I Samuel 11 - Saul's Initial Success

I Samuel 11

So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace, offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. (verse 15).

Message: Saul's Initial Success

Time: This book is a biography of Samuel's life and career up to his death. It took place over a period of about 110 years, stretching from the closing days of the judges, when Samuel was born (ca. 1120 BC) through the death of Saul (1011 BC).

What the Lord is Saying: My summary of chapter 10: 

Samuel anoints Saul with oil as Saul is to do the will of God in humble reliance on the Spirit of God. But given the opportunity to testify of God's work, Saul hides it to his uncle. Saul has been chosen by God and presented before the people and yet at this choosing, Saul cannot be found and appears to be hiding. As mentioned previously, Saul has the looks of a king and is taller than anyone else. He is ordained to be king. 

Chapter 11 begins by presenting a problem - a possible overthrow of the people by an Ammonite - Nahash. I am not real sure why Nahash has come on the scene here, but he is someone that is on a spree of conquering. I found this map showing where Saul was residing, in Gibeah, in the land of Benjamin. In chapter 10, it was in Mizpah that Saul was anointed. But here word is received that the Ammonites are conquering land up in Jabesh-Gilead, which is in the land of Gad, on the other side (east) of the Jordan River. 

The people of Jabesh attempt to negotiate their lives with Nahash in order to live by proclaiming a covenant to Nahash to serve him (v. 1). Nahash agrees (v. 2) on the one condition that the right eye of every person is gouged out. In Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers by Charles John Elicott (1819-1905) it says:

The object of Nahash’s cruelty was to incapacitate the inhabitants of Jabesh from ever further assisting his enemies in war; they would henceforth be blinded in the right eye, while the left eye would be concealed by the shield which fighting-men were in the habit of holding before them.

On this, the people of Jabesh strike a deal to wait 7 days in order to see if anyone in the territory of Israel might deliver them (v. 3). Making a proposal like this was not uncommon and Nahash agreed because 7 days is not long for someone to hear of the problem and then come to rescue. The distance between these two places was about 45 miles, a significant journey that some remark could be done in one day by a messenger. As such in verse 4, the messengers arrive in Gibeah to speak to Saul. Saul becomes angry upon hearing (v. 6) of the people's conundrum. 

Saul does something similar to what is found in Judges 19:29 when a concubine is cut up into 12 pieces and sent throughout the land of Israel. Saul takes two oxen and cuts it into pieces in order to show people the need for an army to join Saul is supporting the people of Jabesh-Gilead and if not, their oxen will be impacted. What people see is often more impactful than what they hear. 

The place of gathering all the men of war is in Bezek (verse 8) - about 18 miles from Gibeah and then 14 more miles across the Jordan to Jabesh-Gilead, a trek that could be done during the night. The total number of men gathered is 300,000. 

So it was in verse 11 that the people are placed in 3 companies representing 3 watches of 4 hours each to strike down the Ammonites. There were men who had questioned whether Saul would be a king (10:27) and to Samuel is raised the idea of putting these men to death (v.12) but Saul says no to this (v. 13). And they go now to Gilgal, a religious site and place of many striking events of Israel's history. This where Saul is inaugurated as king. Everyone rejoiced. 

Summary: Saul experiences success in rallying a large contingent of people throughout Israel to defeat the Ammonites at Jabesh-Gilead and then is crowned king in Gilgal. 

Promise: God's kingdom advances when his people come together. 

Prayer: Lord, we are stronger when we are united. Our leadership is to be focused on You God through Jesus Christ. We are to be a strong cord. I see this throughout time in the examples of a team even in sports in which everyone comes together and is united with the same mission. We are better together. We are better united. And with this we need a leader. We are the people of God and we need to be together as one.  

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Judges 1 - Trouble In Canaan

Judges 1

And it came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely (verse 28). 

Message: Trouble in Canaan

Time: Judges covers about 250 years from death of Joshua to birth of Samuel (1360-1110 BC). The people of Israel largely divided with different local triable judges. It was a period of stirring interventions by the Lord and also great disobedience on the part of the Israelites. Without a king, everyone did right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). 

What the Lord is Saying: After Joshua has died, the question comes up in verse 1 of Judges about who will now fight the Canaanites and in verse 2 it is mentioned Judah (a fulfillment of prophecy from Genesis 49:8-12; about 400 years prior). It seems they are still going to the areas that are allotted them.  Verse 4 - "The Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek." 

Verse 8 mention how the sons of Judah then fought against Jerusalem, capturing it and then setting it on fire. And Judah continued to fight against other Canaanites in other cities. Caleb then offers up his daughter as wife to the one who attacks Kiriath-sepher (verse 12). Caleb's younger brother, Othniel, is that one. The daughter received a gift of the upper and lower springs of the Negev at her request. 

