How a piece of torn cloth changed the world – 1st Samuel 23 & 24, Part 4

The story in 1st Samuel 24 about David choosing not to kill Saul in the cave, but instead secretly cutting off a corner of his robe, ends with a flourish. 

Saul leaves the cave, having no idea that he almost lost his life. After Saul has walked a short distance from the mouth of the cave, David reveals himself, holding up the piece of Saul’s robe. David explains that he could have easily killed Saul, but instead chose what he believed was God’s will to not harm Saul. He then pleads with Saul to reconsider the hunt Saul has been on to kill David.

Seeing the piece of robe, we can imagine Saul quickly looking down at his robe, and sure enough, a corner is missing. I bet a flash of heat coursed through is body, and his heart started racing. That, combined with David’s gracious words, has Saul shocked and seemingly repentant. He goes on to say that he knows David will become king, and so he asks David to make an oath not to kill his family. David agrees, and they part ways. Saul returns to his home, and David and his men to the stronghold.

Why would David make an oath with the guy who wants to kill him?  It’s crazy, right?  Maybe.  When a new king ascended to a throne, it was a common procedure to kill off any possible contenders to the throne.  Sometimes they would kill off people who might be a threat from within their own family!  Saul fully expects David to do this.  Instead, we see the amazing character of David who gives his word to Saul that he will not kill off Saul’s descendants.

Think about what just happened in the story.  Saul admits his guilt, and David gives Saul his word.  Did they just make amends?  Are things better now?  To answer that question, consider what David’s move is next.  He does not return to Saul’s household.  David and his men go back into hiding.  Clearly David still doesn’t trust Saul.  And rightly so, because for weeks now we’ve seen nothing but crazy from Saul.  We’ll continue the story of David’s fugitive years next week.

For now let’s think about what made David so successful in the story we studied this week in 1st Samuel 23 & 24.  Why was David victorious over the Philistines at Keilah?  Why did David escape Keilah before the townspeople could trap him?  Why was Saul unable to track David down, even though everywhere David goes, people inform on him? 

God’s direction.  David sought God’s direction, and then David followed God’s direction. 

We can also learn a bit of what was going through David’s mind during this episode in his life, because he wrote about it Psalm 54. 

Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.

Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.

Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God. 

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.

You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

David’s words in the psalm are right in line with what we read in 1st Samuel 23 and 24.  David reaches out to God.  David sees God as the one who can truly help him, and he desires God’s guidance saving action. God answers David, giving David direction, and David obeys.

How can you and I follow David’s example in our day? We’ll talk about this further in the next post.

Photo by Ian Talmacs on Unsplash

The single most important factor in making decisions – 1st Samuel 23 & 24, Part 3

David and his men have been on the run, fugitives being hunted by King Saul. But in the previous post we learned that God was protecting David, keeping Saul from finding him. Someone does find David, though. A friend shows up in 1st Samuel chapter 23, verses 16-18.  David’s best friend Jonathan, Saul’s son, makes a risky journey to David to encourage David.  Isn’t it interesting that Jonathan could find David, but Saul couldn’t?  When a friend wanted to see David, God let him through. 

Jonathan makes a prophetic comment about David that, at this moment in David’s life, seems very unlikely. Jonathan says that David will be king, and Jonathan, even though he is heir to the throne, will be second to David.  They make a covenant between themselves, yet again.  This is the third time we’ve observed them make a covenant, strengthening their friendship.  Jonathan leaves, and never again in the account of 1st Samuel do the best friends see each other. Jonathan’s visit must have been deeply encouraging to David, and yet his situation remains precarious.

Saul is king, commanding a nationwide network of spies.  Even though Jonathan likely kept David’s location secret, the people living near where David was hiding in the Desert of Ziph report to Saul on David’s whereabouts.  In verses 19-26 we read that Saul heads out with the army to capture David.  Verse 26 tells us that Saul and his men get extremely close to David, just on the opposite side of the mountain from David and his men.  Saul is closing in.

At that very moment, though, a messenger shows up to Saul with news that the Philistines are raiding again (see verse 27).  Saul cuts short his hunt of David to go attack the Philistines, and David is saved yet again.  From there David and his men travel to the desert wastelands of En Gedi to hide.

The story continues in chapter 24, as Saul finishes warding off the Philistines, and resumes his pursuit of David.  Yet again, people report to Saul on David’s location.  Everywhere David goes, people are watching and tell Saul.  That must have been so frustrating for David. 

In 1st Samuel chapter 24, verses 1-3, we learn that Saul musters an army of 3000.  Five times the size of David’s army.  Saul and his armny arrive in the location where the informants told them to look for David.  Saul needs to relieve himself and goes into a cave to do his business.  Unbeknownst to Saul, he is relieving himself in the very cave where David and his men were hiding deep inside.

What happens next is classic.  Saul is totally vulnerable.  They didn’t wear pants back then, but we could say David has caught Saul with his pants down.  David’s men cannot believe his good fortune.  David’s men view this situation one way: they are certain God has given Saul over to David.  God has kept his promises to David, and this is the moment when David will eliminate Saul and ascend to the throne just as God promised and anointed David.  There is no other way of looking at it. 

Except that David has another way of looking at it.  In verse 4, David sneaks up and cuts off the corner of Saul’s robe.  How Saul didn’t detect David, the text doesn’t say.  Maybe Saul had taken off his robe and placed it where David could quietly cut off a corner without Saul having a clue. 

David sneaks back to the men, while Saul finishes his business.  As David reports what happened to his men, he has shocking perspective.  Look at verses 5-7,

“David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.”

David’s men might be really upset at David’s decision.  David had an easy victory over Saul, and he didn’t take it.  All he did was cut off a corner of Saul’s robe? And now David is mad at himself for even that?  They might be wondering, “Maybe this David guy is not who we thought he was.  Is he a coward?  Is he having second thoughts?  Let us at Saul!  Let’s go take him down!”

