The Unfathomable Ways of God

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? 15 Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.” 16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.” 17 And the king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father’s house. 23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping.” – 1 Samuel 22:14-23  ESV

The moral, spiritual, and mental state of King Saul was on a steep and rapid decline. His animosity toward David was insatiable and he would not let anyone or anything stand in the way of his quest to eliminate David once and for all. So, while his treatment of Ahimelech and the priests of Nob may shock us, it should not surprise us. Even the priests of God were fair game and subject to Saul’s wrath. But while Saul seemed to have lost all fear of and respect for God, his troops had not. He was unable to recruit any of them to carry out his vindictive order to kill the priests. But there was one man who was more than willing, most likely driven by a desire to see himself rewarded with a promotion for his efforts.

Doeg the Edomite, the man who had been at Nob when David showed up, had made a beeline to King Saul with the news. This Edomite, a foreigner, was more than willing to carry out Saul’s death sentence on the defenseless priests of Nob. Doeg was “the chief of Saul’s herdsmen” (1 Samuel 21:7 ESV), and, like any other ambitious individual, was probably seeking a way to get out of the pasture and climb the palace social ladder. By carrying out Saul’s command when no one else would, he knew he would ingratiate himself to the king and secure his favor. So Doeg slaughtered 85 priests of God that day, along with every living inhabitant of Nob. It was a bloodbath – a senseless, sinful, and Satan-inspired act that would turn the priesthood from Saul to David.

A solitary priest, Abiathar, miraculously escaped the carnage that day and made his way to David with the news of what had happened. David was wracked with horror and guilt. He felt responsible for the deaths of Ahimelech and his fellow priests; it was his deception that had led to their destruction. He had lied to Ahimelech that day by telling him he was on a secret mission for Saul. His rash decision to seek refuge from the priests and then lie to secure their help had put them at great risk. Saul, in his ever-present paranoid state, saw them as traitors and had them summarily executed.

David most likely assumed that Saul, as the king and a servant of Yahweh, would show the priests the respect they were due. He never imagined that Saul would dare to lift his hand against the priests of God. But David was proven wrong and the aftermath of Saul’s senseless slaughter at Nob left him furious. His respect for Saul all but disappeared that day. David’s mental state at the time is revealed in a psalm he wrote to commemorate the event. In it, he reveals his feelings about Saul.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?
    Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
All day long you plot destruction.
    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
    you’re an expert at telling lies.
You love evil more than good
    and lies more than truth. – Psalm 52:1-3 NLT

As a warrior, David was no stranger to violence and death, but what Saul had done to the priests of Nob was the act of a madman, not a man of war. David was appalled and couldn't believe that someone he once admired and idolized could commit such an egregious crime. But he knew that God would not let Saul’s actions go unpunished.

You love to destroy others with your words,
    you liar!
But God will strike you down once and for all.
    He will pull you from your home
    and uproot you from the land of the living. – Psalm 52:4-6 NLT

David was confident that God would bring justice and retribution against Saul. He would not allow this immoral act to go unpunished. While David was in no position to do anything about it, he knew that God would.

The righteous will see it and be amazed.
    They will laugh and say,
“Look what happens to mighty warriors
    who do not trust in God.
They trust their wealth instead
    and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.” – Psalm 52:6-7 NLT

Through the misguided and unrighteous actions of Saul, David learned some valuable lessons regarding those who fail to place their trust in God. He saw in King Saul a stark portrayal of the godly man who abandons his faith in God for reliance upon his own strength and resources. Saul’s blatant betrayal of God was difficult for David to understand but it drove him in his commitment to place his trust in and maintain his reliance upon God, whatever happened.

But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.
    I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.
I will praise you forever, O God,
    for what you have done.
I will trust in your good name
    in the presence of your faithful people. – Psalm 52:8-9 NLT

Abiathar, the sole remaining priest, sought refuge with David. The future king of Israel and the future high priest of Israel were suddenly united by one man’s hatred and God’s divine plan for them. Yet neither David nor Abiathar knew what God had in store for them. David had no idea what the next few years of his life would hold. Abiathar only knew that he was alone and no longer able to exercise his priestly duties. Both men were unaware of all that God was doing behind the scenes. There was no silver lining to the dark cloud that hung over them. There was no light at the end of the foreboding tunnel in which they found themselves. But they would learn to trust in God by having to place all their hope in God.

As David hid within the confines of the cave near Adullam, he was forced to call upon God to protect and preserve him. He had his merry band of misfits but little else to comfort him in his time of distress. This period of intense isolation and loneliness forced David to take his cares and concerns directly to the Lord. Psalm 57 reflects David’s heart as he sought refuge from the relentless efforts of Saul.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
    I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
    until the danger passes by.
I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
    disgracing those who hound me. – Psalm 57:1-3 NLT

And God heard and answered David’s prayer, sending him Abiathar the priest as a spiritual companion and confidant. This young man, who miraculously escaped the slaughter at Nob, would serve as David’s personal priest throughout his years as a fugitive and during his lengthy reign as king. Abiathar’s escape from the sword of Doeg was not a case of good luck, karma, or fate. It is evidence of the sovereign hand of God working behind the scenes and orchestrating the affairs of men to accomplish His divine will.

It’s difficult to discern the reasoning behind Saul’s order of the deaths of all the priests of Nob. Certainly, vengeance played a key role in his decision to annihilate these men of God. But his over-the-top reaction seems counterproductive and self-defeating. For a man who had been abandoned by God, the elimination of all the priests of God would only intensify his sense of isolation. But Saul wasn’t playing with a full deck.

Under the influence of an evil spirit, Saul was making unwise and illogical decisions that would only make matters worse for himself. His slaughter of the priests of Nob would not ingratiate himself with the people of Israel. With their deaths, the sacrificial system was all but shut down and any hope of forgiveness for sin was made impossible. Saul’s obsessive-compulsive desire to preserve his reign at all costs was backfiring in his face. He had declared a personal vendetta against the man whom God had anointed as the next king of Israel. He had ordered the deaths of hundreds of innocent people, including 85 priests of God. In essence, Saul had declared war on God Himself, a decision he would come to regret and a battle he would surely lose.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

From Madness to Gladness

10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,

‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?”

12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” – 1 Samuel 21:10-15  ESV

When reading these verses, the first question that should come into your mind is, “What was David thinking?” There seems to be nothing rational or logical in his behavior. Why in the world would David, the very man who killed Goliath, who was from Gath, choose to seek refuge in Gath, all while carrying the sword that once belonged to their fallen champion? What kind of flawed logic led David to believe he would be welcomed with open arms by the people of Gath? After all, it was David who, in an act of over-achievement, killed 200 Philistines to obtain the 100 foreskins Saul had demanded as a dowry for his daughter, Michal. It was David who had served as a commander in Saul’s forces and won great victories over the Philistines. So what did David think would happen when he showed up in Gath unannounced and uninvited?

From what we know of David’s faithfulness to God and his hatred of the enemies of God, it seems quite unlikely that David had gone to Gath to offer his services as a warrior to King Achish. In other words, David was not considering switching sides and fighting for the Philistines against his own people. So why did he go? The text doesn’t tell us. We can only conjecture that David was desperate to get away from Saul and any troops that may be out to seek him. He knew the last place Saul would look for him was in the land of the Philistines. But David didn’t fully think his strategy through; he made a rash decision under duress and now found himself in a very dangerous predicament.

The Philistines immediately recognized David. It's interesting to note that they referred to David as “the king of the land” (1 Samuel 21:11 ESV). They had heard about the songs sung about David that celebrated his military exploits and lauded him as greater than Saul. It’s doubtful that they knew of David’s anointing by Samuel, but they most likely viewed David as the true leader of the Israelites. At the battle in the Valley of Elah, Goliath had challenged Saul and his men to send a champion to face him in hand-to-hand combat, but no one would step forward. Day after day he taunted them, but Saul remained in the background, afraid to take up the challenge and take on Goliath. At that moment, the Philistines most likely lost all respect for Saul as a king, and when David ended up slaying Goliath, they viewed him as the true king of Israel. But whatever the case, they knew that the man standing before them was an enemy and a threat.

The text rather matter-of-factly states, “And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath” (1 Samuel 21:12 ESV). It was as if David woke up from a bad dream and realized the gravity of his situation. The stupidity of his decision to go to Gath suddenly dawned on him and he was “much afraid.” He was petrified, terrified, and mortified that he had ever come up with this doomed plan in the first place. So, finding himself in a difficult situation, David resorted to deceit. Here was the man who killed Goliath, defeated hundreds of Philistines in battle, and slaughtered 200 Philistines just to pay the dowry for his wife, choosing to feign madness rather than trust God and fight his enemies. David somehow forgot all about his anointing and the fact that God had been by his side during all the conflicts of his life.

The young man who once shouted, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:27 ESV), and then took the life of Goliath with nothing more than a sling and a stone, was now so fearful in the face of his enemies, that he resorted to acting like a madman. The Message paraphrases verse 13 this way: “So right there, while they were looking at him, he pretended to go crazy, pounding his head on the city gate and foaming at the mouth, spit dripping from his beard.”

What a sad scene. The man after God’s own heart and the God-ordained successor to the throne of Israel is reduced to acting like a drooling madman in a desperate attempt to keep from being killed by his enemies. The man who killed Goliath with nothing more than a sling is holding the slain Philistine’s sword but never thinks to use it against his enemies. Instead, he chooses to feign insanity and hope for the best. This is the very same man who would later write:

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me. – Psalm 144:1-2 ESV

He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. – Psalm 18:34 ESV

This ill-timed, poorly conceived plan of David would be used by God to teach His young king-in-waiting an invaluable lesson about faith. From this painful experience, David would learn to place his trust in God rather than his own rash plans and flawed attempts at self-preservation. Despite his poor planning and pitiful acting, David would escape with his life, if not his dignity. He would never forget that day. In fact, he ended up penning a psalm as a result of this encounter with King Achish.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
    He freed me from all my fears. – Psalm 34:4 NLT

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
    he saved me from all my troubles. – Psalm 34:6 NLT

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
    He rescues them from all their troubles. – Psalm 34:17 NLT

The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;
    not one of them is broken! – Psalm 34:19-20 NLT

It’s interesting to read these statements in light of what actually happened that day. There are no prayers recorded in 1 Samuel 21 and there is no indication that God intervened. David didn’t take the sword of Goliath and slaughter King Achish and all his soldiers. No lightning bolt came down from heaven and struck the Philistines, allowing David to walk away safe and secure. There is no mention of any miraculous displays of God’s power on David’s behalf.  But David did survive and not as a result of his stellar dramatic skills.

While no prayers are recorded, it is safe to assume that David was silently calling on the Lord throughout his ordeal. Even as he resorted to acting like a madman, complete with drool dripping from his beard, David was issuing impassioned pleas to the Almighty to deliver him from the hands of his enemies. Faced with the prospect of death, David had taken matters into his own hands and escaped with his life because he was willing to throw away any sense of pride or dignity he had. Yet, when looking back on that day, David viewed his deliverance in a different light. Despite his actions, God had rescued him. While it had been his idea to run from the land of God to the city of Gath, Jehovah had never abandoned him. Even in the middle of one of his worst moments, God was still with him. Regardless of how badly David’s poor attempt at self-preservation turned out, God rescued David from himself because that is what God always does for His own.

God had declared that David would be the next king of Israel and nothing was going to prevent that plan from taking place. Even David couldn’t screw up what God had drawn up. He could make things harder on himself, but nothing he did would make it too hard for God to fulfill His divine plan for him. Poor decision-making and panic-induced problem-solving could not derail the plans of God. Nothing, including a bout of temporary insanity, was going to keep the sovereign God of the universe from carrying out His divine will for David’s life.

This experience would have a lasting impact on David’s life. He would never forget that humiliating and heart-pounding moment when he was forced to play the part of a madman so that he might live to be God’s man. He put his own life at risk but learned the invaluable lesson that God was always in control. He could screw up but God would never give up. He could fall but God would never fail. This awakening awareness of God’s providential power over his life led David to later pen the following words:

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
    for the Lord holds them by the hand. – Psalm 37:23-24 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

No Pain, No Gain

1 Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” 2 And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.” 4 And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.” 5 And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?” 6 So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen.

8 Then David said to Ahimelech, “Then have you not here a spear or a sword at hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.” 9 And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none but that here.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me.” – 1 Samuel 21:1-9  ESV

The next ten chapters of the book of 1st Samuel will chronicle the life of David as he spends the next years of his life running from King Saul. Having received the news from Jonathan that Saul was still determined to take his life, David made his way to Nob, which was about two and a half miles southeast of Gibeah. There, he sought out Ahimelech, the high priest.

