The blessing of God was removed from the people of Israel. When the people faced an insurmountable foe they chose to run to their prowess and luck instead of trusting in God. “He has taken away the covering of Judah. In that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago. In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth; and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’” Isaiah 22:8-13

Isaiah 22 continues to tell of the events that were set in motion because of the peoples unfaithfulness to God. “The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears: ‘Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,’ says the Lord GOD of hosts.” Isaiah 22:14 The disobedience of the people caused God’s anger to be kindled and the leaders of the city were cast down. “In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way, and it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 22:25 Is there a lesson that we can apply to our lives today from this story of God’s anger being kindled? The lesson of Isaiah 22 is one of great hope to all mankind. The will of God cannot be stopped or thwarted by the schemings of man. We cannot change the will of God. What He purposes to accomplish will be brought to completion. The journey of faith we travel on will be completed by God because He is always faithful. The doubt and fear can have no hold on us because it is God who has set this journey of life in motion. Rest in the unstoppable will of God.

“Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries. Those who hate the Lord would pretend obedience to Him, and their time of punishment would be forever. But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Psalm 81:13-16  Do you feint obedience to God all the while seeking fulfillment of your own desires? There is no hope contained in the idols and gods of this sinful world. Hope is only sourced in God. The great mystery of abide in God is that as we follow Him alone we find that His path for our life is far easier than a life lived to fulfill the wicked desires of the flesh. Will you cling to God?

Emphasizing the lineage of the priests and Levites was critical upon returning to Israel with the intent to worship God again because the Levites and descendants of Aaron were set apart to minister before God. Anyone who could not prove their lineage would not be allowed to minister before God so that the anger of the Lord would not be kindled. The people in Jerusalem were seeking to adhere to the commandments of God. This returning to God would be a great source of joy.

In 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 the departure of the Levites and priest from the cities within Israel was detailed. Here in Nehemiah we see that the Levites and priest are returning to their cities. The idolatry of the forefathers of Israel prior to the exile in Babylon is cast aside as the people in unison seeking to follow God. It took seventy years of exile to turn the peoples hearts back to God. The leadership of Israel was rebuilt in during this time in Nehemiah where the people wholly desired to follow God and keep all of His commandments.

This a great moment for the people of Israel as they have returned to Jerusalem. How long will their faithfulness endure? Throughout the Old Testament the story presented shows how unfaithful and distracted the people of Israel are as time progresses and life become routine. The people go from a passionate desire to follow God to a lukewarm relationship that leads to a total disregard of God. This cycle is prevalent today where people make great professions to follow God but the routine of life is not surrendered to God and the people are drawn slowly away from God. How do we guard our lives from this slow decline? We need to cling to God with all of our being and that starts with growing to know God through regular devotional time in the Word of God.

David had nothing with him as he fled so he needed provisions and he seeks help from Ahimelech in Nob. David doesn’t tell why he is away from Saul but he expresses the urgency of his need for help to Ahimelech. The renown of David had grown throughout Israel because God had faithfully helped David as he fought for Israel. There was no reason to make Ahimelech worry as to what David was doing in Nob so food and the sword of Goliath were provided to help David on his journey. While David was talking to Ahimelech another man Doeg the Edomite, a servant of Saul, was also present waiting to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and he overheard the talk.

As David continued to flee from Saul people who were downcast, discontented, and oppressed were drawn to him because God was bringing men to David that would serve him and that he could command. There were almost 400 men that joined David but I wonder how many other people came to David along with the men. When people are counted in the Bible it always talks of the men who could go to war but that doesn’t include the children and families of these men. David’s father, mother, and brothers were also drawn to seek out David as he fled Saul. There would easily be over 800 people who were now with David. I imagine that the people coming to join David were a great encouragement to him in a time when he felt alone and feared for his life.

When Saul heard from Doeg the Edomite that David had sought out Ahimelech in Nob for assistance he sent for all the priest from Nob to come before him. Ahimelech had no idea that Saul was seeking to kill David so he had nothing to fear of Saul. Saul accuses Ahimelech and his household of siding with David to usurp the throne to which they didn’t know anything of the dispute but Saul still seeks to kill all of the priests of the Lord and the people of Nob but his guards wouldn’t lift a hand against the priests of the Lord. You would think that the unwillingness of the men serving Saul to kill the priests would clue him into the fact his actions were wrong but Saul just turns to Doeg the Edomite to put the priests and everyone living in Nob to death.

