We are told that those things which were written afore time were written for our learning. As we consider the lives of men who lived many years ago we can learn lessons that will help us in our service to our King now in the 20th century.
Abiathar lived during the time of Saul and David. He came from the priestly line, his father’s name was Ahimelech. We first read of Abiathar when Saul demanded Ahimelech and all his house to be killed for feeding David the shewbread when he was on the run from Saul. Doeg the Edomite responded by killing 85 people, the only one escaping being Abiathar.
In I Samuel 22 we read of him fleeing to David, telling David what happened to his family, and David taking him in. From that time on, Abiathar is a faithful companion to David. He is always there with the ephod through which David would inquire of the Lord as to what should be done. When Saul is taken out of the way and David is enthroned as king, Abiathar is there handling the duties of the High Priest along with Zadok. Even during Absalom’s uprising, Abiathar sends messages to David informing him of Absalom’s plans.
Abiathar thus remains faithful to David throughout David’s life until Adonijah seeks the throne. At that time Abiathar along with Joab throw in their lot with Adonijah. Abiathar who had always been one of David’s right hand men now forsake him and his counsel. As we know it was determined beforehand that Solomon, not Adonijah should inherit the throne, and because of Abiathar’s hastiness in not waiting for the word of the Lord from David, he is dismissed from his position. We read of this in I Kings chapter 2.
The lesson here is a strong one. We must endure unto the end if we desire salvation. King Solomon tells Abithar that he is worthy of death and “Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD.” Abiathar remained faithful for a time, even a long period of time, but at the end he faltered. This brings to mind the statement of Ezekiel 18:24, “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live ? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.”
It has been said that we cannot view salvation as a ledger of debits and credits. If we could, then, after a long faithful life in the Truth we might feel that we could retire. We might feel that some of the things we denied ourselves in early years can now be enjoyed and that our credits will still overcome our debits on the day of judgment.
God, however, does not work that way. He requires a patient continuance in well doing. It is true that eternal life is a gift only given because of the boundless grace of God, yet at the same time it is said to be something which we must work for and strive for.
Abiathar endured for a time, but then fell. He paid dearly. Let us learn from his mistake and patiently endure unto the end, remembering the words of Paul, “let us not grow weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.”
We now move forward in time about 150 years to the time when the Kingdom of Israel is divided. The prophet Elisha has succeeded Elijah and Elisha is showing the wonder of God to the northern Kingdom of Israel. Elisha had a servant named Gehazi and he is the man we now want to consider.
Gehazi is mentioned by name in three separate incidents in the life of Elisha. In II Kings 4 we can see Gehazi obeying different orders from his master Elisha regarding a Shunamnite woman. Gehazi, however, is remembered most for his actions in II Kings 5 when the captain of the Syrian army, Naaman, came to visit Elisha for the purpose of being healed of his leprosy. We know the story, in thankfulness, Naaman offers gifts to Elisha, which Elisha refuses. Naaman then leaves and we can see the mind of Gehazi working. “Well, if Elisha doesn’t want the gifts, I do.” So Gehazi follows and when he catches up with Naaman, one lie after another flows from his mouth, “My master sent me, two prophets came and have desired the gifts.” He then returns and when asked by Elisha where he has been, he responds by saying “nowhere.”
How often with us does one lie lead to another and then we feel trapped and feel compelled to lie again and again to cover up that first lie. Here Gehazi’s greed leads to lying and this leads to his punishment, being smitten with leprosy. The curse as pronounced by Elisha was that leprosy would cleave to Gehazi and to his seed forever.
It would be natural for us to assume that this was the end of Gehazi and that he passed off the scene but this is not true for we hear of him again in II Kings 8. In this chapter we find Gehazi talking to the king and telling him of all the great things that Elisha had done. Now if Gehazi was to be a leper forever according to the curse, how was he able to get a conference with the king? We would like to believe that Gehazi had been healed of his leprosy, that the statement that it would be forever was only conditional upon his remaining in a sinful state. However, if he truly did have leprosy, it still would not be impossible for him to have an audience with the king. Naaman himself was a deper and he was still captain of the Syrian host. In this incident we see a changed and a repented Gehazi. He seems to delight in revealing the miraculous actions of his master, Elisha. There is no resentment. He is faithful to his master and is willing to bear testimony to the power of God in Elisha.
It is refreshing for us to read of a man who has hit rock bottom and who has come up. Let us all take heart, let us not despair and feel that we are past repentance. Yes, we have all sinned. Gehazi lied, he was punished but let us remember that we like Gehazi will be forgiven if we just repent and ask God to forgive us. “If thou, Lord shoudest mark iniquities, 0 Lord, who shall stand?” The answer is nobody. But the Psalm goes on to say, “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.” There is hope for us. Let us get up and try again. A blessing awaits us if we will, for “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiveness, whose sin is covered.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One