17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”
But the king’s officials were unwilling to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
18 The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19 He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20 But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to join David. 21 He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.
Saul had the priests killed because he thought there was a conspiracy between the priests and David. These actions displayed his mental and emotional instability and how far he had gone from God. He destroyed everything in Nob and placed the city under a ban. That was only to be done in cases of idolatry and rebellion against God. Saul was rebelling against God, not the priests. Saul had become an evil tyrant. Why did God allow this to happen? God allows evil to develop to teach us not to let evil systems flourish. Serving God is not a ticket to wealth, success, or health. God promises that ultimately all evil will be abolished. Those who have remained faithful through their trials will experience great rewards in the age to come. What can you do if you see and experience evil around you, in government, or other people’s choices? You must remain faithful. Pray for people and your country. Be a testimony to who God is and what he has done. Stay steadfast in his remnant. God always has a remnant of faithful people. Be in that remnant. Know that God hears your prayers, and he is working all things out according to his plan.
