“Who is on the Lord’s side? “ I can still hear the pleading intonation in Larry Nixon’s voice as he poured out his heart through these words of scripture. As a college freshman, I left church that day with no doubt that I needed to choose sides. In the great cosmic conflict of the ages, we find no neutral ground. One cannot go through the spiritual life striving to be Switzerland and not taking a side.
When King Saul set his heart to kill David, the young future king needed help. He ran to Ahimelech, the priest, who gave him and his men the consecrated bread and also Goliath’s sword. Ahimelech chose to be on the Lord’s side that day when he did more than anyone could have expected him to do. In the shadows skulked a swarthy character named Doeg, the Edomite. This descendant of Esau told Saul what Ahimelech had done. Later, when Saul demanded that his men kill Ahimelech and eighty-five other priests, his men refused. So Saul asked Doeg to take up the sword and kill them. Doeg chose to be on the side of evil that day and he slaughtered the priests.
David grieved the loss of life and protected Abiathar, the last living son of Ahimelech. Then he wrote a song addressing evil Doeg. We find it in Psalm 52. There David confronted Doeg and promised destruction for the evil he did. David concludes the Psalm, “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God. I trust in his unfailing love for ever and ever” (Psalm 52:8). Someday, perhaps today, you will have the chance to choose sides. I urge you not to hedge your bets. Only one side wins. Who is on the Lord’s side? When we choose to stand for righteousness, the Lord himself stands by our side. The book of Revelation promises us that we win in the end.
