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The Beginning of the End
saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your
descendants and my descendants forever.’”
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David hurried to Nob. The tabernacle had been taken to this
place from Shiloh, and Ahimelech the high priest ministered here.
The priest looked at David in astonishment, as he came hurriedly
and apparently alone. He asked what had brought him there, and in
his desperation the young man resorted to deception. David told the
priest he had been sent on a secret errand by the king.
David’s Faith Fails
Here David showed a lack of faith in God, and his sin resulted
in the death of the high priest. If he had told the facts plainly,
Ahimelech would have known what to do to preserve his life. God
requires His people to tell the truth, even in the greatest peril.
Doeg, chief of Saul’s herders, was fulfilling his vows in the place
of worship. When David saw this man, he was determined to quickly
find another place of safety. He asked Ahimelech for a sword and
was told that he had none except the sword of Goliath, kept as a relic
in the tabernacle. David replied, “There is none like it; give it to
me.”
David fled to Achish, king of Gath, because he felt that there
was more safety among the enemies of his people than in Saul’s
kingdom. But someone told Achish that David was the man who had
killed the Philistine champion years before. This put David, who
was seeking safety among these enemies of Israel, in great danger.
But, pretending to be insane, he deceived his enemies and was able
to escape.
David’s first mistake was to distrust God at Nob; his second,
to deceive Achish. As trials came upon him, his faith was shaken
and human weakness appeared. Everyone looked like a spy and a
betrayer to him. As he was hunted and persecuted, perplexity and
distress nearly hid his heavenly Father from his sight.
Every failure on the part of the children of God is because of
their lack of faith. When shadows cloud the soul, we must look up;
there is light beyond the darkness. David should not have distrusted
God. He was the Lord’s anointed. If he had just stopped dwelling
on his distressing situation and had thought of God’s power and