1 Samuel 30:16-31:13
When David went into the camp of the Amalekites, God gave him the victory just as He had promised. Except for the 400 men who escaped immediately, no one survived David’s attack. As a result, David was able to recover all that the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. When he and his men returned to the rest of their group, some of those who had fought in the battle refused to share with the men who had stayed behind. David had left a group of 200 men behind to watch their things and keep an eye out for any possible attacks. Just because their job was somewhat easier, some of the men felt like they did not deserve as much of the reward. But David did not listen to his men, and he treated them all equally pointing out that they all had a part in the victory, and he rewarded them all.
Meanwhile, Saul and the Philistines were preparing for battle, which occurred in 1 Samuel 31. The battle itself is quite short. God had already decided that the Philistines would be victorious, and Samuel had told Saul that this would be the day that he and his sons would die. So when the battle began, the Philistines fought hard and earned an early advantage. They continued to push against Saul’s men, and Saul knew quickly that he had no chance. So he asked his armor bearer to kill him, not wanting to give that satisfaction to one of the Philistines. His armor bearer, however, knew better than to kill Saul, no matter the circumstances. So when he refused to do as Saul had asked, Saul fell on his sword and killed himself. This upset the armor bearer, and he killed himself in the same way. In the end, all God had predicted occurred. Saul and his sons died in the battle, and the Philistines found victory.
Although Saul is dead by the end of 1 Samuel, David is still not the king of Israel. Actually, the Philistines are in control of part of the land. David would soon step up to be the next king of Israel, but he was busy fighting his own battle against the Amalekites, and he had not yet returned to Israel. Although David had proven himself faithful to the Philistines, his primary allegiance was to God. This conflict would soon drive David away from the Philistines. He could never remain with a group of people who did not worship the one true God. When they recovered Saul’s body, they put it in a temple where they worshipped their god Ashtaroth.
1 Samuel sets up a contrast between Saul and David. From the time that David is chosen by God as the next king, we see a distinct contrast between these two men. David is a man after God’s own heart. He is faithful to God and does all he can to serve God and make God known among the nations. Saul is a selfish king who fails God time and time again. He has no patience, and when he realizes his mistakes, he feels sorry for what he has done, but he never seeks true repentance. Days later, he is back in his old ways, still running from God. As a result, God rejects Saul and strips the kingdom from him. He then gives the kingdom to David, who has proven time and time again that he is a faithful and obedient servant. 2 Samuel will introduce new problems for David, and he will have his fair share of mistakes, but in the end, David seeks repentance and always turns back to God. We all mess up in life, but what sets us apart as God’s children is that we can always return to Him, and He will forgive us.
Matt Brewer
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
1 Samuel 29:1-30:15
1 Samuel 29:1-30:15
The battle that Saul had been warned about was about to begin in 1 Samuel 29. God had removed His blessing from Saul, and this battle would ultimately take his life, thus giving the land into the hands of David. However, due to all of David’s running around in fear of his life, he had aligned with the Philistines. Saul had pushed David away and now found himself fighting a group that was aligned with David. His two greatest enemies now stood before him.
David, however, did not have the opportunity to fight in this battle, and that was probably for the best. The Philistines knew who David was and knew that he had had great success in his previous battles. Many of those battles had actually been against the Philistines. They knew that David and Saul did not get along, and Achish had taken David in and benefited from David’s presence. But as the battle drew near, the leaders of the Philistines did not want David around, fearing that he might turn on them. They knew that he had proven himself to be loyal, but they could not take the chance that David would join forces with Israel and destroy the Philistines. Now this probably helped David in the end, for how would it look if he worked with the Philistines to defeat Israel and then turn around and seek to be Israel’s king?
David did not know what was about to happen in this battle. He did not know that this was the battle that would shift the power into his hands. He wanted to fight to further prove his loyalty to Achish and the Philistines, but he respected them enough to walk away and do as he was asked. In the end, it would all work out for David, as Saul would die, and David would eventually replace Saul as king of Israel. God had a plan all along, and David did as he was asked. Even when it did not make sense to David or he felt like he was being left out, he remained obedient to those in authority over him. Whereas Saul lost his patience and sought to do things his own way, David was faithful and loyal. As a result, David was rewarded and accomplished great things for God whereas Saul had to pay the consequences (which was his life).
While Saul and the Philistines prepared for battle, David’s story continued in 1 Samuel 30. Remaining obedient to Achish’s request, David began his return trip to Ziklag. Upon arriving, he discovered that someone had come in and destroyed the city while taking all of the women and children. Because of David’s quick arrival, he still had the chance to pursue these men in hopes to find the women and children of Ziklag, which included David’s wives as well. Just think if David had not been turned away from the battle. The captors would have gotten away with all of the women and children, and David and the Philistines may have never had the chance to rescue them. But God was in control. In one sense, He spared David’s life and reputation in not allowing David to go into battle against Saul and the Israelites. Then, in another way, He selected David to be the one to rescue the women and children of Ziklag.
Because David was faithful to God and to Achish, God was able to use David in another mission. We may not always understand it when things do not go our way, and we may question if God really cares about us. There are hard times in life, and when life throws us challenges, it is not always easy to trust that God is still in control. Like David, we have to come to a point where we give up control of our lives. Even if it does not make sense and we are not sure where God is taking us, we have to allow Him to have control. When we do so, He will be able to use us in mighty ways, but we must remain obedient and faithful. As for David, God promised him that he would have victory over the Amalekites. Even though David had originally wanted to be involved in the battle against Saul, he gave up control and found himself in the middle of God’s will for his life.
Matt
The battle that Saul had been warned about was about to begin in 1 Samuel 29. God had removed His blessing from Saul, and this battle would ultimately take his life, thus giving the land into the hands of David. However, due to all of David’s running around in fear of his life, he had aligned with the Philistines. Saul had pushed David away and now found himself fighting a group that was aligned with David. His two greatest enemies now stood before him.
David, however, did not have the opportunity to fight in this battle, and that was probably for the best. The Philistines knew who David was and knew that he had had great success in his previous battles. Many of those battles had actually been against the Philistines. They knew that David and Saul did not get along, and Achish had taken David in and benefited from David’s presence. But as the battle drew near, the leaders of the Philistines did not want David around, fearing that he might turn on them. They knew that he had proven himself to be loyal, but they could not take the chance that David would join forces with Israel and destroy the Philistines. Now this probably helped David in the end, for how would it look if he worked with the Philistines to defeat Israel and then turn around and seek to be Israel’s king?
David did not know what was about to happen in this battle. He did not know that this was the battle that would shift the power into his hands. He wanted to fight to further prove his loyalty to Achish and the Philistines, but he respected them enough to walk away and do as he was asked. In the end, it would all work out for David, as Saul would die, and David would eventually replace Saul as king of Israel. God had a plan all along, and David did as he was asked. Even when it did not make sense to David or he felt like he was being left out, he remained obedient to those in authority over him. Whereas Saul lost his patience and sought to do things his own way, David was faithful and loyal. As a result, David was rewarded and accomplished great things for God whereas Saul had to pay the consequences (which was his life).
While Saul and the Philistines prepared for battle, David’s story continued in 1 Samuel 30. Remaining obedient to Achish’s request, David began his return trip to Ziklag. Upon arriving, he discovered that someone had come in and destroyed the city while taking all of the women and children. Because of David’s quick arrival, he still had the chance to pursue these men in hopes to find the women and children of Ziklag, which included David’s wives as well. Just think if David had not been turned away from the battle. The captors would have gotten away with all of the women and children, and David and the Philistines may have never had the chance to rescue them. But God was in control. In one sense, He spared David’s life and reputation in not allowing David to go into battle against Saul and the Israelites. Then, in another way, He selected David to be the one to rescue the women and children of Ziklag.
Because David was faithful to God and to Achish, God was able to use David in another mission. We may not always understand it when things do not go our way, and we may question if God really cares about us. There are hard times in life, and when life throws us challenges, it is not always easy to trust that God is still in control. Like David, we have to come to a point where we give up control of our lives. Even if it does not make sense and we are not sure where God is taking us, we have to allow Him to have control. When we do so, He will be able to use us in mighty ways, but we must remain obedient and faithful. As for David, God promised him that he would have victory over the Amalekites. Even though David had originally wanted to be involved in the battle against Saul, he gave up control and found himself in the middle of God’s will for his life.
Matt
Sunday, November 28, 2010
1 Samuel 28
1 Samuel 28
Saul continues to show why he was rejected by God in 1 Samuel 28. When the Philistines gathered to go to war against Israel (and Saul), Saul believed that they were in great trouble. Unsure of their victory, Saul went to God for help and advice. This was a wise decision on Saul’s part. He knew that he could not win the battle under his own strength, and he went to the one who could give him the victory. He knew that God was ultimately in control, and He was the true King of Israel. However, as we have seen previously, Saul did not have enough patience. When God did not answer His prayers as quickly as he had wished, he went to see a medium at En-dor. His first mistake was that he was not patient with God and expected God to work on his time table. God had His reasons for not answering Saul’s request, but that did not give Saul the right to turn his back (again) on God. His next mistake was consulting the medium. Not only did he break a law set forth by God, but he also broke a law that he had set over Israel when he drove all of the mediums out of the land.
It is sad to see someone who had so much potential go down so quickly. When Saul was first chosen to be the king of Israel, it seemed as if he was the right man for the job. Even though God made it clear that the end would not turn out so great, Saul began his reign as a very great king. He led Israel to victory and did nothing that would cause any of the Israelites to think that he would reject God. But as time went on, Saul quickly fell away. All his past mistakes culminate in his actions before this great battle. For one of the last times Saul rejected God, and he would soon pay the consequences. His story should be a warning to all of us. Any of us could slip and find ourselves drifting from God. However, we can take comfort in the fact that God will receive us back if we come to Him in repentance. Saul’s story did not turn out so well, but it does not have to turn out the same way for us.
Saul’s mistakes continue when he meets with the medium at En-dor. First, he disguises himself so that the woman would not recognize him. She actually calls him out on his request because she knew that Saul had put forth the law that mediums could no longer practice in Israel. Then Saul swears by God’s name that she will not be punished for her actions. While it is true that he would not punish her (for he was breaking his own law), he was forgetting the fact that God also had a law that spoke against mediums. He pulled someone else into his evil deeds not considering what ramifications they would have on her life.
He then requests that Samuel be brought back so that he can get advice from Samuel. He confesses that God had left him and was not answering his prayers. But Samuel reminded him that God had turned away from Saul, taking the kingdom away from him. When Samuel was alive, he had told Saul that his family would not continue to reign over Israel because of Saul’s actions. This was the primary reason that Saul wanted David dead. Now, Saul seems shocked that God had indeed turned His back on him. Samuel also tells him that God will not help him in the battle, and the Philistines will indeed win. They will take over the land of Israel, and Saul, along with his sons, will die in the process. At that moment, reality finally sat in for Saul. He knew that this day was coming. Samuel had warned him previously. But after that last conversation with Samuel, it seemed like he finally realized the consequences for his mistakes. The end was near for Saul, and he was going to have to pay for all he had done.
Matt
Saul continues to show why he was rejected by God in 1 Samuel 28. When the Philistines gathered to go to war against Israel (and Saul), Saul believed that they were in great trouble. Unsure of their victory, Saul went to God for help and advice. This was a wise decision on Saul’s part. He knew that he could not win the battle under his own strength, and he went to the one who could give him the victory. He knew that God was ultimately in control, and He was the true King of Israel. However, as we have seen previously, Saul did not have enough patience. When God did not answer His prayers as quickly as he had wished, he went to see a medium at En-dor. His first mistake was that he was not patient with God and expected God to work on his time table. God had His reasons for not answering Saul’s request, but that did not give Saul the right to turn his back (again) on God. His next mistake was consulting the medium. Not only did he break a law set forth by God, but he also broke a law that he had set over Israel when he drove all of the mediums out of the land.
It is sad to see someone who had so much potential go down so quickly. When Saul was first chosen to be the king of Israel, it seemed as if he was the right man for the job. Even though God made it clear that the end would not turn out so great, Saul began his reign as a very great king. He led Israel to victory and did nothing that would cause any of the Israelites to think that he would reject God. But as time went on, Saul quickly fell away. All his past mistakes culminate in his actions before this great battle. For one of the last times Saul rejected God, and he would soon pay the consequences. His story should be a warning to all of us. Any of us could slip and find ourselves drifting from God. However, we can take comfort in the fact that God will receive us back if we come to Him in repentance. Saul’s story did not turn out so well, but it does not have to turn out the same way for us.
Saul’s mistakes continue when he meets with the medium at En-dor. First, he disguises himself so that the woman would not recognize him. She actually calls him out on his request because she knew that Saul had put forth the law that mediums could no longer practice in Israel. Then Saul swears by God’s name that she will not be punished for her actions. While it is true that he would not punish her (for he was breaking his own law), he was forgetting the fact that God also had a law that spoke against mediums. He pulled someone else into his evil deeds not considering what ramifications they would have on her life.
He then requests that Samuel be brought back so that he can get advice from Samuel. He confesses that God had left him and was not answering his prayers. But Samuel reminded him that God had turned away from Saul, taking the kingdom away from him. When Samuel was alive, he had told Saul that his family would not continue to reign over Israel because of Saul’s actions. This was the primary reason that Saul wanted David dead. Now, Saul seems shocked that God had indeed turned His back on him. Samuel also tells him that God will not help him in the battle, and the Philistines will indeed win. They will take over the land of Israel, and Saul, along with his sons, will die in the process. At that moment, reality finally sat in for Saul. He knew that this day was coming. Samuel had warned him previously. But after that last conversation with Samuel, it seemed like he finally realized the consequences for his mistakes. The end was near for Saul, and he was going to have to pay for all he had done.
Matt
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
1 Samuel 27
1 Samuel 27
Even though Saul had once again given up on trying to find and kill David, at the beginning of 1 Samuel 27, David is not sure that there war is over. It is obvious that David still does not trust Saul, and why would he? Saul had been known for breaking his promises, and David was not sure that he would keep this latest promise. So David decided to leave Israel altogether and go into the land of the Philistines. He knew that if was with the Philistines, then Saul would give up for the Philistines were the enemies of Saul.
Saul did give up on his pursuits, which shows that even though he had once again promised to quit trying to kill David in 1 Samuel 26, he had reverted back to his old ways. Although these last several chapters have really focused on Saul’s mistakes, we can relate to his struggles. I would guess that most of us do not struggle with the desire of killing someone we know. However, we all have our problems, and we all have sin in our lives that we find it tough to overcome. So even if it is not murder, we all have to learn how to overcome the sin in our lives. Saul showed us the first step, confession. He had previously recognized his sin and confessed it before God and before David. However, his problem was that he did not let that change his life. His actions did not back up his words. To overcome the sin in our lives, we have to be willing to give it up to God so that He can work in us. Then, we have to let Him work, even if it hurts, even if it means that we have to give up something (sacrifice). So while it is easy to be hard on Saul, we all have our struggles. The difference is how we overcome them.
While David was with the Philistines, he asked for a place of his own. The leader of the Philistines gave David a home in Ziklag, and after his departure, that place became part of the nation of Israel. During the almost year and a half that David lived among the Philistines, he went around conquering lands for them. He did this in order to gain their trust. He had victory in all the battles that he fought, and some of the Philistines felt like David had ultimately turned his back on Israel. Now while it is not clear at this point in the story, I believe David probably had something else in mind. He knew that he was next in line for the throne of Israel, and who better to make friends with than your enemies? When Israel entered the Promised Land, they failed to conquer all of it. David would later win many battles and add a lot of land to Israel, actually conquering some of the land that they should have already possessed. So I think that these battles in 1 Samuel 27 and his alignment with the Philistines may have been the start of some of David’s future victories.
