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First things first, we’ll be reading 1 Samuel 17-20 until next Friday. Well known story, but we all know that we see new things when we read them the BRF way. :)
My review will be short yet again and probably nothing deep. Busy busy busy here at Watchthesky and you’ll find out why in my next post. Aren’t you just beside yourself to know why?!!
I was struck by Saul’s attitude. Oh my, he thought he was all that. He was greedy and proud. Taking all the best stuff for himself always. He even took the sacrifice into his own hands when it looked like God was messing up (sounds like our ‘what’s a girl to do posts, hmmm?). I even see hints through our reading that Jonathan was influenced by his father and growing up to be a little like him, hot headed and self possessed. I could be wrong on that, but that’s what I saw with the honey thing and him not telling anyone about going ahead and making attacks without his father’s consent and stuff.
I was shocked that Saul could be so messed up that he would blatantly disobey God’s orders. If God tells you to leave nothing alive in the next battle, you naturally think… I really should kill everything, but Saul kept the best stuff for himself and then tried to pass the buck when all was said and done. I can be just like Saul by doing what seems best to me and then when it looks like trouble is coming make up the excuse that I’m doing it for the Lord, its a sacrifice! “…for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God;” 15:15. Honest, we have really good intentions! But when that excuse fails before Samuel Saul comes up with another one saying the people are to blame. It was all their fault, the people wanted to do it and I was too scared to go against them all.
It doesn’t pay to do things our own way, ever. God can handle it. I don’t want the Lord to regret placing anything in my care. This past week in all my posts I know beyond a doubt what He has given me to do and reading about Saul and how he handled the Lords commands makes me scared to death to not do things his way. We know the rest of the story, Saul doesn’t fare so well out of it.
I was surprised to see that verse that commanded Saul to go in and kill every man, woman, and child. That seems just plain wicked. I could never imagine the Lord killing off women & children. But He did. The Amalekites must of been very sinful people. I’ll be looking that up before the end of the day. (I don’t like to look anything up until I have read the chapters myself for the entire week. Its exciting to see what God shows me first before I read another’s interpretation of it. Do you do that?)
I was also confused by the verses where it said that God regrets making Saul king. I’m assuming that the word ‘regret’ is just a version thing with my NKJ. I’m going to check that out too. That’s what hubby thought it would be and he has the book for me to look at to explain it.
So my big, deep lesson that I came away with was the obvious one. It is much better to just obey what God wants than to ignore His commands and then offer sacrifice from a heart not humbled before Him.
“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 heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
I’m really looking forward to reading more about David for next week. Keep up the reading ladies and remember that a review can be long & deep, or short and sweet, but it is the review that makes quite a difference in learning and remembering all that God has in there. Now, here’s Mr.Linky for y’all, link away!
Run the Earth, Watch the Sky 