What was the oppression of Saul’s rule like for the people of Israel? Did the Israelites finally regret asking God for a king to rule over them? When Samuel anointed Saul as king over Israel he told all the people that as long as they remained faithful to God that their king would remain faithful and follow God as well. Is Saul’s disobedience a reflection of the spiritual state of Israel? Were the people drawn to David the ones who saw the wickedness of Saul?

How did David feel when he heard the news of Saul killing the priests? In 1 Samuel 22:22 David says to Abiathar, the sole survivor of Ahimelech’s family, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have brought about the death of every person in your father’s household.” Looking at David’s actions it is easy to wonder if his going to seek help from Nob had caused all of the calamity for Ahimelech’s whole family but we must not count out the truth that Saul and Doeg are wholly accountable for their actions in killing the priests of the Lord. In the end God ordained and allowed the events to happen for His own purpose and glory. I cannot fully understand God’s actions but I trust that He is sovereign in all He does and there is never a need for God to explain His purpose.

When we are faced with situations that seem to spiral out of control as David did we need to remember that God is the one who is truly in control of all that happens around us. We need to live life with a bold confidence that as we seek to love God and love the people around us that God will work everything to bring glory to Himself. This will not mean that as we follow God through life we will not doubt our direction in life or our actions but we need to always turn back to trust the fact we life for a sovereign God who is always working in our midst to fulfill his promises.

“Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22,23  The disobedience and disrespect that Saul has developed towards God becomes evident in 1 Samuel 15. When God told Saul to go and destroy the Amalekites completely not leaving anything alive his actions are contrary to God’s command because Saul and his men let the king of the Amalekites live and kept the choice of the flocks to sacrifice to God. Saul thought that what he wanted to do for God was better than what God desired him to do. Saul’s words we not marked with thanksgiving to God for what He did rather they were filled with pride at the accomplishment of his own hands. Even after confronted with his sin Saul was more concerned with what other people thought of him instead of what God thought of him. It is easy to play the role of a perfect person for a crowd of people making them admire you and look up to you all the while you are dying on the inside from a declining relationship with God. At the center of Saul’s failure was his lack of a desire to love God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength.

When Samuel confronted Saul and told him that God had rejected him as the king of Israel Saul seeks another chance to make things right but God had already chosen someone to replace Saul. In 1 Samuel 16 we follow Samuel as he heads to Bethlehem where God said the next king of Israel lived. Samuel is meeting the sons of Jesse expecting the next king to have the strengths and qualities that men look up to but God’s choice was again unexpected because David, the one chosen as the next king by God, was the least of the sons of Jesse. There is encouragement found knowing that God searches and knows the hearts of men because so often we think that what we see on the outside is all that matters in life but the treasures of God are different than what is prized by men.

The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David the day he was anointed by Samuel while the Spirit of the Lord left Saul and he was terrorized by an evil spirit from God. What does this mean that God sent an evil spirit upon Saul? God ordained or allowed Saul to be tormented by a demon, depression, or something else which points again to God’s sovereignty in all things. I find it interesting that whenever Saul was tormented by this evil spirit he was comforted by David whom the Spirit of the Lord was upon. Have you ever been around a christian who greatly encouraged you to seek and know God in a greater way? When David was around Saul did he point to God in all things and help Saul look away from himself and back to God? There is great power that God displays through christians who are wholly devoted to Him.

What do you place your hope and trust in? I implore you to seek out Jesus Christ as your only way to find lasting peace in this life. As John 3:16 explains, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” If you have not come to a point where you have placed your trust in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to find hope for today and an eternity I ask you to think about it today because this one thought and question is paramount to your future.

The conflict between the Philistines and the Israelites is escalating in 1 Samuel 13. The Philistines assembled a great host of chariots, horses, and men together in Michmash to smite the Israelites. Many people in Israel became afraid and hid in the hills and areas out of sight because of the threat. The natural inclination of the people was to use their own strength to overcome the Philistines and when that failed they hid. Where is their dependance on God in these difficult moments? I always find myself in the same place where I try everything within my power before I turn to God.

