Faithfulness of Friendship

1 Samuel 20:24-42
    24 Then David hid in the field. And when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast. 25 Now the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him; he is unclean, surely he is unclean.” 27 And it happened the next day, the second day of the month, that David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either yesterday or today?”
    28 So Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 And he said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king's table.”
    30 Then Saul's anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.”  32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” 33 Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.  34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.
    35 And so it was, in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him. 36 Then he said to his lad, “Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.” As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the lad had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” 38 And Jonathan cried out after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!” So Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master. 39 But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter. 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.”
    41 As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’ ” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

Here is the faithfulness of friendship in the Lord.  The rest of the story continued from the first half of this chapter is worked out here between Saul and David, Saul and Jonathan, and between David and Jonathan.  The LORD had rejected Saul because he rejected Him through disobedience.  Saul rejected David because God chose him over Saul.  Saul rejected Jonathan because his son chose the chosen of God over his own father.  David and Jonathan, however, chose faithfulness in friendship because of the LORD and his work in calling and leading for the glory of His name and plan for David as the anointed one of whose promised line would bring the a Savior of God’s children into the world at the appointed time (Galatians 4:4-5).  This friendship was built on loyal commitment to each other as unto God.  We are to follow the example in a similar manner, choosing committed fellowship in Christ with one another as Jesus taught and as Paul wrote by example (1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1) for us to imitate.  We are to love one another and lay down our lives for each other when required (John 13:34-35, 1 John 3:11, 23, John 15:13). 

Loyalty and Commitment

1 Samuel 20:1-23
    1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 2 So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”
    3 Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”  4 So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”
    5 And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ 7 If he says thus: ‘It is well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?”
    9 But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”  10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly?”
    11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field. 12 Then Jonathan said to David: “The LORD God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, 13 may the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the LORD be with you as He has been with my father. 14 And you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I may not die; 15 but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the LORD require it at the hand of David's enemies.”
    17 Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18 Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel. 20 Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target; 21 and there I will send a lad, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I expressly say to the lad, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come’—then, as the LORD lives, there is safety for you and no harm. 22 But if I say thus to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’—go your way, for the LORD has sent you away. 23 And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the LORD be between you and me forever.”

David fled Saul’s wrath and spear, but Jonathan his son remained loyal to his best friend and future king.  However, Jonathan still had difficulty in believing that his father actually wanted to kill David.  David explained that Saul knew of their friendship and so kept his intentions hidden from his son.  The test was that David would not show up for dinner, and Jonathan would give an excuse of his going to Bethlehem to sacrifice if asked.  After three days Saul’s reaction would expose the truth.  Jonathan made a covenant with David and his house to remain loyal because God was with David and he would protect him also.  The LORD would be the avenger.  They arranged a message with arrows to avoid David’s capture if the news was bad; arrows shot out of sight were to indicate David had to go by God’s bidding.  God would be between them wherever he went.  This is loyalty in God’s Grace for each other and for the one called to lead God’s people.  We should also have such friendships, with the Lord between us and with Christ in whose covenant we stand firm.  This is true loyalty and commitment.  

Persecution and Protection

1 Samuel 19:1-24
    1 Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted greatly in David. 2 So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.” 4 Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. 5 For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”
    6 So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed.” 7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.  8 And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.
    9 Now the distressing spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. 10 Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul's presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.
    11 Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. 13 And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. 14 So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”
    15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. 17 Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?”  And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’ ”
    18 So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”   And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Saul’s persecution of David came to the point where he openly told his son Jonathan and the others to kill him.  Because David and Jonathan were best friends, the king’s son tried to talk his father out of this determined course of action, telling Saul how faithful and loyal David was, and killing him would be without any reason.  He would say these things, then bring David to Saul with the relationship seemingly as before, David being in Saul’s presence and fighting the battles for the king and nation as before.  However, soon the spirit overtook Saul and David played soothing music, but with the same outcome - Saul tried to kill David by running him through with a spear.  David’s wife saved his life from her father, and Saul sent people after him.  God stopped them and others from taking David His anointed by overshadowing them with His Spirit and causing them to tell the wonderful things of the LORD and His works.  They prophesied.  When Saul himself also went where David was to take him, he also was overtaken by God’s Spirit!  This became a byword for a while about him also being numbered with the prophets, which was out of character for him as he was opposed to the LORD.  We learn that God’s chosen people are persecuted for following Him, yet the Lord knows those who are His and gives protection (unless the continued suffering or death is for His greater purpose and glory).  We cannot name and claim deliverance out of every bad circumstance, but we can expect deliverance through each one. 

