Saul’s idea of hand-to-hand combat was ridiculous. And heaven-bound prayers are our best shot, too. David arrived at Israel’s military encampment armed with “an ephah of…dried grain… ten loaves, and…ten cheeses” for “the captain of their thousand” (1 Sam 17:17-18). But, it turns out, he also had his trusty slingshot. When he saw the standoff […]
Read More… from October 23, 2023 — The Weapons Of Our Warfare
Was Goliath one of the Anakim? Perhaps. Joshua 11:22 says they hadn’t been destroyed in Gath. Here come the Philistines again! This time, instead of all-out battle, they had decided on a contest. Each side was to provide a champion, and the winner would determine the outcome. To the southwest, the Philistine army “encamped…in Ephes […]
Heavenly music can often heal the wounds that surgeons cannot reach nor can medicines cure. Samuel had anointed David, God’s choice for Israel’s king, “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Sam 16:13). At this point, a clarification might be helpful. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit […]
The name David means “beloved.” Nothing could be more fitting for the man after God’s heart. Although few knew it, a new day had dawned in Israel. “Fill your horn with oil, and go,” the Lord told Samuel (1 Sam 16:1). Go where? To Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse. Now the road from Bethel […]
Samuel, Saul’s loyal friend, thought it a “sin against the Lord” if he ceased to pray for him (1 Sam 12:23). 727. Samuel was no mere observer of the life of Saul. When the Lord told him, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king,” we read, “it grieved Samuel, and he […]
“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Sam 15:23). In dealing with the Amalekites, it wasn’t enough that they should be “harassed” (1 Sam 14:47). Amalek had been the first enemy to attack Israel after their exodus, and at that time the Lord had said to Moses, […]
Read More… from October 16, 2023 — Partial Obedience Is Disobedience
Sha’ul means “asked for” or “prayed for.” Asked for by the people, and prayed for by Samuel. The last six verses of 1 Samuel 14 give a brief overview of Saul’s reign. Clearly his armies were very busy! The details of his exploits are not given, simply that he “harassed” the surrounding nations: Moab, Ammon, […]
Read More… from October 13, 2023 — The First King Of Israel In Review
If there’s one thing worse than making a rash vow, it’s actually keeping it. Not today, said the people! Jonathan had heard nothing about the enforced fast imposed by Saul. As they traveled through a wooded area in their pursuit of the Philistines, “there was the honey, dripping” (1 Sam 14:26). How appetizing is that, […]