Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

Though Saul was king and his son Jonathan first in line for succession, God had appointed David as the next king of Israel. David waited for God’s timing and did not try to dethrone Saul or eliminate the heir to the throne. Saul’s goal was to protect his family line at any cost.  But most of all, Saul did not want his power and authority to be stripped away as king.  Saul is so jealous of David, his envy of being favored by God is destroying everything good within him.  His fear of losing the crown feeds his anger.  His anger is overtaking all his mind. Saul now wants to murder the one loyal to him, plays his harp for him to soothe his dark moods, and is now a lifelong friend of his son Jonathan.  Saul has broken his relationship with God.  Because of turning from God to self; all other relationships in his life are fractured.  Saul is living on the edge, ready to fall.

At the heart of Saul’s actions is fear of losing what he thinks he earned and deserves to continue—power and position. Life is going to get a lot uglier as Saul continues to demand his own way. But God has other plans. 

1 Samuel 19

Saul Tries to Kill David

Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David ² and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. ³ I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”

⁴ Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. ⁵ He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”

⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

⁷ So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.

⁸ Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.

⁹ But an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, ¹⁰ Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

¹¹ Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” ¹² So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped. ¹³ Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.

¹⁴ When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, “He is ill.”

¹⁵ Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” ¹⁶ But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.

¹⁷ Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”

Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’”

¹⁸ When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. ¹⁹ Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; ²⁰ so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied. ²¹ Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. ²² Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.

²³ So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. ²⁴ He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

What would you do to protect your status in life?

What would you do if someone close to you became your self-appointed enemy merely because of their success and your jealousy?

Traits of the Enemy, the Prince of Darkness, shows up in the best of families.  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” when tempted by the dark character traits of anger, jealousy, envy, pride, arrogance, with thoughts of removing those who offend or disagree with us.

How do we respond when tempted?  God’s Word recited out loud if necessary to the enemy who provokes us.

Paul’s letters to the church, along with the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are full of truth bombs given to us with power from God’s Holy Spirit to allude the enemy!  We must do as the Psalmist and “hide God’s Word in our hearts so that we might not sin” against God and others.  Don’t fall for the foolishness of the Destroyer of all relationships! 

“Several scriptures can guide and strengthen us in resisting temptation. Key verses include Matthew 26:41, which emphasizes the need to watch and pray, and 1 Corinthians 10:13, which reminds us that God provides a way out of temptation. Other helpful passages include James 4:7, encouraging us to submit to God and resist the devil, and the enemy will flee!  Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, even tells us what to wear to combat temptations!  

 “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Romans 13 :11-14

What we do will reflects what we truly believe.  Our thought-life will be displayed in our actions.  So, what are we thinking? Who do we really believe? Who is truly Lord of our hearts, minds, and souls? We must consistently evaluate our relationships, first with God and then with each other.  What is holding us back from having unconditional, loving friendships with each other such as Jonathan and David had which was considered a most unlikely relationship at that time?

Do we only look favorably on those like us and prove worthy of our time and friendship?

Jesus touched the untouchables, extending unconditional love, and then gave his life for all the world—his enemies included. What is our response as His followers?

Relationships used only to gain favor, position, and power are not of God.

God’s way out for David was to redirect his pursuers by His Spirit!

Take another look at verses 19-24. Interesting, right? The men Saul sent to seize David were empowered by God’s Spirit to prophesy in the Spirit! We don’t know what they said; but these men were redirected and David was protected. 

Saul then decided to go himself when his men failed the mission.  God then redirected him in the same way! Saul prophesied to the point that others thought he was a prophet! Saul had had a similar experience after Samuel had anointed him king (1 Samuel 10:9–13). These two events prove that a person can have a remarkable religious experience and yet have no change in character. In Saul’s case, both experiences were sent by the Lord, but Saul didn’t profit from them. Special religious manifestations aren’t evidences that a person is even saved”! 

Jesus teaches the difference between true and false disciples;

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’—Jesus, Matthew 7:21–23

Saul had a religious experience but not a change of heart.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”—Jesus, Matthew 7:24-27

Saul built his house on sand.  His crash will soon follow.

