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Category Archives: 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 13

15 May

13 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.

2 Saul selected 3,000 special troops from the army of Israel and sent the rest of the men home. He took 2,000 of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bethel. The other 1,000 went with Saul’s son Jonathan to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.

3 Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!” 4 All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the Philistine garrison at Geba and that the Philistines now hated the Israelites more than ever. So the entire Israelite army was summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. 6 The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns. 7 Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.

Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. 8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 11 but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”

Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. 12 So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”

13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

15 Samuel then left Gilgal and went on his way, but the rest of the troops went with Saul to meet the army. They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. When Saul counted the men who were still with him, he found only 600 were left! 16 Saul and Jonathan and the troops with them were staying at Geba in the land of Benjamin. The Philistines set up their camp at Micmash. 17 Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, 18 another went west to Beth-horon, and the third moved toward the border above the valley of Zeboim near the wilderness.

19 There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews. 20 So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. 21 The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad. 22 So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.

23 The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army.

1 Samuel 13

Dear God, I don’t think we normally appreciate the disadvantage Saul was at when he was made king. Israel wasn’t a real nation with national defense at that point. They were tribes of people living under Philistine rule. As much as we appreciate David and everything he accomplished later, to a large extent, he stood on the shoulders of what you had done through Saul when he took over. Of course, David took over after Saul and Jonathan died in a terrible battle defeat so things weren’t all rosy when David became king, but that’s a story for another day.

Of course, the big moment in this chapter is when Saul jumps the gun and offers the sacrifice himself. You know that I’ve always had a problem with this story. Mainly because I can see myself doing the same thing. I can see myself feeling like if I am king and I have also had the experience of your Spirit falling on me and prophesying and such, then when Samuel was late in coming to the battle and things were looking down going ahead with the worship and sacrifice without him. It’s not like he blew you off and just attacked. It’s not like he can ring up Samuel on his cell phone and ask him what his updated ETA was. Why was Samuel so harsh with him. Did you tell Samuel this, or did Samuel come up with it himself? The story really bothers me, and it’s still hard for me to resolve.

Maybe the problem is Saul’s ego. We’re about to see in the next chapter how his ego can get him into trouble. In this story, it feels like he is trying to figure out how to be one of those “get behind me boys” leaders who takes the reins and inspires confidence. But he didn’t have the patience and humility to wait on you and to be seen waiting on you.

That can be one of my problems. I can get impatient and not wait on you. I can want people to be inspired by me and not defer to you.

Father, give me eyes to see. Give me ears to hear. Give me your love for others, especially those I consider to be against me. Help me to be willing to sacrifice everything for them. My life is yours. If you are for me, who can be against me? Be glorified in their eyes through me. And I’m thinking about some friends right now who are struggling with marital issues and just life issues. Some who are gravely ill. Some who are just lost. Some who are bound with anger and pain. Some who don’t even know what the pain they are experiencing is. Father, be with each one. Holy Spirit, move and heal. Comfort and guide. Teach. Jesus, teach, love, and forgive. Forgive me, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. I am yours.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 15, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 12

14 May

12 Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king. 2 Your king is now your leader. I stand here before you—an old, gray-haired man—and my sons serve you. I have served as your leader from the time I was a boy to this very day. 3 Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.”

4 “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.”

5 “The Lord and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.”

“Yes, he is a witness,” they replied.

6 “It was the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel continued. “He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now stand here quietly before the Lord as I remind you of all the great things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors.

8 “When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to the Lord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land. 9 But the people soon forgot about the Lord their God, so he handed them over to Sisera, the commander of Hazor’s army, and also to the Philistines and to the king of Moab, who fought against them.

10 “Then they cried to the Lord again and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from the Lord and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’ 11 Then the Lord sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety.

12 “But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king. 13 All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the Lord has granted your request.

14 “Now if you fear and worship the Lord and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the Lord’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize the Lord as your God. 15 But if you rebel against the Lord’s commands and refuse to listen to him, then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors.

16 “Now stand here and see the great thing the Lord is about to do. 17 You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!”

