I Samuel 23 tells us about one of the fascinating episodes in David’s years of avoiding the relentless pursuit of King Saul, who like a mad dog was looking to capture David and kill him. During this roughly thirteen year period, David functioned like history’s first Robin hood in that he was keeping one step ahead of “the Sheriff of Nottingham” (King Saul, himself) while at the same time he was helping his countrymen and even rescuing them from their enemies. In the text above, we read about David responding to the plight of the people of Keilah (located about 10 miles southwest of Jerusalem) who had been attacked by the Philistines, the “Bad Boys” of that period in Israel’s history.
Before getting involved in this rescue mission, David consulted with the Lord. At that time, the high priest by default, now Abiathar, (because his father had recently been killed by Saul, see I Sam. 22) used his ephod to assist David in inquiring of the Lord. This ephod was an ornamented vest worn by the High Priest in performing many of his functions including inquiring of the Lord. The ephod contained the mysterious (to us) gemstones called the Urim and Thummin which apparently functioned like coins or dice which had to land upright or upside down (when thrown?). No one knows exactly how this worked except that it worked like a system of casting lots whereby “yes” or “no” answers would be given to questions asked of God (See “Baker’s Encyclopedia of the Bible,” edited by W.A. Elwell, Vol... 2, p. 2117). In addition to our Text (I Sam. 23:1-12), see I Samuel 30:7-11, and Exodus 28:15 for some other references to the Urim and Thummin and their use.
Through this “yes and no” process David determined God’s will regarding the rescue of the city of Keilah. He was given the green light to engage the more powerful Philistines and “kicked them out of town.” But when Saul learned that David was in Keilah he started to zero in on David. David again inquired of the Lord and was told to “get out of town” quick (see I Sam. 23:11f). There are other instances where David sought the Lord’s guidance and demonstrated his resolve to know and be in harmony with the will of the Lord. It was the defining characteristic of his lifestyle-this sense that he was to conduct his affairs within God’s counsels. He was not by any means perfect (lest we forget Bathsheba) but he never deviated (unlike Saul) from any direct order given to him by God whether through prophetic word or by means of the divinely ordained Urim and Thummin. He made it his business to seek God’s counsel before he acted. As such he stands as a model for all of God’s people.
Peter tells us that the “(Christian) does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God (I Peter 4:2)” James is even more emphatic when he says that we should never project into the future apart from God. Bragging or boasting (James 4:16) about what we will do, what we will try to accomplish, or what treasures we well seek without taking account of the will of God is sheer foolishness. It really is a matter of Whom we are consulting. The saying goes that if I am personally trying my own case in court then I have a fool for a lawyer. If I am a fool for acting as my own lawyer, then I am a bigger fool if I try to run my life apart from God’s counsel. Are you a fool or a wise “guy.”
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