Abiathar: Survivor of a Massacre. 1 Sam.22:1-23In today’s world of pandemics and disunity, racism and lies in America. One of the sons of Ahimelech escaped the slaughter of the priests and fled to join David. Arriving at David’s hideout, he reported the horrible atrocity committed against the priests and charged Saul with being the instigator 1 Sam. 22:20-21. Shocked and stunned, David was stricken with an agonizing grief for the priests. And note, he accepted responsibility for their deaths 1 Sam. 22:22. There were at least two reasons why David accepted responsibility for the horrible crime: He had neglected to kill Doeg when he discovered that Doeg was in the Tabernacle while he was seeking the help of the priest 21:7.He had sought the help of the priests by lying to them, claiming that he was on a secret mission for the king 21:2.Knowing that his lie and deception had led to the horrible massacre of the priests was a heavy burden that David had to bear for the rest of his life, for the priests were completely innocent of any crime. No doubt, he sought the forgiveness of God. And God forgave him just as He promises to forgive any person who confesses and repents of his sins. But this lie and deception led to such a horrible evil. Lying and deception can cause devastating consequences. Lying and deception can… arouse lust, greed, and covetousness, break hearts, cause financial difficulty, lead to false accusations, cause a person to lose his job, keep a person from securing employment or a promotion. Lies can destroy people and property, causing devastation and the most catastrophic upheavals in life. For this reason, God strongly condemns all liars and deceivers.