Ephod

Ephod

“I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” (Ps. 32:8)

“Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” (Prov.3:6)

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isa.30:21)

I can get lost anywhere. Seriously. Anywhere. Sometimes, the simplest map confuses me, and the clearest trail bewilders me. I couldn’t track an elephant through four feet of snow. I can misread instructions to the bathroom down the hall. I’ve learned to ask for directions.

My list of mishaps reads like a comedy skit for the Pink Panther. I once got lost in my hotel. I told the receptionist my key wasn’t working, only to realize that I’d been on the wrong floor trying to open the wrong door. Several years ago I was convinced my car had been stolen from a parking garage. It hadn’t. I was in the wrong garage. One time, while driving from San Diego to Los Angeles, I exited the freeway to get some gas. After gassing up, I re-entered the freeway and drove for almost twenty minutes before I realized I was heading back to San Diego. I can relate to Columbus, who, as they say, didn’t know where he was going when he left, didn’t know where he was when he got there, and didn’t know where he’d been when he got back.

Can you relate? Probably. We’ve all scratched our heads a time or two. And if not at highway intersections, then, perhaps, at the crossroads of life. The best of navigators among us have wondered, “Do I take the job or leave it?” “Accept the marriage proposal or pass?” “Leave home or remain home?” “Build or buy?” One of life’s giant-sized questions for me is, How can I know what God wants me to do? Fortunately, David asked the same question.

He’d just learned of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. Suddenly the throne is empty, and David’s options are wide open. But before he steps out, he looks up: “It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Go up.’ David said, ‘Where shall I go up?’ And He said, ‘To Hebron.’” (2 Sam. 2:1)

David makes a habit of running his options past God. And he does so with a fascinating tool. The ephod. Trace its appearance to David’s initial escape from Saul. David had sought comfort from the priests of Nob. But Saul accused the priests of harboring the fugitive, and, consistent with Saul’s paranoia, he murdered them. One priest by the name of Abiathar, however, fled. And he escaped with more than just his life; he escaped with the ephod.

After Abiathar took refuge with David, he joined David in the raid on Keilah, bringing the Ephod with him. David had gotten wind of Saul’s strategy to destroy him and said to Abiathar, “’Get the Ephod.’ Then David prayed to God: ‘God of Israel, I’ve just heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me. Will the city fathers of Keilah turn me over to him? Will Saul come down and do what I’ve heard? O God, God of Israel, tell me!’ God replied, ‘He’s coming down.’ ‘And will the head men of Keilah turn me and my men over to Saul?’ And God said, ‘They’ll turn you over.’ So David and his men got out of there.” (1 Sam. 23:6, 9–13) David donned the ephod, spoke to God and received an answer. Wow.

Something similar occurred after the destruction of Ziklag. With his village in ruins and his men ready to stone him, he ordered Abiathar, “‘Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God.’ Abiathar brought it to David. Then David prayed to God, ‘Shall I go after these raiders? Can I catch them?’ The answer came, ‘Go after them! Yes, you’ll catch them! Yes, you’ll make the rescue!’” (30:7– 8) So, what’s with this ephod thing? And, can I pick one up at Walmart?

The ephod originated in the era of the wilderness wanderings. Moses presented the first one to Aaron, the priest. It was an ornate vest, woven of white linen, laced with threads of blue, purple, scarlet and gold. A breastplate bearing twelve precious stones adorned the vest. The breastplate contained one or two, maybe three, resplendent diamonds or diamond-like stones. These stones had the names Urim and Thummim. No one knows the exact meaning of those terms, but “light” and “perfection” lead the scholars’ lists.

God revealed his will to the priests through these stones. But how? Well, ancient writers have suggested several methods. One theory is that the stones illuminated when God said “Yes.” Another is that the stones contained moving letters that gathered to form a response. Yet another theory is that the stones were sacred lots that, when cast, would reveal an answer. No one knows for sure, and there’s a few who’ve even suggested that it was something like a present-day Ouija board. But I digress.

Because while we speculate on the technique, we don’t need to guess at its value. Wouldn’t you cherish an ephod? When faced with a puzzling choice, David could, with reverent heart, make a request, and God would answer. Will Saul come after me? He will. Will the men capture me? They will. Should I pursue the enemy? You should. Will I overtake them? You will. Sometimes I wish that God would do the same for us, don’t you? That we could ask and he would answer. That we could cry out and he would reply. Wouldn’t you love to have an ephod?

Well, maybe you do. God hasn’t changed. He still promises to guide us. “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” (Ps. 32:8) “Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” (Prov.3:6) “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isa.30:21)

The God who guided David guides me and you today. We simply need to consult our Maker. Maybe you have no Urim or Thummim, but you do have a Bible, don’t you? Well then, read it. Has any other book ever been described like the following? “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)

“Living and active.” The words of the Bible have life. Nouns with pulse rates. Muscular adjectives. Verbs darting back and forth across the page. God works though these words. The Bible is to God what a surgical glove is to the surgeon. He reaches through them to touch deep within you.

Have you ever felt his touch before? For instance, in a late, lonely hour you read the words, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5) The sentences comfort like a hand on your shoulder. And then when anxiety termites away at your peace, someone shares this passage: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6) Those words stir a sigh from your soul. Or, maybe laziness is knocking on your door. You’re considering a half-hearted effort when Colossians 3:23 comes to mind: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Col. 3:23). Ouch. Words can cut, too.

Words that comfort; words that let you breathe out; words that cut. Words. God’s words. So, put them to use. “Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other.” (Col. 3:16) Don’t make a decision, whether big or small, without sitting before God with an open Bible, open heart and open ears, imitating the prayer of Samuel: “Your servant is listening.” (1 Sam. 3:10)

The truth is that others have asked your questions. You aren’t the first to face your problems. Others have stood where you stand and wondered exactly what you wonder. So, seek their advice. “Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” (Heb. 13:7) Is your marriage weak? Find a strong one. Wrestling with business ethics? Seek wise counsel from a Christian businessperson. Battling midlife decisions? Well, before you abandon your family and cash in your retirement, take some time to get good counsel. “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Prov. 12:15) You don’t need an ephod to wear, or stones to consult; you have God’s family. He will speak to you through them.

And he will speak to you through your own conscience because Christ nudges the Christ-possessed heart. “God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him.” (Phil. 2:13) What does your heart tell you to do? What choice spawns the greatest sense of peace?

Sometimes a choice just “feels” right. For instance, when Luke justified the writing of his gospel to Theophilus, he said, “Since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.” (Luke 1:3) Did you catch that phrase, “it seemed good also to me”? Words of a saint standing at a crossroads. Luke pondered his options and selected the path that “seemed good.”

Jude did, too. He intended to dedicate his letter to the topic of salvation but, apparently, he felt a little uneasy about that choice. Look at the third verse of his letter. “Dear friends, I wanted very much to write you about the salvation we all share. But I felt the need to write you about something else: I want to encourage you to fight hard for the faith that was given the holy people of God once and for all time. (Jude 3) Again, did you read his words? “I wanted . . . But I felt . . . .” So where’d those feelings come from? Didn’t they come from God? Right. The same God who “is working in you to help you want to do . . . what pleases him.” (Phil. 2:13)

God creates the “want to” within each of us. Be careful with this, however. People have been known to justify stupidity based upon a “feeling.” For instance, “I felt God leading me to cheat on my wife . . . disregard my bills . . . lie to my boss . . . flirt with my married neighbor.” Wrong. God didn’t lead you to that conclusion. God will not lead you to violate his Word. He will not contradict his teaching. So, be careful with the phrase “God led me . . .” Don’t banter it about. Don’t disguise your sin as a leading of God. He will not lead you to lie, cheat or hurt. He will faithfully lead you through the words of his Scripture, and the advice of his faithful.

In retrospect, I guess we really don’t need an ephod or precious stones after all; we have a heart in which God’s Spirit dwells. Do you have a heart for God? Then heed it. A family of faith? Consult them. A Bible? Read it. You have all you need to face the giant-sized questions of your life. Most of all you have a God who loves you too much to let you wander.

Trust him.

Grace,

Randy