David was running out of options. He could no longer go home and his relationship with Samuel the prophet had reached an end. David most likely avoided any contact with Samuel because that would be what Saul expected him to and the prophet was probably under surveillance. David had said his final goodbyes to Jonathan, knowing that they would probably never see one another again. So, in need of food and shelter, David turned to the high priest.

His arrival at Nob caught Ahimelech off guard. He was surprised and a bit scared to see David arrive by himself, without his usual allotment of troops. It seems that Saul’s volatile nature was well-known and justly feared. Ahimelech jumped to the conclusion that David had shown up as an agent sent by Saul to wreak havoc on the priests of God. This would ultimately prove not to be a farfetched idea because, in the very next chapter, Saul commands the execution of every single priest in Nob for aiding and abetting David (1 Samuel 22:6-23).

David assured Ahimelech that he was not there to do them harm. Yet, he also lied to the high priest, assuring him that he was on a top-secret mission for the king, the nature of which he was not free to divulge. This deception was used to obtain food for him and his men and to keep the high priest from asking further questions. It also reveals a certain sense of fear and a lack of trust on David’s part. He was not yet willing, ready, and able to put all his reliance upon God. He was in a tight spot and was willing to lie to preserve his own life. As time went on and David began to see God’s miraculous provision and protection, he grew increasingly more confident in God’s capacity to care for his every need. But at this point in the story, David is fairly unfamiliar with the whole fugitive lifestyle and is simply doing whatever he has to do to stay alive.

When David asked Ahimelech for bread, the only thing the high priest had available was the showbread that was put on display in the Tabernacle as part of a weekly sacrifice to God. The book of Leviticus provides us with important details regarding the showbread. It was to be changed out weekly, and the old bread was to serve as food for the priests. But they were required to eat it in a holy place and only while in a purified state because it was considered holy.

“You shall take fine flour and bake twelve loaves from it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before the Lord. And you shall put pure frankincense on each pile, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion as a food offering to the Lord. Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the Lord regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, since it is for him a most holy portion out of the Lord's food offerings, a perpetual due.” – Leviticus 24:5-9 ESV

Ahimlech’s reticence to share the bread with David and his men was based on the requirement that the bread was holy and not to be eaten by anyone other than the priests and only if they were ceremonially pure. David was able to assure Ahimelech that his soldiers were ceremonially pure because there were no soldiers to begin with. David was alone. There is no indication in the text that David had taken time to gather any troops before he fled. He was completely on his own but knew that Ahimelech would have found that news even more suspicious. So he fabricated the part about his traveling companions. 

But David also assured the high priest that he and “his men” were pure; they had no had any sexual relations. This was certainly true of David because he had not seen his wife Michal for several days. But David never addressed the issue that the showbread was dedicated only for priestly consumption and he was not a priest or even a member of the tribe of Levi. He was a Benjamite. Yet, David took the bread.

Were his actions wrong? In lying to the high priest and taking bread that had been dedicated to God and reserved for the priests alone, was David guilty of violating the Mosaic Law? Did he sin against the Lord? For an answer, we have to turn to the lips of Jesus who took time to address this very story.

“Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?” – Matthew 12:3-4 ESV

Jesus is addressing a group of Pharisees who have just accused His disciples of breaking the Mosaic Law by “harvesting” grain on the Sabbath.

Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” – Matthew 12:1-2 NLT

Jesus referred back to this historical, real-life event in David’s life in order to make a point to His adversaries. He compared what David did with His own disciples eating the heads of wheat on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, with their legalistic mindset, had declared Jesus and His followers to be in violation of God’s law. For Jesus, the actions of the disciples were justified because they were simply meeting the normal human need to eat. Jesus used the same reasoning on another occasion, when He said to the Pharisees, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11-12 NLT). According to Jesus, David was simply trying to stay alive, so his actions were necessary and, therefore, justified.

But what David didn’t know was that his actions were being observed by someone who was on Saul’s payroll. Doeg, the Edomite was in charge of all of Saul’s flocks and it may be that he had it in for David, because he was jealous of his success. After all, David had started out as a shepherd but had risen to a place of power and prominence in the king’s court, and had even married into the king’s family. Perhaps Doeg hoped that by ratting on David, he would be elevated up the royal food chain and move from the pasture to the palace. But regardless of his intent, Doeg made his way to Saul with news about his enemy’s presence in Nob. David’s respite would prove brief and the role Ahimelech played in helping David would prove deadly.

Having been forced to leave Gibeah in a hurry, David was unarmed and defenseless. He had no troops and little hope of staving off any soldiers sent to capture him. So he inquired of Ahimelech whether there were any weapons in the priestly compound. It just so happened that the sword of Goliath, the Philistine champion whom David had killed in hand-to-hand combat, was in the Tabernacle wrapped in a priestly robe. This was the very same sword David had used to cut off the giant’s head. The symbol of his earlier victory would become a sign of hope for the future.

Having retrieved the sword, David took the five loaves of ceremonial showbread and said his goodbyes to Ahimelech. He then began what would be a long and difficult period of running, hiding, and learning to trust in God. In the years that lie ahead, David would find himself experiencing a wide range of life lessons that would increase his faith in God and strengthen his resolve to serve God faithfully. The man and leader David would eventually become would be a direct byproduct of the trials and tribulations of this less-than-pleasant phase of his life. For David, the phrase, “no pain, no gain” could have been the tagline for his life. He would discover the difficult truth that persecution often precedes exaltation. He would endure years of suffering before he ever experienced his crowning. The daily experience of loss and pain would preface his eventual reign.

Years later, when David finally experienced release from Saul’s dogged pursuit and was crowned the king of Israel, he expressed his gratitude and love to God for all He had done.

I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies. – Psalm 18:1-3 ESV

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Great Loss, Great Gain

35 In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little boy. 36 And he said to his boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” 38 And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. 39 But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” 41 And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. – 1 Samuel 20:35-42 ESV

David had experienced incredible life change over a very short time. He had gone from shepherding his family’s flocks to serving as the king’s armor bearer. He had been anointed by the prophet of God. He had slain Goliath. He had become a great military leader and champion against the Philistines. The people loved him; they even composed songs about him.

But at the same time, David had been forced to endure his incredibly confusing, totally inexplicable on-again, off-again relationship with Saul. One day the king loved him; the next, Saul was trying to run him through with a spear. Saul had even tried to use David’s wife (Saul’s daughter) and best friend (Saul’s son) against him. He had sent troops to hunt David down and kill him. In the process, David suffered great loss. He lost his position on the king’s staff. He lost his prominence as one of the king’s warriors. When he was forced to flee for his life, he had to leave his wife behind. Now, as he received the news that Saul was out to kill him once again, David realized he was about to lose his best friend. He could never return to the court because Saul wanted him dead.

What is so important to remember in all of this is that David had been anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. It is still unclear from the text whether David knew or fully understood what his anointing by Samuel had meant. At no point so far, have we seen any sign that David recognized Saul’s evil intentions against him as the result of his jealousy over David’s anointing. In fact, David asked Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” (1 Samuel 20:1 ESV).

He seemed genuinely at a loss as to why Saul wanted him dead. David shows no sign of understanding why Jonathan, the son of the king and natural heir to the throne, might have a problem with his anointing to be the next king. It would seem, at least at this point in the story, that David is oblivious to God’s future plans for his life. All he could see was inexplicable loss and pain. Whatever Samuel’s anointing had meant, it had left David in a dark and desperate place. He was now going to be a man on the run, a fugitive from justice with a bounty on his head. He was losing his family, wife, job, best friend, any last traces of dignity, and any hope of living a normal life.  When he and Jonathan parted ways, it says, “they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most” (1 Samuel 20:41 ESV). This was a sad day. And the chapter ends on a very sad note.

And he rose and departed. – 1 Samuel 20:42 ESV

Whether he fully understood it or not, David was the next king of Israel. He had been hand-chosen by God.

The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people. – 1 Samuel 13:14 ESV

David was the God-ordained replacement for King Saul, and with God’s help and the Holy Spirit’s anointing, David would become the greatest king in Israel’s history. But long before David gained access to the throne of Israel, he would learn what it was like to suffer great loss. It was as if God was progressively removing all the props on which David had learned to lean. He had been a good and faithful shepherd, but God had removed him from the pasture and placed him in the palace. He had been the king’s armor-bearer, but God promoted him to giant slayer. He had been a mighty warrior, defeating the enemies of Israel, but now he would be fighting for his life. David had been a happily married man but had been forced to leave his wife behind just to stay alive. He had enjoyed a deep and lasting friendship with Jonathan, but the two of them had to part ways, never expecting to see one another again.

Everything David had in his life that brought him any fulfillment, joy, support, love, dignity, recognition, accomplishment, or sense of self-worth, was being removed. He would give up the comfort of the palace for the dark and dank confines of a cave. He would learn what it was like to go hungry and without sleep. He would struggle with self-doubt, fear, loneliness, despair, and a growing sense of his own weakness.

But God was in it all. There was a divine plan in place and though it may not appear to be working, God was in complete control of David’s life. In time, it would all make sense.

Not long before He left them, Jesus gave His disciples some final words of encouragement designed to help them trust His plan for their lives.

“I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” – Matthew 19:28-30 NLT

Like David, the disciples had been called by God, and that calling would prove costly for all of them. Jesus had warned them:

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” – Matthew 10:16-20 NLT

Most of them would die as martyrs. All of them would suffer loss and know what it was like to be hated, despised, abused, and rejected by men. But God had great plans for their lives. He would use each of them to accomplish His will and, as Jesus promised them, they would do greater works than He had done while on earth.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” – John 14:12-14 NLT

David would learn the great things God had in store for him would be accompanied by great loss. God was in the process of helping David become God-dependent rather than self-sufficient. He was teaching David the invaluable lesson of reliance upon Him. Each of us has crutches upon which we learn to lean and grow comfortably incapacitated. But God would have us lean on Him. He would have us find our hope, help, strength, worth, fulfillment, and purpose for life in Him. David was a gifted young man, but God was out to make him a godly king. David had in Jonathan a true friend, but he would learn what it meant to have God as his companion. David had risked his life killing 200 Philistines to gain the right to marry Michal. But soon, David would discover what it was like to love and be loved by God – a relationship unlike any other in life.

In all of this, David would learn the truth behind the words of Jesus, spoken centuries later: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24 NLT). True allegiance to God requires complete dependence upon God. Experiencing the full power of God demands that we lose our reliance upon any source of support other than God. David would be forced to sacrifice a great deal but what he gained in return would be well worth the cost and produce in him a peace-producing reliance upon God.

I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety. – Psalm 18:1-2 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Brides, Bribes, and Broken Promises

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed. – 1 Samuel 18:17-30 ESV

In attempting to rid himself of David, Saul had tried the direct approach. On multiple occasions, in one of his fits of rage, he had unsuccessfully attempted to kill David with a spear. But his failures only fueled his desire to get rid of this threat to his reign as king. So he developed more clandestine and creative plans that would expose David to life-threatening circumstances while protecting himself from any appearance of impropriety or personal involvement. While his tactics changed, his goal remained the same: To do whatever it took to eradicate this threat to his reputation and rule.

After what appears to be a lengthy delay, Saul decided to honor his promise to reward the one who killed the Philistine champion, Goliath. He had promised to “give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!” (1 Samuel 17:25 NLT). It seems that Saul had reservations about keeping his commitment because it might further enhance David’s advantage over him. Allowing David to marry his daughter would make him a permanent part of the royal family and provide him with increased legitimacy and accessibility to the throne.

So, Saul came up with a plan to use his own daughter as bait, hoping to lure David into a deadly trap. In a disingenuous display of magnanimity, Saul offered David the hand of his eldest daughter Merab.

“Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of the Lord.” – 1 Samuel 18:17 NLT

Like an unscrupulous used-car salesman, Saul tried to wheel and deal his way into a more profitable outcome, using his daughter as a bargaining chip. Saul was attempting to use David’s intense sense of loyalty and nationalistic pride to his own advantage. He knew that David’s faithfulness to God and country would cause him to risk life and limb and further increase the odds of his untimely death. So, Saul offered David the hand of his daughter in marriage on one condition: That he continue to “fight the battles of the Lord.”

But Saul never intended to keep his part of the agreement. His entire plan was based on the inevitability of David’s death.

“There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!” – 1 Samuel 18:17 NLT

Saul was so convinced that David would never live to see his own wedding day, that he eventually gave his daughter to another man.

When the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she instead was given in marriage to Adriel, who was from Meholah. – 1 Samuel 18:19 NLT

In contrast to Saul’s manipulative and hateful tactics, David displayed an innocent and humble spirit. While he had rightfully earned the reward, he did not see himself as worthy of the honor.

“Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” – 1 Samuel 18:18 NLT

This self-effacing statement must have sounded eerily familiar to Saul because it echoed the words he spoke when Samuel announced he was to be Israel’s king.

