Day 87: 1 Samuel 28, 29, 30 and 31

Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone (1 Samuel 28:20).

This is a tragic scene in which, I think, we see Saul acting more kingly than at any other time. Unfortunately, it is too little too late. Yes, Saul had a long history of disobedience, and yes, God has IM’ed him through Samuel’s ghost (? – that’s a whole ‘nother discussion) that his death is near.

What would you do if you were at war, responsible for leading your troops against a superior enemy, had been told that not only was God not supporting you in the battle, but that you would lose the battle and be killed in the process? I think I might resign, or at least RUN AWAY!

But Saul didn’t do that. Can you empathize with how he felt in the hours leading up to the conflict? I cannot imagine a more forlorn feeling than being responsible to lead my troops into battle, knowing the cause was hopeless and that I would meet my doom. And yet Saul manned up, ran to the fight (so to speak), and did what he had to do. This is where, in spite of his failings, Saul earns my profound respect and my heartfelt compassion.

Reminds me of the Chronicles of Narnia, where in The Horse and His Boy King Lune advises Shasta that a king must be “first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat” [4]. Maybe being king isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.

Would you want the job?

TODAY’S MEDITATION

There are leaders in your life (spiritual, professional, political, etc.) that need your prayer support. Pray for them today.

Day 86: 1 Samuel 25, 26 and 27

May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands (1 Samuel 25:33).

How many times did David have the opportunity to exact vengeance on Saul, but never did? There was the time he snuck up on Saul in the cave, and cut off the corner of his robe. Then there was the time he crept into Saul’s camp while everyone was asleep, and took Saul’s spear.

But even though most of us wouldn’t have blamed him, David refused to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.

But Nabal doesn’t fit into that category. He is a foolish man, who owes at least part of his success to David. While living in the vicinity, David’s men had protected Nabal’s flocks from thieves. When David asked Nabal for food, the wise thing would have been to comply – even if only as the cost of doing business.

When Nabal refused him, David was ready to punish him with death until Abigail inserted herself into – and defused – the situation. Thanks to Abigail, David relented from avenging himself. The next morning, when she told Nabal how close he’d come to disaster, he suffered what sounds like a stroke, which led to his death ten days later.

Lesson? This whole account brings to mind the words of Paul: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath (Romans 12:19).

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Think about a time you’ve taken revenge and later been sorry you did. Pray through Romans 12:9-21.

Day 85: 1 Samuel 22, 23 and 24

“Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will” (1 Samuel 23:12).

David retrieved Goliath’s sword from Ahimelech, which was with the ephod. Ahimelech’s possession of the ephod tells us he was the High Priest. After his death, his son Abiathar takes possession of the ephod and the office. The ephod, a kind of vest worn by the High Priest, included the Urim and Thummim, two stones used for discerning the will of God. It is likely the Urim and Thummim specifically that David is using to hear God’s voice.

When I read this passage where David asks the sacred stones a question and the stones answer, I have to admit it sometimes reminds me of the plastic 8-ball we all used to play with as kids. Q: Will I get a new bike for Christmas? A: Unclear at this time. Not a fair comparison.

For hundreds of years, this had been God’s chosen way of communicating his will to his people, and equating it with something as mundane and benign as a plastic 8-ball would be at the very least unfair.

God encouraged his followers to seek his will, but Saul did not make inquiring of the Lord his habit. Rather, he let paranoia make his decisions, and when he finally did inquire of the Lord, there was no answer. David had a different kind of relationship with God, and when David consulted God, God was pleased to answer.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

When’s the last time God spoke to you? When’s the last time you stopped to listen? What is he speaking to you today?

Day 84: 1 Samuel 19, 20 and 21

The sword of Goliath the Philistine . . . is here (1 Samuel 21:9).

Ahimelech the priest was scared when David showed up. I’m sure the tension between Saul and David was no secret, but after his initial discomfort, the priest provided David and his men with a meal. After eating, it was time to go, but first David asked if there were any available weapons. And did Ahimelech have a weapon or what? He pointed David to the sword of Goliath. There is none like it; give it to me (v. 9).

The very blade that had been raised against David in the Valley of Elah, he would now wield against his enemies. I don’t want to stretch this too far, but I’m encouraged to know the very thing that my enemy would use to destroy me, may with God’s help be a weapon I can use to counter-attack him in the future. I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

On a sadder note, there should have been suspenseful music playing at the comment: One of Saul’s servants (Doeg the Edomite) was there that day (v. 7). I’ve watched enough movies to recognize the foreshadowing and dramatic tension present in that line.

When Satan has you up against the ropes, will you surrender or give God everything you’ve got, including your weaknesses?

