Read 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

It was time to prepare for a new king. Much like the anointing of Saul earlier in the book, the anointing of David was done secretly. While God would identify David as the next king, it was not time yet to place him upon the throne.

Samuel came to Jesse’s house and, one by one, examined his sons. He thought the oldest, Eliab, would be the next king of Israel. God, however, explained to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his 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” (1 Samuel 16:7).

You may recall what was said of 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” (1 Samuel 9:2). He looked like a king, and to Samuel, Eliab did as well.

The process is repeated with each of Jesse’s eldest sons, including Abinadab and Shammah. None of them were chosen as Saul’s successor. Finally, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, described as “ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking” (1 Samuel 16:12), was called to Samuel. It was upon the appearance of David that God said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” (1 Samuel 16:12).

We must be careful that we do not overlook someone in need of the gospel simply because they don’t fit our preconceived ideas of what a Christian looks like. In fact, those are often the very people who may be more receptive to the gospel message!

There are multiple warnings in the Scriptures against judging someone based upon appearances. In the first century, anyone who was not a Jew was prevented from hearing the gospel until Peter preached to Cornelius, and even Peter needed to be convinced that God approved of such!

Everyone is a candidate for God’s grace! The apostle Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Don’t judge a book by its cover; take the gospel to everyone!

Read 1 Samuel 14:1-23

Nothing Restrains the Lord

In sharp contrast to the foolish self-exaltation of his father Saul, Jonathan shines as an example of trust in God’s faithfulness and power. Notice what he says to his armorbearer in 1 Samuel 14:6: “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.”

Many examples of this very truth are found within the Scriptures. One may consider the conquest of Canaan accomplished by the Lord through the leadership of Joshua, or God’s subduing of the Midianites through Gideon’s judgeship. Here Jonathan and the young man who bore his armor went up against the Philistines, a foolish adventure in the mind of man, but “nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” Jonathan put his full trust in the true God of heaven.

There is a stark contrast between Jonathan’s faith in this instance and his father Saul’s rash behavior. While the king began to inquire of the Lord by calling for the ark of God, he was too impatient to wait for God’s answer. Impatience often leads one to make mistakes. Saul’s decision to enter the battle without God’s instruction led to “very great confusion” (1 Samuel 14:20). Still, Jonathan’s faith was proven in the end as “the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven” (1 Samuel 14:23).

We must have faith in what God has revealed to us today. He will not give us any revelation other than what has been preserved in our Bible (Galatians 1:6-9). Do not fall for the shysters and the conmen who proclaim to be prophets in this 21st century; they are not speaking “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Many modern-day “pastors” (which are not pastors in the Biblical sense) will tell half-truths but stop short of God’s truth.

Let us have the wisdom of Jonathan, who trusted in God despite the odds against him. Let us shun the foolishness of Saul, who simply could not stand to wait for God’s instructions and had to do things his own way. Friends, our way will not save anyone. Only God’s way—that which was revealed through the inspired penmen of the Bible—will lead to eternal life. Whose way are you following?

Read 1 Samuel 13:1-15

Good Intentions Do Not Excuse Sin

The battle with the Philistines apparently was not going according to plan. Saul’s army was three thousand strong, divided between himself and his son Jonathan. The Philistines responded to Saul’s attack with thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and with so many soldiers “as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude” (1 Samuel 13:5). Israel’s response was understandably one of fear and distress; the text says that “the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits” (1 Samuel 13:6).

Saul remained in Gilgal with some “trembling” followers. He waited for Samuel to arrive. He waited seven days. I imagine he was anxiously looking for the prophet, perhaps setting a man on some high ground to see as far as he could see and know as soon as Samuel was approaching. Had Samuel not set the time of his arrival? Saul waited, but his patience wore thin. The people that had stayed with him finally scattered. They, like the rest of Israel, were scared. Saul could wait no longer.

“Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me,” he demanded (1 Samuel 13:9). He waited, but not long enough. “Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came” (1 Samuel 13:10).

