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MAY 12
1 Samuel 12:1-13:22
“Israel Under Saul,” Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT, p. 444.
(There is a copy of this map at the end of this document.)
1 Samuel 12
After this victory over the Ammonites, Israel gathered at Gilgal, near
the Jordan, and celebrated. Samuel used this occasion to confront the people
with the choice they had made and to help them understand that a king was not
the answer to all of their problems. They, together with their king, would
still need to follow and obey the Lord.
Vs. 1-5 This sounds like Samuel revisiting their demand to him to give
them a king. He mentions that he obeyed their voice and that he is old. The
thing he does here, asking anyone to name a way he used his office for his own
advantage, sounds like what Moses did when he gave his final address to the
nation. I guess pastors should do this too.
Vs. 6-18 This address tells the people that they didn't need to demand
a king. God had always looked out for them, even when they had disobeyed. When
they had cried out, God had answered them, sent a judge whom the people had
followed and obeyed. Demanding a king now, without the due diligence of seeking
the Lord and asking for His favor, was a major break in God’s working with
them. In a way, it was showing that sin was so powerful that a “theocracy,”
that is, God ruling over His people without a king, would not work. The people
themselves were to have looked to the tabernacle, to the Levites and to their
elders and men (who were all to have appeared at the tabernacle three times a
year) to guide the people. Seeking the Lord as individuals and as a nation
would have been all they needed, because God was present and caring for them.
It hadn’t worked, and it wasn’t God’s fault. Compare this to what the Lord is
doing today through His church. So, 300 years after Joshua and Moses, what is
happening here is a major change. Now the people’s devotion and hope will be
directed toward a king.
And to boot, having a king wouldn't relieve them of their personal responsibility
to follow and love the Lord. The thunder was the Lord’s "amen" to
Samuel's words. This confirmed that their actions were very wrong.
Vs. 19-25 Samuel confirmed that God would always remain faithful to His
people. We know that God would be faithful, because of the promise to Abraham,
not because of their obedience to God through the law. Samuel continued
ministering in Israel for the next (?) years, almost up to the time Saul died.
1 Samuel 13
V. 1 This verse is a mess. A scribe might have spilled his coffee on
the original manuscript here. In Acts 13:21, Paul says that Saul reigned for 40
years. That is a help, but not here. The real question is how old Saul was when
he began. The best guess is that Saul was 40 when he became king. All of this
is discussed in the Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT, pp. 443-445. This
would explain Jonathan being old enough now to be a soldier (v. 3). If Saul had
a son at 17, which was common in that culture, Jonathan would be 23.
The reference to two years
could mean the time frame when this particular situation arose, in other words,
"and after he reigned for two years, this happened."
Actually, the entire time frame takes some careful thought. Later when
David is anointed, he appears to be a pre-teen; and he is still young (15-16?)
when he kills Goliath. Saul will die when David is 30 years old. If Saul
reigned for 40 years and was eighty when he died, it means that Saul reigned
for 10 years before David was born.
Vs. 2-4 There was a lot of fighting with the Philistines with a
substantial victory by Jonathan. Apparently Samuel told Saul to call the people
together at Gilgal. This would be a sacrifice and consecration of the kingship
of Saul. In the meantime, Israel had made some problems for the Philistines.
Saul called the people there, but the Philistines are amassing an army.
Just for a comparison, remember in 1 Samuel 7:10 that on the eve of
Samuel’s first battle with the Philistines, they were ganging up on him as he
was getting ready to sacrifice. Samuel was totally unprepared and leading the
people in worship, but God honored him and completely routed the Philistines
with noise.
Vs. 8-15 This was the event that Samuel had spoken of earlier, where
Saul was to wait for Samuel for seven days. Waiting, when waiting is easy, is
easy; but waiting when it stretches your faith to the breaking point is what
makes real faith. The people were already afraid and Saul had no faith to bind
them to the Lord. As the people were scattering and it was the seventh day,
Saul offered the sacrifice. No non-Levite was allowed to sacrifice. Also, Saul
was given a direct command. And wouldn't you know it, no sooner had he burned
the bull, than Samuel showed up.
V. 14 This will burn in Saul’s mind and blaze into an irrational hatred
of David. This is the first mention of a
man after His own heart. It is good to begin trying to understand what that
means. David will be that man, but he will test our understanding of what it
means to be a man after God's own heart.
My question for us as disciples is what did Saul teach or fail to teach
the people by doing this? Saul did the thing anyone would have done. It seems
excusable, reasonable, and human. This would be a good point to stop and ponder
this story. It is easy to follow when everything is good, but waiting in faith
separates the men from the boys. Also, it is easy to lead when everything is
good; but in a situation like this, it shows what you really believe. If we are
to be disciples, who make disciples, we ourselves need to be proven in the fire
and found faithful.