Matt
Even though Saul had once again given up on trying to find and kill David, at the beginning of 1 Samuel 27, David is not sure that there war is over. It is obvious that David still does not trust Saul, and why would he? Saul had been known for breaking his promises, and David was not sure that he would keep this latest promise. So David decided to leave Israel altogether and go into the land of the Philistines. He knew that if was with the Philistines, then Saul would give up for the Philistines were the enemies of Saul.
Saul did give up on his pursuits, which shows that even though he had once again promised to quit trying to kill David in 1 Samuel 26, he had reverted back to his old ways. Although these last several chapters have really focused on Saul’s mistakes, we can relate to his struggles. I would guess that most of us do not struggle with the desire of killing someone we know. However, we all have our problems, and we all have sin in our lives that we find it tough to overcome. So even if it is not murder, we all have to learn how to overcome the sin in our lives. Saul showed us the first step, confession. He had previously recognized his sin and confessed it before God and before David. However, his problem was that he did not let that change his life. His actions did not back up his words. To overcome the sin in our lives, we have to be willing to give it up to God so that He can work in us. Then, we have to let Him work, even if it hurts, even if it means that we have to give up something (sacrifice). So while it is easy to be hard on Saul, we all have our struggles. The difference is how we overcome them.
While David was with the Philistines, he asked for a place of his own. The leader of the Philistines gave David a home in Ziklag, and after his departure, that place became part of the nation of Israel. During the almost year and a half that David lived among the Philistines, he went around conquering lands for them. He did this in order to gain their trust. He had victory in all the battles that he fought, and some of the Philistines felt like David had ultimately turned his back on Israel. Now while it is not clear at this point in the story, I believe David probably had something else in mind. He knew that he was next in line for the throne of Israel, and who better to make friends with than your enemies? When Israel entered the Promised Land, they failed to conquer all of it. David would later win many battles and add a lot of land to Israel, actually conquering some of the land that they should have already possessed. So I think that these battles in 1 Samuel 27 and his alignment with the Philistines may have been the start of some of David’s future victories.
Matt
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
1 Samuel 26
1 Samuel 26
David’s interaction with Saul in 1 Samuel 26 is almost a mirror image of 1 Samuel 24, only a different setting. When the two men were together at the end of 1 Samuel 24, they went away in peace. David spared Saul’s life and understood that God would be the one to take care of Saul’s actions when He was ready to do so. Saul went away regretting that he had attempted to kill David (the many times he had attempted or thought about it). He understood that God had indeed chosen David, and he saw David as a very godly man. It seemed as if the war between the two men was over, but at the beginning of 1 Samuel 26, it all started up again.
When Saul received word from the Ziphites as to David’s whereabouts, he put together another crew of 3,000 men to go after David. He got close to the wilderness where David was hiding, and then he took a break for the night. Meanwhile, David received word that Saul was back at it again. So David found out where Saul was camping, grabbed one of his men, and they went after Saul. However, once they got to Saul’s camp, David was reminded of his previous encounter. Just like the first time he had a chance to kill Saul, David realized that it was not his job to kill Saul (nor his assistant’s job). So instead of killing Saul that night, David took Saul’s sword and a jar of water that Saul had beside his bed.
Saul’s main man, the one who was supposed to be keeping watch over Saul was Abner. But on the night when David went into to Saul’s tent, no one noticed. There was no one there to keep guard to protect the king, and that responsibility fell to Abner. So when David was a safe distance away from the camp, he called out to Abner, calling him out on his mistake. Then, when Saul realized what was going on, he asked David what he was doing. David replied by condemning Saul’s actions. The two men had already settled this dispute, but now Saul had gone back on his word and pursued David again. So David asked Saul if this was something God had called him to do or something other men had asked. David was prepared to take heed to God’s commands, if it was truly something that God wanted done, but David also knew that God had not commanded Saul to kill him. Saul once again realized his mistake, and in the end the two men went away with the situation resolved.
Although I initially thought that David had forgotten what he had learned from their previous encounter in 1 Samuel 24 (about allowing God to work it out in His own timing), I do not think that is the case. I do not believe David went into Saul’s tent with the intent on killing Saul. I believe he remembered well what had gone on before. So instead of trying to kill Saul, I think he was trying to teach Saul a lesson. Saul was the one who had forgotten what he had learned from 1 Samuel 24. He went away remorseful, repenting of his sin, and now, just two chapters later, he was at it again. David exposed Saul’s sins again and not only did David save his own life, but he also helped Saul recognize his sin so that he could begin to grow in God again.
It is safe to say that Saul was one of David’s enemies, and yet David had compassion on Saul. Twice now he had the opportunity to get rid of the one man who hated him more than anyone else on earth. Yet on both occasions, David passed on that opportunity and instead attempted to reconcile things with Saul. David did not hold Saul’s actions against him, and he helped Saul see the error of his way. It will never be easy to forgive or try to help our enemies either, but like David, we should be willing to forgive them and move on. We should show them God’s love, and help them to see that He loves them and wants to help. Who knows, we might be the only person who ever shares the Gospel with them. It does not matter who they are or what they have done, God can still forgive them, and they still need Him.
Matt
David’s interaction with Saul in 1 Samuel 26 is almost a mirror image of 1 Samuel 24, only a different setting. When the two men were together at the end of 1 Samuel 24, they went away in peace. David spared Saul’s life and understood that God would be the one to take care of Saul’s actions when He was ready to do so. Saul went away regretting that he had attempted to kill David (the many times he had attempted or thought about it). He understood that God had indeed chosen David, and he saw David as a very godly man. It seemed as if the war between the two men was over, but at the beginning of 1 Samuel 26, it all started up again.
When Saul received word from the Ziphites as to David’s whereabouts, he put together another crew of 3,000 men to go after David. He got close to the wilderness where David was hiding, and then he took a break for the night. Meanwhile, David received word that Saul was back at it again. So David found out where Saul was camping, grabbed one of his men, and they went after Saul. However, once they got to Saul’s camp, David was reminded of his previous encounter. Just like the first time he had a chance to kill Saul, David realized that it was not his job to kill Saul (nor his assistant’s job). So instead of killing Saul that night, David took Saul’s sword and a jar of water that Saul had beside his bed.
Saul’s main man, the one who was supposed to be keeping watch over Saul was Abner. But on the night when David went into to Saul’s tent, no one noticed. There was no one there to keep guard to protect the king, and that responsibility fell to Abner. So when David was a safe distance away from the camp, he called out to Abner, calling him out on his mistake. Then, when Saul realized what was going on, he asked David what he was doing. David replied by condemning Saul’s actions. The two men had already settled this dispute, but now Saul had gone back on his word and pursued David again. So David asked Saul if this was something God had called him to do or something other men had asked. David was prepared to take heed to God’s commands, if it was truly something that God wanted done, but David also knew that God had not commanded Saul to kill him. Saul once again realized his mistake, and in the end the two men went away with the situation resolved.
Although I initially thought that David had forgotten what he had learned from their previous encounter in 1 Samuel 24 (about allowing God to work it out in His own timing), I do not think that is the case. I do not believe David went into Saul’s tent with the intent on killing Saul. I believe he remembered well what had gone on before. So instead of trying to kill Saul, I think he was trying to teach Saul a lesson. Saul was the one who had forgotten what he had learned from 1 Samuel 24. He went away remorseful, repenting of his sin, and now, just two chapters later, he was at it again. David exposed Saul’s sins again and not only did David save his own life, but he also helped Saul recognize his sin so that he could begin to grow in God again.
It is safe to say that Saul was one of David’s enemies, and yet David had compassion on Saul. Twice now he had the opportunity to get rid of the one man who hated him more than anyone else on earth. Yet on both occasions, David passed on that opportunity and instead attempted to reconcile things with Saul. David did not hold Saul’s actions against him, and he helped Saul see the error of his way. It will never be easy to forgive or try to help our enemies either, but like David, we should be willing to forgive them and move on. We should show them God’s love, and help them to see that He loves them and wants to help. Who knows, we might be the only person who ever shares the Gospel with them. It does not matter who they are or what they have done, God can still forgive them, and they still need Him.
Matt
Monday, November 22, 2010
1 Samuel 25
1 Samuel 25
The first prophet, Samuel, for whom two books of the Bible are named, died in 1 Samuel 25. God had used Samuel greatly from the time his mother offered Him to the Lord’s service to his death. He served under the priest Eli and gave him the news of his family’s death before it ever happened. God then used Samuel to find Israel their first king while warning Israel of the consequences of rejecting God for a human king. When Saul fell away from God and God removed His blessings from Saul, God had Samuel find another young man to be king. Samuel chose David, and God promised that David would one day be king, after Saul had died. Although Samuel never saw this promise come about, he died as faithful servant of God. He completed the tasks that God had given him faithfully and lived an obedient life. He not only delivered the good news to Israel, but he also delivered the bad news and warnings. Even when his job was hard, Samuel remained faithful.
The young man Samuel had appointed as king (whom God had chosen), David, had just had an almost deadly encounter with Saul. But instead of taking revenge on Saul after all the times that Saul had tried to kill him, David spared his life and the two men left in peace. Then David found himself in Maon where Nabal ruled. Apparently, David had already had some encounters in this area, and he had always dealt kindly with these people. We find out later in 1 Samuel 25 that David had never done anything against the people who lived in Maon (never took more than he deserved or cheated them out of anything). However, when David sent men to talk to Nabal, Nabal refused to listen. He said that he did not know who this “David” was and he felt like it was a scam. After all David had done for these people, he felt like he was being rejected by Nabal. So David prepared his men for battle.
But when Nabal’s wife Abigail found out how badly Nabal had treated David and his men, she prepared a gift for David and set out on her own to meet him. She asked David to reconsider and tried to reconcile things between her people and David. In that conversation, David realized that he was taking vengeance out on this man when it was not his place to do that. Instead of trying to reconcile the situation, David had prepared to kill Nabal and all his men. Because of Abigail, David took a moment to stop and reconsider. He realized the importance of giving the situation over to God, letting God have control. He had just seen how God took care of his situation with Saul, and now he was willing to let God work in His own way and His own time again.
In the end, God took care of Nabal and killed him. David had a good relationship with everyone else in the city and had not stirred up bad feelings between them and his men. Abigail became a widow in the process, but God gave her to David as a wife. He was previously married to Saul’s daughter Michal, but apparently Saul had given her away to another man. So in the end, David saw God at work again, taking care of the situation in His own way. In the same way, we can always trust that God knows what He is doing. In the heat of the moment, we may find ourselves ready to take revenge on someone or we might even say or do something that we would later regret. So we should give the situation over to God, sit back, and let Him work it out. He knows what He is doing, and while He may use us in resolving the situation, we must never try to live this life on our own strength. We cannot live this life alone, and God will always be there to help us every step of the way.
Matt
The first prophet, Samuel, for whom two books of the Bible are named, died in 1 Samuel 25. God had used Samuel greatly from the time his mother offered Him to the Lord’s service to his death. He served under the priest Eli and gave him the news of his family’s death before it ever happened. God then used Samuel to find Israel their first king while warning Israel of the consequences of rejecting God for a human king. When Saul fell away from God and God removed His blessings from Saul, God had Samuel find another young man to be king. Samuel chose David, and God promised that David would one day be king, after Saul had died. Although Samuel never saw this promise come about, he died as faithful servant of God. He completed the tasks that God had given him faithfully and lived an obedient life. He not only delivered the good news to Israel, but he also delivered the bad news and warnings. Even when his job was hard, Samuel remained faithful.
The young man Samuel had appointed as king (whom God had chosen), David, had just had an almost deadly encounter with Saul. But instead of taking revenge on Saul after all the times that Saul had tried to kill him, David spared his life and the two men left in peace. Then David found himself in Maon where Nabal ruled. Apparently, David had already had some encounters in this area, and he had always dealt kindly with these people. We find out later in 1 Samuel 25 that David had never done anything against the people who lived in Maon (never took more than he deserved or cheated them out of anything). However, when David sent men to talk to Nabal, Nabal refused to listen. He said that he did not know who this “David” was and he felt like it was a scam. After all David had done for these people, he felt like he was being rejected by Nabal. So David prepared his men for battle.
But when Nabal’s wife Abigail found out how badly Nabal had treated David and his men, she prepared a gift for David and set out on her own to meet him. She asked David to reconsider and tried to reconcile things between her people and David. In that conversation, David realized that he was taking vengeance out on this man when it was not his place to do that. Instead of trying to reconcile the situation, David had prepared to kill Nabal and all his men. Because of Abigail, David took a moment to stop and reconsider. He realized the importance of giving the situation over to God, letting God have control. He had just seen how God took care of his situation with Saul, and now he was willing to let God work in His own way and His own time again.
In the end, God took care of Nabal and killed him. David had a good relationship with everyone else in the city and had not stirred up bad feelings between them and his men. Abigail became a widow in the process, but God gave her to David as a wife. He was previously married to Saul’s daughter Michal, but apparently Saul had given her away to another man. So in the end, David saw God at work again, taking care of the situation in His own way. In the same way, we can always trust that God knows what He is doing. In the heat of the moment, we may find ourselves ready to take revenge on someone or we might even say or do something that we would later regret. So we should give the situation over to God, sit back, and let Him work it out. He knows what He is doing, and while He may use us in resolving the situation, we must never try to live this life on our own strength. We cannot live this life alone, and God will always be there to help us every step of the way.
Matt
Sunday, November 21, 2010
1 Samuel 24
1 Samuel 24
Imagine for a moment that you were David, a man who was being chased by the king of Israel. You have been promised the throne after the current king is dead, but you may be wondering if that day will ever come. As you are hiding in a cave, hoping that he will not find you, you see him walking in so that he could go to the bathroom. He does not notice you or your men hiding in the cave, and you are actually close enough to kill him. What would you do?
David found himself in this situation 1 Samuel 24. His men encouraged him to go ahead and kill Saul, thinking that God had given him this opportunity to get rid of his greatest enemy. David even went as far as to cut a piece of Saul’s robe, but then he withdrew himself. Although he knew that God had removed His blessing from Saul and Saul’s family would not remain on the throne, David also knew that Saul had been chosen by God. This was the man that God had set up as the first king of Israel, and it was not his place to end Saul’s life. He knew that he had to continue to be patient trusting that God would take care of Saul when the time came. The human side of David (and the human side of any of us) would probably have been to kill Saul and take the throne. But David understood the importance of waiting for God’s timing. God has a plan, and He knows what He is doing. We have to trust that God is in control and allow Him to use us. Instead of doing things on our own, we must daily turn to God and seek His direction in our lives. Things may not work out as quickly as we would like, but our ways are not His ways.
Once Saul had left the cave, David followed him and made himself vulnerable. Again, do you think we would be willing to walk out to the one who is trying to kill us? It would have been easier and possibly safer to stay in the cave until Saul left. But David wanted to set things right with Saul and confess that he had thoughts of murder. He pointed to Saul’s robe and explained what had happened in the cave, but told Saul that he knew that he could never kill him. Afterwards, Saul felt shame for what he had done to David. He recognized his sin and saw where he had gone wrong. It also became clear to him that God had truly chosen David to be the next king of Israel, and he conceded to that fact. But at the same time, he also worried about his children. He was afraid that they would be cut off from Israel and would suffer after his death. So he asked David to look after them and protect them. What Saul did not know was that David had already made this promise with Jonathan, Saul’s son. David promised Saul that he would look after his children, and they went away peacefully.
