I Samuel 18 David and Jonathan

 Saul had called David after the battle because he wanted to give him recognition for having killed Goliath.

As Jonathan. Saul's son, stood there listening to David and his father talk, "the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David." Jonathan was an outstanding man, and he loved David for his courage and confidence in God. The covenat the two men made was that they would stick together.  Jonathon even shared his princely wardrobe with David, a peasant boy. David was actually a great man. God looked on his heart, the people were looking at the outside, and David looked good on both the inside and the outside. He had a real heart for God and people loved him for it.

Saul did not like the new song that the women were singing. Saul became jealous of David because of the people's applause and acceptance of him. As David becomes the favorite of the people, he begins to see that Saul is not as friendly as he once was.  Saul wanted to get rid of David permanently. David fled from Saul's javelin.

Saul had been wondering how he can trap David and decides upon a clever method. He promises David his daughter Merab for his wife on the condition that he continues to fight the Philistines, hoping he would be killed in battle. Then he fails to keep his promise and gives Merab to another. Later, he gives his younger daughter, Michal to David. Michal loved David. In the beginning it was that love of a hero and his popularity. The day will come when she will ridicule him for his enthusiasm for God

J. Vernon McGee Commentary.

To read previous lessons go to: https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com

God Trains David. I Samuel 17

 

I Samuel 17- God Trains David

 

Israel was at war again with the Philistines. The Philistines were on one mountain and the Israelites on another, with a valley between them.

Goliath was about nine feet nine inches tall. Every day he challenged the Israelites to send out a man to fight him, but after forty days, no one had accepted. David came because he brought food to his brothers who were serving in the army. His brothers tried to send him home, but David would not go. When Saul heard that David would go against Goliath, he tried to put his armor on him. David, however, was just a boy and could not fit the armor.

Let’s not try to be something we are not or try to do something we are not called to do. If God has called you to use a slingshot, don’t try to use a sword. Too many people are trying to use a sword when the slingshot is more their size.

David chose five smooth stones. 2 Samuel 21:22 “These four sons were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and his servants.” Goliath had four sones, and David was sure they would come out when he had killed their father. Therefore, David picked up five stones. That was the number he needed.

God gave David the victory, and he killed Goliath. The battle was the Lord’s, and the giant was delivered into David’s hands. David’s faith enabled him to go out and meet the giant and defeat him. “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” I John 5:4. David learned he could not use the weapons of this world to fight the battle. He had to use his own weapons, those which God had trained him. The believer today needs to recognize that the world can be overcome only by his faith and confidence in God.

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

 

David Anointed - I Samuel 16

 

I Samuel 16 – David Anointed

 

Samuel loved Saul and hated to see God set him aside. It hurt Samuel to give Saul the ultimatum that he had been rejected and dismissed as King.

So, Samuel goes to Bethlehem and to the house of Jesse. He asks Jesse and his sons to come for a sacrifice.

You and I demonstrate whether we are children of the Lord Jesus by our love for Him. It is not what we say in a testimony; it is whether we are obeying Him. When God looks at us, He looks at us from the inside. Samuel looks at this well-built, handsome young man and feels this must be God’s choice for the next king of Israel. But God says to Samuel, “Don’t look at his outward appearance. I will choose the king.” God sees the heart.

Even the father of David would never have chosen David above his seven brothers. David was a boy, possibly sixteen years old or younger. He was a shepherd. Jesse was so sure one of his other sons would be selected that he didn’t even invite David to the sacrifice.  When Samuel found out that David was tending sheep, he said in substance, “This is important business, and I’m not about to sit down and eat until I have accomplished my mission.

David was “ruddy” and had a “beautiful countenance”. He was God’s choice. God knew what you and I didn’t know about him. Although, David failed, he loved and trusted God. He wanted to walk with Him. God punished him for his sins and David never whimpered or cried aloud. He wanted that fellowship with God, and God loved him.

