1 samuel 20 - prosperity?

When David first came on the scene, everything seemed to go very well for him. He was successful in everything he did as God blessed him. Everything seemed to be working nicely towards him becoming king. But now we start to enter a (long) time when David is running for his life, a long way from being the next king and looking as if it's all gone wrong. What would the believers of the prosperity gospel do here? Say that David didn't have enough faith? God is with David during period of difficulty he is about to enter just as much as he was when he was killing Goliath or collecting Philistine foreskins! And God uses this time to continue to develop David's character in preparation for being King. What can we learn from this? Things that God has promised us may not be about to happen immediately - he may need to shape us first. Following Jesus does not mean everything will be nice and easy for the rest of your life, it might turn out to be the opposite - but God is with you. This chapter finishes with Jonathan telling David to "go in peace". How can he be peaceful in this sort of situation? Because the peace that God gives us is not based on our external circumstances but on what Jesus being with us.

1 Samuel 19 - protection

In this chapter, God protects David three different times in three completely different ways. Firstly, through Jonathan talking to Saul, secondly through a plan involving an idol covered in goats hair and thirdly by ambushing Saul and his men with a worship service! Why does God do it like this? Who knows? Sometimes He uses people (Jonathan and Michal) , sometimes He bypasses them completely. Hopefully I'll never be running for my life and need this variety of God's help, but I can be secure in the fact that God is in charge and He will protect me. In a situation that may seem impossible to me, and I can't work out a way out of it, God's probably choosing from a long list of options!

For more on the interesting worship service, see an earlier post on this chapter here.

1 samuel 18 - jealousy

David is now seemingly successful in everything he does while Saul's plans result in increasing frustration, jealousy and fear. The difference is God. David is not successful because he is the man, he is successful because God's favour is on Him. It's all God's grace.

We start to see David and Jonathan's friendship develop in this chapter and where as Saul is envious of David, Jonathan is an example in humility. We see a good example of what it means to put others ahead of yourself in humility. When I see God blessing someone like David do I get jealous like Saul? Or do a rejoice with them, like Jonathan?

1 samuel 17 - strength?

The story of David and Goliath is well known, but the popular, commonly known version seems to miss a few things out. For example, kids in Sunday school never hear about the bit when David hacks Goliaths head off! More importantly, God is rarely mentioned when people retell this story, even though, as far as David is concerned, God is the main focus.

David vs Goliath gets used as an underdog tale - "David took what skills he had and conquered the giant, If you believe in the abilities you've got then you can conquer the giant obstacles in your life" It's like a motivational pep-talk to get you to believe in yourself. The reality of what happened is very different. David sums up the point when he says to Goliath...

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." (v45-47)

As far as David was concerned, this was not an example of his abilities or strength, or strength of character. This is an example of God's strength in David's weakness. David was not a match for Goliath. David didn't not win because he had self belief, he won because he believed in the strength of God. The answer for my problems is not to believe harder that I can overcome them, it's to believe in the God that can.

1 Samuel 16 - nothing to hide?

God tells Samuel something in verse 7 that he needed to here, Saul needed to hear, the Pharisees needed to hear, I need to hear. Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. In this case, physical appearance was unimportant for the next king (David was also good looking, but that wasn't the important thing), in our case we are obsessed with our image and reputation - what other people see and think about us, trying desperately to show everyone the good stuff about ourselves while hiding the things we're ashamed of. God looks at our heart. There's no hiding place. He sees all the stuff that we work so hard to keep people from knowing. And He still came to earth and died for us. That's the beauty of the gospel.

God's spirit leaves Saul, the only time in the bible when the Holy Spirit is specifically said to have left someone, and is replaced by an evil spirit "from the Lord". This seems strange, but is this just God's next attempt to get Saul's attention so that he repents? Time after time, Saul has turned his back on God, is God allowing an evil spirit to torment him (and soothing him throught the Holy Sirit filled David) just another act of mercy from God, to potentially push Saul towards repentance? Similarly, God sends a locust plague in Joel to drive the people to repentance and back to Him. The short term effects of the locust plague were devastating, but the long term result of reconcilliation with God is far better.