Even if the men are wondering what has got into David, David is clearly still in command of the men.  He tells them to hold back, and let Saul go.  Maybe it was David’s rationale that helped convince the men.  Let’s review David’s rationale in verse 6?  He turns the men’s attention back to God.  What is God’s will?  What is God’s desire?  Clearly David values God’s perspective.  In this case, it’s very personal for David.

Notice how David describes Saul in verse 6, “The Lord’s anointed.”  Twice he says refers to Saul as “the Lord’s anointed.”  And David is right.  The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul to be Israel’s king, because God had chosen Saul. 

But who else is God’s anointed?  David! David had been anointed by Samuel many months earlier, perhaps even years before this episode in the cave. David likely had a personal sense of respect for the Lord’s anointed because David himself is also the Lord’s anointed.  The other men do not have the same perspective that David has because they are not anointed of the Lord. 

Also, notice David’s decision-making process in these verses.  Though the Urim and Thummim (see the previous post about them) are not involved in David’s choice to not harm Saul, David clearly considers the Lord.  David respects God above all.  God anointed Saul, and that means David will not harm the Lord’s anointed. 

Personally, it does seem a bit much in my opinion that David is also upset about the fact that he cut off part of the robe.  But I have to hand it to David.  He is thorough in his commitment to the Lord. 

Imagine the possible ease and freedom it might have allowed David if he killed Saul.  After all, David was already anointed to be the next king.  But David isn’t chasing the monarchy.  David is chasing God’s heart.  God’s heart is the basis for how David made decisions, not what might have helped his circumstances.

But how will King Saul respond? We’ll talk about that in the next post.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

When making decisions, how much should others’ opinions matter? – 1st Samuel 23 & 24, Part 2

In our 28 years of marriage, my wife and I have found that big decisions are sometimes easier to make than small ones. Maybe it’s just us, but we have found that the significance of big decisions helps us have clarity about them. Big decisions are also quite rare. I’m not saying that buying a house or choosing a career are easy decisions. I’m just saying that those massive choices are so rare, and often so consequential, that we have found them easier than the small ones.

It’s the small decisions that trip us up because we have to make them every day, and their consequence is so minute that we can have a difficult time deciding how to choose. If we’re getting take-out, should we get burgers, pizza, chicken, or ethnic food? I love them all. I don’t care which option we choose. The apathy evident in my “I don’t care” is revealing. It’s hard to make decisions when we don’t really give a hoot about them.

As we continue studying the Life of David in 1st Samuel, David is on the run, a fugitive from King Saul who is trying to kill David, and he has some decisions to make. As he is hiding, a small revolutionary force of 400 other malcontents has gathered around David as their leader. Also, one of the Lord’s priests escaped a horrid slaughter at the command of King Saul, because Saul believed the priests were secretly helping David. That priest, Abiathar has fled to David, bringing with him the priestly ephod (apron) and breastpiece (pocket), holding the Urim and Thummim, the two stones God gave the people for inquiring of his will. We studied that in the previous post. Now we return to the story of David and his fugitive army.

As you read 1st Samuel 23, verses 1-5, below, notice David’s decision-making process:

“When David was told, ‘Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,’ he inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’  The Lord answered him, ‘Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.’ But David’s men said to him, ‘Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!’ Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, ‘Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.’ So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.”

On the one hand, we could summarize the story of verses 1 through 5 very quickly: David’s small revolutionary army defeats the Philistines who were marauding the Israelite town of Keilah.  That’s the headline.  But read between the lines and what do we see?  David inquires of the Lord, and the Lord directs him.  We can imagine what this would have looked like.  David and his men are in the forests of Judah, hiding from King Saul, when they get news that a nearby Israelite town is being ravaged by the enemy Philistines. 

This is exactly the kind of military situation that David had responded to numerous times before he became a fugitive.  David is accustomed to battling the Philistines, especially when the Philistines attacked Israelite territory.  So of course, David thinks he should respond again.  David wants to defend his fellow Israelites.

But notice the key piece of info in verse two: “he inquired of the Lord.”  Link that phrase with verse 6, which we studied in the previous post, and we know how David inquired of the Lord.  He would have asked Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and pocket, and use the Urim and Thummim.  “Yes or No, should I attack the Philistines?”  Answer?  Yes! 

But just as David is strapping on his sword to go fight, his men interrupt him saying, “Woah, woah, woah, hold on a minute, David. Let’s pause a minute and think about this.  We are already afraid here in Judah.  We are hiding from King Saul. We are wanted men.  How can you possibly think it is a good idea for us to come out of hiding and at the same time fight another battle?”  They make a good point.  What David is suggesting is very risky.  I love how seriously David takes the perspective of his men.  David welcomes their opinion to the point that he wonders if perhaps he was wrong.  David’s decision-making process includes other people.  Wise decision-making invites the people around us, asking for their input.

But notice that he doesn’t just assume that his men are correct.  Here again, David, practices healthy decision-making. He evaluates what the people around him say. The majority opinion is not necessarily the right opinion.

David knows that there is at least one other important opinion to consider.  God’s opinion.  So when David’s men rebuke him, he wonders, “Did I hear correctly from God?”

David goes right back to the Urim and Thummim, asking to hear again from God.  In verse 4, God confirms that Yes, David is to go rescue the town of Keilah.  This is enough to now convince everyone, and they go and rescue Keilah. 

Do you see what is going on here?  David’s heart desire is to hear from God.  David is passionate about submitting to God, and doing only what God wants him to do.  David is not swayed by the very justifiable fear that his men express to him.