Samuel anointed David King, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.  At this time the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul. Saul is now forsaken of God, and David is brought into court to play upon his harp. Even though it is not yet known, Israel has a new king.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

 

Samuel Rebukes Saul. I Samuel 15

 

I Samuel 15- Samuel Rebukes Saul

 

In Det. 25:17-19 Moses remembered what Amalek did by the way when the Israelites came out of Egypt. They attacked the people who were in the rear, who were faint and weary. When Saul went to war against these people, he spared some of them, going against God’s instructions. He gathered the people together and numbered them. Then he came to the city of Amalek and warned the Kenites to leave the Amalekites before they were destroyed. The Kenites were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law.

Saul saved Agag, who was ruler of the Amalekites. He of all people should have been destroyed and judged at this time. Saul made this attack for the purpose of obtaining booty and spoil, and God had forbidden that.

Because Saul was rejected by God, Samuel had to execute God’s orders. Saul’s reason for saving some of the animals was because he wanted excellent animals to sacrifice to the Lord.

There is a tendency to cover our evil businesses with good works. Many of God’s people try to turn their disobedience into some charitable project. Saul said he was afraid of the people, so he obeyed their wishes. H confessed he had sinned, but his repentance was not sincere. God made Saul King and now He is taking the kingdom away from him because of his sin. It wasn’t God who changed, but Saul. Saul had sinned and God dealt with him accordingly.

He wanted to repent, but not have to pay the penalty.

Agag came to Samuel because he knew he was in trouble, and Samuel killed him.

There may be people in high places that think they are getting away with their sin, dishonesty. Murder, and adultery, but they are not. God is going to judge them. God’s love will not deter Him from judging sinners. He can love them and still execute judgment. Our God is holy, righteous, and just, as well as loving.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

 

Jonathan's Victory. I Samuel 14

 

I Samuel 14 – Jonathan’s Victory

 

Saul should not have taken the ark to the battlefield. In the days of Samuel, the children of Israel used the ark, thinking it would help them win their battles. Apparently, Saul had the same reason. Despite his reasons, Jonathan’s strategy had won the battle. God saved Israel that day.

Jonathan did not know about his father’s strange order that no man was to eat until the battle was won. Jonathan gained the victory and Saul took the credit for it. He was not willing to give credit to his son. His “modesty” was gone, and his jealousy was revealed.

It was a foolish command that Saul had given. The men were weary. They had fought a battle and won. They needed something to eat. Saul said, “I will not let anyone eat anything until I am avenged of my enemies.”

He built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifices. He asked counsel of God, “shall I go down after the Philistines?” But God did not answer him that day.

The army stood silently. They knew the victory was Jonathan’s. And now Saul said, “the reason God did not answer me was because someone did not obey me and broke the oath.” Jonathan had tasted the honey and the army kept silent because Saul was the king.

Saul believed Jonathan was guilty. Which he was, but Saul had said, “cursed be the man that eats any food this day.” Saul would destroy his son if he stood in his way. Saul wanted all the glory for himself. Because Jonathan’s life was at stake, the army no longer kept silent. They said, “Shall Jonathan die who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid, if one hair of his head shall fall to the ground; for he has wrought with God this day.” So, the people rescued Jonathan.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

 

Saul Rebels Against God. I Samuel 13

 

I Samuel 13, Saul Rebels Against God

 

Jonathan “smote the garrison of the Philistines.” Jonathan did the fighting, and Saul blew the trumpet. Saul took the credit for winning. The army knew that Saul’s report was not true and so did the followers of Jonathan.

Apparently, the Philistines recovered from their losses and came with force against the Israelites.

Saul presumed that because of his position as King he could offer a burnt offering. Saul ignored God’s explicit instructions that only a priest from the tribe of Levi could offer a burnt offering. He was not willing to wait for Samuel. He thought he had three good reasons for not waiting for Samuel to appear: 1. The people were scattered, 2. The Philistines were coming against him, and 3.  Samuel was late in arriving. He was blaming everything and everyone else.  He was told in the beginning that if he obeyed God, he would be blessed, but if he disobeyed, there would be judgment. Saul had disobeyed, so God had another man to be king. Even Samuel, at that time, did not know who he was.

The Philistines had disarmed the Israelites but were permitted some farm implements. To sharpen them, they had to go down to the Philistines.  In this way the enemy was able to keep an accurate count of what the Israelites had in the way of weapons.