Fight the Good Fight

1 Samuel 18:17-30
    17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”  18 So David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.
    20 Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”  22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king's son-in-law.’ ”  23 So Saul's servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.”
    25 Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king's enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king's son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; 27 therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.
    28 Thus Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him; 29 and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David's enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.

David behaved with godly wisdom towards the king, knowing God’s calling and anointing to be the true ruler chosen by God.  Since David was victorious in battle, Saul tried to get him killed by the Philistine enemies by giving one of his daughters and encouraging him to fight more.  Saul hoped that the enemy would kill David, for he feared him because the hand of the LORD was with him, and he did not want to be the one to kill David.  But Saul went back on his promise and gave that daughter to another.  There was a second daughter who loved David, however, but David pushed back by saying it was a big step to be the son-in-law of a king.  Saul gave him the right to earn her by a feat in battle with the enemy, one he really wished would end In David’s death.  David accepted the challenge and killed the two hundred uncircumcised Philistines whom he circumcised after killing them, not to make them accepted into God’s people if he did so when they were still alive.  He got the wife he wanted and was promised, but also gained a lifelong enemy of Saul who feared God in David, knowing his own reign was limited because of him.  But David continued with godly wisdom to avoid false accusations and won many victories to win the people’s hearts, honor, and respect.  He was working his way to the throne by the hand of the LORD.  We see again that godly wisdom and God’s choosing will provide the ability to fight the good fight, for we find our victory in Jesus Christ, the descendant of David by promise of the anointed one, the Messiah/Christ (John 1:41, 1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 Timothy 1:18, 2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).  We therefore wage spiritual warfare for the souls of men by His calling and in His strength with God-given wisdom and ability for His glory and honor. 

Calling and Wisdom From God

1 Samuel 18:1-16
    1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants. 6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said:
      “Saul has slain his thousands,
      And David his ten thousands.”
    8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
    10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.
    12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

Wisdom from God.  That is what we see demonstrated in the life of David here.  Though king Saul’s son Jonathan became best friends with the future king David, Saul Himself was set against David out of jealousy and anger.  David knew the danger of Saul, so he acted with wisdom in waging war for God’s people, gaining their love and trust. This God-given wisdom gained the respect, love, and loyalty of the people, but made Saul quite angry because he knew that God rejected him as king due to his disobedience which he appeared blind to.  Therefore when the crowds praised David for victories and openly cried out that he was more successful than the king, Saul began looking for ways to stop him from taking the kingdom.  Saul seemed to miss the fact that the kingdom had already been taken from him, but he did not know of God’s anointing of David for the future throne; he only saw the tide of public opinion shift away from him to David.  When the distressing spirit sent by God overtook Saul, he asked David to play soothing music to quiet the attacks, but then I used the opportunity to attempt the murder of David with a spear.  God protected him from Saul’s plans, for He was with him, not Saul anymore as the LORD’s chosen one.  Saul gave up for the moment, sending David out to battles instead, and David continued to act with wisdom in all he did to avoid death and gain the loving admiration of the people.  We learn from this that God chooses leaders of His people, which now is within the church since there is no longer any nation which is a theocracy, and that leaders are to be wise servants of God’s people.  Being placed in a position is not the same as having a heart for God and His calling to that position; wisdom then gives wise grace to the called one under one not there by His will.  We are to be wise as well as wise to the situation (Matthew 10:16, Ephesians 1:17, 5:15, Romans 16:17-19, Acts 6:3, James 1:5) acting accordingly with the wisdom of Christ and not our own in all we say and do.  

The Battle is the LORD’s!

