1 Samuel 21:7-9 - Now a
certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before
the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the
herdmen that belonged to Saul. And
David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or
sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me,
because the king's business required haste. And
the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the
valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the
ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is
no other save that here. And David said, There is none like
that; give it me.
David had been on the road…he had fled from the territory of
king Saul….and fled to Nob. His journey…made
without time to pack provisions or weapons …left him hungry and vulnerable…so
he sought out the priest Ahimelech. There in the priest’s presence…he welded a
believable story...to ask for food to feed his men…and to inquire about weapons. He left with the showbread meant for only priests…and
the sword he had taken from Goliath …with which he would satisfy his human need
for hunger and safety.
The scriptures do not tell us if David went specifically to
Nob that day…because he knew the sword was there….or if he welded the lies he
told before he got there…to somehow justify eating the showbread and taking the
weapon. So we can only imagine the
battle he must have faced in his heart before he did such things he knew in his
heart to be wrong….for they clearly broke the laws given to Moses that day on
the mountain. There was a punishment of
sorts …cause I peeked at the next chapter and found that 86 priests…their
mothers…fathers…wives….brothers…sisters…and babies….even the livestock they owned
….they all lost their lives in the retaliation of Saul. Saul must have killed over 500 people that
day in his anger….and David was partially to blame for this waste of human
life.
Sometimes we want something so badly…we find a way to
justify it. Sometimes satan can even
trick us with multiple ways…making the decision even easier. Sometimes…we allow
our fear of the moment…or the impatience we have in God’s great plan…to justify
and make decisions that are costly on down the road. I am sure that David’s
kind heart wept the day he realized the wrong he had done…and how many lives he
had a part in ending.
But we forget many times that God knew David was going to
make this mistake before he made it…and even used it one day as he spoke to the
leaders who constantly tried to trap him.
In Matthew 12:1-8 and Luke 6:1-5 it records Jesus’ question to these men
that thought they knew God better than his own son. Jesus said, "Have you not read what
David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread
of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but
only for the priests. That just confirms in my heart that at some point David confessed his sin….and God forgave
him…even told him, “It’s okay David…I can use that story later when I send my
son to earth to save everyone.” And it
comforts my own heart…who could spend days writing down all the mistakes I ever
made…and God is still trying to help me remember…so I too can confess and
receive his forgiveness.
Father….I thank you for this story that reminds me that I am
human…and have human needs…. and I thank you for the provisions you provide to me each day…even the ones you
have allowed me to get on my own…without asking you first. Reveal to me any times I have acted like David…then
give me the wisdom and strength to confess them before you so I can receive your
great forgiveness and mercy…and see how you will use them later in my life to
help others. Amen.
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