1 Samuel 15 - obedience

This chapter starts with God's command for Saul to wipe out a group of people. Because this seems so shocking, it can sometimes obscure the main point of this story, which comes out later in the passage. However, that's not to say it's unimportant. Firstly, these were not innocent people being wiped out by a cruel God, this was a group of people who had turned their back on God (despite 300 years of him being "slow to anger") and were getting justice. Even so, we are not supposed to look at this and think "nice one God, give them what they deserve", because we deserve the same! This story should be shocking to us, but no more shocking than the fact that thousands of people will die today without knowing God. This is sin and death close up and whether it takes place with a sword or in your sleep, an eternity of separation from God is terrifying stuff.

Moving on, Saul does not fully obey and gives a load of excuses to Samuel while not seeming to get the point that God will not delight in an offering that resulted from disobeying His command. So Samuel spells it out for him in v22-23. This is what Saul hasn't understood since very early in his reign, that obedience is better than sacrifice. Does Saul really repent in the little exchange that follows? Or are his true motives revealed in v30 when he pleads with Samuel to honour him in front of the elders? Is he just looking after his reputation?

God isn't impressed with my "sacrifices", with the amount of hours I've put in of prayer, or at church. He wants my heart. And where is my heart? Is it broken before him, repenting of sin and experiencing his forgiveness, or is it too concerned with my own reputation?

1 Samuel 14 - if you want something enough...

At the start of this chapter, Jonathan gives us a good example of faith in God. While Saul (the king who God has rejected) sits under a pomegranate tree with Ahijah (the priest from the line rejected by God) taking it easy, Jonathan and his armour bearer are pro-active and put themselves in a position where God might do something. The common understanding of faith seems to be that it's just believing something really hard so that it comes true or God does it. It's like the people on the X factor who have "faith" that they can be the next big thing when what they mean is that they just want it really badly. In Christian circles this can end up in believing that the healing didn't happen because we didn't have enough faith etc. Jonathan shows us solid faith in God in v6 - God can do it, perhaps he will. Faith is not presuming that God will do something, it's knowing that He can do it and asking Him to, because perhaps He will. We pray about our needs with faith in the one who we are praying to, but we also pray "your will be done".

Saul's superstitious religion shows up again later in the chapter - surely making the army fast all day will guarantee a victory! Fasting is good, but it doesn't force God's hand, in the same way that the ark didn't (ch4) or the sacrifice didn't (ch13) or prayer doesn't or church attendance doesn't or leading a good life doesn't. Those things are all good, but they are not bargaining chips with God, and Saul's reliance on them puts the men in a position when they end up sinning as a result. Who is responsible for their sin? They are responsible for their own sin, of course, but it's clear that Saul is also responsible. Pride also comes in again, with Saul's refusal to admit he was wrong almost leading to the execution of his son.

So how does this apply to me. Do I pray with faith in the prayer or faith in the one I'm praying to? What does it take to get me to admit I was wrong?

1 Samuel 13 - under pressure

When you are under pressure, aspects of your character that you may normally be able to keep hidden come out. Saul is under pressure here, the people are panicking, Samuel doesn't seem to be coming, what is he going to do? In this pressurised situation two aspect of Saul's character come out - pride and religion. The pride that he shows is not arrogance, but taking matters into his own hands rather than do what God has asked. He took matters into his own hands - possibly to protect his reputation (he was the king, does he really need to wait around for Samuel), possibly because he couldn't wait for god's timing (despite specific instructions from Samuel in ch10). The pride also shows up when he is confronted about his sin by Samuel and gives his excuse - I saw, I thought, I forced myself. It was all evaluated by himself, rather than humble reliance on God.

Secondly, in doing the sacrifice himself, he is demonstrating a religious attitude that places the religious routines ahead of God Himself. In the same way that the Israelites in ch4 thought that the ark would save them instead of looking to the God of the ark, Saul thinks the sacrifice is what they need when actually it is God that they need. And God, as Saul will be told in a few chapters time, desires obedience more than sacrifice.

Where do I show pride by backing myself to sort a situation out or by justifying my actions? When do I rely on routines and rituals to "buy" me favour with God?

1 Samuel 12 - the gospel according to idols

At the end of Samuels speech reminding the people of what God has done for them in the past and how they rejected Him in demanding a human king, the people recognise their sin and cry out for Samuel to pray for them. He responds with an interesting little bit of information about idols: "Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless." (v22). That's the thing with idols, they don't confront you with your sin, they don't ask for repentance, but when you recognise how broken you are, they also can't offer any help. Samuel tells the people not to be afraid, not because they haven't done anything wrong (he reaffirms the fact they have done evil in the same sentence!) but because God is good. We have sinned, but god is good. That's the gospel, and if we miss half of it, we've missed the full thing.

