I Samuel: The Pros and Cons of Having an Earthly King

August 11, 2021 at 2:41 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 5 Comments
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God knew that His people would one day want an earthly king . The Book of I Samuel records the fulfillment of that prophecy and its consequences. Earthly kings wield great power, and great power is known to lead to great corruption. The historical record found in I Samuel is a vivid illustration of that maxim, especially in the person of Israel’s first earthly king, Saul. However, it also introduces us to the prophet Samuel, one of the true Biblical heroes, and to King David, a pivotal and important figure in Scripture, who was used by the Lord in many great ways to teach us about the Lord Jesus Christ. Below are the links to a few brief sketches about some of the events and lessons in I Samuel:

1. Oh, Do Remember Me… (1:11)*
2. Catching the Lord’s Words (1:20; 2-4)
3. The Hand of God (4-7)
4. ‘Til the Cows Come Home (5-7)
5. Beware the Freaky Foyer (5:3-5)
6. Is Saul Also Among the Prophets? (5-6; 10:10-12)
7. Donkey King (8; 9:2-3)
8. Hiding Among the Stuff (10:2-22)
9. Tooting Your Own Horn (11-13; 3:4)
10. Obedience Matters (12:14, 24-25)
11. The Bold Pair in the Enemy’s Lair (Part 1) (13:19-14:6)
12. The Bold Pair in the Enemy’s Lair (Part 2) 14:6-12)
13. Setting Up Your Own Place (15)
14. My Sight vs. Thy Sight (15:2-23)
15. Boys Will Be Boys, but Boys Should Want to Be Men (16:18)
16. Character and Integrity Part 2 (16:10-18; 17:34-35)
17. David’s Reputation (16-17)
18. Arrayed, Dismayed, and Afraid (17; 2:10)
19. Wicked Does as Wicked Is (18-24)
20. Hope and Urgency (I Samuel 19:11-18; Psalm 59:1-8)
21. How to Handle Unexpected Hostility (25)
22. Forestalling a Foolish Fight and Facing a Final Farewell (25-30)

*most-viewed post in series

Forestalling a Foolish Fight and Facing a Final Farewell

April 22, 2021 at 2:18 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 5 Comments
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In I Samuel Chapter 25 Samuel died, then David requested help from Nabal in feeding his men. David’s army had been protecting Nabal’s flocks, but Nabal was very insulting toward David.

Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

I Samuel 25:3

And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

I Samuel 25:3

In Verses 17 amd 25 Nabal is called a son and a man “of Belial,” a name sometimes used in the Bible to refer to “worthless” or wickedly vain men, and sometimes to refer to Satan. Nabal, in his pride and self-centeredness, certainly sounded like Lucifer:

Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

I Samuel 25:11 (emphasis added)

Abigail was wise even though she was married to a fool (two things she has in common with my wife). She saved both Nabal and David in a sense, but Nabal had a stroke and died.

For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

I Samuel 25:34

Verse 34 sounds awkward and embarassing to modern ears, and other translations try to avoid this by substituting the designation of “men” for those who are able to relieve themselves against a wall while standing up, but the King James Version preserves the more literal translation and helps us to understand that, while David did mean all the men there, he was also letting everyone know that, if his enemies (and God’s enemies) insisted on forgetting that “their” property was really God’s property, and marking their territory like dogs, they might very well be treated the way David treated the uncircumcised, unclean, and blasphemous, Yahweh-denying Goliath.

In Chapter 26  Saul went into the wilderness after David, but ended up getting caught sleeping.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

I Samuel 26:7

There he was, “hiding among the stuff” again, and the Lord caused a “deep sleep” to come over Saul (reminiscent of Adam). David took Saul’s spear, and they spoke their last words to each other.

In Chapters 27-30 David ended up in Philistine territory, deceiving the Philistine king, while fighting against the Philistines and the Amalekites, and while the Philistine armies waged the battle in which Saul and Jonathan died. Saul consulted a witch and committed suicide on the battlefield. His body was beheaded and was hung on a wall before some valiant men retrieved it and brought it back for a proper burial.

Wicked Does as Wicked Is

April 8, 2021 at 3:23 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 8 Comments
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One similarity among three well-known Bible characters, Ishmael, Jacob, and Joseph, is that their entrances into their families did not create problems in those families, but rather revealed problems that already existed. Likewise, David did not create problems for Saul. His presence revealed the problems that were already there.

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed [but] thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

I Samuel 18:8

I Samuel Chapter 19 Saul went from first wanting to HAVE David killed to actually trying to do it himself.

