Today we are in 1 Samuel chapter 3 and will read through chapter 15. This chapter begins with the Lord calling Samuel to give a vision of prophecy against Eli the priest. 11And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
This Lord makes His prophets known by putting fear in the people
20And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
21And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
This is how the Lord establishes His leaders and the people fear who the Lord puts in charge. This is the first time in a long while that the Lord God showed men visions or communicated with them.
In chapter 4 the children of Israel went to battle against the Philistines and the Philistines smote the children of Israel up to 30,000 men and the Philistines also took the Ark of the Covenant with their victory. And the news came to Eli; and it was told what happen to the children of Israel in war; also that his two sons had died. Eli then fell off his chair breaking his neck and died; fulfilling the prophecy God showed to Samuel.
Eli's son's wife summed it all when she heard the news...especially since the Ark of the Covenant represented God in their midst.
20And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
In chapter 5 the Philistines attempted to put the Ark of the Covenant into their temple but the Lord wouldn't allow it. The Lord even smote them with boils in their privates, so the Philistines gathered together and decided to get rid of Ark (I guess they would); and the Lord still destroyed a lot of Philistines.
The reading in chapter 6, the Philistines consult on how to give the Ark back; and they were told to make a sacrifice. Then Samuel spoke to the people in chapter 7: 3And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
The Philistines came up to war against Israel and now since the people repented and were under the leadership of Samuel the Lord was with them; and the Lord discomfited the Philistines. And Samuel judged Israel all his days.
In Chapter 8, Samuel has kids and they are like Eli's children, not serving God. 3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
This let's us know that kids do not necessarily do all that their parents do. It is good to know today so when you see your kids rebel you can be comforted knowing that even Samuel's kids rebelled.
This caused the people to do what was in their mind already and get a king like the rest of the pagan nations around them. They did not know they were asking the Lord to move over or step down, who brought them out of Egypt and has taken cared of them all throughout their generations. Samuel didn't like the request; but God told him to listen to them. However, the Lord told them to listen to what the king they appoint over them will demand of them.
11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
Perhaps the roles women and men have today is what the other nations implemented and since Israel wanted to be like the other nations this is what we have today; since they did not want the Lord to be their King. Maybe women could join the army and didn't have to be cooks and bakers while the man brings how the meat (bacon is unclean)!
1 Samuel chapter 9 is the appointing of the 1st king of Israel. 16To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
A man named Saul was a Benjamite whom the Lord selected to rule His people; a guy who was chasing his daddy's donkeys a few days prior.
And Saul asked Samuel, 21And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? You see, Saul was not thinking about doing this at all. And you notice that the Lord picks leaders who are humble (if they remain humble, I don't know), and God picks them from the least likely family or part of the country. It's like a skinny kid from the south side of Chicago (by way of Hawaii) with a funny name becoming president over the entire US.
In chapter 10 Samuel tells Saul a prophecy of what will happen to show him that the Lord indeed chose him to reign over His people. 6And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
And it came to pass and Saul had a new mindset; that is what it meant to be another man.
Then Samuel begins to make the announcement to the people:
17And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
18And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.
The people rejected God as their King; and wanted a flesh and blood man. Israel is continuing to make bad mistakes before the Lord. And still with this, you will have some evil men always not believe. 27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought no presents. But he held his peace.
In chapter 11 Saul shows his leadership in strength; he had a better first 100 days than President Obama:
11And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
Those same men who didn't bring gifts were to be put to death; but Saul pardoned them
In 1 Samuel chapter 12 Samuel is getting old and ask a question; but I want to point out something...
3Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed:
Samuel told the people to witness against him before the LORD and before His anointed. Anointed means the anointed one, and that translated is Messiah, in Greek, it's Christ. We just learned that Samuel knew about the Godhead back here. Amazing. Samuel also let's the people know they did wickedly by asking for a physical king instead of trusting the Lord.
Chapter 13, Saul begins to make mistakes and make excuses for them. Israel was fighting the Philistines and they were waiting for Samuel to come down because he was taking to long; and Saul went ahead and sacrificed a burnt offering; something only Levites were to do only. And Samuel tells him bad news...
13And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
14But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
Whoever the Lord picks next, it is a man after His own heart to command His people since Saul had a tough time obeying commandments of the Lord.
Jonathan decides to go and fight the Philistines with his infantry and makes a powerful statement in chapter 14. 6And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
It does not matter the number you have when you fight if you fight with the Lord; all that matters is if the Lord is with you. And the Lord had the Philistines fighting against themselves. 52And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.
