Appearances

 1 Samuel 16:5-13

In verse four the elders of Bethlehem are in fear of Samuel’s visit, but he instructs them to consecrate themselves, what does that mean?  They were to set themselves apart for God, it is ritual cleanness and that may have involved bathing, clean garments, avoiding contact with a dead body, and not having sex.  Now when it came to Jesse and his sons Samuel may have overseen their consecration at their home. 

How often appearances deceive us, have you been disappointed after ordering a dessert that looked amazing, your taste buds were in great anticipation, only to be totally let down.  Jesse’s son Eliab looked like king material to Samuel, but this is what the LORD said to Samuel.  “But the Lord said to Samuel, “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.”  How often I’ve been guilty of doing that, we put on appearances, and often we judge others with no understanding of their heart.  So Jesse calls Abinadad and Samuel is paying more attention to God than the appearance of the man, a great place to find oneself.  The third son Shammah is called and once more Samuel states that the LORD has not chosen him.  And after seven sons have been paraded by, Samuel is wondering what is going on, has he misunderstood what God has said?

From frustration to excitement, that is where Samuel finds himself as he asks Jesse, is this all of your sons?  And this is both Jesse’s reply and Samuel’s taken from verses 11-13, “Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

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Do you want to live in victory?

 1 Samuel 16: 4

A game changer is found in the first six words in 1 Samuel 16:4, and if anyone would apply these to their daily life, they would experience a fuller and more fruitful life.  That is enormous and I wonder if you are in search of your Bible, do you want to live in victory, are you searching for something that will be a guarantee over a life of being under the control of this present darkness of a fallen world?  If so Samuel knew the secret, and he shares it in just six words: “Samuel did what the Lord commanded.”  You may be the genuine “Big Christian” and have set your heart on being an ambassador for Christ, and following all that 

God has commanded in the Scripture, if so this is not addressed to you.  No, its target is people like me, whose hearts desire is to please the Father, and our hope is not to bring shame to the name of Jesus.  But we grasp that we have fallen short and if not for the mercy and grace of our Father, we would be up a creek without a paddle. 

Have we not been commanded never to be harsh with our wife, ladies have you not been commanded to honor and respect your husband?  What about young people, have you not been commanded to honor and obey your parents?  What about loving your neighbor as yourself, and coming to the understanding that God is not calling just the folks on your street your neighbors? 

It is going to get more difficult, has He not commanded every one of us to love our enemies?  I will let you and God sort out that truth.  But it is going to get harder, for God has commanded us to love the LORD your God with all your heart and mind and soul.  If you're one of the super Christians, you do not need to read the “Back Porch” it will not be of much value to you.  Will you please pray for all like me; people who have searched and know that we have a long way to go and are greatly loved by the Father who knows our heart and understands our desire to obey, and how easy we're deceived by the flesh.

Now let’s finish verse four; “and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?”   It is not clear why the elders of the city were fearful of Samuel; it may be that he no longer had anything to do with King Saul.  If so, the elders may have a fear of Saul’s reprisal, or it could be a fear of God’s message or judgment.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Lacking integrity both before God and man

 1 Samuel 16:1-5

“The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

Sin should bring about grieving and often that's magnified when a leader such as a pastor has brought shame on the name of Christ.  The first King of Israel had all the physical requirements of a warrior, a leader of men, but was lacking integrity both before God and man.  He began well, but the pride of life and power and wealth were change agents when this donkey hunter was more fearful of a man than of the LORD.  Often we do not get the picture, Saul’s lack of obedience was not a surprise to God, but it was His plan to allow Israel to have what looks good to man, only to find out much later that God was looking for obedience.  Saul is not doing great things for God, but waiting for the LORD to do mighty acts through Saul.  The Church needs to grasp the fullness of why God has rejected Saul and is looking for a man after His own heart.

So when Samuel is told to “fill your horn with oil,” it means God has someone in mind for Samuel to anoint as the new King of Israel.  But often we miss the next part, “Go,” yes stop wasting time grieving over your Saul, he is history, go and do what God has prepared for you to do.

We find in verses 2-5, God’s plan about how to accomplish the act Samuel is instructed to do.  “And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.”

Often we do not see how that is going to work; our Saul may be in a position to bring hurt or harm to us, as was Saul to Samuel.  So we need to stop and ask God to show us how to do what He has asked of us, and then go and do it!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Is you Epitaph Written?

 1 Samuel 15:24-35

Have you heard the saying, “The old is forever new” or as my dad often said, we learn nothing from history in that we keep repeating it?  It is part of our DNA to want the approval of men and to perform in a manner to earn their endorsement.  As we begin to examine our hearts before allowing our minds to think King Saul is a wimp, he was, but often so am I; how about you?

Verse 24, “Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words because I feared the people and listened to their voice.”  How much I wish my DNA was not like Saul’s, but for years I wanted to be accepted by others, and still know that “It is only the Fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.”  I read this quote from Oswald Chambers; “The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” So the message to King Saul should have been, fear God, and that is the same message to you and me.

Saul’s repentance seems like a person who has gotten caught in sin, and when it comes to light, they ask for forgiveness.  But Saul is a little late God has already brought judgment on his action, and in verse 25 it is a misplaced forgiveness in that he is asking for Samuel’s forgiveness and not God’s.  We find this spelled out in verses 25-28, “Now, therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.”