TODAY’S MEDITATION

What weakness of yours could God transform into a strength? Submit your weaknesses to God and thank him for how he will use them for your good.

Day 83: 1 Samuel 16, 17 and 18

Abner, whose son is that young man? (1 Samuel 17:55).

In chapter 16, Saul is looking for a musician/therapist to ease his troubled mind. He hears about David, and Saul has the young man brought to him. David interviews with the CEO who takes a liking to him, and Saul offers David the job.

Then comes chapter 17 and a little altercation between Israel and Philistia, which is more commonly referred to as the story of David and Goliath. Once the outcome is decided, Saul asks his general to do a background check on David, whom Saul apparently does not know. Then in chapter 18, after Abner has found out about David’s family and where he comes from, Saul offers David a job. Wait...

Just one of those things that makes me say, Hmmm...

In 2 Samuel 21:19 it’s Elhanan (another son of Bethlehem) who is credited with Goliath’s death (I mean how many giants named Goliath does Philistia have anyway?), although the parallel passage from 1 Chronicles 20:5 reports that Goliath’s brother is killed by Elhanan, and not Goliath himself.

Hmmm...

Of course if it was Elhanan who killed Goliath – and not David – that would explain why Saul needed to be introduced to the giant killer (chapter 17) even though David was already a trusted member of his court.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

What do we do with difficulties like this? Must we reconcile every jot and tittle before we can sense God in the text? Pray over 2 Timothy 3:16,17.

Day 82: 1 Samuel 13, 14 and 15

[Saul] has set up a monument in his own honor (1 Samuel 15:12).

You know the old saying: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”? Maybe that’s what happened to Saul; I don’t know, but something changed. More than one biblical scholar has suggested Saul was mentally unstable – no big surprise there, but it probably doesn’t figure in our case study for today.

When he was first anointed by Samuel, he seemed to have been God’s man for the job, but over time something happened. In the beginning he was humble and even a little shy. When they looked for [Saul], he had disappeared. So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?” And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage” (NIV 1984, 1 Samuel 10:21,22).

After rescuing the people of Jabesh Gilead, and celebrating victories over the Philistines (due to Jonathan’s heroic and unexpected attack) and the Amalekites, this once humble man started to believe his own press, and even dedicated a statue to himself.

How does he has hidden himself among the baggage become he has set up a monument in his own honor?

What is it about success that changes a person? Is it the financial reward? Is it the acclaim? Must accomplishment inevitably bring a sense of entitlement? Is this kind of thing always connected to power and privilege? Could this happen to us?

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Acknowledging that God knows you better than anyone, from what pitfalls of success might he be protecting you?

Day 81: 1 Samuel 10, 11 and 12

Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, “By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued” (1 Samuel 11:9).

This is actually the second of three installments in the story of Jabesh Gilead. You remember Jabesh in Gilead.

Episode One: The tribe of Benjamin was in trouble for a heinous crime perpetrated by a few of its members. When the tribes of Israel united against Benjamin, nearly bringing it to the point of extinction (Judges 19-20), Jabesh did not join the fight. After Israel realized how close it had come to losing one of its tribes altogether, Jabesh was attacked and its young women given to Benjamin as wives.

And where did Saul hail from? You got it. He was from the tribe of Benjamin.

Episode Two: In this story, Jabesh Gilead (it must have risen from the ashes) was besieged by the Ammonites. When word of their plight reached Saul, the new king of Israel realized his first test had arrived. To make a long and confusing story short, Saul led Israel’s fighting men and rescued Jabesh. Saul’s kingship, which had up to that point been received unenthusiastically at best, was strengthened and acclaimed by everyone.

Episode Three: This is the tear-jerker. Rather than tell you the story, I’ll let you read it for yourself: 1 Samuel 31:11-13. How the mighty have fallen. Saul, in spite of his failings, was honored by many.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

When the pieces of your life seem disconnected and incongruous, entrust them to God. Imagine him putting the pieces together in his own time.

Day 80: 1 Samuel 7, 8 and 9

Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have (1 Samuel 8:5).

Israel was unlike any other nation, enjoying a relationship with God unlike any other nation. But falling for the first rule of coveting: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, Israel decided it didn’t want what it had. Israel wanted what everyone else had. Remember Judges 21:25? In those days Israel had no king. They wanted a king – someone they could see, hear and touch.

The truth is: Israel had a king since the days on the Plains of Moab, waiting to cross the Jordan. They had made a covenant acknowledging God as their king. The Deuteronomic Covenant between Israel and Yahweh was modeled after treaties made between a king and his vassal (subject nation). God was the king and Israel was the subject.