And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

I Samuel 19:21-22

In I Samuel Chapter 20 David went into exile.

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

I Samuel 20:16

There is a picture of the Gospel in the blood covenants of the Old Tesatment.

In I Samuel Chapter 21 David was mostly hiding out, but he was seen by Doeg being helped by the High Priest Ahimelech. In Chapter 22 Saul allowed Doeg to kill Ahimelech, and most of Eli’s priestly family was wiped out. In Chapter 23 David, with only 600 men, rescued Keilah, a walled city, from the Philistines, and moved into it. Saul went there with his army to capture David, but David learned that Saul was on his way, so he went on the run again and wound up settling down in the wilderness.

In I Samuel Chapter 24 Saul went into a cave to relieve himself, and it just so happened to be the cave where David was hiding. Instead of killing Saul, David cut off a piece of his robe.

Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.  Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

I Samuel 24:10-11

David did not quote the proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” but he did quote another proverb:

As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

I Samuel 24:13

Saul was an Old Testament example of someone in bondage to sin and to his own sinful nature.

They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

John 8:33-34

Saul did wicked things because he WAS wicked – he had a wicked nature – but David had passed a test by not killing Saul.

Arrayed, Dismayed, and Afraid

April 5, 2021 at 3:11 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 2 Comments
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I Samuel Chapter 17 is an especially well-known chapter of God’s Word.  It contains the true historical account of David and Goliath. You may remember this tale fondly from childhood Sunday School, but it contains innumerable and invaluable lessons for Christians of all ages.

One thing that stands out is the number of times the Holy Spirit tells us that the armies, both of the Philistines and the Israelites, were “in array”  (Verses 2, 8, 21). The Hebrew word is arak, and it means “arranged” or “placed in a special order.” The king of the army of the Philistines and the king of the army of the Israelites (Saul) both had plans in mind for how the battle was supposed to go.

However, we might wonder how confident Saul was in his military arrangement. When Goliath the Philistine giant stepped forward to taunt the Israelite army and their God, the Bible tells us that King Saul was “dismayed” (Verse 11). In fact, both he and his army were dismayed and afraid. The Hebrew word for dismayed is chathath, and it describes someone who trembles with such fear that it is as if he has shattered into pieces and is utterly useless.

When David comes onto the scene, he is indignant that this uncircumcised heathen giant would dare to mock the One True and Living God of Israel. David, who will eventually replace Saul as king, is neither arrayed, dismayed, nor afraid. He sees Goliath as an infuriating fool with a head full of rocks, and through the strength, power, and providence of God, David is determined to add one more rock to the giant’s hard head (Verse 49).

Samuel, the prophet after whom I Samuel is named, was used by God to anoint both Saul and David as king, in their turns.  In Chapter 2, Samuel’s mother, Hannah, had spoken prophetically when she praised the Lord like this: 

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

I Samuel 2:10

The word for “broken to pieces” was chathath, the same word translated “dismayed” in Chapter 17. King Saul was broken with fear of Goliath because He did not fear God. David chopped Goliath into pieces because he ONLY feared God.

David’s Reputation

March 25, 2021 at 12:12 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 8 Comments
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David as a young man was not slothful in business, and he was fervent in spirit. He was busy keeping sheep, and he risked his life to protect what his father and the Lord had given into his care.

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

I Samuel 16:10-11  

And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

I Samuel 17:34-35

He had a godly character and reputation.

Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

I Samuel 16:18

These are the things for which David was known as a young man, or what society would today call a “teenager.” He had what Proverbs 22:1 calls a “good name.” He was also gifted by God. He had “cunning in playing:” musical talent. He was “mighty” and “valiant:” known for overcoming problems. He was “a man of war:” a good fighter, someone who stood up for what is right. He was “prudent in matters:” smart. He was “a comely person:” good-looking. Perhaps people could say most or all of these things about you, but could they say, “The LORD is with him, or her?”

And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

I Samuel 17:40-47

The true and factual account of David’s encounter with Goliath is often taught as an allegory about facing the “giants” in our lives, but Goliath wasn’t in David’s “life.” What David saw was an opportunity for God to get glory.

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

I Samuel 17:28-29, emphasis added

But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.  And he Pilate said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

Luke 23:21-22, emphasis added

There was a “cause” against Goliath.  There was not a “cause” against Jesus. There was a “cause” against us, but God, through the propitiation of Christ Jesus “justified” us “without a cause.” Justification means that when the devil asks God about us, “Is there not a cause” for our death? God can point to His Son on the Cross and still be “just.”

And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

I Samuel 17:57

David apparently was not averse to carrying around the grisly severed body parts of his enemies.

My Sight vs. Thy Sight

February 22, 2021 at 2:39 pm | Posted in Biblical Eyesight, I Samuel | 3 Comments
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When Saul finally decided to join the battle he was not prepared to fight according to God’s rules of war.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.  Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

I Samuel 15:2-3

Saul didn’t mind destroying everything useless, but he allowed the king, Agag, to live, and the best animals. Samuel was not happy about Saul’s disobedience, and, worse, when confronted, Saul lied about it.

And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?  And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

I Samuel 15:14-15

Like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, claiming that he was only getting the cookie to give to someone else, Saul made up an excuse. His excuse was the skin of reason stuffed with a lie.

Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

I Samuel 15:16 (emphasis added)

We can see how angry Samuel was, telling Saul to “stay,” which basically meant, “Shut your mouth, enough with the lies.”

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

I Samuel 15:22-23

Rebellion is like witchcraft in that it recognizes a higher power, but contrives to manipulate it or to work against the higher power’s wishes. Stubbornness is like iniquity in that it continually refuses to bend to what what’s right. It is a determination to hurt that which God wants to help. Stubbornness makes me a little god, and denies the True God.

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

I Samuel 15:17 (emphasis added)

Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

I Samuel 15:19

We don’t see very well using our own sight, so we need to be keenly aware of God’s sight.  Stubbornness focuses my sight on me, and says, “I will, I will,” instead of “Thy will, Thy will.” 

Tooting Your Own Horn

December 30, 2020 at 4:46 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 2 Comments
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In I Samuel Chapter 11 Nahash, the Ammonite “snake” surrounded Jabeshgilead and proposed a surrender. His terms of surrender? “Just let us gouge out everybody’s right eye and we won’t kill you.” (This would have been an especially tough consequence for me, since my right eye is the only one working these days.) This punishment would have humiliated the Israelites in addition to hindering their archery skills.

Jabeshgilead asked for help although they hadn’t been willing to help others in Judges 21.

And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.

I Samuel 11:5-6

Saul was plowing and he received power from the Spirit, but he also got angry in his own spirit. God raised an army of 330,000 and Saul attacked by night. Now the people really began to trust Saul.

In I Samuel Chapter 12 Samuel transferred authority to Saul. After 500 years of judges, now Israel would be a “kingdom.”

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

I Samuel 12:3

“Here I am,” said Samuel, a statement of obedience that he had first said as a boy:

That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

I Samuel 3:4

No one could accuse Samuel of being a bad judge or prophet.

Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.

I Samuel 12:7

 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness [is] great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

I Samuel 12:17

Samuel called Israel’s request for a king wicked, yet it did not surprise God, and it was part of His plan to bring about the throne of David and the Messiah.

For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

I Samuel 12:22

Samuel “prayed up a storm.” The people needed to accept the consequences of getting what they asked for and then learning how to live with it by faith. Samuel would pray for the people no matter what the future held.

Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

I Samuel 12:23

As Christians we must pray this way too.

In I Samuel Chapter 13 we see the beginning of Saul’s downfall: pride. Jonathan, Saul’s son, was very brave. He played a big part in the opening battle of the Israelites’ war of liberation, but Saul did not give Jonathan credit.

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

I Samuel 13:3

Instead of giving credit where credit was due, Saul “tooted his own horn.” Let us not be like Saul.

Is Saul Also Among the Prophets?

November 19, 2020 at 3:32 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 6 Comments
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I like to point out places in Scripture which might be the origin of, or would at least remind us of, some common expression. For example, the saying about “the blind leading the blind” comes from Matthew Chapter 5. The expression, “You can see the handwriting on the wall,” is from Daniel Chapter 5.

In the first few chapters of I Samuel, we see several humorous events by which God showed not only His own people, but their enemies, the Philistines, that He is sovereign and far above the limitations of man to do His will.

In Chapter 5 the Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence on earth among His people. They placed the Ark in their temple before a statue of their false god, Dagon. However…

And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

I Samuel 5:3

The next day, not only was the statue of Dagon lying prostrate before the Ark, but nearby were its chopped-off hands and head! We might say that ol’ Dagon certainly experienced some “ups and downs.”

By Chapter 6 the Ark had caused so much trouble that the Philistines were ready to get rid of it. But their lords and priests had other ideas. They wanted to appease the God of the Ark without the actual embarrassment of sending it back to the Israelites, so they hooked it up to a cart pulled by two milk cows which had just given birth. These animals’ natural instinct would have been to turn around and go right back to their calves. However…

And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

I Samuel 6:12

When these cows arrived in Bethshemesh, they were killed for burnt sacrifices by the Israelites. One might wonder how long the Philistines waited to see if their cows would return. Perhaps they decided to go back and worship their false god, Dagon “until the cows come home.”

The Bible does not tell us whether these phrases became proverbs among the Philistines, but it does tell of a proverb that became popular among the Israelites. In Chapter 10 the people of Israel got their wish. They wanted a human king so they would be like the other nations, and now they had one. His name was Saul, and one of the signs given to him by Samuel that God was with him as king occurred when he encountered a company of prophets.

And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

I Samuel 10:10-12

Apparently, Saul had not been known as an especially spiritual person. This expression, which became a proverb – “Is Saul also among the prophets?” – came to be used when someone unexpectedly stepped totally out of character. Here was Saul, the son of Kish, the quiet country farmer from the tribe of Benjamin, suddenly worshipping and proclaiming the Word of the Lord enthusiastically! Would the people you know at work, or the people who only know you outside of church, be surprised to see you in Sunday School? When you sing a praise song to the Lord are you acting completely outside of your normal character? The marks of spiritual maturity are steadfastness and consistency.

Hiding Among the Stuff

November 17, 2020 at 10:52 am | Posted in I Samuel | 6 Comments
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Saul had been anointed king but nobody other than Samuel knew about it yet. There were three signs that would let Samuel know he was really king.

One, His father’s missing donkeys had been found and returned. This would let Saul know that God can solve your problems. (Saul would turn out to be something of a control freak.)

When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

I Samuel 10:2

The King James Bible translates the Hebrew word for donkey as “ass,” which is often a source of humor in Sunday School classes today. Forgive me for being irreverent, but Saul needed to learn to let God cover his a**.

The second sign was that at Tabor three pilgrims would meet Saul and feed him. He needed to learn that God could meet his needs. He would later have an issue hoarding up the enemy’s goods he was supposed to destroy.

Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

I Samuel 10:3

The third sign would be that Saul would meet some prophets and join them in worshiping. He needed to learn that God could give him power to do something he wouldn’t normally do. God would equip him for service. Saul would have a problem later with relying on his own power or seeking power somewhere else.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:  And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

I Samuel 10:5-6

And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?  And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

I Samuel 10:11-12

The expression, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” came to mean suddenly stepping out of character and doing something unexpected.

After this Saul went back home to the farm. He was supposed to await word from Samuel to meet him at Gilgal. Samuel preached and then called Saul to come forward, but where was he?

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.  Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

I Samuel 10:21-22

This must have been embarassing for Saul. Imagine being called on in church to come forward, only to be found hiding in the kitchen. Some people who are unfaithful in church attendance are hiding out of fear, knowing that the preaching of God’s Word will produce conviction over their sin, but some, like Saul, are probably also hiding among the “stuff.” They are working on home improvement projects or trying to earn extra money to acquire more, or nicer, material possessions.

Saul had trouble accepting leadership because he was ruled by his emotions – whether it was fear, anger, or jealousy.

Donkey King

November 2, 2020 at 1:43 pm | Posted in I Samuel | 10 Comments
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During the 20 years which passed between I Samuel Chapters 7 and 8 the people recognized Samuel as God’s prophet and judge. When he grew old he made his sons judges, too, but this did not turn out the way Samuel would have wanted.

And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

I Samuel 8:3-5

This ostensibly contributed to the people’s desire for a human king to rule over them, but God knew the real reaon for this wish was:

That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

I Samuel 8:20

God’s people are not supposed to “be like” other people. Israel was supposed to be an “example” to its neighbors. Don’t listen to people who call you judgmental because you are not tolerant of sin. Israel had one God. They had God’s Law. They sacrificed to Him in certain prescribed ways. They dressed a certain way. They had laws concerning their hair and not mutilating their bodies. They were supposed to be different from pagans in their hearts, their deeds, and their appearance. As the Church, we must not use the world’s methods to do God’s work.

Samuel warned the people: you can do what want, but you will have to live with the consequences.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and [to be] his horsemen; and [some] shall run before his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

I Samuel 8:11-14

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

I Samuel 8:17-18

Why wouldn’t they listen?  Because, in their minds, they had seen this king thing work with other people.

Saul was Israel’s first human king. Outwardly, he looked like the ideal king, and he did have some good characteristics. However, there was no evidence of inwared spirituality. David – the king who would ultimately succeed Saul – is identifed in the Bible with sheep, but Saul is identified with donkeys.

And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

I Samuel 9:2-3

Donkeys are stubborn, willful, and disobedient.

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