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1 Samuel 19

03 Jun

19 Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. 2 So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.”

4 Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. 5 For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

6 So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” 7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.

8 And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.

9 Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. 10 Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.

11 Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. 13 And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. 14 So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. 17 Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?”

And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’ ”

18 So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”

And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

1 Samuel 19

Dear God, we get a lot about Saul here. First, we see his insecurity and jealousy. Then we see his relationship with Jonathan. We also see his relationship with Michal. Finally, we see how he is still, like it or not, subject to you and your power. And I’ll add this one thing about David. He is still winning victories with your power and not his own. Yes, maybe he was in there a little with the victories over the Philistines, but on the big stuff like escaping Saul, it was your power that saved him in Naioth in Ramah.

At the end of the day, Saul was completely motivated by keeping his job at any cost. It’s like a president in a country that finds an excuse to suspend elections so they can stay in power. It happens all the time. He has the power. He doesn’t want to let go of the power. He doesn’t want to share the power. And then when you hold on to power that long, you start to get paranoid and everything looks like a threat.

Okay, so that is on a grand scale. What would that look like in my life? For my job, am I willing to objectively consider when it might be time to leave for the good of myself or the organization? Or is everything I do a way of hanging on to something that gives me safety and security? On the home front, am I willing to make my own life submissive to my wife and let her career or what you’re calling her to do to take over our priorities?

Father, I fell bad for Michal and Jonathan. I wonder if they had any conversations with each other about their father and David. I’m sure they did. Siblings back then didn’t necessarily have the same relationships as siblings of today, but since David as such a key touchpoint between the two of them I’m sure they talked about all of it. I am sorry that Saul put them in this situation. But it is a reminder that bad parenting doesn’t necessarily lead to bad children just like good parenting doesn’t necessarily lead to good children. For my part, help me to not be like Saul. Help me to see what you are calling me to do at any given moment. I legitimately don’t feel like it is time to move on from my job. I don’t feel like my work there is done. And I think I am doing my best to make sure my wife’s calling is as important, if not more so, than my own. So I’m not really feeling convicted today, but I am pledging to you that I want to keep these things in mind. I want to follow your call even if it leads to my discomfort. Even if it costs me the things that make me comfortable. I want to be in the middle of your will, regardless of what it costs me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 3, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 16:1-13

22 May

16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”

4 So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”

5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.

6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” 9 Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” 10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.

And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Dear God, different things stand out to me as I read these verses. Some of them I get, but some of them confuse or concern me:

  • How long did Samuel mourn? Had he been mourning since the first time Saul messed up by offering the sacrifice before he arrived, or did it start with this new transgression with the Amalekites?
  • Samuel was afraid of Saul and his power.
  • You gave him instructions on how to deceive Saul and everyone else. Am I reading that right? Was he giving them only a partial truth? I have to confess that I do this sometimes. I have something to address with someone, but I’ll come at it from a direction that will be either obscure the origination of my knowledge of the topic I want to discuss or I don’t want to offend so I find another way to address it. Is that wrong? This story seems to endorse it, but I’m not sure.
  • The people were scared of Samuel. You would think it would be good news that the prophet/judge is in town, but Samuel had been doing a lot of rebuking lately, and they were scared.
  • Samuel was carrying his paradigm from the selection of Saul (tall and good looking) into the selection of the new king. Even he needed to be corrected and told that you were looking beyond the good looks and height. You were looking for heart.
  • Not even David’s dad imagined Samuel was looking for David. And I guess they knew what Samuel was looking for. That’s all a little vague here.
  • Did David understand what had just happened to him? What did he feel when your power came upon him? Saul prophesied and got inspired. What happened to David?
  • Did Samuel give him any instructions? What was the plan going forward?
  • Did David just go back to the field with knowledge that he would one day be king? Who all knew about this. It’s all very weird and vague. I guess it’s not as important for us to know that answer to this part because you didn’t preserve it for us.

Father, I think the obvious point of this story is that you were looking for what was in David’s heart and not what he looked like from the outside. So I can be tall. I can be fit. I can get plastic surgery to keep from aging. I can color my hair. I can even get educated and become eloquent. I can work out and be strong and muscular. But to quote Paul, “If I have not love then I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13).” So here I am to give you my heart. To pursue you as best as I know how. To lead at work under your leadership as much as I’m able. To love your world as much as I can. To love your creation. To love you. Be with me, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, as I worship you through my life.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 15

20 May

15 One day Samuel said to Saul, “It was the Lord who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! 2 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. 3 Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”

4 So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah. 5 Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Saul sent this warning to the Kenites: “Move away from where the Amalekites live, or you will die with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites packed up and left.

7 Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. 8 He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. 9 Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.

10 Then the Lord said to Samuel, 11 “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night.

12 Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.”

13 When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lord bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord’s command!”

14 “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded.

15 “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Listen to what the Lord told me last night!”

