What I Noticed Today (1 Samuel 12-14:23)
1 Samuel 12
In 1 Samuel 12, Samuel gave his final public speech to the Israelites.
In verses 1-15, Samuel’s final speech to the people of Israel is partly a farewell address, a recounting of the history of God’s protection and provision to the nation, and an admonishment to remain faithful to the Lord even though they now have had Saul as king.
In verses 16-25, Samuel was a man of prayer.
- He called on the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain (most unusual since it was the dry harvest season).
- While the people were afraid, Samuel reassured them saying that even though they had sinned against God, God would not abandon them.
- However, Samuel also gave them a dire warning that if they continued to do evil God would sweep them away.
1 Samuel 13
1 Samuel 13 recounts Saul’s failure as a leader of the people.
In verse 1, Saul was 30 years old when he became king, and he reigned 42 years over the Israelites.
In verses 2-22, four major failures of Saul are recounted:
- Saul failed to act decisively when threatened by the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:1-4). Jonathon, his son, declared war on the Philistines and defeated them, yet Saul took credit for the victory.
- Saul failed to inspire or control his army. Some of the men ran away, some hid, and some left the country (1 Samuel 13:5-7).
- Saul failed to follow Samuel’s directions to wait seven days before offering a sacrifice. (1 Samuel 13:8-9). His impatience and rebellion against God began his downward spiral early in his reign.
- Saul lied to Samuel in an attempt to excuse his actions (1 Samuel 13:10-15). When Samuel confronted Saul, he lied to Samuel rather than confessing and repenting his sin. (We’ll catch Saul in a similar lie in 1 Samuel 15:15.)
Source: Deluxe Then and Now Maps by Rose Publishing
1 Samuel 14:1-14:23
In 1 Samuel 14:1-23, Jonathan secured victory over the Philistines:
- Once again Jonathan took action against the invading Philistines.
- Jonathan inquired of God, had faith in God’s promise, and proceeded against the Philistines in faith.
- When Saul heard about the battle initiated by Jonathon, he finally called the army together and joined in the battle.
- The Lord, through Jonathon, gave Israel victory over the Philistines.
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- What a contrast there is between Saul and Jonathon! In many respects, Saul failed as a leader, yet Jonathon, his son, was a man of God who took action!
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
