We Have "Reasoned" Ourselves Blind

One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors. David asked the LORD, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save Keilah,” the LORD told him. [1 Samuel 23.1-2] 

David is on the run from Saul and yet he is commissioned to rescue the people of Keilah from the pillaging of the Philistines. Does this not sound familiar?

This was almost exactly what was happening to God's people when the Midianites were pillaging them and Gideon (who was also hiding) rescued them. It would behoove us to understand the reason why this was taking place in Gideon's situation:

When they cried out to the LORD because of Midian, the LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt. I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land. I told you, ‘I am the LORD your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.’ But you have not listened to me.” [Judges 6.7-10]

As is documented in Judges 6.7-10, would it not be entirely Biblical to conclude that Israel was being pillaged again in 1 Samuel 23.1-2 because they had fallen into idolatry again? Based on all the Bible reveals about Israel's history with idolatry, we should think so. And, here is why...

So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah. Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him. Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!” So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men. But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the LORD what he should do. Then David prayed, “O LORD God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here. Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell me.” And the LORD said, “He will come.”  Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD replied, “Yes, they will betray you.” [1 Samuel 23.5-12]

Even though David rescued Keilah from the Philistines, God said they would betray David to Saul. Why would the people of Keilah do that? Because that is how idolatry works. It is blind and it "bites the very hand that feeds it."

The danger of idolatry is that it blinds its participants in order to pillage them, and then causes them to reject the very one(s) sent to deliver them from being pillaged. It was not surprising then that Israelites would betray David to Saul because Israel had not been loyal to Gideon either.

As soon as Gideon died, the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping the images of Baal, making Baal-berith their god. They forgot the LORD their God, who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them. Nor did they show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon), despite all the good he had done for Israel. [Judges 8.33-35]

A negligent reader of God's Word will miss this critical association. A haphazard attitude about all the Word of God will keep God's people and future generations just as blind and ignorant and pillaged as Midian and Keilah. And, just as God's people rejected Gideon and David, so they rejected Jesus Christ Whose message was every bit about singular worship of God alone as was Gideon's and David's. Jesus said it like this:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

God's people are still rejecting Jesus' demand to forsake all others and follow Him. Should we be appalled? Should we be surprised? No, we should be contemplative - Jesus Himself declared it would be so and indeed was duly rejected to prove it:

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14] 

In light of all the Bible teaches about trusting God alone, it is purely the work of a strategic campaign of deception to convince God's people not only not to reject today's modern idols, but instead, to embrace and protect them thus betraying loyalty to God alone. Debt, insurance, medicine and technology are the flagship industries of modern idolatry and, unfortunately, religion serves largely as the "mothership-idol" protector of them.

The casual reader of the Bible will unquestionably accept that it was just an ungracious deed for Keilah to reject David. The question "why?" will never be explored. However, when a person actually reads the Bible without predisposition, denominational bias, or religious mindlessness, that person will sincerely question why Keilah would betray David and will subsequently understand that idolatry answers that question just as it does every other question "why?" regarding Israel's repeated and persistent sin.

The apostle Paul confirms the problem of idolatry:

So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. [1 Corinthians 10.14]

As does John:

But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! [Revelation 9.20]

Lest we are tempted to discount idols as merely trinkets of the past, we should consider David's own words in his Psalm written contemporary to the event described in the subject passage above: 

“Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.” [Psalm 52.7] 

It cannot be denied that debt, insurance, medicine and technology ALL represent the wealth of mankind today. Unwary people trust wealth instead of God. Religion makes this misplaced trust "okay" by deceptively teaching that God gave these industries that revolve around wealth. Is it any wonder then, that the Church today is just as pillaged as is the world by debt, insurance, medicine and technology?

Why are we being pillaged by debt, insurance, medicine and technology? Because we blindly trust them instead of God. We need and have a Deliverer... but, we have rejected Him in deference to our idols! We have rejected His call to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him! We have reasoned ourselves blind!

Father, may this glimpse of the truth of Your Word grow into a mighty flood of revelation in our lives revealing the idolatry that is actively pillaging us today. May we be found repentant for our idolatry and believing in Christ alone - giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Him. So be it.