In verse seven, God speaks to Samuel: They have rejected me as their king. Did Israel have any idea what it was giving up, and what it was getting itself into?

Deuteronomy 17 serves as a warning to Israel regarding the dangers of choosing a king over God and provides guidelines for kingly behavior. 1 Kings 10 and 11 paints a picture of Solomon depicting the mirror image of everything the nation had been warned against.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Does what your neighbor has look better to you than what you have? Ask God to help you appreciate his many blessings in your life. A gratitude list is a good place to start.

Day 79: 1 Samuel 4, 5 and 6

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died (1 Samuel 4:18).

Today’s reading details the battle of Shiloh, in which the army of Israel suffered a devastating loss, Eli’s sons were killed, and the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines.

One thing that amazes me about this story is Eli’s response to bad news. This is how the news was broken to Israel’s priest: 1) The battle was lost and Israel suffered heavy casualties; 2) your sons were killed; and 3) the ark was captured.

Give me some leeway as I imagine it just a little different:

Eli: Tell me; don’t hold anything back.

Runner: Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead…

Eli: And the ark?

Runner: The ark of God has been captured.

I’m sure Eli loved his children, but it was the news about the ark that proved too much for him to handle. Upon hearing of its capture, he fell over and died... of course he could have died and fallen over.

For another perspective on this story, read Psalm 78:56-64.

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Reflect on how you can more fully value God’s presence, without having to lose it to learn your lesson.

Day 78: 1 Samuel 1, 2 and 3

In those days the word of the Lord was rare (1 Samuel 3:1).

Let’s examine the climate into which Samuel is born. We’ve recently completed Judges, in which the theme was, In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit (Judges 21:25). Consider the conditions that came from the time of the judges.

Israel was experiencing a spiritual drought. Eli (the High Priest) was a decent sort of fellow, even though his spiritual discernment was weak and his parenting was weaker. When Hannah was praying at the tabernacle, Eli was so spiritually thick that he mistook the cries of her heart for being drunk and disorderly.

Notice that Hannah is described as barren. In the Bible, this almost always foreshadows that something of significance is about to happen. Joseph, Samson and Samuel all share that distinction of being born of barren women.

Also consider the transitional role that Samuel is about to play: the last judge and the first prophet of Israel. He will usher in the monarchial period by anointing not only the first, but also the second king to rule the nation.

He revealed himself to Samuel through his word (3:21).

In those days the word of the Lord was rare. These days most people have a Bible sitting somewhere gathering dust. Know what I’m saying?

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Ask God to reveal himself to you through his Word, and for the Scriptures to come alive in your spirit. Consider what he’s been saying to you.

Day 87: 1 Samuel 28, 29, 30 and 31

Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone. (1 Samuel 28:20)

This is a tragic scene in which, I think, we see Saul acting more kingly than at any other time. Unfortunately, it is too little too late. Yes, Saul had a long history of disobedience, and yes, God has IM'ed him through Samuel's ghost (?) that his death is near.

What would you do if you were at war, responsible for leading your troops against a superior enemy, had been told that not only was God not supporting you in the batlle, but that you would lose the battle and be killed in the process? I think I might resign, or at least RUN AWAY!

But Saul didn't do that. Can you empathize with how he felt in the hours leading up to the conflict? I cannot imagine a more forlorn feeling than being responsible to lead my troops into battle, knowing the cause was hopeless and that I would meet my doom. And yet Saul manned up, ran to the fight (so to speak), and did what he had to do. This is where, in spite of his failings, Saul earns my profound respect and my heartfelt compassion.

Reminds me of the Chronicles of Narnia, where Aslan advises Peter that a king must be the first to advance, and the last to retreat. Maybe being king isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.

Would you want the job?

Day 86: 1 Samuel 25, 26 and 27

May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. (1 Samuel 25:33)

How many times did David have the opportunity to exact vengeance on Saul, but never did? There was the time he snuck up on Saul in the cave, and cut off the corner of his robe. Then there was the time he crept into Saul’s camp while everyone was asleep, and took Saul’s spear.

But even though most of us wouldn’t have blamed him, David refused to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.

But Nabal doesn't fit into that category. He is a foolish man, who owes at least part of his success to David. David’s men had protected Nabal’s flocks from thieves. When David asked Nabal for food, the wise thing would have been to comply – even if only as the cost of doing business.

When Nabal refused him, David was ready to punish him with death until Abigail inserted herself into – and defused – the situation. Thanks to Abigail, David relented from avenging himself. The next morning, when she told Nabal how close he'd come to disaster, he suffered what sounds like a stroke, which led to his death ten days later.

