1 Samuel 11

Hey, good morning. Good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This morning we're going to look at Saul's life. Still we're going to keep moving there. This morning we're at 1 Samuel chapter 11. Find out what type of king is this reluctant Saul hiding amongst the equipment but head and shoulders taller than everybody else. What's he like? Let's have some coffee. We'll pray and we'll get God's word.
Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for what a gift it is that we get to read your word. It is a blessing to open your word and to have it in a language we can understand. We know that that is a gift that was bought at the cost of many people's blood, sweat, and tears. So, Father, we pray that Your Spirit would please be with us as we read Your Word, that we would know what it means, know how it is applied to our lives, that we may know You more, and that we may walk in Your ways and love each other and love You well. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Here we go, 1 Samuel chapter 11. 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. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, on this condition I will make a covenant with you that I may put out your right eyes and bring reproach on all Israel. 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." So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news and the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept.
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. Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. So he took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of the 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 Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. 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.
Therefore the men of Jabesh said, tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do with us whatever seems good to you. 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. Then the people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring them in, that we may put them to death. But Saul said, not a man shall be put to death this day, for today Jehovah has accomplished salvation in Israel.
Then Samuel said to the people, come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there. So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before Yehovah. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly." Well, we need to ask ourselves our three questions. A, what's this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what are we called to do?
So, A, what is this about? This is an amazing story where now Saul, who had been really timid, hiding amongst the equipment, now all of a sudden, There's the town of Jabesh Gilead and surrounded by the Ammonites. They want to destroy them. They'll pluck out their right eyes and make them servants to them. And the men of Jabesh Gilead are, hey, give us a week. See if any of our townsmen, any of our kinsmen will come across and will help us. And Saul hears of it. The Spirit of the Lord comes upon him and they muster up all the people. They get 300,000 fighting men and they go and they win a huge battle that day.
There's people who want vengeance on Saul or on the people who had bowed down to Saul earlier. Saul's like, no, no, no, no, no. Today's a victory. We're not doing that. Samuel says, no, let's go renew the kingdom. Remember the covenants make sacrifices and this is this. Now it's no longer just figurehead. It's no longer like, yeah, God's given us a king, but we don't know if he's actually going to be of any help. The Spirit of the Lord has come upon Saul and he delivers them. He saves them out of the hands of the enemy. So, the anointed king is the victorious king. So, Saul becomes truly the king of Israel. That's what this is about.
What's the best verse to summarize this? In my Bible, I would underline verse 14 and 15 as the best verses to summarize in my Bible about the sacrifices being made and Saul when it says, there they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly and earlier that they had made him king. before Jehovah and Gilgal, right? So, that's what I would underline in my Bible. Maybe you would underline something else. That's fine. Go ahead. You didn't let me know if you wanted to underline something else, but let's talk about C, calling. What are we called to do or how does this show us Jesus Christ?
God is an amazing and great God. He is the one who raises up armies and brings them down. He's the one who raises up kings and brings them down. He is the one who gives victory and defeat. He is the Lord Almighty. And so it is this king who, in his sovereign will and even in his mercy, gives Israel a king, even though they're in part rejecting him. He was their king, he was their God, and they wouldn't serve him. They wouldn't be like all the other nations, and yet he still doesn't abandon them. It's this incredible loyalty, chesed, this loving kindness he has, this favor, unmerited, undeserved. love for the people of Israel. And the Lord still blesses them, still cares for them, still watches out for them. And so I read this type of story and I think, man, how amazing is it that that's our God? That even though we are people just like Israel, yet He is so kind and gracious and loving to us.
especially sending us Jesus Christ, His Son. Makes me think of Colossians chapter 1. I just absolutely love Colossians chapter 1 for what it tells us about Jesus, and I'm just going to read just a real small part of it here.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for by Him All things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things consist. And he is the body, head of the body, the church. who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence. Jesus is the one who has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of his Son, of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.
God has still given us a king who is victorious and he is above every throne and lordship and power and principality. So follow Jesus. You've been translated into His kingdom. So walk in His ways. Have joy today, and I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.