Daily Thought

As soon as David heard that the Philistine armies were raiding Keilah, he prayed about it, and the Lord immediately answered him (cp. Saul’s similar, but half-hearted prayer, 1 Sam. 14. 37), telling him that he should go and save the town. Unfortunately, David’s men - who only numbered about 600 at that time - then told him quite honestly that they were ‘afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?’, v. 3. Faced with this new difficulty, David prayed yet again, and again the Lord told him to go to Keilah, but this time He added the promise - ‘I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand’, v. 4. David’s men believed the Lord, overcame their fear and ‘went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter’, v. 5.

Abiathar the priest heard that David was in Keilah and he joined him, bringing the ephod. However, Saul had also heard that David was there, and he began to plan a siege of the walled town. But while Saul was preparing for the campaign, David found out ‘that Saul secretly practised mischief against him’, v. 9.

The ephod that Abiathar had brought would have been that part of the ceremonial vesture of the high priest (Exod. 28 and 39), which, with its attached Urim and Thummim, could be used to ask the Lord questions, cp. Num. 27. 21, but see 1 Sam. 28. 6. Ephods were normally kept in the tabernacle, 1 Sam. 21. 9, but as Abiathar had brought one to Keilah, David gladly made use of it (cp. 1 Sam. 30. 7), asking the Lord if the people of Keilah would give him up to Saul. The Lord answered that they would, so David was able to escape.

Today, we Christians do not depend on such devices as ephods, or Urim and Thummim, but there are at least three things needed to guarantee our prayers being answered. First, faith - ‘whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive’, Matt. 21. 22. Second, the name of the Lord Jesus - ‘whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son’, John 14. 13. Third, obedience to Him - ‘whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight’, 1 John 3. 22. Because our needs are continuous, we must needs continue in prayer!