Week 76, Day 3: Partial Victory
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 14:1-52
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Saul’s son Jonathan displays great confidence in God. But Saul displays further foolish actions. Jonathan went boldly against the Philistine garison and helped cause the route of the entire Philistine army. But Saul orders to people not to eat anything while they are fighting the Philistines. It sounds like the people were so weary they could barely pursue the Philistines. What a foolish order to restrict the people from renewing their strength. Thus the battle was not as great a defeat for the Philistines as it could have been.
Saul does demonstrate an unique trait when it came to his son. He finds out through casting lots that Jonathan had broken his command. Saul appears ready to kill Jonathan over this. He was not going to make an exception for his son. Saul is all for upholding his command and enforcing punishment, even when it is his son. And yet Saul has shown a disregard for the commands of God. He “forced” himself to offer the burnt sacrifice. Saul recognizes the importance of keeping his command but not for keeping God’s commands.
Question: What did Saul’s foolish order help lead the people to do right after the battle?
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Week 76, Day 2: Saul departure
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 13:1-23
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Saul’s son Jonathan attacks the Philistine garrison at Geba. This of course stirs up a hornet’s nest. The Philistine’s gather against Israel. They have a massive army. Understandably Israel is intimidated. Seeing this massive number of troops coming against them many of the Israelites flee. They fled into caves and over the river. Saul is left with a relative few people who are following him trembling. When seven days have passed it is time when Samuel was supposed to come to offer a sacrifice for Israel. This is most likely supposed to be an occasion where Israel is sacrificing to God to ask for his blessing in their fight with the Philistines. But Saul is getting anxious. He is watching teh people beginning to leave him and it is getting later and later and Samuel has not come yet. As soon as Samuel had offered the sacrifice himself, Saul shows up. What have you done? This occasion is the beginning of Saul’s end. His reign has just begun but this marks the beginning of the end. God will now seek out another to be the ruler.
Question: Why is it such a big deal that Samuel has offered the sacrifice instead of Samuel?
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Week 76, Day 1: Samuel’s defense
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 12:1-25
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Samuel addresses the people of Israel and makes an interesting case to them. He says that he never took anything from someone or took a bribe to pervert justice. No one can convict him of wrong doing in his service to Israel. Then Samuel points out that God appointed leaders and judges to lead Israel in the past. God was always faithful to deliver them and provide for them. Yet, now they have told God no, but we want a king. They have rejected how God set up things to work in Israel and have instead demanded a king.
The people admit that they have done wrong and ask that Samuel continue to pray for them and instruct them. Samuel says that he will not sin against God by ceasing to pray for them and instruct them. Samuel was tasked by God to serve as a prophet to the people. To turn away from his duties would be sin and rejecting the work God has given to him.
Question: Verses 14-15 links listening to God to following Him. Why is it that listening to God is so important to being a follower of God and not rebelling against Him? Do many churches today display that they are listening to God?
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Week 75, Day 5: Victory over Ammon
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 11:1-15
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Soon the Ammonites have come up against the city of Jabesh-Gilead. Israel has already been loosing some of its territory on the east side of the Jordan. This attack is against what sounds like a fairly large and important city. The Ammonites must have been very arrogant about their impending victory because they agree to let Jabesh send a message for help. The circumstances are dire though. If no one comes then all the men will have their right eye put out and they will have to serve the Ammonites.
It is time for Saul to rise to the occasion. Here is his chance to demonstrate that he is the leader in Israel. God grants them victory and the people rejoice in Saul. Thus Israel has now been convinced about Saul as their king.
Question: Why did it take Saul’s victory before the people of Israel were ready to have Saul as their king (didn’t they want and ask for a king)?
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Week 75, Day 4: Saul is convinced
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 10:1-27
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
After anointing Saul to be the king, Samuel tells Saul that there will be several things happen to him on his way back home. It appears that Saul couldn’t believe it at first. Him the king. Already Samuel had displayed a knowledge of things that proved him to be able to speak with authority. We are told in verse 9 that God changed Saul’s heart. I think that it is clear that he did this through the signs he provided. Here we have mentioned a series of things that would take place, confirming what all Samuel had spoken to Saul. It is indeed true, he has been anointed king. He was persuaded by these events transpiring just as predicted.
The next task will be to persuade all of Israel. There is a public anointing of Saul but it is apparent that some of the people did not accept Saul as their king.
Question: The passage repeats for us about Saul’s stature being head and shoulders above everyone else. Samuel said to Israel, “do you see whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” Was Samuel referring to his height and physical appearance? Why do you think his physical appearance might affect the way some of Israel accepted or rejected him?
