Scripture

Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry.

Observation

King Nahash of Ammon threatens the town of Jabesh-gilead. The people plead for peace with Nahash. He makes peace conditional on each man in the town having one eye gouged out. The elders of Jabesh ask for seven days to send for help from Israel. If nobody comes to help, they will submit.

When Saul hears about this, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him, and he becomes very angry. He quickly mobilises an army of 330,000 men.

Saul launches a surprise attack against the Ammonites, slaughtering and scattering the whole army.

Application

Many Christians are afraid of anger, but here there is given a direct connection between the Holy Spirit and Saul’s anger.

Anger is bad when it is just about my perceptions about wrongs committed against me, especially if we allow it to consume us.

Anger, when it is a response to evil, can be a good thing. Anger can motivates us to take action to overcome injustice or cruelty, in ways that we normally would not consider.

The Spirit of God came upon Saul and made him very angry. He left his fields and in a few days mobilised an army to protect a vulnerable group. People were afraid of his anger and so responded rapidly to do the right thing.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to distinguish between good anger and selfish anger. May your Spirit provoke my emotions to motivate me to carry out your purposes. Amen.

Scripture

“The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.”

Observation

Samuel takes a flask of oil and pours it on Saul’s head. He tells Saul that there will be three signs of Gods favour:

1. He will meet two men who tell him the donkeys have been found.

2. At the Great Tree at Tabor, he will meet two men, one of them will give him two loaves of bread.

3. He will meet some prophets, and the Spirit of the Lord will come on him and he will prophesy.

So Saul goes away, and the three signs are fulfilled that day.

Later, Saul summons the elders of Israel and presents Saul to them as their King.

Application

The three signs that Samuel describes a very specific and a little out of the ordinary. They could not have been pre-planned by Samuel, and they could not have been coincidences or chance events.

Unusual but specific signs were given so that saul would know that God had chosen him, and so that the whole nation would know that God was leading them into a new era.

When God is it work, He does not always give us confirmation signs, but the signs He does give are often unusual and beyond the realms of normal expectations.

We should not ask God for a sign in the normal daily decisions that we make. But we should have eyes of faith that see where God is at work.

Prayer

Father, I thank you for the signs that you sometimes give to confirm my direction. Please increase my ability to see your deeds. Amen

Scripture

In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.

Observation

A wealthy and influential man named Kish finds that his donkeys have strayed. He sends his son Saul with a servant to find them.

After many days of searching, they cannot find them, so they go to ask Samuel for directions from the Lord.

The previous day the Lord had told Samuel that he would send a man whom Samuel was to anoint as King. When they meet, the Lord tell Samuel that this is the man.

Samuel invites Saul and the servant to a feast and then has them stay the night at his house. The next morning, Samuel sends the servant away while he shares a message from the Lord for Saul.

Application

In the Old Testament era, very few people had the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was given for specific offices – king, prophet, and priest.

While it was always God’s intention that people lived in close relationship with Him, this was not common in Israel. As a result, people would seek the advice of a seer or prophet if they needed a word from the Lord.

In the New Covenant. all believers have access to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit dwells in each one of us. We all have the opportunity to hear the voice of the Lord.

There may be times when we might need a special word from a prophet or other godly person, but any disciple who is walking with the Lord should be able to discern God’s will most of the time.

We should not be too eager to “get a word” from a prophet. This is a misuse of the New Covenant gift of prophecy.

Prayer

Thank you Holy Spirit for being my Counsellor and Advocate. Please help me to listen for your voice. Amen

Scripture

“We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.”

Observation

In his old age, Samuel appoint his sons as judges over Israel. His two oldest son’s, Joel and Abijah, are not like their father, and they accept bribes to pervert justice.

The Elders of Israel meet with Samuel and demand that Samuel appoints a king for them. Samuel is displeased with this request, but the Lord tells him that it is the Lord they are rejecting not Samuel.

So Samuel warns them of the tyranny they can expect at the hands of the king. There will be taxes, conscription, and forced labour.

The people demand to have a king so they can be the same as other nations. Samuel takes it to the Lord, who gives him permission to appoint a king.

Application

The book of 1 Samuel shows us how bad it is to pass on an office to sons who lack the character to fill the role. First it was Eli’s son’s who failed, and now Samuel’s sons fail to live up to the expectations placed upon them.

