Merciful Kings
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: Welcome/Prayer
(Image) A quick glance of the headlines and current news stories along with what’s trending on Twitter and one might think we are living in the Twilight Zone. With the many problems of America today there seem to be just as many people offering solutions… a common thread among most of these solutions is some form of government involvement… either more of it, or less of it.... everyone desires not to be oppressed but you cannot effectively legislate human behavior without effectively oppressing it.
(Need) Our country, even the church, is in need of fixing… always has been to varying degrees, perhaps never more so than today...
(Subject) What is the solution? What, ultimately, is the problem to be fixed?
(Text) 1 Samuel 11-12
(Preview) We’re going to witness the change-of-command from Samuel, Israel’s last judge, to Saul, Israel’s first human king. We’ll read about how Saul delivered Jabesh-Gilead from the Ammonites and how his act of mercy as king led to the unification of Israel and the birth of his reign. Once his reign becomes established Samuel gives us his retirement speech in chapter 12, where in his speech, though Saul acted mercifully towards the dissenters, it will be Yahweh, who acts mercifully towards His rebellious people revealing that it is He who is the solution to the problems of Israel, not their “king”… likewise the principal remains the same for us today… it is not the government that solves our problems, but God.
Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus bring disgrace on all Israel.” The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, and all the people wept aloud.
Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man. When he mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation.’ ” When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad. Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” And the next day Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
A King’s Mercy
A King’s Mercy
The location of Jabesh-Gilead is an interesting one for this event to take place...
Jabesh-Gilead had refused to gather with the rest of Israel at Mizpah in Judges 21, in the aftermath of the horrific crime committed in Gibeah in Judges 19.
Their virgin daughters were the ones that were kidnapped by the remaining men of the tribe of Benjamin so that they may offspring and continue as a people.
Now, who are the Ammonites?
The Ammonites are descendants of Ben-Ammi… the son of Lot (Abraham’s nephew) and Lot’s youngest daughter… remember the daughters of Lot after the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah and the death of Lot’s wife, caused their father to become drunk on two different night and each daughter slept with Lot… thinking humanity had been erased and there was no other man to provide offspring for them.
So, the Ammonites are cousins to the Israelites and were supposed to assist the Israelites when necessary… however, clearly as seen in this chapter that was not always the case, in fact it rarely was the case.
In this chapter we have a crisis that arises with Nahash (serpent), king of the Ammonites as he comes out to assault Jabesh-Gilead...
The people of Jabesh-Gilead are apparently not wanting to fight and seek to make a deal...
Nahash, the serpent that he is makes them a cruel deal involving the plucking out of their right eyes...
The elders consider it by asking time to see if anyone will come rescue them… if anyone will come and crush this serpent’s head for them…
Will it be Saul?
Saul hears the news and the “Spirit of God” rushes upon him...
Now, once again, as we have seen already in past weeks wording is important here...
The author could have easily had said the “Spirit of Yahweh/the LORD”… but he says “Spirit of God”....
Clearly, both ultimately refer to the same person but it reveals association. There are other Israelites, other men of God who are mentioned as having the “the Spirit of Yahweh/the Lord” come over them…
However, in Genesis through 2 Kings, other than Saul, only one other person is mentioned having “the Spirit of God” come over him… and that’s a non-Israelite, by the name of Balaam in Numbers 24… not a positive figure in the Old Testament.
Yet, the effect remains… Saul being empowered by God cuts up two oxen… and perhaps recollecting how the Levite in Judges 19 cut up his dead concubine and sent her to the 12 tribes of Israel, Saul does the same with the oxen to mobilize them to battle.
But notice at the end of verse 7… why did the people ultimately assemble?
B/c the dread, the fear of the Lord was upon them...
Saul was merely an instrument, but it was the fear of God that moved them to act.
At Bezek we have 300,000 men of Israel, and 30,000 men of Judah… so even about 100 years before the kingdom of Israel is divided, there is already enough tension between the ten tribes of the north (Israel) and the two of the south (Judah) that they were counted likewise
Then in a bold move messengers are sent to Jabesh-Gilead telling them that they will be saved, they will delivered from the serpent of the Ammonites by the time the sun is hot the next day.
The elders wisely tell the Ammonites that no one is coming… most likely to set their enemies at ease...
The way Saul attacks the Ammonites is reminiscent of Gideon of Judges 7, by forming three divisions and attacking in the early morning before the sun was up during the morning watch sometime between 2 and 6 AM
Slaughters the Ammonites, the serpent, Nahash lives for another day, and we’ll see him again with David later in Samuel.
Thus Saul with the fear of God filling the people of Israel, is able to deliver Jabesh-Gilead from the hand of the Ammonites
This victory presents an opportune time to officially firmly establish Saul’s reign
The people of Israel desire to commit themselves to Saul as king and they head to Gilgal to do so.