“But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?” – 1 Samuel 9:21 NLT

The once-humble and contrite Saul had become an egotistical, scheming man who would do anything to retain his royal position and protect his precious reputation. 

Saul’s plan eventually backfired because David was the Lord’s anointed and enjoyed the presence and power of God’s Spirit. No matter how many battles he fought or how many enemies he faced, David was under the watchful eye of Jehovah and would continue to enjoy great success and increasing popularity. This led Saul to come up with Plan B. When he learned that his other daughter, Michal, loved David very much, he decided to use this relationship to his advantage. Because of David’s close friendship with Saul’s son, Jonathan, he likely spent a great deal of time in Jonathan’s company and, as a result, had been able to get to know Michal well. Upon discovering his daughter’s affection for David, Saul saw another opportunity to rid himself of David once and for all. It was the same tactic but a different daughter.

“I will give her to him so that she may become a snare to him and so the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” – 1 Samuel 18:21 NLT

This time, Saul came up with a more specific and potentially deadly condition for David to meet. To win his daughter’s hand in marriage, David was required to provide a dowry of one hundred Philistine foreskins. Once again, Saul was appealing to David’s sense of duty. He knew that David came from a less-than-affluent family and would be unable to pay the customary dowry, especially one fit for the daughter of a king. So he would allow David to use his military skills and his hatred for the enemies of God to come up with a somewhat unorthodox dowry payment.

This entire sequence of events is designed to provide a glimpse into David’s character. Saul sent his servants to prime the pump and convince David to strongly consider Saul’s generous offer of Michal’s hand in marriage. But David simply responded, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?” (1 Samuel 18:23 NLT). He knew he was out of his league. He was unworthy to be the son-in-law of the king; he didn’t have the financial means or the family heritage to warrant such a thing. But that was not going to deter Saul. He knew that David, being a man of integrity, would take him up on his offer. But he also knew that the risk involved in David accomplishing such a feat was going to be great, and the likelihood of David dying in the process was even greater.

Verse 27 matter-of-factly states: “David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife” (1 Samuel 18:27 ESV). Much to Saul’s chagrin, David took the king up on his offer and fulfilled the requirement to have Michal as his wife. He even doubled the number of foreskins, just to make sure that he didn’t underpay for the privilege of becoming the king’s son-in-law.

Saul’s plan had failed. His strategy to eliminate David had actually elevated him. Now David was a permanent member of his family and would more than likely give him grandchildren and potential heirs to the throne. Not only that, Saul became increasingly aware that David enjoyed the benefit of God’s blessings. Everything David did was successful and there was nothing Saul could do about it. As a result, Saul’s fear of Dvid grew exponentially.

So Saul was David’s enemy continually. – 1 Samuel 18:30 ESV

This last line is significant because it reveals that the animosity between Saul and David was one-way. David had done nothing but honor Saul, serving him as his personal armor bearer, court musician, and military commander. While David’s reputation had grown, he never sought fame or glory. He was not prideful or arrogant. There is never an indication that he had aspirations for the crown. It is still unclear whether David even knew that his earlier anointing by Samuel had been to make him the next king of Israel. No, David simply served, faithfully and unselfishly. At no time does he seem to view Saul as his enemy, even though the king had tried to kill him with his own hands. He never utters a disparaging word about the king.

Saul’s hatred for David was one-directional, and his attempts to kill David would continue to prove unsuccessful because God had a greater plan in place. David would be the next king, whether Saul liked it or not, and regardless of whether Saul loved David or not. David’s fame would continue to grow; so would Saul’s hatred for David. But God was not done. His preparation of David for the throne was not yet complete. Things would get worse before they got better. The tension between David and Saul was going to reach a boiling point and the next phase of God’s king-creating curriculum would soon begin.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

You Call This a Plan?

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him. – 1 Samuel 16:14-23 ESV

David, the youngest son of Jesse, was eventually brought before the prophet, Samuel. While the passage describes David as being ruddy in color, with beautiful eyes and a handsome exterior, those outer characteristics had nothing to do with his selection by Samuel. Regarding Eliab’s king-like exterior, God told 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” (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV).

But while David’s outer appearance had nothing to do with his selection by God, it’s interesting to note that he is described as “ruddy.” The Hebrew word is 'admoniy and it can refer to someone who is red-headed or who has a reddish complexion. It is the same word used to describe Esau at his birth (Genesis 25:25).

David was a young, handsome, redheaded Hebrew boy who also served as a shepherd over his family’s flocks. When he walked into the presence of Samuel, Jesse, and his seven brothers that day, he would have stood out like a sore thumb. There was Eliab, who by Samuel’s own admission, had the look of a king, but David would have impressed no one with his adolescent physique and ruddy complexion.

Each of his brothers had heard the prophet say of them, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one” (1 Samuel 16:8 ESV). Now they were forced to stand and watch as Samuel took the oil and poured it over David’s head. There is no indication that anyone but Samuel knew the significance of his actions. Samuel had not told Jesse why he had come to Bethlehem or indicated the reason for wanting to meet each of his sons. Even when David arrived, Samuel was the only one to whom God said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he” (1 Samuel 16:12 ESV).

What is missing in this scene are any signs of celebration or trepidation. Had they realized that David had just been anointed the next king of Israel, you would have thought that Jesse and his sons would have reacted with either joy or fear. Joy, because it was not every day that one of your own family members was anointed to be the king of Israel. Fear, because they would have realized that King Saul was probably not going to take the news all that well.

Had they recognized the significance of what had just happened, it seems they would have displayed a more pronounced reaction. But all that we’re told is that the Spirit of God rushed upon David. Even this somewhat dramatic-sounding event is treated rather flippantly with no details provided to explain what this experience was like for David. Did his father and brothers even notice what had happened? Did David display any visible signs of this divine anointing?

The text simply states that after the anointing ceremony, Samuel abruptly left and, according to verse 19, David simply returned to tending sheep. No party was thrown and David received no celebratory pats on the back. But while it may appear that everything remained the same, one thing was radically different.

God had placed His Spirit upon this young shepherd boy, radically altering the trajectory of his life. But this experience was not unique to David; God had done the same thing with Saul. After his anointing by Samuel, Saul was given specific instructions to follow.

“…this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.” – 1 Samuel 10:1 ESV

The prophet sent Saul on what can best be described as a scavenger hunt, where he would encounter a variety of people along the way and receive various clues that would eventually lead him to the city of Gibeath-elohim.

“And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.” – 1 Samuel 10:5-6 ESV

Saul had received the Spirit of God as well but with David’s anointing as his replacement, Saul had the Spirit of God removed from him.

Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. – 1 Samuel 16:14 ESV

Saul retained the crown, the symbol of his reign, but He lost the power and authority to rule as God’s chosen servant. With the removal of the Spirit of God, he “turned into another man” again, but this time, not for the better. Without the presence and power of God’s Spirit, Saul was left to his own fleshly, sinful self, and exposed to the influence of Satan. We’re not told the nature or source of the “harmful spirit” that tormented Saul, but it is clear that God, in His sovereign plan, allowed this spirit to come upon Saul.

“Saul’s evil bent was by the permission and plan of God. We must realize that in the last analysis, all penal consequences come from God, as the Author of the moral law and the one who always does what is right.” – Gleason L. Archer Jr., Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, p. 180.

It was the presence of this evil spirit that set up David’s transition from the pasture to the palace. In time, he would go from shepherding sheep to serving as the king’s personal servant. David, the young shepherd boy would find him serving in the palace of the very man he was destined to replace. Tormented by an evil spirit, Saul would experience fits of uncontrolled rage. These periodic episodes frightened Saul’s servants and caused them to seek a remedy. Providentially, their search led them to David, the young shepherd boy who also happened to be proficient with the lyre. David began his employment as a court musician but eventually was promoted to be the king’s armor-bearer.

The text states that King Saul loved David. What an ironic scene. Here was David, the newly anointed king of Israel, serving as the personal valet to the man whose job he was supposed to fill. At this point, Saul had no clue as to what happened in Bethlehem. He was unaware of David’s anointing by Samuel, and David seemed to be ignorant of the fact that he might be in any kind of danger. This might suggest that David had no clue that Samuel’s anointing had been to make him the next king of Israel. At no point in the anointing ceremony did Samuel explain his actions to Jesse or David.

But David’s awareness of what God was doing would grow over time. He would gradually put the pieces together and recognize that he had been chosen by God to be the next king. But in the meantime, he appears to be an unknowing passenger on a life-transformative journey that will all the thrills and chills of a roller-coaster ride. Little did David know that his life would never be the same again.

During his short tenure on Saul’s staff, David and the king develop a love-hate relationship. There would be moments of genuine affection coupled with inexplicable periods of unbridled and life-threatening anger. Saul’s temperament would be all over the map. As David’s popularity and fame increased, Saul’s psychological condition grew progressively worse. Yet all of this was part of God’s plan for David’s life.

God could have simply removed Saul and replaced him with David. He could have made this an immediate and hassle-free transition plan but, instead, He chose to forestall David’s coronation. This inexperienced young man was going to discover that his road to the throne would be a rocky one. His anointing by God, whether he understood the full import of it or not, did not guarantee him an easy or trouble-free life. Had the prophet sat down with David and given him a full description of what the next years of his life would entail, he might have decided to return to the sheep for good.

God’s calling of a man never comes with the guarantee of the “good life.” Abraham’s calling by God was accompanied by years of disappointment, countless setbacks, and the constant requirement to live by faith, not sight. Moses was called by God but faced constant danger, rejection, doubt, and questions about his leadership ability. Jesus called the 12 disciples but He also told them, “Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles” (Matthew 10:17-18 ESV). Jesus went on to tell them, “…you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22 ESV).

David was in for a wild ride. He had the anointing of God, but now he was to receive the equipping of God. He had the Spirit of God, but the Spirit was out to have all of him. He was a man after God’s own heart, but God was out to give David a heart like His own.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Little Is Much When God Is In It

1 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.” 2 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.’ 3 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.” 4 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?” 5 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.

6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” 7 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.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 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.” 12 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.” 13 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. – 1 Samuel 16:1-13 ESV

Evidently, Samuel was having a difficult time accepting Saul’s demise as the king of Israel. God had officially rejected Saul and communicated His plans to replace him.

“You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” – 1 Samuel 13:13-14 ESV

But years had passed since that pronouncement and Saul remained on the throne of Israel. Yet God had abandoned him and Samuel the prophet had broken off all communications with him. Saul was on his own, operating without God’s presence and the prophet’s counsel. This sad state of affairs left Samuel in a state of perpetual mourning. As an old man, Samuel must have wondered what the future held for the nation of Israel. His days were numbered but he couldn’t help but question what could have been if Saul had only obeyed the word of the Lord. This grand experiment to appoint a king over Israel had turned out poorly and the once-promising Saul had proved to be a huge disappointment.

Samuel had been the one who delivered the news to Saul regarding God’s plans to replace him but he knew nothing about God’s timing or the identity of Saul’s successor. All he could see was the failed reign of Saul and the lingering threat of war because of Israel’s ever-present enemies. Nothing had changed. Israel was no better off with a king than they had been when Samuel served as their judge. But God was ready to intervene and begin the process of transforming the 12 tribes of Israel into the mighty nation He had always planned for it to be.

Samuel was commanded to fill his flash with oil and head to the town of Bethlehem where he would find Israel’s next king among the sons of Jesse, a descendant of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:17, 22). These instructions filled the elderly prophet with fear because he knew that any attempt he made to anoint a new king would be viewed as an act of treason by Saul. From Samuel’s perspective, this journey to Bethlehem was little more than a death march. But rather than addressing Samuel’s concerns, God simply continued His instructions.

“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.” – 1 Samuel 16:2-3 NLT

God provided Samuel with a cover story for his journey, instructing him to take a heifer for use in a sacrifice. Throughout his life, Samuel had functioned as both a priest and prophet of God and it would have been natural for him to offer sacrifices to Jehovah. So, God gave His reluctant servant a way to disguise the true purpose behind his visit to Bethlehem. Samuel was to present the heifer as an offering to the Lord, inviting all the citizens of Bethlehem to join him in a meal to consume the meat of the sacrifice. This was like a peace or fellowship offering (Leviticus 7:11-21) and was intended to be an expression of gratitude to God for His blessings or deliverance. Unlike a sacrifice of propitiation for sin, the meat of the peace offering was to be eaten by the ones who offered it. In doing so, they “fellowshipped” with God.

Samuel was instructed to invite Jesse and his eight sons to this communal event, and God promised to reveal which of the sons was to be Saul’s replacement. As was required for any sacrifice, all the participants had to be purified before taking part in the ceremony; this included Jesse and his sons. However, the elders of Bethlehem were suspicious of Samuel’s presence and questioned the purpose behind his visit. After hearing what Samuel had done to King Agag, they had every right to fear this elderly but far-from-feeble prophet. This was likely the first time any of them had laid eyes on a prophet of God and Samuel’s sudden appearance frightened them.