Samuel knew what had happened. He confronted the king about his sin. What was Saul’s response? “I felt compelled” (1 Samuel 13:12). Scared by the Philistine army, facing danger all alone, Saul “felt compelled” to do something. But it was not the something that God had commanded.

Samuel tells Saul that he had acted “foolishly” (1 Samuel 13:13). Is that not always the case when we disobey the Lord? It is right to do what is right; it is foolish to sin. Always! “You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you” (1 Samuel 13:13).

When God says to do something, we should do that thing. We must not look for loopholes or offer excuses for disobedience. If He says sing, we should sing. It does not matter if we “felt compelled” to do more. God said to do a specific thing; we should honor His command, whether it relates to worship or salvation or the way we live our everyday lives in this world. Good intentions do not excuse sin!

Read 1 Samuel 12

The Good and the Right Way

The people refused to heed the warnings. Frightened by the Ammonites and despite all the Lord had done for them through Moses and Aaron, despite God’s deliverance of the people through the judgeships of Jerubbaal (Gideon), Bedan (possibly a reference to Barak), Jephthah, and Samuel, despite the peace they enjoyed during times of faithfulness, Israel demanded a king. In so doing, they had rejected God.

Samuel said that the people’s “wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking a king for yourselves” (1 Samuel 12:17). After the sign of the thunder and rain, the people finally realized that they had indeed “added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves” (1 Samuel 12:20).

Yet, God would not give up on them. Israel still had a choice to make, even after this rejection. “If you will 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. 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” (1 Samuel 12:14-15). God was giving them a chance to remain faithful even in less-than-ideal circumstances.

Do we not have the same opportunity today? When we sin and find ourselves facing consequences, do we bemoan our situation and wonder why God has allowed such awful things to happen? Or do we take responsibility for our mistakes and accept the outcome of our sin, and seek forgiveness and repentance and faithfulness moving forward?

What about when others sin against us? Let us not forget the example of Samuel. Even though he was demoted in the eyes of the people, he remained loyal to God and to God’s will for the nation. “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” (1 Samuel 12:23).

Yes, even when people sin against us, we should pray for them and point them toward the truth of God’s Word, which is “the good and the right way.”

Read 1 Samuel 9-11

God’s Power Overcomes Our Weakness

The first king of Israel was a man from the tribe of Benjamin named Saul. When he was anointed by Samuel, he seemed to be a man of humility. Notice what he told Samuel in 1 Samuel 9:21: “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all he families of the tribe of Benjamin?” Saul did not see himself as a leader at this time, but God had told Samuel otherwise.

His humility is further seen in chapter 10, when Samuel at Mizpah publicly announced the kingship of Saul. Where was Saul when the announcement was made? He was hiding! He did not want the spotlight, but he could not escape this divine calling.

Samuel told Saul that “the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man” (1 Samuel 10:6). Indeed, it is recorded by inspiration “that God gave him another heart” (1 Samuel 10:9) and that “the Spirit of God came upon him” (1 Samuel 10:10). This is even clearer in the next chapter as he demonstrated righteous indignation at the threat of Nabash the Ammonite (1 Samuel 11:6-7).

God had called Saul to be king; Samuel had declared it before the people; Saul had demonstrated his leadership abilities against the Ammonites. Not only that, but Saul wisely refused to take the credit for his victory. When the people wanted to execute the rebellious Israelites who initially rejected Saul as king, he responded, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished salvation in Israel” (1 Samuel 11:13).

What can we learn from Saul during these initial days of his anointing and leadership? We can learn humility. We must recognize that we are generally insignificant and have many shortcomings. On our own, there is little of which we can boast. Yet, when we accept God’s power, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.

We will not be miraculously endowed as Saul was, but the Spirit of God is still mighty through His Word. Submit to His will as revealed in the New Testament and we can accomplish much for Him in spite of our weaknesses.