18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the Lord and of Samuel. 19 “Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.”

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. 21 Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! 22 The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.

23 “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. 25 But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”

1 Samuel 12

Dear God, there is pain in Samuel’s voice in this passage. I think he feels like he failed to some extent. He was the last of the judges. A 400-year tradition came to an end on his watch.

I’m also curious about his insistence early in this speech that he did nothing wrong and his sons serve the people. Given that it was back in chapter 8 when we learn his sons were corrupt and that’s what drove the people to want a king, this seems like a bold thing to say. Then he changes the story in verse 12 and says they wanted a king to fight Ammon. Okay, fine. Maybe that was their real reason. Maybe they justified the idea of wanting a king by accusing Samuel’s sons, but the reality was they were afraid of Ammon and were willing to give up some freedom for some security. I don’t know.

One thing that’s weird about 1 Samuel (and I suppose 2 Samuel too since they were originally one book) is that the author(s) doesn’t seem to let details get in the way of a good story. It is inconsistent on why the Israelites asked for a king. It is inconsistent on when Saul met David (was it as a harp player or at the Goliath encounter?). It tells two different times Saul sinned and Samuel told him he had lost the kingdom. I was talking to my wife about it yesterday. One thing I learned about the difference in storytelling in poverty culture vs. more middle class storytelling is that middle class tends to be more focused around the chronology of events and the details, while poverty culture focuses on the most important parts of the story and the emotions involved, allowing the details to fall where they may. It feels like these stories were written by someone who was more about telling the emotional story than the chronological one. As opposed to Genesis, which tends to be very meticulous about timeline (except for 1 and 2 with two accounts of creation).

There is a line from Samuel that is interesting that I want to highlight:

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. 21 Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! 22 The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.“

After the people have repented in verse 19 for their sin of asking for a king, he assures them that you are still for them. You are still their God as long as they will have you. And for at least that day, you are theirs, and they are yours. Well, they always will be yours.

Father, I love you. I call on you to please be with me and help me. Help me to share your love with others. Help me to be your ambassador. Whether it is to these men who are in this Christian Men’s Life Skills class or people I encounter throughout my day. And also teach and bless me through them. Raise up people in my life who can speak to me with your voice. People I will hear. You are my God. I worship you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 14, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 11

13 May

11 About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.

2 “All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!”

3 “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”

4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears. 5 Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh.

6 Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. 7 He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 8 When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.

9 So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!

10 The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” 11 But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.

12 Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”

13 But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” 15 So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy.

1 Samuel 11

Dear God, when I read the end of this story this morning and I saw the mercy Saul had towards his detractors, I was so proud of him. He was really on it here. It’s interesting that he still wanted Samuel as his crutch in going into battle: ““This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” He wanted Samuel there still. But when the mob (and mobs are always so stupid) wanted to kill Saul’s detractors, Saul had mercy and forgave them.

It all made me think of people who have newly accepted Jesus and are new to Christian faith. That honeymoon phase is sweet and powerful. You just want to absorb as much Jesus as possible. The love is strong. It seems Saul was having a similar experience here. He was seeking you. You were coming up on in power. And then, when he was at the peak of his accomplishment, he exhibited mercy. The joy of the Lord was his strength!

One of the tricks is to not let our mercy grow dim. Not let our faith grow dim. Not let our love for you grow dim. I’ve known my wife for 36 years. No, we don’t have the ooey gooey infatuation we had in the summer of 1989 any longer, but our love is so much deeper than that now. Even as we visited over breakfast this morning and talked about our vacation this summer, we talked about how compatible we are in our travel. We’ve morphed into a oneness together. But that takes discipline. It takes dying to myself and loving her. Giving my time that I’d rather use selfishly to her.

