1 SAMUEL: Thots and Observations

CHAPTER 9
9:21 Saul started out humble: I am a Benjamite, the smallest tribe and the smallest family in the smallest tribe. (said to Samuel)

CHAPTER 10
10:6 Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he became like another man
10:9 God gave him (Saul) another heart.
10:10 Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied
10:17 Samuel's address to people: God brought you out of Egypt, but today you have rejected God who saved you and asked for a king over you.
10:23 Saul is humble...hiding among the equipment when Samuel calls him forth...and Samuel presents Saul and the one whom the LORD HAS CHOSEN
10:27 Note: even when God has picked someone, there will always be rebels in the wings...here there are rebels saying, "How can this man (Saul) save us?"

CHAPTER 11
11:6 Spirit of God comes on Saul ... anger greatly aroused ...
11:8 300,000 from Israel & 30,000 from Judah follow Saul and Samuel--Good start...God gives him a strong army.
11:11 Saul kills the Ammonites and saves Jabesh Gilead
11:12 Some want to put the rebels to death
11:13 Saul shows mercy...no one dies because the "Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel" and gives God credit.

CHAPTER 12
12 Samuel recounts the history of Israel
12:13 ... here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired...and ... the Lord has set a king over you. (Note how God works with their will to work His perfect plan in their lives)
12:15 If you fear, serve, and obey God ... then you and the king will continue following the Lord; BUT IF you don't obey & rebel, then hand of Lord will be against you
12:19 the People: we have sinned in asking for a king
12:20 Samuel: Don't fear ... yes you have been wicked, but follow the Lord now...with ALL YOUR HEART. (This is a God of second chances...)
12:22 PRM: FOR THE LORD WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE for His great name's sake
12:23 Samuel: far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. (Note: not praying for someone God has given you responsibility for is a sin not only against them, but AGAINST GOD!)

CHAPTER 13
13:2 Saul picks 2,000 men of Israel and Jonathan picks 1,000 men of Benjamine (Gibeah)
13:3 Jonathan attacks Philistines
13:4 Then Saul takes the credit for what Jonathan did!! (First hint that Saul is getting off track)
13:5 Philistines get mad--(30,000 chariots; 6,000 horsemen; people like the sand of the sea)--
13:6 Israel afraid and hides.
13:7 People following Saul are trembling... (Samuel apparently tells Saul to wait 7 days and meet him for an offering)
13:8 People begin to scatter from Saul so Saul takes matters into his own hands and when he sees Samuel has delayed in coming he offers burnt offerings and sacrifices (Note: how often Satan brings along his second best just before God brings along His best...and all it takes is a little of our own effort ... just a little to help God out.)
13:11 Samuel to Saul: "What have you done?"
13:12 Saul to Samuel:
1) FEAR OF LOSS OF HIS POWER "when I saw the people scattering from me"
2) FEAR + UNCERTAINTY/ANXIETY: "..and that you did not come within the days appointed
3) FEAR OF ENEMY: "the Philistines gathered together at Michmash"
Therefore:
-> "I FELT COMPELLED" (by who? or what?--not by Lord, not by Samuel, but by his own fear and anxiety) (Lesson: be careful of decisions based on my internal fear or anxiety!! Seek the Lord's direction and stick with it expecting fear and anxiety to come....from Satan...and overcome by trusting in God to keep what He has promised)
13:13-14 Samuel to Saul: You are foolish...not keeping the commandment. Now God's looking for a "man after His own heart" (Observation: not keeping God's commandments = you're a man 'not' after God's own heart; OR keeping commandments equated with being a man after God's own heart)
13:15 Saul's army now down to 600. (Note decrease in his army as he went further from God)
13:22 Saul did not ensure his army had needed tools: "there was neither sword nor spear found int he hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son."

CHAPTER 14
Jonathan defeats the Philistines
Saul has 600 men; Jonathan has one armor bearer
Saul is sitting outside town under a pomegranate tree; Jonathan is scouting out the enemy
Saul is waiting; Jonathan is active [vs 6: "come let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised"]
Saul is full of doubt; Jonathan is full of faith ["it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or few."]
Saul's men waiting for Saul to lead; Jonathan's armor bearer excited to support Jonathan's leadership [Saul's men uninspired; Jonathan's one man very inspired]

Jonathan puts out a test for God (vs 9) and God answers positively (vs 12) and Jonathan knows God's going to give him the battle that day (vs 12).

Jonathan kills 20 Philistines
-the Philistines trembled
-the earth quaked
-Philistines became confused and started to kill each other and scatter.

Saul's watchment tell him there is confusion in the Philistine's camp
-He takes a count
-finds out Jonathan is gone
-calls for the Ark of God
-confers with the priest
-then attacks the Philistines
-the Lord saved Israel that day

Saul makes a rash oath
-curses on the man that eats any food until evening

Jonathan doesn't know about the oath and eats some honey he found along the way back home.
-when he finds out about the oath, he indicates his father "has troubled the land"
-says that if warriors had been able to eat freely of the spoils of the enemy, there would have been an even greater slaughter in the land
-the warriors were faint
-they rushed on the spoils and because they were so hungry, they ate the meat with the blood (thus sinning against the Lord).

Saul then sets up his first altar to the Lord
-people bring their ox and slaughtered it there and ate
-Saul then says let's go against the Philistines at night

Priests askes to talk to God
-Saul asked counsel of God (after he had already decided what he was going to do)
-BUT GOD DID NOT ANSWER SAUL THAT DAY!! (This is a SAD commentary...Saul is going to try to lead something that God is not clearly in...very dangerous).
-Saul then discerns there must be sin in the camp and begins to find out where it's at.
-Casts lots---lot turns out to be w/ Saul & Jonathan
-Second lot fell to Jonathan--
-Saul to Jonathan: Tell me what you have done?
-Jonathan: I ate some honey
-Saul says yes you will die
-BUT The people rescue Jonathan with another stab at Saul, saying "Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! Not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground for HE HAS WORKED WITH GOD this day."

CHAPTER 15:
Saul then gets involved in several wars and establishes his sovereingty over Israel.
Samuel then comes with a word from God...I will use you to punish Amalek for what they did to Israel ambushing them on the way up from Egypt.
God's command to Saul:
-Attack Amalek
-Utterly destroy all they have
-Do not spare them.
-Kill man, woman, infant, nursing child, ox, sheep, camel and donkey.


15:23 Rebellion is like witchcraft / Stubborness is like iniquity and idolatry
Reject God's word ... he rejects you (see also vs 26)
15:24 Fear of people, more than fear of Lord, was Saul's downfall