OT: The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 13

1 Samuel 13:1-23

13:1-2 Saul creates an army. In the previous chapter, the children of Israel gathered as one, united under God. Saul's assemblage of an army was another step in the direction of conforming to the way of the rest of the world.

13:3-4 Samuel recently explained the ways of mortal-kings: the would appoint their sons in positions of power. In this verse we see that Jonathan, Saul's son is leading an army against the Philistines. 

13:5-7 The Philistines rise up against Jonathan's attack and their army is strong. They are so powerful and numerous that the members of Saul's army seek refuge anywhere they can find it. We begin to see that the children of Israel have grown further from God; they shrink in fear at the sight of their enemies. With God, they had power over them.

13:8-9 The people bring their distress to Saul. Before Saul's first ever battle as king, Samuel told him to wait seven days before attacking. The reason was to allot time for prayer and communication with God. In that time, he would exhibit trust in God as well as receive strategy and ability from him. 

However Samuel does not arrive on the seventh day, perhaps as a test of Saul's' faith. Just how firmly did Saul grip onto God? A faithful child of God would never proceed without Him, understanding that haste would not reward them. But Saul followed Samuel's instructions as custom, rather than faith. Saul offers the sacrifice himself, leaving God's prophet (and His will) out of the equation. 

13:10-12 Samuel arrives as soon as Saul makes the offering. Saul had panicked. But in doing so, he taught us something. When we are under stress and our defenses seem to have dissipated, our best restoration is in God. Our faith delivers us from desperate situations. But if we only have false or brittle faith, we hinder our ability to be rescued. 

13:13 Samuel explains that his behavior was foolish; God had promised to remain with Saul in all of his endeavors - private and personal. But God explained that He could only do so if Saul was fully committed to the relationship. Saul evidenced that he was not indeed willingly dependent on God. God explained that He would not work through an unfaithful king. 

Here on earth, we are potential instruments, vessels, through which God's word and will come into the world. Faithful children express and deliver the blessings He puts together for His children here. Through friendship and charity, teaching and patience and especially when in positions of leadership, His will can be delivered. Saul is in a position of leadership, but the first moment of distress causes him to sever his connection with God's will. Saul renders himself an incapable vessel.

13:14 God looks for children who will allow Him to pour His will through them and into the earth. God chooses children who are after His own heart. Samuel prophesies here of David, the next soul God will choose as king of the children. 

God chooses to co-work with souls who are inspired by His righteousness, propelled by His wisdom, and in love with His nature. For God understands that those children have the humble and compassionate components that truly make an impact on humanity.

13:15 After informing Saul that his kingdom will not continue beyond him (Saul will remain king but his sons will not be his successors), Samuel departs. Saul take inventory of the men remaining with him, undoubtedly feeling entirely alone in the midst of six-hundred. 

Remember that God knows the heart of each individual, Jeremiah 17:10. God would not cut ties with Saul if Saul were faithful and full of good intentions. God does not delight in a broken relationship with one of His children; He would much rather Saul choose to trust him. But if he won't, God will not force the relationship.

13:16-23 The Philistines ensure that the Israelites are unable to build or sharpen their weapons - rendering them useless in battle. We know that a group committed to God do not even require weapons (Battle of Jericho). But the absence of weapons in these verses is symbolic in that Saul gave away their defense - God. The Israelites never won a battle on their own merit, they always won because God stood up for them, the weaker and smaller group. Without Him, weapons or no, they have no defense.

God wants us to realize that we are unarmed without Him. He is our defense. He protects the meek, especially, those who appear to be defenseless. And we are vulnerable creatures: mortal, fallible, breakable. But with Him, our souls are none of those things. God will continue to look for a king who will evidence that the way His prophets, like Samuel, have. If only the children of Israel had trusted Him when He warned that a king would only be capable of fallible rule.

OT: The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 12

1 Samuel 12:1-25

12:1 Samuel addresses the children of Israel on the day of Saul's Coronation. The children of Israel asked the prophet Samuel for a king and they are now gathered to crown one.

12:2 Samuel devoted his entire life to the service of God; he points out to the crowd that he began as a child and is now grey-haired, standing before his own grown sons. Surely this is a bittersweet moment for Samuel, he lived faithfully and dutifully for God from conception and will until death. Yet as he passes the "job" to Saul, he witnesses the children of Israel cut ties with God. Their insistence on a man-king is a rejection of God as King.

12:3 Throughout the years of his life of service, Samuel has been kind, honest and just to each of God's children. But Samuel wishes for the children of Israel to speak their own opinion of him; he promises to restore any wrong-doing he might have caused them. Samuel knows that he has been fair but a good and safe leader never invents his own truth. Samuel knows that his behavior and leadership will speak the truth. 

12:4 The children of Israel agree that Samuel never cheated, oppressed or stole from them. Samuel does not rely on others to define him or judge his works but because of his lifelong sincerity and compassion, both he and the people around him know exactly who he is. Not all ill-word can be said about him, and he is trustworthy because he lived every day with righteous intention. 

12:5 With Samuel and the children of Israel both acknowledging the truth of his honesty, he is now cleared to speak frankly with them. They can trust that everything he will say will be delivered as he has always delivered to them: honest, true and fair. Moreover, Samuel represented, and highlighted, that he was entirely different than a king would be. As prophet of God, he lived as a humble servant; selfish motivation was absent from his interactions with others.

12:6-8 With a bit of their history, Samuel recounts Israel's journey with God. (Remember that Israel are the members of the 12 tribes, named after the 12 sons of Jacob). Rather than a nation or plot of land, these were people God had taken under His wing because of their need of Him and their commitment to justice.

God had raised up Moses and Aaron to rescue the children of Israel from the Egyptians, whom they served under as slaves. 

12:9-10 And though God rescued time and again, the children of Israel forgot Him. Throughout the Old Testament we read of the fickle nature of God's children. We plead for His compassion when we are in distress but often forget Him when He delivers us.  The children of Israel began to move away from living His philosophy of compassion and closer toward the way of the corruption around them.

12:11 Once again, the children of Israel trade him for the way of the world. They have requested a man-king, even though God has warned them that it will cause them strife. Samuel explains that God was their king, they were never king-less under His authority. Yet they desired the appeal of a physical king, to show off to and fit in with the nations around them.

God wants us to learn that showing off and fitting in is counter-productive. The only time we have any lasting or meaningful impact, it is because we served righteousness rather than ourselves or anything else.

Matthew 23:11-12

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

The children of Israel, by requesting and gathering at this inauguration of a man-king, have served themselves rather than God. They have asked for something they want, even though it is not good for them. This is easily translatable to our own day and desires: we often yearn for things we think will look good or make us look good when God has told us those things are not good. Every time we act in arrogance, anger, hypocrisy, lust or any other selfishness, we choose something He had already uncovered as noxious.

God has taught every lesson we need to hear, but have we learned? As students of His, we should be rapt. We should cling to Him, Deuteronomy 10:20, for He alone has so adeptly devoted Himself to our well-being.

12:12 The children of Israel choose to replace God. Remember that the events of the Old Testament served as examples for our own time, 1 Corinthians 10:11. Perhaps we believe that we would never consciously reject God or place something over Him - and perhaps we would not. But subconsciously we might. When we act on our anger or desire, on our impatience or selfishness, we do choose to place something above Him.

God, creator of the universe, is able to intricately align galaxies. He knows how to create life from atoms we cannot even see. He is capable of placing the same perfect order over our lives. He could reign over us without our permission but He generously chooses to give us a choice. The children of Israel reject Him repeatedly and subsequently suffer. But the suffering is unnecessary, because our True King dominates over our fears and enemies. 

12:13 This somewhat awkward moment (primarily for Saul) acknowledges that God relinquishes a portion His authority to their new, much less qualified, king. 

12:14 And yet God remains invested in their (our) well-being. The children of Israel may have rejected them but God chooses to remain present over their lives. As long as they serve His philosophy of righteousness, they will have Him.

12:15 However, if the people and the king serve unrighteousness instead, they will lose Him. Many corrupt kings have risen since this point in time, many corrupt kings reign as we speak. Their influence is detrimental to the world. And more than just a man can be our king. Whatever desire or behavior we serve is our symbolic king. Vanity, money, power... each of those things can be "kings" over our lives. Our best choice is to swipe everything off of that throne except God.

God is not teaching us to be lawless citizens, He is teaching us to build our laws like His. He is teaching us to place justice, humility, and righteousness in the power seats of every aspect of our lives. 

12:16-18 The children of Israel have requested a fresh start, a new lifestyle. Samuel calls upon God to continue giving them away they want: thunder and rain pound their wheat harvest. They shall not ride on the fruits of the Lord, that which He has produced for them, because they rejected Him.

12:19 The situation becomes real to the children of Israel; they now face exactly what they have asked for. As God, promised, it is not as wonderful as they thought. The rain is so fierce they begin to worry about their lives; the rain causes the children of Israel to react the way the should be reacting to cutting ties with God.

12:20 Samuel placates them; they will not die as long as they live righteously. For the true King is the God of life. Righteousness propels us into eternal, spiritual life and invulnerability. 

12:21 This verse is one of the most instructively wise verses of the Bible:

And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.

If we are not chasing God, clinging to His word and will, we leave ourselves open to the temptation of empty things. When we give God our full attention, with it, He equips us for purpose, fulfillment and joy. When we give God permission to do with us what He will, His will tailors us for and positions us toward love, truth, meaning and life. 

But when our attention is unfocused, we are easily derailed. We becomes slaves to others and desires. We live trying to fill needs we do not even understand with things that are not good for us. God built these bodies, He constructed our souls: He alone knows how to provide adequately for them, Jeremiah 29:11. God emphatically, passionately creates in our lives the things we may not even know to ask for, Romans 8:26; by Him, blessings burst into our lives and take over our own measly plans.

12:22 Why? Because He loves us: For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.

12:23 Samuel will continue to pray for the children of Israel; in fact, he considers it a sin not to pray for their well-being. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal. We have to ability and the duty to use it for the benefit of others. Samuel will continue to lead and teach, in hope and effort to lead the children of Israel back toward God.

12:24:25 Samuel's advice for them, and us: Only fear (revere, in the original language) the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

OT: The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 11

1 Samuel 11:1-15

11:1 Saul has recently been chosen by God as king over the children of Israel. But Saul has yet to have any opportunity or duty to serve the role; he has returned home and is living his regular life, though now under the protection of guards. Meanwhile, in a remote and unprotected region of the children of Israel's land, a threat from the Ammonites looms. 

The people of Jabesh Gilead are approached by a man named Nahash. Nahash has led an army to the borders of these Israelites with the intention of concurring their land and killing its inhabitants. Unable to defend themselves, the people of Jabesh ask Nahash to make a covenant (deal) with them and receive their service. This suggestion of creating a mutually beneficial deal buys the Israelites time to consider their options. As it stands, their only options seem to be die or become enslaved.

11:2 Nahash responds brutally to Jabesh Gilead. His condition is that the children of Israel may submit to him and remain alive, but only if he can remove their right eyes. Nahash wishes to maim the Israelites in such a way as to publicly mock them, render them defenseless and hinder their ability to see (perceive). Interestingly, that horrid agenda is shared by all things, ideas and forces which oppose God.