It is amazing what power and riches can do to a man, Saul the young guy obeying his dad in the hunt for lost donkeys, is now King Saul over Israel and has no understanding of fearing God.  So as Samuel turns to leave this King show, he fears Samuel and because he tore the skirt of his robe making one wonder, was he bowing before Samuel?  It matters not for it was part of God’s plan to make clear that God had withdrawn His hand from Saul.  Saul is a “Lame-Duck” leader from this day forward, and God allows the evil spirits to mess with Saul, and that is not a place where one wants to be found.

In verses 29-31 we see Samuel agreeing to return with Saul after he has once more acknowledged his sin.  But we cannot overlook verses 30-31, “Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.” So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.”

Now it is sad when a leader does not know the jig is up, and it is clear that King Agag had no clue.  “Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 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.”

Saul had no understanding of what his disobedience would bring about, but his epitaph was already written in stone.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Easiest Person to Con is?

 1 Samuel 15:10-23

When a mentor has poured his life into a person whom they believe is a 2 Timothy 2:2 person, a faithful follower of Christ, and it comes with a large disappointment to the mentor when it is evident they are not.  That is where Samuel finds himself with this new king, Saul.  Verse 10-11, states; “The word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night. And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning.”

Now before judging Saul, it might help to reflect on some of your spiritual victories or battles.  How did you handle the spiritual triumph, I hope you were not a Saul, but often I have been in my little private world, not giving God the total glory. 

Samuel goes early to confront Saul only to be told he came to Carmel, and behold, “he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on an went down to Gilgal.”  He did what?  You and I would never be that brash or would we?  The flesh likes to be seen as the big stuff. 

Now listen to King Saul’s greeting to Samuel and Samuel’s response; “And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”

You were thinking this might not be going where Saul wants it to go, if so you would be on the spot.  Picking up the account in verses 17-19, “And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

A smarter man than Saul might have known you cannot con God, or His spokesman, but King Saul is going to make an effort at doing so.  Verses 20-21, “And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep, and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”  Have you discovered the easiest person to con is yourself, that pride and greed will blind you to the truth of what God has said?

King Saul is going to have an awaking to how God looks at obedience, and it is “doing what you're told at the moment you are told,” that is not what Saul has done.  “And 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.
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.”

Tomorrow we will pick up the story of Saul’s confession, and the cost of his sin.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What are you masquerading as?

 1 Samuel 15:1-11

As a workplace follower of Jesus Christ, what has the Lord called you to do, to advance His kingdom?  Did Jesus not say these words; “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16)   God has allowed each of us to masquerade in some role, it may be homemaker, doctor, lawyer, builder, teacher, food service, and the list is endless, but your calling is to proclaim the name of Jesus, and what He has done for you.

It seems Saul who his dad sent out to find some donkeys is to be called by God to masquerade as king of Israel.  And all God asks of Saul is to remember who is in charge, and to obey God’s instruction.  Is that not what God has required of you and me?  Maybe you and I are more like king Saul than we would like to admit, the above statement from 

 Jesus is not given to preachers only, in fact, the eleven were men from the workplace, followers of Christ, not priest, nor preacher.

Do you have a Samuel in your life, if not ask the Lord to send such a person to open your eyes to God’s word?  Now as I asked the question these thoughts filled my mind, we all have someone greater living in us, Jesus refers to Him as the Comforter or the Holy Spirit, who will guide us into all truth.  But be on guard, the old thief masquerades as an angel of light, and he has deceived many into believing he is the Spirit of Christ.

So Samuel comes to Saul and reminds him that it was the Lord who sent him to anoint Saul as king.  And now God has sent Samuel with these words; “This is what the Lord of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt. Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

And aren’t you proud of King Saul, he’s obedient and calls up the army to go and attack the Amalekites up to the point of completely destroying what Saul called good.  Now before you judge his unfaithfulness, what actions are you calling good where are you placing value, and has God spoken to you to remove those things from your life, your home, and your mind?

As one who is in the winter season of life, my heart's desire is to finish strong, to have my Father say, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”  Not to have what is recorded in 1 Samuel 15:10-11, “The word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Israel Now and Then

1 Samuel 14:47-52

Israel of 2017 has these neighbors; it borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan on the east, the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the east and west, respectively, and Egypt to the southwest.

 Most or maybe All of Israel’s neighbors hate them, but they also respect that Israel will fight to the last person to keep and protect what God has given them.  Israel has the 34^th-largest economy in the world by nominal gross domestic products as of 2016, this information taken from Wikipedia.  The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce and is among the most educated countries in the world with one of the highest percentages of its citizens holding a tertiary education degree.  Israel has the highest standard of living in the Middle East and has one of the highest life expectancy in the world.  And yet the whole nation could fit into the state of Maine with lots of room left.  Israel is (22,072 km² and Maine is 91,646 km².

So not much has changed, Saul is King in this timeline 1080 – 1010 B.C. and they have enemies on every side.  Moab lays to Israel’s southeast, east of the Dead Sea.  The Ammonites were east of the Jordan River to Israel’s east and northeast.  Edom is located south of the Dead Sea.  Zobah was an Aramean city-state in Syria.  These verses give the impression that Saul and his army secured all of Israel borders at this time.

It is evident in the time of Saul and in 2017 that God has blessed Israel and the nations of the world do not like people who have been chosen by God.  So Israel today has a great military, and King Saul has the power to enlist the best and the finest of men into his army, just as Samuel warned a king would do in chapter 8:11.

But Israel has a mighty weapon, and it is held in reserve, it is not the arsenal of Nuclear weapons but Michael Archangel, Israel’s prince and protector.  If only they understood God’s plan for His people would happen according to His will.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice