And the Lord said to Samuel: ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
Samuel took this matter to the Lord in prayer and this is the word the Lord speaks to Samuel.
The Lord says to Samuel that they are only doing to him what they have done to him. This has great reverberations down through the ages and remind us of the words spoken by Jesus unto his disciples:
John Ch 15 v20 & Ch 17 v14-20
Gods Character and his authority are not undermined by the peoples request. God does not respond in a threatened nor adolescent manner. In this we detect Gods parentage, the ability to raise children.
To raise children, you have to have a solemn warning to show them. If you put your hand in the fire, you will get burned. Love would not be love if it withheld the knowledge of that which is good unto the liberty of those loved.
Parents know the raw material they are working with. And in this case the Lord knows he is dealing with a humanity that has inbred sin within its nature, due to the spiritual fall of man in the garden of paradise.
The Lord effectively grants their request, and gives them a king from among themselves who precisely mirrors where they are at.
Samuel gives all the people instructions according to Gods great heart of irrevocable commitment unto his people: 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.
Saul was effectively, a schoolmaster to lead them to Christ. He was a mirror image of themselves, their own inward character was displayed through his kingship. Saul was not set up to fail, oh no. But he failed because just like the people he also desired to have a man between himself and God.
How wise and faithful of God. The Lord was speaking through his kingship that he indeed knows the heart of the people and their problem and the remedy that he would need to send into this world to redeem them from themselves.
The wisdom of God was shared before the foundation of this world, this is a word of truth, from a God who cannot lie. Paul, understood it to be so when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him. Set apart before he was born, Paul believed that the Lamb was slain before the very foundations of the World.
This gospel truth of belonging to him, called as a Son, liberated Paul from being a man pleaser. Paul was not merely liberated from the burden of the law when God set him free, far more profound was that Paul inherited the mantle of the anointing: Fear Not, for I am with thee.
Stephen, preached him who had given the people the laws from God, the patriarch and prophet Moses. And those who were cut to the heart by the word of truth, akin to Jonathan laid their robs at a young mans feet.
‘Oh, the depth of the riches and ‘wisdom’ and knowledge of God’, Paul enthused, knowing that it was a new covenant of ‘Mercy on all’. The mystery hidden for ages and generations, teaching all the people, with all wisdom, that we may present everyone ‘mature’ in Christ.
It must be noted that from the very start of the kingdom being renewed and Samuels farewell address, that it was Sauls son Jonathan who pressed forward to inherit the covenant promises.
This principle is continued throughout Sauls reign. I believe that God chose Saul to be king, due to his son Jonathan.
A Father & Son where called together. Jonathan, was by birth right due to become the next king of Israel.
The last book of the prophets, the farewell address before a new king is born in Bethlehem, proclaims that: ‘And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers’.
And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines.
It was not Saul who had defeated the garrison, but Jonathan, but it must be noted that they were Father and Son, and the women did not sing songs concerning Jonathons victory.
After this event the major battle is to commence. And Saul makes his inherent error by acting foolishly, his natural man drawn to the affections and support of the people. Saul does not wait according to the instructions of the man of God.
Samuel speaks like the Father seeking his Son in the garden of paradise lost: Adam where are you! What have you done? Have you eaten of the tree that I said you are not to eat?
Saul answers just as the Adamic man does, he justified himself and blamed others for his act of disobedience. Self righteousness is a root of defilement that traces itself back to the spiritual fall of mankind.
Samuel speaks the prophetic and necessary word of deliverance, straight into this dichotomy: The Lord must have a man after his own heart, to fulfill his will and purposes.
Jonathan then defeats the Philistines again.
And it is the people who save him from his fathers rash vow.
Saul, speaks as a man who has a personal ego, one that holds vendettas. He has lost sight of his anointing, and the enemies are his and the battle is not the Lords. The distinction between himself and the other kings of the earth is very narrow.
Sauls most loyal subject, he is willing to put to death, to ensure that his position and authority as king is maintained. Despite the fact that it is his very own son and the legacy of his own house. Here, we have reverberations down through the ages to Herod, who despite his better judgement had John the Baptist beheaded, who had spoken words unto him for the preservation of his own house. Keeping the laws of God bodes well for any mans house and is a legacy for the next generation.
Saul laid an oath on the people, yet it is the people who save Jonathan. The people and Saul, are intertwined together and neither has the remedy. When we look to man, it is a hopeless and wretched and vicious cycle.
Samuel comes to Saul and gives him a divine instruction. It was an instruction interwoven with the purpose of his anointing as King. God, despite his displeasure with the people wanting to be as all the other nations, was still outworking his covenant promises.
The Lord of hosts is specific: I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt.