But the men were not wrong to be fearful.  By going to Keilah, David and his men take on a risk.  King Saul is hunting them, and the king has a national network of spies who are watching out for any sign of David coming out of hiding.  Of course, when David and hundreds of men show up at a public place like a town, and fight the Philistines, David and his men will get noticed.  Even if the townspeople of Keilah are super grateful for being rescued, you know that someone is going to report them to the King.  

That’s exactly what happens.  People loyal to Saul report that David is in Keilah. In verses 7-8, Saul calls up his military to trap David in Keilah.  But thankfully, just as there are people who are loyal to Saul, we learn that there are also people loyal to David.  Look at verse 9.

“When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Bring the ephod.’ David said, ‘Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.’ And the Lord said, ‘He will.’ Again David asked, ‘Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?’ And the Lord said, ‘They will.’ So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.”

When David first hears that Saul is on the move, trying to trap David at Keilah, you’d think David would just get out of there as fast as he could.  But no, David pauses.  It probably wasn’t a long pause, but it is still quite amazing that before David makes any kind of response to Saul’s army’s impending arrival, he once again inquires of God.  He turns to Abiathar the priest, and he asks for God’s input using the Urim and Thummim.  David’s heart is to hear from God, to follow God’s leading.  David shows his humility, his dependence on God. David is a wonderful example of healthy decision-making.

And God leads David.  God confirms that David should leave Keilah.  Even though David has rescued Keilah from the Philistines, those people from Keilah will sell David out to Saul.  David’s prayer in verse 10 shows us that David also remembers Saul’s insanity.  Saul had, as we learned last week in chapter 22, slaughtered a town of priests.  Saul could easily be coming to Keilah to do the same in his crazed pursuit of David. 

So David leaves, and we learn that his army has been growing, now 600 men strong, but 600 is still not nearly large enough to face off against Saul’s thousands.  David’s escape from Keilah forces Saul to change his tactics.  We learn in verses 14 and 15 that David hides in the Desert of Ziph, and Saul is unable to find him because God was protecting David from being found by Saul.

What we have learned in 1st Samuel 23 verses 1-15 is the David practices healthy, humble decision-making, involving others in his process of choosing. But in the end, he prizes God’s opinion above all else. As we continue the story in the next post, we’ll continue observing David’s practice of decision-making.

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

What if God gave us all Holy Magic Eight Balls? – 1st Samuel 23 & 24, Part 1

What are the most difficult decisions you’ve ever had to make?  I’m talking about decisions where you had at least two options, maybe more, and you thought, “I have no idea what option to go with”?  Take a moment and think about those tough choices.

Did you ever wish that something like a magic 8-ball from God was available? 

In our ongoing series on the Life of David, David has some difficult decisions.  There are options.  While we’re going to learn which option he chooses, I want us to pay attention particularly to how he chooses.  Observe what goes into David’s decision-making process.

Turn to 1st Samuel chapter 23. In chapters 21 and 22, we learned that David is on the run as a fugitive being hunted by his insane father-in-law King Saul.  David has become the leader of a group of 400 men who joined David because they were experiencing difficult situations like his.  Chapter 22 concluded with a horrible story in which King Saul commands the slaughter of priests, because one priest, Ahimelek, helped David.  85 priests, and their families and livestock were decimated in the purge.  It is awful.  The only bright spot in the story is that one of Ahimelek’s sons, Abiathar, who was also a priest, escapes and finds refuge with David.  Now look at verse 6 of chapter 23. Rather than start the chapter at verse 1, I’m with verse 6 because it will help us understand the previous five verses in the chapter.  

“Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.”

Ephod? What is the ephod?  Apparently, when Abiathar escaped the slaughter of his family in chapter 22, on his way, he grabbed the ephod.  The ephod is like an apron that was a standard part of the special garments the priests wore when they were serving the Lord.  For our story today, what is important about the Ephod is what is in the ephod’s pocket. 

In the book of Exodus, chapter 28, God explains in detail how to make the ephod and the pocket.  In Exodus, the pocket is called a breastpiece.  When I think of a breastpiece, I think of some kind of metal armor to guard the chest area.  So to avoid confusion, I’m calling the breastpiece a pocket, because it was actually a fancy cloth pocket with jewels on the front.  It was attached to the shoulders and waistband of the ephod, so it wouldn’t swing all over the place when the priest was ministering. 

The most important part of the ephod and pocket is what was inside the pocket.  The pocket held two stones, called the Urim and Thummim.  Some believe one stone was black and one was white.  Some say they had the names Urim and Thummim etched on them, or maybe just the first letters.  The word Urim begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the word Thummim begins with the last letter.  We can only speculate because the parts of the Mosaic Law that mention these two stones are vague in describing what they stones looked like.  What we do know is that the priests used the stones to ascertain God’s will.  This might sound odd or ancient, and it is, but I personally think it is also really cool, and I wish we could still use this method for discerning God’s will.

Here’s how it worked.  One was a “yes” stone, and the other was “no.”  You ask God a Yes or No question, then the priest reaches into the pocket, and he pulls out a stone.  Whichever stone he pulls out is the answer from God. 

Could you imagine if all Christians could have one of those?  It’s like a magic eight ball, except that God truly spoke his will through the selection of the stones.  Think about all those decisions that you have to make in life that are filled with anxiety and uncertainty.  Wouldn’t it be amazing to have your own personal Urim and Thummim?  “God, should I marry my boyfriend or girlfriend?”  Pull out a stone.  There’s your answer.  “God, should I put an offer in on this house for sale?”  Pull out a stone.  How many of you have wished or prayed, “God, I’m really struggling with this decision, and I want you to tell me what to do!”  And you feel anguish about not knowing what to do.  We sometimes think it would be so nice, so reassuring to have our own “God’s Will” device. 

