Saul was the son of a wealthy man. In the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 9, Saul is sent with a servant to go look for his father's donkeys. They search high and low, but no sign of them.
They come to the town where, ironically, Samuel has also arrived at. The day before, the Lord told Samuel that he will meet a man from the tribe of Benjamin, and he was to annoint him the ruler of Israel.
Saul asked Samuel about the donkeys, and Samuel told him the donkeys were already found. He then invivted Saul to a grand feast and even gave him a place to sleep.
The next morning, Samuel led Saul to the edge of town . . . and annointed him the ruler of Israel.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Samuel, O Samuel
In the book of 1 Samuel, the Israelites gain posession back of the Covenent Box--AKA Ark of the Covenent--starting in chapter 7. They appeal to Samuel, crying out for the Lord's help.
Samuel advises the people that when, and only when, they rid themselves of all other idols will the Lord help them.
The Israelites do so. They offer sacrifices, and drive the Philistines out of their lands.
In chapter 8, as Samuel grows old and his two sons take over as judges, the people ask for a king to rule over them. Samuel's sons are not as obedient as Samuel, and are both dishonest and accept bribes when deciding cases.
Samuel prays to the Lord. God tells him that he must paint a picture of what life would be like under a king. It was not a pretty picture. They would be like slaves.
The Israelites did not care. They wanted a king.
And God said, "Give them what they want."
Samuel advises the people that when, and only when, they rid themselves of all other idols will the Lord help them.
The Israelites do so. They offer sacrifices, and drive the Philistines out of their lands.
In chapter 8, as Samuel grows old and his two sons take over as judges, the people ask for a king to rule over them. Samuel's sons are not as obedient as Samuel, and are both dishonest and accept bribes when deciding cases.
Samuel prays to the Lord. God tells him that he must paint a picture of what life would be like under a king. It was not a pretty picture. They would be like slaves.
The Israelites did not care. They wanted a king.
And God said, "Give them what they want."
Sunday, April 20, 2014
The Covenent Box (There And Back Again)
In the book of 1 Samuel, chapters 4 through 6, the Covenent Box--AKA the Ark of the Covenent--takes an interesting journey.
The Philistines go to war against the Israelites and achieve victory. The Israelite survivors then reflected on why the Lord let them lose. They then brought the Covenent Box out to the battlefield, where it not only gave the Israelites hope, it also caused great fear in the Philistines.
Unshaken, the Philistines pushed even harder and against slaughtered many Israelites, including Eli's two sons. They also captured the Covenent Box. When Eli heard what fate fell the coveted box, he fell and broke his neck. Israel now had no leader.
The Philistines paraded the Covenent Box around from town to town, displaying their mighty power. However, wherever the Covenent Box was brought, great wrath and destruction was delivered onto them by the Lord.
In the end, the Philistines returned the Covenent Box to the Israelites, along with gifts and an offering of burnt sacrifices, so that the Lord would spare them any more heartache.
The Philistines go to war against the Israelites and achieve victory. The Israelite survivors then reflected on why the Lord let them lose. They then brought the Covenent Box out to the battlefield, where it not only gave the Israelites hope, it also caused great fear in the Philistines.
Unshaken, the Philistines pushed even harder and against slaughtered many Israelites, including Eli's two sons. They also captured the Covenent Box. When Eli heard what fate fell the coveted box, he fell and broke his neck. Israel now had no leader.
The Philistines paraded the Covenent Box around from town to town, displaying their mighty power. However, wherever the Covenent Box was brought, great wrath and destruction was delivered onto them by the Lord.
In the end, the Philistines returned the Covenent Box to the Israelites, along with gifts and an offering of burnt sacrifices, so that the Lord would spare them any more heartache.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Trust in the Lord. It will lead to victory.
In Psalms 21, we see a king with great strength. He is victorious, devouring his enemies left and right.
He does this because he trusts in the Lord. With that trust comes great victories.
Victories that spread like a wildfire, destroying all evil in its path.