In the end, it all worked out well for Saul and David, at least for now. Because of David’s courage to stand up for what was right, he was able to set a good example for his men. He was also able to set things right with Saul, and Saul grew out of this situation. God used David’s faithfulness to touch the lives of others. In the same way, when we obey God and do what is right, we become a positive example to others. God is able to use us so that others can come to know Him and bring glory to Him. Our struggles with sin will be a daily battle, and we will find ourselves right beside temptation, but by looking to God for guidance, we can overcome those temptations and choose to obey His word. It is a daily battle, but our strength comes from God, and He is the one who can ultimately give us the victory.
Matt
Imagine for a moment that you were David, a man who was being chased by the king of Israel. You have been promised the throne after the current king is dead, but you may be wondering if that day will ever come. As you are hiding in a cave, hoping that he will not find you, you see him walking in so that he could go to the bathroom. He does not notice you or your men hiding in the cave, and you are actually close enough to kill him. What would you do?
David found himself in this situation 1 Samuel 24. His men encouraged him to go ahead and kill Saul, thinking that God had given him this opportunity to get rid of his greatest enemy. David even went as far as to cut a piece of Saul’s robe, but then he withdrew himself. Although he knew that God had removed His blessing from Saul and Saul’s family would not remain on the throne, David also knew that Saul had been chosen by God. This was the man that God had set up as the first king of Israel, and it was not his place to end Saul’s life. He knew that he had to continue to be patient trusting that God would take care of Saul when the time came. The human side of David (and the human side of any of us) would probably have been to kill Saul and take the throne. But David understood the importance of waiting for God’s timing. God has a plan, and He knows what He is doing. We have to trust that God is in control and allow Him to use us. Instead of doing things on our own, we must daily turn to God and seek His direction in our lives. Things may not work out as quickly as we would like, but our ways are not His ways.
Once Saul had left the cave, David followed him and made himself vulnerable. Again, do you think we would be willing to walk out to the one who is trying to kill us? It would have been easier and possibly safer to stay in the cave until Saul left. But David wanted to set things right with Saul and confess that he had thoughts of murder. He pointed to Saul’s robe and explained what had happened in the cave, but told Saul that he knew that he could never kill him. Afterwards, Saul felt shame for what he had done to David. He recognized his sin and saw where he had gone wrong. It also became clear to him that God had truly chosen David to be the next king of Israel, and he conceded to that fact. But at the same time, he also worried about his children. He was afraid that they would be cut off from Israel and would suffer after his death. So he asked David to look after them and protect them. What Saul did not know was that David had already made this promise with Jonathan, Saul’s son. David promised Saul that he would look after his children, and they went away peacefully.
In the end, it all worked out well for Saul and David, at least for now. Because of David’s courage to stand up for what was right, he was able to set a good example for his men. He was also able to set things right with Saul, and Saul grew out of this situation. God used David’s faithfulness to touch the lives of others. In the same way, when we obey God and do what is right, we become a positive example to others. God is able to use us so that others can come to know Him and bring glory to Him. Our struggles with sin will be a daily battle, and we will find ourselves right beside temptation, but by looking to God for guidance, we can overcome those temptations and choose to obey His word. It is a daily battle, but our strength comes from God, and He is the one who can ultimately give us the victory.
Matt
Friday, November 19, 2010
1 Samuel 23
1 Samuel 23
While Saul was still following David’s trail, David found himself in the city of Keilah facing another battle. The Philistines had come up against the people of Keilah, and God instructed David to go to battle, promising victory. David’s men were hesitant at first, but when God reconfirmed His plans to David, David and his men went to battle. As promised, God gave them victory, and they were able to protect the people of Keilah. However, Saul heard about David’s victory and found out where he was hiding. So Saul once again began to pursue David hoping to kill him. David was concerned that the people of Keilah would give him up, and when God told him that they would indeed hand him over to Saul, David fled.
David ran off into the wilderness again and hid from Saul, but Saul did not give up. He continued to pursue David each day hoping to find him and kill him so that his family would continue to sit on the throne of Israel. However, this was not God’s plan. He had specifically chosen David to be the next king, and no man was going to get in the way of God’s plans. He continued to protect David and did not allow Saul to find him. This is seen in the second half of 1 Samuel 23 as David moves from place to place. He was first warned by Jonathan of Saul’s latest plans. Then, when the Ziphites planned on giving David up, he received word of their plans and was able to escape again. Every time that Saul got close, God made sure that David was one step ahead of Saul. Then, the Philistines arrived and began to attack Israel again, causing Saul to give up on pursuing David for the time being so that he could protect his country.
Saul had become so preoccupied with finding and killing David that he was failing at his primary responsibilities as king of Israel. Due to his jealousy and hatred of David, he felt like he was doing the right thing in attempting to rid Israel of David’s presence and influence. What he did not understand was that David had been chosen by God, and God had been using David in mighty ways to protect Israel. Instead of fighting the real enemy, the Philistines who were seeking to destroy Israel, Saul was fighting David, his “enemy” who had done nothing but try to help protect Israel from groups like the Philistines.
In the same way, we can sometimes lose sight of what we have been called to do. We may know that God could use us in some great way, but we become so preoccupied with something else that does not really matter that we fail to live for and serve Him. We allow the sin in our lives to control us, such Saul’s jealousy of David. The danger in allowing that old sin to creep back up into our lives is that we will always miss out on what we could have done for God. Granted, if we really are His children, He will forgive us of that sin, but we may never know what great things God could have done through us if we had only remained obedient to His word. Saul and David were polar opposites, and it is obvious which man was receiving God’s blessings. David had a hard life, showing us that it is not always easy to serve God, but he remained committed to God despite the cost. He understood the importance of serving God, and as a result, God was able to use him in mighty ways.
Matt
While Saul was still following David’s trail, David found himself in the city of Keilah facing another battle. The Philistines had come up against the people of Keilah, and God instructed David to go to battle, promising victory. David’s men were hesitant at first, but when God reconfirmed His plans to David, David and his men went to battle. As promised, God gave them victory, and they were able to protect the people of Keilah. However, Saul heard about David’s victory and found out where he was hiding. So Saul once again began to pursue David hoping to kill him. David was concerned that the people of Keilah would give him up, and when God told him that they would indeed hand him over to Saul, David fled.
David ran off into the wilderness again and hid from Saul, but Saul did not give up. He continued to pursue David each day hoping to find him and kill him so that his family would continue to sit on the throne of Israel. However, this was not God’s plan. He had specifically chosen David to be the next king, and no man was going to get in the way of God’s plans. He continued to protect David and did not allow Saul to find him. This is seen in the second half of 1 Samuel 23 as David moves from place to place. He was first warned by Jonathan of Saul’s latest plans. Then, when the Ziphites planned on giving David up, he received word of their plans and was able to escape again. Every time that Saul got close, God made sure that David was one step ahead of Saul. Then, the Philistines arrived and began to attack Israel again, causing Saul to give up on pursuing David for the time being so that he could protect his country.
Saul had become so preoccupied with finding and killing David that he was failing at his primary responsibilities as king of Israel. Due to his jealousy and hatred of David, he felt like he was doing the right thing in attempting to rid Israel of David’s presence and influence. What he did not understand was that David had been chosen by God, and God had been using David in mighty ways to protect Israel. Instead of fighting the real enemy, the Philistines who were seeking to destroy Israel, Saul was fighting David, his “enemy” who had done nothing but try to help protect Israel from groups like the Philistines.
In the same way, we can sometimes lose sight of what we have been called to do. We may know that God could use us in some great way, but we become so preoccupied with something else that does not really matter that we fail to live for and serve Him. We allow the sin in our lives to control us, such Saul’s jealousy of David. The danger in allowing that old sin to creep back up into our lives is that we will always miss out on what we could have done for God. Granted, if we really are His children, He will forgive us of that sin, but we may never know what great things God could have done through us if we had only remained obedient to His word. Saul and David were polar opposites, and it is obvious which man was receiving God’s blessings. David had a hard life, showing us that it is not always easy to serve God, but he remained committed to God despite the cost. He understood the importance of serving God, and as a result, God was able to use him in mighty ways.
Matt
Thursday, November 18, 2010
1 Samuel 22:6-23
1 Samuel 22:6-23
As David continued to remain as far away as possible from Saul, Saul began his search for David. He first discovered that Jonathan and David had made a covenant, in which Jonathan had promised to do his best to protect David. Saul was obviously upset that this deal was made, knowing that his son had betrayed. Furthermore, no one had told him about it, and that gave David more time to escape before Saul began his pursuit. As he was discussing these things with his men, a man found Saul and told him that he had last seen David with Ahimelech (when David had received Goliath’s sword).
Saul immediately went to find Ahimelech and questioned him about what he had given David. Ahimelech defended his decision to feed David and offer him a form of protection. He knew of David’s faithfulness to God, to Saul, and to the nation of Israel. He reminded Saul of how great soldier David had been, and he made a good case for David. However, Saul did not want to hear it. Just like before, he ignored all the great things David had done for him and for Israel and allowed his jealousy and anger take over. So he commanded his soldiers to murder Ahimelech and all the priests. Although they had done what they felt God would have them do and had protected a man who was following after God, Saul wanted them dead.
Ahimelech and the priests were killed, but not by Saul’s soldiers. Either they knew that all David had done had been for God and for Israel or they were convinced by Ahimelech. Either way, they refused to kill God’s priests. They chose to protect them and David, defending the men who were following God rather than obeying Saul. The situation that Ahimelech and the soldiers found themselves in is similar to what people ask about obeying the governments of the world today. Some may ask what we should do if laws are set in place that would order us to disobey God’s commands. These men provide us that answer. In those instances, we should be sure to follow what the Bible teaches rather than what the governing officials command. The Christians in the book of Acts faced this same dilemma, and they rightfully chose to follow God rather than the government. Wherever we live, we should make sure that we follow all the laws set before us, but if those laws begin to conflict with what God would have us do, we must choose to “obey God rather than men.”
After these soldiers chose to disobey Saul, another man stepped up to kill Ahimelech and his family, but one of Ahimelech’s sons was able to escape. He found David and told him all that Saul had done. He informed David that Ahimelech and 85 other men were dead, and that Saul would surely come after him soon. David took this man, Abiathar, in and they went into hiding together.
Matt
As David continued to remain as far away as possible from Saul, Saul began his search for David. He first discovered that Jonathan and David had made a covenant, in which Jonathan had promised to do his best to protect David. Saul was obviously upset that this deal was made, knowing that his son had betrayed. Furthermore, no one had told him about it, and that gave David more time to escape before Saul began his pursuit. As he was discussing these things with his men, a man found Saul and told him that he had last seen David with Ahimelech (when David had received Goliath’s sword).
Saul immediately went to find Ahimelech and questioned him about what he had given David. Ahimelech defended his decision to feed David and offer him a form of protection. He knew of David’s faithfulness to God, to Saul, and to the nation of Israel. He reminded Saul of how great soldier David had been, and he made a good case for David. However, Saul did not want to hear it. Just like before, he ignored all the great things David had done for him and for Israel and allowed his jealousy and anger take over. So he commanded his soldiers to murder Ahimelech and all the priests. Although they had done what they felt God would have them do and had protected a man who was following after God, Saul wanted them dead.
Ahimelech and the priests were killed, but not by Saul’s soldiers. Either they knew that all David had done had been for God and for Israel or they were convinced by Ahimelech. Either way, they refused to kill God’s priests. They chose to protect them and David, defending the men who were following God rather than obeying Saul. The situation that Ahimelech and the soldiers found themselves in is similar to what people ask about obeying the governments of the world today. Some may ask what we should do if laws are set in place that would order us to disobey God’s commands. These men provide us that answer. In those instances, we should be sure to follow what the Bible teaches rather than what the governing officials command. The Christians in the book of Acts faced this same dilemma, and they rightfully chose to follow God rather than the government. Wherever we live, we should make sure that we follow all the laws set before us, but if those laws begin to conflict with what God would have us do, we must choose to “obey God rather than men.”
After these soldiers chose to disobey Saul, another man stepped up to kill Ahimelech and his family, but one of Ahimelech’s sons was able to escape. He found David and told him all that Saul had done. He informed David that Ahimelech and 85 other men were dead, and that Saul would surely come after him soon. David took this man, Abiathar, in and they went into hiding together.
Matt
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
1 Samuel 21:1-22:5
1 Samuel 21:1-22:5
David begins his journey of running away from Saul in 1 Samuel 21. Although he knew that he would one day be sitting on the throne of Israel, he also knew that that day would not come until Saul was dead. David could not chance remaining with Saul until that day, in fear that Saul would continue to try to kill him. Even if he was not killed by God, he probably thought about all the awful things Saul could have done to him instead.
As David began this journey, he ran into people all across the nation that knew him. His name was well known because of all the great battles he had won. When he stopped in Nob for food, the priest, Ahimelech recognized him as one of Saul’s men. Then, when David asked for a weapon so that he could defend himself if he needed to, Ahimelech gave him the sword that Goliath had used in their battle. Ahimelech knew that David was the one who had killed Goliath. David then went to Achish, and immediately, the king of that city recognized David as the man who had been so successful in battle. So when David grew suspicious of the king, knowing that the king knew of his past victories, David pretended to be insane in order to escape that city as well.
Whether it was for good or for bad, the people in and around Israel knew of David. God had blessed him countless times, giving him victory after victory. Even if the people did not like David, such as Saul and the king of Achish, they knew who he was and what he stood for. David is commonly referred to as a man after God’s own heart. At this point in his life, that was a very accurate statement. David knew that it was God that was giving him the victories, and he did it all for God’s glory. As a result, people took notice. In the same way, we must be sure that when people see us that they recognize us as a child of God. Without even having to say a thing to them, they should be able to tell where we stand just by the way we act. Now while this does not excuse us from actually sharing the Gospel with these people, for we must use words to actually do that, our lives should not contradict the message that we preach.
David continued on his journey and ended up in a cave at Adullam. When his family heard that he was nearby, they went out to find him. Then, many more people poured into the cave, people that were hurting and found themselves in tough situations. David was able to minister to them and help them. As a result, those men became his army, and they were willing to fight for him. He gathered 400 men, and after making sure that his parents had a place to stay, he set off back for Judah. Again, these people knew who David was, they had heard of what he was doing, and they came to him. He did not go out in search for a great army, but after ministering to these people, they in turn became willing to serve him.
Matt
David begins his journey of running away from Saul in 1 Samuel 21. Although he knew that he would one day be sitting on the throne of Israel, he also knew that that day would not come until Saul was dead. David could not chance remaining with Saul until that day, in fear that Saul would continue to try to kill him. Even if he was not killed by God, he probably thought about all the awful things Saul could have done to him instead.
As David began this journey, he ran into people all across the nation that knew him. His name was well known because of all the great battles he had won. When he stopped in Nob for food, the priest, Ahimelech recognized him as one of Saul’s men. Then, when David asked for a weapon so that he could defend himself if he needed to, Ahimelech gave him the sword that Goliath had used in their battle. Ahimelech knew that David was the one who had killed Goliath. David then went to Achish, and immediately, the king of that city recognized David as the man who had been so successful in battle. So when David grew suspicious of the king, knowing that the king knew of his past victories, David pretended to be insane in order to escape that city as well.