Father, the same is true for you and my relationship with you. Those ooey-gooey feelings don’t last forever. But love grows deeper in relationship. In oneness. The more we become one…the more I sink into you, spend time with you, worship you, and know you the more I change into being like you. And, going back to my wife, if we are sinking into you while we sink into each other the more we will become like you as individual and as a couple. So help me, father, to take that time today to sustain what is important. And there are people in my heart I’m praying for right now. My children. Their extended families. My friends. Even my country and its leaders. My extended family. I give them all to you. I pray for it all. Bring us into your presence. Bring us to repentance. Deliver us from evil. Stop the evil, Father.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 13, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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Disturbing Thought on Saul

11 May

Dear God, I had a disturbing thought about Saul as I thought about him when I woke up this morning: Did you just use him and then discard him for David? How could it have gone differently for Saul? I thought about this because it is obvious from Saul’s origin story that he wasn’t built to be king outside of his height. Later, when you’re picking David, you are clear that outward appearance doesn’t matter, but what’s in the heart does. Well, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of depth of character in Saul. Even though he is a head taller than anyone else around he just doesn’t seem up to the job.

So that’s my human brain. Then as I sit here with you and I work this out with the Holy Spirit, I’m reminded that your strength is made perfect in our weakness. In Saul’s case, there were times when you filled him and caused him to prophecy. In the next chapter, we will see that your Spirit will fill him and he will lead people into battle. He had ever opportunity to succeed if he would just find a way to lean into you and not make an idol out of his new position as king and the lineage it would leave for his family.

My wife and I were talking over breakfast about the worship service he did without Samuel that cause you to be so angry with him. I told her that it seems like others got away with a lot more than Saul did. She said, “How we worship matters.” I liked that. How I worship matters. How I lean into you matters. Even this morning, how I pray to you now, teach Sunday school later, and then worship with my wife after that matters.

Father, maybe you are using me and my life. Maybe you are sometimes asking me to do something that is beyond me so that I will simply lean into you instead of expecting to just get it done myself. And sometimes it might look for feel like I’ve been set up for failure, but I will lean into you and trust you. If you need to use me for a period and then have me move aside, so be it. Just help me to see what that time comes so that I can do it as worshipfully and humbly as possible. And since it is mother’s day, I want to just bathe my wife in prayer before I close this prayer journal. Love her. Help her to feel loved. This is a day of sorrow in so many ways, but I pray that your Holy Spirit will fill her and lift her. Raise up people around her who will love her and buoy her. Give her peace. Give her joy. Give her you. Help me to give her what you need her to have from me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 11, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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Samuel and Saul – 1 Samuel 9:14-10:27

10 May

14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.

15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”

18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”

21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”

22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. 23 Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. 24 So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. 26 At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. 27 When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.”

10 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession. 2 When you leave me today, you will see two men beside Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, on the border of Benjamin. They will tell you that the donkeys have been found and that your father has stopped worrying about them and is now worried about you. He is asking, ‘Have you seen my son?’

3 “When you get to the oak of Tabor, you will see three men coming toward you who are on their way to worship God at Bethel. One will be bringing three young goats, another will have three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a wineskin full of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept.

5 “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying. 6 At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. 7 After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you. 8 Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”

Samuel’s Signs Are Fulfilled

9 As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy. 11 When those who knew Saul heard about it, they exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet? How did the son of Kish become a prophet?”

12 And one of those standing there said, “Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?” So that is the origin of the saying “Is even Saul a prophet?”

13 When Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the place of worship. 14 “Where have you been?” Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant.

“We were looking for the donkeys,” Saul replied, “but we couldn’t find them. So we went to Samuel to ask him where they were.”

15 “Oh? And what did he say?” his uncle asked.

16 “He told us that the donkeys had already been found,” Saul replied. But Saul didn’t tell his uncle what Samuel said about the kingdom.

Saul Is Acclaimed King

17 Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah. 18 And he said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. 19 But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.”

20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 21 Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! 22 So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?”

And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” 23 So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.

24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”

And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

25 Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were. He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent the people home again.

26 When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a group of men whose hearts God had touched went with him. 27 But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?” And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them.