Gilgal was on the border of the northern and southern tribes, again, Israel and Judah, 10 & 2,
It was at Gilgal in Joshua 5, the people were circumcised after wandering in the wilderness
Before they go to Gilgal though, the citizens having been embolden by Saul’s victory wish to seek out the dissenters that were mentioned in verse 27 of the previous chapter
Saul, here exhibits kingly behavior… good kingly behavior… rather than let Samuel deal with the issue Saul takes initiative and puts an end to any thought of bloodshed among his people
Instead of focusing on evil, Saul mercifully refocuses their attention to the goodness of God...
Saul had every right and every power to slay the dissenters… but just because a person has the right does not make it just nor does it mean it honors God.
We would be wise to follow this example in verse 13...
When we desire payback
Or when we seek to do harm
Or when we become inpatient with others or any kind of animosity or malicious intent creeps into our hearts or minds towards another human, another person bearing the Imago Dei, the image of God...
Let us focus more on the salvific work of God in our lives… just as on that day when the Israelites could claim that God delivered them...
You and I, everyday we are on this earth living and breathing and calling upon the name of the Lord, we can say the same… God has delivered us from the hand of our enemy, He has delivered us from the bondage of sin… through the work of the true king, Jesus Christ, His Son....
If we can ponder that more often, we would be more humble and more tolerable of others transgressions against it… it is good to ponder the goodness of God...
And not simply, that God is great, but what He has done...
We need to stop focusing on how God is greater than all our problems at the neglect of what He has done already, and focus on that… focus on what He has already delivered us from.... b/c that makes whatever you’re going through small potatoes… to lose focus on that is to be entrapped to the health and wealth prosperity teaching that God is going to do something good in your life… He already has!
And the good He is going to do is your sanctification… which more than likely will involve lots and lots of suffering. But in that suffering you will have lots and lots of joy and peace unlike any other…
Let’s continue on and read chapter 12, and hear the last words of Samuel as judge of Israel, before he officially hands the reigns over to Saul.
1 Samuel 12
And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.” They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand.” And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”
And Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your fathers. When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried out to the Lord and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. But they forgot the Lord their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. And they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.’ And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety. And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.” So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”
The Merciful King
The Merciful King
This is in essence Samuel’s retirement speech
Though it’s not a full retirement, but a retirement from being judge… he still acts as prophet
No one ever retires from the service of God… even at death… when you go to Him, you will still serve in the very least in worship, in some form, in some capacity… do not ever think and do not ever get it into your heard, that “you’re done” serving the church or serving God… it is why you were created. How you serve and what it looks like may change over time, certainly, but it never comes to a complete stop.
In this speech Samuel puts himself, Yahweh, and Israel on trial...
Samuel speaks of himself… asks if he has done any wrong that needs to be corrected, and if he ever abused his position...
The people affirm him and tell him he has not…
And Samuel calls on God as well as Saul, God’s anointed as witnesses to this affirmation
And this declaration by Samuel and the people, of Israel’s last judge, would be the last time such a declaration can be made… for no king of Israel that follows Samuel can be affirmed of the same claim to innocence...
Samuel then puts Yahweh, (6-11) before the people of Israel and vindicates Him
Once again Samuel reminds the people of the works of God… of what He has done already for them
And notice how the Exodus event keeps coming up again and again… the other details change from time to time as Samuel, and other prophets speak of God’s work, but the Exodus event is always there
The Exodus is crucial to the identity of God’s people and to who God is… when you look to the ministry of Jesus, His 40 days in the wilderness, His baptism, you see Jesus, the true Israel, identifying Himself with His people, with an Exodus experience… Baptism identifies with His people passing through the Red Sea, and the 40 days, with the 40 years.
Now, notice verse 11...
4 men are listed here...
3 are judges one is not...
Jerub-baal (Gideon) (Judges 6) delivered Israel from the Midianites
Jepthah (Judges 11) delivered Israel from the Ammonites
Samuel
Barak (Judges 4-5) delivered from Jabin king of Canaan
But Barak is not a judge… who was the judge in Judges 4-5?
Deborah… how come she isn’t mentioned?
Probably for the same reason Barak is mentioned in Hebrews 11:32 and not Deborah
Deborah didn’t lead the people… Barak did… b/c Deborah being a woman of God, found a man to lead God’s people… now why do I bring this up...
The feminist movement within the church will often use Deborah as an example of how God uses women as leaders in the church… but that’s wrong… it’s not rightly handling the Word of God
Deborah was a judge, and a prophetess… but when it came time to “lead” Israel, Deborah was faithful and found a man.
This understanding is demonstrated and affirmed by God’s Word here in Samuel as well again in the New Testament by Hebrews 11,
It is not that Deborah was not useful or instrumental in God’s plan… she certainly was… as was many other women throughout Scripture and history… she just did not fill the leadership role that many who wish to ignore 1 Timothy 2:12 claim she did.