11:3 Reasonably horrified by Nahash's conditions, the children of Israel opt to keep their options open for another seven days. The seven-day time-frame is used frequently in scripture as it represents spiritual-completeness. The people of Jabesh Gilead intend to inform the tribes of Israel of their plight in hope that they might be rescued.  

11:4 Messengers from Jabesh Gilead arrive and tell the tribes about their impending war with the Ammonites. The children of Israel begin to wail, they feel doomed by the prospect of such brutal defeat.

11:5 Saul returns from his regular duties in a symbolic way. Saul has gathered a flock and encouraged them home; such is Saul's specific duty as king. This symbolic role of shepherd is referenced often: in John 10:11 Jesus Himself is the shepherd of God's children; in John 21:15-17 God instructs Peter to take care of His sheep (children).

Saul returns to find the people in despair and after making an inquiry, he is informed of the immediate problem.

11:6 Saul is prepared by God to confront. Nahash with a bold spirit. He is emboldened by the Spirit of God; his sense of righteous honor is invigorated by this injustice. The Spirit of God, the justice and vehement need to protect it, always enters a child of God. God emboldens us in such a way that mutes and moves our fears from our path. Our impassioned need to protect what is righteous takes over the command center of our brains and propels us forward.

Saul is tremendously unprepared to confront this army; he is a farmer only recently made unlikely king. He has no experience but he does have God. The reason this account was written and preserved in scripture until and beyond our very generation is not because Nahash remains; he is long gone. The reason is because God wants us to understand that we may be unqualified without Him, but we are overqualified with Him. God wants us to realize that Nahash is gone but more people rise up with the same corrupt spirit - wishing to literally and figuratively maim us, weaken us, and mock us - but as long as we are aligned with God's will of righteousness, we will be invulnerable to their attempts.

11:7 Saul makes a physical and furious declaration of war against the Ammonite army. He explains that the members of each tribe of Israel are required to join him (and Samuel the prophet) in battle. Saul's intention is to prod each individual to chose for themselves: bravery on behalf of God's will or cowardliness which will get them killed. Saul feels that if a person is unwilling to defend their brethren, they defend the enemy... and shall be dealt with as such. The children of Israel do come together, however, as one with a united intention to rise against Nahash's army.

Children of God are easily recognizable because their compassion and sense of justice will not allow them to obstruct justice nor turn their back on anyone who is being treated unjustly. Righteousness takes over. The fear is still there but courage provided by God pushes them through it. 

11:8-9 Saul amasses an Israelite army and promises the people of Jabesh Gilead that they will receive help the next day, by the time the sun is hot. Without delay, Saul will march his army against the enemy.

11:10 The people of Jabesh Gilead tell Nahash that the next day, they will surrender themselves. This will give the Israelite army enough time to reach and rescue Jabesh Gilead.

11:11 The day of the battle, Saul divides his army into three divisions and the Israelite army thoroughly defeats the Ammonites. Those who do survive of the enemy army are scattered to the point that not even two of them remain together. Realize that it was neither skill nor preparedness that won this battle. Righteousness won this battle. The children of Israel gathered in selfless defense of an innocent people and were thus led by God into victory.

Too often politics as an ulterior motive, whether known to the soldiers and citizens or not. The wars in history and today are convoluted by personal and corrupt agendas more often than they are selfless attempts to restore justice. For this reason, wars are often long rather than short, complicated rather and simple, and chaotic rather than strategic. 

11:12 Although united for a greater purpose, the children are Israel are still flawed. The adreneline of the victory is surging through them and they wish to put to death everyone who doubted Saul, (spoken of in the previous chapter).

11:13 Saul's response to their intentions is this: Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel. Saul's response is more than appropriate in that he acknowledges God's generous victory and simultaneously refuses to celebrate with death.

11:14-15 Saul leads the people to Gilgal, a site which was made sacred by the covenant with God. Saul's coronation takes place; sacrifices and peace offerings are made to God with fervent joy. The children of Israel celebrate not only the victory against the Ammonites but also - after a long time whining for one - their new king. They believe that they have everything they ever wanted, but God promised that kings only eventually create problems.

It is wise for each of us to give authority to God's will over our lives. For to allow God's will to override our own wishes, prayers, hopes and desires, is to disallow what is not good for us from coming into our lives. God would have won that battle on their behalf without their new king... God is able win our battles without the thing or person we so desperately think we need.

OT: The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 10

1 Samuel 10:1-27

10:1 Samuel begins to anoint Saul; the preparations for his induction as servant of God are more important at this stage than a public announcement and inauguration. Saul needed to understand his role, and from Samuel's choice of language, we learn what that will be: commander over God's inheritance. God was not giving Saul His people, rather He was enabled Saul to be their leader on earth.

God raised and prepared Samuel as a prophet to take the place of the previous deceased judge. But the children of Israel began again to want to manage for themselves - if only that were an antiquated want.. Although God had it figured out, after Samuel, He could have raised another prophet to lead Israel. Instead, they wanted a man king. Despite God's cautioning, they persisted in their desire to be like everyone else and disregarded God's word - if only that were an antiquated occurrence. 

The children of Israel did not require a leader on earth, they had God, but because they had requested one, God delivered. Humanity had at that point already given evidence of its fickle nature, especially where spirituality was concerned. Without a just leader, the people turned to depravity. God is gracious enough to not leave Israel entirely abandoned and thus Saul finds himself being anointed for a future he never envisioned.

10:2 Not naturally a spiritual man, Samuel understands that in order for Saul to believe and take seriously this anointed, he will require evidence that it is actual true. Samuel therefore prophesies in detail of Saul's immediate future, explaining that two men standing by Rachel's tomb in Zelzah will approach Saul and tell him that his donkeys have been found. Saul will also be told that he father worries for him. 