Here’s the difference, though.  God didn’t tell Israel to make and use their own personal Urim and Thummims.  The high priest had the one and only Urim and Thummim set, and that’s it.  So was there a line out the door of the tabernacle every day as people from all over Israel came to ask God Yes or No questions?  You’d think there would be loads of people coming to the tabernacle to get answers about their questions in life.  But the Old Testament scriptures give no indication of that. 

Instead, the use of the Urim and Thummim is rarely mentioned in Scripture.  In Numbers 27, we read the story of God instructing Moses to commission Joshua as his successor in leading the nation.  In verse 21, God says that Joshua, the new leader of the people, will stand before the priest, and the priest will obtain decisions from the Lord for Joshua by using the Urim and Thummim.  What this likely indicates is that the use of the Urim and Thummim was primarily (maybe even only) intended for significant leadership decisions.

It just so happens that 1st Samuel chapter 23 is one of those rare places where we see significant leadership decisions taking place.  When you read through 1st Samuel 23, you will not see the words “Urim and Thummim.”  You will only hear about the ephod in verse 6, and about God giving David directions.  But we can know that it was through the use of the Urim and Thummim, which were located in the pocket of the ephod, that God gave his directions to David.

In the next post, we’ll go back to verses 1 through 5, observing not only what decisions David makes, but how he makes them, which will be very instructive for us as we make decisions.

My favorite book about decision-making and the will of God – 1st Samuel 23 & 24, Preview

My wife Michelle and I started dating in college, and as we were becoming more serious, my thoughts turned to marriage. But one nagging concern I had was how could I be sure that she was “the one”?  Might it be possible that God wanted me to marry someone else?

I talked about it with my dad, and he suggested I read a specific book on God’s will.

Since that time I’ve collected numerous books on the topics of God’s will.

  • The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren
  • The Call: Finding And Fulfilling the Central Purpose for Your Life by Os Guinness
  • Discovering God’s Will: How to Make Every Decision with Peace and Confidence by Jerry Sitser
  • Step by Step: Divine Guidance for Ordinary Christians by James C. Petty
  • God’s Will, God’s Best for Your Life by Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson
  • Discovering God’s Will in Your Life by Lloyd John Ogilvie
  • Living the Life God has Planned: A Guide to Knowing God’s Will by Bill Thrasher
  • Courage & Calling: Embracing Your God-given Potential by Gordon T. Smith
  • Decision-making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen
  • How Then Should We Choose: Three Views on God’s Will and Decision Making edited by Douglas S. Huffman

That’s a long list, isn’t it?  There are likely many other books on God’s will that I don’t have. Why are there so many books on decision-making and God’s will?  Because it is a topic on many people’s minds!  Throughout our lives we are making choices, big and small, every day.  We can sometimes struggle to know how to choose.  We can wish that God would just break through the clouds and tell us what to do.

All these books in the list above aim to help us know what to do when God doesn’t break through the clouds.  I have read most of the books in my collection, and they have pros and cons, in my opinion.  Some are more theological or philosophical.  Some dig deep into the biblical text.  Some emphasize practical steps.  Some are confusing and unhelpful.  In my view, one book in this list is head and shoulders above the rest, and it is the book my dad suggested I read when I was wondering if Michelle was “the one.”  That book is Decision-making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen.  (Friesen also writes one of the chapters in the Three Views book.)

I am so glad I read that book, as Friesen presents what is in my opinion a thoroughly biblical case for a “Wisdom View” of decision-making.  When it comes to choosing who you will marry, Friesen says, there is no one option, no soul mate that God has picked for you that you somehow must find in all the 7 billion people in the world. Instead you can use the tools of wisdom that God generously gives us such as principles in the bible, God-given wisdom from his Spirit, wisdom we gain from experience, and the wisdom of others.  I was so relieved to read Friesen’s Wisdom View because I really wanted to ask Michelle to marry me!  

This coming week on the blog as we continue studying the life of David, we’ll observe how David approaches decision-making.  Does David use a wisdom method?  Take a look at 1st Samuel chapters 23 and 24 ahead of time  See if you can determine how David makes decisions.  Then join me back here on the blog on Monday as I talk about it.  Perhaps you are considering some important decisions in your life.  I think you’ll find this passage very helpful.

Photo by Jan Genge on Unsplash

How to examine the condition of your heart – 1st Samuel 21 & 22, Part 5

When you come across a person standing at a busy intersection holding a sign that says “Homeless.  Anything helps,” what thoughts go through your heart and mind? Here are some thoughts that go through my mind: Why don’t they get a job?  They’re probably just ripping people off.  They likely spend the money they get on cigarettes, booze, or drugs.  They are lazy.  They are irresponsible. They don’t have self-control.  I am a steward of God’s money, so therefore, I should not give money to a panhandler because I cannot guarantee that the panhandler will not waste the money selfishly. Instead, I should give my money to a local social services agency because I know those organizations will help people wisely and not wastefully. 

I bring up the panhandler, as I did in this post earlier in this week’s series of blog posts, because now that we have finished studying 1st Samuel chapters 21 & 22, I want us to reflect more deeply on that early part of the story, chapter 21, verses 5-6. In that section of the story, the priest Ahimelek gives David the consecrated bread from the tabernacle, and David eats it.  As I mentioned in that post, Jesus talks about this story.  Let’s hear what Jesus has to say in Mark 2:23-28,

“One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’ He answered, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’”

Jesus brings up the story because the Pharisees, those highly-legalistic religious leaders with whom he often came into conflict, were confronting Jesus for allowing his disciples to do what was in their eyes breaking the law.  What crime were the disciples committing?  They were picking wheat on the Sabbath Day.  Mind you, the disciples were not harvesting a field and getting paid for their work.  They were picking a few grains for a quick snack right then and there.  But the ultra-strict Pharisees accused the disciples of working on the Sabbath Day, which was forbidden in the Mosaic Law.  The idea of Sabbath and work on the Sabbath are not, however, nearly as strictly defined as what the Pharisees made it seem.  There is a room for interpretation. 