Lord,

Our relationships matter to You!  What we think of each other matters to You.  You gave yourself which is all we need to have an intimate loving relationship with You and with each other.  You gave us a change of heart upon believe in all you have done for us! 

As we realize the depth of unconditional love you have for us; may our love for you and others grow to be more like your love. Help us to love more and judge less—the later being a temptation of darkness.  Clothe us with the beauty of your light of salvation so others will know and see YOU in us and come to you!  All holy relationships begin with our relationship with you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Unfortunately, pride is present in our nature, ready to rear it’s ugly head as we gain success and favor with people because of accomplishments in our lives. “Keep your heart pure” warns Paul as he mentors Timothy because it is in these exact moments that evil works hard to change our minds, thinking we are better than anyone else, including God.  Who needs God when we can do good all by ourselves?  Yikes, danger lies ahead. Added to pride is the need to seek and demand the consistent praises and pats on the back from everyone around us, even if what we did wasn’t the best plan of action!  The perfect storm brews as elements of ego-driven arrogance, pride, and greed for more take over our being—all the characteristics of evil.

Only God, who created all and is sovereign over all, could have orchestrated what happens next in God’s story of faithfulness and kindness to His people.  Saul used to be a man who loved and revered God; but then he defied God in all he thinks, says, and does. God steps in to intervene on behalf of His People.  God took His Holy Spirit from King Saul; for God’s spirit does not reside in dark places.  An evil has taken over Saul’s being; rendering him mentally, spiritually, and emotionally incapable of being king over God’s people.  Interestingly, Saul was tall and handsome with a kingly presence that the people admired.  Saul, at first, gave glory to God who gave him strength to overcome the enemies in war. God chose him for his humble spirit, as Saul was surprised that God would allow him to serve Him as King of Israel.  But now, Saul allowed the temptations of greatness to overcome him.

God intervenes for God knows. God has already chosen another candidate to replace King Saul.  God had David in Him mind before He was born. (Pause to wrap our minds around that thought!)  David is the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse so he is relegated to watch over the sheep as his job in the family.  As the youngest, he also serves the older brothers in whatever they ask him to do.  David is also a gifted musician who sings beautiful hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God who he loves with all his heart.  David communes with God out in the fields; for He trusts God to be his protector while he cares for the sheep.  Scriptures allude that David becomes the “apple of God’s eye.”  David is also known as a man after God’s own heart.

1 Samuel 16

Samuel Anoints David

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

² But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”

⁴ Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”

⁵ Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

¹² So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

David in Saul’s Service

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evilspirit from the Lord tormented him.

¹⁵ Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶ Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”

¹⁷ So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

¹⁸ One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”

¹⁹ Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” ²⁰ So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

²¹ David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. ²² Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

²³ Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

FUN FACT:  The phrase “apple of God’s eye” is used in several Bible verses to describe something or someone precious and highly valued. (See also Proverbs 7:2, Zechariah 2:8) While David doesn’t explicitly use the phrase to describe himself, he does pray in Psalm 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” In this context, David is asking God for protection and favor, likening himself to the most precious part of God’s eye. The phrase itself is a metaphor for something extremely dear and worthy of protection. In ancient Hebrew culture, the “apple” of the eye referred to the pupil, the most sensitive and vital part of the eye. 

We will read later that as king, David is not perfect and falls for the temptations of evil. But David knows God enough to repent when he sins against Him with a heart who still seeks the heart of God.  Herein lies the difference between Saul and David.

The irony of David, the newly chosen and anointed king, serving King Saul is not lost on us!  David experiences what happens when God’s Holy Spirit is removed from a being who once knew God and did what God said.  Could this be why David compassionately wrote this prayer of repentance after his sin of adultery with Bathsheba? —

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12  Yes, the title of Psalm 51 states the truth: For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

David saw Saul at his worst—spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally wracked and wrecked in his inmost being because God’s Spirt was removed from him. As David played his lyre and sang God’s songs from his heart, he was a witness to an unrepentant heart of pride that was broken in pieces without God.