Whether it was for good or for bad, the people in and around Israel knew of David. God had blessed him countless times, giving him victory after victory. Even if the people did not like David, such as Saul and the king of Achish, they knew who he was and what he stood for. David is commonly referred to as a man after God’s own heart. At this point in his life, that was a very accurate statement. David knew that it was God that was giving him the victories, and he did it all for God’s glory. As a result, people took notice. In the same way, we must be sure that when people see us that they recognize us as a child of God. Without even having to say a thing to them, they should be able to tell where we stand just by the way we act. Now while this does not excuse us from actually sharing the Gospel with these people, for we must use words to actually do that, our lives should not contradict the message that we preach.
David continued on his journey and ended up in a cave at Adullam. When his family heard that he was nearby, they went out to find him. Then, many more people poured into the cave, people that were hurting and found themselves in tough situations. David was able to minister to them and help them. As a result, those men became his army, and they were willing to fight for him. He gathered 400 men, and after making sure that his parents had a place to stay, he set off back for Judah. Again, these people knew who David was, they had heard of what he was doing, and they came to him. He did not go out in search for a great army, but after ministering to these people, they in turn became willing to serve him.
Matt
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
1 Samuel 20
1 Samuel 20
After escaping from Saul’s multiple attempts to kill him, David confronts Jonathan about his father’s intentions. Whereas he did not trust Saul, he still felt comfortable talking to Jonathan. They had always been great friends, and David knew that Jonathan would continue to try to protect him. However, David feared that although Saul had always told Jonathan in advance about his plans, Saul would begin holding it from Jonathan. Knowing that they were friends, David thought that Saul would not tell Jonathan so as to not upset him. Jonathan assured David that if he heard anything, he would continue to warn him, but David was not so sure that Jonathan would be told anymore.
Jonathan then took it one step further. He agreed to aid David in running away, and he also promised to send word if he feared that Saul was going to send people after him. He then asked God to punish him harshly if he neglected to send ample warning to David. This scene is evidence of their great friendship, and it reemphasizes the importance of having close friends. We need those types of people in our lives that will look out for us and take care of us, but at the same time we should also be willing to take care of them. We cannot just reap the benefits of the friendship. We should also be willing to sacrifice and care for them in their tough times. This is shown through David’s response to Jonathan. David promised to take care of Jonathan and his line of descendants after the kingdom had been transferred to him. Both men knew that Saul’s days were numbered and David would take over. Jonathan wanted assurance that he and his family would not be cast to the side when David came to power. David promised to take care of them if hard times came upon them.
As David escaped, Jonathan promised to send a signal and a message to him so that he would know whether it was safe for him to return or not. Jonathan returned home and after two days, Saul questioned David’s absence. When Jonathan told him the story that he and David had come up with, Saul became angry. The source of Saul’s anger is revealed in this passage as well. Yes, Saul was jealous of David, knowing that David would one day take over the throne, stripping it from him and his family. But in 1 Samuel 20 we see that even more than that, Saul was upset that Jonathan would never have the chance to rule over Israel. While Jonathan was not upset over this reality, for he understood that it was God’s plan, Saul could not deal with the fact that his son and grandchildren would not have the opportunity to rule Israel.
The next day, Jonathan went out and gave the signal to David, warning him not to return. They found time to talk alone, and they were upset that it had come to this. But David and Jonathan knew that for the sake of David’s future reign and for the sake of Jonathan’s family, David had to escape from the presence of Saul. Although they were going to be separated, they knew that their friendship would be strong. They had made a commitment before God to each other to protect one another as well as their future families. Just because we are separated by great distances from friends and family does not mean that those relationships have to die. Yes, it is hard to let go and hard to maintain those relationships at times, but the story of David and Jonathan shows that it can be done. God places in our lives for a reason, and we should be thankful for the godly men and women that He has given us the opportunity to know. So even if you have been separated from those people, pray for them, keep in touch, and thank God for the influence they have had on you.
Matt
After escaping from Saul’s multiple attempts to kill him, David confronts Jonathan about his father’s intentions. Whereas he did not trust Saul, he still felt comfortable talking to Jonathan. They had always been great friends, and David knew that Jonathan would continue to try to protect him. However, David feared that although Saul had always told Jonathan in advance about his plans, Saul would begin holding it from Jonathan. Knowing that they were friends, David thought that Saul would not tell Jonathan so as to not upset him. Jonathan assured David that if he heard anything, he would continue to warn him, but David was not so sure that Jonathan would be told anymore.
Jonathan then took it one step further. He agreed to aid David in running away, and he also promised to send word if he feared that Saul was going to send people after him. He then asked God to punish him harshly if he neglected to send ample warning to David. This scene is evidence of their great friendship, and it reemphasizes the importance of having close friends. We need those types of people in our lives that will look out for us and take care of us, but at the same time we should also be willing to take care of them. We cannot just reap the benefits of the friendship. We should also be willing to sacrifice and care for them in their tough times. This is shown through David’s response to Jonathan. David promised to take care of Jonathan and his line of descendants after the kingdom had been transferred to him. Both men knew that Saul’s days were numbered and David would take over. Jonathan wanted assurance that he and his family would not be cast to the side when David came to power. David promised to take care of them if hard times came upon them.
As David escaped, Jonathan promised to send a signal and a message to him so that he would know whether it was safe for him to return or not. Jonathan returned home and after two days, Saul questioned David’s absence. When Jonathan told him the story that he and David had come up with, Saul became angry. The source of Saul’s anger is revealed in this passage as well. Yes, Saul was jealous of David, knowing that David would one day take over the throne, stripping it from him and his family. But in 1 Samuel 20 we see that even more than that, Saul was upset that Jonathan would never have the chance to rule over Israel. While Jonathan was not upset over this reality, for he understood that it was God’s plan, Saul could not deal with the fact that his son and grandchildren would not have the opportunity to rule Israel.
The next day, Jonathan went out and gave the signal to David, warning him not to return. They found time to talk alone, and they were upset that it had come to this. But David and Jonathan knew that for the sake of David’s future reign and for the sake of Jonathan’s family, David had to escape from the presence of Saul. Although they were going to be separated, they knew that their friendship would be strong. They had made a commitment before God to each other to protect one another as well as their future families. Just because we are separated by great distances from friends and family does not mean that those relationships have to die. Yes, it is hard to let go and hard to maintain those relationships at times, but the story of David and Jonathan shows that it can be done. God places in our lives for a reason, and we should be thankful for the godly men and women that He has given us the opportunity to know. So even if you have been separated from those people, pray for them, keep in touch, and thank God for the influence they have had on you.
Matt
Sunday, November 14, 2010
1 Samuel 19
1 Samuel 19
Despite his previously failed attempt on David’s life, in 1 Samuel 19, Saul prepares to try to kill him again. In fact, he tells all his men, including Jonathan to find a way to kill David. Now Jonathan and David were good friends, and Jonathan was afraid for David’s life. So Jonathan went and warned David about what his father was up to and encouraged David to find a place to hide while he went and spoke with his father. So the next day, Jonathan went to his father and questioned him on his decision to kill David. He reminded Saul of all David had done for Israel. Now while this was the real reason as to why Saul wanted David dead, Saul changed his mind, forgot his jealousy, and decided not to kill David. David was restored to his previous position in Saul’s courts, and all was back to normal.
David once again had the chance to lead Israel into battle, and God once again gave him the victory over the Philistines. But instead of Saul being proud of David and glad that he once again protected Israel, his jealousy surfaced again and he sought David’s life. He attempted to kill David with his spear again, and as before, David escaped. Then, David’s wife found out about another one of Saul’s plots, so she helped David escape out their window. David was once again able to escape Saul’s presence, and his life was preserved. The story of 1 Samuel 19 is almost a repeat of the previous events between Saul and David.
The closing verses in this chapter show another change in heart for Saul. Just as Jonathan had convinced him to change his mind about killing David, this next encounter helps him change as well. David had escaped and found Samuel, where he also found protection. When Saul was told that David was with Samuel, he sent men to bring David back to him so that he could deal with him. But his men did not come back. Instead, they were influenced by Samuel and the other prophets in that city and began prophesying for God as well. Saul sent a second and third group, but the same happened to them. They were all changed and began to live for God in the presence of David and Samuel. This angered Saul, as he was upset that he had not only lost David but many of his men as well. So Saul went to capture David himself, and amazingly the same happened to him. Now while this was not a permanent change for Saul, he temporarily forgot about his anger toward David, and David was protected yet again.
Saul’s jealousy and revenge continued to be a problem in this chapter, and as we saw in 1 Samuel 18, there is no place for revenge for the child of God. In 1 Samuel 19, we see the importance of having godly friends. While it is important to know and reach out to the lost people around us, we should also have a close group of Christian friends as well. It is this group of people that can challenge us, hold us accountable, disciple us (or be disciple by us), and pray for us. David was protected by Jonathan and his wife Michal. They loved him enough to warn him of the trouble that he was facing, and they both even defended him in the presence of Saul. We too need friends who will be willing to stick up for us and stand by our side in those tough times, but they should also be willing to confront us if they see us living in sin. At the same time, we should be that type of friend to others as well. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is fellowship, fellowship with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. By living life together, we can accomplish great things for God.
Matt
Despite his previously failed attempt on David’s life, in 1 Samuel 19, Saul prepares to try to kill him again. In fact, he tells all his men, including Jonathan to find a way to kill David. Now Jonathan and David were good friends, and Jonathan was afraid for David’s life. So Jonathan went and warned David about what his father was up to and encouraged David to find a place to hide while he went and spoke with his father. So the next day, Jonathan went to his father and questioned him on his decision to kill David. He reminded Saul of all David had done for Israel. Now while this was the real reason as to why Saul wanted David dead, Saul changed his mind, forgot his jealousy, and decided not to kill David. David was restored to his previous position in Saul’s courts, and all was back to normal.
David once again had the chance to lead Israel into battle, and God once again gave him the victory over the Philistines. But instead of Saul being proud of David and glad that he once again protected Israel, his jealousy surfaced again and he sought David’s life. He attempted to kill David with his spear again, and as before, David escaped. Then, David’s wife found out about another one of Saul’s plots, so she helped David escape out their window. David was once again able to escape Saul’s presence, and his life was preserved. The story of 1 Samuel 19 is almost a repeat of the previous events between Saul and David.
The closing verses in this chapter show another change in heart for Saul. Just as Jonathan had convinced him to change his mind about killing David, this next encounter helps him change as well. David had escaped and found Samuel, where he also found protection. When Saul was told that David was with Samuel, he sent men to bring David back to him so that he could deal with him. But his men did not come back. Instead, they were influenced by Samuel and the other prophets in that city and began prophesying for God as well. Saul sent a second and third group, but the same happened to them. They were all changed and began to live for God in the presence of David and Samuel. This angered Saul, as he was upset that he had not only lost David but many of his men as well. So Saul went to capture David himself, and amazingly the same happened to him. Now while this was not a permanent change for Saul, he temporarily forgot about his anger toward David, and David was protected yet again.
Saul’s jealousy and revenge continued to be a problem in this chapter, and as we saw in 1 Samuel 18, there is no place for revenge for the child of God. In 1 Samuel 19, we see the importance of having godly friends. While it is important to know and reach out to the lost people around us, we should also have a close group of Christian friends as well. It is this group of people that can challenge us, hold us accountable, disciple us (or be disciple by us), and pray for us. David was protected by Jonathan and his wife Michal. They loved him enough to warn him of the trouble that he was facing, and they both even defended him in the presence of Saul. We too need friends who will be willing to stick up for us and stand by our side in those tough times, but they should also be willing to confront us if they see us living in sin. At the same time, we should be that type of friend to others as well. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is fellowship, fellowship with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. By living life together, we can accomplish great things for God.
Matt
Saturday, November 13, 2010
1 Samuel 18
1 Samuel 18
Jonathan recognized David’s dedication to the Lord and the two of them became instant friends. I do not know what the age difference is between these two, but I would imagine that they were fairly close in age considering that Jonathan was Saul’s son and there is no mention of him having any children. What is special about this first encounter between these two is that Jonathan in a sense hands over his position in the kingdom to David. He gives David all his weapons and his robe. Now David had already been established as the next king of Israel by God, but this instance could possibly be another hint at David’s eventual role as king. Also, whenever David went out to battle, he was granted victory, and Saul was pleased, as was Israel.
Saul did not mind David’s success at first because it reflected well on him, but when Saul heard the women of Israel praising David more than Saul, he became jealous. He knew that David was having much more success in battle, but he was not willing to accept it. So he began his attacks on David’s life. The first of those attempts is in 1 Samuel 18. Saul threw a spear at David twice one day, and both times David was able to dodge the attack. After this failed attempt, Saul became afraid of David, knowing that his success and longevity was because of God. He knew that God had left him and chosen David, and that only made the situation worse for Saul. So Saul got rid of David and sent him out of the palace to command a group of soldiers. Even in this new position, the Lord allowed David to have success and his fame only grew in Israel.
Once Saul knew that he could not get rid of David, he decided to set David up as an enemy of the Philistines. So Saul offered David his daughter as a wife, and at the same time he continued to put David in situations where he would fight against the Philistines. This helped Saul in that he had a very successful soldier close by to fight for him, for David was stay with Saul and his daughter. Furthermore, he knew the Philistines would come after David once they discovered it was he that was constantly defeating them. But Saul’s plan backfired, for now he was once again a witness of David’s success, and his jealousy only increased. Furthermore, it did not matter how many times the Philistines came out against David, he always found a way to lead his men to victory.
Revenge is never something we should seek. We may feel that we have legit reasons to seek revenge. We may think that the person deserves to be paid back. In the case of Saul and David, David had done nothing wrong, and Saul was seeking revenge out of jealousy. But sometimes we face situations where the other person is in the wrong and it seems as if they continue to get away with their mistakes. It does not seem fair to see the unjust prospering. It is at those moments when we must learn to trust God. We may see the wicked man prosper, but we must understand that while he may gain success in this life, his eternal life could be at stake. Instead of seeking revenge on those people, we should reach out to them and love them. We should show them who God is and encourage them to accept His gift of salvation. It is not always easy to love those who have hurt us, but it is a command that we should follow.
Matt
Jonathan recognized David’s dedication to the Lord and the two of them became instant friends. I do not know what the age difference is between these two, but I would imagine that they were fairly close in age considering that Jonathan was Saul’s son and there is no mention of him having any children. What is special about this first encounter between these two is that Jonathan in a sense hands over his position in the kingdom to David. He gives David all his weapons and his robe. Now David had already been established as the next king of Israel by God, but this instance could possibly be another hint at David’s eventual role as king. Also, whenever David went out to battle, he was granted victory, and Saul was pleased, as was Israel.
Saul did not mind David’s success at first because it reflected well on him, but when Saul heard the women of Israel praising David more than Saul, he became jealous. He knew that David was having much more success in battle, but he was not willing to accept it. So he began his attacks on David’s life. The first of those attempts is in 1 Samuel 18. Saul threw a spear at David twice one day, and both times David was able to dodge the attack. After this failed attempt, Saul became afraid of David, knowing that his success and longevity was because of God. He knew that God had left him and chosen David, and that only made the situation worse for Saul. So Saul got rid of David and sent him out of the palace to command a group of soldiers. Even in this new position, the Lord allowed David to have success and his fame only grew in Israel.
Once Saul knew that he could not get rid of David, he decided to set David up as an enemy of the Philistines. So Saul offered David his daughter as a wife, and at the same time he continued to put David in situations where he would fight against the Philistines. This helped Saul in that he had a very successful soldier close by to fight for him, for David was stay with Saul and his daughter. Furthermore, he knew the Philistines would come after David once they discovered it was he that was constantly defeating them. But Saul’s plan backfired, for now he was once again a witness of David’s success, and his jealousy only increased. Furthermore, it did not matter how many times the Philistines came out against David, he always found a way to lead his men to victory.
