Tag: david

DID YOU CONSULT THE LORD?

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Recently I was asking for wisdom from the Lord on a decision I needed to make. It was solving a 1st world problem but a problem no less that was really dominating my thinking. I decided to ask some wise people for advice. I got 3 answers that were all the same. I decided that whatever the 3rd and last person consulted with advised me to do that I would do that, considering that to be a final answer from the Lord. But my wife asked me if I would really “let it go” and quit thinking about the problem, considering it solved with the Lord’s help. I said that I would try.

How do you know when the Lord has given you answer to your quest for His wisdom? I don’t know any hard rules for determining that but maybe here are a few guidelines. First of all, we must really seek the Lord’s wisdom and be ready to follow it. We should use the minds that God gave us, of course, to come up with good possible solutions, and yet allow the Lord to filter through those possibilities to show us the best solution, or even to show us a. solution we had not thought of. I always think of David when I consider this subject. Here is a great article on David’s nine inquiries of the Lord: https://tafj.org/2012/01/06/davids-nine-inquiries-of-the-lord/

1)1 Sam 23:1-3 He consulted the Lord to see if he should defend the city of Keilah against the Philistines. The Lord told him to defend Keilah. 2) 1 Samuel 23:4-5 He asked the Lord again about defending Keilah b/c his men didn’t want to do that, and was told to defend the city. 3) 1 Samuel 23:10-11 He asked the Lord if Saul was going to come to Keilah trying to find David so he could kill him. The Lord said that Saul was coming. 4) 1 Samuel 23:12-14 He asked the Lord if the men of Keilah would deliver David to Saul even though David had saved them from the Philistines. The Lord said they would turn him over to Saul, and that he should leave the city. 5) 1 Samuel 30:8-9 David and his 600 men had been away fighting. They returned to David’s home base in Philistia, the city of Ziklag. The Amalekites had captured the women and children of David and his men and carried them off. David’s men were ready to stone him, blaming him for their not being in Ziklag to defend that Amalekite attack. David asked the Lord if he should pursue the Amalekites, and was told to do so. He brought back all the women and children that had been captured. 6) 2 Samuel 2:1-2 After Saul and Jonathon were killed, David asked the Lord where he should go to be anointed as king of Israel. God told him to go to Hebron. He was anointed king there but only reigned over Judah and Benjamin for 7 1/2 years before becoming king over all 12 tribes and reigning in his capital, Jerusalem. 7) 2 Samuel 5:17-21 When he was anointed king over all 12 tribes, the Philistines came to attack him. He asked the Lord if he should fight them, and the Lord told him to do so and gave him the victory. 8) 2 Samuel 5:22-25 The Philistines regrouped after their defeat and attacked David again. David asked the Lord if he should go attack them face to face, but was told instead to circle them and attack them from behind. David defeated the Philistines again. 9) 2 Samuel 21:1 David asked the Lord why there was a famine for 3 years. The Lord told him that it was b/c Saul had killed the Gibeonites, a people that Joshua had made a treaty with to protect them. To end the famine, David handed over 7 of Saul’s sons to be hanged.