Lesson? This whole account brings to mind the words of Paul: Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath (Romans 12:19).

Have you ever left the vengeance to God and been glad you did?

Day 85: 1 Samuel 22, 23 and 24

"Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?" And the Lord said, "They will." (1 Samuel 23:12)

David retrieved Goliath's sword from Ahimelech, which was with the ephod. Ahimelech’s possession of the ephod tells us he was the High Priest. After his death, his son Abiathar takes possession of the ephod and the office. The ephod, worn by the High Priest, included the Urim and Thummim, two stones used for discerning the will of God. It is likely the Urim and Thummim specifically that David is using to hear God's voice.

When I read this passage where David asks the sacred stones a question, and the stones answer, I have to admit it reminds me of the plastic 8-ball we all used to play with as kids. Q: Will I get a new bike for Christmas? A: Unclear at this time.

For hundreds of years, this had been God's chosen way of communicating his will to his people, and should not be diminished by equating it with something as mundane and benign as a plastic 8-ball. God encouraged his followers to seek his will, but Saul did not make a habit of inquiring of the Lord. He let his paranoia make his decisions. When he finally did inquire of the Lord, there was no answer. David had a different kind of relationship with God, and when David consulted God, God was pleased to answer.

When’s the last time God spoke to you?

Day 84: 1 Samuel 19, 20 and 21

The sword of Goliath the Philistine . . . is here. (1 Samuel 21:9)

Ahimelech the priest was scared when David showed up. I’m sure the tension between Saul and David was no secret. After his initial discomfort, the priest provided David and his men with a meal. After eating it was time to go, but first David asked if there were any available weapons. And did Ahimelech have a weapon or what? He pointed David to the sword of Goliath. There is none like it; give it to me.

The very blade that had been raised against David in the Valley of Elah, he would now wield against his enemies. I don't want to stretch this too far, but I'm encouraged to know the very thing that my enemy would use to destroy me, may with God’s help be a weapon I can use to attack him in the future. I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

On a sadder note, there should have been suspenseful music playing at the comment: One of Saul's servants (Doeg the Edomite) was there that day. I've watched enough movies to recognize the foreshadowing and dramatic tension present in that line.

When Satan has you up against the ropes, will you surrender, or give God everything you’ve got, including your weaknesses?

What weakness of yours could God transform into a strength, allowing you to go on the offensive?

Day 83: 1 Samuel 16, 17 and 18

Abner, whose son is that young man? (1 Samuel 17:55)

In chapter 16, Saul is looking for a musician/therapist to ease his troubled mind. He hears about David, and Saul has the young man brought to him. David interviews with the CEO who takes a liking to him, and Saul offers David the job.

Then comes chapter 17 and a little altercation between Israel and Philistia, which is more commonly referred to as the story of David and Goliath. Once the outcome is decided, Saul asks his general to do a background check on David, whom Saul apparently does not know. Then in chapter 18, after Abner has found out about David's family and where he comes from, Saul offers David a job. Wait...

Just one more of those things that makes me say, Hmmm...

In 2 Samuel 21:19 it’s Elhanan (another son of Bethlehem) who is credited with Goliath's death (I mean how many giants named Goliath does Philistia have anyway?), although the parallel passage from 1 Chronicles 20:5 reports that Goliath's brother is killed by Elhanan, and not Goliath himself.

Hmmm...

Of course if it was Elhanan who killed Goliath, (and not David) that would explain why Saul needed to be introduced to the giant killer in chapter 17, even though David was already a trusted member of his court.

What do we do with difficulties like this? Must we reconcile every jot and tittle before we can sense God in the text?

Day 82: 1 Samuel 13, 14 and 15

[Saul] has set up a monument in his own honor. (1 Samuel 15:12)

You know the old saying: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Maybe that's what happened to Saul; I don't know, but something changed. More than one biblical scholar has suggested Saul was mentally unstable – no big surprise there, but it probably doesn’t figure in our case study for today.

When he was first anointed by Samuel, he seemed to have been God's man for the job, but over time something happened. In the beginning he was humble and even a little shy. When they looked for [Saul], he was not to be found. So they inquired further of the Lord, "Has the man come here yet?" And the Lord said, "Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage" (1 Samuel 10:21,22).

After rescuing the people of Jabesh Gilead, and celebrating victories over the Philistines (due to Jonathan's heroic and unexpected attack) and the Amalekites, this once humble man started to believe his own press, and even dedicated a statue to himself.

How does “he has hidden himself among the baggage” become “he has set up a monument in his own honor”?

