Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
1 Samuel 11:6-15
6 Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. 7 He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 8 When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000[b] men from Judah.
9 So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!
10 The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” 11 But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13 But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” 15 So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy.
6 Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. 7 He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 8 When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000[b] men from Judah.
9 So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!
10 The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” 11 But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13 But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” 15 So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy.
Commentary:
12–13. In the light of Saul’s victory there is public demand for the death of the men who had questioned Saul’s ability to save Israel. He had promised deliverance (v. 9) and now the Lord has wrought deliverance, so vindicating Saul before the whole army and the population of Jabesh. In the flush of new confidence, Saul will have no-one put to death; at this point he does not put a foot wrong.
Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 105.
Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 105.
Questions:
When the Spirit of God stirred Saul's anger over the suffering of Jabesh-gilead, Saul wasn't overcome with emotion and then stopped. He called Israel to action, gathered an army, and led the people to rescue the town. God gave Israel the victory, and the people who had been threatened were delivered. As we see injustice arise, we have to decide what we're going to do about it.
After the victory some Israelites wanted to execute the men who had questioned Saul's leadership. Saul refused. He declared that no one would be put to death because the Lord had rescued Israel that day. He could have settled scores and silenced his critics, but he chose restraint and gave God the credit. Even when we're right to oppose evil, we must be careful not to let the fight become about ourselves.
As Christians, we're engaged in a real spiritual battle. Paul reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Paul's words should change how we engage with the world around us. People are not our enemy. We don't overcome darkness by giving ourselves over to hatred, tearing others down, or by trying to pick people apart in an argument. God has given us spiritual weapons: His Word, prayer, worship, faith, and the truth of the gospel. We need to use them intentionally.
Brandon also challenged us to care for people who are poor, overlooked, marginalized, or oppressed. We can pray for a struggling family and also bring them a meal. We can ask God to bring hope to someone who feels alone and also make time to sit with them. We can pray for truth to prevail and be willing to speak it with courage and wisdom when an opportunity comes. Prayer isn't an excuse to avoid action, and action isn't a substitute for dependence on God. We need both.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the problems around us. We see more need than we can meet and more brokenness than we can fix. But God hasn't asked us to solve every problem. He has called us to be faithful with the people, opportunities, and responsibilities in front of us. The battle belongs to the Lord, but He still calls His people to show up and participate in His work.
After the victory some Israelites wanted to execute the men who had questioned Saul's leadership. Saul refused. He declared that no one would be put to death because the Lord had rescued Israel that day. He could have settled scores and silenced his critics, but he chose restraint and gave God the credit. Even when we're right to oppose evil, we must be careful not to let the fight become about ourselves.
As Christians, we're engaged in a real spiritual battle. Paul reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Paul's words should change how we engage with the world around us. People are not our enemy. We don't overcome darkness by giving ourselves over to hatred, tearing others down, or by trying to pick people apart in an argument. God has given us spiritual weapons: His Word, prayer, worship, faith, and the truth of the gospel. We need to use them intentionally.
Brandon also challenged us to care for people who are poor, overlooked, marginalized, or oppressed. We can pray for a struggling family and also bring them a meal. We can ask God to bring hope to someone who feels alone and also make time to sit with them. We can pray for truth to prevail and be willing to speak it with courage and wisdom when an opportunity comes. Prayer isn't an excuse to avoid action, and action isn't a substitute for dependence on God. We need both.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the problems around us. We see more need than we can meet and more brokenness than we can fix. But God hasn't asked us to solve every problem. He has called us to be faithful with the people, opportunities, and responsibilities in front of us. The battle belongs to the Lord, but He still calls His people to show up and participate in His work.
- We should not confuse talking about the world's problems with actually engaging in the battle. Think about the issues that regularly brought to your attention. How much of your energy goes toward scrolling, arguing, worrying, or criticizing compared with praying and doing something useful?
- Paul teaches that our battle is not against flesh and blood, and Saul refused to turn Israel's victory into an opportunity for personal revenge. When you believe someone is contributing to what is wrong in the world, how does that shape the way you speak about them, pray for them, or treat them? Are you asking God to change hearts (including your own) or mainly asking Him to prove your side right? What needs to change in the way you approach conflict?
- Saul responded to a real need with decisive action, while giving God the credit for the victory. Think about a burden God has brought to your attention that you've discussed, prayed about occasionally, or hoped someone else would address. What is keeping you from taking meaningful responsibility? Is there something that combines dependence on God with practical service that you can do today?
Prayer Topics:
- Confess the times you've allowed frustration, worry, or criticism to replace prayer and meaningful action.
- Thank God for equipping you with His Word, prayer, and the power of His Spirit.
- Ask God for wisdom to confront what is wrong without treating people as your enemy.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a practical way to serve someone in need and give you the courage to follow through.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
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