Other cities are captured, like those living in Zephath (v 17), Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron (v. 18). The Jebusites did not leave Jerusalem and stayed with the sons of Benjamin (v.21). 

In Bethel, family requests to be treated kindly and they are allowed to go free. Manasseh lived alongside people in Beth-shean as those people did not leave (v. 27-28), nor Ephraim in Gezer (v. 29), Zebulun in Kitron and Nahaloi (v. 30) or Asher in Acco or Sidon (v. 31-32) or Naphtali in Beth-shemesh (v.33) and sons of Dan with Amorites in the hill country, though they became forced labor (v. 34-36). 

And that's the chapter. So a 2nd leader is provided in Judah. Jerusalem is seized. And many other lands as well, some with their captors remaining and some being killed. Perhaps it seems kind that people did not die, but another way to look at this is probably the antithesis of what we will continue to see in this chapter and that is the people in these lands were supposed to be driven out. And they were not. perhaps because the people became frightened and let the people remain. They did not trust the words and promises given in Joshua earlier that people would be driven out if there were obstacles. But instead, they gave into the obstacles. 

Summary: Judah takes over now after the death of Joshua and lands continue to be inhabited. The goal was taking over these lands but often people remained as Israel let obstacles stay rather than trusting in God for their conquest. 

Promise: Outward success occurs, but often at the expense of spiritual failure. Our success comes only from the Lord. 

Prayer: O God, let my world be defined by You and only You. You give me the power and strength, but I must trust in You. Show me each day the ways in which I need to trust in You and not give in to the things around me. I pray for your power in my life. 

 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Jesus Calling: April 30

     When some basic need is lacking--time, energy, money--consider yourself blessed. Your very lack is an opportunity to latch onto Me in unashamed dependence. When you begin a day with inadequate resources, you must concentrate your efforts on the present moment. This is where you are meant to live--in the present; it is the place where I always await you. Awareness of your inadequacy is a rich blessing, training you to rely wholeheartedly on Me.
     The truth is that self-sufficiency is a myth perpetuated by pride and temporary success. Health and wealth can disappear instantly, as can life itself. Rejoice in your insufficiency, knowing that My Power is made perfect in weakness. 

James 1:2
English Standard Version
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

2 Corinthians 12:9
New American Standard
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

My Prayer
Lord, You know me. You know me better than I know myself. And what you know about me would greatly embarrass me before others. You know my failures, my secret thoughts, everything about me. You know how hard I work many times to present myself before others as this person who looks good and plays the part and is highly esteemed and yet You know the real me. And that is the person that you love. I align myself so often with those that are strong or who exhibit strength and you accept me in my weakness. And in that weakness you make me strong. And what I need to be is that real person. I don't deserve you God. Your grace amazes me. I could never repay you and you don't even want me to try. Thank You for dwelling in me, for taking up residence in me. O God I thank you.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.     

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Jesus Calling: January 5

You can achieve the victorious life through living in deep dependence on Me. People usually associate victory with success: not falling or stumbling, not making mistakes. But those who are successful in their own strength tend to go their own way, forgetting about Me. It is through problems and failure, weakness and neediness that you learn to rely on Me.
      True dependence is not simply asking Me to bless what you have decided to do. It is coming to Me with an open mind and heart, inviting Me to plant My desires within you. I may infuse within you a dream that seems far beyond your reach. You know that in yourself you cannot achieve such a goal. Thus begins your journey of profound reliance on Me. It is a faith-walk, taken one step at a time, leaning on Me as much as you need. This is not a path of continual success but of multiple failures. However, each failure is followed by a growth spurt, nourished by increased reliance on Me. Enjoy the blessedness of a victorious life, through deepening your dependence on Me.

Psalm 34:17-18
English Standard Version

When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:7
New King James Version
For we walk by faith, not by sight.

My Prayer (1/5/13)
Wow God. So, the secret to victorious living is not to try my hardest, but to relinquish all to you. Lord, how opposite to that have I trained myself to be in life. My dependence is not deep. Train me Lord to depend on You. Lord, in this time, when we are struggling to pay bills and have enough, in this adverse circumstance we find ourselves in, that in some ways we have chosen, change us. Help us to increase our dependence on You.

Lord, show me how to depend on Your strength. Help me to redefine success in life. So, that I'm walking in Victory versus aiming towards personal success.

Lord, I want your desires to be my desires. I want to be trained by You. Lord, I pray that you would start me going and I would follow, versus me deciding what I want and then asking You to bless it.

I admit that this reliance and trust and dependence on You is something that I don't completely comprehend. I can't see it. I don't know what it looks like. I want to see steps to this.

For instance, this car buying decision. I stare out at our finances and see we are already committed with our future money and to buy this car we need more future money. Can we survive without a car? Do I need to consider the bus or my bike? Lord, 3 months ago we started praying for a 3rd car and now we need a second car. I want to rely on You Lord.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young and you can find the book at many online and local stores.