The response of the people to this problem is to demand a king, which is ironic. The very heart of a monarchy is a system where the sons inherit authority regardless of their character .

The people of Israel wanted to be like all the other nations. It was not enough to have the Lord as their King, they wanted a proper king like everybody else.

Christians often want to be like the world. We want the lifestyle of the unbelievers while holding onto the assurance of salvation. Church leaders sometimes think that embracing the opinions of the world on issues like abortion and homosexuality will make them more popular and effective.

God has called us to be holy, that is different to the world. We must never think that we can take on worldly values and be a witness to the world.

Prayer

Holy Father, I confess my tendency to seek the ways of the world. Please show me any areas of compromise in my life and help me to repent from them. Amen.

Scripture

Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really serious about wanting to return to the lord, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth.. Determine to obey only the Lord, and he will rescue from the Philistines.”

Observation

The Ark of the Lord is taken to Kiriath-Jeairam where it remains for 20 years.

Samuel says to the people of Israel that they must get rid of their idols and obey only the Lord. The whole nation gathers at Mizpah where they consecrate themselves to the Lord.

The Philistines launch an attack on the Israelites. Samuel pleads with the Lord, and the Lord rescues them. The Philistines are subdued and Israel is at peace.

Samuel serves as a judge to the nation.

Application

If we are serious about following the Lord, we will need to get rid of all of our idols – the false gods that we turn to for comfort.

In the times of the Old Testament this was very easy to do. The idols were physical objects that represented a so-called god.

Our idols are very different. We rely on money, family, status, our job, so many intangible and good things.

To get rid of these idols does not necessarily mean to get rid of the things. No, we need to get rid of what they represent.

As christians, our trust is in the Lord, and the Lord alone. When we find ourselves becoming dependent on other things, then we need to repent and turn back to the Lord.

Prayer

Father, please show me the things that I have turned into idols and give me the grace to put them away. Amen

Scripture

The Lord killed 70 men from Beth-Shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord. And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done.

Observation

The Ark of the Lord has become a problem for the Philistines because of a plague that has broken out. Their priests suggest that they send the Ark back to Israel with a guilt offering in the form of 5 gold tumours and 5 gold rats. They are to put the Ark and the offerings on a cart and hitch it to two cows. If the cows take the cart to Israel, they will know it was the Lord who sent the plague.

They do all this, and the cows head straight to Beth-Shemesh. The people of Beth-Shemesh are overjoyed to see the Ark. Some of the men try to open it to look inside, but the Lord strikes them down.

Application

God is a holy God, and we violate His ways at our peril.

The law of Moses laid down strict rules about how the Ark of the Covenant was to be handled. It was not an item of curiosity. It was the throne for the presence of the Lord, the sign of His might and power. To even touch the Ark could lead to death.

In the New Testament, Paul warned the Corinthians that if they take Communion in an unworthy manner, then they also might die.

We should always enter worship and even our personal devotions with a strong sense that we are standing on holy ground and engaging in serious business with the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, please forgive me for the times I have come to you in pride or rebellion. Please open my eyes to see the reality of your presence. Amen.

Scripture

But the next morning the same thing happened. Dagon had fallen down before the Ark of the Lord again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact.

Observation

The Philistines take the Ark of the Covenant to Ashdod, where they deposit it in the Temple of Dagon. The next morning Dagon is found to be lying face down in front of the Ark of the Lord.

They set the idle upright, but the next morning Dagon has again toppled, his head and hands broken off. Tumours breaks out in Ashdod.

They move the Ark to Gath, but again a plague of tumours breaks out. The Philistines decide that the only solution is to return the Ark of the Covenant to Israel.

Application

False worldviews get you into trouble every time. A wrong mindset leads us to make wrong interpretations, and therefore to make wrong decisions.

The Philistines were shown very clearly that the Lord was greater than Dagon. Twice the idol fell before the Ark, as if worshipping the presence of the Lord. It was stripped of its head and hands, showing that it was powerless before the Lord.

The Philistines failed to see that they should worship the one true God. No, they preferred to protect their weak god by removing the true God from their presence.