As Samuel performed the purification process, he got a good look at each of Jesse’s sons. When he got his first glimpse of Eliab, the firstborn, he immediately assumed he was the one, saying, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him” (1 Samuel 16:6 ESV). But he was wrong. God responded to Samuel with one of the most revealing statements in the entire Bible.

“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.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 ESV

Saul, Israel’s first king, had been chosen based on sight. He was described as “a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people” (1 Samuel 9:2 ESV). But looks can be deceiving, and Samuel allowed himself to be deceived by Eliab’s outer appearance. Yet, when God announced His decision to replace Saul, He told Samuel that He had “sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14 ESV).

This was not going to be another beauty contest or a search for the best-looking candidate. On this occasion, the selection process was going to be different. No more kings by consensus. God was looking for a man of good character, not great stature.

So Samuel had Jesse parade each of his sons in front of him but, one after the other, God repeatedly rejected them, forcing Samuel to announce, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one” (1 Samuel 16:8 ESV). The time came when Jesse ran out of sons and Samuel held the flask of anointing oil in his hands – unused. Samuel, a bit perplexed, asked Jesse if he had any other sons, to which the confused father replied, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:11 ESV).

There is a lot of conjecture as to why David was not invited to the festivities to begin with. The passage doesn’t indicate whether Jesse knew the purpose behind Samuel’s visit. But when Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice, David was left out in the fields to tend the flocks. He was the youngest and, therefore, the low man on the totem pole. While all his brothers were being consecrated and prepared to participate in the feast, he was left to care for the family’s livestock.

It’s interesting to note that when Jesse informed Samuel about David, he said, “he is keeping the sheep.” The Hebrew word is ra`ah and it can literally be translated as “he is shepherding the sheep.” David was faithfully caring for and protecting the flocks of his father. He was doing his job to feed, guide, and nurture those who had been placed in his care. In Psalm 78, we are given a glimpse into the shepherd’s heart of David, the one who was about to be anointed the next king of Israel.

He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him
to shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his inheritance.
With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand. – Psalm 78:70-72 ESV

God was going to choose David because of his heart, not because he was handsome. God was going to anoint this young boy as the next king of Israel, not because he was famous, but because he was faithful. Yes, he was the last in line of all the sons of Jesse, but he was far from the least in the eyes of God.

There is a song written by Kittle L. Suffield that sums up the situation with David quite nicely.

Does the place you’re called to labor
Seem too small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He’ll not forget His own.

Little is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown—and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ Name.

David was left in the field by his father. But he was not left out of God’s plan for the future of Israel. David was an afterthought in his father’s mind, but he was worthy to be chosen by God to become the shepherd of the flock of Israel. David was unknown and insignificant, shepherding sheep in the fields of Bethlehem, but God was about to do something that would radically change the trajectory of his life – forever.

Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah. – 1 Samuel 16:13 NLT

The transition of power had begun but the timing would prove interesting. God had anointed His future king but Saul remained on the throne. The replacement had been revealed and the future of Israel had been affirmed, but God had plans for David that no one could have ever imagined.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Has No Regrets

24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” 26 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.” 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 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. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 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.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.

32 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.” 33 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.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 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. – 1 Samuel 15:24-35 ESV

This chapter contains an apparent contradiction. Earlier in the chapter, verse 10 records God’s message to Samuel regarding Saul: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments” (1 Samuel 15:10 ESV). That same sentiment is expressed at the end of the chapter.

And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. – 1 Samuel 15:35 ESV

Yet, Samuel appears to contradict those two statements when he informs Saul, “…the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret” (1 Samuel 15:29 ESV). So which is it, is God capable of regret or not? The Hebrew word used in all three verses is nāḥam, and it conveys the idea of sorrow or regret but can also be used to speak of repentance or a change of mind. When used of God, it is an anthropomorphism: “an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics” (“Anthropomorphism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthropomorphism. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.).

As Samuel states in verse 29, God is not a man. In other words, He is a spirit being and not human, yet we attempt to describe Him by using human terminology that describes human traits. God is an incorporeal being, without hands, feet, brain, or heart. He has no eyes, yet Proverbs states, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3 ESV). According to Proverbs 5, “the Lord sees clearly what a man does” (Proverbs 5:21 NLT).

God’s “sight” is unrestricted and not dependent upon human eyes. His “reach” is not restricted by human arms and hands. God “speaks” without the benefit of a tongue.  He “thinks” and yet has no brain. According to the Genesis account of creation, God “spoke” the universe into existence, and yet He has no vocal chords. Numbers 23:19 states that “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind,” yet God is not equipped with a human-like mind. His reasoning capacity is not limited by the size of His brain because He does not have one.

So, when Samuel records that God regretted making Saul king, he is trying to express God’s inherent sorrow over an outcome that He had ordained and foresaw. God was not admitting an error or expressing regret for His actions but displaying His sorrow for Saul’s fate. God may not have a heart, but He is far from emotionless. The psalmist writes, “The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die” (Psalm 116:15 NLT). God is loving, caring, and compassionate. When contemplating the inevitable consequences of His decision to give the Israelites a king like all the other nations, God cared deeply about the pain and suffering that it caused. He was not sorrowful for His actions but He did “regret” that their rebellious demand for a king had to result in some painful lessons for all involved.

But God’s regret did not result in remorse or a change of mind. He had known all along how this scenario was going to turn out and it all happened according to His sovereign plan. He gave the people what they wanted and the result was just as He had predicted. But that doesn’t mean that God gloated over His decision or enjoyed watching His people suffer. At no point did God take delight in watching Saul fail or His people suffer. He took no pleasure in seeing His providential plan played out. God was not surprised by Saul’s stubborn refusal to obey His will but He was saddened by the inevitable outcome. The Lord doesn’t gloat over or relish the fall of the wicked. In fact, He says, “I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live” (Ezekiel 33:11 NLT).

But God’s sorrow was not going to produce a change of mind. As much as He hated to witness Saul’s demise and the people’s resulting pain and loss, it would not prevent Him from doing what He had planned to do all along. That is what Samuel means when he states, “the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!” (1 Samuel 15:29 NLT). Samuel uses a title for God that is found nowhere else in Scripture. He refers to Jehovah as “the Glory of Israel.” The Hebrew word translated as “glory” is neṣaḥ, and it means “everlastingness.” It refers to God’s eminence and eternality; He is consistent and unchanging in all His ways. God is not fickle or controlled by circumstances. The vicissitudes of fallen humanity do not alter God’s plans or cause Him to change His mind. So, when it came to the outcome of Saul’s disobedience, the die was cast and his fate was sealed.

Sensing the seriousness of the situation, Saul finally decided to take ownership for his sin, in the hopes that God might spare him.

“Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the Lord.” – 1 Samuel 15:24-25 NLT

But it was too little, too late. Samuel had been given no permission from God to serve as Saul’s priestly confessor or counselor, so he refused the king’s pitiful plea. In desperation, Saul reached out to prevent Samuel from leaving, tearing the prophet’s robe in the process. Samuel used this as a sign to drive home the serious nature of Saul’s predicament.

“The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.” – 1 Samuel 15:28 NLT

Self-absorbed and obsessed with his image, Saul begged Samuel to do him one last favor. He pleaded for Samuel to accompany him in a carefully staged worship service held in the presence of the elders of Israel. Saul was all about appearances, hoping that Samuel’s presence would reassure the people of Israel that he was still the king and fully in charge. Saul was less concerned about “the Glory of Israel” than he was about his own stature among the people.

Samuel agreed and took part in Saul’s little charade, but when the service ended, he demanded that Saul bring out Agag, the king of the Amalekites. After having officiated a worship service to Jehovah, Samuel required Saul to bring out the evidence of his own disobedience. How could the king offer up praise to God when he held in his possession the proof of his unwillingness to obey God? Saul had been given strict instructions to put King Agag to death but he had chosen to let him live. Perhaps he had hoped to receive some kind of ransom from the captive king. But regardless of Saul’s motivation, Agag was living proof that Saul remained unrepentant and unremorseful. But Samuel did what Saul had refused to do; he “cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal” (1 Samuel 15:33 NLT). The elderly prophet displayed his reverence for God by faithfully carrying out the will of God. As Saul stood back and watched, Samuel fulfilled the duty of the king by carrying out the command of the Glory of Israel.

This proved to be the final interaction between Samuel and Saul. With the death of Agag, the two men parted ways, never to meet again. The chapter ends with a sad note: “And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel” (1 Samuel 15:35 ESV). God knew that the days ahead were going to be difficult for Saul and the people of Israel. He had a plan but that plan was going to involve pain and suffering for all involved. God was not surprised by the outcome. God’s rejection of the rebellious Saul was not a knee-jerk reaction; it was all part of His pre-ordained plan. He already had Saul’s replacement picked out and the transfer of power was about to begin.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Rejection Notice

1 And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. 3 Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.” 4 They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand.” 5 And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”

6 And Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your fathers. 8 When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried out to the Lord and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 But they forgot the Lord their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. 10 And they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.’ 11 And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety. 12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. 13 And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. – 1 Samuel 12:1-13 ESV

Samuel had never gotten over his anger at the people’s rejection of him as their judge. While he had faithfully followed God’s directions and anointed Saul as their king, he was still miffed at having been kicked to the curb and discarded like an old, worn-out coat. The Israelites had even rejected his plan to have his two sons succeed him as judge. All in all, Samuel was not a happy camper and he was determined to share his frustration with the ungrateful people of Israel.

With Saul’s resounding defeat of the Ammonites, Samuel knew his days were numbered. Not only was he advanced in years and nearing death, but his influence over the Israelites had just been greatly diminished by Saul’s success. Now that the Israelites had a king, they would have little need for the services of an elderly judge who was the last living vestige of a dying breed and a former era. So, he took this opportunity to state his peace with the people of Israel.

You can sense Samuel’s personal animus at having been passed over by the Israelites. He had been a good and faithful judge for a very long time but when the people demanded a king instead, he complied. Yet, he fails to disclose his initial reaction to their request.

…Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you.” – 1 Samuel 8:6-7 NLT

It’s interesting to note that Samuel makes it sound as if he had complied with their demand.

“Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you.” – 1 Samuel 12:1 ESV

But in actuality, he had been obeying the command of God.

“Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you…” – 1 Samuel 8:7 ESV

“Now then, obey their voice…” – 1 Samuel 8:9 ESV

Everything Samuel did had been God’s will but he makes it sound as if it had all been his idea. It’s almost as if he’s trying to take some credit for the successful outcome of Saul’s installment as king. In fact, he flatly states, “I…have made a king over you” (1 Samuel 12:1 ESV). This statement oozes with pride and bears a hint of lingering resentment. Samuel is seeking a bit of recognition and gratitude from those who have rejected him. With Saul having successfully defeated the Ammonites, Samuel knows he will soon be a distant memory in the minds of the people. His exploits as a judge will soon be forgotten, so he wants to ensure that he goes down in the history books as the one who gave Israel their first king.

Next, Samuel plays the sympathy card, reminding the people of his old age and long years of service.

“I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day…” – 1 Samuel 12:2 ESV

Then, in a rather bizarre display of self-aggrandizement, Samuel attempts to tout his own personal integrity.

“Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.” – 1 Samuel 12:3 ESV

He seems to be demanding an explanation for why they rejected him as their judge. But his words are nothing more than a thinly veiled claim of innocence and a stinging indictment of their poor treatment of him. Samuel was playing the victim card and he got the response for which he was looking. The people validated his claim of innocence. 

“You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand.” – 1 Samuel 12:4 ESV

But dissatisfied with their response, Samuel makes them swear an oath vindicating his faithful tenure as their judge. He wanted them to admit that he had done nothing to deserve their treatment of him and, once again, he got what he was looking for.

And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.” – 1 Samuel 12:5 ESV

It seems as if Samuel wanted credit for giving them a king, but if this whole experiment were to go south, he wanted to be exonerated from any blame. He was washing his hands from any responsibility if things didn’t turn out as expected. 

After belaboring his own significance, Samuel finally directs the people’s attention back to God. He knew the real source of their problem was spiritual infidelity and they came by it honestly. They were merely the byproduct of their unfaithful ancestors, who had also turned their back on God. At this point in his “farewell speech,” Samuel gives his audience a brief history lesson.

“When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to the Lord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land. But the people soon forgot about the Lord their God, so he handed them over to Sisera, the commander of Hazor’s army, and also to the Philistines and to the king of Moab, who fought against them.” – 1 Samuel 12:8-9 NLT

In a very truncated version of the Exodus story, Samuel recounts the Israelite’s rescue from captivity in Egypt, their journey to the promised land, its ultimate conquest, and their subsequent disobedience and discipline by God. He collapses centuries of history to fast-forward to the recent past. Samuel’s goal was to remind the people of Israel about the period of the judges and how he came to power in the first place.