1 Samuel 17:31-58

    31 Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32 Then David said to Saul, “Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”  33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
    34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”
    38 So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.  40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”
    45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands.”
    48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.  And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
    55 When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?”  And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”  56 So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.”  57 Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”  So David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

David fearlessly encouraged the army of the LORD to be bold and not fearful.  He would go and fight for God’s name of honor by vanquishing the enemy of Him and them, no matter how large Goliath stood or how threatening he appeared before them with taunting and blasphemy.  David had fought off paws of lions and bears to protect the sheep, and he trusted the LORD to enable victory here as well.  The giant sneered at the young man coming out to face him, yet DAVID remained resoluter in purpose by faith in God’s strength and working to fight to win.  David came in the name of the LORD, not in his own might or weapons; he stated clearly that the one who saves is not the equipment of war, but His work to defeat the enemy.  David was merely an instrument in His hand for His glory.  Therefore David defaced Goliath and took him down with a sling and stone used to ward off wild animals attacking the sheep, except this animal was an unbelieving enemy of God and the sheep were the people of the LORD.  He killed the massive man with a small rock and cut his head off as a reminder to all and to ensure his death was complete.  This gained him recognition with king Saul as God had sovereignly planned that David’s journey to occupy the throne might begin.  We learn not that giants will fall nor that we fight giants of fear and such as is commonly applied to this accounting, but rather that we fight in God’s power for His glory and protection of His flock by the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word (Ephesians 6:17).  This word convicts and sets men free (Hebrews 4:12) as it exposes sin, shows God’s work in Christ alone as righteousness, and warns of the judgement to come (Acts 24:24) apart from His victory in the battle for the sheep’s deliverance who are called and drawn to Christ (John 10:3, 27).  Our weapons are not of our own flesh or design.  This battle is the Lord’s! 

Is There Not a Cause?

1 Samuel 17:1-30 

    1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. 8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
    12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
    16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.
    17 Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. 18 And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” 19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
    20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. 25 So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel.”
    26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”  27 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”  28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
    29 And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.

After Saul’s disobedience in failing to destroy all and to keep spoils for himself and Israel, after he subsequently lost his position as king in the LORD’s eyes, he does this.  The Philistines send their giant to defy the people of God and Saul sends nobody to meet the challenge, choosing instead to allow the blasphemous raging and threatening for forty days!  It took a young man who was the youngest of eight brothers, one who seemed insignificant by attending to sheep and running errands for his three oldest brothers in the army of inaction and fear of God’s enemy, it took such a one to speak up.  Of course, we know from the previous chapter that God had anointed David as king in calling (though not yet in position) to stand up for the LORD and His honor and the glory of His name in the face of these insults and evil taunting.  David here displays the core essence of why scripture shows God calling him a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) who would do His will, willingly and with all devotion to His name.  He did not abandon his sheep nor come in pride to see the battle as his oldest brother Eliab accused him in defense of his own cowardice and hesitation to fight for the LORD.  No, David saw the reproach of the uncircumcised enemy who was defying the people of the LORD who were the army of His hand, and he was indignant and angry.  He had come for a purpose.  There was just cause for his arrival and presence on the battlefield.  This would soon become known to all there.  We are not David, yet the example of scripture here calls us to stand for God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the battle for the souls of men and women who are trapped by the blasphemy of the adversary and their own resulting defiance of the living God in their minds and deeds.  He calls us to stand firm in faith, for His honor and glory, and be where He calls us to do battle in the unseen as well as seen realms (2 Corinthians 10:4-6, Ephesians 3:10, 6:11-12).  Is there not a cause? 

Chosen King of The Heart

1 Samuel 16:1-23
    1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”  But the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
    4 So Samuel did what the LORD said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”  5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
    6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him!”  7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 
    8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”  And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
    14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”  17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”  18 Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”
    19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21 So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

Samuel was still sad over Saul’s rebellion and loss of being God’s man to rule His people, and the LORD called him out of the regret and sadness to another mission, this time for a king whose heart was completely His (2 Chronicles 16:9).  The one chosen and named by God was down selected from the sons of Jesse, a lowly shepherd and the youngest of the family.  God looked at his heart to see faithfulness and devotion to Him the the others lacked to that degree.  The LORD truly looks at the heart and not the outward appearance of strength or other physical suitability by man’s standards.  Samuel anointed him with oil as was customary (Psalm 89:20-21) to sanctify DAVID for the LORD and His service, and the Spirit of the LORD then came over him to enable and guide DAVID for the calling.  As the Spirit of God ruled David, a distressing spirit enveloped Saul with darkness and further rebellion against the LORD and His people (including His anointed and chosen one).  In an ironical way, God had Saul call David to play soothing music when the darkness overwhelmed him; God’s Spirit was given to calm the demonic devastation of Saul’s sinful rejection and rebellion.  The Lord shows favor and calls according to His sovereign plan, which often seems not what we would do, for only He sees our hearts.  We judge by the outside until we accept the Lord’s calling and enabling by the gifts He gives as He desires (1 Corinthians 12:11).  Our task then is to look to the Lord Christ for His choices and calling of those within His body, the church, to lead in serving. 