10:3-4 Samuel continues to prophesy, and we can imagine why! Saul's head must be spinning. A simple quest for missing donkeys has turned into his being chosen by God as king. At the terebinth tree of Tabor, Saul will meet three men with three goats, three loaves of bread, and another with wine. The men will give Saul two loaves of bread and he is to accept it.

10:5-6 Saul will then encounter a group of prophets, placed by God, who are praising Him. At that point, God will enable Saul to prophesy as well. Saul will receive the ability to receive communication from God.

In our own present time, God has enabled each of us to receive communication from Him. For God is always speaking to His children, to receive His word is to perceive it. He is always there, all it takes is an observant child, familiar with His voice, to notice. 

10:7-8 Samuel continues to instruct Saul through prophesy: Saul has a choice at that point, to proceed knowing that God is with him or to stop. Yet because God has orchestrated this path, we know that Saul's choice will be to accept. From there, Saul will enter into Gilgal, the place where Joshua renewed the covenant between God and Israel, Joshua 4. In Gilgal, Samuel will meet Saul to offer a sacrifice and peace offering for God. Saul is instructed to wait seven days - representative of completion - for Samuel to arrive and direct him further.

Sacrifices have been made obsolete (Hosea 6:6, Isaiah 1:11), but in the time of the children of Israel, it was a tangible way to offer acknowledgement and gratitude toward God. It was also an action and display of trust; by offering to God, they gave evidence that they trusted God to provide abundantly for anything they gave away in service or charity. 

Sacrifice in our own day is something monetary. But it is also sparing other things we have limited supply of: patience, forgiveness, time. We show God that we are still in His service when we service others with compassion. And compassion has many forms, Matthew 25:35-40. God personally experiences that compassion we show on others. Indeed our sacrifice in our own time is often our own selfishness. We give it away in order to serve humbly.

10:9 Everything prophesied by Samuel happens and Saul is given "another heart". It is quite understandable that Saul would need to be strengthened by God for such a position. God is always obliged and prepared to strengthen a person for a purpose they might have never believed themselves capable. 

Though God strengthens us, He does not render us robotic. We retain our personality. Saul is still Saul, he is just encouraged by God to take on more than he thought he could. In our own lives, God enables us to take on more than we thought we could. But we are still... ourselves. God is prepared to help us in every area of our lives but our personal growth is accomplished by mutual effort. Saul is not made perfect but he is made able. So long as he, or we, strive to be better, God will provide. Whether or not Saul will  actually strive to be better is a personal choice Saul will have to make each day of his life - just like we do.

10:10-13 Saul indeed encounters a group of prophets and joins them. People who know Saul are astonished to see him as a prophet. There are echoes of Jesus' own rise into leadership. In Luke 4:22, people are marveled that the son of Joseph could be the messiah! 

The message to the group of onlookers was that a person was it did not matter which family a person belonged to; as long as they accepted their spiritual father, they were authentic and official in their post. 

10:14 Saul's uncle inquires after Saul's journey: where did you go? We can reasonably feel a bit of sympathy for Saul in this moment. Imagine trying to explain! "Well, what happened was... it... and then... but... and suddenly... an unexpected... and now I'm king. Because God said so.

Instead, Saul sticks to simple truths: he searched for the donkeys and when he could not find them, he went to the prophet Samuel.

10:15 Saul's uncle then essentially asks: and then what? The uncle is likely sitting with open-mouthed intrigue. But this is not the moment or manner to reveal himself as king and so Saul refrains.

10:16 Saul explains that Samuel told him the donkeys had been found. And in everything he said, Saul remained truthful. The omission of his anointing as king would disable rumors to spread and gossip to cause chaos and confusion. 

Saul's uncle might not even believe Saul. Even faithful children of God miss some of the reasoning behind what He chooses. Saul is only one of the unlikely people to be chosen by God - Saul, Samson, Paul... each of those men were imperfect. God tries repeatedly to inculcate into us the fact that He is willing and able to work with each of us! No matter our short-comings. God does not pluck from the perfect; there are no perfect to pluck. But that's not the reason why He chooses the unlikely. God chooses the unlikely to show us that anyone who will submit to His love receives surety. 

God is willing to accept anyone who will reach our their hand, their heart. Tainted, broken, confused, lost, corrupt, it does not matter, He will accept it all. Jesus explains that his mission was the save the people who were disregarded and unlikely, Mark 2:17. We all have shortcomings and we are all in stages of incompleteness or brokenness, even corruption. God plucks from the broken and makes them whole.

God's choice of Saul teaches us that he will pick the seemingly random person and offer them a kingdom. We are not random to Him and He does indeed offer a kingdom - His - to rest in, to help uphold. 

10:17-19 Samuel gathers the children of Israel to receive a message from God:

‘" brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you. But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.”

God is specific in mentioning the circumstances of this transition. It may as well be a hand-written note left for each of us, in the times and moments of our lives when we choose to place another thing above God. God does not ever reject us; if we are absent from Him, it is because we have rejected Him. 

God is our protector, provider, adviser and so much more. Let us not make the same mistake as our ancient ancestors. As humans, we are always slave to something. The vulnerability and desire of our bodies makes it so. And if our bodies and minds insist on a master, let that master be God - who will compassionately, adeptly fill the needs of both mind and body.

The children of Israel are choosing to come under the reign of a mortal king; they wish to conform to the way of the world. The world has taught Israel that man kings are the fad. The world has taught them an equation: to have this or that specific thing is to be and look powerful. But the master mathematician, the creator of the universe, has declared that the equations of the world are wrong. Who do we trust to calculate the circumstances and outcome of our lives?

Sometimes a "no" or the absence of something we think we want are the numbers that create the solution that is truly good for us. The children of Israel were not able to accept that, are we? 

