Our text today is a very familiar story in the life of the church.It is the story of Goliath, the Philistine that tormented the children of Israel and put them in fear.
Let’s look at the text:
I Samuel 17: 1 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 3 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. 4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. 8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was old and well advanced in years. 13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. 17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
As you will notice in our text, Goliath was over nine feet tall with a bronze helmet and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing 5 thousand shekels.He was intimidating and he harassed the children of Israel day and night with his threats of making them servants.He challenged them to find a man that would fight him and if Goliath won then the children of Israel would be slaves to the Philistines and if the children of Israel won, the Philistines would be their slaves.
Goliath’s appearance alone was too intimidating.There had been no challengers so far from the Israeli camp.
The text goes on to reveal to us that Jesse, the father of David had three oldest sons which followed him into battle.Our story tells us that David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep.One day Jesse told David to take some grain, bread, and cheeses to his brothers and to the commander of the camp.This is where our story ends today.
Now, most of us know this story and how it will turn out.When this story is taught we usually deal with the “giants” or intimidators in our life that appear to be so overwhelming that we can’t defeat them.
I don’t know about you,but I have been in an intimidating situation for the past month and the situation potentially can lead to major financial success for me but there are these giants that are at my door that are making me feel so overwhelmed.When I read this story today, I made up my mind that I am going to emotionally fight my way through this and not let these thoughts in my mind overtake me and cause me to miss my blessing.Goliath was an intimidator.He looked strong and overwhelming but we will see in our story on next week how he is easily taken out.
I will not be posting tomorrow.For those of us in the states, it is when the 4th of July is celebrated seeing that the real holiday falls on a Saturday.Most of us are off tomorrow and are traveling and will not be at our computers.For my friends in other lands where this holiday is not celebrated, I wish you a wonderful weekend and I will return to our story and my posting on Monday.
Happy 4th of July and May God bless you all.
Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
I Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.” 17 So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.” 19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. 21 David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 23 Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. After David was anointed as king, our text tells us today that an evil spirit from the Lord tormented Saul.The suggestion was made to Saul to search out someone who could play the harp and make him feel better. The text says that the man that was chosen to replace Saul would be the man chosen to comfort Saul when this evil spirit tormented him.
How amazing.God put the man that would take over Saul’s throne right in his presence.David is now serving the man he will replace.How awesome is that.It was such a strategic move.David gets placed in the kings court where I’m sure he learns and sees first hand the duties and responsibilities of the king.Saul and David will know begin a personal relationship.How interesting this story is becoming.The only man that can help Saul with his problem is the man that Saul will think is his problem.
Tomorrow, we will continue our study of how the second king in the monarchy comes to power.
Be encouraged!
God Bless!!!!!!!Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
In today’s lesson,we find the story of how the next King of
Israel was chosen:Here is the text:I Samuel 16:4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah. Our story today picks up from Samuel finally getting up from his mourning of Saul and following the Lord’s instructions to go to Bethlehem and there he will anoint
Israel’s next king.Samuel knows that the king will come from the house of Jesse but he does not know which son is to be chosen.Samuel invites the house of Jesse to the sacrifice and this is where we ended on yesterday.In today’s text, Samuel is at the sacrifice and he sees the oldest son of Jesses whose name is Eliab and Samuel is sure that this is the choice of God for the king for he looks like a king in both his stature and appearance.God tells Samuel do not be distracted with appearance for God is not looking at the outward appearance but is looking at the heart.God rejected Eliab and Samuel had Abinadab to pass in front of Samuel and then Shammah all the way up to seven sons and God rejected them all.Samuel finally asks is there no other sons.Jesse responds that the youngest son is out tending the sheep and Samuel says bring him.When he appears, the text says that he was ruddy but of a fine appearance and handsome features.God tells Samuel that this is the one and he anoints David as the next king of Israel.As you can see in our text today, the person that God had chosen to be king was not even included at the sacrifice even though Samuel invited the entire house of Jesse to come.David was left in the field to tend the sheep probably because his father just assumed that it couldn’t be David.Out of all the sons, David’s heart was the one that God was after.I am so excited that God looks at the heart.So many people have their outward appearance together and they looked the part, but our God looks at the heart.What matters is what is in our heart.This story always touches my heart because it shows how someone who has been left out, wasn’t even considered worthy to be chosen by God is the one that ends up being the anointed and chosen of God.Tomorrow, we will continue our study of how the second king in the monarchy comes to power.Be encouraged!God Bless!!!!!!!Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
Welcome back from the weekend.I was in Mississippi this past weekend with a group of ladies that were just so precious so if you’re tuning in today, I want to say hello.
Let’s continue our study of the monarchy.We ended on last week with Samuel having to tell Saul that God had rejected him from being Israel’s king.
The text says that Samuel never went to visit Saul again from that time forward.Here is our text for today.
I Samuel 16: 1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
As you can see in our text, Samuel has been in mourning for Saul and we do not know how long the mourning has taken place.What we do now is that God is asking the question to Samuel as to: “how long will you mourn over Saul, since I have rejected him.”As I told you earlier, even though Samuel gave out harsh rebukes and punishments to Saul from God, Samuel really loved Saul and his loosing the kingship really hurt him.
Sometimes it does take a minute to adjust to the idea that something is lost or will never be but we can not stay in mourning.Saul was over, God was doing something new and Samuel was still hurting about what did not take place with Saul.So many of us are stuck in places where we’re mourning over things that will just never be.It’s over.It’s not meant to be a part of our lives.Their season is up.We’re trying to hold on to relationships and circumstances and things that just aren’t working out or things we know that the Lord has told us to abandoned and we are mourning or depressed because we feel like we just have to have it in our lives.
It’s over.Let’s move on.I know it is easier said than done but it still needs to be done.