Notice how that Lord, spiritually governs this world. Amalek had opposed God fulfilling his word of promise. Outer darkness/utter destruction, is the end of those who oppose God fulfilling his word of promise.
Saul then reveals how deep rooted the deception of his own heart really is.
He starts by blessing Samuel unto the Lord and proclaiming that he had fulfilled the commandment of the Lord.
Samuel straightway, as a faithful man of God, does not beat about the bush, he goes straight to the heart of the matter, and the heart of the matter is truth.
Saul does not receive this word with meekness that is able to convert his soul. Rather he plays down is’s significant and pleads that Ismael shall live.
Then Saul protests that he had obeyed the voice of the Lord, despite a sermon from the Prophet and man of God clearer highlighting the very specific commandment he had not obeyed. Saul presents his own obedience and highlights the peoples disobedience.
What an utter mess! When a man to be King was born in Bethlehem, the promise land was under total occupation, and despite bale worship having been destroyed in the nation, the religious rulers thought they had they faith of Abraham, and that they were not sinners like the people.
How deceitful the adamic heart is. King Agag, evidently felt that his life was being sparred and not consigned to destruction.
And it must be noted how Saul refers to the Lord as Samuels God.
It’s almost as if the flesh hooks from the Adamic man are trying to shift the blame game even onto the messenger! The women you gave to be with me! The people who you placed under me! The people who ask for a king because your own sons where not walking in the ways of the Lord.
Saul is separating himself from disobedience and placing it at Samuels door.
But faithful are the words of a true prophet of the Lord. And Samuel reveals to king Saul the heart of the issue, its is always between the individual believer and God, direct and personal, we are all without excuse, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Samuel speaks right into the heart of all self righteousness! For rebellion is as the sin of divination. The original Adamic sin, was to acquire knowledge concerning the future, that which was as yet unknown, through disobedience rather than through obeying the Lords voice.
Oh how Paul rejoiced to have his name changed. To have acquired a hidden knowledge through revelation concerning the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Paul obeyed the voice of the Lord, when he was lead by the hand to a street called straight.
What follows from Saul is then a pitiful plea of a man who has heard a Word from God that will not be changed: he has rejected you from being king.
Saul heard it and responded, confessing his sin. He knew all along that the plough had to break his fallow ground.
What a faithful prophet Samuel was. He would not allow this man to hide from the truth of Gods Word. God is seeking a people who will worship him in spirit and in truth. And this truth was buried within Saul, and it took the persistence of the prophet conversing with him to draw it out. Are we as faithful when dealing with a sin sick soul or do we offer a false remedy.
Saul seized the rob of the prophet! Like a man holding onto an illusion of the past, not realizing that he is the God of the living & not the dead.
Saul wanted to arrange things ever so just so! To have Samuel in his place, his Kingship preserved, and the people happy.
Hear the cry of Adamic flesh! Despite my sin, let me live and reign!
The prophetic word to that cry is the same at the end of the converse as at the start: STOP!
How deep rooted was Sauls inability to go direct to the Lord in prayer. Thank God that Gods chosen vessel, when confronted with a Word of truth from the King of Kings and Prophet of Prophets: For behold he prayeth: Lord have Mercy, Lord make me a message of your Mercy: Lay not this sin to their charge! God answers the prayers we pray directly unto Him, that is the truth at the heart of his kingdom.
Samuel is sent to the household of Jesse, to anoint a king after the Lords own heart! The Lords heart is that all should know the Lord, everyman and his neighbor, teaching you all things, the hidden things, until we reach the maturity of Christ. What a glorious liberty, to be part of the collective orchestra.
And may the blessing of God be upon the household of Jesse, in service to a nation who have as their seal: In God we Trust.
For 40 days the uncircumcised Philistine taunts the People of the Covenant. And Saul is indicted as their head. When the Church seeks to mirror the World, it has no Spiritual authority to stand up to the giants of the land: Philosophies, Idols; religious and celebrity , Mass media and threats; physical and financial.
But God has never forsaken his people, nor Church. And he as the man born King, endured 40 days of baiting by the very head and heart of rebellion and evil divination, Lucifer himself.
It should be noted that Jesus spoke the Word of truth to that devil during those days of temptation in the wilderness. And he departed at the end of his efforts after hearing this word from the Lord Jesus: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’.
The Lord Jesus did not say: I shall not put the Lord my God to the test!
You includes the devil. His tragic fate is that he has rebelled from being a worshipper of the God who is all authority and light.
This is a significant principle concerning spiritual warfare and the Church. We do not mirror the world or bow to its threats. The enemies of the Lord, are his subjects too, just like you and me, this knowledge when held within the heart removes the illusion of his influence. God, Almighty God shall fulfill all his covenant promises: Hallelujah, Amen. HE is Worthy, the Lamb who was slain.