David was successful when he consulted the Lord before decisions, and when he did what the Lord told him to do. His problems came when he failed to consult the Lord before doing things. 1) He obviously did not consult the Lord at all during the adultery with Bathsheeba and the cover up of his sin by having Uriah her husband killed, taking Bathsheeba as his wife. For over a year until the baby was born, he never consulted the Lord about his actions. 2) He did not consult the Lord when bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. They brought it back on an cart instead of being carried by the Levites on poles. This led to the death of Uzzah who tried to catch the ark when the oxen stumbled. 3) He did not consult the Lord when he initiated a census of the people as a remedy to the anger of the Lord that had come upon the people. Even Joab criticized the census. Apparently David was trusting in the number of fighting men that he had instead of consulting the Lord as to why He was angry with the people. If he had consulted the Lord, the Lord would have told him that He was angry with the people b/c of their sins and that they should repent. 4) Several times David failed to consult the Lord in making decisions during the 10 years that Saul was chasing him. We can understand why he was panicking at times out of fear while Saul pursued him with an army. In 1 Samuel 21 David in desperation had fled to King Achish in Philistine territory. He did not consult the Lord before doing so. He then faked insanity knowing that Achish would not kill and insane person. It worked but it would lead to further bad decisions. In 1 Samuel 27, David in desperation made a decision to take his 600 men to Philistine territory, thinking Saul would abandon his search to kill David instead of confronting the Philistines. He never consulted the Lord. It worked at first. Saul quit searching for David and Achish the Philistine king gave him the city of Ziklag for him and his men and their families to live in. But then David started killing several Canaanite peoples, telling King Achish that he was out killing Israelites. He lied. He left no survivors to tell what he was really doing. Later he had to lie to the king, acting as if he wanted to join the king in fighting Israelites. The Philistine commanders objected to David and his men fighting, which was fortunate for David or else he would have been confronted with killing his own people, the Israelites, or else Achish finding out how David had been deceiving him all along. Later, while David and his men would engaged in these Philistine battles, Ziklag was attacked by Amalekites and David’s men were ready to stone him, blaming him for their not being at Ziklag to defend the city. Again, all of these problems b/c David in desperation and fear failed to consult the Lord before making decisions. He ended up in Philistine territory, having to lie to Achish and endangering his 600 men b/c of his faking loyalty to Achish. Surely the Lord could have and would have protected David even if he had never fled to the Philistines if David had just consulted with the Lord and trusted in HIs guidance. When David, did consult the Lord while Saul was pursuing him, the Lord always led him to safety, as we saw in the 9 times that he did consult the Lord.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6) As I said, the Lord expects us to use our minds to come up with possible solutions. But before we do that, we should trust in Him for wisdom and guidance, and only after doing that should we start thinking about possible plans. James had a great comment on this. James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.” I tend to come up with plan A, plan B, and plan C before I ever consult the Lord for His plan! If we consult the Lord first, and then come up with possible plans, I think the Lord will guide us to the right plan, or maybe even a plan we hadn’t thought of. I think He will in some providential way show us HIs plan, and discourage us from following a bad plan. We should look for those providential signs of the Lord revealing His plan to us in any decision. Back to my initial 1st world problem that was dominating my thinking, I finally asked the Lord for a sign: “I will do what the 3rd and last person that I consult with for advice tells me to do”. I really wasn’t sure what he would tell me, and there were 3 possible plans of actions to solve my problem. That person told me what he thought I should do to solve the problem. I took that as being from the Lord. I can’t prove that, but that’s what I did. It finally gave me some piece of mind over the course of action that I ended up taking to solve the problem.

I don’t know if these guidelines help you in decision making. I also tried to not worry or second guess my final actions based on the advice from the 3rd person. I still struggle with worry and second guessing, but I hope I can try to work on that.

Is there anyone out there reading this blog who can relate to what I am saying in this article?

    PANIC ATTACKS

    On By nrfaughtLeave a comment

    I am having a panic attack as I write. Have you ever had a panic attack? More than one? Often?

    I googled, “did anyone in the Bible have a panic attack?” AI said David did in Psalm 55. He had all the symptoms of a panic attack. AI: “A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort, often accompanied by physical symptoms like a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, and trembling.”. Psalm 55: 2 “I am restless in my complaint and severely distracted. 4 My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.” What caused David this panic attack? He mentions an enemy, someone wicked who holds a grudge against him. He mentions a “confidant”, someone he had sweet fellowship with, who had betrayed him. Many think the enemey here is David’s son Absalom who tried to kill David and take his kingdom from him to make Absalom king. His friend who betrayed him might be Ahithophel, his counselor who betrayed David and became Absalom’s counselor, helping plot how to kill David. David prayed morning, noon, and night for God to rescue him from his enemies.

    David’s final plea, 55:22 Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you.” I’m doubt that this removed all his panic attack symptoms, but it is all that we can do when we are having a panic attack. God did remove his enemy, Abaslom whom Joab pierced to death as he hung by his hair in a tree. God avenged the betrayal of Ahithophel as he ended up hanging himself b/c Absalom listened to the counsel of David’s counselor whom David planted as a spy in Absalom’s court and Absalom did not listen to the. counsel of Ahithophel. God answered David’s prayer.

