1-Samuel

One Heart

“The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart.” 1 Samuel 13:14

What does it mean to be a “man after His own (God’s) heart?” This is a question that I have often pondered. The answer must be extremely important or it would not have been the single qualifying attribute for the King of God’s choosing.

It isn’t possible to answer the question thoroughly in this column but we can ponder one aspect of what it means to be a person with a heart like our Lord’s.

Even though King Saul sought David’s life, Saul’s son, Jonathan, was David’s “bosom buddy.” Jonathan knew that David would be king one day and not himself. He believed the word of the Lord just as David did.

Jonathan made a covenant with David that when David became king he would always show kindness toward Jonathan’s family. David readily agreed out of his love for his true friend who gladly acknowledged that the Lord had given David the throne (1 Samuel 20:14-16).

At least seven years after King Saul and Jonathan’s death, when David had secured the throne over all Israel, David remembered his covenant with Jonathan. This is a picture of the Lord remembering His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob even though many years had passed, and “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). David did not forget his covenant and neither does our Lord.

David went to considerable lengths to discover Jonathan’s son who had been lame since childhood. David took Mephibosheth into his own house (the king’s palace) and made him as a son. In addition all Mephibosheth’s inheritance was restored to him.

The Lord has not forgotten His covenant with Abraham and neither has He forgotten His covenant with David. This is a key attribute of our Lord – that of keeping one’s covenants, promises and word.

A person with a heart like the Lord’s will always keep his word, written or verbal. Unfortunately there are few such people in our world and even among many who call themselves Christian there are many who do not regard their promises and covenants including their marriage covenant. Love is keeping one’s vows.

“Monumental Blunder”

“[Saul has] set up a monument for himself” (1 Samuel 15:12)

There is no ambiguity in the Lord’s command to Saul to kill everything of the Amalekites that has breath. Had Saul disobeyed on compassionate grounds it would still have been disobedience but he may have gained some sympathy from us. However, his reason was not compassion which can be seen in that he did kill everything except that “Saul and the people (they were with Saul in this) 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” (v 9). They did manage to kill the women and children as commanded by the Lord so compassion was not in their reasoning.

Saul claimed that the reason for keeping king Agag alive and the animals was for a sacrifice to the Lord but the Lord saw through this deception. He knew that Saul wanted the glory for himself; hence the monument Saul had set up. Rather than admit he had succumbed to pride Saul tried to justify disobedience by putting a spiritual spin to it. He has had many disciples throughout history even to this day.

Jesus said that the great commandment is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). It appears He said this on at least three separate occasions and it is recorded by three of the Gospel writers. There is nothing ambiguous about this command so why do we settle for mediocrity?

Jesus also commanded that we “make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19) and to be witnesses to Him all over the world (Acts 1:8). Again, this command is not ambiguous yet we comply reluctantly and half-heartedly which is in reality disobedience.

God in his grace has placed us where we are able to obtain material and spiritual wealth in varying degrees but like Saul we give into the temptation of using both for our own pleasure, to gain praise from others and glory to ourselves. Instead God intends that we use it in obedience to Him for His glory. Also like Saul we put one of the numerous spiritual spins to our disobedience to the Lord’s commands to make it appear spiritual. Others go along with it because they are doing the same.

Let us stop making monuments to ourselves of what the Lord has graciously given us for His own use and glory. There is nothing we are or have that He did not give. Repent, have a change of heart and serve the Lord in obedience with all our heart.

Looking For Donkeys

“There he is. This one shall reign over My people.” 1 Samuel 9:17

Kish sent his son to look for his donkeys that had gone AWOL. That should not have taken very long but three days later Saul and his servant were still wandering the hills of Benjamin in search of the miscreants.  As it turned out they had already been found but that information was kept from Saul because God had sent him unwittingly on a quite different search: To find Samuel the prophet.

Becoming concerned over his father’s anxiety for his long absence Saul determined to go home but his servant suggested going to see the prophet for help regarding the donkeys.

Saul was seeking donkeys but the Lord was seeking him to make him king of Israel in response to the people’s demand for a king like the other nations. The people had rejected the Lord to reign over them and demanded another (8:7) so God gave them what they wanted with a warning that they would suffer great sorrow as a result (8:11ff). In effect God was saying, “You can have what you want but you will be sorry.”

In a democratic country the people have the opportunity to elect a government of their own choosing. It will reflect the hearts of the people. Because we live in a predominately secular, humanistic and effectively atheistic society we can expect the government elected to reflect that.

The Lord will let us have what we want but with it comes with many stern warnings in the Bible. Judgment is at the door and only restrained by the mercy and grace of God.

It is appropriate for Christians to vote for local representatives who give honour to God and His Word, in word and deed, but unless we are actively involved in the Great Commission there will be less and less representation of godliness in our government. The ungodly will not vote for godly representatives and that is why we have, in some cases, known liars, adulterers and thieves representing us in government. Instead of being kicked out they are applauded for being “human” (i.e. sinners).

For now, God’s hand through Jesus Christ is still extended to all people. He will clasp any who reach up to Him and pull them out of the mire of delusion this world offers. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Our democratically elected government will reflect the heart of the people. Therefore make disciples of Jesus Christ.