Victories that start with complete trust in God. For through God and God only may you be victorious.
He does this because he trusts in the Lord. With that trust comes great victories.
Victories that spread like a wildfire, destroying all evil in its path.
Victories that start with complete trust in God. For through God and God only may you be victorious.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
The Lord's message to Samuel
In the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 3, the Lord spoke to Samuel.
But Samuel did not know it was the Lord, for he had never spoken to Him before.
Three times, Samuel woke up to the Lord speaking to him, and he ran off to Eli to see what he wanted. By the third time, Eli knew it was the Lord speaking to Samuel, so he told him that it was the Lord.
The fourth time God spoke to Samuel, he told Him that his servant is listening.
God told Samuel the threats he was going to take out on Eli's clan. The next morning, Samuel told Eli what the Lord had told him.
Word spread quickly about Samuel and considered him a prophet.
But Samuel did not know it was the Lord, for he had never spoken to Him before.
Three times, Samuel woke up to the Lord speaking to him, and he ran off to Eli to see what he wanted. By the third time, Eli knew it was the Lord speaking to Samuel, so he told him that it was the Lord.
The fourth time God spoke to Samuel, he told Him that his servant is listening.
God told Samuel the threats he was going to take out on Eli's clan. The next morning, Samuel told Eli what the Lord had told him.
Word spread quickly about Samuel and considered him a prophet.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Eli's sons
In chapter two, in the book of 1 Samuel, it opens with a prayer from Hannah: Samuel's mother. Hannah gave up Samuel to the priest Eli, to serve the Lord.
Eli had sons. His sons were sinful and scoundrels. They would steal meat being offered as sacrifices to the Lord from the people of Shiloh.
Each year, Hannah and her husband would offer their sacrifices, and also give Samuel a sacred linen apron. Eli blessed Hannah and told her she would have more children to replace the one she gave up to the Lord. She was indeed blessed with five more children.
As Eli grew older, he heard what his sons were doing. He confronted them and told them to stop. But they did not listen.
Then the Lord decided to kill them.
A prophet came to Eli and said that the Lord will kill all of the young men in his clan for what his sons had done. None will survive, save for one, whom He will strike blind.
Eli had sons. His sons were sinful and scoundrels. They would steal meat being offered as sacrifices to the Lord from the people of Shiloh.
Each year, Hannah and her husband would offer their sacrifices, and also give Samuel a sacred linen apron. Eli blessed Hannah and told her she would have more children to replace the one she gave up to the Lord. She was indeed blessed with five more children.
As Eli grew older, he heard what his sons were doing. He confronted them and told them to stop. But they did not listen.
Then the Lord decided to kill them.
A prophet came to Eli and said that the Lord will kill all of the young men in his clan for what his sons had done. None will survive, save for one, whom He will strike blind.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
The birth of Samuel
In the book of 1 Samuel, chapter one, there is the strange birth of Samuel.
Samuel's mother was Hannah. Hannah was one of two wives to her husband Elkanah. Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, bore him many children. She teased Hannah relentlessly for her inability to bear children.
But Elkanah did not care. He loved Hannah more than if she bore him ten sons.
Hannah prayed and prayed to the Lord to give her a child. The priest Eli told her the God may give her what she asked. That prayer was soon answered. She bore a child and she named him Samuel. When her son was three, she took him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, where she met up with the priest Eli again. She told Eli that she was giving her son Samuel to him, so that he may dedicate his life to the Lord.
Samuel's mother was Hannah. Hannah was one of two wives to her husband Elkanah. Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, bore him many children. She teased Hannah relentlessly for her inability to bear children.
But Elkanah did not care. He loved Hannah more than if she bore him ten sons.
Hannah prayed and prayed to the Lord to give her a child. The priest Eli told her the God may give her what she asked. That prayer was soon answered. She bore a child and she named him Samuel. When her son was three, she took him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, where she met up with the priest Eli again. She told Eli that she was giving her son Samuel to him, so that he may dedicate his life to the Lord.
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