8 Is that why you have all conspired AGAINST ME? No one TELLS ME when MY SON MAKES A COVENANT with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned ABOUT ME OR TELLS ME that my son has incited my servant to LIE IN WAIT FOR ME, as he does today.’ 1 Samuel 22
It’s interesting to listen to the words of King Saul, a ruler gone wrong, no longer walking with the God of Israel. In this single verse he uses the word, ‘ME’, five times and also blames his own son Jonathan of betrayal. He’s the ruler of Israel, but he’s only concerned about himself and not any longer about the people under him.
9 But Doeg the Edomite, WHO WAS STANDING WITH SAUL’S OFFICIALS, (He wasn’t an official, but the head shepherd), said, ‘I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 Ahimelek enquired of the Lordfor him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.’
Doeg, a lesser servant, gave Saul information about the priest of the Lord at Nob and Saul responded by ordering Ahimelek and his whole family to be brought before him. Saul then ordered that they be put to death, but his own officials refused to obey him. They had MORE FEAR OF THE LORD than Saul.
17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.’
But the king’s officials were UNWILLING TO RAISE A HAND TO STRIKE THE PRIESTS of the Lord. 1 Samuel 22
Self-centred leaders lose their Fear of the Lord, they only think of themselves and their own position. How many secular and religious leaders today have the same characteristics exhibited by Saul, totally self-absorbed and without any evident Fear of God. Saul used those around him for his own ends, he had no thought of helping anyone but himself.
20 But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to join David. 21 He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.
Ahitub was the only member of the priestly family to escape and he fled to David who admitted that it was Ahimelek’s help for him that had incensed Saul to kill the priests and then slaughter the whole town of Nob. David was grieved that his presence was responsible for so many deaths and told Ahitub to stay with him and he would protect him. David had a true heart for the people, as does the Lord, but a leader who had lost all Fear of God cares nothing for them. David was very much the underdog in this situation, but God was with David.
When Duncan Campbell, the minister who was to lead the Hebridean Revival arrived on the island he was asked by elderly intercessors where he stood with God. His answer was unassuming, but he said, ‘that at least he feared God’. That single confession allowed God to touch whole communities in a measure seldom seen in modern times.
Today, more than ever, we must be sure that those we follow Fear the Lord.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.