Our Mighty Deliverer

Intro: Everyone loves a good story about some hero that swoops in a rescues those in need. It is the basis for some of the most amazing fictional tales in history. Its the bedrock of movies, tv, and literature. Whether you are John Rambo in the Vietnam rescuing POWs, Luke Skywalker with his band of rebels flying through space to rescue the kidnapped Princess , or Frodo and Sam leading a team to extiguish the evils of Sauron by destroying the ring of power, heroism connects our hearts to ideals like chivalry, self-sacrifice, and salvation.

But these are not just fictional themes. History flows through a river of human courage and heroism that we as humanity take great pride in. But heroism and salvation does not originate in man. It is an action of God that is revealed in the the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the greatest hero of all the world. He displayed the greatest of courage and selflessness when we set out to accomplish the work of redemption given to Him by His Father. Man is courageous and heroic because God perfectly displays these saving acts in His story.

The Bible is full of historical figures who slay giants, stand bravely on high mountains against false prophets, and boldly enter the fires of torturous ovens to declare a trust in God’s deliverance. In every case of these biblical hereos, we see God behind the scenes empowering them for this moment of courage. What we see time and time again is that God delivers His people from captivity, calamity and corruption to sin.

If we honestly come to the scriptures, it is the Lord who rises to the top over all human bravery and courage to remind us that He never fails to rescue and he never stumbles to save. He can be trusted as a faithful deliverer!

Adam read this earlier but lets look together again at

Psalm 33:16–21 “16 The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, 19 To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.”

In v 16-17, humanity’s weakness is on full display when it is compared to the Lord’s faithfulness. Humans retreat back in fear or self-preservation. Horses stumble on the battlefield and throw their rider. Military weapons malfunction. This what the author of Psalms means by “a horse is a false hope for victory.” Instead the Lord is the one who rescues supernaturally and he delivers victoriously through his servants.

Review:

Our story today in 1 Sam 11 is a story of a great military victory for Israel and their new King. What the Holy Spirit intends for us to see today is that no victory is ever absent of God’s power to see it through. He is the Savior of our salvation…He is the Deliverer of our Delivery!( that sounds weird to say)

I. Desperation Often Leads to Disobedience and Disgrace (1-4)

Nahash was the king of the Ammonites. The Ammonites are a constant enemy of Israel, born out of an incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughters. They represent evil and our story today shows just how evil they prefer to be.

They come to Israel to conquer them with disgrace. They do not just want to humble them in captivity, but they want to humiliate them as well. Their threats of capture include the promise of torture. If Israel does not fight, they will be slaves with crippling effects of having thier right eyes gouged out of every person. This gross act was to humiliate and even disorient their slaves to live in fear and submission.

Richard Phillips comments,

1 Samuel Nahash and the Siege of Jabesh-Gilead

According to Josephus, warriors of that day fought in formation with interlocked shields, so that the left eye was covered by the shield. By gouging out the right eye, Nahash rendered them unfit for battle, though still eligible for slave labor

More than sabotaging the people, there was shaming them. Cutting out the right eye was also a reminder who was in charge and in command. The arrogance of the Ammonites rings even louder when they even allow the Israelites 7 days to find someone to rescue them. This refrain from capture that Nahash allows is the same arrogance that leads Golioath to curse the God of Israel on the battlefield. Arrogance leads all humanity to think we are some unstoppable force.

-Seeking the aid of man and not the Lord

The response from the people of Jabesh to this threat is the key here in these texts. One might consider what other options they had than to try and strike a deal with the Ammonites. But in the context of the previous story, they have every reason to not strike a deal.

Instead, they had proven to them of the Lord whom they serve. The Lord revealed the greatest of threats in the Philistines was no match for His power. The Lord allowed the defeat of Israel by the Philistines only to lead them to see how he singlehandedly disgraced their god Dagon, returned the ark back to them, and then chased down the Philistines and defeated their 40 year terror over Israel. The Lord did this already and yet when the Ammonites march to their door, they cower as if the Lord does not reign in power.

In their desperation and fear, they try and strike a deal.

1 Samuel 11:2–4 “2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it a reproach on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.” 4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.”

In their desperation, after their deal fails, they turn to find some hero in the crowd. They seek someone among Israel who can save them? Note the word “deliver” for it is the word of repetitive emphasis in this chapter.

Now we should struggle with this verse because we know where they should turn. They should turn to the Lord and cry for help. They should turn to the Lord’s anointed and seek deliverance, but they seem lost and confused. They don’t seem to believe anyone can help since they sought to make a deal from the outset.

This is a lack of faith and position of desperation. When we as human beings are pressed into a corner, when things come upon us quickly and suddenly, we often act foolishly in desperation. In this case of Israel, their desperation leads to disobedience in not turning to the Lord for help and seeking to strike a deal of servitude with the Lord’s enemies. They don’t seek Samuel for wisdom in this matter. They don’t rely on the newly appointed king Saul as the Lord’s chosen instrument.

In 1 Sam 8:20, remember that their desire for a human king is that he might “judge us and go out and fight our battles.” Even now the battle has come to them and they refused to seek his leadership.

In their desperation, they act like a dehydrated man in the desert, stumbling around searching for any ounce of water he can find. This is what desperation leads us to as a people. We lose focus, we act impatiently, we don’t act wisely.

Desperation is a second cousin to impatience. The man and woman of God are called to act wisely and wisdom comes with patiently waiting on the Lord to act. Reacting in desperation is simply the human impatiently taking things into his own hands.

