When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Then David said, “O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will deliver you.” 1 Samuel 23: 9-12, NKJV.
Dear God of our salvation, In the time of danger, please teach us how to seek safety beneath Your wings. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
David’s situation was one of great peril. As we mentioned yesterday, Saul was pursuing him. Now, he is hot on his heels. For a while it seemed as if Saul had David in his grasp at last! But none of our battles are lost while God is watching over us! And God was watching over David. This is what we read in Sacred Scripture: “And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand” (14, emphasis provided).
The ephod that David requested to be brought to him by Abiathar the priest was a special sacred garment worn by the priests. From the description it was rather beautiful. We read the following about it: ” ‘ “They shall take the gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and the fine linen, and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked” (Exodus 28: 5, 6, emphasis provided). It is in details such as these where we learn to appreciate something of the quality of the worship that should be offered to our God. The garments worn by the priests were “for glory and for beauty” (2b). We should “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chronicles 16: 29).
But the ephod had more than one purpose. Scripture informs us, “Then you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: six of their names on one stone and six names on the other stone, in order of their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall set them in settings of gold. And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders as a memorial” (1 Samuel 28: 9-12). In this way, whenever Aaron was ministering before the LORD, he was, at the same time, keeping the twelve tribes of Israel before the LORD, “as a memorial.” Let us never forget, that our Great High Priest Jesus Christ, is also bearing us on His shoulders!
But from our text for today, we can see that it had an even more crucial, purpose; it was an instrument of consultation with YHWH! David, obviously in a state of anxiety, with his life at stake, needed to run to the Rock that [was] higher than [himself] (William O. Cushing)! There was no time to go through Abiathar, to the Mercy Seat, so he ran “boldly” to the Throne of Grace, using the ephod, and spoke to the Father! And the Father answered His child, which resulted in his safety!
Dearly beloved, I am so glad that we serve a God whose scepter is continually extended to the human race! None need remain in the court yard until He extends it to them! We can come before Him, without fearing for our lives! He has invited us to “come boldly to [His] throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4: 16, emphasis provided). In this new year, there will be decisions to make, that you and I dare not make, without first hearing from the Father! Our lives might depend on us making the right decisions, as did the life of David. It is at these times that we must remember, that our Great High Priest Jesus Christ, became “the Way” to the Father, on our behalf. Therefore, “hasten to His throne!”