Only two men, Saul, and Jonathan, had swords.  The other men in the army probably carried mattocks, axes, clubs, and similar instruments. This was the way Saul’s army was equipped to fight.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

 

 

Samuel Succeeded by Saul - I Samuel 12

I Samuel 12. Samuel Succeeded by Saul

 

Although Israel’s choice was a king rather than God, He would still bless the people if they would obey Him. Saul was king and God would give him every opportunity.

 

Samuel was truly a man of God. He reminded the people of God’s faithfulness and mercy to them.  When their apostasy led them to servitude and they cried to the Lord in their distress, He graciously heard them and sent them a deliverer. Samuel made it quite clear that Saul was the people’s choice. God’s choice was David. Samuel told the people that if they serve God, He will bless them.  If they do not serve Him, judgment will come.

 

 

It was sin for these people to ask for a king. They were rejecting God by wanting a king to rule over them like the other nations.

 

We need to hold on to the Lord and His word. The Bible doesn’t need defended. It needs explained and proclaimed. God is for us, not against us. He is a mighty helper, friend, as well as a Savior. And He saves to the utmost.

 

Samuel said, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.”

 

God forbid that we should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for one another.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. J. Vernon McGee Commentary and NKJ Bible and Nelson’s Quick Reference.

 

 

Saul's Victory Over the Ammonites - I Samuel 11

 

I Samuel 11- Saul’s Victory Over the Ammonites

 

When Saul asked the people to come and linked his name with Samuel’s name, the people came. They also came because they were afraid of Saul and fearful of what the Ammonites might do to them.

 

Saul divided his men into three companies. Then the Israelites went after the Ammonites and killed and scattered them so badly that not two of them were left together, Each Ammonite that survived fled by himself.

 

At first there was some resistance in Saul being king, the victory over the Ammonites took care of the resistance. Now all of Israel accepted Saul as king.

 

It is one thing to have authority and ability, but something else to prove yourself a leader. People respond to a crisis in different ways; some give in, some give up, Saul responded with anger and action and rallied the people for battle.

 

God empowered Saul to fight the battle and win. He had stature as well as authority. He had proved himself a leader. He gave God the glory and did not use his success and authority as weapons to attack his own people.

We all face a crisis in our life at one time or another. God permits these crises to strengthen our faith. We need to use the victories over our crisis to give God the glory and to help others.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

Saul is Anointed King I Samuel 10

 

I Samuel 10. Saul is Anointed as King

 

Samuel anoints Saul as king and then kisses him, which was probably an act demonstrating his personal affection for Saul

 

Saul could not understand how a man like him could lead the nation of Israel, so God gave him a series of “signs” to assure him for his new responsibilities.

 

A leader must trust God to solve problems, to provide needs, and to give power needed for service. He must know how to hear God’s Word and wait obediently on the Lord. Saul began his ministry in the strength of these assurances, but as time went on, he trusted more and more in himself and rebelled against God’s Word.

 

His modesty in saying nothing about the kingdom and his self-control in not answering his critics are commendable, but he felt the need to hide on his coronation day. He did a great deal of hiding in his leadership, but God found him out. As the book of Proverbs says, “He who covers his sins will not prosper.”  (28:13)

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.

 

I Samuel 9 - Saul is Chosen as King

 

I Samuel 9 – Saul is Chosen as King

 

 

Saul is not a king when we first meet him. He was never a king in the true sense of the word. Kish was Saul’s father, and he belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. It is from this tribe Benjamin, that the first king comes.

 

This boy Saul was handsome. Physically he looked like a king, but he was an actor that played a part. The children of Israel liked him because of his outward appearance. The most dangerous enemy we have is the television. The man that will control this country is the man that has a good television appearance. Because we chose men by the way they look and the way they talk rather than by their character.

The children of Israel wanted a king and they liked Saul.  He was handsome, he was tall. He was fine looking. There wasn’t a kinglier looking man in the nation. The trouble was, he wasn’t a king a heart.

Samuel met them on the way while Saul and his servant were out looking for donkeys.