Loving Obedience, Not Sinful Sacrifices

1 Samuel 15:1-35
    1 Samuel also said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ” 4 So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.
    6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
    10 Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night. 12 So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.” 13 Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”  14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”  15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
    16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.”  And he said to him, “Speak on.”  17 So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? 18 Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”
    20 And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”

22 So Samuel said:

“Has 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 heed than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king.”

    24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.”  26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
    27 And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.”  30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
    32 Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.” So Agag came to him cautiously.  And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”  33 But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.  34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

Saul was given a clear and direct order from the LORD through Samuel to completely wipe out the Amalekites because they had attacked God’s people on the way from Egypt to the promised land.  Saul, however, changed God’s word by rationalizing what he imagined was better.  He kept the king Agag alive and the best of the booty, along with the sheep and oxen, instead of obediently removing all source and identity of the sin of God’s enemy.  Saul only destroyed the things despised and which were completely worthless; he kept the best for himself in direct disobedience to God.  Then he had the audacity to offer sacrifices to the LORD from the contraband sheep and oxen, as if sacrifices of stolen merchandise could appease God.  Samuel told Saul as much, reminding him that what pleases God is obedience, not human rationale and sinful self-will.  To obey truly is better than sacrifice, for obedience is loving God and others (Mark 12:33) according to His word and will, not by philosophical rationalization in opposition to His will and word.  This sin of rebellion against God is compared to witchcraft and this stubbornness is like idol worship.  Because of this, the kingdom was taken from Saul.  Since Saul rejected the word of the LORD, he was rejected from the position of rule.  Samuel mourned over the loss and the LORD seemed to have been saddened by allowing Saul to be king at the will of the people in the first place.  But He had the king He chose lined up.  We see then that sinful pride and rebellion in the name of the Lord only ends badly, and true obedience and worship according to God’s word and will is what matters for eternity.  Let us seek then His will in His word and not rationalize away what we dislike or even openly disobey for our own temporary gain.  Pleasing God is above all else. 

Avoid a Rash Oath

1 Samuel 14:24-52 

    24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 25 Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.  29 But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”
    31 Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. 32 And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood!”  So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.” 34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man's ox and every man's sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD.
    36 Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.”  And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.”  Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”  37 So Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, “Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. 39 For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.”  And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
    41 Therefore Saul said to the LORD God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. 42 And Saul said, “Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me.” So Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”  And Jonathan told him, and said, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!”  44 Saul answered, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”  45 But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.  46 Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
    47 So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he harassed them. 48 And he gathered an army and attacked the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.  49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Jishui, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.  52 Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.

Here we find king Saul making a very rash oath, that nobody should eat until that night and a battle was finished, and that whoever broke that command would be put to death.  His vow was for vengeance on his enemies, but at the harsh price of death for this ill-devised command for all to fight without pause or the chance to eat for strength to wage war.  The army naturally became very weak and hungry, eventually at the day’s end after a successful battle charged on the spoil and began to eat animals with the blood, which God forbade.  Saul even built his first altar there, presumably to offer to God and eat cooked meat of the sacrifices.  Only Jonathan his son had stopped in battle to taste some honey for strength, ignorant of the rash oath’s command, but justifying his action once it was told him after eating.  It came out what Jonathan did after Saul had no answer from the LORD on whether to fight again the next day, and lots were cast to reveal who had eaten.  Jonathan was to die until the people stood in his defense and stayed that order to preserve his life, for he had helped win the battle, being used by God.  Then Saul continued to win victory in battles against Israel’s enemies, and established his reign.  He was wise in building his army as well, capturing and enlisting all valiant strong men into the army.  This passage then shows us that vows to the LORD should be a yes or no, not a conditional promise to God for His work if a certain thing is or is not done as a work to earn His favor for victory in a situation (James 5:12, 4:14-16, Mathew 5:37, 2 Corinthians 1:17-20).  We should avoid rash oaths, especially when used to influence God. 

