At War with the Philistines

15. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

For the next few days, we will be looking at the battles that Israel will be fighting with the Philistines.  At this point in the history of the life of the Israelites, they are constantly being attacked by  the Philistines and are truly  becoming a thorn in their flesh.   There will not be much commentary to offer but it is important that you know these stories.

 

Here is our battle story for today:

 

I Samuel 14:1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. 4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez, and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Micmash, the other to the south toward Geba. 6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7 ”Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 8 Jonathan said, “Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. 15 Then panic struck the whole army–those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties–and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.  

 

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

 

 

 

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The Punishment

12. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today in our text, we will discover what happens when Saul offers up the burnt offering instead of waiting for Samuel to come and do it.    Let’s look at the text:

 

I Samuel 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 ”What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 13 ”You acted foolishly,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred. 16 Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Micmash. 17 Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, 18 another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the desert. 19 Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. 21 The price was two thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads. 22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them. 23 Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Micmash.

 

As you can see in the text, Saul messed up.  There was a certain way that the sacrifice was to be offered and by a particular person which was the priest of God.   Saul did not hold the office of priest and was not allowed to offer sacrifices in that manner.  That was Samuel’s job.   Samuel was angry and told Saul that if he had just obeyed then his kingdom would have been established for ever but now God has sought out another man to replace him as king over Israel for all time.   

 

I think we all know that this man would be David.   I am amazed at the strategy of God.  Of course, we know that God knows all things but God did not miss a beat.  While Samuel did not know what he was about to encounter with Saul, God put the word in his heart instantly that a new king would soon reign.

 

Samuel leaves Saul and the Israelites will now struggle for a season against the philistines.  The story goes on to tell us that the Philistines made sure that they were the only ironsmiths that existed to keep the Israelites from making weapons.  When the Israelites needed their iron devices sharpen they would have to pay their enemy for the service.   WOW!!!!!   All kinds of things just get crazy when we disobey or try to do things our own ways.   Saul panicked and he thought that he was losing the battle because he had not honor God with a sacrifice so he offered it himself.    But we know the scriptures teach us that obedience is better than sacrifice.

 

We just need to obey and even though things may physically get worse from our steadfast stand and our obedience to do it God’s way, it is still the best and right course to follow because at least we will know that we are in the will of God and that is the safest place to be.  After all, God will work it together for our good.   

 

 

Have a great weekend.   See ya on Monday.

 

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

 

 

 

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The Mess Up

11. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today in our text, we will discover the great sin that Saul committed that would cause him to loose the kingship.

 

Here is the text: 

 

I Samuel 13:1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years. 2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes. 3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. 5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.

8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering.

 

We’ll stop here because I really want to spend some time on what happens when Samuel comes to meet Saul which is tomorrow’s lesson.

 

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

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All Your heart

10. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, we are finishing the second part of Samuel’s speech.   

 

Let’s look at the text:

 

I Samuel 11:16 ”Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call upon the Lord to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.” 18 Then Samuel called upon the Lord, and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the Lord and of Samuel. 19 The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.” 20 ”Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”

 

In the last part of Samuel’s speech, he gives the people a sign so that they will realize how evil it was for them to ask for a king.  The sign is that Samuel will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain and so as it say it so it happened that same day and all the people stood in awe of Samuel and the Lord.

 

The people were terrified and Samuel instructed them not to be afraid because if they served God with all their heart from this day forward, everything would be alright. 

 

Samuel closes with saying: “but be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.”  This is a simple instruction, yet it is difficult.  The difficult part is serve him with “all” your heart. 

 

All…….   WOW!!!!!!!  Do we really give him all.   What does a life look like that is serving God with all their heart.  “ALL”  wow…..

 

Let me just share with you what happened to me on yesterday.  I was sitting in a restaurant called cracker barrel and I was there alone for breakfast and I was reading over this text because it was my scripture that I was meditating on for the day.  I began to ask God a series of questions in my head.   I started saying what does it really look like to serve God with all my heart.   Can I do it?  Am I doing it?   So many distractions God, can I really give you “all” my heart?   All…?   I was just going back and forth in my head and I heard a voice in my head say: “read it again.”   I read it again and this time I focused on:  “consider what great things he has done for you.”   I got so convicted.   I started thinking and it was like I could hear God dialoging with me back and forth in my head telling me why want you give me “all” your heart, for everything that you really desire in life, I am the only one that can give them to you.  The other things are just temporal and you always come back to me and seek the lifestyle that I have ordained for you so what is really your issue with giving me all your heart.  What really makes you happy comes from me.      I started crying in that restaurant.  I asked the waitress for some more napkins and I thought about my life and where I am and I looked inside my heart and I said:  God, I can do better.   I really can.    

 

When, I tell you that every since that moment, I have been on fire for God in a way that I have never experienced before.  I’m going for the glory.   I’m giving him “all” my heart.   I am so excited.  I started doing a self analysis of areas that I am procrastanating in and areas that I have gotten complacent in and I am getting it together.  God’s word has motivated me so.   I am so excited.  Ohhhhhhh….. the word of God…  it is just so amazing.   It really is.   Simply amazing…..