1 Samuel 9:14-10:27

Dear God, this will be too much to read tomorrow Monday with the guys with the Christian Men’s Life Skills class, but I think we can probably do it with the Methodists tomorrow for Sunday school. I think on with the guys I will end up laying the ground work by setting the scene and then just specifically reading these parts:

14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.

15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”

19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”

21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”

Then I will spend some time talking about Saul’s self-image. We will learn later that he is a head taller than everyone else around him. To look at him would be impressive. But it was how he saw himself that made all the difference. It was not the man everyone else saw. It was the man in the mirror.

0 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 21 Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! 22 So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?”

And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” 23 So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.

24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”

And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

25 Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were. He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent the people home again.

For this part, I will bring out Samuel’s belief in him and the people’s belief in him, but there he is hiding among the baggage.

26 When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a group of men whose hearts God had touched went with him. 27 But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?” And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them.

I was just reading a Serendipity Bible for leading Bible studies, and it had a question I want to spend some time with: “In what area of your life right now do you feel the need for some “valiant men” to accompany you?” I would add, “What kind of men do yo want for that and how will you find them?”

Father, I spent parts of this day putting together the outline for a message I just finished after I wrote everything before this earlier this morning. I talked with a pastor friend about it who gave me a great resource. I talked with my wife. Now, I am here to ask that you bless this process. Love these men through me. Love the people in the Methodist Sunday school class in the morning through me. Teach me through this process as well. I still need more of you. I still need to grow. I still need you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 10, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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Samuel, Saul, Jonathan, and David

09 May

1 Samuel – 2 Samuel 7

Dear God, I want to map out what I’m planning for the 10 weeks of Bible study for the Christian Men’s Life Skills class I’m helping with. I’m 90% sure I want to do a cohesive arc of Samuel, Saul, Jonathan, and David, although I think Samuel will only be there as the thread between the the other three, so we will really start with him recruiting Saul. First, however, I want to look at the themes for each of the 10 weeks as determined by the overall class leader for Monday nights:

  • Self-Esteem
  • Values
  • Vision
  • Ego
  • Motivation
  • Leadership Attributes
  • Work Place Survey
  • There is No More Time
  • Work Ethic
  • Work Ethic

With out there, I want to see how I would break up 10 weeks of 1 Samuel and see if there is a way the Venn Diagram matches up when I lay them over each other:

  • Samuel Recruits and Coronates Saul
  • Saul and Jonathan (Jonathan’s curse)
  • Saul’s Failure
  • David and Goliath
  • Saul’s Jealousy of David Part 1, Jonathan’s (humility and friendship)
  • Saul’s Jealousy of David Part 2, David’s Response (Mercy)
  • David in Exile
  • Saul’s and Jonathan’s Deaths and David’s Ascent
  • David Consolidates the Kingdom
  • David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem & God’s Promise to David

This might actually work. Here they are laid over each other:

  • Self-Esteem: Samuel Recruits and Coronates Saul
  • Values: Saul and Jonathan (Jonathan’s curse)
  • Vision: Saul’s Failure
  • Ego: David and Goliath
  • Motivation: Saul’s Jealousy of David Part 1, Jonathan’s (humility and friendship)
  • Leadership Attributes: Saul’s Jealousy of David Part 2, David’s Response (Mercy)
  • Workplace Survey: David in Exile
  • There is no more Time: Saul’s and Jonathan’s Deaths and David’s Ascent
  • Work Ethic: David Consolidates the Kingdom
  • Work Ethic: David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem & God’s Promise to David

Father, thank you for walking me through this over the last 24 hours. I’m feeling better. I still have a lot of work to do for each lesson, but at least now I feel like I have an idea of where I’m going. Now be with me as I prayerfully visit with the teaching leader today. Help me to hear him and his counsel. He has done this a lot more than me, and he might have legitimate problems with what I’ve done here. Help me to not be stubborn or defensive, but to be teachable. This isn’t about my ego. This is about blessing these men…being your blessing to these men. Being your hands and feet. Being your voice. Oh, Lord, be glorified in all of this so that your kingdom will come and your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven through this work and these men.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 9, 2025 in 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 9 & 10

08 May

1 Samuel 9

1 Samuel 10

Dear God, I am starting a Bible study for men in a “Christian Men’s Life Skills” class on Monday. I’ll be doing 10 of them for the next ten Mondays. A lot of these men are there because they are court-mandated to accumulate community service hours and taking this class can count towards those hours. I’ve never tried to teach the Bible to a group like this before, and I don’t know how much I can assume they know about any of these stories. I’m thinking, especially with the Old Testament, there won’t be much they know. So I’m thinking about doing a 10-week series on 1 Samuel. Saul will be my main character, but I have to give some background.