The Battle and Victory are the Lord’s

1 Samuel 14:1-23
    1 Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. 3 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.
    6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.”  7 So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”  8 Then Jonathan said, “Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. 10 But if they say thus, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.”
    11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.” 12 Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.”  Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” 13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them. 14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land.
    15 And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling. 16 Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there. 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Now call the roll and see who has gone from us.” And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. 18 And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here” (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel). 19 Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man's sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion. 21 Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.

Jonathan went secretly to attack their enemies as his father the king rested under a tree; he passed between outcrops named shining and sharp, facing north and south, through a pass to get there.  One could imagine the bright shining rock formation as the righteous act and the sharp crag as the danger and sword that cuts the enemy in a sense, though this is not clearly stated here.  Jonathan and the armorbearer crept up on the garrison of the encamped Philistines and planned to show themselves as a test of how God would work for their victory.  They waited for an invitation to verify they the enemy would be theirs, and it came to pass.  Jonathan realized they had been given into their hands and they cut down twenty men right away, followed by a strong earthquake as the LORD brought victory which no king or man could; it truly was a supernatural battle as God shook the earth and the confidence of the Philistines together.  They ended up killing each other in the camp in the confusion and fear.  Saul asked and found his son and armorbearer were the only ones missing and heard the noise of the enemy camp.  Others joined Jonathan and pursued the fleeing enemy with sword and faith in God’s working to defeat the enemy to save His people that day.  We see here that the battle truly is the LORD’s (1 Samuel 17:47) and not one of our own ability or strength or wisdom.  The battle we fight is not with a sword of metal, but of the mettle of faith in Christ and His work of the gospel against heavenly forces for the souls of men and women.  This sword of truth cuts to the spiritual bone and shows by God’s opening of blind eyes to sin, righteousness, and judgement (John 16:8-11).  The hearts then see all are sinners, that righteousness is only found in Christ and His work, and that certain judgement is facing all of us apart from faith in Jesus Christ.  This is the gospel war we wage by faith as the Lord causes hearts to quake and the enemy to flee in confusion and defeat (Colossians 2:15, Ephesians 3:10, 6:12).  The battle and its victory belong to the Lord. 

Consequence of an Unlawful Sacrifice

1 Samuel 13:1-23 

    1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent. 3 And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.
    5 Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.  As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
    9 So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.  11 And Samuel said, “What have you done?”  Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 12 then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
    13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
    15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men.  16 Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
    19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” 20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man's plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads. 22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.   23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

Two years into Saul’s reign as king over Israel, he built an army of three thousand in the midst of their enemy the Philistines.  One third was under his son Jonathan’s command, which he used to attack the enemy and stir up a war.  Saul called attention to this to all his people and they all feared retribution from their enemy who outnumbered them and was far better equipped with weaponry.  The people followed their king they wanted so much, but did so in fear of what now lay ahead.  Saul wanted the LORD’s blessing through Samuel, but got impatient and made a burnt offering sacrifice which only a priest could do.  Just as he was finished, Samuel appeared and condemned the sacrifice made unlawfully, against God’s strict command for only the priest who was called and made worthy to offer sacrifices.  Saul sidestepped the issue with a justification that he felt “compelled” to do this, but he really just was impatient with God as Israel had been in demanding a king.  The result was a proclamation that the kingdom would be taken from Saul and given to one after His own heart, one who would take His words seriously and with a mind to willingly follow; that would be David later (Acts 13:22) whose kingdom would be forever established in the line and type foreshadowed in the Messiah.  Disobedience has dire consequences.  Because of the occupation and rule of the Philistines over Israel, they had few weapons, but the battle was brewing; only the king and his son had good weapons as the enemy approached.  What we learn from this example so far is that we must follow God’s word and revealed will in it to be victorious in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57) and honor Him.  The consequences of disobedience can be overwhelmingly high, so we need to count the cost of going our own way and attempting to justify our desires above His will.  Grace abounds, yet He still calls us to follow His word (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  Cheap grace seeks only to justify self service.  Therefore, we wait on God’s timing and do all things lawfully and for His glory, honor, and praise.  Amen. 

