Jesus High Priest and Access To God
1Sam 23:6-18
Synopsis 1Sam 23:6-18 10/20/2018
Saul ordered Doeg the Edomite to kill all the priests from Nob, including Ahimelech and his sons. However, one son escaped the slaughter. Abiathar somehow managed to avoid capture. So he went to David in search of protection and safety.
The result was that David was growing stronger. He now had a followership of six-hundred men and the rightful High Priest in his camp.
David and his men went down from the stronghold to Keilah. Keilah was a citadel city in the lowlands. Saul discovered David’s location there and called the army to pursue him. But David was able to ask God through the High Priest what to do. And so he escaped Keilah into the wilderness.
Finally, Jonathan came to David in the wilderness. He encouraged him and pledged his fidelity. And, he acknowledged that David would be king. And he went on to say that even King Saul knew this.
Priestly Access to God
In ancient Israel, access to God was mediated by the priests. And this was especially accomplished by the High Priest. In those days, the people feared God and they lived in dread of sinning against Him by violating the Law of Moses. And they especially dreaded the publicity of their sins. But still, they all sinned. And so, the priests mediated between God and man.
Now Saul ordered eighty-five priests murdered. Only one priest from the line of Eli the High Priest, survived. His name was Abiathar. And he fled to David for protection. As a result, Saul was without access to an authentic high priest. Accordingly, his access to God was limited.
David, on the other hand, had the authentic high priest under his protection. So, in his exile, God was more proximate to him than He would ordinarily be to any Israelite – even the king.
Jesus High Priest and Access To God
Like most people in America, I live in a remarkable time filled with extraordinary technological advances. In this time, even a person with average wealth lives with an almost unimaginable access to goods and services. As many people have observed, even the most wealthy ancient king could not begin to conceive of the material blessings of modern people.
It’s like that with God too. The ancients could not have imagined having unfettered, immediate access to God. They would struggle to believe that they could call upon a high priest at will. And yet, only because of the sacrifice, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have that access. And it can never be taken from us.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” Heb 4:15-16
