"A certain man had two sons . . ." Several of Jesus' parables begin like that. Many of the Bible's other stories could begin that way also. Let's go back into the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 2. A man named Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. They were priests for the people of Israel during a time when the Levites were serving as civil leaders in addition to their duties in the Tabernacle.
The sons were evil in their work, scorning the sacrifices of the Lord and abusing the people who came to worship. The father was defensive of his sons' abuse, favoring them above the Lord God. After repeated warnings, they refused to mend their ways. How could this situation possibly turn out well?
A man of God came to deliver the news to Eli in 1 Samuel 2:27-36. "The days are coming. . . . There shall not be an old man in your house forever. . . . All the descendants of your house shall die by the sword. . . . Your two sons Hophni and Phinehas shall die on the same day." And more doomsday predictions besides.
Two chapters later, the sons died on the same day while carrying the ark of the Lord into battle against the Philistines. Eli also died on that day. But other descendants of Eli survived and lived on, continuing as priests. The curse of God hung over the family's heads for over a hundred years, as they kept turning away from the Lord. It is a true story with a true message for us.
About 70 years later . . .
Samuel grew up to be the priest-leader of Israel after Eli's death. Though Eli raised him, Samuel was not a direct descendant of Eli. Samuel had anointed Saul to be the king of the nation, and he was still reigning. Samuel had also anointed David to become king after Saul. But, Saul was jealous of David and was trying to eliminate him. David went into exile, hoping to serve the people while avoiding Saul's murder plots.
1 Samuel 21 picks up the story of Eli's family. David left Saul's household to go into hiding. He stopped at the Tabernacle in the town of Nob. Ahimelech, the high priest and a descendant of Eli, was suspicious and afraid when David came alone to ask for help. But he trusted David. Ahimelech prayed for God's direction for David, gave him some bread (a great story on its own), and gave him the sword of Goliath which David had claimed from that earlier famous battle.
Saul found out how the priest had helped David from Doeg, one of Saul's henchmen who happened to be there. See 1 Samuel 22. Doeg carried out Saul's vengeance on all the priests at the Tabernacle. All 85 of the remaining descendants of Eli. They suffered the effects of the Lord's curse on Eli's family. No one was old. All died by the sword.
Doeg went further in his blood-thirsty zeal to wipe out all the people in the town of Nob, "man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey, and sheep, he put to the sword."
But, one son escaped
Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech the priest, escaped the slaughter and found his way to David and his band of followers. The Bible does not tell us Abiathar's age, but he was probably a young man as David was at this time. He told David what had happened to his family by orders from King Saul.
"I knew it on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there," David replied, "that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping."
It must have required some faith on Abiathar's part to commit himself to the very one who confessed to causing the death of his family. He did trust David and joined their nomadic group.
Through David's ordeals in fleeing Saul, through the transition to David becoming king over all Israel, to the return of the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, Abiathar was faithful to David. He shared the role of high priest under David with Zadok, another priest.
Abiathar became known, not only for his loyalty to David, but also for his loyalty to the Lord. He faithfully carried out his priestly duties. He carried the ark of the Lord.
About 50 more years go by . . .
The opening chapters of 1 Kings tell of the contest between two of David's sons. Who would succeed David as king? Solomon was David's choice, and God agreed with that selection. Zadok the priest and others of David's officials supported Solomon.
Another son of David, Adonijah, also also wanted to be king. By dynasty procedures, Adonijah should have had the advantage. Many of David's officials gave their support to Adonijah, including Abiathar the priest.
When the dust had settled from the palace intrigue, the announcement was made, "The king (David) is dead. Long live the king (Solomon)!"
And God's curse was still hanging over Abiathar as the last survivor of Eli's household. Now what?
The Gospel according to Solomon
Read in 1 Kings 2:26-27, "To Abiathar the priest the king said, 'Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because you shared in all my father's affliction.' So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh."
God has devised a way for guilty people to escape the curse we were born into. We can escape the consequences our evil actions deserve. Abiathar chose to put his trust in God's anointed one. He aligned himself with loyalty to God's purposes, even though it cost him suffering and affliction. Abiathar was not perfect. He could not claim to have deserved to escape. But he did escape.
Faith is a powerful connection between sinful people and a holy God. Faith is counted as righteousness. Faith trusts that the Lord will provide the lamb. Faith unites us with Christ. Abiathar did not die by the sword. He was an old man in the house of Eli, dying a natural death.
The New Testament declares, "Whoever believes in him [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already" (John 3:18). The beautiful story of Abiathar gives us a parable to see how that can work out. Maybe Abiathar living out his retirement as an old man is a symbol of eternal life that is promised to all who believe.