To The Shame of Doeg

 

          Doeg is an unusual name. He was an Edomite, chief of Saul’s herdmen. He was not a good man. When David fled from Saul he received help from Ahimelech the priest in Nob. He gave David and his men hallowed bread and he also gave David Goliath’s sword. “Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.” (1 Samuel 21:7) When Saul asked where David was “Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.” (1 Samuel 22:9) Doeg seemed to forget to mention that Ahimelech had been deceived by David into thinking that he was on a secret mission for the king. Doeg knew that Ahimelech provided support because he thought he was serving the king yet he did not tell Saul.

 

          Saul knew only part of the story so he had the priest killed. He ordered his men to kill the priest. “But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. “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. And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.” (1 Samuel 22:17-19)

 

          Psalm 52 is a psalm that David wrote at the time when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. In Psalm 52:7 David gave a sad description of a very evil man. “Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. (Psalms 52:7)

To the shame of Doeg he is the man that made not God his strength: (Psalm 52:7) The loss of a soul, no matter how wicked is always a matter of sadness. Doeg denied God and despised man and it cost him his soul. We must make God our strength because it is in Him that “we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28) When we cut ourselves off from God we open up our lives to all kinds of wickedness. Leaving God out always leads to a life of shame and misery.

To the shame of Doeg he is the man that trusted in the abundance of his riches: (Psalm 52:7) Doeg was worldly and covetous. His heart was set on riches and not on God. He “did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave him over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” (Romans 1:28) He loved the world and its wealth. We are warned “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) He had much and he hoped to get more. He thought that the more he had the happier he would be. When will men learn that the key to real joy is for God to rule our life?

To the shame of Doeg he is the man that strengthened himself in his wickedness: (Psalm 52:7) God was not in his life so sin and depravity increased more and more. The ruin of Doeg's life was that he left God out and became more and more wicked. Right or wrong was of no concern for this wicked man. He made his own laws and had no interest in truth or mercy or love. Doeg’s sins were willful and deliberate. “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:26) Sadly Doeg did not learn that continuing in sins that are not repented of causes a person to perish. Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

          David lamented what had happened saying unto Abiathar, “I knew it that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.” (1 Samuel 22:22) Please do not allow your life to end like that of Doeg the Edomite.     It is time to become a Christian now! To become a Christian you must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess Christ as Lord (Acts 8:37), and be baptized to be saved. (1 Peter 3:21) After baptism follow Jesus in faithfulness as He leads you home to heaven. (Revelation 2:10)

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551, Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA