April 12: 1 Samuel 15-17

April 12, 1 Samuel 15-17

1 Samuel 15 Today we learn about Saul’s rejection by the Lord for the second and final time. It starts out with a dialogue between Samuel and Saul, and Samuel gives Saul a command to completely wipe out the Amalekites. Saul gathers his troops and before Saul goes to war, he compassionately warns the Kenites. The Kenites were a group of people who were kind to the Israelites is the past and whom Moses’ father-in-law was from. But this group of Kenites had settled in the land of the Amalekites, and this is who Saul is telling to leave or be wiped out. And all the Kenites left the city of Amalek. Then Saul went to battle and they did wipe out the Amalekites, minus their king, but Saul and his people spared the best sheep and oxen and fattened calves (kept the good stuff). Whatever was of little value, they wiped out. 

God tells Samuel that He regretted giving Saul his kingship. Ironically, Saul had just set up a monument to himself, praising himself for the victory and plunder. Samuel then went to go see Saul and Saul poses as a believer in God and says, ‘Blessed be the Lord.’ Samuel calls him out for disobedience and for not wiping out everything God had commanded him to destroy and in reaction to this, Saul blames his own people as well as gives the excuse that all that was saved was to be given to God. Saul was proud of his reasons of saving the best “for God” as it made him feel as though he was the supreme ruler and that his deeds of sacrifice somehow overruled God’s command for obedience. Samuel had enough of it and explains to Saul what God told him the night before. God would rather have our hearts be more obedient, than our sacrifices to Him. And because Saul rejected the Word of the Lord, God rejected him as King! Saul admits his sin of fearing man and not God, but this came without actual repentance. Samuel turned to leave and Saul grabs onto his robe as he begs for Samuel to change his mind and his decree against his kingship, and tears Samuels robe. Samuel said that the tearing of his robe was like God tearing Israel from him and giving it to a neighbor, who was better than Saul and who would obey God. Saul had the audacity to ask Samuel to come with him to honor him before the elders. As Saul couldn’t imagine having the men that he feared think bad of him. And dares to ask Samuel to “Honor me know before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.” Notice two things in this sentence, first the fact that Saul mentions how they are ‘his’ people, as well as now Saul is honest and states that it isn’t Saul’s God, but Samuels. Samuel does go with Saul, but not to honor him before the elders… Samuel asked to see the King of Amelek, Agag, be brought before him, and the king was happy as he thought all was well and that he was to live. Samuel told Agag that because he made women childless (war), so shall his mom be childless. Samuel killed him and cut him up like a sacrifice. Samuel didn't see Saul again until the day of his death, and he grieved over Saul - and God regretted making Saul king. This word ‘regretted’ isn’t like us humans who regret decisions that we have made, and have no control over things, as God is all knowing and is very active in planning out the past, present, and future. But this Hebrew word is more like ‘being sorry and comforted Himself.’ This idea shows us that God takes things personal and it hurts Him to see the disobedience in Saul’s choices. Although since the word also states that God ‘comforted Himself’ shows that God is already proactive in working out for His plan of making things the way He desires them to be and that is by replacing Saul, with someone new. Which comforts God, as everything is in His plan and control.

1 Samuel 16 God said to Samuel - ‘how long you going to continue to mourn over Saul, I rejected him - now go and anoint my next King!’ Samuel was afraid that Saul would hear about it and God devised a plan for Samuel to make a sacrifice and while there, and that he would be shown who the next King of Israel would be. Here we also see that Samuel was honest with God and that he was afraid, and the Lord orchestrated a plan for the comfort of Samuel to be honest as well as to fulfill God’s plan. Samuel obeyed and went to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse. The people were nervous that Samuel was there, but he assured them that he came to offer a sacrifice. Jesse brought his boys before Samuel and the firstborn was first. Samuel thought, oh - this must be him. God reminded Samuel that man looks on the outside appearance but that God looks at the heart and God sees man for who he really is. God rejected the firstborn as King, and subsequently, all the others that were there. Samuel inquired if this was all of them and Jesse told him that his youngest was out in the fields tending the sheep. They brought him to Samuel and the others and God told Samuel that this youngest was the next king. Samuel anointed him with the oil that God told him to take with him, in the presence of his family.