God does not have the time or desire to sit on a throne. He's busy. He chooses to be a busy King. He is bigger than a throne. More powerful than an amulet could ever denote. He chooses not to sit and command; He chooses to work along aside us, 1 Corinthians 3:9. He is not limited as mortal kings are, they way He exists, manifested in every moment, is more physically present than any mortal king could ever be. God is presently active in Spirit, and His children know that to be more than enough.

10:20-21 The children of Israel, by Samuel's lead, begin to choose a king. Samuel draws their new king out of the tribe of Benjamin and out of the family of Matri. When Saul is chosen, the people look around for him.

10:22 God points Saul out to them, "hidden among the equipment."

10:23-24 Samuel asks the children of Israel if they are ready to follow this chosen king and they chant: "Long live the king!" Ironic that they should inadvertently mention mortality in regard to their new king when they already had an immortal King. Who among us can survive this world with any semblance of sanity without the amusing acknowledgement of irony? Humans commit it so often.

10:25 Samuel reiterates that their choice to have a king will cause them a multitude of new problems. In our own century, thousands of years later, no country has yet been able to work out the kinks. The governmental issues in our own day are evidence enough that the children of Israel were aptly warned.

10:25-26 Saul returns to Gibeah, with men placed by God to protect him. For although many had readily accepted the new king, Saul was not yet uniformly accepted. 

OT: The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 9

1 Samuel 9:1-27

Let's begin this study with Joshua's advice and declaration:

Joshua 24:15

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The children of Israel have requested a king like the nations around them have. They wish to conform to the ways of the world. God does not want us to live in opposition to our justice systems, the governments modern times have established, but He does want us to place Him over those systems. The systems of the world are flawed, but God's sovereignty is not. 

The children of Israel have always been organized and led by God but they trade Him for a man-made monarchy. Although cautioned against doing so, the children of Israel proceed with their disembarkation from God. God, through Samuel, has explained that the public's service to the man-king will be quite unlike their service to Him. God deals bountifully with His servants, Matthew 23:12, but man-kings only take. God's dominion is selfless and capable, a man king's rule will ultimately be tarnished by selfish and weak impulses.

9:1-2 We are introduced to a man named Saul. Saul's father is of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul is physically built like the kind of king the children of Israel have been desiring. He is handsome and taller than the average person. As far as the children of Israel are concerned, Saul's appearance will represent them well. Ironically, God's presence, transparent though it is, represented the children of Israel better than any handsome man ever could.

Still, the children of Israel requested a man king and the events of establishing one begin to take place.

9:3-4 Saul's father loses his donkeys and sends Saul on a quest to find them. Saul searches the mountains of Ephraim to Shalisha, Shaalim and the land of the Benjamites but does not find them. This very mundane and ordinary circumstance will be used by God to bring about the answer to the children of Israel's request. But Saul, like us, undertakes this task without knowing the purpose and orchestration of God.

9:5 Saul grows frustrated with the search and intends to return home; he will only go so far to recover a few donkeys. For Saul, this journey has extended long enough to be ridiculous. Little does he know, God has created and guided this journey; God knows where He intends it to lead Saul.

9:6 Instead of turning back, Saul's servant suggests that he and Saul visit "a man of God... an honorable man" in the city (referring to Samuel who has developed a reputation as such). The servant believes that Samuel will be able to guide Saul on the way he should go. And indeed, Samuel will be equipped by God to lead Saul - and not just to the donkeys.

Saul himself does not think to ask Samuel, the prophet, or even God Himself. Immediately we learn that Saul's priorities are already not as righteous as the prophets God has raised.

9:7-9 Saul tells his servant that he has nothing to offer the prophet but his servant has silver. This was a respectful custom.

9:10 So Saul and his servant journey to meet Samuel (who has likely already been informed of their arrival by God).

9:11-12 Saul and his servant find out from a woman going to a well for water that Samuel happens to be in town! This is not a coincidence. God has planned Saul's journey to intersect with Samuel's.

9:13 The woman explains that Samuel will come and bless the sacrifice the people offer to God and then there will be a meal.

9:14 As they enter the city, Saul realizes that Samuel is walking right toward them on his way to the high place, where the sacrifice would be offered to God.

9:15-16 We learn that Samuel has already been informed and directed by God about Saul. Samuel knows that this man, Saul, will approach him a day before he actually does. God instructs Samuel to make Saul commander over the children of Israel, their new defender against the Philistines.

We learn a lot about God's nature in this verse. God explains that He has looked compassionately on His people and has heard (and cared about) their cry. Even though they have traded Him for a much lesser model, so to speak, God is still listening and answering their prayers. They requested a king and they receive one, even though with God as their King they lacked nothing.

9:17-18 God points Saul out to Samuel just as Saul approaches the prophet.

9:19 Samuel introduces himself and invites Saul to eat with him. He also promises to prophesy over Saul's heart, for Samuel has been given insight from God regarding Saul.

9:20 Samuel also mentions, without Saul's prompting, the missing donkeys. He tells Saul not to worry about the donkeys because they have been found. Samuel has a direct and personal relationship with God; therefore God can easily communicate with Samuel. Saul does not have a relationship with God however, and the mention of his donkeys will inspire Saul to trust Samuel and believe in the will of God. Samuel hints to Saul that his destiny is one many will be envious of.

9:21 Saul is baffled by Samuel's words; he had no notion of being known or even regarded by anyone, never mind the whole of Israel. The whole situation catches Saul off guard. His simple quest for lost donkeys had led him to a prophet of God who has suggested that his whole life is about to change.

9:22-24 Saul dines with Samuel and receives a special portion set aside just for him - already, Saul begins to be treated as a king. The king the children of Israel requested. Saul has been requested by Israel but chosen by God. Saul is, however, just as imperfect as God warned he would be.

In the New Testament, God raises up a perfect king, the messiah, the King Jesus. And for a temporary period, humanity received a sample of what it will be like when He finally reigns.