That is what Jesus tries to explain by bringing up the story of David eating the consecrated bread.  Jesus’ point is that both David and the priest held to a wideness, a graciousness, in their interpretation of the Mosaic Law.  The Mosaic Law clearly states that the consecrated bread is a sacrifice to God, and it was only to be eaten by the priests.  So technically, Ahimelek should never have offered the bread to David, even if David could assure Ahimelek that he, David, was ritually clean, he should never have accepted the bread, that is, if they were using a super-strict literal method for interpreting the law. 

Jesus points out, however, that Ahimelek and David interpreted the law with a graciousness.  We call this the difference the letter of the law and the heart of the law.  The Pharisees were big on the letter of the law.  If the speed limit is 35, you should drive 35.  Not 36, 37, or 38.  Even if you’ve heard the police won’t ticket until you get 7 or 10 miles per hour above the speed limit, you only drive 35.  That’s a letter of the law approach, and Jesus says that the Pharisees are wrong.  Jesus refers to David’s story as an example of why, when we interpret Scripture, we should always remember the heart of the law. 

Following the heart of the law is superior to following the letter of the law, because there is no law code that can cover every single situation in life.  The Old Testament Law was never intended to cover every situation that ancient Israel would encounter.  Instead, the Law was best interpreted as a set of principles, flowing from God’s heart, that could be applied to numerous situations.  The people of Israel must learn how to apply those principles in life. 

This is why Jesus says that man was not made for Sabbath, but Sabbath was made for man.  In other words, Jesus is saying that the Law is meant to benefit humanity.  We are not, Jesus indicates, to become slaves to the Law.  Instead we are to find the principles of God’s heart that are illustrated by the Laws, and then we follow those principles.  Knowing that those principles flow from God’s heart of goodness toward us, for our benefit.  Following the principles of God’s heart is what is best for us.  Ahimelek and David demonstrate that they knew the heart of God. 

They knew that God’s heart was for mercy and compassion and helping those in need, like David.  So therefore the consecrated bread, while primarily used as a sacrifice that demonstrated faith in God and gratefulness to God who is the provider of all bread, and secondarily for the nourishment of the priests, could also be used in such a way that honored God’s heart of love and mercy and grace to benefit other people in need. That’s the heart of the law. That’s what is important.  This why God will often say in the Old Testament, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”  The strict ritual and law of the sacrificial system, God says, is not as important as mercy.  Do not allow the letter of the law to keep you from following the heart of the law. 

This is why it is vital that we get to know God’s heart.  The Mosaic Law is first introduced in the book of Exodus.  But God wants the people to be certain about his heart as more important than the letter of the law.  Consider how he describes his heart in Exodus 34,

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”

I will admit that it can sometimes feel vague or confusing to learn God’s heart, to be a person who prizes the heart of the law above the letter. In many cases, it is simply easier to be focus on the letter of the law.  If the speed limit is 35, and the police department is legally not able to ticket you unless you are going 10 miles per hour above the speed limit, you can drive 44 miles per hour and have a clear conscience, not having to worry about any heart of the law.  I like the precision of that.  I want know when I am in the right, and when I have crossed the line into the wrong.

For the vast majority of situations, we would do well to follow the letter of the law.  Generally-speaking following the letter is going to result in the best case scenario.  But let’s not become legalistic.  Let’s not be like the Pharisees.  Let’s be people who know God’s heart so well, that we are more focused on his heart, on compassion, mercy, and grace, that we are able to identify when it is okay to bend or break the law, because doing so will be more in line with God’s heart than in keeping the letter of the law. 

Wait a minute…am I advocating breaking the law?  It’s risky to write “it’s okay to bend or break the law.”  Hear me clearly, I am advocating being so filled with the ideals of God’s heart that we follow his heart, that our hearts beat in alignment with God’s heart. 

But could it be said that in using that stewardship rationale, which often results in not helping the panhandler I referred to at the beginning of this post, we might be legalistic Pharisees in our hearts?  Could it be said that we are assuming the worst about the panhandler’s life story and motives?  Could it be said that we are judging them when in reality we do not know anything about them or their situation or their motives?

I don’t know your heart, so I can’t speak for you.  I can only ask the questions.  I am definitely speaking to myself and my heart.  I know that when I drive up the exit ramp, and I see a panhandler on the corner, I am immediately thrown into a minor emotional crisis.  I just want the light to stay or turn green so I can drive past them and forget about them.  That reveals the condition of my selfish heart.  

What I should feel is compassion.  I should feel mercy.  I should feel grace.  I should see a person who is made in the image of God, just like me.  A person who is loved by God, just like me.  I should remember the passage in Exodus where God describes his heart.  Please read it again,

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”

I am not saying that the answer is to just give money to anyone asking for it.  I am also not saying that we should always give them food.  I am bringing this story up to talk about the condition of our hearts. 

How is your heart?  Does your heart beat after God’s own heart? 

Photo by Nik on Unsplash

A dark evil day during David’s fugitive years – 1st Samuel 21 & 22, Part 4

David has been experiencing some good news while on the run as a fugitive, which we learned in the previous post. Just like that, though, things turn very dark. In 1st Samuel 22, verse 6, the narrative switches focus on David’s pursuer, King Saul.  We learn that Saul is raving made that David has not been located.  In verse 8 he accuses his men of conspiring against him, specifically because no one informed him of the secret pact that his son, Jonathan, made with David to become best friends. How could any of his men know about a secret pact? They couldn’t. Saul also suggests that David is plotting to ambush him.  None of it is true or realistic.  Saul is unhinged. 

