Category: 1 Samuel

Strength

1 Samuel 25-27

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A quick review of the story of how David and Abigail meet (if you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading 1 Samuel 25):

  • David has been running from king Saul for some time
  • David and his men camped in the wilderness near a rich man’s flock of sheep and their shepherds
  • When it became time to shear the sheep David sent some men to ask the owner (Nabal) for some sheep & food for his men
  • They went on a feast day – a day of celebrating the profits the owners of the flocks would make
  • David’s men tell Nabal how they had protected his shepherds and flocks and then ask for food to be shared with them in thanks for their efforts
  • Nabal, whose name means “fool”, sent David’s men away empty handed
  • David’s response was to command, “Every man strap on his sword!”
  • One of Nabal’s shepherds went to Nabal’s wife, Abigail, and told her what had happened – he understood that Nabal’s response to David would bring harm to the household

Here is where we meet Abigail.  Abigail is one of my favorite Bible characters.  She is brave, wise and humble.  A great example of strength. 

The first thing we learn about Abigail is in verse 3 where we are told she is discerning and beautiful.  We then see her in action in verse 18, “Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.”

And, it’s not just what she does, but how she does it!  First, she reacts quickly.  When we know the right thing to do we should “make haste” and get it done. 

Reading on we see David ready to kill every male in Nabal’s household.  But Abigail intervenes.  Verses 23-24 say, “When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant.”  Again, we see her moving – she hurried and got down.  Then, even though she had nothing to do with Nabal’s words and inaction, she offers David great respect by bowing before him.  She asks that Nabal’s guilt be on her.  Why would she do this?  To save her whole household. So, after reacting quickly, Abigail humbles herself to make peace for her household. 

Only after humbling herself does she offer the gifts of food she brought for David and his men.  The tangible gifts are secondary to her words, posture/body language, and attitude. 

Abigail boldly tells David he should accept her gift and not continue with his plan to attack.  She reminds him that he doesn’t want to have that blood on his hands/conscience when he becomes ruler over Israel.  David accepts her gift and blesses her for her cautionary words of advice. 

Abigail’s strength does not stop with this one encounter with David.  She continues to exhibit strength when she goes home and courageously faces her husband, telling him she went against his directives.  She even bravely waits until he has sobered up from celebrating before approaching him.  This news kills Nabal.

In verse 31 Abigail asks David to remember her.  In verses 39-42 we see David hearing about Nabal’s death and sending for Abigail to be his wife.  The strength of character she demonstrated to David wound up providing for her at a time when she would have likely had nothing left and no one to take care of her. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

Do you consider yourself to be strong?  Discerning, acting quickly, being humble, being a peace-maker, bold, courageous, brave…this is strength.  True strength comes from God; ask Him to help you grow in these areas.

When faced with conflict or a negative situation, whether involving your own choices or not, what do your words, posture/body language, and attitude reflect is in your heart?   

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Is Now a Great Time for Revenge?

1 Samuel 21-24

1 Samuel 24 12 NIV

In today’s reading, we see more examples of Saul’s rebellion against God and his hatred of David.  Ahimelech the priest had inquired of the Lord for David. In his rage, Saul ordered that not only Ahimelech, but all the priests must be killed – so Doeg the Edomite, one of Saul’s goons, killed 85 priests, then went to their town and killed every man, woman, and child (and its cattle, donkeys, and sheep).  In chapter 23, Saul chased David and tried to kill him multiple times.

In chapter 24, David finally has his opportunity for revenge.  Saul was again chasing David. David and his men were hiding in the Desert of En Gedi.  Saul and 3000 chosen troops were in hot pursuit. Along the way, Saul needed to go to the bathroom.  He wanted a little privacy, so he stepped into a cave to relieve himself. Little did he know that David and his men were hiding further back in that very cave.

If you were David, what would you have done?  Would you have eliminated the threat to your life, and ushered in your reign as king?  To be perfectly honest, I think that’s exactly what I would have done. David’s men encouraged David to kill Saul, but instead, David crept up to Saul, and cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

Afterward, David was conscience stricken and said, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”

Wow!  Clearly Saul was a scoundrel, but David spared his life because God had made him king.  I think we can learn a lesson or two from David’s respect for the office of authority, even when the man in the office wasn’t worthy of respect.