Revenge is never something we should seek. We may feel that we have legit reasons to seek revenge. We may think that the person deserves to be paid back. In the case of Saul and David, David had done nothing wrong, and Saul was seeking revenge out of jealousy. But sometimes we face situations where the other person is in the wrong and it seems as if they continue to get away with their mistakes. It does not seem fair to see the unjust prospering. It is at those moments when we must learn to trust God. We may see the wicked man prosper, but we must understand that while he may gain success in this life, his eternal life could be at stake. Instead of seeking revenge on those people, we should reach out to them and love them. We should show them who God is and encourage them to accept His gift of salvation. It is not always easy to love those who have hurt us, but it is a command that we should follow.
Matt
Friday, November 12, 2010
1 Samuel 17
1 Samuel 17
Probably one of the most famous stories in the Bible is the story about David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. This story is one of the favorites for kids. I remember when I was a kid, we always loved hearing the stories about the great miracles that God did such as parting the Red Sea, Jonah in the belly of the whale, Daniel in the lion’s den, the fiery furnace, and this story as well. These stories capture the imaginations of kids, and they believe it with all their heart. As we grow older, we sometimes lose that awe and wonder and are not as captivated by these stories, but the story about David and Goliath is truly amazing. The opening verses go into great detail about how powerful Goliath is. It describes how tall he is, how much weight of armor he is carrying, and how powerful and strong he is. It also shows the influence he had on others, for he was defiantly the leader of this group of Philistines, and his presence frightened Israel (including Saul). Overall, Goliath was a frightening presence, and Israel’s odds were slim to none that anyone in their nation could actually face him and expect victory.
However, David had great faith and he knew that if God permitted, he could defeat Goliath. He understood that it would not be his own strength, but God working through him. If you remember from 1 Samuel 16, David was the youngest of his brothers. When Samuel went to Jesse’s house to find and anoint the next king of Israel, he was looking at David’s older brothers to choose from, not even considering the small boy David. Yet God had chosen David, the least likely of all, to be the next king. God did not consider David’s size or youth, He looked at David’s heart, and knew that he was a boy who would follow Him. Now, on the battle field with his brothers, David was a lot like Jonathan. He saw the giant Goliath and understood the odds. He knew that it looked grim, but he also knew that God was with him. He could not stand the fact that Goliath was speaking out against his God, and he asked Saul to allow to him to go to battle against Goliath. Saul was not so sure about it, but David reminded him of all he had accomplished before, killing lions and bears. God had given him the strength in the past to earn victory over those wild animals, and David knew that God could do it again.
When David got ready to head out to battle, after Saul finally agreed, Saul tried to prepare him by giving him the best armor and weapons. David, however, did not have any experience with those things for he had never served in the army of the Israelites. Instead of going with all that extra protection, he took himself, his staff, and five stones into battle. The odds were already against David, but without the proper protection, the situation really seemed hopeless. Yet once again, we see a great contrast in human expectations and God’s power. Although it did not seem humanly possible for David to even stand a chance in battle, with God’s help he knew he could defeat Goliath. God does not need our human strength. He blesses some people with that gift and does use it at times, but ultimately God needs a willing heart. If we are willing to stand up for what is right and stand up for God, He can use anyone and anything. Think about David. God used a small child, who was defenseless, who was greatly outnumbered, and yet he had more faith than any of the men of Israel. As a result God gave David victory over Goliath, and Israel was once again delivered from the Philistines.
Matt
Probably one of the most famous stories in the Bible is the story about David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. This story is one of the favorites for kids. I remember when I was a kid, we always loved hearing the stories about the great miracles that God did such as parting the Red Sea, Jonah in the belly of the whale, Daniel in the lion’s den, the fiery furnace, and this story as well. These stories capture the imaginations of kids, and they believe it with all their heart. As we grow older, we sometimes lose that awe and wonder and are not as captivated by these stories, but the story about David and Goliath is truly amazing. The opening verses go into great detail about how powerful Goliath is. It describes how tall he is, how much weight of armor he is carrying, and how powerful and strong he is. It also shows the influence he had on others, for he was defiantly the leader of this group of Philistines, and his presence frightened Israel (including Saul). Overall, Goliath was a frightening presence, and Israel’s odds were slim to none that anyone in their nation could actually face him and expect victory.
However, David had great faith and he knew that if God permitted, he could defeat Goliath. He understood that it would not be his own strength, but God working through him. If you remember from 1 Samuel 16, David was the youngest of his brothers. When Samuel went to Jesse’s house to find and anoint the next king of Israel, he was looking at David’s older brothers to choose from, not even considering the small boy David. Yet God had chosen David, the least likely of all, to be the next king. God did not consider David’s size or youth, He looked at David’s heart, and knew that he was a boy who would follow Him. Now, on the battle field with his brothers, David was a lot like Jonathan. He saw the giant Goliath and understood the odds. He knew that it looked grim, but he also knew that God was with him. He could not stand the fact that Goliath was speaking out against his God, and he asked Saul to allow to him to go to battle against Goliath. Saul was not so sure about it, but David reminded him of all he had accomplished before, killing lions and bears. God had given him the strength in the past to earn victory over those wild animals, and David knew that God could do it again.
When David got ready to head out to battle, after Saul finally agreed, Saul tried to prepare him by giving him the best armor and weapons. David, however, did not have any experience with those things for he had never served in the army of the Israelites. Instead of going with all that extra protection, he took himself, his staff, and five stones into battle. The odds were already against David, but without the proper protection, the situation really seemed hopeless. Yet once again, we see a great contrast in human expectations and God’s power. Although it did not seem humanly possible for David to even stand a chance in battle, with God’s help he knew he could defeat Goliath. God does not need our human strength. He blesses some people with that gift and does use it at times, but ultimately God needs a willing heart. If we are willing to stand up for what is right and stand up for God, He can use anyone and anything. Think about David. God used a small child, who was defenseless, who was greatly outnumbered, and yet he had more faith than any of the men of Israel. As a result God gave David victory over Goliath, and Israel was once again delivered from the Philistines.
Matt
Thursday, November 11, 2010
1 Samuel 16
1 Samuel 16
Since his birth, Samuel had been dedicated to the Lord’s service. First, his mother made sure that he was able to grow up learning about the Lord by giving him to Eli to raise at the temple. Then, as he grew older, Eli taught him all the things about God. Once he heard his own call from God, he began serving God as His prophet, first delivering a message to Eli about the tragic future of his family. He was then used by God to pick out the first king of Israel, and he even had to deliver more bad news to Israel about what their king would be like. Now, in 1 Samuel 16, Samuel has seen this latest prophecy/promise from God come true. Saul’s actions cost him the privilege to maintain the throne in Israel, and God rejected him. Although Samuel knew that it was coming, it still hurt. He was upset that things had turned out the way that they did, and he probably wondered why it had happened.
But even in the midst of his grief, God wanted to use him. Samuel had always shown great dedication to God, and he did his best to always follow God’s commands. His latest assignment was to find another king for Israel. Although Saul would rule until he died, God wanted Samuel to go ahead and select the next king so that he would be ready when the time came. Of course, Samuel was just the messenger, for God was not depending on his judgment on who to pick. God had a man (well actually a boy) in mind, and he needed Samuel to get things ready for the day that this young boy would finally be able to take the throne.
So Samuel set out and went as God had commanded. He followed God’s instructions and arrived in Bethlehem at the house of Jesse. Setting up a sacrifice, Samuel called for Jesse to join him as he worshipped the Lord. He was then introduced to Jesse’s family, and Jesse had many sons. Remember that this was God’s choice and not Samuel’s. Although Jesse had many great boys, there was only one that God had selected. Starting with the oldest, Samuel met all of Jesse sons, and although Samuel was sure that the first was the one God had selected, God rejected every one of Jesse’s sons. The outward appearance of the men did not matter. Just because they looked like they might one day become a great king was not enough for God. God knew their hearts. He knew them all better than they knew themselves, and God chose the youngest of all of Jesse’s sons, David, the shepherd boy. Imagine a young boy whose main job was to take care of the sheep standing with his much older brothers who were strong men, several of which had been out to battle. Instead of choosing these men of power, God selected the young child, who in the eyes of his family was the weakest of them all.
God had chosen David, and Samuel knew it immediately. He anointed David as the next king of Israel, and immediately God sent His Spirit into David. As David received God’s Spirit and committed himself to God’s service, God rejected Saul and left him on his own. Saul then became tormented by a harmful spirit and he soon realized that God was no longer with him, protecting him, giving him guidance in the decisions that needed to be made. This spirit tormented Saul, and it was just one way that Saul had to pay for the bad choices that he had made. But this was also God’s way of getting David close to the king so that he would be ready to take over when the time came. When someone played the lyre (or harp), Saul was relieved of the harmful spirit, and when he found out that David could play the lyre well, he asked for David to come serve alongside him. Even in the middle of some of Israel’s darkest days, God was still at work. Although all might have seemed lost to many of the Israelites, God was still working, showing them that He was in control. He was preparing a new king for Israel, a king that would follow His commands, a king that would help Israel come back to God. God is always in control, and even though He may seem distant when we find ourselves in some of life’s toughest situations, we can trust that He will never leave us if we are His children.
Matt
Since his birth, Samuel had been dedicated to the Lord’s service. First, his mother made sure that he was able to grow up learning about the Lord by giving him to Eli to raise at the temple. Then, as he grew older, Eli taught him all the things about God. Once he heard his own call from God, he began serving God as His prophet, first delivering a message to Eli about the tragic future of his family. He was then used by God to pick out the first king of Israel, and he even had to deliver more bad news to Israel about what their king would be like. Now, in 1 Samuel 16, Samuel has seen this latest prophecy/promise from God come true. Saul’s actions cost him the privilege to maintain the throne in Israel, and God rejected him. Although Samuel knew that it was coming, it still hurt. He was upset that things had turned out the way that they did, and he probably wondered why it had happened.
But even in the midst of his grief, God wanted to use him. Samuel had always shown great dedication to God, and he did his best to always follow God’s commands. His latest assignment was to find another king for Israel. Although Saul would rule until he died, God wanted Samuel to go ahead and select the next king so that he would be ready when the time came. Of course, Samuel was just the messenger, for God was not depending on his judgment on who to pick. God had a man (well actually a boy) in mind, and he needed Samuel to get things ready for the day that this young boy would finally be able to take the throne.
So Samuel set out and went as God had commanded. He followed God’s instructions and arrived in Bethlehem at the house of Jesse. Setting up a sacrifice, Samuel called for Jesse to join him as he worshipped the Lord. He was then introduced to Jesse’s family, and Jesse had many sons. Remember that this was God’s choice and not Samuel’s. Although Jesse had many great boys, there was only one that God had selected. Starting with the oldest, Samuel met all of Jesse sons, and although Samuel was sure that the first was the one God had selected, God rejected every one of Jesse’s sons. The outward appearance of the men did not matter. Just because they looked like they might one day become a great king was not enough for God. God knew their hearts. He knew them all better than they knew themselves, and God chose the youngest of all of Jesse’s sons, David, the shepherd boy. Imagine a young boy whose main job was to take care of the sheep standing with his much older brothers who were strong men, several of which had been out to battle. Instead of choosing these men of power, God selected the young child, who in the eyes of his family was the weakest of them all.
God had chosen David, and Samuel knew it immediately. He anointed David as the next king of Israel, and immediately God sent His Spirit into David. As David received God’s Spirit and committed himself to God’s service, God rejected Saul and left him on his own. Saul then became tormented by a harmful spirit and he soon realized that God was no longer with him, protecting him, giving him guidance in the decisions that needed to be made. This spirit tormented Saul, and it was just one way that Saul had to pay for the bad choices that he had made. But this was also God’s way of getting David close to the king so that he would be ready to take over when the time came. When someone played the lyre (or harp), Saul was relieved of the harmful spirit, and when he found out that David could play the lyre well, he asked for David to come serve alongside him. Even in the middle of some of Israel’s darkest days, God was still at work. Although all might have seemed lost to many of the Israelites, God was still working, showing them that He was in control. He was preparing a new king for Israel, a king that would follow His commands, a king that would help Israel come back to God. God is always in control, and even though He may seem distant when we find ourselves in some of life’s toughest situations, we can trust that He will never leave us if we are His children.
Matt
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
1 Samuel 14:47-15:35
1 Samuel 14:47-15:35
The closing verses of 1 Samuel 14 give insight into Saul’s personal life. First, it briefly lists some of the battles Saul found himself in as the king of Israel. Second, it details his relations, listing his kids, wife, and other family members. Finally, it discusses his strategy, explaining how he sought strong men to align himself with as king. This causes me to wonder if he might have not always sought the best men. Just because they were powerful and influential did not necessarily mean they were godly and the best men for the job. Aligning with some of these men might have been one of Saul’s downfalls.
But Saul’s major mistakes do not occur until 1 Samuel 15. Saul had originally been chosen by God as the man He wanted to be king. Although God knew what would happen in the end, he appointed Saul to that position. Ultimately Saul had the choice whether to obey God or not, and he knew the consequences for disobedience. In 1 Samuel 15, God sent Samuel to give Saul clear instructions on his next battle. He was to go into the city of the Amalekites and completely destroy everything in it. No one was to be left alive, and they were to take none of the spoils. So Saul gathered his army together and went into the city for battle. But before the battle even started, Saul warned other groups of people who were living with the Amalekites and instructed them to leave before he attacked, thus protecting them. Although he might have seen this as something noble, he completely disregarded what God had commanded him. Those people groups may not have been the reason God wanted the Amalekite city destroyed, but they were associated with the Amalekites. In the end, Saul’s protection of these people and his eventual taking of several of the animals from the city were blatant disobedience to God.
God was displeased with Saul and filled with regret. I think much of His regret was not that He was surprised at how it all turned out (for He already told Samuel and Israel what would eventually happen if they had a king), but instead that Saul had made the choice to not follow Him. God made man in His image for the sole purpose of glorifying Him. We are His greatest creation, and He was initially proud of His creation. But when sin entered the world, it destroyed the relationship God had with man. Thus, God provided a way for man to come back to Him through salvation, but ultimately it was man’s choice. We decide whether we are going to accept His gift that He gave us by sacrificing His own Son. When Saul chose to disobey God rather than follow His commands, God was obviously upset that Saul had in essence rejected Him. So as a result, God did just as He had promised and rejected Saul.
When Samuel confronted Saul about his sin, Saul immediately had excuses. First, he said that he did it honor God. He was going to sacrifice the animals that he was not supposed to take to God. Then, he blamed it on the Israelites, saying that they were the ones who took the spoils from the city. He refused to take responsibility for his actions, and Samuel told him that God had indeed rejected him. However, it was not that God who first rejected Saul. Samuel was sure to tell Saul that he had rejected God first, through his disobedience.
Saul wanted to confess, and he did get that opportunity. He was able to confess his sins before God, but that did not mean that he received the kingdom back. God said that the punishment for his disobedience would be the loss of the kingdom of Israel, and God would not go back on His promises. Saul learned a tough lesson that day. First he saw the consequences for disobedience, but he also learned that confession is sometimes not enough. God will still forgive us of our sins, but that does not mean that everything will be set right like it once had been. Sometimes we will still feel the consequences of our sins, even after we have repented of them, which ultimately helps us to continue to grow in Him.
