Tag: Samuel

Victorious

May 24, 2021 – 2 Samuel 23-24, Acts 21

When David came to power, he had his work cut out for him. Part of his legacy was fulfilling the calling that God gave to the Israelites when they first came to the Promised Land. He was charged with taking the land. He was supposed to be strong and courageous, and over his lifetime, he proved to be a man of strong military prowess who doubled the size of the kingdom of Israel. 2 Samuel 23 describes the men who helped David make that happen. These are his mighty men, the elite warriors who single handedly won battles against the Philistines with God’s help. One warrior killed 800 men at one time with a spear. Another group broke into an enemy stronghold just to get a cup of water for David. Repeatedly, these men are described as strong, fearless. They ‘stood their ground’ against their enemies. When they faced them this way, ‘the Lord brought about a great victory’ against their enemies. 

In Acts 21, Paul is facing strong and terrifying enemies. In fact, he is told what would happen to him by a prophet in verses 11-12 when the prophet describes how he would be tied up and delivered to the Romans in Jerusalem. The people are begging him not to go to Jerusalem, weeping for the bitter end that they knew would come to Paul if he decided to go to the city. Paul shows his determination and willingness to follow Jesus no matter what when he replies: “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” What a mighty and fearless response! Paul may have not been marching into a war with spears and swords, but he knew the spiritual battle he was facing that would have real – and very dire – implications for his health and well-being. But, it didn’t matter – he would do anything for the name of Jesus. 

We need to face our everyday battles with the same determination and strength, resting in the knowledge that God will bring about the victory if we stand our ground. We need to be strong and courageous, because God is right there with us in our battles. We will emerge victorious!

~ Cayce Fletcher

Read or listen to today’s Bible reading at Biblegateway.com: Job 1-2 and 2 Corinthians 2 .

download the seekgrowlove 2021 Bible reading plan

Inquiring of God – Too Late

1 Samuel 28-31 & Psalm 18

1 Samuel 28 15 NIV

In 1 Samuel 28, we read about the low point in Saul’s life.  The Philistine army had gathered their forces to attack, and Saul was terrified.  He wanted to know what to do, so he (finally) inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him.  He had spent much of his life ignoring God, now it was God’s turn to ignore Saul.

Saul was so desperate to know what to do that he decided to seek out a medium to contact Samuel (who was already dead by this point).  Saul knew this was wrong. In fact, in verse 3, we read that, “Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.” And now he inquired of one.

Because Saul was head and shoulders taller than everyone else, presumably, the medium knew that her disguised client was really Saul. She suspected it was a trap.  Saul swore to her, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.” Saul invoked God’s name to protect her – in total hypocrisy and defiance against God.

Samuel appeared and told Saul, among other things, “The Lord will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.”

Here are my thoughts on what happened:

1.  Through a direct reading of the passage, Samuel really truly did appear.  It was Samuel, not the medium doing some mambo-jumbo “channeling” sleight of hand.

2.  The medium was terrified by this, and didn’t at all expect this.  (Hence her screaming.) I think she was expecting some hocus pocus as usual, and Samuel really showed up.

3.  Samuel interacted directly with Saul, without “channeling” through the medium.

4.  Samuel spoke the truth, referring to comments he had made to Saul in chapter 15 about God tearing the kingdom out of his hand.

5.  I believe God raised Samuel temporarily from the dead specifically to condemn Saul.  I question whether Satan has that kind of power, or if he did, that he would have used it to tell Saul the truth.

6.  We know that Samuel was a righteous man, and Saul was a wicked man.  When Samuel told Saul that Saul and his sons would be joining Samuel the next day, we can infer that Samuel wasn’t in heaven, because Saul wouldn’t be going to heaven, and that Samuel wasn’t burning in hell, since he was righteous.  This re-affirms that Samuel was just dead in the ground, where Saul was going. (Daniel 12:2 reminds us where the dead are and what they are doing – asleep in the dust of the earth.)