As Saul is ranting in his delusional world, one man speaks up.  There’s always someone who wants to get on the bad guy’s good side, right?  Guess who?  Remember that guy who saw David at the temple in 1st Samuel chapter 21, verse 7? In that chapter, the narrator very briefly mentions that David was spotted getting help from Ahimelek the priest, and the story moves on. I mentioned it just as quickly in this post. Who spotted David?  Doeg, King Saul’s chief shepherd.  Now Doeg blurts out to Saul that the high priest helped David.  You can imagine that Doeg is filled with dark glory, having the full attention of the king.  The text tells us that Doeg is an Edomite, so not an Israelite. Perhaps life has been difficult for Doeg being a foreigner. I’m only speculating, but it could help us understand why Doeg might be extra-motivated to make a name for himself in the presence of the king.

The writer of the text doesn’t describe Saul’s emotions as he listens to Doeg, but we can guess that Doeg’s news made Saul shake with anger.  We know this because of what happens next.  Saul takes immediate action, requesting the priest who helped David, Ahimelek, and the men of his family, who were also priests, to come to Saul.  They arrive and Saul confronts them, blaming Ahimelek for conspiring with David’s rebellion.  Ahimelek tries to explain himself, but Saul ignores Ahimelek’s excuse, ordering Ahimelek and all his family be put to death. 

When Saul’s guards refuse to kill the Lords’ priests, Saul orders Doeg to do it, and Doeg does!  Doeg kills 85 priests, even traveling to their town, Nob, where the tabernacle was located, and he kills the men, women, children, infants, and animals.  It is horrid, as all mass murders are.  Raw evil. 

Somehow, one man escapes.  In verse 20, we read that one of the priest Ahimelek’s sons, Abiathar, flees to David, reporting the awful news about the slaughter.  David remembers seeing Doeg at the tabernacle, and David feels terrible, blaming himself for the tragedy.  David will eventually write Psalm 52 about Doeg’s evil.  David welcomes Abiathar to be safe with him and his men, and the chapter concludes there, in the wake of Saul’s insane genocide of the priests.

Let’s conclude this post with Psalm 52. As you read it, think about David remembering that awful day and evil of Doeg and Saul.

“Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue! Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at you, saying, ‘Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!’ But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.”

Photo by Rob Griffin on Unsplash

How to recover from regrettable decisions – 1st Samuel 21 & 22, Part 3

Years ago my son and his friend hung a swing in our backyard from a high tree branch. My grandson loves riding that swing. Recently we were swinging, my grandson sitting on my lap.  As we were swinging, we started spinning.  My grandson thought it was fun, and he started laughing.  I love it when he laughs, so I leaned to spin us even more.  My grandson was giggling, but within seconds I was regretting my decision.  Why?  Heat rushed through my body, and I felt like I was going to vomit. As I’ve aged, I simply cannot handle spinning like I used to when I was younger.

You ever had one of those moments when you make a choice, and maybe you know it is a bit risky, but you still think, “It will be fine,” and about ten seconds after you made the choice, you realize, “This was a horrible choice!” In today’s post, that seems to happen to David.

In the previous post, we observed that though he has been a fugitive for days, David now has food and protection.  But he is still one man, a single fugitive on the run, in a nation crawling with spies who might want to report his whereabouts to the king and get on the king’s good side.  Where can David go to find safety? 

In 1st Samuel chapter 21 verse 10, we read that David makes a shocking choice.  He goes to a Philistine city, the town of Gath.  Why is this shocking?

First, Israel and Philistia were enemies.  Second, do you remember who was from the Philistine city of Gath?  Goliath!  David is fleeing to the hometown of the man that David is most famous for killing, and as we learned in the previous post he is bringing Goliath’s sword with him.  Maybe once he got Goliath’s sword, he thought he could return it to Goliath’s people as a peace offering?  We don’t know.  When David is in Gath, the writer of 1st Samuel never mentions the sword. 

What the writer does mention, however, is that David seems to realize rather quickly once he is in Gath, that he made a terrible mistake going there.  In verse 12 we learn that David was afraid of the king of Gath.  So David decides to pretend to be out of his mind.  The Philistines think David’s bizarre act is real, and it does make sense, as who goes to try to find protection from their mortal enemy? It’s crazy.  David must be insane, they think.

The king of Gath’s response to David in verse 15 is priceless, “Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me?”  Sounds like the King of Gath has had a rough go of leadership lately.  David’s fake ploy of insanity works, and in the beginning of chapter 22, we read that David heads back to Israel to a cave. 

David has hit rock bottom.  Literally.  He is living with rocks in a cave. 

Imagine the heights from which David has fallen.  First he was anointed as the next king, and then he lived in the king’s house, married the king’s daughter, and became best friends with the prince. David went on to become the most famous and victorious military commander in the land. But now? David is alone, on the run from the law, hiding in a cave.  Have you ever had a situation in life where you had to face the reality of loss, of broken relationships, of life turning out really, really poorly?  If so, you know something of the dark state of heart and mind David is experiencing. 

In fact, we know exactly how David was feeling at that moment.  He wrote Psalms in which he shares his feelings about being in Gath and about being in the cave!  Psalms 34, 56, 57, 142.  All three of those psalms say nearly the same thing.  David cries out to the Lord for help.  Here is Psalm 142:

I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.

I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.

When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way.

In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me.

Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me.

I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need;

rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.

Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

I mention those last lines of Psalm 142, because in those lines David says, “the righteous will gather about me,” which is exactly what happened.  We don’t know how long he was in the cave alone.  But it doesn’t seem he was alone too terribly long. 

We read, continuing in verse 1 of 1st Samuel chapter 22, that David’s family comes to see him.  Then little by little other people in distressed circumstances, just like David, gather around him, and he becomes their leader.  They develop into a revolutionary army numbering 400. But 400 men, even very motivated men, are no match for the royal army which numbered in the thousands. 

