Monday - 1 Samuel 19 - David the Invincible

Saul wanted David dead, but God wanted him alive. Who wins conflicts like that? One of the tools that God used to help protect David was Saul's own son, Jonathan. He warned David about the continuing danger and even spoke up for David and defended him before Saul... with some temporary success. And so, for a while David and Saul got along ok. But, although David served him well, once an evil spirit came over Saul, he returned to his former hatred for David and again tried to kill him. It was a pattern of love and hate that would continue between the 2 men for a long time.

In this chapter, it is recorded that Saul tried to impale David with his javelin, just as he had attempted earlier. Then he sent soldiers to kill David in his bed. If it hadn't been for Michal (his wife) warning him and helping him to escape through a window, he would have died there in his own home, or he would have been brought to Saul to be murdered at the hand of the king.

But, by God's grace he escaped to Naioth to stay with the prophet Samuel. When Saul tried to kill him there, God prevented it by miraculously causing Saul and all of his helpers to be overcome with the power of the Holy Spirit so much so that they virtually lost control of themselves and couldn't carry out their own intentions. So, in the will of God, David was invincible.

Week Off

Because all of our assemblies were canceled yesterday at GBC, there will be no posts this week.  Some of our readers depend on the hard copy insert from the bulletin and we don't want to leave them out.  Find a chapter on you own to read each day and trust God to guide you.  See you back here next Monday!

Saturday - 1 Samuel 18 - David Eclipses Saul... and Jonathan

Here we discover that Prince Jonathan became David's closest friend... but, King Saul became his worst enemy.  At first David was viewed by Saul as a wonderful contributor to his court.  Saul even exalted him to a high rank in his military, but it didn't last.  When it became obvious that David’s popularity and ability had surpassed the king's - David became a target of Saul's insane and violent jealousy. Although Saul didn't know factually that David had been selected as his replacement, the suspicion of it flowed over Saul like a flood. Twice Saul attempted to kill David while David was in his presence serving him.  So, Saul sent him out of his court into a field position as the captain over 1,000 soldiers. But, even there David's popularity grew... as did Saul's fear of him.

If I had to pick a favorite incident from this scene it would have to be the development of the friendship between David and Jonathan. I Samuel 18:4 paints a powerful portrait of brotherly love as it describes how Jonathan took off his fine royal military uniform and gave it to David to wear. It was very symbolic of the reality of what God was really doing in Israel at that time.

Friday - 1 Samuel 17 - Goliath

Sometimes the most well-known stories in the Bible can be the more difficult to interpret and apply BECAUSE they are so familiar. Yet, perhaps we can find something fresh and new here. If not, let's not lose sight of the old spiritual lessons that should be obvious.

Now, in the last chapter we left David standing in a royal place holding Saul's shield... or playing a harp. However, I Samuel 17:15 tells us that David did not stay with Saul. He returned home to take care of his father's sheep. Meanwhile Saul went to war again against an attacking force of Philistines. Among the soldiers on the Philistine side was a strong man who was almost 10 feet tall. Alone, this giant named Goliath struck fear into the hearts of the Jews.  But, Goliath was nothing more than an opportunity for God to manifest His power and to catapult David into a prominent position in the nation.

There are many interesting subthemes in this story. David's interaction with his brothers, with Goliath, with Saul... it's all very interesting. How about David's willingness to attempt to go in Saul's armor (which he would have been very familiar with... as Saul’s former armor bearer)? The return of David with Goliath's head in his hand after the battle; there's a mind boggling scene. But what is the most basic lesson to be learned here? Here it is: faith in God and spiritual courage can bring victory over any enemy, no matter what the odds.

David came upon the battle scene innocently. But, when he heard the blasphemy of Goliath and realized that nobody was doing anything about it, he volunteered. And, with just a staff, a sling and some stones, David went out alone to conquer Israel's foe. And, conquer he did. Not only that, but the whole army of Israel took courage after the decapitation of Goliath and so they too went forward into battle (after having remained for many weeks previously in cowardice and fear).

Thursday - 1 Samuel 16 - Enters stage right: David!

Under cover as if he was just going to make a sacrifice, Samuel was sent by God to ordain a new king for Israel. This happened while the old king was still in power. It was risky business for the old prophet. Samuel already knew enough about Saul's ideals to fear that Saul would kill him if he found out what he was up to over in Bethlehem of Judah.

So, along with all the leaders of Bethlehem, Samuel went to the house of one, Jesse. We must assume that this occasion was incredibly significant, since long after these incidents we can find God referring to Himself as "the root and the offspring of David" (Revelation 22:16 & 5:5) and even as the "root of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:10 & Romans 15:12).

Now, Samuel was quite surprised by God's choice. God did not pick the oldest son of Jesse nor the most attractive. He picked the baby of the family, a rough young man named David. Not that David was particularly unattractive, but his appearance was not the basis of his selection. It was his heart.  In I Samuel 16:7 God instructed Samuel, "Look not on his countenance... for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

Tuesday - 1 Samuel 15 - A Wayward King & an Angry Prophet

This chapter frightens me.  Why, you ask?  Because of passages like Romans 11:22, "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off." True, Romans 11:22 is directed generally at the whole of all Gentiles.  Yet, I am a Gentile.  And, I regretfully admit that I deserve His severity daily.  He has been good to me thus far because of His mercy and grace, but I fear that I have pulled Saul-like stunts MANY times in my Christian life.

Now, what do I mean by a "Saul-like" stunt? Well, Saul obeyed God as far as it served his own purposes, but as soon as Saul thought he could see an advantage for himself in disobedience... well, he did an about-face and left God behind. Partial obedience with pragmatic and materialistic motives was the defining philosophy of Saul's life. And, God condemned Him for it.  More precisely, he condemned himself. Samuel condemned him.  And, we condemn him.  But, Romans 2:22 asks, "You who say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?  You who abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege?"   Oh, it is with deep grief that I cry out as the great prophet did in Isaiah 6:5, "Woe is me!  For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips..."

In this chapter we find that God told Saul through Samuel to completely eradicate the Amalekites and everything that they possessed. Saul obeyed to a degree. He did most of what God said. But, when he saw that some of the stuff was valuable, he refused to destroy it as he had been specifically commanded. Of course, he got caught. We all will be caught, won't we (Galatians 6:7, Hebrews 12:6, Ecclesiastes 12:14 & Numbers 32:23)? How horrifying though! Let's cast our hope upon our longsuffering Lord and the promise of 1 Corinthians 11:31, "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged."

Monday - 1 Samuel 14 - Jonathan

In I Samuel 14:1-23 we find an account of a great victory which God accomplished through Saul's son, Jonathan. With great courage Jonathan struck out on his own to fight with the Philistines. Well, with his young armor-bearer in tow, Jonathan fought and killed about 20 Philistines. Then, God used that small accomplishment to stir up a great amount of fear and confusion in the minds of the Philistines so that they fled from the scene in mass and ended up turning on each other, even resorting to killing one another. Not only that, but there were Hebrews who also joined in the fray and slew many Philistines, once the momentum had shifted in favor of the Jews.

However, while Prince Jonathan was out pursuing wholesome military accomplishments, King Saul was away from the battlefront interfering with progress. On that great day of victory Saul caused distress and strife among his soldiers by forbidding anyone to eat anything until the battle was over. Consequently, they ended up very weak indeed and even resorted to eating raw, bloody flesh. Not only that, Jonathan had not heard his father's injunction and so he ended up violating his father's commandment ignorantly by eating a little honey.