In our passage today we see Ahimelech going against the letter of the law by giving the holy bread to David instead of only to the priests. Jesus later referred to this incident showing that God's laws should be applied with compassion, and that to do good and save life is God's greater law.
King Saul thought Ahimelech was involved in a conspiracy with David against him, and had the 85 priests and their families killed. This horrific act showed his mental and emotional instability, as well as how evil he had become and how far he had strayed from God. Unfortunately, evil things will happen to faithful people in this life, but thankfully God has promised that ultimately all evil will be abolished.
I am enjoying reading the "correct" Psalms alongside the events as they happened in David's life! Today we read about Doeg the Edomite betraying Ahimelech and David, and then callously killing the priests. He thought he was a great warrior and even boasted about his deed! In reality, his deed was evil. We cannot mistake accomplishment for goodness. We need to measure our actions against God's Word, not by how well we can do it.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: 1 Samuel 24-26
2 comments:
I like your comment about measuring our actions with God's word. It doesn't matter what we have gained, materialized, or accomplished if it doesn't line up with God's law.
1 Samuel 22:17-18
And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the Lord’s priests.
18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments
These men who refused to follow Saul's orders took a risk that they would be next to be killed, but they knew that God was greater than Saul and to obey God was more important even if their lives may be taken for it. I pray that I have that courage too.
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