“What did he tell you?” Saul asked.

17 And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’ 19 Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”

20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 21 Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

22 But Samuel replied,

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
    and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.”

24 Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. 25 But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the Lord.”

26 But Samuel replied, “I will not go back with you! Since you have rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.”

27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you. 29 And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”

30 Then Saul pleaded again, “I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel finally agreed and went back with him, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, “Bring King Agag to me.” Agag arrived full of hope, for he thought, “Surely the worst is over, and I have been spared!” 33 But Samuel said, “As your sword has killed the sons of many mothers, now your mother will be childless.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house at Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the Lord was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.

1 Samuel 15

Dear God, when I read through this story this morning, I saw the last sentence of chapter 15 and had a horrible thought: “What if I ever did anything to cause God to say he was sorry he trusted me with anything?” My wife. My children. My job. My friendships. My responsibilities in the community. And I have made huge mistakes in each area of my life, to be sure. I have sinned. Like at work. I’ve done things I knew were wrong because I was afraid of others, just like Saul said he was afraid of the people in verse 24. There were times I was too harsh with my children. There are times I’m not completely in-tune with my wife and caring about her more than myself. There are times I let my ego and need for the world’s love and attention get in the way of me sacrificing that for the good of my community. Oh, how I would love to sit here and throw stones at Saul and pile on. I’d love to be Samuel in this story. But just like the people who brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus when he bent down, drew in the dirt, and uttered the famous words, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” I feel like the Holy Spirit is looking at me now and saying, “Are you sure you want to be that hard on Saul?”

Wow, this was convicting. I am convicted. Father, I am sorry. I know I’ve apologized to my children as best as I can. I know I’ve apologized to my wife. I’ve told the people I work with when I’ve made mistakes. But much like David’s sins carried scars after forgiveness, I know there are scars I’m carrying forward. A lot of people are. Be merciful, Father. Not for my sake but for theirs. Not even for their sakes, but yours. Let your glory shine through the lives that are so precious to me and even more precious to you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 20, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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1 Samuel 11-14 – Saul’s Victories and Failures

17 May

1 Samuel 11-14

Dear God, it is time to compile everything I’ve been praying through this week with 1 Samuel and see what you will bubble to the top for me to share in the Methodist Sunday school class in the morning as well as the Christian Men’s Life Skills class on Monday evening.

Here is what I have been praying through today:

Recap last week:

  • Israel was new to the whole idea of having a king, but they wanted one regardless of the warnings Samuel gave them — They will trade freedom for security.
  • Saul was the stereotypical choice for a leader in that he was tall and good-looking.
  • Saul had no leadership experience and was scared, hiding at his own coronation service.
  • God would give Saul his Spirit and gifts some as prophesying.
  • God raised up men who would go with him to support him.
  • There were detractors who didn’t believe in him as a leader.
  • After the coronation, Saul went home and the men God gave him went with him.

God Helps Saul Lead

  • Nahash the Ammonite threatens Jabesh Gilead (in Benjamin). They ask for 7 days before they each get one eye gouged out–backstory with Benjamin and other tribes from end of Judges

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.”

  • God inspires Saul to lead

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[b] men from Judah.

  • Summarize the battle
  • Saul gets popular support and saves the men who ridiculed him
    • Saul is in the sweet spot of being devoted to God. So much so that he spares the men’s lives who ridiculed him.
  • Saul is confirmed as king. Samuel might have named him king, but now they are all in.

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

  • They now have what they want
  • They don’t have anything against Samuel personally
    • Was he trying to absolve himself of any guilt?
  • Recounts God’s faithfulness to them and their faithlessness to God
  • Now that God worked through Saul to defeat Nahash they are all-in again
  • But Samuel warns them that God is still not pleased they asked for a king:

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.

  • Imagine if this were to happen to you. Mobs are fickle, even today. The phrase “mob mentality.”

Saul starts fighting the Philistines

  • Jonathan starts feeling himself a little. The Philistines were occupying Israel at the time. Jonathan attacks the Philistines at a town in Benjamin and starts the war/revolution against them.
  • The Philistines are ticked and come to attack. Saul calls on the men capable of fighting to join him.
  • The Philistines are ready to fight, but apparently Samuel and Saul had an arrangement where Saul would wait for Samuel to burn the offerings before battle so he is waiting.
  • The army starts deserting, so Saul finally decides he needs to move ahead with the offering and get to fighting:

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.”

  • This story has always bothered me. Saul didn’t know where Samuel was. At least he tried to worship before going into battle.
  • The Philistines were raiding the Israelite towns and there was nothing they could do to fight back because they had no weapons:

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…

22 So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.

  • These were not ideal battle conditions for Saul and his army.
  • Jonathan decides to go on the offensive with just him and his armor-bearer

6 “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

7 “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”

8 “All right, then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the Lord’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”

11 When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” 12 Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”

“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!”