1 Samuel 15
Samuel goes to Saul to destroy the Amalek people who troubled Israel in days past. And Saul was given detailed instructions by Samuel from the Lord.
2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
However Saul spared a few people: 9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
He left the king alive and the best animals for sacrifice and other things he thought was good. Did he listen to the Lord?
NO!
Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel in what to tell Saul because he failed in obeying the commandments of God. If you're going to be a king or a pastor for the Lord or any kind of official for God; you MUST follow instructions to a tee. The reason is because you are a leader and if you can't follow God's instructions to the letter; how will the people follow you or God?
The Lord knew this that is why He was sorry for His decision to select Saul as king over His people; man's free will attempts to make God look bad as it did with Adam, and picking Israel as the leading nation, and selecting Saul. We make God look bad because we are His children. You know when your kids or close friends make crazy choices; it reflects on you.
11It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
All this time Saul believed he did the right thing and obeyed the commandments of God saying, "Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD."
14And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
But he did not obey; in fact he did evil in the sight of the LORD?
20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
This is where we get this famous quote from; it is better to listen to God than to offer sacrifices. God needs absolutely nothing from us except we listen to Him clearly. Nothing else. I mean what can you really give a Being that lives forever and that created the world you live in?
23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. Now Saul is being totally rejected from being the Lord's captain forever. Saul could have been God's vice president forever, even in New Jerusalem; but he failed to listen well.
Saul finally confesses; and even tells why he sinned against the Lord; because he feared the people. I wonder how many people fear man before they fear God? It is because you don't believe in God if this ever happens to you. Man can only torture and kill you; I'm sure God can do much more. Fear Him!
28And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. The Strength of Israel is God, God is not a man that He should lie or take back something He said.
Then Samuel brought Agag the king of the Amaelekites and he thought they would free him; but instead Samuel had the commandment of God in his mind. Keep in mind; this is a priest and prophet of God.
33And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. He chopped this king into pieces! Men of God were very tough back then.
35And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Samuel knew that God was no longer with Saul; so he saw no point in coming around unless he become as Saul; but he felt very sorry for Saul as I'm sure they'd become good associates. However, when you see your pal not able to listen to the Lord; you must keep a bit of distance so you don't find yourself following your pal instead of God.
That is our reading today. Thank and we will commence again tomorrow.
DD
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12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
This Lord makes His prophets known by putting fear in the people
20And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
21And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
This is how the Lord establishes His leaders and the people fear who the Lord puts in charge. This is the first time in a long while that the Lord God showed men visions or communicated with them.
In chapter 4 the children of Israel went to battle against the Philistines and the Philistines smote the children of Israel up to 30,000 men and the Philistines also took the Ark of the Covenant with their victory. And the news came to Eli; and it was told what happen to the children of Israel in war; also that his two sons had died. Eli then fell off his chair breaking his neck and died; fulfilling the prophecy God showed to Samuel.
Eli's son's wife summed it all when she heard the news...especially since the Ark of the Covenant represented God in their midst.
20And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
In chapter 5 the Philistines attempted to put the Ark of the Covenant into their temple but the Lord wouldn't allow it. The Lord even smote them with boils in their privates, so the Philistines gathered together and decided to get rid of Ark (I guess they would); and the Lord still destroyed a lot of Philistines.
The reading in chapter 6, the Philistines consult on how to give the Ark back; and they were told to make a sacrifice. Then Samuel spoke to the people in chapter 7: 3And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
The Philistines came up to war against Israel and now since the people repented and were under the leadership of Samuel the Lord was with them; and the Lord discomfited the Philistines. And Samuel judged Israel all his days.
In Chapter 8, Samuel has kids and they are like Eli's children, not serving God. 3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
This let's us know that kids do not necessarily do all that their parents do. It is good to know today so when you see your kids rebel you can be comforted knowing that even Samuel's kids rebelled.
This caused the people to do what was in their mind already and get a king like the rest of the pagan nations around them. They did not know they were asking the Lord to move over or step down, who brought them out of Egypt and has taken cared of them all throughout their generations. Samuel didn't like the request; but God told him to listen to them. However, the Lord told them to listen to what the king they appoint over them will demand of them.
11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
Perhaps the roles women and men have today is what the other nations implemented and since Israel wanted to be like the other nations this is what we have today; since they did not want the Lord to be their King. Maybe women could join the army and didn't have to be cooks and bakers while the man brings how the meat (bacon is unclean)!