Our response to God is an individual time with God because He loves to commune with us. We must deal with God personally—for we were created for a personal, intimate loving relationship with Him. After Christ left earth, God’s Holy Spirit came with power to live in all who believe that Jesus did indeed die but rose from death in victory three days later. THIS is our hope of eternal life with Him just as He said!  AND, here’s more good news—God’s Holy Spirit will not leave us!  Jesus promised in the New Covenant with God; He would be with us always—until the end of the age.  (Matthew 28:20)  The gift of God to us is His Holy Spirit residing in us.

The only removal being done is our repented sins; “as far as the east is from the west, so have our sins been removed,” buried in the deepest sea” to be “remembered no more”!  (Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 8:12; Micah 7:19)

In our known world is a system that ranks the value of humans by the amount of wealth amassed, the number of things possessed, along with seen consistent successes on the outside. But God’s value system is not of this world.  Jesus’ Kingdom plan that He taught is a reason for joy! Jesus told John that a new kingdom was coming—a kingdom where people have value not because of what they do, but because of whose they are.  “We are God’s children!”  Joint heirs with Chris who saved us.

We often pick leaders by credentials rather than character. Next time we must select a leader, ask questions about character—not about résumé. Find evidence of who they are and who they listen to for advice.  And…may we spend more time cultivating our character rather than our references from those who see only what we allow them to see on the outside for “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Oh Lord,

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. (Psalm 51)

In Jesus Name, for our good and Your Glory, Amen

We all see it!  All have sinned and fall short in this area of life at least once or twice. What is it? Pride of success.  Patting ourselves on the back for what those behind us and with us have accomplished.  However, when success is tremendous and powerful; it is the humble leader of God who does not take any credit but first gives the glory to God who provided then immediately to the team players who helped the team accomplish the hard work with faith in God to complete it. No one likes to work for and with a leader with an ego so humongous that it no longer fits through the door of his own house!

This next passage focuses on Jonathan, Saul’s oldest son.  We learn to love Jonathan!  We see his committed faith in God!  Because he inquired of God, Jonathan and his armor bearer, who had faith in both Jonathan and God, won a strategic battle against the Philistines.  It was God who directed Jonathan and God who fought the battle by sending the Philistines into panic. But who took the credit?  King Saul! His father had taken the credit (Go back to 13:1–7) from the beginning and to the end! Saul even took the place of Samuel the priest!  Yes, Pride is beginning to overtake Saul daily even though this man is the one God called to be king of Israel. 

Jonathan is a remarkable blessing of the grace of God. When we read this story, we begin to see the flaws in Saul’s leadership taking shape.  Saul does not appreciate his magnificent son! We will later read of Jonathan’s growth as a courageous warrior (2 Sam. 1:22), a born leader, and a man of faith who sought to do the will of God. 

1 Samuel 14

¹ One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.

² Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, ³ among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.

⁴ On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. ⁵ One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.

⁶ Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

⁷ “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

⁸ Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.”

¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” ¹² The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.”

So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”

¹³ Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. ¹⁴ In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Israel Routs the Philistines

¹⁵ Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.

¹⁶ Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. ¹⁷ Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.

¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)¹⁹ While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

²⁰ Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. ²¹ Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. ²² When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. ²³ So on that day the Lord saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.

Jonathan Eats Honey

²⁴ Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.

²⁵ The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶ When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. ²⁸ Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”

²⁹ Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰ How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”

³¹ That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. ³² They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. ³³ Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood in it.”

“You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” ³⁴ Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.’”

So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. ³⁵ Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this.

³⁶ Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”

“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.

But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”

³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day.

³⁸ Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. ³⁹ As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word.

⁴⁰ Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”

“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

⁴¹ Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. ⁴² Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”

So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”

⁴⁴ Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.”

⁴⁵ But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

⁴⁶ Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

⁴⁷ After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. ⁴⁸ He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.

Saul’s Family

⁴⁹ Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. ⁵⁰ His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle. ⁵¹ Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.

⁵² All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

As we study Saul’s life, we will see more and more evidence that he was what some people call a “control freak.” He envied other people’s success, he was suspicious of any strategy that he didn’t originate or at least approve, and he was ruthless when it came to removing people who challenged his leadership or exposed his folly.  Saul even attacked his own son, Jonathan!  But that comes later as pride produces envy, jealousy, greed, and control over all things and people who get in his way.

