(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand
1 Samuel 23:1–6, “Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.”
As long as Saul was fighting against the Lord and trying to destroy his own best man, the Philistines were able to come and attack Israel to take plunder. When David heard that the Philistines were conducting raids against the Israeli farmers he realised that he would have to save Israel from these incursions. His first step was to ask the Lord if that was the best things to do. He had a priest, Abiathar, with him so he would not follow Saul’s example and act as a priest. The Lord told David to go and attack the Philistines, after all, they were Israel’s true enemies. David went and saved the people from Keilah, not only that, they took spoil from the Philistines rather than letting the take spoil from Israelis. David was actually doing the job that Saul as the anointed king should be doing. We should also note that Ahimelech, the priest brought the ephod with him when the rest of his clan were slaughtered. The ephod was part of the ceremonial garments worn by the priest when he conducted his ceremonial duties. Some people believe that this garment was indicative of the Lord’s presence and was associated with Urim and Thummim, the stones used to discover the Lord’s will. When Saul tried to discover the Lord’s will the Lord didn’t answer him the Lord didn’t automatically answer everyone, only those who had a true and proper relationship with the Lord under His Divine terms. Obviously, the connection of the presence of the priest and David’s true heart led to the proper circumstance for the Lord to show His presence and lead David according to His will.
No comments:
Post a Comment