Matt
The closing verses of 1 Samuel 14 give insight into Saul’s personal life. First, it briefly lists some of the battles Saul found himself in as the king of Israel. Second, it details his relations, listing his kids, wife, and other family members. Finally, it discusses his strategy, explaining how he sought strong men to align himself with as king. This causes me to wonder if he might have not always sought the best men. Just because they were powerful and influential did not necessarily mean they were godly and the best men for the job. Aligning with some of these men might have been one of Saul’s downfalls.
But Saul’s major mistakes do not occur until 1 Samuel 15. Saul had originally been chosen by God as the man He wanted to be king. Although God knew what would happen in the end, he appointed Saul to that position. Ultimately Saul had the choice whether to obey God or not, and he knew the consequences for disobedience. In 1 Samuel 15, God sent Samuel to give Saul clear instructions on his next battle. He was to go into the city of the Amalekites and completely destroy everything in it. No one was to be left alive, and they were to take none of the spoils. So Saul gathered his army together and went into the city for battle. But before the battle even started, Saul warned other groups of people who were living with the Amalekites and instructed them to leave before he attacked, thus protecting them. Although he might have seen this as something noble, he completely disregarded what God had commanded him. Those people groups may not have been the reason God wanted the Amalekite city destroyed, but they were associated with the Amalekites. In the end, Saul’s protection of these people and his eventual taking of several of the animals from the city were blatant disobedience to God.
God was displeased with Saul and filled with regret. I think much of His regret was not that He was surprised at how it all turned out (for He already told Samuel and Israel what would eventually happen if they had a king), but instead that Saul had made the choice to not follow Him. God made man in His image for the sole purpose of glorifying Him. We are His greatest creation, and He was initially proud of His creation. But when sin entered the world, it destroyed the relationship God had with man. Thus, God provided a way for man to come back to Him through salvation, but ultimately it was man’s choice. We decide whether we are going to accept His gift that He gave us by sacrificing His own Son. When Saul chose to disobey God rather than follow His commands, God was obviously upset that Saul had in essence rejected Him. So as a result, God did just as He had promised and rejected Saul.
When Samuel confronted Saul about his sin, Saul immediately had excuses. First, he said that he did it honor God. He was going to sacrifice the animals that he was not supposed to take to God. Then, he blamed it on the Israelites, saying that they were the ones who took the spoils from the city. He refused to take responsibility for his actions, and Samuel told him that God had indeed rejected him. However, it was not that God who first rejected Saul. Samuel was sure to tell Saul that he had rejected God first, through his disobedience.
Saul wanted to confess, and he did get that opportunity. He was able to confess his sins before God, but that did not mean that he received the kingdom back. God said that the punishment for his disobedience would be the loss of the kingdom of Israel, and God would not go back on His promises. Saul learned a tough lesson that day. First he saw the consequences for disobedience, but he also learned that confession is sometimes not enough. God will still forgive us of our sins, but that does not mean that everything will be set right like it once had been. Sometimes we will still feel the consequences of our sins, even after we have repented of them, which ultimately helps us to continue to grow in Him.
Matt
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
1 Samuel 14:24-46
1 Samuel 14:24-26
After Israel’s great victory under the leadership of Jonathan, Saul made a tragic mistake. The day ended in victory, but that did not mean that it had not been hard. Remember that for Saul, the day began with him resting under the pomegranate tree, expecting defeat. He did not see any chance at victory, but Jonathan had led Israel into battle and trusted that God would indeed grant them victory. In the end they won, but Saul, after having a hard day made a rash oath. He declared that no one should eat anything for the rest of the day. Even though they had won the battle and the spoils, and even though they were passing through a part of the land that was giving them plenty of honey to eat and enjoy, they could not.
Jonathan was traveling with the Israelites, but he did not hear Saul’s command about no one eating. He did not know that his father had cursed the ones who might break that command that day. When some honey dropped on his rod, Jonathan casually ate it as he cleaned his rod. Some of the Israelites noticed this and informed him of the command Saul had given. This left Jonathan facing death. Because of Saul’s rash oath, he ended up having to sentence his son. But what is even worse is that Jonathan was the one who had the faith to even pursue the Philistines, and Israel would not have even been in the position they were in if it had not been for Jonathan. Now Jonathan was being punished for no reason, because Saul had no legit reason to even make such a command that day.
Saul, at this point, realized that he had messed up, but in more than one way. First, he did not trust that God would protect him and his people. He was ready to give up before the battle even started. What is even worse is that later in the chapter, it says that Saul made his first altar to God. Now while it is not clear how long he had been king at this point, the fact that he had not taken the time to worship God and seek God’s wisdom and guidance in the situations he had been facing is bad enough. Then, once he asked for God’s help in pursuing his enemies further and knowing what he should do about Jonathan’s mistake (although he did not realize he had messed up), God was silent. He did not receive an answer right away. So instead of being patient, he left it up to chance and finally decided that Jonathan had to pay for his disobedience (which really was not disobedience). Thankfully, the people of Israel stood up for Jonathan and refused to let Saul punish Jonathan in that way.
We have seen several times that Saul was not a patient man. Samuel had previously given him clear instructions on how long to wait before he went into battle. After making a rash decision that day and making the sacrifices before Samuel’s arrival, he lost his privilege of being Israel’s king. After his death, his family would no longer be in the royal line. Now, after not hearing from God right away, he decided to go ahead with his decision and kill his own son, the man who had been the reason that Israel had been delivered that day. God’s timing is not always our timing, and we cannot always expect God to answer our prayers right away. If we do not receive an answer immediately, we should not conclude that God was rejecting our request. We should instead continue to seek His wisdom and guidance. Our lives should not be on our time table or our schedule. Only God knows what is best for our lives, and we must learn to trust His timing in whatever situation we may be facing. Part of the fruit of the Spirit is patience, and although it may be hard, we must all learn to have patience. Sometimes it is in those moments of waiting that God teaches us life’s biggest lessons.
Matt
After Israel’s great victory under the leadership of Jonathan, Saul made a tragic mistake. The day ended in victory, but that did not mean that it had not been hard. Remember that for Saul, the day began with him resting under the pomegranate tree, expecting defeat. He did not see any chance at victory, but Jonathan had led Israel into battle and trusted that God would indeed grant them victory. In the end they won, but Saul, after having a hard day made a rash oath. He declared that no one should eat anything for the rest of the day. Even though they had won the battle and the spoils, and even though they were passing through a part of the land that was giving them plenty of honey to eat and enjoy, they could not.
Jonathan was traveling with the Israelites, but he did not hear Saul’s command about no one eating. He did not know that his father had cursed the ones who might break that command that day. When some honey dropped on his rod, Jonathan casually ate it as he cleaned his rod. Some of the Israelites noticed this and informed him of the command Saul had given. This left Jonathan facing death. Because of Saul’s rash oath, he ended up having to sentence his son. But what is even worse is that Jonathan was the one who had the faith to even pursue the Philistines, and Israel would not have even been in the position they were in if it had not been for Jonathan. Now Jonathan was being punished for no reason, because Saul had no legit reason to even make such a command that day.
Saul, at this point, realized that he had messed up, but in more than one way. First, he did not trust that God would protect him and his people. He was ready to give up before the battle even started. What is even worse is that later in the chapter, it says that Saul made his first altar to God. Now while it is not clear how long he had been king at this point, the fact that he had not taken the time to worship God and seek God’s wisdom and guidance in the situations he had been facing is bad enough. Then, once he asked for God’s help in pursuing his enemies further and knowing what he should do about Jonathan’s mistake (although he did not realize he had messed up), God was silent. He did not receive an answer right away. So instead of being patient, he left it up to chance and finally decided that Jonathan had to pay for his disobedience (which really was not disobedience). Thankfully, the people of Israel stood up for Jonathan and refused to let Saul punish Jonathan in that way.
We have seen several times that Saul was not a patient man. Samuel had previously given him clear instructions on how long to wait before he went into battle. After making a rash decision that day and making the sacrifices before Samuel’s arrival, he lost his privilege of being Israel’s king. After his death, his family would no longer be in the royal line. Now, after not hearing from God right away, he decided to go ahead with his decision and kill his own son, the man who had been the reason that Israel had been delivered that day. God’s timing is not always our timing, and we cannot always expect God to answer our prayers right away. If we do not receive an answer immediately, we should not conclude that God was rejecting our request. We should instead continue to seek His wisdom and guidance. Our lives should not be on our time table or our schedule. Only God knows what is best for our lives, and we must learn to trust His timing in whatever situation we may be facing. Part of the fruit of the Spirit is patience, and although it may be hard, we must all learn to have patience. Sometimes it is in those moments of waiting that God teaches us life’s biggest lessons.
Matt
Monday, November 8, 2010
1 Samuel 14:1-23
1 Samuel 14:1-23
Due to Saul’s disobedience in 1 Samuel 13, Israel was no longer guaranteed victory over the Philistines. God had given them clear instructions by promising them victory and protection if they followed His commands. Saul, however, decided to take things into his own hands, and as a result of his disobedience, God removed that protection. But then there was Saul’s son, Jonathan, and he exhibited a great deal of faith. While his father, Saul, sat under the pomegranate tree assured of defeat, Jonathan decided to actually fight the Philistines. Along with his armor bearer, Jonathan put the Philistines to the test.
His armor bearer assured him that he was willing to go into battle, but he wondered if they should be fighting against the Philistines. Think about it, it was just the two of them. They were up against tremendous odds. So Jonathan said that if they asked them to come on up, then he would take that to be a sign from God that they should go to battle, knowing that they would win. On the other hand, if the Philistines did not acknowledge their presence, then they would turn around and go back. So when the Philistines called out to Jonathan and his armor bearer, they both went into battle with confidence, assured of a victory.
Within their very first strike, 20 Philistines died, and this caused the rest of that group to flee from their sight. All the activity on the battle field drew Saul and the rest of the Israelites up to the battle. Once they realized that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone, they decided to go see what they were up to. When they arrived on the field, they joined the battle and aided Jonathan in obtaining a victory for Israel. Now while this did not rid Israel of all the Philistines that had infiltrated the land, it was one of many victories that they needed.
After the events of 1 Samuel 13, one might wonder why God allowed Israel to have victory that day. Had He not just told Saul that they would lose the battle due to his disobedience? The simple answer to this question is yes, which might then cause one to wonder if God lied in this instance. The answer to this question is no. While Israel was destined to eventually lose out to the Philistines, that battle was well into the future. In the end, Saul would fail Israel and the Philistines would be victorious. However, this battle was not led by Saul. While he did end up joining the fight and helped Israel gain victory over the Philistines for the time being, they did not win because of Saul’s efforts. Israel won the battle because of Jonathan’s faith and Jonathan’s obedience. Jonathan was the one who knew that even with 2 men, God could bring about victory. Jonathan knew that if God led Him into that battle, He would also give Jonathan the tools he needed to win. Jonathan was further convinced that they could win when he struck down 20 Philistines with one blow. He did not need the help of his father and his fellow countrymen. But his faith inspired them and gave them a reason to put their faith in God once again. God gave Israel victory that day because of Jonathan that day, and he became a great example for the nation of Israel.
Jonathan can also be a great example to us today. We may not think that we can do anything great for God. We may say that we are just an ordinary person who has no way of making a big difference in this world for the kingdom of God. Other than the fact that Jonathan was the son of a king, he did not have great status in his day either. He was probably constantly overshadowed by his father’s status in the nation. Plus, knowing that the kingdom would be given to someone else after his father’s death, Jonathan did not have a promising future either. But he did not let the lack of fame and prestige get in his way. He knew that despite what others thought or said about him, he was called to trust God, and his faith in God led to a great victory that day. That is all that we are called to as well. We do not have to acquire great fame in this world to make a difference for God. We can make a difference just by living for Him in our daily lives, allowing Him to work through us.
Matt
Due to Saul’s disobedience in 1 Samuel 13, Israel was no longer guaranteed victory over the Philistines. God had given them clear instructions by promising them victory and protection if they followed His commands. Saul, however, decided to take things into his own hands, and as a result of his disobedience, God removed that protection. But then there was Saul’s son, Jonathan, and he exhibited a great deal of faith. While his father, Saul, sat under the pomegranate tree assured of defeat, Jonathan decided to actually fight the Philistines. Along with his armor bearer, Jonathan put the Philistines to the test.
His armor bearer assured him that he was willing to go into battle, but he wondered if they should be fighting against the Philistines. Think about it, it was just the two of them. They were up against tremendous odds. So Jonathan said that if they asked them to come on up, then he would take that to be a sign from God that they should go to battle, knowing that they would win. On the other hand, if the Philistines did not acknowledge their presence, then they would turn around and go back. So when the Philistines called out to Jonathan and his armor bearer, they both went into battle with confidence, assured of a victory.
Within their very first strike, 20 Philistines died, and this caused the rest of that group to flee from their sight. All the activity on the battle field drew Saul and the rest of the Israelites up to the battle. Once they realized that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone, they decided to go see what they were up to. When they arrived on the field, they joined the battle and aided Jonathan in obtaining a victory for Israel. Now while this did not rid Israel of all the Philistines that had infiltrated the land, it was one of many victories that they needed.
After the events of 1 Samuel 13, one might wonder why God allowed Israel to have victory that day. Had He not just told Saul that they would lose the battle due to his disobedience? The simple answer to this question is yes, which might then cause one to wonder if God lied in this instance. The answer to this question is no. While Israel was destined to eventually lose out to the Philistines, that battle was well into the future. In the end, Saul would fail Israel and the Philistines would be victorious. However, this battle was not led by Saul. While he did end up joining the fight and helped Israel gain victory over the Philistines for the time being, they did not win because of Saul’s efforts. Israel won the battle because of Jonathan’s faith and Jonathan’s obedience. Jonathan was the one who knew that even with 2 men, God could bring about victory. Jonathan knew that if God led Him into that battle, He would also give Jonathan the tools he needed to win. Jonathan was further convinced that they could win when he struck down 20 Philistines with one blow. He did not need the help of his father and his fellow countrymen. But his faith inspired them and gave them a reason to put their faith in God once again. God gave Israel victory that day because of Jonathan that day, and he became a great example for the nation of Israel.
Jonathan can also be a great example to us today. We may not think that we can do anything great for God. We may say that we are just an ordinary person who has no way of making a big difference in this world for the kingdom of God. Other than the fact that Jonathan was the son of a king, he did not have great status in his day either. He was probably constantly overshadowed by his father’s status in the nation. Plus, knowing that the kingdom would be given to someone else after his father’s death, Jonathan did not have a promising future either. But he did not let the lack of fame and prestige get in his way. He knew that despite what others thought or said about him, he was called to trust God, and his faith in God led to a great victory that day. That is all that we are called to as well. We do not have to acquire great fame in this world to make a difference for God. We can make a difference just by living for Him in our daily lives, allowing Him to work through us.
Matt
Saturday, November 6, 2010
1 Samuel 13
1 Samuel 13
Saul had previously defended Israel from the Ammonites, right about the time that he was proclaimed as Israel’s king. He had proven himself worthy and had obeyed God’s commands, and God gave Saul and Israel victory that day. Now, in 1 Samuel 13, Saul was faced with yet another battle. The Philistines were once again threatening Israel, and Saul had to gather up a group of Israelites once again to fight against the Philistines. The first battle that ensued was at Geba, and Jonathan was able to lead his group to victory. Although the text does not identify this Jonathan as Saul’s son, it is very possible that he is, but he is not specifically identified as such until 1 Samuel 14. Whoever this Jonathan is, he was able to lead Israel unto victory, unlike Saul and his group of Israelites.