When their ancestors forgot Yahweh and worshiped the false gods of Canaan, He punished them. But when they repented and called out to Him for help, God raised up a judge to deliver them.

“Then they cried to the Lord again and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from the Lord and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’ Then the Lord sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety.” – 1 Samuel 12:10-11 NLT

Notice that Samuel includes his name in the list of God-appointed judges. This not-so-subtle reminder was meant to remind the Israelites that he was a member of a well-respected league of extraordinary men and women. In fact, he was the last living judge of Israel.

But when the current people of Israel found themselves confronted by Nahash and the Ammonites, they didn’t call on God, confessing their sins and asking for deliverance. Instead, they demanded a king and completely jettisoned the idea of Samuel serving as their deliverer. But Samuel makes it clear that, in making this fateful decision, they had actually rejected God. For centuries, God had successfully delivered His people from their enemies. Yet, when the Ammonites showed up at Jabesh-gilead, the Israelites suddenly decided they needed a king, not Yahweh. They wanted a human king, not a divine one. And Samuel reminds them that got exactly what they asked for.

“All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the Lord has granted your request.” – 1 Samuel 12:13 NLT

For better or worse, Saul was their king and, in essence, Samuel was about to tell them, “You made your bed, now sleep in it.” They may have rejected God as their king but God had not abdicated His throne or given up His right to rule and reign over His people. They were still obligated to obey and worship Him. They had gotten their wish but that had done nothing to alter God’s will for them. He was still their God and they remained His chosen people, and that privileged relationship came with non-negotiable obligations.  

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Calling Confirmed

25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. 26 Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”

1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage. 2 When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ 3 Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand. 5 After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.” – 1 Samuel 9:25-10:8 ESV

At this point in the story, Saul still seems completely unaware of what is happening. His search for the missing donkeys has taken a strange twist, complete with a religious feast where he finds himself as the guest of honor. Before he can gather his wits about him, Saul has a leg of lamb placed before him and is told by the seer, “Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests” (1 Samuel 9:24 ESV). One can only imagine the thoughts racing through this young man’s mind as he scans the hall. The room is filled with anonymous dignitaries and honored guests but Saul is left trying to figure out why he has been placed at the head of the table like some kind of celebrity.

There is no record of any further conversations between Samuel and his young guest as the feast continued, but it must have lasted well into the night. When it finally ended, Samuel escorted Saul to a house in the city and provided him a place to spend the night. The next morning, Saul received an early wake-up call from Samuel and was told it was time for him to go home. As they left the city, Samuel instructed Saul to send his servant ahead so they could talk privately.

After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.” – 1 Samuel 9:27 NLT

The time had come for Saul to learn his fate, and what happened next would change his life forever. As he stood anxiously waiting to hear what Samuel had to say, he must have been shocked as the elderly judge took out a flask of oil and emptied its contents on his head. As the oil flowed down Saul’s face, Samuel kissed him and whispered in his ear, saying,  “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession” (1 Samuel 10:1 NLT).

It is so easy to read this story and miss the weight of what is happening. This young man is having his entire life turned upside down in a bizarre ordination ceremony conducted in the middle of the street by a strange, elderly prophet. Saul’s mind must have reeled as he considered the epic truth bomb that Samuel dropped. But throughout the brief and bewildering encounter, Saul remained speechless; he was at a complete loss for words.

But Samuel had much to say to Saul. With the prophet’s words still ringing in his ears, Saul received further instructions that, when followed, would validate all that happened. This entire sequence of events was the work of Yahweh, from the disappearance of the donkeys to the encounter with the prophet of God. As Saul made his way home, he would receive additional evidence that the sovereign God of the universe was behind his call and orchestrating everything taking place around him. None of this could be written off as a coincidence or good luck.

Samuel prophesied that Saul would encounter two men who would inform him that the lost donkeys had been found and his father had grown worried about his welfare. Further along on his journey, Saul would meet three shepherds leading their goats and bearing three loaves of bread and a flask of wine. As if on cue, these strangers will offer Saul two loaves of bread, which he is instructed to accept. Finally, Samuel informs Saul that when he and his servant arrive at Gibeath-elohim, they will run into “a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying” (1 Samuel 10:5 ESV).

Each of these encounters is intended to confirm the veracity of Samuel’s original message to Saul. The call of God on Saul’s life would be confirmed by the fulfillment of each of these prophecies. If they failed to happen, the words of the prophet would be invalidated. But if they took place just as Samuel said, they would serve as confirmation of God’s divine calling on Saul’s life.

The final prediction was the most important one because it involved the Holy Spirit. Saul is told that he will meet a group of prophets prophesying. This does not infer that these men will be predicting the future as Samuel has just done. Instead, they will be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit. In other words, they will be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led, and Samuel informs Saul that he will join them.

“At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.” – 1 Samuel 10:6 NLT

While some believe this event will usher in an inner transformation of Saul’s heart, the ultimate outcome of his life would seem to contradict that assumption. Saul’s change will be temporary because it will last only as long as the Spirit’s power remains upon him. Each of these events is intended to teach Saul something about God. First, God is in complete control of all things and able to direct the lives of men, including the two strangers who will tell Saul about the fate of the missing donkeys. As king, Saul would need to know that God is always in control.

Secondly, God’s sovereignty allowed Him to use anyone and everything to aid His chosen leader. The three shepherds who provided Saul with bread would serve as an illustration of God’s providential power to provide for all of Saul’s future needs. Finally, Saul’s anointing by the Holy Spirit would remind him that his rule and reign would only prove successful if he relied upon the supernatural power that only God could provide.

These three events were meant to teach Saul that, from this point forward, God was in control of his life. Saul was no longer the master of his fate and the captain of his soul. He belonged to God now and his life was no longer his own.

Samuel assured Saul that each of these signs would take place just as predicted. When they did, Saul was told to “do what must be done, for God is with you” (1 Samuel 10:7 NLT). It seems that with each encounter, God would provide Saul with further instructions to follow. Saul was to remain hyper-vigilant and obedient, following God’s will to the letter. There was to be no variation or unscheduled detour from God’s prescribed directions, and the final piece of God’s divine plan would prove to be the most important. Samuel provided Saul with very clear instructions to follow. The specificity of his words and Saul’s ability to obey them will prove crucial to the rest of the story.

“Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.” – 1 Samuel 10:8 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

“I Am the Lord!”

1 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there. 9 But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” 11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven. – 1 Samuel 5:1-12 ESV

The Philistines got what they wanted: A lop-sided victory over the Israelites and, as an added bonus, the capture of the enemy’s gold-covered idol. The superstitious and idolatrous Philistines recognized the ark as an Israelite deity. When they had witnessed its arrival in the Israelite camp, the Philistines had taken notice.

…when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” – 1 Samuel 4:6-7 ESV

The polytheistic Philistines worshiped three different gods: Ashtoreth, Dagon, and Baal-Zebub. The Philistines made a habit of carrying images of their deities into battle (2 Samuel 5:21), so it was no surprise to them when the Israelites did the same thing. But they weren’t exactly pleased by the news.

“Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness.” – 1 Samuel 4:7-8 ESV

Yet, their fears proved to be unfounded as they easily routed the enemy and captured the Israelite god. They returned to Ashdod with the ark in tow and placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon. It’s unclear whether they meant for the ark to be an offering to their own god or if they were equal opportunity idolaters who intended to add the Israelite god to their pantheon of pagan deities.

But whatever their reason for placing the ark in the temple of Dagon, they woke up to find that their deity was lying prostrate before the golden ark of the covenant. During the night, the statue of their “father of the gods” had fallen from its pedestal and was face-down before the Israelite “god.” This unexpected scene must have shocked the superstitious Philistines but they quickly remedied the problem by returning their god to his upright position.

This scene brings to mind a passage from the Book of Isaiah in which God ridicules the pathetic practice of idolatry.

“To whom will you compare me?
    Who is my equal?
Some people pour out their silver and gold
    and hire a craftsman to make a god from it.
    Then they bow down and worship it!
They carry it around on their shoulders,
    and when they set it down, it stays there.
    It can’t even move!
And when someone prays to it, there is no answer.
    It can’t rescue anyone from trouble.” – Isaiah 46:5-7 NLT

God pulled no punches when discussing His disdain for these man-made substitutes for Him.

“How foolish are those who manufacture idols.
    These prized objects are really worthless.
The people who worship idols don’t know this,
    so they are all put to shame.
Who but a fool would make his own god—
    an idol that cannot help him one bit?
All who worship idols will be disgraced
    along with all these craftsmen—mere humans—
    who claim they can make a god.” – Isaiah 44:9-11 NLT

“Such stupidity and ignorance!
    Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.
    Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,
    ‘Why, it’s just a block of wood!
I burned half of it for heat
    and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat.
How can the rest of it be a god?
    Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?’” – Isaiah 44:18-19 NLT

While it’s likely the Philistines questioned how their god had fallen, they were forced to help him get back on his feet. Having successfully returned their fallen deity to his place of prominence in his own temple, the Philistines went about their business. The next morning, the priests of Dagon returned to find their god had taken another unexpected spill during the night. This time, far more than their god’s reputation had been damaged.

Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark of the Lord again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact. – 1 Samuel 5:4 NLT

And things were about to get worse for the people of Ashdod. Samuel records, “The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod” (1 Samuel 5:8 ESV). He intentionally uses the Hebrew word kāḇaḏ, which is the root word from which the Hebrew word for “glory” (kāḇôḏ) is derived. The glorious God of Israel was throwing His “weight” around and demonstrating that Dagon was no match for Him. While Dagon’s hands had been sheered off during his fall, the hand of the Lord came down hard on the citizens of Ashdod. He “struck the people of Ashdod and the nearby villages with a plague of tumors” (1 Samuel 5:6 NLT), and their god was powerless to do anything about it.

Terrified by the prospect of further acts of vengeance from the Israelite god, the Philistines voted to remove the ark and transport it to another Philistine city. Like an ancient game of hot potato, the citizens of Ashdod sent the ark packing and unknowingly transferred their pain to the unsuspecting people of Gath.

But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the Lord’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic. – 1 Samuel 6:9 NLT

The Gathites were quick to react and sent the ark to Ekron, hoping its departure would appease the wrath of the Israelite god. But the ark’s reputation preceded it and the people of Ekron refused to let it anywhere near their city. Instead, they demanded that the ark be returned to the Israelites.

“Please send the Ark of the God of Israel back to its own country, or it will kill us all.” – 1 Samuel 5:11 NLT

The hand of the Lord was heavy. His glory was too great. His sovereign power was on full display as He divinely orchestrated every aspect of this story, from the defeat of the Israelites to the desecration of the false god of the Philistines. From the shattering of Dagon’s hands to the outbreak of the deadly tumors, God was demonstrating His glory and greatness. The Israelites may have lost the battle, but their God was going to win the war. The enemy may have captured the ark, but they couldn’t control the all-powerful God of the universe.

The Philistines had already developed a healthy fear of the Israelite’s god.

“We can’t keep the Ark of the God of Israel here any longer! He is against us! We will all be destroyed along with Dagon, our god.” – 1 Samuel 5:7 NLT

…the deadly plague from God had already begun, and great fear was sweeping across the town. – 1 Samuel 5:11 NLT

Now, it was time for the Israelites to open their eyes and embrace the superior nature of their sovereign God. This entire story is intended to be a wakeup call to the disobedient Israelites, reminding them of His glory and unparalleled power. When news of His heavy-handed treatment of the Philistines reaches the ears of the Israelites and their missing ark is returned, they will know the truth about their God. He will have proven the very words recorded by the prophet Isaiah.

“I am the Lord, who made all things.
    I alone stretched out the heavens.
Who was with me
    when I made the earth?
I expose the false prophets as liars
    and make fools of fortune-tellers.
I cause the wise to give bad advice,
    thus proving them to be fools.” – Isaiah 44:24-25 NLT

“I am the Lord;
    there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle,
    though you don’t even know me,
so all the world from east to west
    will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
   I create the light and make the darkness.
I send good times and bad times.
    I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.” – Isaiah 46:5-7 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our All-Knowing God Always Knows What Is Best

16 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. 18 You shall take one chief from every tribe to divide the land for inheritance. 19 These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20 Of the tribe of the people of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22 Of the tribe of the people of Dan a chief, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23 Of the people of Joseph: of the tribe of the people of Manasseh a chief, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24 And of the tribe of the people of Ephraim a chief, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25 Of the tribe of the people of Zebulun a chief, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26 Of the tribe of the people of Issachar a chief, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27 And of the tribe of the people of Asher a chief, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28 Of the tribe of the people of Naphtali a chief, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.” 29 These are the men whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance for the people of Israel in the land of Canaan. 

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities. 3 The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. 4 The pasturelands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around. 5 And you shall measure, outside the city, on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities.

