A New Hero
Opening Prayer
Loving Lord, may Your Word speak to me clearly today and may I respond to it in willing obedience.
Read 1 Samuel 11:1-15
[1] Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.” [2] But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.” [3] The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.” [4] When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud. [5] Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with the people? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said. [6] When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger. [7] He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they turned out as one man. [8] When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand. [9] They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be delivered.'” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. [10] They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever seems good to you.” [11] The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. [12] The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring these men to us and we will put them to death.” [13] But Saul said, “No one shall be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel.” [14] Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there reaffirm the kingship.” [15] So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What enabled Saul to do this great deed?On first reading, this sounds like a James Bond movie, with Saul in the leading role. The Israelites have been captured and need rescuing. Saul hears of this disgrace and brutally kills a pair of oxen in a fit of rage. He arranges a stealth mission to swoop in unexpectedly, kill the Ammonites and bring his people home.
This is the same Saul who was yesterday found hiding behind the baggage. So where did this new found leadership come from? Verse 6 tells us—the Spirit of God. Saul passes his first kingship test with flying colors, but only through the power of the Lord.
Praise God that Saul doesn’t fall into the same trap as the Israelites in thinking that the king is the solution. Saul knows that the battle was not won by his kingship, but by the Lord’s might alone (12,13).
Sometimes we can be all too eager to take credit for our own good works, forgetting that if it wasn’t for the Lord we wouldn’t even have breath. We were made to serve him, therefore every blessing we have comes from him.
Apply
What has God been doing in and through You recently? How have you given him the credit he is due?
Closing prayer
Pray that your eyes may be open to see the work of the Spirit in your life, changing you and equipping you to work for the Lord.
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