Saul called all of Israel to himself and readied them for battle. They were up against 30,000 chariots of Philistines plus 6,000 horsemen and soldiers. When Israel saw this great number, they all ran away and hid in caves afraid of the Philistines that were approaching. Despite the large number of Philistines, Saul remained where he was, knowing that Samuel was on his way. He had been instructed by Samuel to wait for 7 days and then he would arrive and sacrifice to God asking for victory. Saul, however, lost his patience, and when Samuel did not arrive early on the 7th day (although he did arrive later that day), Saul went ahead with the sacrifices. This was in essence disobedience. He had been given clear instructions from Samuel, God’s prophet, and he was expected to follow God’s commands. God had just warned him in 1 Samuel 12 about not following His commands, promising destruction. By breaking God’s commands and offering up sacrifices that only the priests were allowed to give, such as Samuel, Saul brought on that destruction.
Samuel condemned Saul for his lack of faith. If Saul had only waited, Samuel would have arrived in time to offer the sacrifices, and they would have been given victory over the Philistines. Instead, they found themselves at a great disadvantage and Saul had lost his right to be king over Israel. Saul would remain king until his death, but Samuel told him that his son would not have the privilege of continuing his kingship. That privilege would be stripped from Saul’s family and given to another, to a young boy that had already been chosen, a boy who was a man after God’s own heart.
God always keeps His promises. It is easy for us to believe this truth when it means something good for us. When we know that we are going to receive something good in return, we find it easy to trust that God will provide. Why wouldn’t we believe that God would offer us protection or bless us with things beyond our imagination? What is sometimes hard to accept is the fact that God also keeps the promises that may bring judgment on us. There are consequences for sin, consequences for disobedience, and God promises that for His children as well. Now it is true that we cannot lose our salvation, but there are times when He might still punish us in other ways for the sin in our lives (as He draws us back to Himself). I am sure that the Israelites fully believed that God would reward them for their obedience, but I wonder how many of them ever thought about the judgment they might receive for their disobedience. That is what Saul received in 1 Samuel 13. So while it is true that God always keeps His promises, and while that truth can and should always give us hope, it must also keep us in the right mind set. We should be aware of our sin, knowing that we are ultimately forgiven, but ever careful to refrain from sin. We will never be perfect this side of Heaven, but we should always strive for perfection so to honor God.
Matt
Saul had previously defended Israel from the Ammonites, right about the time that he was proclaimed as Israel’s king. He had proven himself worthy and had obeyed God’s commands, and God gave Saul and Israel victory that day. Now, in 1 Samuel 13, Saul was faced with yet another battle. The Philistines were once again threatening Israel, and Saul had to gather up a group of Israelites once again to fight against the Philistines. The first battle that ensued was at Geba, and Jonathan was able to lead his group to victory. Although the text does not identify this Jonathan as Saul’s son, it is very possible that he is, but he is not specifically identified as such until 1 Samuel 14. Whoever this Jonathan is, he was able to lead Israel unto victory, unlike Saul and his group of Israelites.
Saul called all of Israel to himself and readied them for battle. They were up against 30,000 chariots of Philistines plus 6,000 horsemen and soldiers. When Israel saw this great number, they all ran away and hid in caves afraid of the Philistines that were approaching. Despite the large number of Philistines, Saul remained where he was, knowing that Samuel was on his way. He had been instructed by Samuel to wait for 7 days and then he would arrive and sacrifice to God asking for victory. Saul, however, lost his patience, and when Samuel did not arrive early on the 7th day (although he did arrive later that day), Saul went ahead with the sacrifices. This was in essence disobedience. He had been given clear instructions from Samuel, God’s prophet, and he was expected to follow God’s commands. God had just warned him in 1 Samuel 12 about not following His commands, promising destruction. By breaking God’s commands and offering up sacrifices that only the priests were allowed to give, such as Samuel, Saul brought on that destruction.
Samuel condemned Saul for his lack of faith. If Saul had only waited, Samuel would have arrived in time to offer the sacrifices, and they would have been given victory over the Philistines. Instead, they found themselves at a great disadvantage and Saul had lost his right to be king over Israel. Saul would remain king until his death, but Samuel told him that his son would not have the privilege of continuing his kingship. That privilege would be stripped from Saul’s family and given to another, to a young boy that had already been chosen, a boy who was a man after God’s own heart.
God always keeps His promises. It is easy for us to believe this truth when it means something good for us. When we know that we are going to receive something good in return, we find it easy to trust that God will provide. Why wouldn’t we believe that God would offer us protection or bless us with things beyond our imagination? What is sometimes hard to accept is the fact that God also keeps the promises that may bring judgment on us. There are consequences for sin, consequences for disobedience, and God promises that for His children as well. Now it is true that we cannot lose our salvation, but there are times when He might still punish us in other ways for the sin in our lives (as He draws us back to Himself). I am sure that the Israelites fully believed that God would reward them for their obedience, but I wonder how many of them ever thought about the judgment they might receive for their disobedience. That is what Saul received in 1 Samuel 13. So while it is true that God always keeps His promises, and while that truth can and should always give us hope, it must also keep us in the right mind set. We should be aware of our sin, knowing that we are ultimately forgiven, but ever careful to refrain from sin. We will never be perfect this side of Heaven, but we should always strive for perfection so to honor God.
Matt
Friday, November 5, 2010
Any Good Books?
It has been a while since I've posted an update on life in general. I am still here at Southeastern, and it has almost been 3 months since I moved in. At this point, I have a daily routine, and life seems normal here. I go to class 4 days a week, I work in time to do any chores that need to be done (which is a lot more now that I am out here by myself), and I find time to just relax and read one of my many books for fun (many of which I have already read). So if you have any suggestions of any good books, let me know. I am always looking for something new to read.
I cannot say that I have necessarily found a church yet, although one I have been attending has been really great. I could very well end up there, and I will keep you posted on that. As for a job, I have not really looked around too much. There were a couple I checked into that did not work out, but I am glad they did not work now. It has been nice to relax and have an easy semester. I know that once the new year starts I will really have to look hard for a job, but the right one will fall into place eventually. The job I looked into at the beginning of the semester would have been great this semester, but I am already noticing that it probably would not have worked next semester. Classes have been posted and after seeing what I need to take and when they are offered, that job would have never worked for me. So once again, God took care of that situation without me even knowing why.
The days are definitely getting shorter, and after tomorrow night, we are going to be in the time of year I like the least. I love the holiday season and cannot wait for all the good movies that will be on through the end of the year. Plus Christmas music will be playing in just weeks! But the short days are awful. I have never liked it getting dark early, and I do not imagine that that will change out here. But the time change is definitely a sign of the holidays approaching.
As the first semester of seminary winds down, I must say that I have learned a lot in my classes. I have only had three classes this semester which is actually a light load, but coupled with some placement tests I am taking, I will more than likely receive 15 hours this semester, which is equivalent to 1/6 of the needed hours for graduation. That means that I am right on target to graduate in three years. With the remaining tests I will be taking in the Spring, I could very well cut off one semester by the time I graduate. The classes this semester have been encouraging, informative, and convictional. Although history can sometimes be boring, I have enjoyed looking specifically at the history of the Baptists (which is actually a complicated and hard lineage to trace). With my Evangelism class and Missions class I have learned a lot about the mission we have to reach the nations. Through my local churches back at home and my education at Union, I was well aware of our duties as Christians and the necessity of spreading the Gospel, but these classes have further increased my awareness of the importance of spreading His word both locally and internationally. Even in our local churches we can, and should, do our part in reaching the nations.
So there is a quick update on my life in seminary. With only about 4-5 weeks left, the semester will be over before we know it. With that comes book reports! Most of my assignments for the semester are completed, and now I just have to turn them in over the course of the next few weeks. As I receive them back, I will post them on here to give you an idea of what I have been reading. As always you can look for an almost daily look at Scripture. I try hard not to miss a day of spending time in God's word, but that does not mean I do not miss a day here and there. There are times when I do not post my thoughts on the next chapter or chapters of Scripture, but that is typically because I studied something different that day (like today). We are nearing the half-way point of 1 Samuel, and hopefully we will be on into 2 Samuel by Thanksgiving!
And if you do happen to have any suggestions on some new books out there, let me know! I just might write a review of them if and when I finish them.
Matt
I cannot say that I have necessarily found a church yet, although one I have been attending has been really great. I could very well end up there, and I will keep you posted on that. As for a job, I have not really looked around too much. There were a couple I checked into that did not work out, but I am glad they did not work now. It has been nice to relax and have an easy semester. I know that once the new year starts I will really have to look hard for a job, but the right one will fall into place eventually. The job I looked into at the beginning of the semester would have been great this semester, but I am already noticing that it probably would not have worked next semester. Classes have been posted and after seeing what I need to take and when they are offered, that job would have never worked for me. So once again, God took care of that situation without me even knowing why.
The days are definitely getting shorter, and after tomorrow night, we are going to be in the time of year I like the least. I love the holiday season and cannot wait for all the good movies that will be on through the end of the year. Plus Christmas music will be playing in just weeks! But the short days are awful. I have never liked it getting dark early, and I do not imagine that that will change out here. But the time change is definitely a sign of the holidays approaching.
As the first semester of seminary winds down, I must say that I have learned a lot in my classes. I have only had three classes this semester which is actually a light load, but coupled with some placement tests I am taking, I will more than likely receive 15 hours this semester, which is equivalent to 1/6 of the needed hours for graduation. That means that I am right on target to graduate in three years. With the remaining tests I will be taking in the Spring, I could very well cut off one semester by the time I graduate. The classes this semester have been encouraging, informative, and convictional. Although history can sometimes be boring, I have enjoyed looking specifically at the history of the Baptists (which is actually a complicated and hard lineage to trace). With my Evangelism class and Missions class I have learned a lot about the mission we have to reach the nations. Through my local churches back at home and my education at Union, I was well aware of our duties as Christians and the necessity of spreading the Gospel, but these classes have further increased my awareness of the importance of spreading His word both locally and internationally. Even in our local churches we can, and should, do our part in reaching the nations.
So there is a quick update on my life in seminary. With only about 4-5 weeks left, the semester will be over before we know it. With that comes book reports! Most of my assignments for the semester are completed, and now I just have to turn them in over the course of the next few weeks. As I receive them back, I will post them on here to give you an idea of what I have been reading. As always you can look for an almost daily look at Scripture. I try hard not to miss a day of spending time in God's word, but that does not mean I do not miss a day here and there. There are times when I do not post my thoughts on the next chapter or chapters of Scripture, but that is typically because I studied something different that day (like today). We are nearing the half-way point of 1 Samuel, and hopefully we will be on into 2 Samuel by Thanksgiving!
And if you do happen to have any suggestions on some new books out there, let me know! I just might write a review of them if and when I finish them.
Matt
Thursday, November 4, 2010
1 Samuel 12
1 Samuel 12
In Samuel’s farewell address to the Israelites, Samuel began by seeking to set everything right with the Israelites. Samuel recognized our ability to forget and inadvertently hurt someone else. Have you ever borrowed something from someone and forgotten to return it? Have you ever promised to do something for someone and forgotten to fulfill your promise? To that other person, your actions seem cruel and mean. They might conclude that you do not care for them or that you were just seeking to hurt them in some way. However, it may be that you just forgot to do what you had intended to do all along. You might not have had any malicious thoughts against them, but they do not know that. Samuel wanted to leave Israel with none of that baggage weighing over his head. He wanted to clear the air, making sure that he had not accidentally forgotten to fix a situation. So he asked the Israelites up front, before he actually got into his address for them, if there was anything that he needed to clear up or return before he continued. They assured him that he had done nothing wrong to them and Samuel knew that he was in good standing with Israel. This would be a great practice to get into. We never know who we might have hurt along the way inadvertently. If they never confront us about the situation, we never will. Sometimes it is good just to clear the air, even with your best friends and your family, just to make sure that there is nothing prohibiting further growth in those relationships. This is especially true with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should never let anything come between us, especially if we could prevent it.
Samuel’s farewell address was very similar to that of Moses and Joshua, previous leaders in Israel. He revisited their history, reminding of them what God had done for them in the past, proving that He would continue to look out for them. However, Samuel also reminded them of the importance of obeying God’s commands and not straying from what was written in the Law. He told Israel once more that they had already made a mistake in choosing a king for themselves because God promised them that it would not work out for them in the end. But Samuel also told them that if they would obey God and if their king would obey God, He would continue to bless them. God was not going to punish Israel because of their obedience, and as long as Saul followed God in all his decision making and as long as Israel stayed committed to God, God intended to remain faithful to them. But God knew that Israel would not remain faithful, for they had already proven that when they rejected His leadership in their lives by asking for a king.
Samuel closed by reminding them once more of their wickedness. He showed them where they had messed up in choosing a king, but he also gave them a word of encouragement. Samuel explained that God is a forgiving God. Although Israel had messed up and sinned against their God, they could still be restored, as long as they followed His commands. If, however, they returned to their sinful ways, God would remove His hand of protection again and allow them to be punished. This truth about God’s forgiveness from 1 Samuel 12 is still true today. God has not changed. We serve the same God that Israel was serving in the time of Samuel. He was willing to forgive Israel then, and He is willing to forgive us now. It does not matter what we have done, we all can find forgiveness in Christ. But we must remember that to receive forgiveness from God, we must first repent of our sins, and repentance is not just saying that you are sorry. God was willing to forgive Israel, but He also expected them to turn away from their sins and follow Him. In the same way, if we ask for forgiveness for our sins, we too must turn away from those sins and choose to follow God. Yes, we will still mess up, but no child of God should feel that they are getting a free ride to heaven as they keep on sinning unashamedly.
Matt
In Samuel’s farewell address to the Israelites, Samuel began by seeking to set everything right with the Israelites. Samuel recognized our ability to forget and inadvertently hurt someone else. Have you ever borrowed something from someone and forgotten to return it? Have you ever promised to do something for someone and forgotten to fulfill your promise? To that other person, your actions seem cruel and mean. They might conclude that you do not care for them or that you were just seeking to hurt them in some way. However, it may be that you just forgot to do what you had intended to do all along. You might not have had any malicious thoughts against them, but they do not know that. Samuel wanted to leave Israel with none of that baggage weighing over his head. He wanted to clear the air, making sure that he had not accidentally forgotten to fix a situation. So he asked the Israelites up front, before he actually got into his address for them, if there was anything that he needed to clear up or return before he continued. They assured him that he had done nothing wrong to them and Samuel knew that he was in good standing with Israel. This would be a great practice to get into. We never know who we might have hurt along the way inadvertently. If they never confront us about the situation, we never will. Sometimes it is good just to clear the air, even with your best friends and your family, just to make sure that there is nothing prohibiting further growth in those relationships. This is especially true with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should never let anything come between us, especially if we could prevent it.
Samuel’s farewell address was very similar to that of Moses and Joshua, previous leaders in Israel. He revisited their history, reminding of them what God had done for them in the past, proving that He would continue to look out for them. However, Samuel also reminded them of the importance of obeying God’s commands and not straying from what was written in the Law. He told Israel once more that they had already made a mistake in choosing a king for themselves because God promised them that it would not work out for them in the end. But Samuel also told them that if they would obey God and if their king would obey God, He would continue to bless them. God was not going to punish Israel because of their obedience, and as long as Saul followed God in all his decision making and as long as Israel stayed committed to God, God intended to remain faithful to them. But God knew that Israel would not remain faithful, for they had already proven that when they rejected His leadership in their lives by asking for a king.