In Chapter 31, we read that all of this came true the next day.  The Israelite army was conquered, Saul’s three sons were killed, and Saul committed suicide.

According to 1 Samuel 28:18, all of this happened because Saul “did not obey the Lord.”

This highlights again how important it is for us to obey the Lord.  We need to get into His word to understand what He requires. And then we need to just do it.


–Steve Mattison
Today’s Bible reading passages can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+28-31%2C+Psalm+18&version=NIV

Tomorrow’s reading will be Psalm 121, 123-125 & 128-130 as we continue the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Anointing (I Samuel 16-17)

Thursday, October 13th

1-sam-16-7-pic

By Terrence Raper

Saul has some good moments, but eventually fails to follow God. Samuel is tasked with secretly anointing a new king behind Saul’s back. This process for choosing the next king laid out in this chapter has always been interesting to me. God tells Samuel it’s going to be one of Jesse’s sons, and God speaks to Samuel as each one passes by. I can remember God talking to people in the Bible, and I can remember examples of people casting lots. In Chapter 16 it seems like Samuel is doing both in real time. That just stuck out to me.

Samuel’s connection to God in this moment of choosing the next king, reminds me a lot of Paul’s final instructions in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Paul tells them to “pray continually”- Which was “pray without ceasing” in the King James, the original way I heard the scripture. I have always thought of Paul’s instruction in terms of literal and nonliteral. I believe Paul was asking the Thessalonians to be faithful, and prayerful: reminding them it is important to submit to God in all things.I also think Paul was talking about a mindfulness. I don’t mean mindfulness in a new age kind of way. I think Paul was asking them to think of everything in terms of Godly wisdom. I believe this to be a step in the process of obedience to God between belief and actions.
So Saul heard the voice of God in real time. This is not impossible, but it hasn’t been a part of my experience of God. I have had to begrudgingly ask myself what truths do I know about God, and in turn how would God like me to act, react, respond in this scenario. What does Godly wisdom tell me about this scenario?

A Foolish Thing (I Samuel 11-13)

Tuesday, October 11th

 

By Terrence Raper

These chapters really shone a light on how great Samuel was. He was completely blameless.  He even offers a penance for anyone who would have ever had a grievance with him. The tragedy of Samuel’s service to the people of Israel is during his old age. He is forced to step down as leader, and knows that things are going to get very bad.  

terrence tues pic.png

Samuel is still clearly displeased with the choices his people have made. This had to be exceptionally difficult for him. He had lead Israel faithfully, and blamelessly, but they continued to reject him and God. Samuel laid out what will happen to his people, and all the trouble that will befall them. They still refused to obey.  

Nothing is as frustrating or heartbreaking as watching someone you love experience hardships that could have been avoided. I know I have struggled with this throughout my life. I have had to watch people that I love harm themselves in unnecessary ways. I have fought with these people. I have tried giving advice. I have conveyed first hand experience with them of the bad choices I have made. Yet, for some people none of that works.  

1 Samuel 13:13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

When God Calls, Answer (1 Samuel 1-3)

Saturday, October 8
speak-lord
Shelby Upton
It is so easy to get lost in our understanding and planning sometimes. We forget just how little a scope we have on life and forget that God’s ways are not our ways and don’t trust what He is doing. Responding to the Holy Spirit and discerning the nudges that it gives is so important. I love the story in 1 Samuel 3 when Samuel is called. It is a powerful and even a little funny story.  I always chuckle a little when Samuel, after hearing God is running back and forth to Eli saying here I am and Eli just sends him back to bed.
I can’t imagine the intensity of that encounter! To hear God and have him tell you his plans.  The wonderful application I believe we can take from this story is to answer when God calls, trust his plans, and stay in the word.  The last few verses sum that up very well I believe. 1 Samuel 3:18-21″ So Samuel tole him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is the Lord. He will do what he thinks is good.” Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and he fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied. All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh because there he revealed Himself to Samuel by His word.”
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