    God might or might not remove what is causing us to have a. panic attack as an answer to our prayer for help. He might just give us the strength to handle whatever trial we are facing. It doesn’t have to be a person who is an enemy. Whatever causes you to lose your peace of mind is your enemy. You can try the tips on how to handle a panic attack. Take deep long breaths, hold, release, focusing on the breathing. Use the 5-4-3-2-1 method that might bring you back into reality: Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste. Find a quiet place to pray and turn things over to God, meditating on God’s promises. 1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.” The things you are having a panic attack over may be trials that can make you stronger in your faith no matter how they turn out. Try to think positive: “this too will pass”. Think of the worst case scenario that could happen: it usually isn’t the end of the world.

    Try to make it through the night. The nights are the tough part of panic attacks to me. Then, when the night is over, go on Sunday morning at 7 am to get your Egg McMuffin and senior coffee. As a friend of mine said after the Auburn loss last night, today is a new day! The “what if’s” of the past will haunt you. Move on.

    IT ONLY LEAKS WHEN IT’S RAINING

    On By nrfaughtLeave a comment

    Ok, I got over my “You had a bad day” (see the article) and moving on. I found the two plumbing leaks: one around the base of a commode and the other in the copper pipe between the hot and cold taps on our whirlpool tub. Fortunately, they only leak when you use them. So I told my wife that the solution was “just never use that commode or take a bath in the master bedroom tub. Good, cheap solution, yes? It’s like a roof that leaks. It only leaks when it’s raining, so you don’t pay much attention to it until it is raining. So you don’t worry about fixing it until it’s raining, and you can’t fix it when it’s raining. So, when the rain quits, you forget about fixing it.

    Is that the way you solve problems in life? You have a conflict with someone that only reignites when you get together at some family get together. So you suffer through that event, wishing you could reconcile with that person. But then you go home after the get together, and the conflict doesn’t show up again (it is still there though) until the next get together, and the same cycle repeats itself. You know that the conflict needs to be addressed, but you don’t have the courage or faith or wisdom to address it with the person. That’s no way to handle conflict resolution.

    Can you think of similar problems that you put off trying to solve? I thought of James 1 when I wrote this. James 1:
    2     Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

    The Holy Spirit has given us the wisdom of God to handle any and all trials or problems. That doesn’t necessarily mean the removal of the trial or problem (though it might), but the wisdom to make it through the trial or problem and to find the good that God can bring from that trial or problem. Remember Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Paul said, Philippians 4:12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” God did not remove Paul’s problems. He left him with his “thorn in the flesh”. 2 Corinthians 12: 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” He endured suffering and persecution as a Christian until his death which ended with him being beheaded. But God gave him the wisdom and strength to make it through all his trials, using them to the glory of God. So he was content with his trials and problems b/c they helped him trust in God’s power.

    I am very impatient. I want a solution to problems immediately. I google a solution on my own and rush into trying to solve the problems on my own without consulting God and asking for wisdom (James 1:5). I remember problems David faced. Here is a great article by Maurice Bassali: https://tafj.org/2012/01/06/davids-nine-inquiries-of-the-lord/ He discusses the 9 times where it explicity says that David “inquired of the Lord” and asked the Lord what to do when faced with a danger during the 10 years in the wilderness that he fled from King Saul. For example, he “inquired of the Lord” if he (David) should take his men and resure the city of Keilah from the Philistine attack. The Lord told to go rescue them and that he would be successful. But after rescuing them, Saul found out that David was in the city of Keilah and Saul was coming to get the men of Keilah to surrender David so he could kill him. So David “inquired of” the Lord and asked him if the men of Keilah would be loyal to David and not surrender him to Saul or would they give him over to Saul. God told David that they would give him over to Saul, so David left Keilah and was spared. That’s just two of the 9 instances where David “inquired of the Lord” for how to handle problems. Don’t ask me how God gives us wisdom and answers to problems, but I believe he does. But we must ask, and we must ask in faith.

    But at other times it seems as if David’s problems got worse when he did not “inquire of the Lord” for how to deal with them. 1 Chronicles 21 is one example. God was about to allow Satan to bring some punishment on Israel b/c of their sins. David did not inquire of the Lord on what to do. Instead, he panicked and told Joab to number the fighting men of Israel. Apparently David expected an enemy was about to come attack Israel as had happened many times in the past, and he wanted to know his military strength to ward off such an attack. Joab advised him against that, but did what David ordered. But then God punished David for trusting in his military strength and not inquiring of the Lord on how he should handle the crisis. God then gave him 3 choices for his punishment.