Read 1 Samuel 8

Do You Want To Be Like Everyone Else?

Samuel’s sons were not faithful men. Inspiration tells us that “they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:3). How many warnings are found in the Scriptures against “the love of money” (1 Timothy 6:10)? There are countless examples of men and women who have lost their way because of greed.

As a result of their corruption, the people of Israel demanded a change. They told the aged Samuel, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). The people were not willing to be ruled by these corrupt sons of Samuel. They were ready to be like everyone else around them.

Samuel was upset by their demand, but God told him to go along with their wishes. “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:7). God was willing to let them have their way, but He warned them of the consequences.

Many times, we do not realize the consequences of the things for which we pray today. Perhaps we are praying with improper motives. Perhaps we have a desire to be like others around us, failing to realize how much more blessed we are than them.

“Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:1-4).

Christians should not want to fit in with the rest of the world. The rest of the world does not have the blessing of being in Christ! The nation of Israel failed to recognize the blessing of being God’s chosen people. Today, Christians are God’s “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” (1 Peter 2:9). Let us learn to be content with His blessing and refuse to be tempted by the temporary riches of this life!

Read 1 Samuel 7:2-17

Return to the Lord

The sons of Eli have died in battle. The enemies of Israel have captured the ark of the Lord. When Eli is told about the Philistines’ victory, he fell over and died. For seven months, the ark was in a foreign land, and that foreign land suffered because the ark should not have been there, so the Philistines brought the ark back to Israel.

Still, the people of Israel were unable to find contentment. They were not at ease. “And all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD” (1 Samuel 7:2). How could they be at peace within themselves again? Samuel had the answer.

“If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 7:3).

It seems so simple, yet for many today the draw of modern-day Ashtoreths is too strong. We cannot seem to give up our service to other gods—be it work, money, relationships, or hobbies. When we try to divide our allegiance among so many things and fail to prioritize God, we miss out on so much. Not only should God be at the very top of our list of priorities, He should be in everything on that list.

Do you want to be happy? Do you want to be content? Do you want to be at peace? Return to God with all your heart. A part of it is not enough. “‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30).

Put away the things that are keeping you from God. Make sure He is your focus and that everything you do is influenced by Him. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

He will deliver you from the bondage of sin. “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18).

Read 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-36; 3:11-18

Let the Lord Do What Seems Right To Him

How faithful was Eli the priest? The Bible does not offer a glowing report of this man. His sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were “corrupt” and “did not know the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12). Eli deserves at least part of the blame for their shortcomings. While it is true that they will face the ultimate consequences for their own actions, Eli will have to own his failure as a father to these men.

Did Eli rebuke his sons? The text says that he did. “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress” (1 Samuel 2:23-24). His sons would not listen; their hearts were hardened against the truth. God would make an example out of them and their wickedness.

Eli stands as an example as well—a bad example. He did not raise his children properly, and he did not deal with their iniquity in a godly fashion. He rebuked them but they continued sinning. Something stronger was required but Eli did not deliver.

God then speaks to Samuel and delivers some bad news about Eli and his family. Samuel was afraid to tell the priest. Yet, Eli’s reaction to the news was not what Samuel expected. When Eli heard the word that God had delivered through Samuel, he responded, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him” (1 Samuel 3:18).

Though he was unfaithful when it came to parenting, Eli showed faith in the justice of God. Eli knew that he had fallen short, and he was content to accept the judgment of the Almighty. Did he wish he could travel back in time and correct his mistakes? Perhaps, but the text does not say that he dwelt on the past. He simply took God’s proclamation through Samuel as what it was—a fair judgment.

How do we respond when we come across a passage of Scripture that tells us we are in the wrong? Perhaps we have failed to do something that God commands, or maybe we have been doing something that He forbids. Do we seek to correct ourselves or do we look for loopholes? Jesus plainly says that we can know the standard by which we will be judged (John 12:48). We must learn to accept His authority and submit to Him! “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”