King Saul commanded that army, and he really wants to get to David, but he doesn’t know where David is hiding.  If you were Saul, what strategy might you use to flush David out into the open?  There is a classic method that you see in numerous films and books.  The evil bad guy captures the wife and kids, or other family members, of the good guy. The bad guy holds them hostage, hoping to draw out the good guy. 

Knowing his family are sitting ducks and suspecting Saul will eventually try to hold his parents hostage, David arranges for his parents to relocate to the neighboring nation of Moab.  Why Moab?  Do you remember David’s significant connection to Moab? David’s grandmother was a Moabite, Ruth, which the book of the Bible Ruth is all about.  David figures King Saul will not be able to get to his parents in Moab.

Next in 1st Samuel 22, verse 5, we learn that a prophet visits David.  The prophet, Gad, instructs David to leave the cave, aka The Stronghold, and move into the forests of Judah. Though the text doesn’t say this, because Gad is a prophet it is likely that the he was communicating the word of the Lord.  David obeys. 

Though David is still in a precarious position, notice how David’s situation has improved.  He has 400 men in a good hideout, his parents are safe, God is communicating with David, and most importantly of all, David obeys.  All very good signs for David. David is still a fugitive, though.

So far in our study of 1st Samuel 21 & 22, we haven’t heard anything about the man trailing David, King Saul. In the next post we learn what Saul has been up to in his hunt for David, and it is very, very dark.

Photo by Gabriel on Unsplash

Why a priest was willing to break the law – 1st Samuel 21 & 22, Part 2

Here at Faith Church we have an unending stream of Tastykakes in our freezer because we happen to have an inside connection to Tastykake! If you’ve never had a Tastykake, you need to try Butterscotch Krimpets or Kandy Kakes. I especially love dark chocolate Kandy Kakes with cream filling. Mostly we use the Tastykakes for our fellowship gatherings, but we sometimes hand them out to people in need.  For example, we’ve had people knock on the church office door asking for help, and if they are hungry, while we are not able to give them a full meal, we can at least give them a snack. Mostly, though, we direct them to contact our local social services agencies, CVCCS or CV SEEDS, depending on the person’s situation, as those organizations are designed to help people in need. 

Similarly, David is one of those people in need, and he shows up at his church asking for food. In the previous post, we learned that because King Saul is hunting David, David went to the priests at the tabernacle for help. When he showed up alone, the high priest Ahimelek was suspicious, “Why are you alone?” Now we hear David’s response:

“David answered Ahimelek the priest, ‘The king sent me on a mission and said to me, “No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.” As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.’”

Is David lying?  David is not on a mission from the King.  He doesn’t have any men to take care of.  David is simply hungry!  He’s been on the run for days, and who knows when he last had a good meal.  David is a fugitive.  Of course, he is concerned about the basics of life.  Food, protection, safety.  That’s it.  So David comes to God’s tent hoping for help. 

It’s a very similar rationale that many people in our day use when they reach out to the church in their time of need.  But in David’s day, is the tabernacle designed to help people in need?  Let’s read Ahimelek’s response.

“But the priest answered David, ‘I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here—provided the men have kept themselves from women.’”

David has put Ahimelek in a tough spot.  How so?  First, helping David at all could put Ahimelek on King Saul’s blacklist.  Second, if the priest had some regular bread left in the pantry, so to speak, he would have given it to David.  But that regular bread was gone.  All Ahimelek had was consecrated bread. 

What is consecrated bread?  If you peek down to verse 6, you’ll see the writer describe it as “the bread of the Presence.”  One of the regular duties of the priests in the tabernacle was to prepare bread every day which was presented as a sacrifice to God.  You can read about it in Exodus 25 and Leviticus 24.  This is very special bread.  It is God’s bread. 

When God first instructed Moses and the Israelites to include bread offerings to him, he told them that after the bread had been sacrificed to God, the priests could partake of it.  But only priests could partake of it.  It is quite interesting, then, that Ahimelek is willing to make an exception here.  And his exception is based on David and his men having kept themselves from sexual relations. 

What does that matter?  David is a married man.  Who cares if he has sexual relations?  Here’s what Ahimelek seems to be thinking. Ahimelek is willing to make an exception for the use of the consecrated bread, based on what he knows of one other event in the history of Israel, and a passage in the Mosaic Law.  In Exodus 19:15 just before God entered into covenant with the people of Israel, he commanded the people to consecrate themselves in advance of the meeting by temporarily abstaining from sexual relations.  Also, in the law, in Leviticus 15:18, we read that after having sexual relations, persons were considered ritually unclean, and they needed to go through a cleansing process to become ritually clean again if they were going to worship God.  So Ahimelek seems to be saying, “Okay, David, I’ll make an exception for you and your men.  You can have the consecrated bread, which symbolically connects you to worship of God, but you can only eat the bread if you are ritually clean.” 

Let me pause right there and say that what Ahimelek is doing here is amazing.  Why?  Ahimelek could have said, “Sorry David. Can’t help you.  All I have is the consecrated bread, and that’s for priests only.”  That would have been in keeping with the letter of the law.  There is no other provision in the law that says the priests can give out the consecrated bread to those in need, even if those persons in need are ritually clean.  Ahimelek’s interpretation of the text of the Mosaic Law is very creative, to say the least.  His is a gracious reading of the text.  It gets to the heart of the Law, because God himself is gracious.  We’re going to talk about this further in the final post this week, because this story of Ahimelek’s interpretational method comes up again hundreds of years later.  In fact, none other than Jesus himself refers to this story.  Why Jesus refers to this story and what Jesus says about it is deeply instructive for you and me.