This is exactly what we’re told to do in 1 Peter 2:13-14 – “For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.”

David’s actions also remind me of Romans 12:17-18 – “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

So too, we need to submit to authority, even when we don’t like the person in authority, or what they are doing.  Also, we need to be intentional about never repaying evil for evil.

To finish today’s story, because David had spared Saul’s life, Saul promised to leave David alone, and returned home (for now).  David and his men went up to their stronghold. God had protected David yet again.

Steve Mattison

(originally posted April 13, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you admire about David?
  2. When have you found it difficult to pass when given the opportunity for revenge, a cutting comment, or having the last word? What is the world’s position on paying back evil for evil? What is God’s? What is the advantage to leaving it up to God to be the judge, rather than taking out revenge for wrongs done against us?
  3. In what ways do you think God wants to see Christians submit to authority today?
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Faith During Difficulties

1 Samuel 18-20
Psalm 11 & 59

Today’s reading, found in 1 Samuel chapters 18 through 20, highlights how far Saul has fallen from his successes of chapter 14.  (Remember from chapter 15, that Saul had deliberately disobeyed a direct command from God, and things have been going from bad to worse for him since.)

In 18:10-11, we read, “The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman.  David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand, and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall.  But David escaped him twice.”

Once Saul decided to abandon God, God not only abandoned Saul, God tormented Saul.  This should be a lesson to us – never disobey God – there are always negative consequences.

Saul became jealous of David, after David had killed Goliath, because the women of Israel sang this song, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”  As a result of his jealousy, Saul tried to kill David with his spear in 18:11 and again in 19:10. Saul also tried to kill David by having the Philistines kill him in 18:17, 21, 25.   In 19:1, Saul urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. In 19:15, Saul ordered his men to bring David (and his bed) to Saul to be killed, when Saul thought David was sick in bed.  In 19:20, 21 and 22 Saul unsuccessfully sent troops to get David three times.

In 20:30, Saul boiled with rage at his own son, Jonathan, who was friends with David, and in 20:33, Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him.

So much for Saul, what about David?

If you were David, how would you react?  What would you do?

Remember that Samuel had anointed David in chapter 16, and declared that David would be the next king over Israel.  So what did David do? He wrote some songs about this. Let’s see what he said in those songs…

David wrote Psalm 59 when Saul sent his soldiers to watch David’s house in order to kill him.  This psalm starts out, “Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.  Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers. They have set an ambush for me…”. This makes sense.  David was in trouble, so he cried out to God for help. David continues in verse 9, “You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress.”

Then an astounding thing happens.  David starts praising God – in advance of God’s rescuing him.  Psalm 59 ends with, “But as for me, I will sing about your power.  Each morning, I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.  O my strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.”

David, the man after God’s own heart was actually praising God when he was literally afraid for his life.  This shows his great faith that God will indeed rescue him. Maybe this is one of the reasons he was called a “man after God’s own heart.”

Psalm 11, the other chapter from today’s reading also shows David’s faith through difficulty.  It starts out, “I trust in the Lord for protection…”, and ends with “For the righteous Lord loves justice.  The virtuous will see his face.”

I believe David’s response is a good example for us.  When times are tough, it’s natural to cry out to God for help.  We need to move on from just asking for help, and follow David’s example to also have faith and praise God, even before the answer comes.  And in the process, we, too, may become people after God’s own heart.

–Steve Mattison

(originally posted April 12, 2020 for SeekGrowLove.com)

Reflection Questions

  1. Compare and contrast Saul and David based upon what we know from 1 Samuel.
  2. What do you see in your own life that is similar to Saul? And David?
  3. What does it look like to show faith in God during the difficulty?
  4. What difficulty (big or small) have you recently found yourself in, in which you can practice giving God praise even before the answer comes?
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A Relationship

1 Samuel 15-17

Being raised as a pastor’s kid, I probably took for granted the accessibility of all things church related. Being a Christian was something that was easily practiced because of the environment I was constantly in. I asked Jesus to come into my heart when I was 5 years old. I was baptized the summer before my eighth grade. But it wasn’t until I went off to college that I really realized that my faith was my own responsibility. If I was going to have Christian friends, I needed to find them on my own. If I was going to attend a mid-week Bible study, I needed to find it on my own. If I was going to attend a Sunday morning service, I needed to find it on my own. Mom and Dad weren’t there to guide and direct me. If I wanted to continue to build up my faith, it was now up to me.

