Aside from the extreme bloodbath that took place in these first chapters of 2 Samuel, we get some key insights into David's view of God's anointed. On two separate occasions, men approached David with the "good news" that Saul and members of Saul's family were dead. Now if I was in David's shoes, I would be jumping for joy at the ... [Continue Reading]
A Real Tragedy (1 Samuel 30-31)
The story of Saul is an unbelievable tragedy to me. He was a man who had so much potential, but he decided to go down a path that was full of pain and difficulty when he decided that his glory was more important that the Lord's. Really, any time we choose a path that's different than what the Lord has set out for our lives, then we also choose the ... [Continue Reading]
Great Lengths (1 Samuel 27-29)
Some people will go to great lengths to manipulate outcomes when they've turned their backs on the Lord. This was true of Saul as he broke the law of the Lord to consult a witch in the middle of the night. This incredibly strange encounter shouldn't be misconstrued as an actual medium because the witch was quite surprised when Samuel actually ... [Continue Reading]
He Who Holds the Future (1 Samuel 24-26)
David's overarching trust in God's plans is nothing short of incredible. On two separate occasions, David had the opportunity to end Saul's life, but he chose not to do so. Honestly, no one would have blamed David if he had followed through with this. In fact, his men were a little ticked off that he didn't do what any other person ... [Continue Reading]
A True Friend (1 Samuel 21-23)
One of the things that strikes me about Jonathan's friendship with David is how incredibly selfless it was. Jonathan had every right to loathe David since he was the one who would be stealing the kingship from him. But Jonathan understood God's higher purposes, and he knew that the leadership of the nation was being passed on to someone else. ... [Continue Reading]
The True Defender (1 Samuel 19-21)
In the case of David, he had a raving lunatic trying to take his life. Saul, being possessed at times by an evil spirit, made it his purpose to bring an end to David. I think one of the character qualities that strikes me most about David is his trust that the Lord would be his defender. If you think about his story, David had every right to believe ... [Continue Reading]
Dealing With Critics (1 Samuel 15-17)
If the Muppets didn't teach us anything else, the show at least taught us that there's always a critic who is ready to pounce on your every move regardless of what it is. The challenge of following God's direction and leading is that critics get in the way. David was not exempt from this as he had to deal with even those closest to him (his ... [Continue Reading]
Saul’s Big Mistake (1 Samuel 13-14)
In reading the account of Saul, it's easy to wonder what his big mistake was. Why was he suddenly unworthy of being king over Israel simply because he offered sacrifices to God before going in to battle? After all, Samuel didn't come when he said he would, and Saul had no idea what might have happened. The key to understanding this seemingly ... [Continue Reading]
Courage for the Call (1 Samuel 10-12)
One of the amusing things about Saul’s story was his debilitating fear that caused him to hide on the day of his coronation. Right at the moment when he was proudly being introduced to the people of Israel, he was found hiding among the luggage! What’s particularly baffling about his response is how obviously divine his call to the kingship truly was. Samuel surprised ... [Continue Reading]
What God Allows Isn’t Always What He Wants (1 Samuel 7-9)
The story of Israel begging for a king is an interesting one because the nation's desire for a king was clearly outside of the will of God. The Lord didn’t want a king for them because He wanted to be their king. As long as a human was king, he would control the kingdom’s wealth, and the direction of the kingdom would be determined by his ... [Continue Reading]
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