To counteract any desperate and foolish actions, let the Christian do these helpful things:

STOP: The last thing any Christian needs to be is impulsive. Being wise is rooted in waiting and reflecting.

THINK: In that waiting and reflecting, we need to think biblically about any situation which means our minds must be rooted in the Scriptures to

ADVICE: Seek the counsel or advice of others whom you trust to give biblical wisdom.

RESPOND: Act accordingly to how the Lord worked through these steps.

II. Desperation Can Lead to Deliverance (5-11)

In v 5-11, Saul enters into the situation as he is coming from working in the fields. Saul is displayed as being a man still rooted in his former way of life as a farmer in Gibeah. It is important to note that as Saul hears the reason for all the weeping of the people, the Spirit of God immediately comes upon Saul again to empower him to act. This is important because we have already been told the Spirit of God came upon Saul to validate his anointing as King and now he comes to empower him to lead the people to military victory.

The New Covenant is different in that all belivers are empowered with a Spirit that dwells within them. You and I have no need to ask the Holy Spirit to come upon us, He is already with us. He dwells with us continually and his presence is a mark that we are genuine believers in Christ. Romans 8:9

Romans 8:9 NASB95

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Romans 8:16 “16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,”

Now in the Christian life today, this is a great battle that the Lord gains victory for us. To whom do we belong? What is our purpose in life? Am I important? These are questions that belong to the battle of the mind. For the Christian, the Spirit dwelling in us gains victory over doubt worry and fear by testifying that we belong to God through Christ. The battle has been won and we can find peace in Him. That peace is belonging. That peace is reconciliation with God. That peace is purpose in this world as Christ’s ambassadors. That peace is union with others in the church who love and lead us to holiness.

Saul needed the Spirit for the physical battle to lead Israel over the Ammonites. He was empowered to do what was not in himself, to be courageous. This is why we saw in the previous chapter the contrast of fearful and hiding Saul. He was in the baggage, hiding from his responsiblity. He was silent and fearful when his uncle asked him what Samuel had said to him.

Now he is bold because the Spirit empowered him to be courageous.

1 Samuel 11:6–9 “6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry. 7 He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 He numbered them in Bezek; and the sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 9 They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.’ ” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.”

Now I want you to see what this Spirit empowered courage of Saul did for the people of Israel. They were transformed by the Spirit’s work in their king. Note three changes:

Unified(7)”they came out as one man.”

Glad (9)

Bold (11)

His leadership so effected them that they had hope again. This is what faithful leadership does…it always directs people to find hope in the Lord’s power. Saul spoke with confidence in victory because the Spirit empowered him to do so. His empowered hope trickled down to those who he was appointed to lead.

Look at their boldness in v 11

1 Samuel 11:10–11 “10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 11 The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.”

If you read v 10 in the original HB, its amazing boldness on display. The men of Jabesh say to their enemies, literally, “Tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do whatever is good in your eyes” This is a confident call back to the threat of Nahash to gouge out their right eyes as a reproach against them.

I love this because the Lord empowers boldness and confidence to do amazing things for his name and for His glory. Whether you are evangelizing, counseling hard cases, street preaching, or disciplemaking with unreached peoples across the world, the Spirit empowers us with boldness.

That boldness is not mystical…its factual, its historical, it theological. Our confidence is rooted in the knowledge and history of the Lord’s power and might. He has displayed all we need to trust his power over our enemies. With that power comes the Spirit to apply the truths to our hearts…so we are glad…so we are unified…. so we are bold!

Sin is our enemy and Jesus has defeated this corruption by his atoning work on the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Sickness and death are our slavemasters and Jesus has liberated us by his death and resurrection.

Hebrews 2:14–15 NASB95

14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

III. Deliverance Should Lead to Dependence (12-13)

1 Samuel 11:12–13 “12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished deliverance in Israel.””

Now the people express confidence in Saul as their king and leader. Now they want to bring the naysayers and critics forward who did not believe that Saul could get the job done. They want to go so far as killing his doubters before the people as a statement of allegiance to his reign as king.

This is a pivotal moment for Saul to take the credit for the victory and establish his reign under the thunderous applause of his accomplishments. Why did he deny such an opportunity?

In this moment, Saul was empowered by the Spirit and the Spirit leads us to the praise and honor of the Lord as deliverer.

V 13- “today the Lord has accomplished deliverance in Israel.”

This is a powerful statement for this new found king to begin his kingship honoring the Lord. It may not last but in this moment it drives the reader to acknowledge our accomplishments and blessings are merely resulting from the Lord’s gracious hand.

Going back to Psalm 33 let’s look at the promise the Lord makes to those how fear him.

Psalm 33:18–21 “18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness, 19 To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.”

As the Deliverer of his people, the psalmist teaches us that we can experience both physical and spiritual rescue. The Lord is mighty in all his ways and has the power to save us from sin and death and from our calamity.

Notice how the psalmist concludes in v 20

Our soul waits on the Lord our heart rejoices in Him.

All of these actions are based on an understanding of the faithfulness and goodness of God’s wise actions of deliverance towards his people. We have seen Him act faithfully and powerfully so we have no reason to lose confidence and hope that He can save us from terror and difficulty. If he lingers to save us physically, he does wisely and in his own timing. He may choose to prolong physical suffering in order to bring about His glory and our spiritual good through suffering but we must never lose hope that He cannot save. He always has the power to save us because He is the omnipotent Lord of all.

We can have no doubt that He will accomplish spiritual salvation because He already displayed that guarantee in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:12–13 “12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,”

Lords Supper