“God Who Speaks”

“Speak, for Your servant hears” 1 Samuel 3:10

From the beginning to the end of the Bible we have a record of words that God has spoken. In Hebrews chapter one the writer informs us that God has spoken “at various times and in various ways” but always at the time and manner of God’s choosing. As a boy Samuel had not yet begun a relationship with the Lord. It seems most likely that the prayers of his parents had an important role in this.

On hearing the Lord call the boy Samuel went to the priest, Eli, thinking it was him calling him but by the third call Eli realised that it was the Lord calling Samuel. When the Lord called to Samuel a fourth time he responded as counselled and thus he began a relationship with the Lord.

God is by nature One who speaks. As a result we have the incarnate Word (John 1:1) and the written Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). God engaged His relationship with Adam by speaking to him and He has been speaking to men ever since.

Why then do most people not hear God speak? There are a few analogies that may help our understanding:

  • If a radio is not tuned to a station it will not receive the signal
  • If a message is in an unknown language it will not be understood
  • If there are other louder ‘noises’ (anything that distracts attention) the message will not be discerned.

In each case the message is available and present but there is a fault in reception.

We are out of tune with God when we do not read His written Word. His voice will appear a foreign language without the Holy Spirit’s enabling and we won’t distinguish God speaking until we are quiet and have removed the world’s ‘noises’ pounding our ears and minds. [“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10] The prerequisite for all these is the ‘new birth’ which is an act of God in response to our repentance and faith in Jesus Christ..

Samuel heard God speaking because he was “tuned into” God and had no other “noises” that interfered with reception. His response showed faith, humility and submission that would be tested throughout his growing years. Then as an adult he was ready to speak on behalf of the Lord.

We will never be ready to speak on behalf of the Lord until we have really heard the Lord ‘speak’ and what the Lord speaks to our heart will always be in complete accord with the Bible.

Bitterness of Soul

“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” 1 Samuel 1:10

There was a consequence of Elkanah having two wives that made for an unhappy family. Peninnah had many children and Hannah had none. Elkanah loved Hannah more than Peninnah and that provoked jealousy in Peninnah without consoling Hannah.

Peninnah’s jealousy was expressed in provoking Hannah “to make her miserable” over Hannah’s barrenness but what she meant for evil the Lord turned for good. This provocation continued for several years “at the time of going up to the house of the Lord” and its severity was so great that Hannah wept greatly at those times and could not eat. Her husband, Elkanah, could not console her sorrow over her childless state.

In the house of the Lord, “in bitterness of soul” and weeping in anguish, she prayed to the Lord.

Hannah’s anguish was so great that Eli, the priest, thought she was intoxicated but when she told him that she was not drunk but of “sorrowful spirit” he immediately understood. Apparently without knowing the substance of Hannah’s prayer, he told her that her request was granted. Hannah’s response is worthy of consideration.

In her heart the Lord confirmed what Eli had said and immediately the sorrow left her. No longer did she weep and she began eating. This is faith in action. Before the family left they worshipped the Lord but Hannah had a much richer experience of worship than any other that day.

These days the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so often presented as a cure all so that everything goes smoothly and well. Jesus, Paul and the other apostles give testimony that this is a false idea of what it is to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus said His followers would have tribulation in this world and the lives of the apostles give evidence of that truth.

It was evil in the world that provoked Hannah to such distress of soul that she came before the Lord with a humble, broken and contrite heart. Surely there is no lacking of evil in the world today and this should provoke true followers of Jesus Christ to “bitterness of soul” and weeping in anguish over the barrenness of much of the true church.

Somehow we have barricaded ourselves from the deep sorrow of the lost state of our world. Let us come before the Lord and prayerfully ask Him to restore to us a broken and contrite heart. Is not this what Jesus spoke of when He said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4)?

The Last Straw

“Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord … tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.” 1 Samuel 28:18, 19

These are some of the words of Samuel to King Saul when Saul visited the medium at En Dor. This was expressly against the will and word of the Lord and Saul knew it. He himself had made a law that all mediums should be put to death. It is just one more occasion where Saul shows his lack of comprehension and understanding concerning the Person of the Lord. It is also “the last straw.”

Until now Saul had been told that the kingdom would be torn from him and given to David, not his son Jonathan. Saul’s pursuit of David to kill him was his attempt at preventing the Word of the Lord being fulfilled. This was the same motivation for Satan seeking the Lord Jesus’ death. In both cases their attempts backfired.

This pronouncement by Samuel to Saul that he and all his sons would die in battle the next day because he failed in his responsibilities as Israel’s king to obey the Lord was crushing to his heart. But did he confess his sin and repent? No way. He was a proud man and still stood in defiance even though a timeframe had now been placed for his final disgrace and death.

Saul’s sorrow was not that he had sinned against the Lord but because he had been found out and that the consequences were devastating. We observe this often today. A person commits a crime and when convicted awaiting sentence they profess sorrow at having done the crime. That is too late and is most likely not sorrow for the crime; it is sorrow for having been caught and having to do the time. Genuine sorrow would have been expressed before guilt was established.

At the Great White Throne when Jesus judges all unbelievers they will be like Saul. Sorry for having been caught out and having to do the time (eternity) but unrepentant and still in defiance of the Lord.

Obedience to the Lord comes from knowing Him intimately and therefore trusting His wisdom and Word. Like King David, we will then readily agree with the Lord about our sin and let Him forgive and cleanse us.