 

I really hope this scripture has blessed you and excited you and motivated you as it did me.   Let’s go for the glory.    The weight, the power, the force ….. Let’s experience this abundant life that Jesus came to give us and let’s learn that no matter what situation we’re in, it is a learning experience, it is not designed to destroy us but strengthen us and it will blow over really, really soon.   God does work all things together for our good.

 

 

 

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

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Samuel’s speech

9. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Today in our text Samuel is about to give one of his last speeches to the children of

Israel before Saul messes up the kingship.   Samuel is now an old man and he has hearkened to the voice of the people according to the word of God and granted them a king of God’s choosing.   Let’s listen to the wisdom and advice of Samuel in his aged years.  I Samuel 12:1 Samuel said to all

Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right.” 4 ”You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.” 5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is witness,” they said. 6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your forefathers up out of

Egypt. 7 Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts performed by the Lord for you and your fathers. 8 ”After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your forefathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. 9 ”But they forgot the Lord their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of

Moab, who fought against them. 10 They cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, so that you lived securely. 12 ”But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’–even though the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God–good! 15 But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.  

As you can see in our text, Samuel opens up with what is called a “salvation history” narrative.  This type of narrative is found more frequently in the Old Testament but it is also repeated in the new.  The narratives are all similar in the fact that it recites the history of

Israel from their bondage out of the hand of Pharaoh and their arrival into the promise land.   The word salvation simply means help, deliverance, welfare, prosperity or victory.  Some of the narratives will begin at Abraham and talk about how he was a wandering nomad who came from Ur of the Chaldeans and it will go through his sons Isaac and Jacob and then pick up the

Egypt experience.    This particular narrative starts with Moses and Aaron.    These narratives were constantly used in speeches to remind the people of what God had already done and how powerful God is. 

 

In our text, Samuel uses this narrative to convey to the people that God had always delivered them from their trouble yet now they wanted a king even though God had always functioned as their king.   Samuel reminds them again of the evil that they have done in their desire to have a king and be like the other nations.    Even though this is a sharp warning and a rebuke, Samuel also encourages them and let them know that if they follow God and fear HIM and obey him and do not rebel against his commandments then both them and the kingship will be good but if not, God’s hand will be against them as it was against their fathers.

 

I think we’ll stop here for today.  I do want you to note though that there is a second part of this speech.   Tomorrow, we will study Samuel’s closing words to this speech.  It is so good.  As I was studying it today, there was a part of it that just made me cry and I was convicted in my heart about my own relationship with God.   I’ll tell you that story and what happened to me on tomorrow.

 

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

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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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Forget and Prosper

5. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

We have finished chapter 10 so instead of starting a new lesson today since it’s the weekend (lol) I thought I would just share with you the meaning of Joseph sons names Ephraim and Mannasseh.   I have been studying them and they are so precious to me.   Most of us know the story of Joseph and how he was sold off into slavery by his brothers and then ended up in prison to become second in command only to Pharaoh. 

 

Look at this text that gives us the meaning of his sons names. 

 

Genesis 41:50   Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”

 

How powerful is that.  Joseph named his children names which reminded him that God had blessed him for his suffering and had caused him to forget the pain that was done to him in his father’s house.  God is so faithful.

 

Be encouraged and have a great weekend.  We will rejoin our study of the monarchy on Monday. 

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Here is Your King

4. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

In our text today, Samuel introduces Saul to the people as their chosen king.  

Here is the story below.I Samuel 10: 17 Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah 18 and said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of

Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ 19 But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses. And you have said, ‘No, set a king over us.’ So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.” 20 When Samuel brought all the tribes of

Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was chosen. Finally Saul son of

Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” 23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. 24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” 25 Samuel explained to the people the regulations of the kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people, each to his own home. 26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some troublemakers said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent. Our text today has Samuel summoning the people together and tells them what the Lord says about this appointment.   God reminds them of how He delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians and delivered them from their calamities and distresses and yet they still want a king.   

Samuel brings the tribes together and chooses from the tribes first and then the clans and out of all of them, Saul looks like the king.  He has the appearance and stature of a king and is goodlier than all.   

Samuel writes down on a scroll all the regulations of the kingship and then dismisses the people.   What is so fascinating in this text is that the bible says that Saul was sent away to his home with valiant men that God had touched.   God had designed so that Saul would be surrounded by people that had his back no matter what.   How priceless.   I love it.  The whole plan of God.   God prepared people’s heart that would support and standby Saul no matter what. 

But, there is a problem in the text.  Not everyone was excited about the new King.   The text ends with the troublemakers comments about “how can this man save us” and they despised Saul and showed their contempt by not bringing him any gifts.    

No matter what your calling is in life, there will always be someone there (the enemy, the troublemakers, people designed to frustrate your purpose and calling) who will tell you that you can’t do it and you weren’t call and this dream will never come to pass, etc.   Some will even despised you to the point that they will openly and publicly try to embarrass you but God will always have a remnant standing by just to encourage us. 

