1 Samuel 6:5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
Some say those emerods are tumors in the nether regions, sounds like hemorrhoids. The mice? Mice that marr the land? Must be big mice. Philistines bringing back ark and inquiring as what offering or gift they should send with it.
1 Samuel 6:6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
Thought: Pharaoh had a hardened heart and the Israelites went out, the Israelites had a hardened heart and were kept out of the Promised land. Seems like this priests and the diviners of the Philistines actually got it!
1 Samuel 6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
They were lowing as they went. That’s a sight. Two big fat heifers, dairy cows walking along, utters wagging, and mooooooooing! What is that? Everybody looks up out of the fields to see the sight. They rejoiced to see the ark.
1 Samuel 6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
The irony of the matter in that they rejoiced yet died. 50,070 mean died. Don’t forget that we’re just a little ways from the reign so to speak of Hophni and Phinehas. These guys slept around with other women, not to mention that these women hung out by the temple gate. Something is not right when prostitutes turn tricks outside the door of the house of God, with the ministers of God. Not good. These people were not right. These are the people who will soon say, “Give us a king!” even after God warned them not to. These are the people that said, “God will not rule over us, give us a man to rule over us and to fight our battles!”
So, who are these that rejoiced? The same that died? I don’t know. You wonder about all this religion going on in this country. Is it genuine and real? Prolly. But is it right?
1 Samuel 6:21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
Maybe there were alot of priests at Kirjathjearim. I can’t imagine the solemn humility of the people of Bethshemeth. Once rejoicing over the return of the ark; now weeping and humbled and asking for someone to come and get it.
1 Samuel 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
20 years the ark stayed there, and Eleazar (not Aaron’s son) son of Abinadab took charge.
Bible says that all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. Now I got to say someone was doing something right. I remember a message about “the nothing times” by Eric Justice. This twenty years appears to be a “nothing” time. No record of anything, but that all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. Though nothing is recorded, I can imagine the work that God did in those 20 years in the hearts of the children of Israel.
1 Samuel 7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
How great the victory, when after 20 years this is what they have to say: We have sinned against the LORD! Bless the Lord. Somebody was plugging away. Somebody was praying to God and crying out to God. Somebody was reading the Word of God. Somebody was teaching something.
1 Samuel 7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
Here comes the devil. As soon as there’s some hope of repentance and life, here he comes again. I conquered this or I conquered that! Oh really. Then who’s that coming down the way?
1 Samuel 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
The Lord thundered with a great thunder for his people. God is zealous for his children.
1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
It’s not just that the Lord helps. It’s not that he helps in time of need. It’s that he helps when we don’t deserve any help. It’s that he lends a helping hand to someone who ought not be helped.
For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. John 4:9
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. Matthew 15:26
Ebenezer Scrooge? He deserved no help. He deserved to die and go to hell. But God had mercy and helped him understand his sin. Ebenezer.
It’s not just that God can help us in that impossible situation. It’s that WE ARE that impossible situation. That would help a sinner such as I?
1 Samuel 7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Peace through strength. Amen.
1 Samuel 7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
Altar. I need a list of all the people in the Bible that built an altar
1 Samuel 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
This is what we ought to do when we’re displeased.
1 Samuel 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Can you believe that God telling Samuel to hearken unto the people, instead of the people hearkening unto Samuel.
1 Samuel 8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
Hearken, protest, and shew.
1 Samuel 8:11-18 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. (12) And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. (13) And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. (14) And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. (15) And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. (16) And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. (17) He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. (18) And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
All this is so true. The more we look to some man to lead, the more freedom and property we give up. This is a biblical concept very much applicable today regarding government.
1 Samuel 9:6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
Is there a man of God in your city? A prophet? All he saith cometh to pass.
Shew us our way that we should go? People need direction. Remember, it’s not always, it’s alway. There’s one way and people need to know that way.
1 Samuel 9:7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
A present? Cool.
1 Samuel 9:8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
There’s nothing wrong with paying the man of God. He’s got to eat to you know. People don’t realize how many hours in a day that a preacher puts into making sermons and trying to find the will of God. It really is a full time job.
1 Samuel 9:11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
Is the seer here? I’ve really seen so many of these little rhyming sentences and have failed to write them down. Seer here. Want to haunt. Things like that.
1 Samuel 9:16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
I think God is pretty reasonable. He doesn’t want them to have a king. But he’s still going to save them through the king that they want. That’s mercy and grace there for you.
1 Samuel 9:18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.
Absolutely providential.
1 Samuel 9:21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
Saul did have some humility about him. “When you were small in your own eyes….” I believe Samuel says to later when kingdom is rent out of his hand.
1 Samuel 9:22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
It’s been too long. I don’t remember what I was going to say about this.
1 Samuel 9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
The word of God. Stand still that I may shew thee the word of God. I wonder is this the attitude we should have when we preach.
1 Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
The anointing of oil. A great mystery of this modern age. Oil.
1 Samuel 10:2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
His dad really loved him and cared for him and worried after him.
1 Samuel 10:3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:
Three kids, three loaves, and a bottle of wine. Sounds like a message. They only give Saul two loaves of bread. What about the kids and the wine.
1 Samuel 10:5-6 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: (6) And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
The Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt be turned into another man. Old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. How much evidence there is in the bible about the work of the Holy Spirit? Why do we see so little of it? Is our view wrong? Is it more that we see? Do we have eyes and can’t see? Ears and can’t hear? Oh that we might see the glory of God more obvious, more often, and more authentic.
1 Samuel 10:10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
The Spirit causes one to prophesy. This is throughout the bible. Acts 2: I will pour out my spirit on all flesh and they shall prophesy. Why don’t we prophesy today? What is prophesy? I’m tired of not know the answer to this question. Not seeing it. No experiencing it. Why do all preachers out there say that there are no more prophets? Does this mean that there shall be no more prophesying? I want to prophesy.
Been flirting with this thing of Prophet, Priest, and King. We’ll reign with him; King. We are a royal priesthood; Priest. Why can’t we prophesy; Prophet? Why are people so scared of sleeping in a “prophet’s chamber” I think I’m on to something.
1 Samuel 10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
There is is again. Another heart. Ezekiel says a new heart. The Spirit of God is in the heart transplant business in the Old Testament.
1 Samuel 10:22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
Stay with the stuff!
1 Samuel 10:24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
Was the king in trouble already? I’ll be honest. Sounds like the British kinda tailored this to their liking.
1 Samuel 10:26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
Wowee. A band of men whose hearts God had touched. That’s what we need today. God needs to touch our hearts. That’s something to pray for. Let my young boys grow to be a band of men whose hearts God had touched.