9:25-26 Samuel has a conversation with Saul that takes place in the early morning, indeed a new day is beginning.

9:27 Samuel sends Saul's servant ahead of them. Samuel uses the private time to introduce Saul to the word of God.

OT: The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 8

1 Samuel 8:1-22

8:1-2 Samuel has lived his life serving God as his prophet, his messenger. Samuel advances in age and appoints his sons, Joel and Abijah, to be judges over the children of Israel.

8:3 It becomes clear that Joel and Abijah are not faithful to God; they do not follow in Samuel's footsteps and they certainly do not follow God's. Joel and Abijah align themselves with they ways of the world rather than with the instruction from scripture. In order to become wealthy and powerful, they work not dutifully for God, but instead for their own desires - resorting even to corrupt dealings and obstruction of justice.

8:4-5 The elders of the children of Israel notice quickly that Joel and Abijah cannot be a replacement for Samuel's judgement. Samuel was fair and empathetic but his sons proved to be unjust and selfish. Recognizing the problem, they request that Samuel appoints a king for the group. The king of king they want, they explain, is one like all the nations around them have: a man king.

The children of Israel are happy with Samuel as their judge but are never able to grasp, or accept, where his wisdom and power came from. Samuel understood that God was the reigning king, the administrator of justice. But the children of Israel begin again to covet the things their neighbors have, even though they were warned against doing so, Exodus 20:17. 

There are two major reasons why God does not want us, or them, to covet what our neighbor's have:

• To covet means to become a slave to ones desires. God understands that we lose grip on our sense of justice and humility when we allow lust for things to drive our actions. Instead of realizing that they did have - a Spiritual King and abundant provider - the children of Israel, in their neglect, sought a lesser lifestyle because it looked good. Their minds desire to see a man king on a throne over them, perhaps to boast their nation and intimidate their neighbors. All unnecessary! God has already provided, but because of they cannot see Him, and parade His proof, they reject Him.
• We do not truly understand what or why our neighbors have what they do. From their eyes, tainted with desire, the children of Israel are unable to see the flaw and fragility of their neighbor's lifestyle - a mistake they consistently make and thus neglect to learn from. Life is very similar to a video game, we replay each level until we have gathered enough experience and wisdom to proceed to the next level.  The children of Israel begin the process of moving away from God once again because they still refuse to reject the way of the world.

8:6 Samuel is disheartened by the request. Samuel has been so connected with God's word and God himself for so long that the concept of replacing Him causes Samuel distress. In his anguish, Samuel turns to God and begins to pray. 

8:7 God patiently listens to Samuel's prayer and continues to remain true to Himself as he tells Samuel to allow the children of Israel to make their own decisions. Although it pleases God very much to have His children aligned with His philosophy, He does not force us to do so.

God's understanding is this: If the children of Israel are asking for a man-king, they need that experience to realize the flaw in that desire. Many of us with our human-experience have realized that people often only listen when the consequences of mistake are speaking. 

Moreover, God does not wish to hold hostages and call them family. If the children of Israel chose to flee Him, indeed if we choose to walk away from Him, He allows us to walk away. God does not need to boast His authority by retaining prisoners or demanding fealty. 

While dealing with the demands of the group, God is no less aware of Samuel's own pain. Samuel is so invested in faith that these fissures upset him; it breaks his heart to consider the group parting ways with God. A servant of God his entire life, Samuel begins to feel personal failure - failure to unite the group eternal with God. Samuel takes the rejection personal, figuring that he must have done something wrong to cause the group to reject him. After all, Samuel spent his entire life preaching one message and this latest request from the children of Israel toss it right out.

But God explains that it is not Samuel's fault, nor a failure at all: "... they have no rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them." Jesus teaches a similar concept:

John 15:18-21 

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

The children of Israel chose the way of the world. The rejection is not personal to Samuel, instead, it is simply a matter of the children of Israel choosing flesh over Spirit. It happens commonly even today: people give into the whim of their desire. Although He reigns, so many choose to put their faith in other kings. Too unruly a group to walk without a leader, their connection with God relies on a spiritually-stable man like Samuel. But Samuel is a chosen, by God, prophet and a succession of man-kings will not be.

God chose Samuel for his natural diligence and compassion. God raised Samuel to judge with justice and wisdom. The man-kings who will reign over the children of Israel will not be so prepared for the role.

8:8 God is used to this degenerative routine. He is used to being rejected by the children of Israel, and also by the rest of the world. God has rescued, redeemed and restored repeatedly, generation after generation. We consider the Bible to be an ancient book but its events continue even in this very moments in our present time. As individuals, a now-scattered group of remnants of the children of Israel and equally recruited peoples, we undergo the same process. God offers the same presence and power in humanity's lives - and in many ways humanity continues to reject it. 

8:9 Give them what they want, but prepare them for what they will receive. Essentially, that is God's advice to Samuel. God has promised to go before us in life, scoping out the landscape before we enter, Deuteronomy 31:8. He knows what the consequences of choosing a mortal king will be and He is fair and compassionate in allowing them to know what they are walking into - and away from.

8:10 Samuel brings the message to the children of Israel: both God's consent and caution. 

8:11 Samuel begins to explain the behavior they can expect from a man king. After all, the children of Israel have never had a human king before. They are used to the fair and flawless organization God has provided. God is always of even and empathetic temperament. His selfless nature and divine wisdom enable Him to reign and rule with a kind and adept mind and hand. Because they have been subjects under God's authority, they might not understand how the same position as subject to a different king, might be less than glamorous.

Samuel, advised by God, continues by telling the children of Israel that their mortal king will rule over the entire group with largely - if not totally - selfish motivations. The highest positions in society will be given to the king's family, rather than distributed fairly to the most capable or deserving. The positions of power and acclaim will be filled by those with affiliations to the king's personal agenda. Justice is easily perverted when all who hold the power have the same motivations. The children of Israel will lose their fair, unbiased judgement.