What is it about success that changes a person? Is it the financial reward? Is it the acclaim? Must accomplishment inevitably bring a sense of entitlement? Is this kind of thing always connected to power and privilege? Could this happen to us?

How will you protect yourself from the pitfalls of success?

Day 81: 1 Samuel 10, 11 and 12

Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, “By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be delivered.” (1 Samuel 11:9)

This is actually the second of three installments in the story of Jabesh Gilead. You remember Jabesh in Gilead. Episode One: The tribe of Benjamin was in trouble for a heinous crime perpetrated by a few of its members. When the tribes of Israel united against Benjamin, nearly bringing it to the point of extinction (Judges 19-20), Jabesh did not join the fight. After Israel realized how close it had come to losing one of its tribes altogether, Jabesh was attacked and its young women given to Benjamin as wives.

And where did Saul hail from? You got it. He was from the tribe of Benjamin.

In this story (Episode Two), Jabesh Gilead (it must have risen from the ashes) was besieged by the Ammonites. When word of their plight reached Saul, the new king of Israel realized his first test had arrived. To make a long, confusing story short, Saul led Israel’s fighting men and rescued Jabesh. Saul’s kingship, which had up to that point been received unenthusiastically at best, was strengthened and acclaimed by everyone.

Episode Three is the tear-jerker. Rather than tell you the story, I’ll let you read it for yourself: 1 Samuel 31:11-13. How the mighty have fallen. Saul, in spite of his failings, was honored by many.

Have you ever been blessed at a later date by a visit from your past?

Day 80: 1 Samuel 7, 8 and 9

Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have. (1 Samuel 8:5)

Israel was unlike any other nation, enjoying a relationship with God unlike any other nation. But falling for the first rule of coveting: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, Israel decided it didn't want what it had. Israel wanted what everyone else had. Remember Judges 21:25? In those days Israel had no king. They wanted a king – someone they could see, hear and touch.

The truth is, Israel had a king since the days on the Plains of Moab, waiting to cross the Jordan. They had made a covenant acknowledging God as their king. The Deuteronomic Covenant between Israel and Yahweh was modeled after treaties made between a king and his vassal (subject nation). God was the king and Israel was the subject nation.

In verse 7, God speaks to Samuel: They have rejected me as their king. Did Israel have any idea what it was giving up, and what it was getting itself into?

Deuteronomy 17 serves as a warning to Israel regarding the dangers of choosing a king over God and provides guidelines for kingly behavior. 1 Kings 10 and 11 paints a picture of Solomon depicting a mirror image of everything the nation had been warned against.

When's the last time you were tempted to trade what you have for what your neighbors have? How'd that work out for you?

Day 79: 1 Samuel 4, 5 and 6

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died. (1 Samuel 4:18)

Today's reading details the battle of Shiloh, in which the army of Israel suffered a devastating loss, Eli's sons were killed, and the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines.

One thing that amazes me about this story is Eli’s response to bad news. This is how the news was broken to Israel’s priest: 1) The battle was lost and Israel suffered heavy casualties; 2) your sons were killed; and 3) the ark was captured.

Give me some leeway as I imagine it just a little different:

Eli: Tell me; don't hold anything back.

.

Runner: Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead…

Eli: And the ark?

Runner: The ark of God has been captured.

I'm sure Eli loved his children, but it was the news about the ark that proved too much for him to handle. Upon hearing of its capture, he fell over and died... of course he could have died and fallen over.

For another perspective on this story, read Psalm 78:56-64.

Could there be any more devastating loss than the presence of God?

Day 78: 1 Samuel 1, 2 and 3

In those days the word of the Lord was rare. (1 Samuel 3:1)

Let's examine the climate into which Samuel is born. We've recently completed Judges, in which the theme was, In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit (Judges 21:25). Consider the conditions that came from the time of the judges.

Israel was experiencing a spiritual drought. Eli (the High Priest) was a decent sort of fellow, even though his spiritual discernment was weak and his parenting was weaker. When Hannah was praying at the tabernacle, Eli was so spiritually thick that he mistook the cries of her heart for being drunk and disorderly.

Notice that Hannah is described as barren. In the Bible, this almost always foreshadows that something of significance is about to happen. Joseph, Samson and Samuel all share that distinction of being born of barren women.

Also consider the transitional role that Samuel is about to play. He is the last judge and the first prophet of Israel. He will usher in the monarchial period by anointing not only the first, but also the second king who will rule over the nation.

No Extra Charge: He revealed himself to Samuel through his word (1 Samuel 3:21).

In those days the word of the Lord was rare. These days most people have a Bible sitting around somewhere gathering dust? Know what I’m saying?

In reading God's word, what has he revealed about himself to you?