Saul came up just this morning when I woke up when I saw that Fred Smith’s blog this week was about Saul. The topic for the first week is self-esteem, and Saul is a great example of low self-esteem. Honestly, I’m still surprised you picked him. Was he just a placeholder until David got old enough? On the surface, it seems like a mistake. Did you put your thumb on the scale, give him the gift of prophecy to give him some credibility and confidence, and then turn him loose in a job that was too big for him? Of course, I have no idea. All I know is what happened. And all I can do now is try to figure out what you have to teach me through Saul’s life. And David’s for that matter. Samuel too. While we are at it, we might as well throw in the elders of Israel who demanded a king.

Father, I’m going to noodle with this more today, but I’m starting to like the idea of helping these men spend some time in 1 Samuel and the characters. Eli. Samuel. Saul. Jonathan. David. It’s really a great read. But there’s a lot here that I need more time than this morning prayer will afford me. So I’m going to just leave this as a starting point and come back to you later to spend some more time with Saul and his imposter syndrome/low self-esteem problem. Reveal to me what you need these men to learn from these stories. Use me to deliver it. I feel more than a little inadequate myself. Be made perfect in my weakness.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 8, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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Five Old Testament Books

22 Aug

Dear God, I heard a question right before I came in here to pray. on the Russell Moore Show Podcast, the question was asked, “If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only have five books from the Hebrew Bible, which would they be?” The guest, Yuval Levin, chose Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Job. He took Nehemiah as a bonus book.

As I thought about that question myself, I wondered how I would answer that question. Could I come up with five? But the more I thought about it, the more trouble I had whittling it down to five. So here are the five I would take and why I would take them.

Exodus: I’m holding out on Genesis to see if I have room for it later, but I think it is important to have Exodus because is has great narrative about your power and faithfulness, but it also has quite a bit about your laws and guidance for us. It shows your anger at Israel and your love and mercy for them. It gives a pretty complete picture, I think, of your character.

1 & 2 Samuel: Frankly, I think these are simply the best narratives in the Bible. For me, they are page-turners. You start with Hanna, Peninah, and Elkanah. You get Samuel and Eli. The Ark is lost in battle and then returned. Samuel anoints Saul. Then David and Goliath followed by David, his relationship with Jonathan, running from Saul, and eventually Saul’s and Jonathan’s death. Then you get David’s reign and king and all of the good and bad. From Bathsheba, to Absalom, to David’s death. 1 & 2 Kings covers many more generations of kings, but there is so much humanity in 1 & 2 Samuel.

Ecclesiastes: I haven’t spent enough time in Ecclesiastes, but I probably should. It’s a great book with great wisdom. I prefer it to the fortune-cookie style of Proverbs. Yes, I’ll take Ecclesiastes because I know I need it.

1 & 2 Kings: I guess I’ll polish it off with 1 & 2 Kings (this tips me over to 6, so I’ll just take 1 Kings if I have to choose just one. These stories are amazing. from Solomon and his ascension to the throne to Elijah, Hezekiah, and all of the way to the collapse and exile. Tragic.

Books that I’ll miss: I’ll miss Judges and Ruth. I know the Ruth story pretty well, so I think I’m okay there. Judges has great stories, but can also be very frustrating. I still know that I would have never accepted your choice of Samson as leader had I been a Jewish elder at the time. And Genesis has great stories, but, again, I know them fairly well and I get so frustrated with the heroes. I never quite understand why you decide to choose Abram, Isaac, Jacob, et. al. I guess the good news out of those stories is that I don’t have to be a particularly good man for you to choose me.