    David got quite desperate at times and didn’t always inquire of the Lord when facing danger. One time he faked being mad in order to get the king of Philisia to not kill him but to allow him to live safely in Philistia. That led to David going out to kill many Canaanites and yet lying about that to the kind, telling the king that he had been killing Israelites. That let to the king wanting David to be his right hand man in attacking Israelites. I don’t know what David would have done if the Philistine commanders had not objected to David going with them to fight Israelites which caused the king to take David out of the attack. David did not inquire of the Lord in these situations and look what it led to.

    So, my recommendation. Write down all the trials and problems that you are currently facing, short term and long term. Ask God for how to handle those. Be specific. Then do your research and see if you can find God’s wisdom on what to do. Trust that He will in some way give you a specific answer to each problem. Consult with others whom God might use to help you find solutions. Then act on God’s answers and trust him that He will work with you no matter what happens. He might not remove the trial or problem, but He will help you handle it and gain something good from it.

    SAMUEL: A PROPHET AND THE LAST JUDGE

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    Published by Eli Marske

    From the internet:

    Samuel was a religious leader in Israel during the 11th century BCE. His life is described in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and is considered pivotal to Israel’s history: 

    • Birth: Samuel was born to Hannah, a barren woman who prayed to God for a child. 1 Samuel 1:10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. Eli the priest thought she was drunk. She made a vow: 1 Sam 1:11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” God granted he request and gave her a child, Samuel.
    • Dedication: Raised by El. Hannah dedicated Samuel to God and, after he was weaned, he was raised in the tabernacle at Shiloh by the priest Eli. He grew up surrounded by Eli’s 2 evil sons. Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas were guilty of several sins, including: 
      • Extortion: They used their authority as priests to take the best parts of sacrifices for themselves before giving any to God. 
      • Sexual immorality: They had sexual relations with the women who served at the tabernacle. 
      • Violating sacrificial procedures: They did not follow the sacrificial procedures prescribed by Moses. 
      • Despising the Lord: They did not know the Lord or regard him. 
      • Eli tried to confront his sons, but they ignored him and continued in their evil ways. Eli did not remove them from office. A man of God rebuked Eli for not disciplining his sons (all he did was talk to them about their sins). The priesthood would be removed from Eli and his 2 sons would die on the same day.
    • The call of Samuel. Samuel heard a voice, “Samuel” 3 times. He woke Eli, thinking Eli was callig him, but it was not Eli. Eli told him it was God calling and to listen to His message. The message was: 1 Sam 3:13 And I declare to him (Eli) that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Eli made Samuel tell him in the morning what the message from God was. Eli accepted his fate.
    • Samuel becomes a prophet. 1 Sam 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. 
    • The ark of the covenant is captured. Eli’s 2 evil sons carried the ark with them to battle the Philistines. They were both killed and the ark was captured. When Eli heard that, he fell over backwards, his neck was broken, and he died at the age of 98. He had served as priest for 40 years.
    • The ark is returned to Israel. According to the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Israel after being held by the Philistines for seven months: 
      • The Ark is moved to Ekron: The Philistines moved the Ark from Ashdod to Gaza to Ashkelon to Gath to Ekron, but wherever it went, the people were struck with plague and rats. The Baal idol falls in front of it and is broken.
      • The Philistines decide to return the Ark: After seven months, the Philistines consulted their priests and diviners and decided to return the Ark. 
      • The Ark is returned with gifts: The Philistines returned the Ark with gifts, including golden images of mice and tumors that had afflicted them. 
      • The Ark is placed on a cart: The Philistines placed the Ark on a new cart drawn by two oxen and sent it on its way. 
      • The Ark arrives at Beth Shemesh: The Ark arrived at Beth Shemesh, where the Israelites welcomed it back with joy. The Levites took the Ark down and placed it on a large rock. 70 men are killed b/c they look inside the ark.
      • The Ark is moved to Kiriath Jearim: The Ark was moved to Kiriath Jearim, where it remained for 20 years in the house of Abinadab. Can you imagine having the ark of the covenant in your house for 20 years? You know that it should be in the tabernacle at Shiloh, but after the 70 dying at Beth Shemesh, everyone is afraid of moving it. 
      • The Ark is moved to Jerusalem: After 20 years,King David moved the Ark to Jerusalem around 1004 BC and placed it in a tent he had made just for the ark. That tent was called the “tabernacle of David” (2 Sam 6; Amos 9:11) and the ark stayed there for 40 years before Solomon built the temple and put the ark in the temple. He danced with his cloak off as it arrived in his capital Jerusalem that he had just captured.
    • Samuel starts a revival. He persuaded the people to put away their idols and prayed for them at Mizpah. The Philistines attacked them at Mizpah, but God sent a thunderstorm on them and they were defeated. Samuel set up the stone of Ebenezar (which means “stone of help”) in honor of the victory and God’s help. He would on a circuit to the cities to judge Israel and settle disputes. He was the last judge of Israel.
    • The people want to have a king. Samuel appoints his sons as judges, but they are evil and rejected by the people. They ask Samuel to give them a king “to be like the other nations”, thinking perhaps that the king would mount an army and protect them from enemies. God tells Samuel that they had rejected God, not Samuel, but that he would give them a king. He warned them about the negative consequences of having a king.
