Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20020505.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTION TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part XXVI: Edifying Those Oppressed By Errant Leaders By Admitting Our Own Blame
(1 Samuel 22:6-23)
  1. Introduction
    1. Sinful, oppressive leadership is certainly a blameworthy evil.
    2. If we witness such a wrong, the easy way to RESPOND is to blame only the oppressive leaders.
    3. David nobly demonstrated another route that would hold him in good stead in his future days as king -- that of edifying others by facing and assuming responsibility for his own fault in such a crisis, 22:6-23:
  2. Edifying Those Oppressed Wronged By Errant Leaders By Admitting Our Own Blame, 22:6-23.
    1. A terrible atrocity occurred against the innocent priestly families at Nob in 1 Samuel 22:6-19:
    2. On the surface, David could have heatedly blamed Saul and his head herdman, Doeg the Edomite for this atrocity as they were directly responsible for committing the murderers:
      1. Because of his disobedience against God's command, God's Spirit had left Saul and a demon hounded him, so Saul performed various evil deeds, 1 Samuel 15:26; 16:14-23. One of those deeds was his administering over the slaughter of the priests at Nob, cf. 1 Samuel 22:11-16, 18.
      2. On the other hand, it was Doeg the Edomite who informed Saul of the high priest's help for David in good faith, and led to Sauls' order for him to kill the priests, 1 Samuel 22:9-11, 18.
      3. Thus, David could have blamed Saul and Doeg for the atrocity against the priests of Nob.
    3. However, David's own deception, even though performed under Saul's persecuting duress, had helped put the priests in Saul's harmful WAY, 1 Samuel 21:1-3, 22:
      1. In fleeing from Saul, David had stopped by the priests' town of Nob for provisions, 1 Samuel 21:1.
      2. When the high priest, Ahimelech wondered if David could have been in trouble with Saul since he was alone, leading to his not helping him, David lied so Ahimelech would be disposed to feel free to supply him with livelihood provisions, 1 Samuel 21:2-3.
      3. Thus, when Ahimelech helped David because of David's deceiving him in the presence of Saul's chief herdman, Doeg the Edomite, David actually opened the door for Saul and Doeg to perform the atrocity.
      4. Indeed, in hearing of the atrocity, David recalled he wondered upon noting Doeg was present if he would inform Saul to Ahimelech's harm, 1 Samuel 22:22a,b.
      5. Thus, David's failure to seek to protect the priests from Doeg from the moment he noticed Doeg was witnessing his interaction with Ahimelech, and thus wondered in himself about Doeg's informing Saul meant David was blamable for Nob's demise by way of selfish irresponsibility!
    4. Accordingly, when Abiathar of the priests escaped the slaughter and told David, David edified him by assuming responsibility for his own deception that had allowed for the atrocity, 1 Samuel 22:20-23:
      1. Abiathar, a descendant of the high priest and his apparent "coadjutor" escaped the slaughter of the priests' families at Nob and fled to tell David about it, 22:20-21; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, ftn. to 22:20.
      2. David responded, admitting his concern about Doeg's witness of his words with Ahimelech, 22:22a.
      3. Accordingly, though he blamed Doeg for this atrocity in Ps. 52, David here acknowledged his own blame to Abiathar in his creating an opportunity for Abiathar's relatives to be slain through his own deception and irresponsibility regarding Ahimelech's welfare in Doeg's presence, 1 Samuel 22:22b.
      4. In so doing, David asked Abiathar to stay with him for protection, 1 Samuel 22:23. David's admission of sharing in the blame for His relatives' deaths would have set Abiathar at ease about David's motives toward him, for the admission would expose David as sensing his accountability to God when there was nothing humanly to gain for doing so and no one to whom David would have to answer under the circumstances of his being an outlaw from Saul!
Lesson: Though OTHERS were FAR MORE to BLAME than David for the deaths of Abiathar's kin, David SHARED in the blame by his IRRESPONSIBLE DECEPTION of the high priest in Doeg's presence. Thus, David only EDIFIED Abiathar by admitting HIS part in the deaths of Abiathar's kin!

Application: When a terrible wrong by a leader leads to innocent people being hurt, even if WE share a LESSER blame, we only EDIFY the afflicted by FACING and ACCEPTING what guilt is our OWN!