1 Samuel chapter 9 is the appointing of the 1st king of Israel. 16To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
A man named Saul was a Benjamite whom the Lord selected to rule His people; a guy who was chasing his daddy's donkeys a few days prior.
And Saul asked Samuel, 21And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? You see, Saul was not thinking about doing this at all. And you notice that the Lord picks leaders who are humble (if they remain humble, I don't know), and God picks them from the least likely family or part of the country. It's like a skinny kid from the south side of Chicago (by way of Hawaii) with a funny name becoming president over the entire US.
In chapter 10 Samuel tells Saul a prophecy of what will happen to show him that the Lord indeed chose him to reign over His people. 6And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
And it came to pass and Saul had a new mindset; that is what it meant to be another man.
Then Samuel begins to make the announcement to the people:
17And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
18And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.
The people rejected God as their King; and wanted a flesh and blood man. Israel is continuing to make bad mistakes before the Lord. And still with this, you will have some evil men always not believe. 27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought no presents. But he held his peace.
In chapter 11 Saul shows his leadership in strength; he had a better first 100 days than President Obama:
11And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
Those same men who didn't bring gifts were to be put to death; but Saul pardoned them
In 1 Samuel chapter 12 Samuel is getting old and ask a question; but I want to point out something...
3Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed:
Samuel told the people to witness against him before the LORD and before His anointed. Anointed means the anointed one, and that translated is Messiah, in Greek, it's Christ. We just learned that Samuel knew about the Godhead back here. Amazing. Samuel also let's the people know they did wickedly by asking for a physical king instead of trusting the Lord.
Chapter 13, Saul begins to make mistakes and make excuses for them. Israel was fighting the Philistines and they were waiting for Samuel to come down because he was taking to long; and Saul went ahead and sacrificed a burnt offering; something only Levites were to do only. And Samuel tells him bad news...
13And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
14But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
Whoever the Lord picks next, it is a man after His own heart to command His people since Saul had a tough time obeying commandments of the Lord.
Jonathan decides to go and fight the Philistines with his infantry and makes a powerful statement in chapter 14. 6And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
It does not matter the number you have when you fight if you fight with the Lord; all that matters is if the Lord is with you. And the Lord had the Philistines fighting against themselves. 52And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.
1 Samuel 15
Samuel goes to Saul to destroy the Amalek people who troubled Israel in days past. And Saul was given detailed instructions by Samuel from the Lord.
2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
However Saul spared a few people: 9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
He left the king alive and the best animals for sacrifice and other things he thought was good. Did he listen to the Lord?
NO!
Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel in what to tell Saul because he failed in obeying the commandments of God. If you're going to be a king or a pastor for the Lord or any kind of official for God; you MUST follow instructions to a tee. The reason is because you are a leader and if you can't follow God's instructions to the letter; how will the people follow you or God?
The Lord knew this that is why He was sorry for His decision to select Saul as king over His people; man's free will attempts to make God look bad as it did with Adam, and picking Israel as the leading nation, and selecting Saul. We make God look bad because we are His children. You know when your kids or close friends make crazy choices; it reflects on you.
11It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
All this time Saul believed he did the right thing and obeyed the commandments of God saying, "Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD."
14And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
But he did not obey; in fact he did evil in the sight of the LORD?
20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
This is where we get this famous quote from; it is better to listen to God than to offer sacrifices. God needs absolutely nothing from us except we listen to Him clearly. Nothing else. I mean what can you really give a Being that lives forever and that created the world you live in?
23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. Now Saul is being totally rejected from being the Lord's captain forever. Saul could have been God's vice president forever, even in New Jerusalem; but he failed to listen well.
Saul finally confesses; and even tells why he sinned against the Lord; because he feared the people. I wonder how many people fear man before they fear God? It is because you don't believe in God if this ever happens to you. Man can only torture and kill you; I'm sure God can do much more. Fear Him!
28And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. The Strength of Israel is God, God is not a man that He should lie or take back something He said.
Then Samuel brought Agag the king of the Amaelekites and he thought they would free him; but instead Samuel had the commandment of God in his mind. Keep in mind; this is a priest and prophet of God.
33And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. He chopped this king into pieces! Men of God were very tough back then.
35And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Samuel knew that God was no longer with Saul; so he saw no point in coming around unless he become as Saul; but he felt very sorry for Saul as I'm sure they'd become good associates. However, when you see your pal not able to listen to the Lord; you must keep a bit of distance so you don't find yourself following your pal instead of God.
That is our reading today. Thank and we will commence again tomorrow.
DD
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