6 “The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 All the cities that you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight, with their pasturelands. 8 And as for the cities that you shall give from the possession of the people of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites.” – Numbers 34:16-35:8 ESV

God provided Moses with the name of one man from each of the ten tribes of Israel. These men, hand-picked by God, would assist Eleazar, the high priest, and Joshua in the distribution of the land. The tribes of Gad and Reuben were not included because they had chosen to settle outside the boundaries of Canaan. These men were well-respected leaders among their respective tribes and would help to guarantee that the land was fairly apportioned and that each tribe, regardless of its size, was treated equitably and fairly. There was to be no favoritism or any form of nepotism. The larger tribes, whose numbers would be based on the recent census taken by Moses, would be allotted more extensive land allotments. But was not a guarantee that they would receive the best land. God was giving these ten men the weighty responsibility of dividing up the Israelites’ inheritance in a way that would satisfy all the parties involved, and that would not be an easy task.

The next thing on God’s agenda was to arrange for the needs of the tribe of Levi, his own tribe. He had already informed Moses that the Levites would inherit no land in Canaan. God had set apart the tribe of Levi as His special possession and had dedicated them to the care and maintenance of the Tabernacle. As a result, God promised to be their inheritance.

“Remember that the Levitical priests—that is, the whole of the tribe of Levi—will receive no allotment of land among the other tribes in Israel. Instead, the priests and Levites will eat from the special gifts given to the Lord, for that is their share. 2 They will have no land of their own among the Israelites. The Lord himself is their special possession, just as he promised them.” – Deuteronomy 18:1-2 NLT

But while the Levites would be allotted no land in Canaan, they would be awarded the deeds to 48 cities located within the territories of each of the other 11 tribes (Joshua 21). Even the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were required to provide the Levites with towns and pastureland for their flocks on the other side of the Jordan River. God had made ample accommodations for the Levites.

These Levitical cities were to be strategically located throughout the nation of Israel so that every Israelite was no more than ten miles from one of them. This helped to ensure that the people of God were never far away from a member of the Levitical priesthood, whose job was to provide instruction in the ways of God. The Levitical priests served as judges (Deuteronomy 17:8-13) and teachers of God’s law (Deuteronomy 33:10). So, it was essential that every Israelite had ready access to a Levitical town and a priest of God.

Of the 48 towns awarded to the Levites, six were to be designated as cities of refuge. These were specially sanctioned zones within the boundaries of Israel where anyone guilty of committing a non-premediated murder could seek asylum. God had already declared His ruling concerning murder (Exodus 20:13), but He had Moses present a special provision for cases involving accidental homicide.

“If someone kills another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, the slayer may flee to any of these cities to live in safety.” – Deuteronomy 19:4 NLT

He even had Moses provide a potential scenario in which a city of refuge would become necessary.

“For example, suppose someone goes into the forest with a neighbor to cut wood. And suppose one of them swings an ax to chop down a tree, and the ax head flies off the handle, killing the other person. In such cases, the slayer may flee to one of the cities of refuge to live in safety.” – Deuteronomy 19:5 NLT

God knew that life would happen and that deadly accidents would be a part of the Israelites’ existence in the land. Men would be killed and justice would need to be pursued. But what He didn’t want was some form of vigilante justice running rampant through the nation. Yet God knew that the relatives of a murder victim would tend to seek revenge against the guilty party and ask questions later. The cities of refuge were intended to protect the innocent while justice was being served.

Since Israel had no professional police force, these kinds of accidents could easily turn into bloodbaths where the relatives of the victim sought to avenge their loved one’s death. So, these cities, occupied by the Levites, would provide a place where the guilty party could find solace and seek a fair judgment concerning his guilt or innocence. In His plans for the land of promise, God was leaving nothing to chance. He was creating a well-designed system for dealing with the inevitable problem of sin among His chosen people. He was going to distribute the Levitical priesthood among them to provide spiritual enlightenment and He was going to create safe havens for those who unwittingly committed even the gravest of sins. God was providing for and protecting His people.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

It Ain’t Much, But It’s Ours

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan as defined by its borders), 3 your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin alongside Edom, and your southern border shall run from the end of the Salt Sea on the east. 4 And your border shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to Zin, and its limit shall be south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass along to Azmon. 5 And the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and its limit shall be at the sea.

6 “For the western border, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast. This shall be your western border.

7 “This shall be your northern border: from the Great Sea you shall draw a line to Mount Hor. 8 From Mount Hor you shall draw a line to Lebo-hamath, and the limit of the border shall be at Zedad. 9 Then the border shall extend to Ziphron, and its limit shall be at Hazar-enan. This shall be your northern border.

10 “You shall draw a line for your eastern border from Hazar-enan to Shepham. 11 And the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain. And the border shall go down and reach to the shoulder of the Sea of Chinnereth on the east. 12 And the border shall go down to the Jordan, and its limit shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land as defined by its borders all around.”

13 Moses commanded the people of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe. 14 For the tribe of the people of Reuben by fathers' houses and the tribe of the people of Gad by their fathers' houses have received their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manasseh. 15 The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, toward the sunrise.” – Numbers 34:1-15 ESV

As the people prepared to enter the land of promise, Moses provided them with the boundary markers that would establish their future territory. But it is important to note that the description given by Moses is distinctly different than the one God had originally given to Abram at the point of his calling. The borders that Moses outlines in this passage are far more restrictive than the ones God proposed to Abram.  At that point in time, God had designated a far larger area as the future homeland for Abram’s descendants.

“To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates…” – Genesis 15:18 ESV

The two primary boundary markers that God gave Abram were “the river of Egypt,” which most likely refers to the Nile, to “the river Euphrates,” which extends from the southern border of modern-day Turkey all the way to the Persian Gulf.

God had a much larger geographic region in mind when He made His original promise to Abram. But centuries later, by the time the descendants of Abram were ready to cross over the Jordan and occupy the land, the boundaries had shrunk significantly.

Moses provided a detailed description of the eastern, western, southern, and northern boundaries of the Israelite’s future homeland. At this point in their history, they were not ready or equipped to conquer and occupy the much larger region promised by God to Abram. Their army was far too small to attempt a conquest of the original promised land. Even though the nation was comprised of 12 tribes, there were not enough soldiers to take on the armies of “the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites” (Genesis 15:19-21 NLT).

In a sense, God was starting small, but He had every intention of sticking to His original promise if the people of Israel proved obedient and successful at accomplishing His will. The reduced boundaries were not a sign of God reneging on His promise or going back on His word. He was simply asking the people of Israel to prove their willingness to be faithful and obedient.

The borders of the land, while greatly reduced, would prove more than enough territory for the 12 tribes of Israel. In fact, as Moses points out, two and a half of the tribes would end up settling in the Transjordan, outside the new boundaries for the promised land.

“This territory is the homeland you are to divide among yourselves by sacred lot. The Lord has commanded that the land be divided among the nine and a half remaining tribes. The families of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received their grants of land  on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho toward the sunrise.” – Numbers 34:13-15 NLT

Technically, according to the original description given by God to Abram, the land occupied by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh was in the land of promise. However, their land allotments would be considered separate from the rest of the tribes. Yet, one day, God would extend Israel’s borders under the leadership of King David. When David died and his son Solomon came to power, the kingdom would expand even further. God would slowly extend the borders of Israel but because of the nation’s disobedience, He would one day spit the kingdom in half and dramatically reduce their land holdings and influence in the region.

Yet at the point at which Moses was preparing the send the people into the land for the very first time, they were faced with the formidable and seemingly insurmountable task of conquering a vast expanse of enemy-occupied territory. That is what prompted Moses to remind them that the land was as good as theirs.

“This shall be your land as defined by its borders all around.” – Numbers 34:15 ESV

It was theirs, but they would have to do their part. According to God, it was as good as theirs but it wouldn’t come without a fight. It was Jesus who declared the need for follow-through in the life of God’s people.

“…a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” – Luke 12:47-48 NLT

The Israelites had their marching orders and a detailed map of their battle zone. Now it was time to exhibit faith and fight for what was rightfully theirs. According to the Book of Deuteronomy, also written by Moses, God had divinely decreed the apportionment of land for all the peoples of the world – with His chosen people in mind.

When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
    when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples
    according to the number of the sons of God.
But the Lord's portion is his people,
    Jacob his allotted heritage. – Deuteronomy 32:8-9 ESV

He had always intended for the land of Canaan to be the homeland of His people. This fertile land sat in the geographic center of the known world at that time and would prove to be a focal point for human history for thousands of years. The Israelites would eventually conquer and occupy this relatively small tract of land in the Middle East, but only to find their homeland become a hotbed of conflict for centuries to come. Global superpowers would fight over the right to possess it. Nations would go to war for the right to claim it as their own, and the battles still rage today. But God intended Canaan to belong to His chosen people, and at this point in the story of their history, it is theirs to be had, if only they will step out in faith and obey God’s command.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sovereign Over All

13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” 14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“Rise, Balak, and hear;
    give ear to me, O son of Zippor:
19 God is not man, that he should lie,
    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
20 Behold, I received a command to bless:
    he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,
    nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them,
    and the shout of a king is among them.
22 God brings them out of Egypt
    and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob,
    no divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
    ‘What has God wrought!’
24 Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up
    and as a lion it lifts itself;
it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey
    and drunk the blood of the slain.”

25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?” – Numbers 23:13-26 ESV

Balak was doggedly determined in his efforts to have the Israelites cursed, and he seems to have believed that Balaam’s reluctance to do so was based on fear of their overwhelming numbers. After all, from his earlier vantage point, Balaam had stressed the size of the Israelite camp.

“I see them from the cliff tops;
    I watch them from the hills.
I see a people who live by themselves,
    set apart from other nations.
Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust?
    Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people?” – Numbers 23:9-10 NLT

So, Balak suggested a change of venue where Balaam’s view of the Israelite encampment might be somewhat restricted. Perhaps if the seer saw fewer Israelites he would be less wary of issuing a curse upon them.

“Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” – Numbers 23:13 NLT

Balak’s desperation was at an all-time high, and he was willing to do anything to ensure that his hired diviner carried out his assignment. He even built seven more altars and sacrificed an additional seven bulls in the hopes that this location might create the right environment for Balaam to conjure up a devastating curse against the enemy camp. But, once again, Balaam informed the king that he would have to consult Jehovah, the God of the Israelites.

“Stand here by your burnt offerings while I go over there to meet the Lord.” – Numbers 23: 15 NLT

By this point, Balaam knew that he would be a fool to do anything that angered Israel’s God. It wasn’t the size of Israel’s camp that scared Balaam; it was the power of their God. Yet, there seems to be a part of Balaam that hoped he could convince Jehovah to change His mind. Why else would he agree to offer additional sacrifices and call on Jehovah yet again? He must have harbored hopes that this time he would get a different response.

“Balaam is constantly shifting, prevaricating, equivocating, changing—he is himself the prime example of the distinction between God and man.” – Ronald B. Allen, “Numbers.” In Genesis—Numbers. Vol. 2 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary

But, unlike Balaam, God would prove to be unchanging in His covenant commitment to Israel. He was not fickle or would not be easily swayed to change His mind. So, when Balaam heard from God a second time, the message he received was aimed directly at Balak and it contained a stern lesson concerning God’s faithfulness and His commitment to bless His chosen people. There was nothing Balaam or Balak could do to alter His plans for the nation of Israel.

First, God had Balaam teach Balaam the doctrine of divine immutability.

“Rise up, Balak, and listen!
    Hear me, son of Zippor.
God is not a man, so he does not lie.
    He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
    Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” – Numbers 23:18-19 NLT

Jehovah was not anything like the false gods that Balak worshiped. He wasn’t a human on steroids, a mere man with supernatural powers and a flawed character. Israel’s God was otherworldly and without equal. He could not be bought off, coerced, or expected to do anything that would violate His divine will.

And Balaam delivered the less-than-encouraging news that there was nothing he could do to thwart God’s plans for Israel.

“God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!
No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob;
    no trouble is in store for Israel.
For the Lord their God is with them;
    he has been proclaimed their king.” – Numbers 23:20-21 NLT

This not-so-subtle point was aimed directly at Balak. God was letting this inconsequential king know that he was no match for the one true King. Balak was outclassed and out of his league. His paltry army and insignificant kingdom were up against the God of the universe and the odds were totally against him. Even Balaam was forced to admit that his parlor tricks would be of no use against the all-powerful God of Israel.

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    for them he is as strong as a wild ox.
No curse can touch Jacob;
    no magic has any power against Israel.” – Numbers 23:22-23 NLT

Whether Balaam realized it or not, he was echoing the failures of the Egyptian magicians who had tried to replicate the supernatural miracles of Moses.

So Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded them. When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats. Pharaoh’s magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. – Exodus 8:17-18 NLT

Magicians and magistrates are powerless against Jehovah. Human kings and kingdoms have no hope of victory against the King of kings. The psalmist pointed out the futility of attempting to wage war against the Almighty.

Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.” – Psalm 2:1-6 ESV

The King on Zion had one last bit of bad news for the king of Moab, and this final part of the message must have left Balak on the verge of depression.

“For now it will be said of Jacob,
    ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’
These people rise up like a lioness,
    like a majestic lion rousing itself.
They refuse to rest
    until they have feasted on prey,
    drinking the blood of the slaughtered!” – Numbers 23:23-24 NLT

Desperate to find a silver lining in this dark cloud of depressing news, Balak pleaded with Balaam, “if you won’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!” (Numbers 23:25 NLT). He was grasping for any semblance of hope among all the doom and gloom of Balaam’s latest message. If the seer couldn’t curse them then, by all means, the least he could do was not bless them. But, once again, the hapless sage was forced to confess his powerlessness to do anything that would conflict with God’s will.

“Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?” – Numbers 23:26 NLT

But it will become evident that Balak was just as unchanging and immutable as Jehovah. Unwilling to take no for an answer, the stubborn potentate would try one last time to convince Balaam to curse the Israelites. It was his only hope. But his stubbornness would prove to be no match for God’s covenant faithfulness.

The one enigma in this entire sequence of events is Balaam, the seer from Aram. This pagan soothsayer had been chosen by the king of Moab for his skills at divination and, more specifically, for his reputation for casting curses. Yet this very same man was used by God to deliver a series of divine pronouncements concerning the people of Israel. Some would label him a prophet of God because he spoke on behalf of God, but he was far from being a faithful follower of the Almighty. He was an equal-opportunity idolator who must have been surprised when he heard from this unknown God of the Israelites.

This man was, at best, an opportunist, who made his living by the use of divination. Dr. J. Vernon McGee describes him as “one of the bad men of the Bible, a rogue of revelation, a scoundrel of Scripture, a villain of the volume. He was a strange character. He was a heathen prophet with magical powers (Numbers 22:6). He is specifically labeled a soothsayer (Joshua 13:22). He received the rewards of “divination” (Numbers 22:7)” (Dr. J. Vernon McGee, Notes for Numbers).

Dr. McGee goes on to provide a stunning assessment of this Old Testament character based on the views of some rather significant pastors and theologians

“Every preacher of any consequence has preached on Balaam. Here are a few observations from some of these men. Bishop Butler: ‘Self-deception — Balaam persuaded himself that his sin could be brought into rules of conscience and revelation.’ Cardinal Newman: ‘The dark shadow cast over a noble course by standing always on the ladder of advancement and by the suspense of a worldly ambition never satisfied.’ Charles Spurgeon: ‘Double-minded man — he could see the right, and yet his lower nature turned him from it.’ B. H. Carroll: ‘He had but one real mind — greed and power. Religion — a stalking-horse.” – Dr. J. Vernon McGee, Notes for Numbers.

Yet, God chose to use this flawed individual to deliver His messages and accomplish His will. But this did not make Balaam a prophet of God. There were other occasions when God used the most unlikely of characters to deliver His word. Consider King Saul’s consultation with the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28). Saul had been informed by the prophet of God that the Lord had decided to replace him as king, so he knew his days were numbered. The Almighty had removed His hand of blessing from Saul. To make matters worse, Samuel, the prophet of God, had died. So, when Saul found himself facing the forces of the Philistines, he became desperate. 

Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. – 1 Samuel 28:6 ESV

This led him to seek the help of a female medium, a necromancer whom he hoped could communicate with the deceased prophet, Samuel. Amazingly, God allowed this “witch” speak to the dead prophet so he could deliver one last message to Saul.

“Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy?  The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.” – 1 Samuel 28:16-18 ESV

This woman was used by God, but this did not make her a prophet of God. She was instrumental in delivering God’s message but she remained a pagan and an unbeliever. Like Balaam, she was nothing more than an instrument in the hands of God. Jehovah can and does use the wicked to accomplish His will. His sovereignty controls the lives of both the righteous and the wicked, and there is nothing that lies outside His divine power and providence. The Israelites were oblivious to any of the events taking place in this story. They sat in their camp completely unaware of the plans of Balak and the discussions between Balaam and Jehovah. But their God had their backs. He was in control and they had nothing to fear. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

An Unlikely Servant with An Unexpected Message

1 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height, 4 and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 5 And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“From Aram Balak has brought me,
    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
    and come, denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
    How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags I see him,
    from the hills I behold him;
behold, a people dwelling alone,
    and not counting itself among the nations!
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
    or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
    and let my end be like his!”

11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?” – Numbers 23:1-12 ESV

In the following two chapters, Moses will reveal a series of oracles or divine pronouncements from Jehovah but delivered through Balaam, a pagan and profit-hungry diviner. For whatever reason, God had chosen to use this unworthy vessel to deliver a series of blessings upon His chosen people, the nation of Israel, and this unexpected turn of events would leave King Balak in a state of confusion and rage. After all, he had offered Balaam a sizeable reward to pronounce a curse upon the unwelcome Israelites who had invaded his realm.

This story, recorded by Moses for the benefit of the people of Israel, was meant to accentuate the sovereign will of God and provide encouragement to the Israelites. In it, God reveals His unparalleled power over any and all forces that might attempt to stand against His chosen people. Jehovah could utilize any and all resources to accomplish His divine will, including a pagan diviner who had hoped to score a big payday from King Balak by issuing a curse on the Israelites.

Neither Balak nor Balaam was a threat to the people of God; they were nothing more than pawns in the hand of the all-powerful, all-knowing Jehovah. No curse uttered by Balaam would have made any impact on God’s people. Yet, much to Balaam’s surprise and Balak’s chagrin, God would use this very same man to deliver a series of powerful and irreversible blessings on the descendants of Abraham.

“The most arresting element of the introductory section is in the words ‘God met with him’ (v. 4) and ‘the LORD put a message in Balaam’s mouth’ (v. 5). Despite the pagan and unsavory actions of this ungodly man, the Lord deigns to meet with him and to speak through him. This is utterly remarkable. We often say that God will never use an unclean vessel. This is not quite accurate. God may use whatever vessel he wishes; the issue concerns what happens to an unclean vessel when God has finished using it for his purposes.” – Ronald B. Allen, “Numbers.” In Genesis—Numbers. Vol. 2 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary

It is no coincidence that, earlier in the story, God spoke to Balaam through a donkey. When the revered soothsayer had been unable to see the angel of God standing in his path with a drawn sword, Balaam’s donkey had seen the danger and veered away. This prompted Balaam to beat the donkey severely and, much to his surprise, the donkey responded by questioning Balaam’s unjust treatment. Much to Balaam’s surprise, the donkey spoke to him. This “dumb” beast held a reasoned and well-articulated conversation with a man who was renowned for his ability to “speak” with the gods.

Now, Jehovah would use Balaam to deliver His divinely ordained words of blessings on Israel. Through the lips of this pagan oracle from Aram, God would issue a series of powerful messages concerning the fate of His chosen people. And each time Balaam opened his mouth, his hopes of making a profit diminished and Balak’s anger increased exponentially.

The whole scene has a somewhat theatrical flavor to it. One can almost sense Balaam’s desire to buy himself time. He is still harboring some hope of turning this entire affair to his advantage. He has not given up on the idea of issuing a curse and gaining his reward. So, he buys himself time by having Balak set up an elaborate altar complex.

“Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” – Numbers 23:1 NLT

This bit of showmanship was probably intended to impress Balak. It had all the trappings of a cultic sacrificial ceremony and would have given Balak the impression that Balaam was preparing to call down the wrath of the gods upon the unsuspecting Israelites. Balaam encouraged Balak’s hopes by offering a series of blood sacrifices on the altars, signifying his attempt to call on divine aid. But nothing happened.

By this time, Balaam knew that he was dealing with the one true God and he would have to seek His will. So, he left Balak standing by his blood-soaked altars and went to the top of a nearby hill to see if Jehovah had a word for him.

“Stand here by your burnt offerings, and I will go to see if the Lord will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me.” – Numbers 23:3 NLT

Jehovah didn’t disappoint. Moses states that “God met Balaam” (Numbers 23:4 ESV) and the Almighty gave him a message to deliver to Balak. Balaam must have felt a sense of panic and fear as he heard the words he was to repeat to the king. This was not going to go well. But Balaam, motivated by his earlier vision of the sword-wielding angel, wisely obeyed God’s command and delivered the message he had been given.

God had Balaam begin by recounting the nature of Balak’s request.

“Balak summoned me to come from Aram;
    the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills.
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me!
    Come and announce Israel’s doom.’” – Numbers 23:7 NLT

Then, he dropped the bombshell.

“But how can I curse those
    whom God has not cursed?
How can I condemn those
    whom the Lord has not condemned?” – Numbers 23:8 NLT

This was not what Balak wanted to hear, and it was going to get worse. What Balaam said next would leave the king in a rage. Rather than hearing a pronouncement of doom, Balak would have to listen to Balaam wax eloquent about Israel’s numbers and seemingly charmed status as a nation. They were blessed by God.

“I see them from the cliff tops;
    I watch them from the hills.
I see a people who live by themselves,
    set apart from other nations.
Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust?
    Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people?” – Numbers 23:9-10 NLT

This rather cryptic-sounding message was crystal clear to Balak. The Israelites were uniquely gifted people who enjoyed the favor of their God. Their extensive numbers were evidence that Jehovah’s hand was upon them and no one would be able to stand against them. Then Balaam made things even worse when he stated his own jealousy of their status as God’s chosen people.

“Let me die like the righteous;
    let my life end like theirs.” – Numbers 23:10 NLT

What Balaam didn’t realize was that the message God had given him to speak was intended to reflect the words of the promise God had given to Abraham centuries earlier.

“Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.  I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:1-3 NLT

God had Balaam express his own desire to be blessed rather than cursed. To stand against the people of God was a death sentence. Anyone who chose to resist them would face the judgment of God. And Balaam was learning the painful lesson that any attempt on his part to curse God’s people would end in futility and failure.

But Balak was incensed because he felt that Balaam had deceived him.

“What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!” – Numbers 23:11 NLT

Yet, Balaam admitted that he was powerless to resist the sovereign will of Jehovah. He was dealing with a force that was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. And he confessed that he was unwilling to ignore the will of God.

“I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.” – Numbers 23:12 NLT

This so-called “wise” man was increasing in wisdom with each passing minute. While it is doubtful that his original intention had been to call on the name of Jehovah, he had now discovered that the God of Israel and His chosen people were not to be trifled with. But this did not stop this Aramaen seer from continuing to court the favor of Balak and attempting to seek a different message from the God of Israel. He had witnessed the numerical strength of the Israelites and delivered God’s message of blessing, but Balaam refused to return home. He remained in Balak’s camp, providing the desperate king with the hope that a curse on Israel was still forthcoming.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Loss of Appetite for God’s Ways

1 And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

4 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 8 The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” – Numbers 11:1-15 ESV

The people of Israel were on the move. After nearly a year encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, they had watched as the cloud of God’s presence departed from above the Tabernacle, indicating His desire for them to break camp and continue their journey to the land of Canaan. They followed His instructions and methodically made their way to the wilderness of Paran where the cloud had come to rest.

But it wasn’t long before the obedient children of God became disgruntled and obstinate. Their willingness to follow God’s leading came to an abrupt end as soon as they encountered any kind of discomfort or dissatisfaction, and this was not the first time they had expressed their displeasure with God. A year earlier, when they were leaving Egypt after their release from captivity, they found themselves in an unexpected and highly uncomfortable predicament. After Pharaoh had finally agreed to release them, they followed Moses into the wilderness and arrived on the shore of the Red Sea.

When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle. – Exodus 13:17-18 NLT

God had led them to that very spot. It had been His will that they arrive on the banks of the sea just as Pharaoh and his army were bearing down on them. It seems that Pharaoh had experienced a change of heart and decided to force the Israelites back into slavery. So, when the people found themselves with their backs to the sea and the army of Egypt bearing down on them, they responded to Moses in anger.

“Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” – Exodus 14:11-12 NLT

Yet, despite their complaining, God miraculously delivered them. He had Moses part the waters of the Red Sea and they crossed over on dry ground, and the cloud of God’s presence kept the Egyptians at bay until the very last Israelite had made it to the eastern shore of the sea. Then, as Pharaoh’s army attempted to pursue them, “the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived” (Exodus 14:28 NLT).

Their miraculous crossing and the destruction of the Egyptians made an impact on the Israelites.

When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses. – Exodus 14:31 NLT

Now, more than a year later, it appears that their faith had run out. Once again, they struggled with discontentment concerning God’s will for them. They were not happy with their circumstances and so they began to complain to Moses once again.

