Israel’s two choices in response to worldly pressure and God’s continued faithfulness

Pray:

Eric and Raegan

Requests

Setting:

1 Samuel 8:5–7 (NASB95)

5and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 

6But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 

7The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.

1 Samuel 8:22 (NASB95)

22The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

Saul chose but:

10:27 certain worthless men said how can this one deliver us

1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary iv. Saul Confirmed as King (11:1–15)

The Ammonites were related to Israel (Gen. 19:38; Deut. 2:19), but they were characteristically aggressive, harassing the tribes east of Jordan from their territory further to the east (Judg. 3:13; 11; cf. Deut. 23:3–6). They claimed that the east bank of the Jordan belonged to them (Judg. 11:12–13)

Israel’s two choices in response to worldly pressure and God’s continued faithfulness

1 Samuel 11:1–15 (NASB95)

Scene 1: Israel must decide how to respond to attack

1Now Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash,

besieged a surrounding to capture or force surrender

“Make a covenant with us and we will serve you.” 

covenant is kind of like contract

2But 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.” 

reproach= disgrace, shamful

this is a pride ful vengence response- imply a hate for Israel

3The 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.” 

4Then 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. 

Scene 2: God deliver’s Israel by empowering Saul with His Spirit.

5Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 

6Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry. 

Phrase used in Judges 14:6 of Samson

Turn’s Saul from a simple farmer to a military leader

7He 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. 

8He numbered them in Bezek; and the sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 

9They 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. 

10Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” 

11The 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. 

12Then 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.” 

1 Sam 10:27

Scene 3: God restore’s Israel under his rule through a Spirit empowered King

13But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel.” 

14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”

15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

God continues to be the true King of his people, Saul is simply a mediator of God’s commands by Spirit empowerment

Application:

We are pressured by the world to give up on God’s ways.

What fears do you have that tempt you to abandon your trust in God and look for solutions on your own - refuse to trust - find security in something on the earth

loosing friendships - loosing freedoms to authorities - missing some fun in life and turn to sin - fear of being alone to drive into relationships before character is ready - idolatry of grades as if that is the most important security in life

the Lord is faithful to his promises and remains sovereign over what happens

Proverbs 3:5–6 NASB95

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.