Some people are born mean, raised mean, live mean, spread mean, cause mean, and die mean. There’s evil, cruel, wicked, and all other permutations of nastiness that the mind can conjure up. Talking about it is one thing, but living it is quite another kettle of fish; a big kettle of rotten, stinking, rancid, diseased ridden fish. There are several individuals that fit that profile in the Bible, both male and female. One person of interest catches our attention for their particular brand of cruelty and maliciousness. After reading of their actions, you may wonder why God gives anyone after Adam and Eve the chance to repent of their sins. Only God forgives. Only God understands.
Once upon a time there was a shepherd. He was an Edomite (descended from Esau). He was employed by David as his chief shepherd. At that time King Saul hated David and was actively pursuing him, trying to kill him! Asking his men to help him find David, Saul told his men that David wasn’t just a fugitive but a dangerous revolutionary. Standing among Saul’s men that day was Doeg, the Edomite. He told Saul that he saw David go to the priest Ahimelech at Nob. “Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the King.” (1 Samuel 22:11)
After talking with Ahimelech, Saul accused him of conspiring with David against him and ordered him killed and his whole father’s family! Saul ordered his guards standing beside him to turn and kill the priests of the Lord! All the guards refused to kill the innocent priests. Saul was full of anger and ordered Doeg to kill the priests. Doeg was ready to strike!
“So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the lined ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.” 1 Samuel 22:18-19
Indeed, Doeg was a ruthless cold-blooded killer, a killing machine. Let’s not forget Saul had an equally important part in these killings, after all, he ordered them. Saul presented the visual image of a King, tall and handsome with personal courage and generosity. However, first impressions can be deceiving, especially when the image created by a person’s appearance is contradicted by his or her qualities and abilities. Saul’s character often went contrary to God’s commands for a king. Saul was God’s chosen leader, but this did not mean he was capable of being king on his own! During his reign, Saul had his greatest successes when he obeyed God. His greatest failures resulted from acting on his own. These personal choices cut him off from God and eventually alienated him from his own people. Saul ordered the killings, but, Doeg the Edomite was worse, he did the actual slaughtering.
Our skills and talents make us tools, but our failures and shortcomings remind us that we need a “Craftsman” in control of our lives. Whatever we accomplish on our own is only a hint of what God could do through our lives. Does he control your life? Or, are you a rogue?
Bottom line
God wants obedience from the heart, not mere acts of religious obedience. Obedience always involves sacrifice; but sacrifice is not always obedience.
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