As we read through King Saul’s life, we see that he was hand selected and groomed to take on the role of leading Israel – everything was handed to him. And as a result, he never really owned the responsibility of the position he was put in. He never connected the dots of being the leader of God’s people and having a relationship with God himself.

This is particularly evident in 1 Samuel 15. Saul has carried out God’s instructions of taking up arms against the Amalekites. Once Israel wins the battle, they were supposed to destroy everything: man, woman, child, cattle, sheep, camels and donkeys. Nothing was to be spared. But…that’s not what Saul did. He kept the best of the spoils. He claims that he was going to use the prime plunder as a sacrifice.

Here’s how I know that Saul didn’t own his relationship with God: in verses 21 and 30 of chapter 15, Saul refers to the LORD as Samuel’s God.

“…the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” (v 21)

“…come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” (v 30)

Saul didn’t understand his disobedience because he hadn’t bothered to grow a relationship with the One who made him king of Israel.

More than anything God desires to have a relationship with us. He wants us to seek Him more than any other person or pursue any other passion. When we grow our relationship with Him, we come to know the things that please Him as well as the things that displease Him. As we grow our relationship with God, our hearts swell with love for Him, His word, and His people. And when our hearts are full of love, obedience comes naturally.

Bethany Ligon

(originally posted for SeekGrowLove April 11, 2020)

Reflection Questions

  1. Why is obeying Him important to God?
  2. Have you ever felt like God is just someone else’s God?
  3. How can you grow your relationship with God?
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Waiting

1 Samuel 13-14

What do you do when you think God is taking too long to answer your prayer?

If you are King Saul, you tell the priest to “withdraw your hand” (1 Sam 13:19) – meaning that God is taking too much time responding to a prayer request. King Saul believed that he had some sort of advantage over the enemy and didn’t want that advantage to slip away. So he took matters into his own hands, assembled his men, and went into battle. The outcome wasn’t too good.

Have you ever prayed for something so long, that you become impatient waiting for God to give you directions and end up rushing the timeline just to pursue your own desires, wishes, or dreams? Any time we read a Bible study about an individual doing something for him/herself rather than waiting on God, it never ends well; it’s always a disaster.  Why do you think that is?

After some careful self-reflection, I think that I’ve got it figured out for myself: It’s because I like being in charge – to be independent – to not have to rely on someone else’s timing. And even as I type these words, I know it’s ludicrous because my decisions are based on a very limited perspective; whereas, God has a completely different view of my life. His reasons for delaying an answer to prayer, is all about the timing that will give him the most credit.

So the next time you are tempted to move on without God’s response to your prayers, just remember that Saul  ended up making some outlandish ultimatums and in so doing, ended up discrediting himself and losing God’s favor.

Stay persistent in your prayers. Do not give up. Keep waiting for an answer to your prayers. At the proper time, God will provide an answer or solution for your need. And in the meantime, always remember that God is by your side – he has not abandoned you.

Bethany Ligon

Reflection Questions

  1. From above: “Any time we read a Bible study about an individual doing something for him/herself rather than waiting on God, it never ends well; it’s always a disaster.  Why do you think that is?”
  2. And: “Have you ever prayed for something so long, that you become impatient waiting for God to give you directions and end up rushing the timeline just to pursue your own desires, wishes, or dreams?” What was the outcome?
  3. What are some reasons God works on His time schedule not ours?

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Called, Changed, Qualified

1 Samuel 9-12

Have you ever found yourself in a position totally unprepared or unqualified? When I was in college for my bachelor’s degree, I took Cellular & Molecular Biology as part of my program to become a secondary science teacher. It just so happened that this was the same course that was required for pre-med students. Somehow, I ended up getting an invitation to join a study group with these pre-med students. After 5 minutes with these people, I realized that they were a completely different caliber of student – I was so out of my depth.