We are called to persecution so that we may mirror HIM, and preach the good news of the gospel of are liberty in Him, who was and is and is to come.
We are in the arena that the enemies of the Lord may see his Sovereign peace reigning.
David is sent to the frontline by his father, bringing provisions and seeking a token to return to his father.
This mirrors Jonathan, and is the commonality that is interwoven between the transition of the kingdom.
Notice the words spoken by Eliab when he hears the words of David.
Eliab pronounces the same words of Judgement that Samuel spoke to Saul. Eliab declares that he knows the presumptuous rebellious and deceitful heart of his kid brother. Every word is spoken to oppose his younger brother and the anointing that was upon him. With whom have you left those few sheep was a direct attempt to accuse him of dereliction of duty to his Father.
Here a line is drawn, and a spiritual principle for warfare in the Spirit. David had purely, and simply obeyed his Fathers heart and voice, and commandment. And his Fathers heart had been to check on their welfare and to bring supplies.
If you want to know why the devils tactics ran off Davids back like water on a ducks it was due to this principle, he like the prophet who had anointed him, was obeying the commandment of God: Honor your father and mother, a sacrifice God is well pleased with, growing in Grace and wisdom.
Thus, Eliab who was the eldest of three in Sauls service, was utterly confused as to what the battle line was drawn for! He thought he was in the ranks of the army of Israel doing his part in the service of king and country, and even able to pronounce Judgement concerning his brothers dereliction of duty. Legalism is the prohibitor of all men’s liberty into the maturity of Christ – all shall know the Lord, from the youngest to the eldest.
It would appear that Eliab being in Sauls service had been impacted by its headship. And rather than the words of truth from his younger brother bringing conviction, he too akin to Saul tried to sift out his brother by attributing the guilt onto him.
This is always the accuser of the brethren’s tactic. Condemnation is a ministry from the rebellious and presumption prince of darkness. God simply speaks his word, and it is spoken to bring conviction, so as to lead men unto repentance – and then gloriously unto justification: This is my beloved Son, For this he died and rose again! Justifying the sinner, is water of the back of the Messiah.
David shows the armies of Israel, that it is not by might nor even by power but by my Spirit says the Lord.
Would Davids charter narrative, his personality be a disappointment to a Hollywood director at this stage. Well he is the only one who has given him the action shot. The point is, that the text of scripture is not concentrated on Davids person, his individuality, but rather that which the Spirit is speaking unto all believers. Is this not the reason why we do not know much at all about the planing, beams, and sanding of the carpenters bench. We know all we need to know concerning his life, once he called men into his discipleship school. The truth of God has always been plural, he is the second man, the man of redemption the man of blessings lost. He is the multiplier and the One who was ever before Abram was a twinkle in Terah’s eye.
Jonathan makes a covenant with David.
This is a beautiful act. Jonathan who honored his father unto death. Jonathan who could have faced that Giant of a Philistine.
I haven’t understood this fully, but Jonathan is the key to understanding the preeminence given to Davids Kingship in scripture right on through to the end of the sealed book of revelation: The lion of the tribe of Judah, the descendant of David the bright morning star.
It wasn’t just a momentary gesture, it was a rob, ring and shoes.
Perhaps the Lord Jesus, when he told the parable, had gleaned its truth, his eyes being enlightened as the light of life, to see the heart of his Father and speak the words of prophesy: For this my Son was dead. And did not David himself later need to respond to the Word of God, spoken in truth which if received wrought delight teaching wisdom in the secret heart.
How unlike Eliab was Jonathan. This wasn’t just the covenant blessing transitioning from one mans heritage to another, but between families. It speaks into the middle wall of divide coming down through his sacrifice, through whom we celebrate ethnicity but rejoice in are unity and oneness in Him
Jonathans response to the anointing, is an example unto all believers. He yielded his own mission statement. Jonathan, never again leads in the battle line, but he is a constant source of support unto David. Jonathan was the polar opposite to his own Father, who would not let go of his kingdom despite the clear word of God.
Jesus Christ yielded his Life up at Calvary, to honor his Father unto the very end: Not my will but thine be done.
Their was no valley at Calvary, with armies on two sides, some faithful women, and one or two cowering apostles amongst them.
Jesus Christ died, his only accusation that he claimed to be the Son of God.
What gives a fallen man the right, to stand up and join the army of the Lord again.
If Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and he died not for his own sins but the sins of the whole world, then his ascension is all the righteous you and I will ever need.
N.B.
Working today 12-8pm UK – hope to manage my breaks
eternalrays 