We all want to follow God. We all wonder what God’s plan is, or will God be pleased with what we do? Sometimes we ponder whether God’s presence is with us. In short, we all want some assurance of God’s presence and want some mediums through which we can ask every time whether to do something or not.
In fact, in the Old Testament, we had such mediums. The Ark of covenant sort of ensured God’s presence. Ephod was used to seek the will of God. People used to take the Ark of Covenant to war as a symbol that God’s presence was with them. Ark of Covenant used to give courage and encouragement to people, they believed that any difficult battles or wars could be won if this Ark of Covenant moved with them. Ephod was very vital in taking decisions that too in a high-pressure situation such as wars.
Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.” 2 Samuel 15:25
Here, King David is facing one of the worst scenario of his life. He is fleeing from his son Absalom. Fleeing and running is not new to him. Thanks to King Saul who chased him all his life. In all battles, David sought God’s will through ephod. Any disaster befalls upon him, his first command would be to ‘Bring the Ephod’ (2 Samuel 30:7, 1 Samuel 23:9) . But this is one of those battles where he makes that one extreme change. He sends back the priests, ephod, and the Ark of Covenant. Sending back would mean that now Absalom has the possession of the Ark of Covenant.
The people who followed David and believed that the presence of God resides only in the Ark of Covenant must have been stunned by this decision. ‘Ephod’s missing, the ark of Covenant is missing, moreover they are now in the hands of the enemy, how will we win this battle?’ Well, David who always depended on ephod to seek God, now knows that wherever this ephod and Ark be, God is with him. He knows his relation with God. He knows his good Shepherd. Furthermore, he is not afraid of any arrows that fly by day or night. Yes, many arrows might have whooshed past him, but he knows that nothing can hurt him.
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Acts 13:22
People turned to ephod to seek God, they needed ephod to discern the will of God, but here David himself is the ephod. God himself testifies that David is the man after God’s own heart. Whatever that man decides is what God decides. This fleeing David expects Absalom to seek the counsel of Ahithophel and there Absalom do the same thing. David prays to frustrate Ahithophel’s counsel, and exactly same thing happened. All these years, David used ephod and danced before the Ark of Covenant. But this is a moment where others see you as a man deprived of God. People around you will talk of all things. They would not let go of a single opportunity to pelt a stone at you. These saints of God will proclaim you as the enemy of God. Don’t lose heart, but make sure you have a relation with God. You should have that awareness that you yourself are the carrier of God’s presence. Just like David, who knows that God will bring him back and all these things will pass by, we too should have that hope.
We like to hear from God’s people, prophets, teachers, apostles, and pastors. But today, let’s hear from God ourselves. Sometimes we might not get proper guidance from any of them but don’t lose heart, rather align yourself with God and know the will of God by yourself. For those who align their heart with God knows the target well, and will be the prime choice in the QUIVER OF GOD.
May GOD bless you all..