There have been other times in my life when my own inexperience and inadequacies seemed to cast a blinding glare onto the responsibilities that I had to carry out. Even now, after 23 years of experience in education, there are times when I have no clue on how to handle a given situation.

This is how I relate to Saul being approached by Samuel to become king of Israel. His response is that he’s a nobody, from the smallest tribe and his clan is the least of all. How is it that he has been selected to rule over an entire nation?

But isn’t that just like God to do something like that? God seems to select those who are the most unlikely to be successful. Why does He do this? What I have learned, is that it makes me more dependent on God and less likely to take the credit.

Being part of the FUEL leadership team for many years, I have seen time and time again when a situation developed that was bigger than our resources and everything ended up working out because we depended on God. Anyone out there remember the year that we stopped going to Taylor University and started going to Manchester University? Yeah, we weren’t sure if FUEL was going to happen that year. But with a lot of prayer (and hard work by the directors) we were able to gather again because God pointed us in the direction we needed to go. God provided us with exactly the right site, to work with the best conference staff, to continue to return for many years.

I recently read a phrase that I think is appropriate here: “God doesn’t call the qualified; God qualifies the called.” If you’re willing to be used by God, you will find yourself in circumstances that seem way out of your league. While you may not be so confident in your abilities, know that God is more than able to see you through. After all, it’s His reputation on the line and God never fails.

Bethany Ligon

(originally posted for SeekGrowLove on April 9. 2020)

Reflection Questions

  1. How did God prepare and qualify Saul? What do you think was included in God’s “heart change” for Saul (10:9) and the role of the Spirit of the Lord?
  2. From above: “God seems to select those who are the most unlikely to be successful. Why does He do this?”
  3. When have you felt unqualified for a job God sent you to? Did you do it? Did you have a “Samuel” who spoke God’s word to you? How did God change/prepare/qualify you for the job?
  4. How can you be a Samuel for someone else?
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Why You Want What You Want

1 Samuel 4-8

Key verse: 1 Samuel 8:6-7

Somewhere between 2013-2014 my middle school classmates and I saw the appeal of smartphones. We weren’t familiar with all the “modern technology” or the iPhone 5. All we desired was a way to have something everyone else had, play games online with our friends anywhere we went (even though the cellphone towers were much less effective “back then”), access the internet, and message our friends with a few clicks. Unlike many friends and classmates, I didn’t receive a smartphone until I was a junior in 2018. Thanks to modern technology, I had a few other devices to keep me updated and occupied, but it was a blessing in disguise to not have a phone till later on in my life. 

While I witnessed my classmates retract from social situations and face-to-face conversations, I could participate more frequently in social circles and conversations (thanks to what I and many others would’ve called “being bored”). When I finally received my own smartphone, I had been so accustomed to a life without it that I felt like I almost didn’t need it. It didn’t feel necessary to have something everyone else had but I felt the social pressures of my friends and everyone around me. I wanted a smartphone because everyone had one and this wasn’t the only thing I wanted. New shoes, new cleats and spikes for soccer and track, new clothes, a better-looking physique, and more were just a few things I desired because I felt like everyone else had them. However, I’ve learned that what I want (especially because everyone else seemed to have them) is not necessarily what I need. I didn’t need the things I wanted and I’m glad my parents and God didn’t give me everything I wanted.

The LORD had provided for Israel time and time again. However, Israel (like many other people in today’s world and in my school environment) wanted more. The Israelites wanted a king and wouldn’t listen to the warnings from Samuel and the LORD (8:19). Why? Why would they desire someone other than God to lead them, go before them, and fight their battles? The answer is simple, they were trying to compare themselves and “keep up with the Joneses.” It was difficult to avoid comparisons back then, and thanks to social media and smartphones I think it’s even more difficult today. Samuel knew the cost of this decision, but the Israelites wanted a king and they wanted one NOW! So, Samuel went back to the LORD, repeated their wish and desire to the LORD, and the LORD told him to listen to them (v.22). Samuel was given a taste of what God experienced when they asked for a king (v.8). He was displeased and I’m sure he had some questions. Was he not good enough to keep them satisfied? Was he not doing enough to serve on Israel’s behalf (7:9)? However, when Samuel prayed to God, God allowed him to see that it wasn’t him they were rejecting (8:7). The Israelites had everything they needed, but they didn’t have everything they thought they needed. Looking back at my situation, the LORD blessed me and my family with everything we needed, but He also blessed us by not providing everything we thought we needed. They had God, but they wanted a king too. The LORD will provide, but be careful what you wish, pray, and ask for.

