TODAY’S READING: I SAMUEL 26-31
OVERVIEW:
David spares Saul’s life again; David lives in the land of the Philistines and defeats many enemies; Saul consults with a witch regarding going to war; David recovers his family and the families of his soldiers who are kidnapped; Saul’s sons are killed in battle and Saul takes his own life.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
What a sad slide Saul has taken throughout the Book of I Samuel. He has gone from prophesying, showing how God’s hand was upon his life, to consulting with a witch just to prove how desperate the life without God can become. He has all the power of the entire universe on his side when he starts out as king, and finishes his life exerting the only power he has left; the power to take his own life. He loses his fight with God, and with it, he loses the respect of those who love him. He is dying to preserve his legacy and ends up doing just that. His legacy is of a man who lives and dies as an example of how to blow it!
David on the other hand, emerges from obscurity because of the condition of his heart. God tells Saul through Samuel that he “hath sought him a man after his own heart” (I Samuel13:14) “and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people.” From the time David is chosen, until the day that Saul ends his life, God proves over and over that David will wait on the Lord, will not exalt himself, will deal with the adversity and the complicated mix of adversaries, and will not take anything except what God gives him.
So, the Book of Samuel is divided into two columns; one is titled “What NOT To Do,” and the other is titled “What TO Do.” Eli and Saul occupy column one, while Samuel and David are in column two. You and I choose the column in which our lives will be placed. It was reasonable for Saul to do many of the things he did, but he was operating based upon his own vision, and this is precisely what got him in trouble and ultimately led to his demise. David continually had apparent success at his fingertips, but he resisted the urge to rush in, but rather waited upon the Lord for his leading. Because of his faith, God’s blessing was upon his life.
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
Through the URIM, which was used to determine God’s will – I Sam. 28:6 (Heb. 11:1-2 – Today Christ speaks to us to reveal His will through His Spirit as we read His Word. “God… hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.”)