We see a good example of self-praise and pride is in this very passage!  Saul asked the priest to bring him the ark of the Lord. He was probably planning to take it to the battlefield with the army, a foolish tactic that had brought judgment in Eli’s day! But the priest was not given the chance to inquire of the Lord!  The priest never had a chance to determine God’s will, for when Saul heard the noise of the battle increasing, he interrupted the divine proceedings and made his own decision.

Saul’s impatience and self-confidence got the best of him! He acted without knowing God’s will or receiving God’s blessing. His pride will consistently get in the way of knowing God more because Saul feels he is God.  Saul’s faith in God falters when he declares himself the divine who demands all the glory and credit for all victories.  We see Saul “performing religious acts” that are not part of his job description.  These acts are only to prove he is holier than everyone else—even God! 

But God knows and God will intervene for the good of His people.  God has not given up nor will He ever give up His authority!

Saul has a “heart condition” that is growing steadily worse. As we continue to read King Saul’s words recorded in Samuel; the words will often reveal a heart controlled by pride, foolishness, and deceit. It will send chills down our spines!  He would say foolish things just to impress people with his “spirituality,” when in reality he was walking far from the Lord.  God knows and sees every heart—because He created us! 

Trouble is brews as Saul becomes pride obsessed!  When it became known that Jonathan ate honey and saw the energy all the men fighting in battle should have, King Saul decided to cast lots to perform a “spiritual act” that God did not tell him to do to find out who disobeyed him.  God did not tell Saul to keep food from his soldiers; Saul did this merely to prove his power over his team!  But God did not perform for Saul.  God could have changed the results of the vote. But God wanted to bring everything out in the open and humiliate King Saul, whose pride had caused the problem to begin with. The people praised Jonathan, not Saul, as the man who had brought the great victory to Israel.  Jonathan praised God! 

Oh yes, there’s way more to come—stay tuned!

Lord,

Our enemy tempts us with this pride thing often so we need your help to overcome when it presents itself into our daily lives. No one is good, but You! So, cleanse our hearts, renew our minds daily.  Refresh our souls with your mercy. Restore continually the joy of your salvation at work within us. To you be all glory, honor, and praise!

In Jesus Name, Amen

When suddenly confronted with an attack from a known or unknown enemy we have two choices that instinctively rise the occasion—run towards the battle or run from the battle and hide.  But involve extreme fear of imagined or assured outcomes.  Psychologists call this human instinct; flight or fight.  Muscles tense and beads of sweat appear. This combination of reactions to stress is known as the “fight-or-flight” response because it evolved as a survival mechanism, enabling people and other mammals to react quickly to life-threatening situations.

HOW DOES GOD FIT INTO OUR FIGHT OR FLEE INSTINCTS?  This passage is interesting as we read about the different approaches the leaders took when outnumbered by their enemy, the Philistines.  Israel greatest enemy gathered to attack Israel at Geba, the Israelites were badly in need of resources for battle. But Israel has God, the God who created all and over all.  Nothing is too difficult for God.  Nothing is impossible when God directs for where He guides; He provides.  Samuel represents God as His spokesperson. Samuel is always quick to give God all the glory due Him.  Samuel is the high priest, prophet and seer of outcomes, the wise one of the Kingdom of Israel. 

But King Saul grew tired of waiting for Samuel to instruct him about the battle at hand. Samuel delayed, and Saul’s men began to desert.  Saul, in panic which leads to fool hardy actions, he did the unthinkable—took Samuel’s place as priest and offered a sacrifice to the Lord only to seek God’s good favor in battle.  Saul took the situation into his own hands. 

1 Samuel 13

Samuel Rebukes Saul

Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.

² Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

³ Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” ⁴ So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. ⁶ When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. ⁷ Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. ⁸ He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. ⁹ So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

¹¹ “What have you done?” asked Samuel.

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, ¹² I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

¹³ “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

¹⁵ Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.

Israel Without Weapons

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim facing the wilderness.