-Jeffrey Seiders

REFLECTION Q’s

  1. The Israelites wanted more and desired something other than God. Is there a past or present situation where you want more and desire something other than God? If so, how can you work to return God to His rightful place?
  2. Samuel felt rejected because Israel rejected God. Have you ever felt rejected because someone rejected your faith or beliefs? 
  3. Samuel went to God and prayed when he was displeased with their desires. How do you respond when you feel displeased with the decisions and desires of others? Is that the way you should react? Why or why not?
  4. Unlike many of my friends and classmates, I felt my first smartphone was delayed and withheld from me. How has God delayed/withheld your wants, and why might He keep you from receiving them? What blessing(s) might He be providing to you instead?
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A Parent’s Job

1 Samuel 1-3

The decisions of our family members affect us. Growing up, I attended a public school where many teachers and staff knew my dad. Whether it was because he was working as a substitute, looking for a teaching position, or something else, they knew him and often told me something along the lines of, “You better be on your best behavior because I know your dad.” I’m sure my older brother heard this many times, and I’m not sure about my younger siblings. Regardless of that detail, my younger brother has been called by my older brother’s name before (maybe because of their similar competitive spirit or fast mile times in P.E.). Yet, my siblings and I know very well that if something bad were to happen at school, somehow or someway it would find its way back to our parents (even if it had to be via carrier pigeon). My siblings and I did/do very well at staying out of trouble, but we weren’t/aren’t perfect (and I’ll spare you from those details). 

When my older brother signed up for the morning choir, it changed my school life and routine. I didn’t want to ride the bus, and I couldn’t drive, so the best option was to get up earlier and ride with my brother (and wait until the rest of my friends arrived). At that time, I disliked my brother’s decision very much. However, this eventually led me to become interested in morning choir, learn all the musical parts I could, somehow end up singing in the choir for the last two years of high school and being involved in two musicals/plays. After looking back at my older brother’s decision, I am grateful for it (even though I lost some sleep here or there). Our actions can dissipate and impact the lives of those around us (for better or for worse), and in today’s reading Eli’s actions are no different. 

My parents taught us that our decisions and indecisiveness have consequences. As Laurie Buchanan said, “Whatever we are not changing, we are choosing.” Eli made a few poor decisions that resulted in the downfall of his family before God. We might think that Eli was innocent when we read 1 Samuel Chapter 2, but 1 Samuel Chapter 3 tells us the reality of his situation. He didn’t do anything about his son’s sins nor restrained them from sinning (3:13). He needed to hear from God, a friend, or his wife something along the lines of Proverbs 13:24 which states, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” Or, perhaps he knew this concept and simply continued his daily practices disregarding this information (though I think this is more unlikely). Whatever the case may be, Samuel (Hannah and Elkanah’s son) was dedicated to the LORD (1:28) and grew in stature and favor with the LORD and people (2:26). He was the result of his parents’ good decision(s) and didn’t follow in the ways Eli and his sons acted. His parents understood Proverbs 22:6 which states, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it,” likely before it was written. It is important to know the words of God, obey them, and be an example to those around us (even when we think others aren’t looking or paying attention).

-Jeffrey Seiders

REFLECTION Q’s

  1. Eli knew the words of the LORD and yet acted disobediently. Are there times when you’ve acted disobediently even though you knew what God’s word says? What happened as a result of your disobedience? How can you get “back on track?”
  2. Eli’s sons acted as if their father wouldn’t correct them. How have you acted in a way that you thought God and/or your parents wouldn’t correct you? What are the consequences of your actions? In what ways can God teach you through your consequences?
  3. Samuel grew in favor with the LORD and with people. How can you change your actions and mindset to grow in favor with the LORD and bring people closer to Him?
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The Unfortunate Separation of Books

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 29-31

Poetry: Psalm 69

New Testament: Galatians 5:1-15

1 Samuel and 2 Samuel are, in your Bible and maybe in your mind, two different books. 

However, they are one story. We should not really end 1 Samuel without going on to 2 Samuel, the same way ending your movie marathon of the Lord of the Rings after just watching “The Fellowship” is lacking. 