We need to see everything in the context of a biblical worldview, so that we can truly understand the ways of the Lord.

Prayer

Father, please teach me your ways. Remove the blinders from my eyes so that I can see you as you really are. Amen

Scripture

When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

Observation

Israel is at war with the Philistines. The two armies meet near Ebenezer. The Philistines kill 4000 men. The Israelite army decides to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh, believing it will save them from the enemy.

The Ark arrives, and with it, Hophini and Phineas, Eli’s sons. The shouts of joy as so loud that the ground shakes.

The discovery that the Ark is in the Israelite camp provoke the Philistines to fight even harder. This time they kill 30,000 man and capture the Ark. Eli’s sons also die in the battle.

When Eli hears the news that the Ark has been captured, he falls from his chair and breaks his neck.

Application

The Ark of the Covenant was a powerful symbol because God was enthroned between the cherubim on top of it.

It seems that the Israelite army put their trust in the Ark rather than in the Lord himself. This is a constant danger. We have the capacity to make idols out of almost anything. The worldly traps are obvious – gold, glory, and guys or girls.

But we can make idols at of religious symbols also

* the Bible that makes us feel safe

* the only true translation of the Bible

* the church that thinks adopting a Hillsong style will save them

* the pews that may never be moved

When we put our trust in anything other than God, we are worshipping idols. That is very dangerous Territory indeed.

Prayer

Father, please help me to see the idols that stop me from worshipping you. Grant me a heart for pure worship. Amen.

Scripture

the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly, the lord called out “Samuel!”

Observation

Samuel continues to serve the Lord by assisting Eli at the Tabernacle. Words from the Lord and visions were uncommon at that time.

Samuel is asleep in the Tabernacle when he hears a voice calling his name. Thinking it is Eli, he runs off to him. But Eli says it was not he who called. This happens three times, and by then Eli realises it is the Lord. He tells Samuel to say, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

The Lord then speaks to Samuel and tells him that judgement will come on Eli and his sons, and nothing will deter the lord in this.

The next morning, Eli ask Samuel what the Lord had said to him. Samuel tells him, and Eli accepts this word from the Lord.

As Samuel grows up, he is recognised all through the land as a prophet of the Lord.

Application

Samuel was positioned to hear the word of the Lord. He slept in the Tabernacle, near the Ark of God. He was near the epicentre of God’s presence on the earth.

To hear the voice of the Lord, I need to position myself to receive from Him. I need to take time to be quiet and hear God’s voice. I need to learn to tune my spirit into the frequencies of the Holy Spirit. I need to learn to live free from sin.

God does not need me to follow a protocol or a process for hearing His voice in order to speak. But I need to quieten my heart in order to listen.

Samuel needed to learn to tune in to the Spirit of the Lord. At first he could not distinguish between God and man. Over time, he became famous as a prophet in Israel.

How much more should we expect to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that you are continually speaking your word to us. Please help me to listen constantly for your still small voice. Amen.

Scripture

“Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed Kings forever.”

Observation

The sons of Eli had no respect for the Lord or for their role as priests. They would demand a portion of the meat of the sacrifice that was reserved for the family of the people making the sacrifice. They also slept with the young women who assisted at the Tabernacle.

Samuel, on the other hand, served the Lord faithfully. Each year, his mother would bring him aa new robe. Eli would pray for them and bless them to have children to replace Samuel. Hannah had three sons and two daughters.

Eli rebuked his sons for their behaviour, but to no avail. A man of God comes and prophesies that the two sons will die on the same day, and that the Lord will raise up a faithful priest who will serve Him and do His will.

Application

At this time, the priesthood under Eli and his sons was corrupt. But God was looking to replace the corrupt priests with a faithful priest who will serve the Lord.

This is a reference to Samuel. He wasn’t exactly a priest, but as the story develops, we see that he really is faithful to God even when all others around him are not. Since, He is also the faithful prophet who hold kings and rulers accountable to the Lord .

It is also a reference looking forward to Jesus who is the eternal high priest of God who is forever faithful to the Lord. We are His priests, a royal priesthood, that stands in the presence of the Lord forever.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for replacing the old system of sacrifices by being the perfect and eternal sacrifice for us. My sins are taken away and my guilt is extinguished. Amen.