of the King, you will spend it eating from the table of devils. You can be assured of that. There is no sitting on the fence about this. Simply the truth.
Not too long ago, a Christian celebrity, Steve Harvey, was invited to the United Arab Emirates, no sooner had they rolled the red carpet for him than for him to announce, “Islam is a religion of peace”.³ Really? I won’t argue with him, but can his fellow believers who are being tortured and molested in Islamic prisons for simply accepting Jesus as their Saviour say the same? I doubt it, Mr Harvey.
If you would not spend time eating the meat of the King, you will spend it eating from the table of devils.
It wasn’t just Jesus who made His seat in the grave empty, He took with Him His saints as well. All those who were forcedly sat at the table of the grave were set free!
Jesus’ Tomb Was Empty
“and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,” [Matthew 27:52 KJV]
The Contemporary English Version puts it like this, “Graves opened, and many of God’s people were raised to life.” [Matthew 27:52 CEV]
The saints saw Jesus made His place in the grave empty, and they too made their seats in the grave empty!
My place at the table of my enemy shall be empty. My place in the grave shall be empty!
Shalom.
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