      • Loss of freedom: The people became the king’s servants and were no longer free. 
      • Economic hardship: The people faced heavy taxation and regulations, making it more beneficial to work for the king than to run a business. 
      • Military conscription: The king conscripted the people’s sons and daughters into military service. 
      • Confiscation of property: The king took the people’s property. 
      • Violence and alienation: The people experienced a spiral of violence and alienation. 
      • Rejection of God: The Israelites rejected God’s way of leadership and turned to an earthly king instead. 
      • Splitting of the nation: The people resisted the oppression of the king, and Israel split in two before the end of Rehoboam’s reign. 
    • Samuel anoints Saul as the first king of Israel. Saul was a handsome, tall man from the tribe of Benjamin, who at first appeared to be the perfect king that the people desired. He seemed humble, not considering himself worthy of being a king. The Spirit moved Saul to join a group of prophets who were prophesying (probably dancing with music and in a frenzy). Saul was hiding among the baggage when Samuel went to anoint him as king at Mizpah. After his anointing, the Spirit came on Saul and he rescued the city of Jabesh Gilead when the Ammonites threatened to put out the right eyes of the men of the city as a conditon of not killing them. Again, it looks like Saul is the perfect choice for the king the people wanted.
    • Samuel’s farewell address. Samuel made the people witness that he had never wronged them. He warned them of the consequences if they and their new king disobeyed God. God sent thunder and rain all day to make them fear Him. They aked Samuel to pray for them. Samuel said 1 Sam 12:23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
    • Samuel rebukes Saul the first time (1 Sam 13,14). The Philistines had gathered to fight Israel at Gilgal with 30,00 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and innumerable soldiers. Saul’s army of 3,000 were terrified and began deserting Saul. Samuel had told Saul to wait 7 days for him to come offer a sacrifice before the battle. Saul panicked when Samuel was late and offered rhe sacrifice himself. Samuel told him that his kingdom would be taken from him b/c of his disobedience. Saul’ army is only 1,200 men now with no iron spears or swords b/c the Philistines had stopped them from making them. Jonathon bravely took his 600 men and killed some Philistines in their camp, creating panic and the fleeiing Philistines killed each other. Saul and the rest of his army defeated the Philistines in spite of Saul’s sin of offering the sacrifice. Saul made a rash vow (like Jephthah who vowed to offer the first thing to come out of his house if God would give him victory in battle, and his daughter came out!) that no one would eat food until he had completely destroyed the fleeing Philistine army. Jonathon did not know Saul had done that, and at some honey. Saul’s vow also caused his men to desperately eat some captured animals, blood and all. Saul was going to kill Jonathon for breaking the vow, but the people interceded for Jonathon and saved him. Saul actually was very successful in defeating the enemies of Israel for some time after that. 1 Samuel 14:47 When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them. 48 And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.
    • Samuel rebukes Saul the 2nd time (1 Sam 15). God has already rejected Saul as king, but is He giving Saul a 2nd chance to redeem himself? Samuel told Saul destroy the Amalekites, who had attacked Israel from the rear coming out of Egypt, man, woman, child, and animals. Spare nothing. Saul took his army of 210,000 men and defeated the Amalekites but he spared the king Agag and the best of the animals, and “set up a monument for himself”. He partly obeyed God. Samuel rebuked him for not obeying God, but Saul began making excuses, saying they spared the best animals to offer as sacrifices. Samuel said, ““Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” Saul said that he had sinned and asked for pardon, but it was too little, too late. His fate was sealed. Samuel then hacked Agag to pieces. A sad ending: 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
    • Samuel anoints David as the 2nd king of Israel (1 Sam 16). God sent Samuel to anoint David, the son of Jesse. He thought Eliab would be the one to anoint, but God said, ““Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”  He passed over 7 more sons before the youngest son, David, who was keeping sheep, was brought in and Samuel anointed him. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
    • David flees to Samuel at Ramah (19:18-24). This is during the 10 years that Saul was chasing David trying to kill him. David had just escaped from Saul at David’s house with the help of his wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter. He told Samuel all that Saul was doing. David and Samuel went to Naioth.Saul sent messengers to go kill David, but the Spirit came over them when they saw the prophets prophesying, with Samuel at their head, and they began prophesying and did not take David. That happened 3 times. Saul then went to Naioth to take David and he stripped his clothes off and began prophesying, lying naked all night. The saying went out, “Is Saul among the prophets?”
    • The death of Samuel. 1 Sam 25:1 ; 28:3 Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah. There is a traditional site of Samuel’s Tomb 3 mi SW of Ramah at Mizpah. He probably died aroud the age of 90.
    • Samuel appears to Saul at Endor.1 Sam 28 God was no longer speaking to Saul in any way. Saul had expelled all the mediums in the land, but was able to find a medium at Endor, and went there to get her to call up Samuel from the dead to tell him his fate. Samuel did appear to Saul in a vision to warn him of his death if he continued to violate God’s word. I think the medium (she is often called the witch at Endor) was surprised (she cried out with a loud voice when he appeared) that Samuel appeared b/c we know that mediums can’t really call up the dead. Samuel then told Saul that he and his sons were going to be killed the very next day by the Philistines.
    • Lessons: Samuel’s life is considered an example for believers today, with lessons including obedience to God, faith, and willingness to intercede for others. 