God allows Samuel his mourning period but then God says okay; how long……… are you going to mourn for something that I have rejected.Listen to the text.How long are you going to be depressed about something that God says is no longer good for your life.God Says; it’s no longer good.Wow!!!!!!!!When you really think about it, it’s seems silly.God knows what’s best and we cry about and want to hold on to things that God says it’s time to let go.
Okay, enough……I think we get the picture.God then instructs Samuel to “get up”because God has a blessing for Israel in the appointment of the new king and Samuel is too busy being depressed about the old to embrace the new and bring the new into fruition.
God tells Samuel to go to the house of Jesse and the new king will be found there.Samuel is fearful and says if Saul finds out that I am out anointing a new king he will be mad and will kill him.God gives Samuel a plan.HE tells him to take a heifer with him and tell the people that he has come to sacrifice to the Lord.
Samuel does as the Lord instructs and when the elders of the city see him, they tremble and ask:Do you come peacefully; for they knew that Samuel being a prophet of God could come with either judgments or blessing.Samuel responds that he comes peacefully and tells them to consecrate themselves and come to the sacrifice with him and he also invites Jesse and his sons.
Tomorrow, we will study what happens as Samuel tries to discover who God intends for the next king of Israel to be.
Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
Please forgive me for slacking this week. I have been teaching morning classes at the full gospel conference here in atlanta and attending the night sessions along with the many other things that are on my plate so I am so sorry. To all my new friends that I meet this week from all over the country, I enjoyed teaching you and thank you for being so receptive to my style of teaching.
God Bless you all!
Have a wonderful weekend and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
In our text today, we are studying the response of Samuel to Saul’s disobedience.
Here is our text:
I Samuel 15: 24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. 25 Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” 26 But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!” 27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors–to one better than you. 29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.” 30 Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him confidently, thinking, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33 But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women.” 33 And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
As you can see in our text, Samuel has rebuked Saul for his disobedience in dealing with the Amalekites.Saul admits he has sinned and begs that his sin be forgiven.He grabs Samuel’s robe and tears it and Samuel’s instructs him that just as his garment is torn, the Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from him today and will give it to another.
Samuel demanded that Agag, the king of the Amalekites be brought to him so that Samuel could personally see that he be destroyed according to the original plan of the Lord.The text says that from that day forward, Samuel did not visit Saul again yet he grieved over him so Samuel really did love Saul and it hurt him that God had rejected him.
Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
Here is our text for today:I Samuel 15:10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 ”I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. 12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to
Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.” 13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.” 14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” 15 Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.” 16 ”Stop!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. 17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” 20 ”But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” Our story today opens with a conversation between God and Samuel.God is grieved that He has made Saul king because of his disobedience.Saul has already offered a sacrifice in the earlier battle against the Philistines that he should not have because he felt he could not wait on Samuel to come do it and now Saul was given specific instructions to wipe out the Amalekites and everything they owned.Saul wipes out the weakest of the flocks and spares the strongest and the king of Agag to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord.While it appears that Saul’s intentions were good they were actually evil.God gave him a mission and Saul honestly thought he had done well.Samuel rebukes Saul and tells him that the Lord does not take delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice over obedience.God would rather that we just obey HIM instead of trying to do something that we think would please God.God is pleased by our obedience.Saul thought that the thing that he had done would honor and please God but God considered it as rebellion and labeled it as the sin of witchcraft or divination and arrogance as in the sin of idolatry.In other words, Saul thought he had a better plan than what God required of him and even though he really did sacrifice the things that he had spared to the Lord, it was a complete act of disobedience and rebellion.What God wants is simple…… he wants us to obey.We cannot substitute what we want to do for God for what God requires of us.God wants us to obey.God is honored and praised and glorified through our obedience.We cannot give or sacrifice enough to cover up dis-obedience.God’s plan is perfect and HE does not need us to adjust or alter it no matter what our motives may be.Sometimes it is through trail and error that we figure out what the will of God is for a particular situation.The key is when we do know for sure what God requires of us then we simply obey.We don’t have to add or subtract anything from it to impress or try to please God.God is pleased with our obedience.Tomorrow, we will study Saul’s response to what Samuel’s rebuke of his actions.Be encouraged!God Bless!!!!!!!Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily
In our text today, we are studying the story of the destruction of the Amalekites. The Amalekites were the group that came and attacked the children of Israel when they were in the wilderness.The bible teaches that Moses commanded Joshua to lead the fight against the Amalekites.Moses went up on the top of the hill and as long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.Moses grew tired and Aaron and Hurgot a stone forhim to sit on and they held his hands up so that his hands remained steady and the Israelites won against the Amalekites that day.The Lord told Moses to write on a scroll that God was going to completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.
Well, today in our text, God gives Saul specific instructions concerning the destruction of the Amalekites and let’s see what happens:
Here is our text:
I Samuel 15: 1 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” 4 So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim–two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5 Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. 6 Then he said to the Kenites, “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites. 7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs–everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
Tomorrow, we will deal with what happens when Samuel sees what Saul has done in his dealing with the Amalekites.
Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
I Samuel 14: 47 After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. 48 He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them. 49 Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. 50 His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51 Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel. 52 All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.
Next week, the story moves forward to Samuel’s rebuke of Saul for his actions of disobedience.
Have a safe weekend.
Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.
Our battle story today is as follows and it deals with Saul’s response to his son Jonathan allowing the men to eat when Saul had instructed them to fast.
Here is the story:
I Samuel 14:36 Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.” “Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied. But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.” 37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day. 38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if it lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of the men said a word. 40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.” “Do what seems best to you,” the men replied. 41 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give me the right answer.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him, “I merely tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now must I die?” 44 Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.” 45 But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die–he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death. 46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.