We were just talking about this particular passage from 1 Samuel yesterday in Sunday School. David was scared to death after being informed that Saul wanted to kill him. If he would have simply trusted God to see him through, who knows how the story would have been different:
1 Samuel 21:1-9 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
The first problem is that David fell into sin. Saul didn't give him anything to do. He lied.
1 Samuel 21:3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. 4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. 5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
David was going to the temple. He could have asked for any number of loves of bread. Why just 5? Maybe it was the number of men he was going to take with him, but I think differently. The number 5 is the number of grace. David knew he needed grace. But the priest told him that the only way he was going to get it is if he had his heart right with God.
1 Samuel 21:6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. 8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.
Another lie!
1 Samuel 21:9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
The sword is behind the ephod. That's a strange place to hide such a treasure, isn't it? But you see, that's just a bit of spiritual poetry. Because the ephod was the garment of praise. Your weapon is on the other side of your praise.
Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Nehemiah 4:20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
The Church is the spiritual Isreal, being part of the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). The trumpet is an instrument of announcment.
You see if we're down and we think we're out and we just want a weapon just to survive, the listen to what I'm about to tell you. If you just start praising him, and I'm not saying a little praise, but announce your praise! He'll show up and fight your battles for you!
Lord, we thank you for this day and for all the blessings your hand has given! Show yourself strong and mighty in our lives. We believe that through you all things are possible! In Jesus name, Amen.
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