    Jeremiah 15:1 Then the Lord said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people.” God would not change his prediction of the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon even if Moses and Samuel were standing before God, pleading him to relent. The fact that God paired Samuel with Moses tells us the high regard God had for Samuel. Ezekiel 14:14 14 even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God. God would not relent even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were interceding for Jerusalem. Noah, Daniel, Job, Moses, and Samuel must be the most highly regarded OT characters. You might not expect Samuel to be in that group, so that tells you how important Samuel is in the eyes of God.

    Samuel listened to God.1 Sam 3:1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. During the entire period of the judges (about 300 years), only twice is a prophet mentioned. Judges 4:4 Deborah was a prophetess. Judges 6:8 the Lord sent a prophet in the time of Gideon. Prophets were God’s spokesmen, delivering God’s messages to the people. Due to the disobedience of the people during that time, God had ceased sending prophets. He had basically quit speaking to the people. Prophetic messages were “rare”. Eli was a good priest, but his 2 sons were very evil, so God was not speaking to the people through prophets then either. Samuel would become a great prophet and would begin the institution of prophets, as observed by the group of prophets he was leading when Saul came to Naioth to try to kill David. Even as a child, God began speaking to Samuel with prophecies about the punishment of Eli.

      Samuel always urged the people to obey God. He warned them of the consequences of disobeying God. But he also kept praying for them. 1 Sam 12:19-25 tells us a lot about the heart of Samuel for the people in spite of their constant disobedience. 19 And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” 20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. 22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.” He would never stop praying for them, no matter how bad it got.

      Samuel was the last judge, and traveled on circuit to the cities judging the people and rendering decisions for them. But he was even greater as a prophet, in my opinion. You don’t think of him on par with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, but in God’s eyes he was right up there with them.

      I hope you have enjoyed this study of Samuel, judge and prophet.