Also, when you think of Saul, worried about the army coming against him
and his people scattering, what stories of the recent past would you have used
to remind him that he could still depend on God? Oh, by the way, do you remember
that there was a command for what the king was supposed to do regarding the
Word? I wonder if Saul ever did that.
Vs. 16-22 This is just setting us up for the adventures of Jonathan
tomorrow. Although I have to say, if I had been a king, I would have been
working to get my merry men armed.
John 7:1-29
This section of John, from 7:1 to 10:21, is during the two-week
festival around the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Booths (or Feast of Tabernacles). This took place six
months before Jesus died and it is His presentation of Himself to the nation as
their Messiah. John concludes chapter 10 with a situation that took place two
months later during Hanukkah, in December, as Jesus' final teaching about
Himself in Jerusalem, completing the presentation. These are very important
chapters.
Vs. 1-2 The passage of time here is about six months. If the feeding of
the 5000 was just before the Passover in April, this would be October. This was
one of those three times of the year (Passover, Pentecost, Day of Atonement/ Feast
of Tabernacles) when all males had to appear before the Lord.
Vs. 3-9 Jesus was being taunted by His half-brothers.
V. 8 has the word "yet" in some manuscripts, but not in
others. Jesus obviously didn't lie to them, so there are three theories as to
what He meant here. First, there was a time element in the original language
that was inherent to the words that we don't see in the English. Second, there
was a "yet" in the original manuscript, or the time element was very
plain in the original and some scribe added the "yet" to make it
clearer. Or, third, at this moment, Jesus had been told not to go to the feast
and after the brothers left, the Father told him to go to the feast. Jesus
wasn’t lying here regarding attending the feast, and it gives us a look at how
He abided in and followed the Father.
Vs. 10-13 I can't imagine the intensity of being in Jerusalem during
that time. In some respects, this visit to Jerusalem was the time of their
visitation and they didn't realize it. In the next chapters we'll see how bold
Jesus became. He made them an offer they couldn't refuse, but they did.
Vs. 14-19 Isn’t it ironic that the leaders were amazed at Jesus’
teaching but hated Him all the same. It is interesting that Jesus said that
whoever wanted God’s will would recognize the source of His teaching. Later,
Jesus will tell the Pharisees that their will was to obey their father the
devil.
Vs. 20-24 Apparently most of the visitors to Jerusalem were not
familiar with the effort on the leaders’ part to kill Jesus. Jesus is referring
here to His healing of the man at the pool in John 5. Even a year and a half
after that event, that confrontation was still stuck in the throats of the
leaders.
Vs. 25-27 I like this. Suddenly some of the people from Jerusalem must
have pushed forward and begun saying they knew about the plot of the leaders to
kill Jesus. Their objection was that they thought the coming Messiah would be
more mysterious and shrouded in mystery.
Vs. 28-29 Jesus will talk more and more about His being sent from the
Father, and their problem of not knowing God at all. They knew Jesus was from
Nazareth, but didn't grasp that He was the Son sent from the Father.
For us as disciples, it is instructional and motivating to see how much
conflict Jesus was willing to endure to make sure that everyone had the
opportunity to hear and respond to His message. We have been given that same
Spirit for our work in the harvest.
Psalm 108
I would guess that David is in his early years as king. The beginning
of the psalm is in remembrance of what God had done. Based on that past
faithfulness of God comes the dire request in vs. 10-12.
Vs. 1-4 This is David’s personal devotion to God in gratefulness for
all of His deliverance. We’ll meet David in a few chapters in 1 Samuel and then
we’ll witness David’s long, God-given education in crying to God for help and
rescue. As a result, Israel was given a great king and the Spirit gave us some
great psalms.
Notice the witness to the nations.
Vs. 5-6 David’s prayer for God’s exaltation means that He would be
exalted in defeating Israel’s enemies.
Vs. 7-9 God had shown His strength in defeating these countries because
He promised to protect His people.
Vs. 10-13 Apparently Israel had suffered some minor attack from Edom,
and David was asking the Lord to show His faithfulness and fulfill His promise
again by defeating Edom.
By this time David was an experienced warrior-king and knew that real
victory only came from the Lord.
As we work in the harvest, whether the work is hard or easy at any
particular time, we always need to remember that our successes only come
through the Lord; and in our difficulties, He is present and teaching us. Our
strength comes as we abide in Him.
Proverbs 15:4
It is easy to be hard and biting, but Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaks. I think I'm more interested in my "abundance" being
truthful, healing and encouraging, than truthful, correct and biting. I think
this is something the Lord has worked on to change in me.
I remember a time I was preparing for a church interview, making notes,
praying about what questions to ask. I know that all of us are under the weight
of this life, the weight of sin, trying to go forward for Christ. I know that
nothing is easy. Church isn't easy. I had a feeling about the situation, but
wrote under all of my notes, "Be an encouragement." It was the
world's shortest telephone interview; but for my part, even in the few words I
was actually able to say, I did try to follow this verse.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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