Saul stayed in Gilgal and did not hide along with the other people of Israel. At first Saul was confident in God’s ability to deliver the people which is evident because he didn’t run to hide. As people around him started to leave did he become concerned and start looking upon the number of men instead of focusing on God? Saul was waiting for Samuel to arrive and offer the sacrifice to God but he became impatient and chose to offer the sacrifice himself instead. The moment Saul finished offering the peace offering to God Samuel arrives and saying, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 1 Samuel 13:13,14  How did these words from Samuel effect Saul? In the moments of life that we perceive a need to hurry and rush we cannot overrule God’s timing for that situation. We need to rest and trust God in the face of overwhelming foes because He is faithful to deliver us in the moment of our need. We need to remember that our perception of our moment of need may not be the true moment of need that God only knows.

Even though God had placed Saul as king over Israel it didn’t instantly free Israel from the occupation of the Philistines. The men of the Israelites were kept unarmed by the Philistines through restriction of the blacksmiths within the cities of the Philistines. It is easy to think that freedom occurred instantly for the people of Israel but instead it was a process of trust and dependance upon God to offer the deliverance. What did the Israelites believe about God? The generation of Israelites living during the time of Saul and Samuel were far removed from the time of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and the conquest of the promised land. The memory of God working mightily had slipped from experience to history so the people had to learn again who God was just as the Israelites learned during their time wandering in the wilderness. I think the process of deliverance that the Israelites went through was paramount to the development of their faith and trust in God because the faithfulness God demonstrated continually became the foundation that was necessary for their trust and dependance.

As I have looked at and considered 1 Samuel 13 and 14 I have become very sad. We are completely helpless apart from God. Humanity thinks that we are so mighty and powerful but that is a lie. Strength is God’s alone and we need Him more than ever if we want to survive. The reading made me very introspective and I see that in my weakness I am completely useless and my strength is only found in Jesus Christ. I am thankful that Jesus Christ has died on the cross for me because without that hope life would be utterly futile. Praise be to God because through Jesus Christ we have hope for tomorrow.

In 1 Samuel 11 and 12 another piece is added to the grand picture of God’s work for and through the Israelites. The city of Jabesh-gilead was besieged by Nahash the Ammonite. How did the men of the city react to this danger? These men initially attempted to make a deal to serve the Ammonites but when that failed they turned to people of Israel asking if there was someone to deliver them. How often is coming to God with concerns and worries the last thing we do? We often want to expend all of our ability, resources, connections, and strength before we admit to God that we need help. God knows that we need help long before we acknowledge it to Him just as Saul was being built up before he delivered the people of Jabesh-gilead.

The news of the besieged Jabesh-gilead spread throughout Israel. When word came to Saul in Gibeah of what was happening the Spirit of God came mightily upon him and he cut up the yoke of oxen he was tending and sent the pieces throughout Israel saying “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” 1 Samuel 11:7b  This action by Saul unified the people of Israel so that they went together to deliver Jabesh-gilead. After the battle question of Saul’s ability to lead the nation of Israel was answered in a great way because he rallied the people to deliver the city. When Samuel wanted to have all those who questioned Saul’s ability as king put to death Saul said that no man would die because the Lord had accomplished this deliverance for Israel.

It was in direct defiance to God’s rule over Israel when they called for a king to rule over them. Samuel reminds the people of Israel that they were acting wickedly before God in 1 Samuel 12. He reminds the Israelites that it was God who delivered them from Egypt and gave the promised land to them. God sent thunder and rain to remind the people who He was, of His power, and their act of disobedience. A choice again is laid before the people of Israel where they can choose to follow and obey God or they can reject Him and do what is right in their own eyes as their fathers had done. “If you will fear the Lord and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the Lord, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God. If you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the command of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers. Even now, take your stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.” 1 Samuel 12:14-16  Will the people of Israel fulfill the commands in the Law of Moses by loving God and loving people or will they live a depraved life of separation from God. This is exactly the choice before all mankind today. Will you trust and believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to live or will you continue to live your life for yourself. The choice is there but only you can make a decision. Find hope in the words of wisdom that Samuel spoke to the people:

Do not fear. You have committed all this evil yet you do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit of deliver, because they are futile. For the Lord will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the Lord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider the great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.