1 Samuel 11 - angry?

"the spirit of God rushed upon Saul and he burned with anger (v6)"

Of all the things that the Holy Spirit does, anger is not one of the first things people tend to think of. This is probably because when i get angry it tends to be selfish - something hasn't gone the way I wanted it to. That kind of anger is sinful, but not all anger is - Jesus got angry but never sinned. The anger that the Holy Spirit produces in Saul is not selfish - it is a response to oppression of God's people and results in action. My anger is in response to myself and results in self pity - that is not the work of the Holy Spirit! Too often i am totally unmoved by injustice. Those are the times that I need righteous anger stirred up in me producing action.

Towards the end of the chapter we see (possibly for the last time) humility in Saul. He's just won an important battle, his supporters are lapping him up, it looks like a good time to punish the people who doubted him or at least say "i told you so". Saul doesn't. he focuses the attention back on God. When things are seemingly going well for me, am I trying to put the attention onto God?

1 Samuel 10 - a changed heart

God gave Saul a new heart (v9). This is what happens to us in the exchange of our sin for Jesus' righteousness. God changes our heart. When we look at sins we continue to commit, or sinful attitudes we continue to have, the answer isn't to try harder, it is to ask God to continue to regenerate our heart. everything we do, say and think flows from what is in our heart and that is where we need God to work on us.

It's interesting to note that when Saul is proclaimed king, that some people were not happy with it, even though at this point Saul appeared to be a good candidate. There is still that attitude towards Jesus, even though He is the perfect King, some people still say "how can he save us?", "how can He rule over us?". This displays an arrogance in us that thinks we know best, that thinks we are the best person for the job of king in our lives. What is the solution? We need God to change our heart!

1 Samuel 9 - random events?

In chapter 9, God introduces Samuel to the man who is going to become king. How does He do it? Through a series of "random" events - donkeys go missing, Saul goes looking for them, someone suggests going to ask the "seer" about it, the servant happens to have some money on him. Why does God do it like that? Who knows? But things that seem random to me now can be used by God for all sorts of things. That's why I need to be alert to what God wants me to do now, today, not just always looking to the big thing in the future.

1 Samuel 8 - everyone else is doing it

In chapter 8, the people decide that they want a king like all the surounding nations. This is a similar situation to the ark in chapter 4. The people recognise there is a problem (ch4 - defeat in battle, ch 8 Samuel's sons not doing their job properly), but instead of crying out to God for His solution they ask for their own solution (ch4 - the ark, ch 8 - a king). They are happy for God to help, as long as he helps in the way they have already decided they should be helped. They think they know better than God for a solution to their current situation. How often do I do that?!

The description of the king that Samuel gives is just what a good king would do, many would be far worse and have the people as practical slaves. How often do we do this? Looking around at what everybody else is doing and desiring that "freedom" when in actual fact it is slavery. Coming under God's rule, having Him as our King is the only way to be truly free.

1 samuel 7 - turn around

The people repent in chapter 7. This involves acknowledging that they have sinned (v6) and also involved physical action - removing the altars and idols. I can imagine saying, "well I wont worship the idols any more, but I don't need to physically destroy them do I?". Real repentance involves taking any action you can take to stop doing whatever it is you are doing. That's not to say that it's our effort that can defeat sin, it can't. But if there's no desire to change anything, there is no repentance.

This time, the people rely on God Himself when they are in trouble and He rescues them. They have stopped looking to religion and have turned to God.

Samuel then goes on to build an altar to remind them what God has done. This is a constant theme throughout the old testament - God does something, you build an altar to remember it. When I'm totally caught up in whatever situation is going wrong at the moment, I need to look at the altars and remember what God has done. In the middle of this chapter the people ask Samuel to pray for them and he offers up a sacrifice. this was good, but was just an imperfect reflection of what Jesus eventually did perfectly and permanantly - He died as a sacrifice for all our sins in the past and in the future and allows us access to God - we don't need Samuel to intercede for us because Jesus is constantly doing that (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25), and we can approach Him oursleves