Today's treasure: 1 Samuel 21: 6
David was on the run with a mad man on his heels and Saul had alerted half the country to kill him. David faced a terrifying prospect for a person twice his age.
READ 1 Samuel 21: 1-9
When David fled, he first went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest, who reacted to David's arrival with trembling.
Why do you think Ahimelech was frightened by David's coming?
What lie did David tell Ahimelech?
What two things did David request from the priest in these nine verses?
The priest had no bread to offer except the bread of the ______________
Does the Edomite will become a memorable figure in our study soon. Who was he according to verse 7?
The only sword in Nob was the one that had belonged to ________________
David did not haphazardly end up in Nob. He no doubt sought relief in the city of priests. Nob, a village between Jerusalem and Gibeah, was the venue where the tabernacle was relocated after the destruction of Shiloh. Like many of us in times of crisis, he may have desired to draw closer to those who seem closest to God--not a bad idea!
When was the last time you reached out to someone you regard as being 'close to God' ?
In the first verse of Chap. 21 we see that Ahimelech 'trembled' when he met David. Ahimelech was probably not aware of the warrant out for David's life. Perhaps verse 9 provides a little insight. Ahimelech knew of Goliath's demise at the hands of this young man. He also may have remembered David sporting through Jerusalem swinging Goliath's head in his hand. The priests certainly would have wanted no trouble from the Philistine army seeking revenge. We are told that the sight of David struck fear in the priests' hearts.
We witness through these studies to more that a few compromises in David's character. In this case the compromise was David's willingness to lie. He was probably attempting to spare the priest's life, hoping that Saul would not hold Ahimelech responsible for helping David. Famished from his flight, David asked the priest for five loaves of bread.
Interesting that in verse 3, "Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find". In all four Gospels, as Christ sent the disciples to search for food, five loaves were all they could find. For David, however, no bread could be found except the bread of the Presence. Perhaps God had a point to make with the five loaves.
Leviticus 24: 5-9 talks of the bread and how it is to be set out before the Lord. Isaiah 55:3 has an "everlasting covenant" speaking of what?
Consider two possible reasons why the bread of the Presence night have purposely been used of God to feed David:
1. The bread of the Presence might have symbolized God's everlasting covenant with David. Somewhat like the stars of the sky symbolized the offspring of Abram, the bread of Presence was place before God as a reminder of the everlasting covenant.
2. The bread of the Presence might have symbolized the provision of God's presence in David's life. The Hebrew term for presence is paneh, which means "countenance, presence, or face". God inspired David to write the following verses:
Psalm 22:24 and Psalm 31:16
Read John 6: 47-48 By what name did Christ call Himself?
Christ is the bread of God's presence to us. His scars are placed before God as a perpetual memorial that the wages of ours sins have been paid. "This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51)
He renews His promise to us in Hebrews 13:5
God reminded David of His presence, but David continued to run frantically from village to village. Surely Samuel reminded David of God's plan when David fled to Ramah. God reminded David of His presence and provision through the priest of Nob.
Is it coincidental that the only weapon in the city of Nob was Goliath's sword? Is it possible God was trying to remind David that he had overcome a greater enemy that Saul with God's help?
David was not just sheep smart, he was street smart. David may have been short on patience and short on perceiving God's reminders, but not short of personality.
God can make us aware of reminders of His presence in our lives and we can have assurance no matter what the circumstances. Keep studying God's Word, keep praying for a hunger and thirst for His Word.
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