TODAY’S READING: I SAMUEL 11-14
OVERVIEW:
The rise of King Saul as he obeys God; the fall of King Saul as he relies upon his own reasoning; Jonathan, Saul’s son, acts in great courage.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
With all the disobedience and rejection God has tolerated throughoutIsrael’s history, Saul’s reign is delivered with this promise and warning, “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.” I Sam. 12:24, 25.
Fourteen verses later Samuel is announcing privately to Saul what will still take years for God to deliver, “thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart.” Watching Saul try to hang on to his power and position from this point on, instead of seeking God and desiring to keep a pure heart, is like watching so many followers of Christ who structure their existence upon maintaining a good front, and getting from God what they want from Him, rather than hearing and heeding and knowing the God who in turn promotes and protects. (I Sam. 7:9; Jeremiah 22:29; Joshua 23:11; James 4:10)
In the New Testament, (Acts 13:21-22) Paul, (who’s original name was Saul), makes only one mention of his name’s sake saying, “And when He had removed him.” How ironic that the first king ofIsraelis only known for having to be removed, so that God could fulfill His plan. God will always seek a man after His own heart. (I Sam. 13:14;)
Jonathan, King Saul’s son, seems to have the heart of a lion (I Sam. 14:6), but his life is caught up in the web of his father’s sin. Although he remains pure, the tangle of Saul ends his life too. There is no private sin or private life. What we do affects those around us, and most often and most severely, those we love (Numbers 32:22-24).
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
We see Christ in all that Samuel was meant to be – judge, priest, and prophet. John 5:30; Hebrews7:26and Acts 7:37.