1 Samuel ends with Saul and Jonathan and the other sons of Saul dead on Mount Gilboa, their bodies first desecrated and then given a proper burial by the men of Jabesh-gilead. 

But it is David’s response that is striking, and that comes in 2 Samuel. Forgive me for reading ahead, but look at what David does in 2 Samuel 1. 

He kills the man who claimed to kill Saul (even though we know Saul killed himself) because this man did not respect the Lord’s anointed. 

He laments, not only over Jonathan, but over Saul his enemy. 

His heart is broken because of this man who really and truly hated him. 

1 Samuel has been a journey, and I am glad you have allowed me to go on it with you over the last two weeks. Here has been my take-away:

Be David and do not be Saul. 

Saul did not start off wrong. He began as a shy, possibly humble, man who was given the gift of kingship. But instead of living up to that role, he first consistently and then later constantly rejected the will of God. He offered sacrifices on his own, he directly disobeyed the commands of God so the people would be impressed by his power. He lifted his hands against the Lord’s anointed constantly. When he couldn’t get an answer from God, he turned to demons. As a friend of mine said, Saul is the cautionary tale. 

David started off right. A humble young man who worked the field, he was also given kingship. He was found to be a man after God’s heart, who obeyed God. He made mistakes, but he sought God’s forgiveness. He sought to do God’s will, to bless those who blessed him, but to let God give justice to those who cursed him. He gave compassion to the Lord’s anointed, but fought against the enemies of God. At his best, he is a model king, a model disciple, and a model man. Even in his failings, he repents and turns towards God. 

My brothers and sisters, 

May you start off from this moment right. God can and will forgive you for everything in your past and start you off with the salvation offered through the death of Christ. By “putting on” Christ in baptism, you become a son or daughter of God, a child of the King of the Universe. You are given a type of kingship, and the power of God, the spirit of God, to do all that this kingship requires. You are training to reign with Christ in his Kingdom, and so you are to show love to all people, to show justice to sinners (telling them of God’s justice), to show compassion to all repentant (expressing God’s mercy), and to show honor to God’s anointed, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Bless you as you become “Davids”, following the son of David. Amen

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. In what ways or times have you had a touch of Saul in you? What did it look like? What did God want to see instead? Have you confessed and repented?
  2. How do you treat God’s anointed?
  3. What does it take to become a David? What will you do today to make is so?

——————————

Jake Ballard is pastor at Timberland Bible Church. If you’d like to hear more from him, you can find Timberland on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TimberlandBibleChurch/ ) and on Instagram (https://instagram.com/timberlandbiblechurch?igshid=t52xoq9esc7e). The church streams the Worship Gathering every Sunday at 10:30. Besides studying and teaching God’s word, he is raising three beautiful children with the love of his life, plays board games and RPGs, and believes it was fine that Tom Bombadil was not in the LotR movies. If you’d like to reach out to talk Bible, talk faith, or talk about how the LotR movies might be an improvement on the books, look Jacob Ballard up on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jacob.ballard.336) or email him at jakea.ballard@yahoo.com. 
God bless you all!

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“Marley was dead: to begin with.”

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 26-28

Poetry: Psalm 69

New Testament: Galatians 4

“Marley was dead: to begin with.”

Sometime in the Advent season, my family gathers round and we read out these words. There is a familiarity to this “scary ghost story”; who hasn’t seen, or watched, or read, or heard some version of *A Christmas Carol*. There are dozens, scores, of different versions: stages plays, to ballets, to movies, to the MUPPETS. Seriously, if you haven’t seen a Muppet’s Christmas Carol, what are you doing in the Holiday season?

As I was saying, my family reads these words every year, and I particularly love Dickens’s dry humor and wit, which is somewhat lessened by the theatrical productions of his creation. 

