25 He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. 26 Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.” 27 But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
The new moon festival involved making sacrifice to God. Those attending the festival needed to be ceremonially clean according to God’s laws. How where they to be cleansed? The cleansing involved washing the body and clothes before approaching God to offer sacrifice. The outward cleansing was to symbolize the inward desire for a pure heart and right relationship with God. Saul thought David may have been ceremonially unclean, so that was why he was not attending. But, in fact, David knew Saul was plotting to kill him. Now, going back to being ceremonially unclean, as Saul was questioning this. Today, we have Jesus to stand in the gap for us. Our hearts are purified by faith in God through the death of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Our hearts are also purified by reading and heeding God’s Word. When you accept Jesus as your personal savior, you are forever part of his family. You can never be snatched from his hand. You begin your new life in Jesus and start your journey of working out your salvation in Christ. Your purification process has begun and will continue throughout your life. As you develop your relationship with God and seek God, you will have an inward change happen. There will be a purification of your heart and a right relationship with God will develop. You are a magnificent work in progress, and you are special to God. You are purified by faith.