The Spirit of the Lord left Saul, and instead God gave him a tormenting spirit. Interesting to note - Saul was rejected by God, but only Samuel knew it. The people would still view him as King for another 20 years. When the harmful spirit came upon Saul, he was tormented, so one of Saul’s servants told him about this young boy who could play the harp and the Lord was with him - one of Jesse’s sons… So, they sent for David (his name is finally unveiled to King Saul) and Saul loved David and David stayed in his service. Since the King can do what he wants, he tells David’s dad, Jesse, that David will be serving the King… When David played, the harmful spirit left Saul. 

I Samuel 17 Here we have one of the most famous stories in the Bible, that of David and Goliath… let’s break it down! Again, the Philistines gathered for battle against Israel. They stood on a mountain on one side with a valley in between them and the Israelites. They had a key player who stood almost 10 feet tall, that was Goliath. Goliath would stand in the front lines and taunt the Israelites. He also made a deal with them that was common in that time period, which was also revealed in Ancient Greece up to  the time of Alexandra the Great. And that was the opposing armies would pick one of their best fighters to fight the opposing team member. These two men, which represented each army would fight and the loser represented the loosing army, and they would be forced to be slaves or join the opposing army. This way the armies wouldn’t loose that many men and the winning army would gain more soldiers. So they did the same thing and stated - let’s fight and the losing man’s army becomes the slaves of the other. Saul and the Israelites were trembling and in great fear. As they saw who would fight for the Philistines, which was this giant of a man of almost 10 feet tall. Sending all the Israelites in fear of the challenge to fight. Then enters David, the youngest of the family. He had been commuting from Saul’s service to his dad’s farm on an as needed basis. Jesse, his dad, told him to bring some bread to his brothers and see if they were doing good. David brought the things to his brothers, leaving them with the baggage keeper and went right to the action. David inquired about what was going on and his oldest brother was ticked at him. David, being the youngest and was probably used to it, replied, “what have I done now!” David wasn't done inquiring. He finds out that whoever defeats Goliath gets the Kings daughter, a lot of money, and his fathers house would be freed of any future taxes. David was brought to Saul and David encouraged Saul with the news that David would be the one to fight Goliath. At first, Saul resisted and then consented once David explained how he used to kill bears and lions to protect his sheep (ironic how God used his past to prepare his future!!!). Saul probably thinking this was how his kingdom was going to be ripped out of his hands, goes with the idea that this young kid was going to fight, be killed, and they would all be the Philistines slaves. But not before Saul put all of his own armor onto David for some sort of protection but it didn't fit or work, so David grabbed his staff, his sling, and some rocks. He went to the battle line and Goliath was almost insulted that this was to be his opponent from Israel. But Goliath stood ready for battle against whomever, with a man who was his shield bearer standing in front of him. Goliath taunted David and mocked God, and David wouldn't stand for it. What Goliath threatened to do (kill him and give his flesh to the birds) is what David replied back would be done to Goliath. Goliath started towards David and David ran towards him (not away from him). David grabbed a stone and used his sling - with God’s accuracy, he hurled a stone at Goliath and hit him right in the forehead. The giant Goliath fell to the ground. Since David didn't have a sword, he took Goliath’s sword out of his holder and cut off his head. The Philistines ran and fled now that their champion was dead, knowing the terms of the deal that they were to be slaves now to the Israelites. The Israelites who were terrified before, seeing what happened were mystified as what was happening and were amped up and ready for war, so they went after the Philistines, and David took Goliath’s head with him all the way to Jerusalem which was over 5 miles away, and he put his armor of Goliath in his tent. 

To sum it all up:

• Do not pose as a Christian. It is easy to do… you can go to church, say the right things, sing the right songs - but at your core, are you posing as a Christ-follower, or are you one?
• God would rather our hearts be obedient more than our sacrifices to Him. You can do all the ‘right’ things, but if your heart is far from God, it is worthless.  
• Are you running to where God has you, or are you hiding? If you are hiding, you are missing out on what God has called you to. Christianity is not a spectator sport! Get in the game…