But he also makes very clear why he begins his illustrious novel with a death of a character we know nothing about : “The mention of Marley’s Funeral brings me back to the point I started from. There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate.”

It is in the exact same vein that the author of 1 Samuel 28 reminds us, “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.” We already knew that from 25:1, but the author wants to be really sure. Absolutely positive that we get it. 

Saul is going to attack the Philistines but the Lord doesn’t answer him. And so Saul, in stupidity and desperation, decides to go to Endor, looking for a witch. The witch, in fear and trepidation, speaks as and for Samuel whom she “brought up”. Up from the dead, speaking to Saul. “Samuel was dead to begin with.” This was a big deal. This was massive. We are expecting something wonderful, or maybe in this case, something awful to come of the story which the author is going to relate.

There are some great questions that come to mind when we read this story (see below), but I want us to pick up on what Samuel says to Saul : “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy?” 

When Saul drags him up, Samuel says “What do you want me to do about it?” Like I said, I expected wonderful or awful; I did not expect grumpy and sassy. 

Sometimes, when we find ourselves in sin, and our lives start going poorly, we think, in stupidity and desperation, “more sin will fix this.” Of course, we never say those exact words. Saul didn’t either, but he also didn’t listen to the commands of the Lord. A little compromise here, a little not following the will of God there. “I didn’t kill the sheep so they could be sacrificed!” God stops listening to his prayers, and so he turns his inward sin of rebellion into the outward sin of divination. He does fulfill the prophecy of Samuel in 1 Samuel 15:23. 

We tend to do the same. We tell a lie, and to cover up that lie we have to tell more. (Like Junior Asparagus covering up breaking the Art Bigotti Plate.) Instead of dealing with our lust and desires of the flesh head on, we heap false prophecy onto it and say “God told me we should be together.” We lump pride onto sloth: “Sure I was mentally checked out when I was physically clocked in on the job, but I just need some self care. I deserve it! Treat yo self!” 

You might think the words used (pride, sloth, lust) in those examples (“stuff that everybody does”) is a bit extreme. Maybe, but sin is usually insidious. Saul didn’t start off thinking he was going to be cavorting with witches in the middle of the night. David didn’t think that avoiding his duty of going to war would end up with him murdering his companion. 

Maybe, through you reading the story, you can begin to see that nothing good comes from heaping one sin on top of another. If you find yourself walking down the road of sin, I know how hard it is to change; still, confess your sins, seek the help of pastors and friends who want the best for you, change your ways. Only in turning from sin to the God who wants the best for us will we be able to seek his forgiveness, and not find him as an enemy, but relate to him as a Father who loves his children. Christ will empower us, advocate for us, give us his spirit and put us in a place where God can change us and bless us. 

“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!”

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you need to confess and stop sinning?: Start off by focusing on the thrust of the devotion; are there any sins in your life that need confession? Where you need help to get out of addictive patterns or habits that are hard to break? Stop the sin as soon as possible so the healing can begin. Only then should we think about the rest of these questions.
  2. Did the magic work?: I have heard some people say the witch was scared *because the magic worked.* As in, she wasn’t expecting a real appearing. But the text indicates that she was scared because she recognized Saul while doing her magic. Saul had killed all the diviners. Why was she scared? The ancient people believed magic worked : The witch in Endor, like the slave girl of Acts 16, make us ask do *we* believe that magic works? Should we be more afraid of participating in the occult and magic than merely saying “that’s make believe”? 
  3. Are ghosts real?: Samuel seems to be a ghost. Are ghosts real? What is the Biblical picture of the afterlife? Jesus compared it to sleep, Ecclesiastes talks about the dead knowing nothing and not praising God, but the disciples thought Jesus was a ghost. Does the Bible teach that people can become ghosts? If it doesn’t (and I think it doesn’t), then why did the disciples think people could become ghosts?
  4. Coming *up*?: Where was Samuel coming from? It says Samuel was coming up? If the dead keep on living, we should expect him coming down out of heaven; Samuel seems grumpy, like a man awoken untimely from his sleep. What did the Israelites believe about Sheol?
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