Many times, God answers our request when it is not the best thing for us. When we keep crying to the Lord for whatever it is we want, finally He does what He did for Israel. He grants our request. Prayer should be made in the name of Christ, which means it must be according to His will and His glory. All requests hinge on that important matter.

Saul was a man that impressed even Samuel, he just regretted that Saul did not make good.

Saul was not actually God’s choice, that is, He gave Israel the sort of man He knew they wanted.

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible.

 

Israel demands a king - I Samuel 8

 

I Samuel 8 -Israel demands a King

 

Samuel made his own sons judges to succeed him, although they were unworthy and incompetent for the job. I was a mistake. Samuel was a great judge, a good prophet, and a great man of God, but he was a failure as a father just as Eli had been.

 

The people of Israel ask for a king. They are influenced by the surrounding nations. The fact that Samuel had made his sons judges gives these people an excuse to ask for a king. This was sad news for Samuel, but God comforts him with the assurance that Israel’s rejection is not of him but of God Himself.

 

Samuel warns Israel what it will be like to have a king. He tells them that a king will reign over them, take their sons for soldiers, their daughters for cooks and maidservants, and part of their fields, vineyards, olive yards, and animals for himself. He warned them that eventually they will cry out in their distress and in that day the Lord will not hear them.

 

“And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” Psalm 106:15. God granted Israel their desire for a king, but it was not to their advantage, God’s guidance of the nation was indirectly through the prophet. He did not speak directly to the king. Samuel continued to convey God’s word to the king.

 

Much of what Samuel worked for and prayed for turned out differently from what he expected, and yet he remained faithful to the Lord to the end. Leaders who are faithful to God may not always appear to be successful to men.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.

 

Revival - I Samuel 7

 

I Samuel 7 - Revival

 

After twenty years the Israelites begin to turn to God and away from Baalim and Ashteroth. They have come to the place where they want God. This is actually the beginning of Samuel’s ministry. He is not only the prophet of Isreal, but also the judge of the nation. He is praying for them to get out of idolatry and turn to God. They had been defeated in so many battles that they have become discouraged. Now they confess their sins. This is the way back for God’s people. They promised to return to God. As a result, God gave them a victory over the Philistines.

 

I think it can be said that from this time on the Philistines were never again as dominant as they had been before. This was a significant battle, and a stone now stands in memory of it.

 

Ebenezer means “stone of help”.

“Thus far the Lord has helped us – The Lord will see to it.”  This takes care of the past and the future, so why worry about the present!

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.

God's Judgment on the Philistines. I Samuel 6

 

I Samuel 6, God’s Judgment on the Philistines

 

The people of Gath had the ark, and they didn’t want it, so they sent it to Ekron and they, too, wanted to get rid of it. Since the Philistines wanted to get rid of the ark, they consulted with the priests and diviners who told them not to send the ark of the God of Israel away empty. They were to send an offering. The offering consisted of five golden hemorrhoids, and five golden mice.

 

God chastened the Philistines because they kept the ark, but He killed some of His own people because they looked into the ark. The Israelites knew the law, so they were more responsible than the Philistines.

 

The men of Beth Shemish were reaping the harvest when the cart with the ark came into view. The ark had been gone for six months, but that did not allow that to keep them from working. Even in times of defeat, there are jobs to be done and people to feed.

 

Abinadab’s house will be a tabernacle for the Lord. All our homes should be a dwelling place for Him.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible.

 

God is in Control, I Samuel 5

 

I Samuel 5 God is in Control

                                  

The glory may have departed from Israel, but God was still in control and well able to defend His name. If you get depressed because the enemy seems to have “captured” the glory, rest assured that God is still on His throne.

 

God can reveal His glory even in a heathen temple, and all false gods must fall before Him.  How much better it would have been for His glory to be revealed on the battlefield, but He could not give victory to a disobedient people, it would have only encouraged then more in their sin.

 

Instead of confessing their sin and trusting the true God of Israel, the people of Philistia tried to get rid of the ark. What a great opportunity they were passing by!  But then, would you want to trust the god of the defeated enemy? Israel was a poor witness to the other nations, so they rejected Israel’s God.

 

 Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible.