The importance of distinguishing between rulers themselves and the One who keeps them in their position.

How we see God affects how we see people. In this passage we find that king Saul’s actions were the opposite of what he should have been doing. His heart was against the Lord. The reason for this is that he had forgotten something.  That something is that all people are to be valued because they are made in the image of God. 

By way of contrast, David, even though he had not killed the priests, felt that he was indirectly responsible for the deaths of the priests. This was because of the circumstances involved. David’s willingness to accept the blame showed that his heart was for God.

In a way that is not often considered though, there is a sense that everyone has caused the death of a priest. Jesus, the Great High Priest, died on the cross for the wrong things His people have done. He however can never be destroyed. He was brought back to life so that we could have a heart for God.