Samuel closed by reminding them once more of their wickedness. He showed them where they had messed up in choosing a king, but he also gave them a word of encouragement. Samuel explained that God is a forgiving God. Although Israel had messed up and sinned against their God, they could still be restored, as long as they followed His commands. If, however, they returned to their sinful ways, God would remove His hand of protection again and allow them to be punished. This truth about God’s forgiveness from 1 Samuel 12 is still true today. God has not changed. We serve the same God that Israel was serving in the time of Samuel. He was willing to forgive Israel then, and He is willing to forgive us now. It does not matter what we have done, we all can find forgiveness in Christ. But we must remember that to receive forgiveness from God, we must first repent of our sins, and repentance is not just saying that you are sorry. God was willing to forgive Israel, but He also expected them to turn away from their sins and follow Him. In the same way, if we ask for forgiveness for our sins, we too must turn away from those sins and choose to follow God. Yes, we will still mess up, but no child of God should feel that they are getting a free ride to heaven as they keep on sinning unashamedly.
Matt
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
1 Samuel 11
1 Samuel 11
Days into his reign, Saul was put to the test. Jabesh was threatened by the Ammonites, and the Ammonites thought they had secured a victory. They promised to destroy Jabesh if they did not commit to serve them. They were almost willing to give in immediately not considering all of their options. Instead of seeking advice from others or from God, they decided to be servants to the Ammonites in order that they might live. There were some men among them, however, that asked for a few days to think about their decision, and the Ammonites allowed them the time. Immediately some men from Jabesh sent word throughout Israel that they were about to be overtaken, and Saul heard of the Ammonites’ plans.
So Saul had to decide how he was going to handle his first challenge. In 1 Samuel 11 we see the spirit of God coming upon Saul again, and from that moment on he was led by God in all the decisions he made. God had promised that the beginning of Saul’s reign would be victorious, that he would deliver Israel, but in the end Israel would regret their decision to ask for a king. That being the case, Saul was given the ability to overtake the Ammonites. He sent word throughout Israel requesting that all the tribes send men for battle or lose their oxen. Israel listened to his commands, and he gathered all of Israel together. Together they numbered 300,000. While his tactics could be questioned and appear to be threatening, Saul was actually accomplishing two things in doing so: he assembled a great army that could not be defeated and he helped unify Israel.
The Ammonites did not stand a chance when they went up against Israel. Only a few of the Ammonites actually survived the battle, and they all fled in different directions. Jabesh was delivered, and Saul was victorious in his first battle as the new leader of Israel. But not all of the Israelites were happy. Because of his questionable tactics some questioned his position as king. They were ready to kill all who had supported that decision, which would have included the nation that had asked for him and Samuel who had chosen him. However, Saul defended himself and shifted the focus to God. He showed the Israelites how God had protected them and given them the victory. He did not take any of the credit himself. He assured the people that all he had done prior to the battle was for the nation of Israel. In the end, Saul, along with Samuel’s help, was able to reunify Israel. They were once again brought together as one, and Saul was officially pronounced as the king of Israel. They sacrificed to God, thanking Him for answering their prayers and providing a king. So at the end of 1 Samuel 11, Israel was content with their king. They no longer had any worries about the decisions Saul had made, and they were happy. What is sad is that they might have forgotten what God had told them about the future of Saul’s reign. Although things were going great then, and the people were truly unified as they worshipped God, Samuel knew it would not always stay that way.
Matt
Days into his reign, Saul was put to the test. Jabesh was threatened by the Ammonites, and the Ammonites thought they had secured a victory. They promised to destroy Jabesh if they did not commit to serve them. They were almost willing to give in immediately not considering all of their options. Instead of seeking advice from others or from God, they decided to be servants to the Ammonites in order that they might live. There were some men among them, however, that asked for a few days to think about their decision, and the Ammonites allowed them the time. Immediately some men from Jabesh sent word throughout Israel that they were about to be overtaken, and Saul heard of the Ammonites’ plans.
So Saul had to decide how he was going to handle his first challenge. In 1 Samuel 11 we see the spirit of God coming upon Saul again, and from that moment on he was led by God in all the decisions he made. God had promised that the beginning of Saul’s reign would be victorious, that he would deliver Israel, but in the end Israel would regret their decision to ask for a king. That being the case, Saul was given the ability to overtake the Ammonites. He sent word throughout Israel requesting that all the tribes send men for battle or lose their oxen. Israel listened to his commands, and he gathered all of Israel together. Together they numbered 300,000. While his tactics could be questioned and appear to be threatening, Saul was actually accomplishing two things in doing so: he assembled a great army that could not be defeated and he helped unify Israel.
The Ammonites did not stand a chance when they went up against Israel. Only a few of the Ammonites actually survived the battle, and they all fled in different directions. Jabesh was delivered, and Saul was victorious in his first battle as the new leader of Israel. But not all of the Israelites were happy. Because of his questionable tactics some questioned his position as king. They were ready to kill all who had supported that decision, which would have included the nation that had asked for him and Samuel who had chosen him. However, Saul defended himself and shifted the focus to God. He showed the Israelites how God had protected them and given them the victory. He did not take any of the credit himself. He assured the people that all he had done prior to the battle was for the nation of Israel. In the end, Saul, along with Samuel’s help, was able to reunify Israel. They were once again brought together as one, and Saul was officially pronounced as the king of Israel. They sacrificed to God, thanking Him for answering their prayers and providing a king. So at the end of 1 Samuel 11, Israel was content with their king. They no longer had any worries about the decisions Saul had made, and they were happy. What is sad is that they might have forgotten what God had told them about the future of Saul’s reign. Although things were going great then, and the people were truly unified as they worshipped God, Samuel knew it would not always stay that way.
Matt
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
1 Samuel 10
1 Samuel 10
As Saul continued to talk with Samuel, he found out that he would be the first king of Israel. Samuel told Saul all that God had mentioned of how Saul would be king and would save Israel from their enemies. Saul would be the one to restore the kingdom and protect Israel. In fact, Saul would become a new person, for God would change Him when the time came. As long as he remained obedient to God’s commands, God would do mighty works through Saul and for Israel. All of a sudden the trivial task of finding his father’s lost donkeys did not matter anymore. In fact, Saul’s father was not concerned about the donkeys either; instead, he could not help but wonder where Saul was.
It does not appear as if Saul questioned what Samuel had told him, but Samuel told him exactly what was about to happen. He told Saul step by step who he would run into, what they would say, and what they would give them. He told Saul exactly when God’s spirit would come upon him. So while Samuel may not have been giving Saul instructions due to the fact that Saul questioned this role God was giving him, he did want Saul to understand what was expected of him. Although this could appear to be a trivial listing of instructions for Saul, it would prove whether Saul would be obedient or not.
Everything went according to plan, and Saul found himself a new man, set apart by God, ready to serve God. Since he had not been officially announced as the king of Israel, he kept that part of his journey a secret and did not tell anyone what Samuel had shared with him. Saul’s father was just relieved that Saul had made it home safely. Soon after his return, Samuel once again gathered all of Israel together at Mizpah to announce Saul as their first king. Their prayers had been answered, and God had provided them with a king, even though they had all been warned about what would one day happen. For the time being, however, the people rejoiced because they had a king and Saul along with all his servants did as God would have them to do, according to the book that Samuel gave him about the “rights and duties of the kingship.”
There was so much potential and hope at the end of 1 Samuel 10. If I did not know what was to come in the upcoming chapters, it would be hard to imagine that Saul would turn out to be a disappointing king. At this point in the story, he was obedient. He did as God had instructed, and it did not appear as if he was even considering turning from God. Although God had warned Israel about what their king would do to them, God’s predictions did not even seem possible at this point. But we know that God does not lie. What He says is truth, and unfortunately things would one day turn for the worse in Israel. Again we must be careful that we do not start off strong, whether it is at the beginning of our Christian life or after a mountain top experience, only to end up defeated. God can do mighty things through His children when they remain obedient to His commands, when they remain willing to allow God to use them. It is when we decide to do things under our strength or decide that we do not need God that we end up falling. We must continuously check ourselves and make sure that we are following God’s plan for our lives and not our own.
Matt
As Saul continued to talk with Samuel, he found out that he would be the first king of Israel. Samuel told Saul all that God had mentioned of how Saul would be king and would save Israel from their enemies. Saul would be the one to restore the kingdom and protect Israel. In fact, Saul would become a new person, for God would change Him when the time came. As long as he remained obedient to God’s commands, God would do mighty works through Saul and for Israel. All of a sudden the trivial task of finding his father’s lost donkeys did not matter anymore. In fact, Saul’s father was not concerned about the donkeys either; instead, he could not help but wonder where Saul was.
It does not appear as if Saul questioned what Samuel had told him, but Samuel told him exactly what was about to happen. He told Saul step by step who he would run into, what they would say, and what they would give them. He told Saul exactly when God’s spirit would come upon him. So while Samuel may not have been giving Saul instructions due to the fact that Saul questioned this role God was giving him, he did want Saul to understand what was expected of him. Although this could appear to be a trivial listing of instructions for Saul, it would prove whether Saul would be obedient or not.
Everything went according to plan, and Saul found himself a new man, set apart by God, ready to serve God. Since he had not been officially announced as the king of Israel, he kept that part of his journey a secret and did not tell anyone what Samuel had shared with him. Saul’s father was just relieved that Saul had made it home safely. Soon after his return, Samuel once again gathered all of Israel together at Mizpah to announce Saul as their first king. Their prayers had been answered, and God had provided them with a king, even though they had all been warned about what would one day happen. For the time being, however, the people rejoiced because they had a king and Saul along with all his servants did as God would have them to do, according to the book that Samuel gave him about the “rights and duties of the kingship.”
There was so much potential and hope at the end of 1 Samuel 10. If I did not know what was to come in the upcoming chapters, it would be hard to imagine that Saul would turn out to be a disappointing king. At this point in the story, he was obedient. He did as God had instructed, and it did not appear as if he was even considering turning from God. Although God had warned Israel about what their king would do to them, God’s predictions did not even seem possible at this point. But we know that God does not lie. What He says is truth, and unfortunately things would one day turn for the worse in Israel. Again we must be careful that we do not start off strong, whether it is at the beginning of our Christian life or after a mountain top experience, only to end up defeated. God can do mighty things through His children when they remain obedient to His commands, when they remain willing to allow God to use them. It is when we decide to do things under our strength or decide that we do not need God that we end up falling. We must continuously check ourselves and make sure that we are following God’s plan for our lives and not our own.
Matt
Monday, November 1, 2010
1 Samuel 9
1 Samuel 9
When Israel requested a king to rule over the land in order that they may be like the rest of the nations, God was obviously not pleased. That had never been His intentions for Israel. He had no problem with their being a leader in Israel, for He had always placed a man or woman (such as Deborah) in charge of the nation since the time they left Egypt. The reason this request upset God so much was because of their desire to be like the other nations when everything God had done for Israel was to set them apart. He had never intended for Israel to be like the other nations, and He had blessed them countless times to show them where they stood in His eyes. It was not that He loved the other nations any less, but God had always planned to use Israel to reach out to the nations. If they resembled the other nations, then they would lose that uniqueness that God had given them.
Nevertheless, God knew that this request was just another one of Israel’s moments of forgetfulness. They had once again forgotten who God really was. They forgot all that He had done for them and their ancestors. This was more than forgetfulness; it was sin. They were ready to sell themselves short in order to resemble the nations surrounding them. So God decided to give them what they wanted even though He knew it was not what was best for them. He warned Samuel of what was to come, but He also provided Israel with a king.
From the start, there was no inclination that Saul would actually turn out to be everything that God had warned Samuel about. Samuel, as well as Israel, knew that eventually their king would oppress them and take advantage of all that they had. They knew that they would one day regret asking for a king, for God had warned them of what was to come. But Saul rose into power in a very humble way. He was not seeking the kingship. He was simply wandering around Israel looking for his father’s donkeys. He had been sent on a task to find the lost donkeys, and he and his servant could not find them. They ended up in the city of Zuph and his servant knew of a man (Samuel) in the city that could help them find the donkeys, for this man was a man of God. They searched the city for Samuel and finally received help.
While Samuel did help them find the donkeys, he also pulled Saul aside for an important conversation. Having been told by God that he would meet this young man from the tribe of Benjamin the day before, Samuel knew that God had brought Israel’s first king to his city. Samuel began sharing these things with Saul, and Saul immediately wondered how it could be, especially since he was from the smallest of the tribes of Israel. Samuel, however, knew that Saul was the man that God had chosen to be the king, and his task was to anoint Saul as the king.
If you know the story of Saul, you know how it turns out. He never really lives up to be the king that God had intended him to be. While God knew what the results were going to be, He still gave Saul the opportunity to remain faithful and lead Israel in the right way. He expected Saul to obey the commands given through Moses, but Saul would eventually depart from the ways of God. Saul’s story is tragic, but we can use it as encouragement to stay on the right path. We all have great potential, and with God’s help, we can all accomplish great things in this world for His kingdom and for His glory. To do so, however, we must remain obedient to God and never think we can do it on our own. Saul started off on the right foot and had great potential, but it was never fully realized. It is great to start off strong for God, but we must also finish strong for Him in the end.
Matt
When Israel requested a king to rule over the land in order that they may be like the rest of the nations, God was obviously not pleased. That had never been His intentions for Israel. He had no problem with their being a leader in Israel, for He had always placed a man or woman (such as Deborah) in charge of the nation since the time they left Egypt. The reason this request upset God so much was because of their desire to be like the other nations when everything God had done for Israel was to set them apart. He had never intended for Israel to be like the other nations, and He had blessed them countless times to show them where they stood in His eyes. It was not that He loved the other nations any less, but God had always planned to use Israel to reach out to the nations. If they resembled the other nations, then they would lose that uniqueness that God had given them.
Nevertheless, God knew that this request was just another one of Israel’s moments of forgetfulness. They had once again forgotten who God really was. They forgot all that He had done for them and their ancestors. This was more than forgetfulness; it was sin. They were ready to sell themselves short in order to resemble the nations surrounding them. So God decided to give them what they wanted even though He knew it was not what was best for them. He warned Samuel of what was to come, but He also provided Israel with a king.
From the start, there was no inclination that Saul would actually turn out to be everything that God had warned Samuel about. Samuel, as well as Israel, knew that eventually their king would oppress them and take advantage of all that they had. They knew that they would one day regret asking for a king, for God had warned them of what was to come. But Saul rose into power in a very humble way. He was not seeking the kingship. He was simply wandering around Israel looking for his father’s donkeys. He had been sent on a task to find the lost donkeys, and he and his servant could not find them. They ended up in the city of Zuph and his servant knew of a man (Samuel) in the city that could help them find the donkeys, for this man was a man of God. They searched the city for Samuel and finally received help.
While Samuel did help them find the donkeys, he also pulled Saul aside for an important conversation. Having been told by God that he would meet this young man from the tribe of Benjamin the day before, Samuel knew that God had brought Israel’s first king to his city. Samuel began sharing these things with Saul, and Saul immediately wondered how it could be, especially since he was from the smallest of the tribes of Israel. Samuel, however, knew that Saul was the man that God had chosen to be the king, and his task was to anoint Saul as the king.
If you know the story of Saul, you know how it turns out. He never really lives up to be the king that God had intended him to be. While God knew what the results were going to be, He still gave Saul the opportunity to remain faithful and lead Israel in the right way. He expected Saul to obey the commands given through Moses, but Saul would eventually depart from the ways of God. Saul’s story is tragic, but we can use it as encouragement to stay on the right path. We all have great potential, and with God’s help, we can all accomplish great things in this world for His kingdom and for His glory. To do so, however, we must remain obedient to God and never think we can do it on our own. Saul started off on the right foot and had great potential, but it was never fully realized. It is great to start off strong for God, but we must also finish strong for Him in the end.
Matt
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