1 Samuel 13:20-25 NASB

God is faithful to us even in the midst of our fruitless unfaithfulness before Him. I encourage you to make a choice today as to who you will serve. Will you serve yourself or will you give up authority to God by trusting in Jesus Christ as the only way to live? The choice is before you.

In 1 Samuel 9 Saul and a servant set out from Gibeah in search of his fathers donkeys that were lost. Their journey in search of these donkeys proves fruitless as they pass through the hills of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the land of Shaalim, and the land of the Benjamites at which point they finally give up the searching. Before Saul and his servant returned home they seek out a prophet who was in a nearby city to find out more information about their journey and what became of the donkeys. At this moment Saul has no expectation in life other than to head back to his father and he had no idea that God was about to change his life.

As Saul was searching for his father’s donkeys, God was already moving to change transform his life by telling Samuel that a man was coming to him that will be anointed as king over Israel. When Saul approached the city was he surprised to see Samuel coming towards him? Did people become nervous or scared around a prophet? Samuel speaks to Saul saying, “As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and all your fathers family?” 1 Samuel 9:20  What did Saul think about these words spoken by Samuel about his search for the donkeys and the desire of Israel resting upon him? Do you think Saul was confused? I imagine Saul was greatly confused by these words and to add to this confusion he was brought to the banquet and seated at the place of honor. This would have been a very strange and difficult night for Saul. Did Saul sleep peacefully through the night after all of these queer events?

In the morning Saul is anointed by Samuel and told that the Lord has made him the ruler over Israel. What did Saul think of these words? The renown of Samuel as a prophet preceded him wherever he went throughout all of Israel so Saul must have taken the words seriously but I imagine he was still nervous and fearful. Samuel proceeded to tell Saul everything that would happen as he traveled back home. Not one of the words that Samuel spoke concerning Saul’s journey failed to happen thus giving proof to the testimony that Samuel gave saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?” 1 Samuel 10:1  What was the experience like for Saul on the way home to encounter the men at the tomb of Rachel, the three men heading to offer a sacrifice, and then being filled with the Spirit of the Lord and prophesying? There may have been a sense of wonder and amazement at what God was doing around but a fear probably still grew about what the future held for  him.

Samuel calls the people together and says, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that were opposing you.’ But you have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘No, but set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and your clans.” 1 Samuel 10:18,19  What would you do if you were Saul after having the discussion previously with Samuel and then having all the words of his journey home come true? The people have rejected God as king over them demanding that a man be set as king over them and Saul was that man. Did a sense of terror come over Saul? I love what happens in the following verses where lots are cast that fall upon Saul but he cannot be found so they as God where he was and they find him hiding in the baggage. Saul was afraid and trying to hide from everything that was happening but it was futile to try and hid from God’s desire and purpose for your life. Do you ever feel like you are caught up in a situation that is beyond your control? Do you ever wish you could just hid from everything? These may have been the thoughts of Saul but he learned that it is impossible to hide from God just as it is impossible for us to run away from God’s desire for our lives. Would you have run into the situation Saul faced trusting God fully or would you be pulled kicking and screaming? When we are faced with trouble and trials in our lives we need to run into the situation trusting that God is all that we need no matter if the situation is a job search that is lasting years, a sever illness of a loved one, the disobedience of a beloved child, or the pain from the loss of a loved one. Jesus Christ has blessed us with faith as a means to overcome obstacles that we face in our lives even when the way seems unclear.