So, when you have conversations on the role of men and women in the church, consider this example, commit it to memory, and use it rightly.
One of these days I will preach on the roles of men and women in the church and will look to address the common objections and questions that are often brought up...
After reminding Israel of the good God has done for them, and how both he and God are innocent of wrongdoing Samuel puts Israel on trial...
In light of God’s great works Samuel points that Israel, in this most recent time of need, seeking deliverance from the Ammonites, desired a king like the other nations… a king other than Yahweh...
A stinging accusation of Israel in light of Samuel’s recent words on the goodness of God… even in light of Saul’s actions reminding the people that it was God that delivered them in chapter 11.
In doing so, Samuel charges Israel to be submissive to the king they have asked for… in other words, they have made their own bed and they must sleep in it.
If these words did not cut to the soul of the Israelites the next action Samuel takes sure did...
To show the Israelites that God is in agreement with his assessment of their wickedness, especially in light of desiring a king other than Yahweh, Samuel gives them a sign on demand from from God.
It’s wheat harvest time, a time when storms are not common… so that is the sign Samuel gives them.
And when the thunder and rain came that day the people feared God and feared Samuel.
Facing their wickedness and the righteousness and power of God, the people plead for the very person they’re seeking to replace to pray for them to the very King they are seeking to replace.
In doing so they confess their sins…
Samuel acknowledges their sins…
He doesn’t try to build them up by ignoring their sins… he pointedly agrees with them that they have done evil… yet...
Samuel encourages Israel… telling them… that at this moment, right now, they are to serve Yahweh, and not to turn aside from doing so
And to serve Him with all their heart, that is with all their being, who they are… this isn’t a new command, this echoes the Great Shema of Deut. 6.4-5
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Though Israel should have been doing this already...
Though Israel should have known better...
Though Israel sinned greatly… and acted like the dissenters who despised Saul...
Yahweh is merciful…
Yahweh will not forsake His people… even if they fail in their covenant relationship with Him
Yahweh will not go back against His covenant that He made with Himself to Abraham...
Nor will Yahweh forget the promise He made to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, about Eve’s offspring one day crushing the head of the serpent.
When God’s people are unfaithful, God is always faithful… and He is always merciful and He is always just. He makes a way....
In the same manner, Samuel, a man of God, reflects God’s mercy by still praying for these people who have not only rejected God… but in some measure Samuel.
Though Samuel will no longer judge them, he will pray for them and he will be a steward and herald of God’s word as a prophet for Israel.
Samuel’s final words are the most significant...
In verses 21 & 24, they are told to serve Yahweh with all their heart
In verse 24, they are to fear Yahweh
In the same verse they are told to consider, to remember, what He has done for them…
The consequence of not doing so would lead to them being swept away along with their king...
See the problem with Israel was not external....
A problem that could be solved by a king fighting their battle for them
Rather their problem was an internal one…
Like a malignant tumor… a problem that would continue to grow and spread until they are swept away 300-400 years later
The northern kingdom Israel first in 721 BC by Assyria, and then the Southern Kingdom Judah beginning 605 BC by Babylon with the final deportation and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC
Israel wasn’t wrong in thinking that would a king to solve their problems… but they were wrong in demanding a king on their terms… and not trusting the one true king...
Again, the problem with Israel wasn’t external… it wasn’t their enemies… it wasn’t the neighboring nations… it was themselves...
A problem that pervades all of humanity… a problem rooted in the Fall of Genesis 3
Israelites were looking to treat the symptoms of the tumor and not the tumor itself.
We must not look to the government to deliver us from systemic racism
We must not look to mankind to answer the issue of injustices
This day for Israel was a good one… but it wasn’t the solution
Our independence from England was a good day… but America and this government is not the solution
Nor any other government that exists now or will exist… only one leader, one King, is the solution
That’s Jesus Christ...
You want to know how to handle racism and injustice?
Go to Jesus
Go to His Word and learn the truth...
And just as Yahweh was patient and merciful to sinful Israel…
When He could have struck them down for their sins, yet was gracious and reminded them of His mercy and willingness not to forsake them...
He is still patient and merciful to you and I....
Now, this day, this moment… fear Him… Fear His wrath, Fear His judgment, Fear His holiness, His Majesty...
And run to the cross where His wrath for you, has been poured out on His Son, as an act of grace, as an act of love, so that you, an enemy of God, would not have to fear Him, for there at the cross is perfect love to be found, casting out any fear of judgment of God.
And seek to serve Him will all of who you are for His glory… and we can do so in a way the Israelites never could...
We who call upon the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, the true King… have His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, in us, making us a new creation, giving us a new identity, freeing us from sin… curing us of our depravity… something that no government, and no legislature can do… apart from the work of Christ, mankind is hopelessly and utterly lost and damned...