The king's men will be assigned to fight in his wars. If, when and why a mortal king decides to go to war will not matter, he can do so without input from those he rules over. Until this point, the children of Israel have only had to participate in war designed and won by God against evil. Their wars were necessary for escape or justice. A mortal king's wars will happen only to serve his desire to acquire or boast his power.

In our own generation we can understand this rather well - millions over centuries have fought in wars or died because of wars, over a handful of men in royalty's disputes and inability to negotiate. God's battles have always been quick, easy and decisive - and He only ever engages war against evil.

8:12 The focus of life will (and has) shift from maintaining peace to preparedness for war. The king's motives will be to feed his family and strengthen his armies for wars. The burden of production will be placed on the commoner, the citizen. God has thus provided for the children of Israel, placing them on fertile land and organizing in such a way that each family could provide for itself with enough left over for charity.

8:13 With the king's men so focused on war, women will be left as housewives. God always had bigger plans for women but with the strain of war so concentrated, there won't be room for women to be much else. They'll need to raise their children and maintain a household, husbands and sons absent - and neither of them to prophesy for the Lord. The king will use his authority to claim. God as king is a provider. It will be a stark difference for them.

8:14-17 The king will claim fertile lands, vineyards and gardens for himself. God raises prophets and judges as servants of the people but mortal kings only make servants of the people they rule over. Everything that the people produce, the king will claim as his own and take when it suits him.

8:18 All of this cautioning should cause the children of Israel to asks themselves: is the desire for pride and patriotism worth the election of a male king? Is it not better to live as servants of God? After all, a life lived in servitude to God is an abundant and blessed life. Once again we are reminded of the decision made in the Garden of Eden: is independence worth losing the benefits of dependence on God?

Samuel cautions the children of Israel, and even us, to answer these questions for ourselves. Because once we find ourselves independent from His protection and provision, we will realize stark vulnerability. If we reject and remove our connection with God, who will care about, answer, or even hear our pleas for help?

God wants each individual to realize that genuine commitment is necessary; the children of Israel cannot sway back and forth, half-halfheartedly pledging themselves to both Him and an alternate lifestyle. So they and we must ultimately ask ourselves: Am I in, or am I out? Because if I'm not all in, I am out.

8:19-20 The children of Israel choose out. It seems ridiculous that they would, doesn't it? And yet we commit the same mistake. Whenever we chose selfishness, hypocrisy, greed, vengeance, or pride, we choose out. Every time we choose impatience, anger and desire, we choose out. In both small and large moments, we choose out when our actions contradict the word of God.

The children of Israel are enamored by the prospect of a reigning man-king. Man has raised many kings, nations and patriotic flags and all of them have suffered because of it. From the very beginning, humanity has been unable to allow nature to define their lifestyle. Each nation strives for power and wealth and God's alternate lifestyle falls by the wayside.

8:21 God reminds Samuel to let the children of Israel choose for themselves; we get the feeling that Samuel is reluctant to do so. Deflated by their destructive choice but ever faithful to the will of God, Samuel sends the men home, winners of a most toxic prize. They shall have their man king.

We must ask ourselves: how many times do we feel so proud of things we should be ashamed of parading? God understands that we are imperfect and weak, He offers to compensate for that. He does not ask us to be perfect but He does ask that we genuinely try to seek only Him and with our whole hearts. For when we begin to desire for anything else, we begin a descent of character.

Every time we decide that instead of wanting what God wants for us... we want what we want for us, we become slaves to our misinformed and insatiable desire.

OT: The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 7

1 Samuel 7:1-17

7:1 The Ark of God is then brought to the house of Abinadab and his son, Eleazar, is chosen to keep watch over it. Remember that the Ark of God used to be the physical symbol of His presence. The Ark itself had no power but represented the covenant God built with the children of Israel, those who would listen to Him and heed His advice.

7:2 The Ark remains in Kirjath Jearim for twenty years. More proof that the Ark was not powerful itself, is that even though back in rightful custody, the children of Israel have still not fixed the problems in their lives. Because they began to live corruptly, neglecting God's philosophy and worshiping fake gods, their lives are in ruins. They put their faith in false idols, fake gods and their fake gods were not able to lead, advise or save them. They began to act corruptly and therefore filled their lives with corruption. Corruption destroyed the beautiful and peaceful place God build for them. God did not go away, they pushed Him away... and for many years they lamented the consequences of living outside of the sphere of God.

7:3 We know, from the previous chapters, that God has been raising a prophet to rescue the children of Israel. Even though they abandoned Him, He never forgot them. Not only did God answer Hannah's prayer for a son and restore the Levite house after Hophni and Phinehas destroyed it, He also answered the prayers of thousands by planning a rescue for them.

The rescue comes in the form of the prophet Samuel, who communicates directly with God on behalf of his people. And the first thing Samuel has to say to the people is this message from God, the steps of restoration:

• Return to the Lord with all your hearts: God works with earnest, passionate souls. Commitment to His philosophy of compassion proves to Him that we are genuine and conscientious in our effort to be loving, kind people, workers of His will. Children of God serve His love and are served His love, but to receive it, we have to return our hearts to Him. We cannot be half or partially committed. God's work is comprehensive therefore our effort must be focused.

• Put away the foreign gods: For the children of Israel in this time frame, putting away foreign gods was literal. Instead of putting their faith in Him, they put their faith in carved objects. They trusted fertility goddesses made of wood and metal to produce for them. For us today, putting away foreign gods means to put away the elements of the world which corrupt us. Vengeance, vanity and greed are idols, things we place over our faith because we believer they will bring us contentment and peace. God wants us to throw those things away and adopt His righteousness into our lives.