13 So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. 14 They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.[b]

15 Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.

Saul’s Foolish Ego

  • This Israelite army takes advantage and starts attacking the Philistines. For some reason, Saul makes a stupid, ego-driven vow. It’s kind of a weird flex:

24 Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day, 25 even though they had all found honeycomb on the ground in the forest. 26 They didn’t dare touch the honey because they all feared the oath they had taken.

  • Jonathan didn’t know about the command and ate some honey
  • A soldier tells Jonathan afterward and Jonathan is openly critical of his father:

29 “My father has made trouble for us all!” Jonathan exclaimed. “A command like that only hurts us. See how refreshed I am now that I have eaten this little bit of honey. 30 If the men had been allowed to eat freely from the food they found among our enemies, think how many more Philistines we could have killed!”

  • Then after the sun goes down, the men are so hungry they start eating the Philistines livestock without properly preparing it, so Saul makes them stop and has meat properly prepared.

Saul Seeks God, and God is Silent

  • Saul, who has been given the gift of prophecy, stop to ask God if they should keep chasing the Philistines, but God is silent.
    • To Saul’s credit, he discerns God’s silence and doesn’t layer his own thoughts. His gift of prophecy seems to be legit and he recognizes when it’s not happening.
  • They finally figure out God is silent because of Saul’s vow and Jonathan’s violation of it.
  • Saul decides to fulfill his vow and kill Jonathan.
  • The men step in to save Jonathan.

45 But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

  • I used to think God was silent because he was mad Saul’s vow had been violated. After studying this story, I think God was exasperated that Saul made the vow in the first place.
  • Saul stops pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines head back to their own territory.

Summary of Saul’s Reign

  • Saul was a successful king in warring against the neighboring nations:
    • Moab
    • Ammon
    • Edom
    • Zobah
    • The Philistines
    • Amelekites
  • Saul’s reign saw constant war with the Philistines and he lived up to Samuel’s prediction that he would take the best young men and put them in his army.

52 The Israelites fought constantly with the Philistines throughout Saul’s lifetime. So whenever Saul observed a young man who was brave and strong, he drafted him into his army.

Final Takeaways

  • I think to some extent, Samuel felt like he failed. The last of the Judges.
  • My personal assessment of Saul is that he respected and feared God, but he didn’t seek God.
    • When we pray to God or worship him, are we doing it for him or doing it for us.
      • University of Chicago’s General Social Survey spanning 50 years shows married people are generally 30 points happier on a happiness scale than unmarried people. But I don’t get married to I’ll be happier. I get married because I love the woman I married.
  • He wanted to know what hoops he had to jump through to get God’s favor.
  • His insecurity drove an ego that pushed him into foolish behavior

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, please be with me tomorrow morning and Monday night. Open my heart and soul to speaking your words to the people you are putting in front of me. Increase and let me decrease. And correct me wherever I have it wrong. Give me a humble heart before you and before men.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 17, 2025 in 1 Samuel

 

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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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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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Fathers of the Bible — Samuel

14 Feb

[1 Samuel 3:1-14] Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

[1 Samuel 8:1-9] As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”
1 Samuel 3:1-14,8:1-9

 

Dear God, Samuel is such a complicated figure. Sure, at first glance he look all noble, but this story reveals a pretty critical flaw. He allowed his sons to do exactly what he saw Eli allow his sons to do. Yet, for some reason, you seem to have given Samuel a pass that you didn’t give to Eli. In fact, when Samuel comes to you, you told him that they had rejected you and not Samuel. That’s interesting because in my reading of this story it looks like they were rejecting Samuel.

Once again, we come across a flawed man in the Bible. Thank you for preserving these stories in this way because it is a reminder that we are all flawed! I am hugely flawed. And now that my children are grown and making their way in the world my relationship has materially changed. The big difference between my life and Samuel’s is (and his culture probably dictated that it would happen this way) that he chose to bring his two oldest sons in to the family business. I will likely end up avoiding a lot of these pitfalls with my children because I am 99.9% certain that we will never be in business together. We certainly won’t be in a position of judging others and settling disputes. I won’t be in a position of having to defend their professional behavior. I can just be a dad who loves them. Even if they were to do something that I disapprove of, I can still love them and give of myself to them. Hmm. Thinking about it in that way, isn’t that what you do with us?

Father, again, thank you for these stories. Thank you that we actually get vignettes like this that make Samuel, Eli, Naomi, Jacob, Abraham, etc. relatable. Next, I’m going to be looking at kings as fathers. We are going to see Saul and David and see what they were like as dads. True to form, we will see a lot of flaws. What in interesting God you are to build your plan this way. I don’t understand you. I don’t understand your ways. But I am grateful for your grace and mercy. I am grateful that you will love and hold me, even after I’ve done something that disappoints you. Thank you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on February 14, 2020 in 1 Samuel, Fathers of the Bible

 

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