Father, you picked an awfully unique way to reveal yourself to your people. My wife said recently that she knows the Bible wasn’t written by a committee of influential and powerful people because it is so messy and doesn’t sterilize the stories of the heroes. For me, I am just glad to know I’m not alone in my confusion, failures, duplicity, and love for you–all at once. Thank you for loving me as much as you love Abram and the rest.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 22, 2024 in 1 Kings, 1 Samuel, 2 Kings, 2 Samuel, Ecclesiastes, Exodus, Genesis, Judges, Ruth

 

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1 Samuel 19:1-7

18 Jan

19 Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David, 2 told him what his father was planning. “Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields. 3 I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.”

4 The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him. “The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could. 5 Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!”

6 So Saul listened to Jonathan and vowed, “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”

7 Afterward Jonathan called David and told him what had happened. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in the court as before.

1 Samuel 19:1-7

Dear God, what exactly is my problem? Why am I moping around today? This week? There is so much amazing stuff going on around me. So many things you’ve done to bless me and the work I do. I mean, sure, there is the “Nope cloud” that I’ve talked about before that is always hanging on the horizon. The cause of a constant level of sorrow. But other than that, what exactly is my problem?

I do think that part of it is that I’m tired. I’m always tired this time of year. December and January are the most stressful months for me at work. Not because things are bad, but because there is always so much to do. And there are also so many varied things that need attention. I’m just tired.

I’m relating this to this passage from today’s Old Testament reading because I think the same could be said of Saul. Saul, what exactly is your problem? Jealousy? Insecurity? Things were going very well for him. Why was he so stressed and jealous of David? Because he sensed you had already replaced him as king? Well, fine. Repent, accept your fate and move on. It affects Jonathan more than you anyway, and he seems fine with it (I do love Jonathan).

Father, I am sorry. I’m sorry for…well, I’m just sorry. I’m sorry for not celebrating with you more. I’m sorry for succumbing to the weight of the responsibilities on me instead of laying them at your cross and letting you carry my burden. I’m sorry I’ve tried to do this stuff myself. Make me the leader you need me to be. More importantly, make me the worshipper you need me to be. Make me a sharer of your joy. A sharer of your love and mercy. A sharer of your grace.

I pray all of this through the grace given to me by Jesus,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 18, 2024 in 1 Samuel

 

1 Samuel 3:19-4:11

11 Jan

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle. And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.

At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.” So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake! “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!” So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
1 Samuel 3:19-4:11

Dear God, when I read this passage this morning I had two thoughts. First, did Hophni and Phinehas really think they had you going with them as they walked with the Ark of the Covenant? Did they think they owned you? Did they think they could act like they were acting (1 Samuel 2:12-22) and then boldly carry you into their battle? How dare they? Then, my judgmental heart started thinking about the people I think do that. They honor you with their lips but their hearts are far from you (Matthew 15:8). Do they really thinkin they are carrying you into their battles with them? Do they think just because they name you as their god (little “g” intended) they can then expect you to serve them? How dare they? That’s when your Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “You might want to ask yourself if you ever do that? In fact, have you done that this week? Where has your priority been in spending time with me this week? Are you just expecting me to do what you want, or are you serving me and worshipping me?” So I sit here this morning convicted. Thank you for that conviction.

The other thought I had was the perspective of the Philistines. If they had lost that battle they might have been able to justify the loss. But the way things turned out in 1 Samuel 5 and 6, you left no doubt that you were the God. And instead of turning to you and worshipping you–which would have been an option–they decided they didn’t want any part of you.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I sit here this morning sorry for not spending more time with you this week. I mean, yes, I did little things here and there, but I didn’t completely submit my heart to you. Help me to do that now. Help me, oh Triune God to be the man you need me to be today. Love through me. Lead through me. Serve through me. Most importantly, draw others to yourself through me.

I pray this in your name,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 11, 2024 in 1 Samuel

 
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