“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent” 1 Samuel 3:1  Samuel was growing up in a time where historically God had made himself known through visions, but there currently were infrequent visions from God. Is the decline of the Israelites adherence to God’s commands and statutes the reason for the lack of visions from God? Were the people not listening to God because they were so full of their own comings and goings just as it was written in Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

In Judges 3 God calls to Samuel as he sleeps in the temple of the Lord where the Ark resided saying, “Here I am.” Samuel did not yet know God so He assumed it was Eli the priest who was calling to him. Two more times God calls to Samuel as he slept when finally Eli tells Samuel that it is the Lord speaking to him. How did Samuel and Eli feel when they both knew that God was speaking? Samuel was just a boy and I would imagine he would be fearful and Eli may have been jealous to have this boy being spoken to instead of himself. God tells Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.” 1 Samuel 3:11,12  God was about to fulfill all that he promised to do to Eli in 1 Samuel 2 because of the disobedience of Hophni and Phinehas. Does the disobedience and disregard for God of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, point to bad parenting and a lack of following God on Eli’s part? I believe that some aspect of a parent’s ability to raise their children will always be evident in the behavior of the child but how much disobedience is inherent in the child? Upon hearing the words that God spoke to Samuel, how would you react if you were Eli? Would you blame shift the guilt to your sons or say that it was not fair to have this happen? Eli responds to these words from God by acknowledging that God is truly God and He can do what he chooses to do.

The words that God spoke to Samuel are played out in Judges 4 where the Israelites go to battle the Philistines. The men of Israel go to fight the Philistines and are defeated. The people cannot comprehend why they have been defeated but they assume that they will have victory if the Ark of the covenant is present. The fact that the people were not following God’s commands and that the blessing of God had been removed doesn’t occur to the men but they assume that the Ark’s presence automatically ensures God’s favor. How often do we make assumptions about our relationship with God thinking that function and practice are of greater importance than a relationship Him. The Israelites are defeated, Hophni and Phinehas are both killed, and the Ark is taken by the Philistines in fulfillment of all that God spoke to Samuel and Eli. Upon hearing that the Ark was taken Eli fell backwards from his chair and broke his neck and God was proved to be faithful to do all that He says. This is a dark time for the people of Israel. Have the Israelites fully realized that they are not abiding in God as they should and this is the reason for their troubles just as Moses’ Song foretold? The wife of Phinehas bore as son at the end of chapter 4 and named him Ichabod stating, ” The glory has departed from Israel.”

What does all of this mean for me today? I have thought a lot about what type of father I will become when I have children. Will I impart a God fearing legacy to my children and grandchildren? I need to cling God in order to even have a chance of building a God fearing legacy. I am always reminded of my favorite quote when I think about my legacy: “If my life is motivated by an ambition to leave a legacy, what I would probably leave is a legacy of ambition. But, if my life is motivated by the power of God’s spirit in me and the awareness of the indwelling Christ, if I allow His presence to guide my motives, that’s the only time I think we really leave a great legacy.” – Rich Mullins What will your legacy be? Will you stand up for what you believe and raise your children up in the fear of the Lord?

In Judges 21 the sons of Israel go to the camp of Jabesh-gilead where they put all but 400 virgins to the sword because they didn’t come to the Lord as Mizpah. The 400 virgins who were spared were then given to the 600 surviving men of the tribe of Benjamin. Was this what God would have desired? In Judges 21:14,15 it makes it seem like the men of Israel were acting on their own, “Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they kept alive from the women of Jabesh-gilead; yet they were not enough for them. And the people were sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.” The men of Israel were sorry that the Lord had blotted out most of the people from the tribe of Benjamin so they choose to solve the problem by giving some virgin women to the surviving men.

Since there were not enough women taken from Jabesh-gilead for the remnant of men from tribe of Benjamin an additional source of women is found. It seems like when you are making bad choices it is a lot easier to layer more bad choices on previous ones. The elders of Israel tell the men from Benjamin to take daughters from Shiloh as they are traveling on the road during a yearly feast. It seems like such nonsense that since they have already sinned they decide to kidnap women for wives. It seems like how irrational I am when I linger in sin making stupid decisions that are not fruitful in any way. It is amazing how if the fathers or brothers of the abducted women were to come looking for them the sons of Israel were shifting the blame of guilt off of themselves and onto the men of Shiloh. This whole idea for more wives was because the elders didn’t want the men of Benjamin to take wives from among the daughters of Israel. I think Judges 21:25 sums up the mindset found at this time within Israel, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Without strong leadership the Israelites are like wayward sheep hoping to take a swim in deep water, destined to drown without outside intervention.