 Be encouraged! 

God Bless!!!!!!!  Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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Signs fulfilled

3. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

 

Today, in our text we have the fulfillment of the signs that were to come to Saul to prove that what God had said about him was to take place.  Let’s look at the story:

 

I Samuel 10:9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When they arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying. 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place. 14 Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” “Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

 

We will not go any farther today, because the text following today’s lesson deals with Samuel’s introduction of the first king of Israel to the people and how Saul is presented as king.  We will deal with those issues on tomorrow.

 

Okay, we are here…… we have arrived at the study of the monarchy.   Let’s review.   We started off with the birth narrative of Samuel.  Samuel was born to Hannah and Elkanah and his mother was barren.   The literature entailing Samuel’s birth is called a barren woman motif.  Just like the call narratives, they all have similar themes.    The woman is barren; she is considered an outcast by the community or considered to have sinned ( for in the Israelite mind, barrenness was punishment from God).   The woman would seek God on behalf of a child, the child would be granted but would be an extraordinary child with a special calling and mission on his life.  You can find these same themes in the birth narratives of Samson, John the Baptist, Leah, Rachel, etc. 

 

Samson is raised up in a perverted season and is trained under Eli the high priest.  He becomes a judge over Israel and was a mighty prophet in the land.  The bible says that not one of his words fell to the ground.   Samuel becomes old and his sons are not men of integrity so the people now demand a king like all the other nations.

 

Samuel is grieved by their request and God comforts Samuel and lets him know the people have not rejected Samuel but they are actually rejecting God.  God tells Samuel to tell the people that HE will provide them with a king but they will be sorry because eventually the king will one day enslave their sons and daughters and misuse the people.   Knowing this, the people demand a king anyway, and God gives Israel its first king Saul.

 

Tomorrow, our text will deal with how Saul is identified to the people as their king and the people’s response.

 

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

 

 

 

 

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The Signs

2. June 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello, yesterday we left off with Samuel telling Saul to allow his servant to go ahead of him so that He could give Saul a word from God.  Our text today gives us the message from God.

 

I Samuel 10: 1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you leader over his inheritance? 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?’” 3 ”Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them. 5 ”After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. 6 The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 ”Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.” 9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. (NIV)

 

 

Our lesson today deals with the signs from God to prove to Saul that he is the Lord’s chosen for King over his people.   We talked a little yesterday about call narratives.   A call narrative is simply a body of literature in the bible that deals with the call of God on one’s life.  You will find throughout these narratives that there is a consistent theme.   Let’s look at the overall composition of a call narrative.

 

(1)  The call from God

(2)  Self-doubt/Denial on behalf of the person called

(3)  Divine Assurance

(4)  Commission

(5)  Sign

 

In summary, the narrative has the actual call of God given either directly or through a spokesperson for God to the person.  The person then goes through a series of self-doubt or denial where they reasoned in their mind why they are either not deserving of the call or feel that they are inadequate for the job.  God will then re-assure the person and encourage them that God will be with them and that they will prevail.  The actual commission or charge or plan will be given as to what the Lord will require of them Then God usually will give them a sign to confirm that what has just been told to them is true and sometimes the re-occurring themes of  self-doubt and assurance are repeated before there is finally acceptance of the call.

 

 

I said all that to say; that these same elements are presented in the call of Saul.  Let’s analyze it:

 

The call-  You will be King over my people Israel.

Self doubt/denial- Saul complains that he is the least among his tribe and his clan and was questioning Samuel as to if he was sure he had the right man.

Divine Assurance-  Samuel invites Saul to dinner- gives him the portion that was kept for him and assures him that God has chosen him and anoints him with oil and again tells him that God has appointed him as leader over his inheritance.

Commission- King over Israel- sometimes the call and commission are the same.

Sign-  In today’s lesson we get the signs- they are as follows:

(1)  Saul will meet two men at Rachel’s tomb and they will say to him that the donkeys have been found and now his father is worrying about him.

(2)  Saul will meet 3 men going up to God at Bethel and one will be carrying 3 young goat, another three loaves of bread and another a skin of wine and they will greet him and offer him 2 loaves of bread which Saul is instructed to accept.

(3)  Saul will go to Gibeah and as he approaches the town, he will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with instruments and they will be prophesying.  The Spirit of the Lord will come upon Saul with power and he will begin prophesying with them.

 

If you analyze other calls such as Moses, you will clearly be able to see this same pattern.   Just look at the call of God on your life and did you find yourself going through a season of self-doubt, inadequacy, fear, denial, and then God strengthened you and may have given you signs before you finally surrendered to the call of God for your life and then the commission of the specifics of what you were to do were revealed. 

 

Our text today closes with “God changed Saul’s heart.”   I don’t know what all that entailed or what kind of heart Saul had before for the scriptures do not offer any more detail but we do know that God turned him into another man.    Wow!!!!!!!

 

Well, enough for today, we will finish our story on tomorrow and soon our first king in the monarchy will be crowned.

 

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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