• Prepare your hearts for the Lord: In order to receive from Him, we have to open ourselves to receive. Our faith is a landing zone, a transit system. His blessings can only be delivered if we unblock the tunnel (of faith) and clear our landing zone (trust). We have to be willing to listen to and follow Him; it will not always look easy, sometimes our emotions and desires get the best of us. But if we trust Him, He always delivers the way and the blessing.

• Serve Him only: We cannot be half or partially committed. God's work is comprehensive therefore our effort must too. We are taught that we cannot serve two masters, Luke 16:13, and that a house divided cannot stand Mark 3:25. The reason we are taught those lessons is because God wants us to understand that we cannot be focused, strong individuals if our values contradict. If we are unstable in our commitment to His philosophy, our lives are vulnerable to wobble and perhaps crash. Why? Because God educates us and prepares us to respond, react and act in ways which will deliver us peace, justice and joy. But if we serve our greed or desire instead of Him, we will not find peace, justice or joy. Only cyclical discontentment. 

The aforementioned steps are a formula which enables God to produce victory for the group and individual.

7:4 With the service of Samuel as His prophet, God's message reaches the children of Israel and they respond to it. They put away their false gods and focus their attention on the true creator and power of the universe. 

7:5 Samuel tells the children of Israel to gather and he will pray for them. Even though in our own day, we have more personal relationships with God, the children of Israel were often represented by a prophet or leader (like Samuel, or Moses). God's ultimate goal is for each individual to have a personal, intricate relationship with Him. He wishes to communicate directly with each of His children. He wants to be invested in every detail of our lives and waits for us to invite Him in.

7:6 The children of Israel begin a process of genuine effort to realign themselves with God. Their effort acknowledges the ways that they neglected God; they were ungrateful for His help, leadership and love. They rejected His philosophy of justice and compassion. At this gathering in Mizpah, they begin to recognize their errors and seek redemption and restoration. 

7:7 The Philistines have grown used to the weak and victory-less children of Israel; they do not know that the children of Israel have made themselves right with God once again. Therefore, the Philistines do not realize that their target has become invulnerable and mightily powerful (through their faith).

7:8 When the children of Israel hear about the Philistine's planned action against them, they ask Samuel to pray to God on their behalf. They wished to be saved by God from their enemies. Again we notice that the children of Israel do not have strong personal relationships with God, they rely very heavily on a prophet or spokesperson to deliver their messages to God (their faith, although restored, was not yet truly deep and personal).

7:9 Still, Samuel understood his position as servant of both God and the children of Israel. Samuel makes an offering to God (an ancient and obsolete way of showing reverence to God) and relays the message. Samuel cries  out to the Lord - this is an emphatic prayer. A prayer filled with love, gratitude and trust. Samuel himself is a product of earnest prayer; he was born from the womb of a barren but faithful woman).

Instead of: "Hey, God can you help us?" Samuel's emphatic cry to the Lord would have looked more like the prayer Jesus taught us, "Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name...". An earnest, passionate prayer speaks of our love and trust in God. It speaks of Him as our creator, our loving parent. It speaks of gratitude for His willingness to rescue and lead us. The Philistines present a very real threat to the children of Israel, Samuel goes to God with pure hope for His protection. With pure belief in the power of His protection. 

7:10 As Samuel is prayer, God already begins answering the prayer. The Philistines begin their march against the children of Israel and God ensures that they are so thwarted by storm that they are overcome by defeat before even reaching their target.

God is more than quick in answering our prayers (though sometimes we may not feel that way). God knows the perfect timing for everything. He can see forward, behind and all circumstances of the present simultaneously. He knows what we need and hope for and He knows how to deliver.

7:11 God weakened the Philistines so much that the children of Israel are easily able to chase their enemy away.

7:12 Samuel exhibits acknowledgment of God's help as well as gratitude. He places a stone of remembrance in the place God delivered their victory. Like Joshua had, Samuel has the idea of creating a place which will inspire the children of Israel to remember God's presence and power in their lives.

7:13 The defeat was enough for the Philistines to realize that they have no power over the children of Israel. Each of God's children has a protective barrier against enemies. His presence in our lives is made clear to those who try to trespass against us and they learn to stay away from us. The only effort we need to exert is in love and faith for Him.

7:14 Physically and figuratively, the children of Israel find recovery and restoration. They are no longer broken or brittle and neither is their home. They begin again to prosper in peace and land. The lesson for them, and us, is that despite what the way of the world may tell us, God establishes us on this earth. He establishes our prosperity and peace. The only ambition we need is to be ambitious in fulfilling the purpose of His philosophy of compassion. When we are focused on Him, He's focused on perfecting the details of our lives.

7:15 Samuel retains his position as prophet his entire life. Samuel never becomes arrogant or lustful for power or anything else. He remains faithful to our God and happily spends his life in servitude to Him. For children of God who live as servants of His will are treated like royalty by Him.

7:16 Samuel ensures that he moves throughout the region to reach each family in Israel. Samuel inspired God's word and kept it alive in people's minds and homes. Each moment we spent with God keeps us secure... but moments away from Him loosen our grip on His philosophy. Samuel's constantly travel enabled each family to remain focused on God and everything He teaches. 

7:17 Although he traveled often, Samuel also made sure to return home. In the place of his home, he made an altar for God and served as judge of Israel. Samuel's job as judge was done by hearing and solving matters in accordance with God's word. It's beautiful that although he put in many miles for gods word, he was always able to return to home base - the place where he grew up and learned to love and listen to the Lord.

Each of us, no matter what service we provide under the leadership of God, have a home base. God is pleased to provide us a home, a place to maintain and ever-strengthen our own connection with Him. All his life, Samuel never stops responding "Here am I" to God and because of that, God was always there for him.