Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
The people then said to Samuel, "Who was it that asked, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring these men to us and we will put them to death."
But Saul said, "No one shall be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel."
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and there reaffirm the kingship." So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.
1 Samuel 11:12-15
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As Saul was selected king of Israel by casting lots in the presence of all the tribes of Israel, his selection was met with mixed reactions. Some of the people went to his home with him, labeled as “valiant men whose hearts God had touched”. Others however were against Saul. These people were labeled as troublemakers who asked how Saul could ever save Israel…no doubt looking down on him because he came from Benjamin, the least of the tribes of Israel, and if that weren’t enough, he also came from the least clan within that tribe. The men who spoke out against Saul “despised him and brought him no gifts”.
Well, in the first part of Chapter 11, we saw where Saul succeeded in saving the people of Jabesh Gilead who were besieged by the dangerous Ammonite, Nahash. You’ll recall that Nahash wanted to gouge out the right eye of every person in Jabesh Gilead who in turn bought themselves a week’s worth of time to get help before falling into suffering. Desperate for help, the people of Jabesh Gilead needed delivered from their enemy and found their help in the way of their newly appointed king who rallied all of Israel and soundly defeated the Ammonites. Saul had indeed shown he could save Israel…and he did so because the power of the Lord was with him.
Following the victory, the people of Israel who had supported Saul all along spoke out against those who had been skeptical, demanding to Samuel that they be brought forward and be put to death. But we read where King Saul had the last word on the matter saying, “No one shall be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel." His words were followed by another gathering at Gilgal to reaffirm and then celebrate Saul’s position as King of Israel. This time, we get the sense that all of Israel is behind the chosen king because no one speaks out against him or questions his ability.
In this chapter, we saw how Saul used his authority first to rescue and save the people of Jabesh Gilead from the Ammonites and then to pardon those who had spoken against him prior to the battle. And in doing so, he modeled two important qualities of God…something we should do as well.
First, Saul was victorious because he was open to receiving God’s power...a power that allowed him and his men to conquer the Ammonites and rescue the people of Jabesh Gilead. And we see where Saul acknowledged this when he addressed the people, not taking credit for the win himself but instead giving all the credit to the Lord.
God is ready to use us in ways that will help rescue His people today as well. So many are lost because they don’t know Jesus, the Son that God sent to save and rescue all His people from sin and Satan. So as all mankind steps out onto the battlefield each day, they are up against an evil enemy whose main goal is to destroy every child of God and keep them from their salvation in the only One who can save…the only One who can grant us passage to God the Father…the One who is the Way and the Truth and the Life…now and forever. (John 14:6) Without rescue, God’s people are without hope…and so He empowers His followers…those who believe and trust in His Son, Christ the Savior…to go forth and make disciples while teaching them to obey all His Son commanded. And to make sure we don’t have to go forth alone…His Son promised us He would always walk with us until the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20) In return then, we like Saul don’t take credit for any victories we gain while in the Lord’s service. No…anyone rescued is because Jesus rescued them. We were only instruments used in the process, empowered by the Lord for His purpose.
Back to Saul…for the second thing he did in modeling qualities of God was show mercy, grace and pardon to those who had wronged him. Saul didn’t have to do that. He could have agreed with the people who were asking for his opposers to be put to death and executed them. After all, he was the king and no one would have been surprised at the actions. But when one is in the Spirit of the Lord, they don’t act or reason as people of the world do. No…they think with the same mind of God which will always run counter with the world’s thinking.
The people who were calling for the death of those who opposed Saul forgot one very important point. They weren’t perfect. In fact, they were sinners just like those who had despised Saul…and just as much in need of mercy, grace and pardon. How quickly they forgot that.
And how quickly we forget as well. For we are too often very quick to judge others and forget how imperfect we are as well. It’s sure easier criticizing another than it is to look at yourself and see how flawed you are. We need to keep in mind that God sees everything in everybody. He sees how flawed we all are…how sinful and rebellious we are against His commands, His word and His will for our lives. God has the power and authority to strike any of us dead at any moment…executing us for not supporting Him…the King of all Kings…much like those people of Israel who despise their King Saul. But God didn’t and doesn’t wipe us out because of our sinfulness. No…He offers us mercy, grace and pardon through His Son, Jesus, who He allowed to be sacrificed on the cross to pay the cost for our sins. Indeed, we need only look at the cross to see mercy, grace, pardon…and let me add, love…represented for all of God’s children…past, present and future.
Friends, in the Lord, we find the strength and power to be victorious in whatever He calls us to do. And as we go forth to carry out His will, we need to do so with the same measure of mercy, grace, pardon and love that He showed us when He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross and bring us rescue from death and an open door to salvation. Thanks be to God for all He gives us…but most of all, for giving us Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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