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Week 75, Day 3: Saul is found
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 9:1-27
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
We left off in chapter 8 with everyone being sent to their tent after demanding a king be appointed over them. Saul is sent out to find his father’s donkeys. Instead he is found by Samuel. It is impressive to see how all of this unravels before us. Saul goes into the town looking for the prophet to tell him about his donkeys. Samuel had been told by God that He would send the man to him at about that time of the day. Samuel had prepared food for him when he came. When Saul approaches Samuel God tells him that this is the man.
Of course Saul is confounded by how Samuel speaks to him and is looking for nothing more than the donkeys. But he has been selected by God to be the king. What a change for Saul.
Question: How do you think Saul felt when Samuel could tell him that he was looking for his father’s donkey’s that were lost three days ago? What do you think Saul felt like when Samuel then said that all the desirable things in Israel are for him?
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Week 75, Day 2: Demands for a King
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 8:1-22
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Samuel has grown old, his sons are corrupt and Israel wants someone to judge over them. Israel looks around and sees how others do it and want to imitate the nations surrounding them. Never mind that Israel is a peculiar people, called out from all other people to follow God. They were to be different but have now said they want to follow after the ways of the gentiles.
Samuel is tasked with telling the people what having a king will be like.
The king will take their sons for his army and servants, He will take their daughters to work for him as well, He will seize the best of their fields, vineyards, olive groves for himself, He won’t stop with taking their fields, he will also take away a tenth of their produce, He will take their servants away to serve him instead, he will take a tenth of their flocks and even they themselves will be his servants. Royalty acts the same way, throughout time.
Question: Why did Samuel not learn from Eli’s mistakes and raise his children well? What could have caused such trouble in Samuel’s household?
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Week 75, Day 1: Philistines defeated
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 7:1-17
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
After the ark is returned we are told that Israel lamented after the Lord. They seem to have recognized that they had serious problems when it came to their relationship with Jehovah. Samuel has now taken the role of leading Israel spiritually. He calls for them to return to God with all their heart and remove the idols from them. Israel does so and gathers before the Lord to fast and petition Him for salvation.
The Lord then delivers them from the Philistines. The fight against the Philistines in the exact same place that they had been defeated at, lost the ark and 34,000 Israelistes were killed. Nothing in the terrain had changed. The only thing that had changed is that this time God fights for them. If you have ever been in a really fierce thunderstorm, this is what I picture as happening to the Philistines. They come to fight with Israel and God causes a great thunderstorm to thunder over them. If you have ever been in stuch a storm you know how unsettling big thunder booms can be. You want to go hide yourself to get away from them. And then in comes Israel and they rout the Philistines. Impressive.
Question: Why did the ark of God remain in the house of Abinadab for 20 years?
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Week 74, Day 5: The Ark is Returned
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 6:1-21
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
After 7 months of being afflicted by God, the Philistines decide it it time to return the ark. They seek council from their diviners. I like the advice that the diviners give. First, send back a guilt offering for what they have done. Second, conduct a test to let you know for sure that this affliction was by the hand of God. They take two cows who have never been yoked. They remove their nursing calves and send them out pulling a cart. Everything about this scenario should tell you that the cows would turn back to their nursing calves. But instead they go straight to the Israelite city the Philistines had been talking about. No wondering about, no hestiation, and certainly the lowing of the cows indicated they were not pleased by leaving their calves. So the Philistines have their confirmation that the ark needed to be returned and that God had afflicted them for keeping it.
Question: Why did God strike the people of Beth-shemesh? What was so wrong with what they had done?
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Week 74, Day 4: Philistine’s are afflicted
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 5:1-12
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
It is not long before the Philistines great victory over Israel turns sour. They have the ark now but God begins to inflict severe pain and trouble upon them because of its presence. In every city that it goes the people are struck with tumors. At first this sounds like it was some kind of painful sore or malody but in verse 12 we are told about men who died. This affliction was severe. It resulted in many people dying.
The account of what happened to the pagan god Dagon. You would think that after his head and hands had mysteriously shown up cut off on the door step that the people of Ashdod would have known this was a worthless god they served. Instead they come up with some new practice of not walking on the threshold. I’m sure idol worship had some very strange practices indeed. When it is left up to man to develop worship practices he comes up with all kind of things.
Question: Why do you think God afflicted the Philistines the way that He did? What lessons did He teach the Philistines and Israel through the events of chapter 4 & 5?
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