Devotion of the King and Citizen Servants

1 Samuel 12:1-25 

1 Now Samuel said to all Israel: “Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.” 4 And they said, “You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man's hand.”  5 Then 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 answered, “He is witness.”
    6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers: 8 When Jacob had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 Then they cried out to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. 12 And when you saw that Nahash 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.
    13 “Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. 15 However, if you do 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, as it was against your fathers.
    16 “Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes: 17 Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves.”  18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.  19 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 the evil of asking a king for ourselves.”
    20 Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22 For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

Israel chose to have a king rule them instead of the LORD alone, and Samuel took time before dying to remind them of the rebellion of their fathers before them, and reminded them that the king they wanted was given by God to them that both he and they should be His servants.  Samuel began with how the LORD delivered His people by His righteous works from Egypt to the promised land, and how He fought the battles and ruled as the omnipotent and sovereign King over them.  He reminded them of the unfaithfulness of their forefathers with idol worship and warned them not to repeat this sin which violated the first command given through the hand of Moses, but instead to be obedient and faithful.  They were to fear the LORD, serving and obeying Him, and not utter empty promises to do so when in danger, only to revert to wandering away when the LORD intervened.  They were to follow Him in every circumstance and situation they faced, or face the hand of God against them once more.  They realized their sin in asking for a king other than Him, but it was already done.  Therefore, they were told to follow, both ruler and citizen, in wholehearted obedience and devotion to their Lord and King.  The command was not to turn aside in their obedient following and life of worship, knowing it was God’s choosing of them for His glory which would keep them from being forsaken.  Samuel gave us the example to pray for His people, knowing that it would be sin to not do so; he had committed himself to teach them God’s word and will, and exhorted them all (Hebrews 3:13) to fear and serve Him with all their being because of all He had done for them out of gratitude that reciprocates.  Otherwise, sin would overtake them (Genesis 4:7) if they failed to be vigilant (1 Peter 5:8).  The warning was also given to remind them that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), for sin is empty and has no lasting value to profit the soul.  We must then use this pattern in our adherence to Hebrews 10:24-25 in our fellowship, whether on on one or in larger gatherings.  We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standards for His glory; as Israel put their own king to rule as the world instead of God as ruler, so we have put self above Him.  We are also called to follow in Christ, serving wholeheartedly as we remember His sovereign hold on those He calls out as His people.  It is God’s good pleasure to make us His, and we must pray for each other as our Lord does for us (John 17).  Do we fear and serve Him truly and with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength?  If we stop to dwell on all He has done for us, we find the heartfelt resolve to run the race to seek His face as Paul gave us example (Phil.3:12-14).

Strong Exhortation to Commitment

1 Samuel 11:1-15
    1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.” 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel.”  3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.”
    4 So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, “What troubles the people, that they weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. 7 So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.”  And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8 When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who came, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.’ ” Then the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you.”  11 So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
    12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he who 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 salvation in Israel.”
    14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

When Israel left Egypt, they numbered over six hundred thousand (Numbers 1:46, 26:51); now they managed to gather half that number together.  But even those had to be confronted with dire consequences before they would join their brothers to fight the enemy.  They had walked far from the LORD in the days since they entered their promised land, and had been defeated by their sin along the downward spiral path they had take with the period of the judges.  Now they had a king, Saul, and he was moved by God’s Spirit to slice up oxen and send across the land to threaten the same for all Israel who would not join in the fight for God’s honor in fighting for His people.  It worked.  Sometimes fear must be first instilled to awaken a sober assessment of responsibility and obedience to prime the pump of men’s hearts.  Saul then faced the enemy with warfare tactics given by God’s wisdom to split into three groups to fight the Ammonite enemies who mocked the LORD’s people.  They were thoroughly routed to the point where there was not more than one Ammonite together who survived and fled the battle.  They were defeated and scattered.  Then the people of God wanted to kill those who were opposed to the king when he was coronated, but Saul showed mercy and let them live, knowing they were God’s children also.  Therefore they went all together to Gilgal and renewed the scattered and divided kingdom under their recently appointed ruler.  We learn here how a ruler can unite people for a common cause, namely survival and to honor God’s name in His people.  How that plays out in a nation which is not a theocracy is not the same, for this example is more aligned with the universal and unseen church which is the totality of all who are truly all His in Christ.  We support each other and stir each other to do good (Hebrews 10:24-25) as we live and meet together, sometimes needing to strongly challenge or exhort as Saul with the message the divided oxen sent to the people.  We need to be reminded of our commitment to each other as unto our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Choose Your King to Deliver and Protect

1 Samuel 10:1-27
    1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance? 2 When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’ 3 Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. 8 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.”
    9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
    14 Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?”  So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.”  15 And Saul's uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.”  16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.
    17 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”
    20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?”  And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.”  23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?”  So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
    25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

Outside the city, Samuel had promised to give God’s word to Saul, and here he anointed Saul and gave him a kiss to seal the deal in a sense, proclaiming God’s call to make Saul the commander of His inheritance.  Saul was made leader, king, to rule and guide the people of the LORD who were His inheritance.  Not the king’s inheritance, but God’s.  On his way home since the donkeys were already found and safely brought back, Saul was prophesied to prophecize.   Samuel told him he would “be turned into another man” when the Spirit of the LORD came on him, and it was so as it was written.  Samuel then went to his uncle and reported the donkeys were found, but hid the prophetic word of his imminent appointment as king over Israel.  Het when he came to where Samuel had all of Israel’s people assembled, he hid from the announcement.  Samuel announced that the LORD had chosen this one to be their king and the response of “long live the king” was born.  This was of course after Samuel reminded Israel of their rejection and disobedience after God’s deliverance and grace over the years, choosing and demanding a king to rule them instead of God.  So then Samuel reminded them of what having a man rule over them would entail and had it written down as a witness to them.  Some were moved to loyalty to Saul, but others plainly resisted and spoke out loud that no man could save them.  They were right, and the treasonous words were not punished.  This began the further sliding away from the King of kings as Israel relied on government, even sanctioned by God as asked for, to deliver and rule them instead of by every word that came from His mouth and every work of His hand to deliver.  Do we now seek to place our trust and hope in our government to save us from all evil and guide us by laws to protect us and our self-made rights, or do we lean on the everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27) of our King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, 19:16) with His gospel bill of rights to suffer for His name’s sake? 

God Gives the King to Honor

1 Samuel 9:1-27
    1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. 3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Please take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
    5 When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the donkeys and become worried about us.”  6 And he said to him, “Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go.”
    7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”  8 And the servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have here at hand one-fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus: “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.). 10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
    11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”  12 And they answered them and said, “Yes, there he is, just ahead of you. Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place. 13 As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about this time you will find him.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.
    15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying, 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”  17 So when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people.” 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, “Please tell me, where is the seer's house?”
    19 Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?”  21 And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”
    22 Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited; there were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it apart.’ ” 24 So the cook took up the thigh with its upper part and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here it is, what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat; for until this time it has been kept for you, since I said I invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
    25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the top of the house. 26 They arose early; and it was about the dawning of the day that Samuel called to Saul on the top of the house, saying, “Get up, that I may send you on your way.” And Saul arose, and both of them went outside, he and Samuel.  27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” And he went on. “But you stand here awhile, that I may announce to you the word of God.”

Kish’s son, Saul, was a tall and handsome man who stood out in the sight of those who saw him, and this is the first king chosen and promised by the LORD because of the people insisting on someone other than Him to rule over them and bring them victory in battle.  They had forgotten that God gave the success and God was their true King, but God was to answer their urging in the man Saul.  It was a series of events showing loss and then a restoration of the lost donkeys of Saul’s father which brought Saul to seek guidance from Samuel to find the donkeys and for Samuel to find Saul by the LORD’s hand.  Similar to Moses being the answer to Israel’s cry for deliverance, God told Samuel that the man He pointed out would be the answer to the desperate call for deliverance from the Philistines.  That one would reign over His people.  Saul knew that he was insignificant in and of himself, not knowing that God had set him apart for this role.  Samuel honored him at a banquet, then the following day took him out of the city to go on his way.  Saul did not know what the LORD had planned for Samuel to do next, but willingly accompanied him, stopping to hear the word of God from Samuel when he was told it was to be spoken to him there on the way.  We see then that God calls and appoints rulers; God gives the king, the ruler, to a nation by His choice and enabling.  We are then to follow that ruler (Romans 13:1-5), knowing we obey as unto God.  The only time we disobey is when that ruler directs us to act immorally or when told we cannot speak the gospel (Acts 5:29), not when we are told we cannot gather in certain buildings only.  We therefore gather (Hebrews 10:24-25) wherever we can and speak the words of life to all who hear while honoring the king set over us, no matter what land we are citizens of, for we are also of the heavenly kingdom.  By honoring without true compromise we demonstrate obedience and honor to the One who sets all ruler in place.  Titus 3:1 reminds us of this.  Do we then disobey?