Gospel Reflections #979: God does not remove the difficulty, rather He joins us in the difficulty

1 Samuel 22:20 ‘One of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped; his name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.’

This scene marks a major turning point in the story, as Abiathar—the sole survivor of Saul’s massacre of the priests—fled to David.

Ahimelech, the priest who had helped David (or so he was suspected), and his family were massacred by Doeg the Edomite, acting on King Saul’s orders. Amidst this horrific event, in which 85 priests and the people of the town of Nob were killed, only Abiathar miraculously survived.

Abiathar’s flight to David enabled David to obtain the ‘ephod’ (the priestly garment) with which to inquire of God’s will.

As a result, even whilst living as a fugitive, David was able to seek God’s guidance directly.

This passage illustrates God’s providence: ‘Even under the rule of evil (Saul), God rescues the necessary provisions (the priest) for the sake of His own plan (David’s kingship).’

Furthermore, the figure of Abiathar, who fled from a desperate situation (the death of his family) to David, the ‘future king’, is interpreted as a symbol of faith—taking refuge with God’s Saviour amidst adversity.

Our God is the same God as David’s God.

Our God is not one who removes all difficulties and tribulations from our path, but God’s plan will certainly be fulfilled.

And God is not one who would abandon those who believe in and rely on Him to suffer alone in their tribulations.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.