Abiathar, We’re Counting On You

1 Kings 1:5-7

5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared his chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very godly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

1 Kings 2:26-27

26 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

INTRO:  Read the story of Adonijah’s rebellion and grasp for power. 1 Kings 1:50-53 2:12-25

Abiathar Summary

[a BY uh thar] (father of abundance)-one of two chief priests in the court of David. Abiathar was the son of Ahimelech of the priestly clan of Eli from Shiloh (1 Sam 22:20). When the residents of the priestly village of Nob were massacred by Saul for helping David, Abiathar was the only one to escape (1 Sam 22:6-23). When David eventually became king, he appointed Abiathar, along with Zadok, as priests in the royal court (2 Sam 8:17; 1 Chron 18:16).When David’s son Absalom tried to take his throne by force, David was forced to leave Jerusalem. Zadok and Abiathar carried the ARK OF THE COVENANT out of the capital city but later returned it at the command of David (2 Sam 15:29). Both priests remained in Jerusalem to inform David of Absalom’s plans (2 Sam 15:34). After Absalom’s death, Abiathar and Zadok carried the message of reconciliation to Amasa and the elders of Judah (2 Sam 19:11-14).

(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Accountability of the office

 

Abiathar was privileged to be apart of history the bible tells us that David appointed him High Priest but he did not remove the current High Priest which was Zadok.  This means that Abiathar was apart of a double priesthood.  This position of leadership was a great honor.

Because that Abiathar was not just a priest but a High Priest……..this meant that he had some great responsibilities….

High Priest – As occasion required he had to present the sin offering for himself and the congregation. He had to approach the mercy seat on the great day of atonement. He also consulted the Lord by means of the Urim and Thummim, in regard to important matters affecting the theocracy, and informing the people thereon (Num 27:21; 1 Sam 30:7-8). The high priest had the supervision of the rest of the priests and of the entire worship and was at liberty to exercise all the other priestly functions as well. According to Josephus (Wars 5.5.7), he officiated, as a rule, every Sabbath and on new moons or other festivals in the course of the year. In addition to his strictly religious duties, the high priest was the supreme civil head of the people, the supreme head of the state, insofar, that is, as the state was not under the sway of foreign rulers. In the days of national independence the hereditary Hasmonaean high priests were priests and kings at one and the same time; at a later period, the high priests were-at least the presidents of the Sanhedrin, and even in all political matters-the supreme representatives of the people in their relations with the Romans.

PRIEST, HIGH

The regulations were still more stringent in the case of the high priest than of the ordinary priests. The high priest was not allowed to marry even a widow, but only a virgin of his own people; he was forbidden to approach a corpse or take part in funeral rites, the prohibition being absolute, though exceptions were made in the case of other priests; he was not to go out of the sanctuary to give way to his grief, nor to “profane the sanctuary of his God,” i.e., by any defilement of his person that he could and ought to avoid; and he was not to contract a marriage not in keeping with the holiness of his rank (Lev 21:10-15).

(From The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.)

Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

We are living in a society and even a church society where people want positions but they do not want to be accountable for their positions.

Abiathar knew where to stand in times of trouble

 

The first time we ever hear of Abiathar was after David had ran to the House of the Lord and was given the sword of Goliath.  The bible says that Saul had a spy there who watched that exchange by the name of Doeg the Edomite.  Doeg had a tale bearing spirit and went back to Saul…. here is what happened

1 Sam 22:7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.

17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

You see Abiathar already knew who had the anointing.  He already knew what it was like to be under pressure.  But when the time came for him to stand for right he didn’t.  He failed.  This was the first time that Abiathar escaped death.  The reason that he was spared was so that he could serve as high priest.

God has spared some of you, and exalted you and uplifted you in his sanctuary.  What will you do with your office?

Carrying the Glory

 

The next time we see Abithar in scripture he is still standing for what is right.  The bible says in the book of 2 Samuel  that David’s son Absalom turned and rebelled against him and forced him out of Jerusalem.

Most of the people had been enticed toward Absalom, and David had only just a handful of servants who were behind him.  David fled the city….with a few close friends behind him

2 Sam 15:23-29

3 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.

25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:

26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.

27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.

29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

 

Did you catch it?  There he was again.  Standing for what was right.  Bearing the Glory with David as his king.

There is great accountability for being put into a position.  Everybody saw Abiathar carry that Ark.  Everybody knew that he was a high priest.  The burden of many rested upon his shoulders.

God has given you an opportunity to be a leader in his kingdom.  DON’T BLOW IT!!

Abiathar – Messenger of Reconciliation

 

After the problems with Absalom.  The bible says that David did indeed return to the throne, but the turmoil caused bad blood in the kingdom.  The tribe of Judah whom David was king first over……had would not come to honor the king.

David sent Zadok and Abiathar to bring the word of reconciliation.

2 Sam 19:11-15

11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

The responsibilities of leadership requires you to be bearers of the king.  You are chosen to effect the lives of others.  You must meet your responsibilities …..the reconciliation of others are dependent upon you fulfilling your duties. AND THE KING IS COUNTING ON YOU…….

You must be there for the people…..Leadership needs to be the altar workers, the leaders, the prayer warriors, the spiritual uplifting of the ministry of this church.

What a Legacy!

So we see that Abiathar had a wonderful legacy.  God spared his life from death one time.  David gave him an office and he was honored to share the burden of a double priesthood.  He fulfilled all the job requirements of the office of high priest.  He carried the Ark of the Covenant.  He was messenger of reconciliation to the people.

What a legacy!  What a leader……..now here’s the end of the story.

One Costly Mistake

Abiathar was destined for great things.  His King had confidence in him.  He had everything going for him.  But to whom much is given…….much is required.

When it came time to stand for Solomon……..Abiathar was in the wrong camp.  How could this be.  This is the peril of leadership……Everybody see’s you.  When you mess up….you shame yourself as well as your office.

When you don’t live up to your responsibilities you hurt the church, revival, and the man of God.

The bible tells us that the 2 other conspirators – Adonijah, and Joab were both killed.  But Abiathar was spared.  Why was Abiathar spared?

1 Kings 2:26-27

26 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfill the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

Abiathar was spared because he had been a good leader.  He served David well. He did his job….but he failed in the end.  He should have died, but Solomon knew that for Abiathar, there was something worse than death.  What was that you might ask?  Being stripped of his office.  Knowing that he could never ever go into the inner court and go in behind the veil and be close to the glory of God.

It is so sad to let your leadership end in shame.  There is nothing worse than to see a preacher who has been stripped of his anointing.  It is sad to see a talented musician sitting on the pew because they blew it and had to be removed.

Closing – GET THEE TO ANATHOTH!

 

It is interesting to see that Solomon told Abiathar – Get thee to Anathoth!  I should kill you for not doing your job, but instead…Get thee to Anathoth!!  I looked up the word Anathoth it means “Answered Prayers” We never hear again about the Abiathar the High Priest his life was spared but he was removed from his office in shame.  It is worthwhile to note that the scripture says he owned fields in Anathoth.  During a time of siege, the Lord instructed Jeremiah to purchase a field in Anathoth. This was to serve as a sign of God’s promised redemption of Israel (Jer 32:7-9).  Could it be that Abiathar went to that field and began to pray……Lord’ use me again!! Please Lord answer my prayers!! I just want to be used!!  God answered Abiathar’s prayers…..for he used his land to be a sign of coming redemption…..