¹⁹ Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

²³ Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Mikmash.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Do we do what Saul did—in panic and under pressure of those around us, do whatever it takes fight or flight without God’s direction and wisdom?  Do succumb to actions unbecoming God’s character?  Do we “sacrifice” (time and wealth) for the purpose to get what we want from God?  From personal experience, I have learned and observed in myself and in others that God is not pleased with our efforts to bargain with Him.  Be still, let go, know that He is God.  We are not God. We must, in all circumstances, wait on God to direct us.  In the waiting, God is doing in us exactly what is needed so God can work through us to accomplish His will.

But even when knowing bargaining is not in our best interest; our human trait is to try it anyway which will invariably result in very poor outcomes.  Our best response is to repent quickly, realizing that we have defied God—just like Saul. 

We must obey God’s commands in all circumstances—even if we have to wait for those directions! Saul lost his kingdom because he disobeyed God. Saul was pressured to act before all his men deserted. Lack of patience cost him everything.

There is always a high cost when we take life’s trials into our own hands.  When faced with panic and fear over our circumstances; call to God first and ask for His wisdom and peace who is over all creation. 

GREAT IS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS! 

God’s word is full of blessed assurance of his love and care for us. God knows right now what you and I are waiting for, going through, while living with hope for a “better day”. That “better day” comes as soon as we seek peace with God whose love drives out every fear—and panic when we wait upon the Lord’s wisdom and direction! 

Know this about God that we will continue to learn from Samuel: “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind” (15:29).  God is God—and we are not.  Saul will try to be God and take his place on the throne at great cost to him with scarier outcomes he and his family.  Israel will not fall because one man tried to bargain with God while trying to be God.  God is still at work. God’s plans will never change, because he makes his plans in complete knowledge. Forget hopeful forecasting. God declares “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10). Nothing takes God by surprise. “The plans of the LORD stand firm forever” (Ps 33:11).  So, trust God—as soon as that flight or fight instinct kicks in—trust God!

I know as leaders that it’s easy to compromise when people are waiting for you to act. Determine that no matter the pressure, no matter the cost, no matter the delay, you will act only when your response honors God. Never compromise your integrity to satisfy others. Never bargain with God to get what you think is best. Many have tried and regretted it. 

When God fights our battles in, for, and through us beyond our wildest dreams; do not let pride steal God’s honor and praise.  Pride has been the downfall of countless leaders.  Avoid the saying, “I’m so blessed” when life is good when our minds are thinking, I am good. This thinking easily slips into a “believers’ form of pride, demonstrated by Saul, who thinks God will do what we want, when we want it because of how good and successful we are and have been.  We forget that God did it all, not us!  We join Him in His plan!  Our work is to trust and obey Him while blessing God with our thanks and praise for who He is to all the world!  Small thinking can give birth to an outrageous pride if not held in check.  As soon as we think we are God with control over all things and all people; stop immediately and return to who God is and thank Him for all He has done.

God’s power is available to all believers who call on Him.  God has given us all we need to join Him in the battle for souls that need Jesus.  Paul, chained to a soldier in prison for preaching Jesus, writes of the armor and the weapons we have available to us;

“…be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:10-18

God fights our daily battles; but Jesus already won the war. Even though Jesus defeated death and rose to life, winning over the Enemy of God; we are still riddle with skirmishes with evil in our imperfect world. So, God provides all we need! We cling to our Hope in Jesus; for He IS coming back to claim His own to live in eternity with Him.

God provides His Holy Spirit who lives in us with power, helping us avoid flight or fight and trust God to help us. God’s Word, by His Spirit, guides us to all we need to know about the strategy of the enemy and the resources we have in Christ!  Fear and panic are suddenly gone!  All God asks is that we trust and obey Him and He will help us win our daily battles with our real enemy. The bonus of obedience is God’s gift of peace and the joy of Christ in us.

Lord,

Thank you for correcting our thinking through your Word with strategies to defeat our real enemy who plagues us.  May circumstances that panic us flee or fight be used instead to build our faith in You. I’m listening.  I’m yours.  I trust you for you are Life.

In Jesus Name, Amen