Thought for Today: “The Stone of Ezel”

“Jonathan said to David, “Go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel.” (1 Samuel 20:19)

Ezel means either separation or departure. Hence the stone of separation or the stone of departure. Yet, in the margin of the Authorize Version, taking its lead from the Targum (Aramaic translation of the Hebrew text), it says, “The stone that sheweth the way.”

What this signifies is that David is now at a place where the decision is no longer his. He is waiting for his fate to be decided by another, or better yet, decided by God.

The story within this story is the stone! It’s the stone of destiny, because from this stone David was shown the way he was to go.

And that stone is Jesus Christ (Isaiah 28:16, 1 Peter 2:4, 1 Corinthians 10:4, Matthew 7:24). Jesus as that stone shows us the way. He is our stone of destiny.

Like David, we really don’t know whether we’re coming or going half the time, and so we need to wait upon the Lord, and as we wait, He renews our strength (Isaiah 40:31). And while the circumstances we find ourselves in are out of our control, we place ourselves, we hide ourselves, in Jesus, and He will guide us in the good and right way.

So, let’s take our stand at the Empty Tomb and the Stone Rolled Away.