For now, we can move through the rest of the story rather quickly.  I’m going to do some summarizing.  Sadly, the rest of the story turns very dark.  In verses 5-6, David responds to Ahimelek that he and his men (again sticking with his story) are ritually clean, and Ahimelek should not worry about giving David the bread.  This, too, is an interesting response.  Other people might have said, “Oh…all you have is consecrated bread?  Well, no, I could never take that.  That’s God’s bread. That’s for the priests and only for the priests.  No worries, Ahimelek, I’ll keep looking elsewhere.”  Rule-followers think like that.  Rule-followers want nothing to do with even the slightest bending of the rules. 

David, no doubt, is a man after God’s own heart.  In numerous future blog posts through this series on the Life of David, we are going to see David go to extreme lengths to follow God’s heart.  So it is a bit surprising that in this episode, when it comes eating God’s bread and lying about what is going on in his life, David seems okay with that. Should we be okay with that?  I don’t think so.  I think we can simply say that David was unethical.  But Ahimelek doesn’t know that, and Ahimelek gives him the bread. 

Then someone spots David.  In verse 7, we read that the king’s chief shepherd, Doeg, sees David there at the temple.  Keep that tidbit in mind.  Because the narrative moves on.

In verses 8-9, with his first major need cared for, food, we learn that David inquires of Ahimelek about his second major need, protection.  David is still working his story about being on a mission for the king.  He is really committed to this story.  Is Ahimelek the priest buying this story?  If he doubts David’s story about being a secret mission from Saul, Ahimelek doesn’t seem to give any indication of doubt.  Maybe he just plays along, and he says David can take Goliath’s sword for protection.  Somehow or another, the sword had been stored at the Tabernacle for safe-keeping, and David says, “Yes, I want that sword.” 

So David has food, and he has protection.  But he is still one man, a single fugitive on the run, in a nation crawling with spies who might want to report his whereabouts to the king and get on the king’s good side.  Where can David go to find safety? David has an idea of where he can find safety, a shocking idea, and we learn about that in the next post.

Photo by Kate Remmer on Unsplash

When David begged for help – 1st Samuel 21 & 22, Part 1

A panhandler is back in my community. 

They stand at the end of the exit ramp that goes from the highway to the road my church property is located on. If you are making a left hand turn onto the road, you have to drive right by them.  Whenever I see the pandhandler standing there, I glance at the stoplight and think “Come on, turn green, light, or stay green, so I don’t have stop near them.  I do not want to stop.”  If I do have to stop and wait for the light to turn green, I want to stop three or four cars back in line, so the panhandler holding the sign isn’t right next to me.  Have you ever felt like that?

Panhandlers make me feel very uncomfortable.  If I’m being honest, sometimes they make me feel angry.  One a few years ago had a trashcan at the same location, filled so full it was overflowing and littering the ground.  I thought, “How many people gave him granola bars and water bottles to fill up the trash can?”  I wondered how many people gave him money, and how much.  Is this description making you uncomfortable?  Hold that thought.  We’re going to talk further about this week, as we continue our study of the life of David.

When we last left him, David is on the run. See post here.  His father-in-law, King Saul, has made it very clear that he wants to kill David because Saul is crazy jealous of David’s success.  Saul is the king.  Saul has the upper hand by far.  Saul commands a national network of informants who could be on the watch for David.  David is in an extremely precarious position. 

That brings us to 1st Samuel chapter 21. Since David first fled the King’s house, David has had help.  His wife, Michal.  The prophet Samuel.  His best friend, and crown prince, Jonathan.   But Saul is watching all those people.  Where can David turn now?  In verse 1 we read, “David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, ‘Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?’”

David, in his desperation for help, seems to be thinking, “I can find help from the Lord by going to the priests at the Tabernacle of the Lord.”  At this point in Israel’s history, the temple in Jerusalem has not been built.  In fact, the Israelites have not even conquered Jerusalem yet.  So the center of worship is the tabernacle, a kind of portable temple, which was literally a tent the size of a two-car garage where the Israelites priests would minister, keeping the regular pattern of daily sacrifices to God. 

It makes a lot of sense for David to go to the tabernacle to seek God’s protection and guidance.  The high priest had possession of the Urim and Thummim, which were stones used to ascertain God’s will.  One was a “yes” stone, and the other was “no.”  You ask God a Yes or No question, then the priest reaches into the pocket in the priestly ephod, and he pulls out a stone.  Whichever stone he pulls out is the answer from God. 

Thus David shows up at the tabernacle, hoping for help.  But when he shows up, the priest Ahimelek is troubled.  Why is Ahimelek upset at David’s appearance?  Ahimelek questions David about why he is alone.  What is Ahimelek getting at? 

Remember that David has become a very well-known person.  He is the king’s son-in-law, and a military commander who has distinguished by leading numerous victorious battles. Given David’s royal and military stature, Ahimelek is suspicious that David has shown up alone.  Shouldn’t David’s entourage be with him?  Yes, they should.  It is also highly likely that Ahimelek has heard rumors of trouble in the King’s household.  Remember the episode when Saul and his men tried to arrest David, but God intervened and Saul ended up writhing on the ground naked?  That’s the kind of story that spreads like wildfire.  There was easily enough time for Ahimelek to find out that David was being hunted by Saul. 

When a deeply troubled situation is unfolding, anything can happen, right?  You don’t know what you are dealing with.  Is David in a stable frame of mind?  Or is he now so desperate that he will try something crazy?  When people are under stress, filled with anxiety, they can act out of character, right?  Or maybe Ahimelek is thinking “I want no part in this soap opera.”  Ahimelek may even realize that, as unhinged as King Saul has shown himself to be, David is essentially bringing trouble to Ahimelek’s doorstep. 

In other words, Ahimelek is wise to be very cautious of David.

How will David respond to Ahimelek?  We find out in the next post.

Photo by Hennie Stander on Unsplash