Reaffirmed as King

8. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Welcome back from the weekend.   We last left off in our story of the monarchy with Samuel presenting to the people their new king.   The text taught us that the people were excited that God had chose Saul to reign over them and he looked like a king.  He was high in stature than any one of the tribes and the people brought him gifts and affirmed him as king.   We also learned that not everyone was excited about his appointed.  There were some in the camp that despised him and refused to bring any gifts as acknowledgement of their acceptance of him as King of Israel.   Well, today in our text we learn of a fascinating story of deliverance that caused the people to stand up against those who opposed Saul.  Here is the story.   

I Samuel 11: 1 Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.” 4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud.

5 Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with the people? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said. 6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they turned out as one man. 8 When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be delivered.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. 10 They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring these men to us and we will put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “No one shall be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.” 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there reaffirm the kingship.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.

It is stories like these that constantly remind me that God will take care of your enemies.    He just will.  You don’t have to do anything but do good to those that offend you and it will be like heaping coals of fire upon their head.   Their conscious will torment them and God will deliver.   I love Saul’s response when the people wanted to destroy the men that stood up against him.  Saul said: “ No one will die today for God has delivered and rescued Israel”  and Saul allowed the glory to totally go to God instead of it becoming an event about his vindication. Samuel gathers the people together and Saul is reaffirmed as King.  

Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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