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. – Numbers 11:1 NLT

Their year-long hiatus at Mount Sinai had made them lazy and unprepared for the difficulties of traveling through the wilderness. So, the journey to Paran left them disgruntled and dissatisfied with God’s plan for them. They were unhappy and more than willing to voice their displeasure. But again, this was not the first time the Israelites had become disenchanted with God’s will for them.

Three days after their miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, they found themselves in the desert of Shur, a barren place where water was scarce. When they finally discovered an oasis, its water was contaminated and undrinkable. This disappointing outcome led the people to direct their anger at Moses.

Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. – Exodus 15:24 NLT

But God directed Moses to a particular piece of wood that, when thrown in the spring, “made the water good to drink” (Exodus 15:25 NLT). Having temporarily satiated the thirst of His dissatisfied people, God then led them to another oasis “where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees” (Exodus 15:27 NLT). He provided for all their needs. He even “set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him” (Exodus 15:25 NLT).

“If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” – Exodus 15:26 NLT

All God required of His people was that they remain faithful and obedient. In return, He promised to provide for and protect them; they would never go without. That doesn’t mean they would never experience difficulties along the way. But by trusting God, they would get to see His providential hand providing for their every need.

Yet, a year later, they exhibited the same stubborn tendency to grouse and complain at the slightest inconvenience, and God heard everything they said. As a result, “his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp” (Numbers 11:1 ESV). It’s unclear whether anyone actually died in this conflagration or whether it was only meant to get their attention. Whatever this “fire” was, it had its intended effect, producing fear in the hearts of the Israelites.

…the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. – Numbers 11:2 NLT

But while the fire died down, their complaining continued, and it wasn’t long before another round of grievances made their way to the ears of God. It seems that the foreigners who had chosen to accompany the Israelites when they left Egypt had grown disenchanted with the manna that God had provided for them. One month after the Israelites departed Egypt, the people expressed their displeasure to Moses and Aaron over the lack of food.

“If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” – Exodus 16:3 NLT

But God heard their complaints and responded with grace and mercy. Rather than sending fire as a punishment for their ungratefulness, He determined to shower them with manna.

“I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’” – Exodus 16:12 NLT

God fed them. He miraculously met their physical needs with spiritual food. No one knew exactly what manna was but it provided them with the strength and stamina to continue their journey to the land of Canaan. And God would provide it every day for over 40 years.

So the people of Israel ate manna for forty years until they arrived at the land where they would settle. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. – Exodus 16:35 NLT

Yet, just a year after having left Egypt, the people were complaining about the monotonous menu of manna.

“Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” – Numbers 11:4-6 NLT

They returned God’s grace and mercy with ungratefulness and dissatisfaction. They didn’t like God’s culinary skills. They wanted a more varied and appetizing selection of menu options. In their faulty imaginations, they recalled enjoying a much more diverse and appealing range of food choices back in Egypt. They conveniently forgot the part about slavery and making bricks without straw. They left out the persecution and pain they had experienced during their years of captivity. Driven by their physical appetites, they conjured up memories of their halcyon days in Egypt – which were nothing more than figments of their imaginations.

And, once again, their complaints reached the ears of Moses and God.

Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. – Numbers 11:10 NLT

But this time, it’s Moses who displays his anger with the people and expresses his frustration with God.

“Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” – Numbers 11:11-15 NLT

Moses was not a happy camper. For more than a year he had been attempting to lead a people who were inflexible and incorrigible. Nothing seemed to make them happy, and he was at his wit’s end. He had grown tired of their constant complaining and expressed his frustration to God. The burden of caring for these people had taken its toll and he boldly conveyed his displeasure to God. In fact, Moses seems to blame God for the whole state of affairs. He shakes his fist in Yahweh’s face and, essentially, accuses Him of abandonment. According to Moses, God had placed all the burden of leading the nation of Israel on his back, and he was overwhelmed by it all. He was tapped out and ready to throw in the towel.

Moses was suffering the same condition as the people he claimed to be leading. He had taken his eyes off of the Lord. He no longer recognized the sovereign hand of God over his life and conveniently forgot how the Almighty had provided for all his needs. As a result, he wrongly assumed responsibility for the well-being of God’s people. Moses had forgotten that he was nothing more than a conduit of God’s blessing and not its source. He was responsible for leading them but God was their sole provider and protector.

When God had given the people the manna to eat, He had told them it would be a sign of His power and provision.

“Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” – Exodus 16:12 NLT

Yet, Moses and the people had lost sight of that fact. Comfort and convenience had taken precedence over their faith in God’s sovereignty and providence. Now that the people had the Tabernacle and the guarantee of God’s presence, it was as if they assumed following God would be a trouble-free experience. But at the first sign of discomfort, they complained. And Moses was brazen enough to demand that God fix the problem or kill him on the spot.

“If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!” – Numbers 11:15 NLT

They all had a lot to learn about God’s providential care and, despite their ongoing displays of ingratitude and unbelief, God would continue to show them mercy and grace. He would even respond to Moses’ bold ultimatum with love and not anger, providing His servant with a plan for lightening the burden of leadership.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Safe in the Hands of God

1 And the Lord said to Job:

2 “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
    He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

4 “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?
    I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
    twice, but I will proceed no further.”

6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

7 “Dress for action like a man;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
    Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
9 Have you an arm like God,
    and can you thunder with a voice like his?

10 “Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity;
    clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
11 Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
    and look on everyone who is proud and abase him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low
    and tread down the wicked where they stand.
13 Hide them all in the dust together;
    bind their faces in the world below.
14 Then will I also acknowledge to you
    that your own right hand can save you.

15 “Behold, Behemoth,
    which I made as I made you;
    he eats grass like an ox.
16 Behold, his strength in his loins,
    and his power in the muscles of his belly.
17 He makes his tail stiff like a cedar;
    the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze,
    his limbs like bars of iron.

19 “He is the first of the works of God;
    let him who made him bring near his sword!
20 For the mountains yield food for him
    where all the wild beasts play.
21 Under the lotus plants he lies,
    in the shelter of the reeds and in the marsh.
22 For his shade the lotus trees cover him;
    the willows of the brook surround him.
23 Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened;
    he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth.
24 Can one take him by his eyes,
    or pierce his nose with a snare?” – Job 40:1-24 ESV

God takes a brief pause in His rhetorical interrogation to give Job a chance to respond. God demands that this “contender” or “complainer” explain himself. Since Job seems to enjoy arguing with God and questioning His ways, then he must have a lot to say. This is the moment for which Job has been waiting. He has an audience with the Almighty and  the opportunity to defend himself but Job finds himself at a loss for words. Suddenly, when faced with the overwhelming sense of God’s presence and power, Job is speechless.

“I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers?
    I will cover my mouth with my hand.
I have said too much already.
    I have nothing more to say.” – Job 40:4-5 NLT

Wiser words have never been spoken. Job didn’t say much and yet, he spoke volumes. He acknowledges his own ignorance and inadequacy when standing before the God of the universe. He recognizes that he has spoken too freely and flippantly. In his pain and despair, Job allowed himself to vent his frustration to God but in doing so, he had spoken out of turn and failed to show God the reverence and honor He deserved.

But while Job’s reticence to speak was a wise decision, it did not defuse God’s anger or absolve Job from a further tongue-lashing. In fact, God informs Job that silence is not an option. The one who was so quick to criticize the ways of God must answer the questions of God. 

“Brace yourself like a man,
    because I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.” – Job 40:7 NLT

God seems to be accusing Job of doing the same thing his friends had done to him. In his effort to defend his innocence, Job had overextended his understanding of what his suffering was all about. He was convinced that it wasn't the result of some sin he had committed, so that led him to make false assumptions about the justice of God. He questioned God's goodness and righteousness. Job’s perception was limited and his understanding was incomplete. He was unaware of all that was going on behind the scenes so that left him with no other option than to base his conclusions on circumstantial evidence, just as his friends had done.

In his zeal to defend himself and prove his own innocence, Job had falsely accused God. He was so determined to prove himself right that he was willing to accuse God of doing wrong, and God was not happy.

“Will you discredit my justice
    and condemn me just to prove you are right?” – Job 40:8 NLT

This led God to sarcastically suggest that Job reveal his own glory. After all, if he was righteous and morally blameless, then he must be nothing less than a god.

“All right, put on your glory and splendor,
    your honor and majesty.
Give vent to your anger.
    Let it overflow against the proud.
Humiliate the proud with a glance;
    walk on the wicked where they stand.
Bury them in the dust.
    Imprison them in the world of the dead.
Then even I would praise you,
    for your own strength would save you.” – Job 40:10-14 NLT

God demands that Job display his glory and power by pouring out his judgment on the wicked and prideful. He challenges Job to demonstrate his wisdom and righteousness by judging justly and rightly. In a sense, God is demanding that Job prove that he knows what is best and can effectively determine the fate of all those who live on this planet.

But Job is not a god; he is just a man, and that seems to be God's main point. In all of God’s verbal reprimands of Job, He never specifies a single sin that Job has committed. God never questions Job’s assertion of innocence. The Lord’s primary complaint with Job is his suggestion that God was somehow unfair or unjust. Job didn’t like the state of affairs surrounding his life and he had demanded that God explain Himself. Job knew that God was sovereign over all things so God was somehow responsible for his losses. And since Job had done nothing wrong, God must be the one who was at fault. Job never said those words directly but he inferred them, and God found them offensive and worthy of a stern response.

At the heart of Job’s complaint was his suggestion that God was somehow failing to do His job properly. Job had certain expectations of God that he felt had not been met. In his estimation, the most recent history of his life was out of step with his understanding of God’s character. So, God must course correct and fix the problem. But God found Job’s assertion that He was somehow in the wrong or guilty of mismanagement offensive. There was no basis for that conclusion. That’s why God launched into yet another illustration from nature that proved His impeccable credentials as the overseer of all creation.

God draws Job’s attention to the “Behemoth,” a creature of almost mythical proportions that is the byproduct of God’s imagination and creative power.

“Take a look at Behemoth,
    which I made, just as I made you.
    It eats grass like an ox.
See its powerful loins
    and the muscles of its belly.
Its tail is as strong as a cedar.
    The sinews of its thighs are knit tightly together.
Its bones are tubes of bronze.
    Its limbs are bars of iron.” – Job 40:15-18 NLT

We have no idea what animal God is talking about. Some believe this to be a reference to a mythical creature that never existed, but God seems to contradict that conclusion when He states, “It is a prime example of God’s handiwork, and only its Creator can threaten it” (Job 40:19 NLT). No, this is no make-believe creature formulated in the minds of men; it is an actual flesh-and-blood animal that God brought to life and over which He holds complete control. This beast was so large that it had no equal and faced no threat from predators. Its only adversary was God Himself.

God asserts that “No one can catch it off guard or put a ring in its nose and lead it away” (Job 40:24 NLT). The point? This animal was completely cared for by God. It owed its existence and ongoing sustenance to God. Only God could protect it or threaten it. Its life was in the hands of the Almighty and so was Job’s. No one could harm Job unless God allowed it. No one could threaten his life without God’s permission. Which brings us back to the opening chapters of this book.

They describe an interaction between God and Satan, man’s primary and powerful adversary. In response to God’s declaration of Job’s righteousness, Satan replied:

“Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” – Job 1:9-11 NLT

Satan admits that God cared for and protected Job but he argues that Job would respond differently to God if that protection was removed. God had a different opinion of Job and provided Satan with limited access to test his theory.

“All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” – Job 1:12 NLT

God gave Satan permission but he didn’t give him carte blanch. Satan was not free to do whatever he wanted to do. His actions were limited. God was still in control.

When Satan’s plan failed and Job refused to curse God, he came up with a second challenge. He asked God for permission to attack Job’s physical well-being. He believed that was the source of Job’s faithfulness and so he sought to take away Job’s health and cause him to curse God. And, once again, God permitted Satan to take his best shot.

“All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.” – Job 2:6 NLT

God never relinquished control. At no point was He impotent or incapable of protecting Job’s life. And at no time, was God’s assessment of Job’s righteousness threatened or in question. He knew how Job would respond. He knew that Job would survive. God stated that Behemoth is “not disturbed by the raging river, not concerned when the swelling Jordan rushes around it” (Job 40:23 NLT), and that was what he expected from Job. The great beast that God created was capable of enjoying the peaceful respite provided by the shade of the Lotus plant, but it also accepted the storms that occasionally accompanied life. How much more so should Job trust in the goodness and graciousness of God? He had enjoyed great blessings for the vast majority of his life and now, when trials had come, he had lost his faith in God. But now was the time when he needed to know and understand that he too was “a prime example of God’s handiwork, and only its Creator can threaten it” (Job 40:19 NLT).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Give God Glory Rather Than Advice

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
    and where is the place of darkness,
20 that you may take it to its territory
    and that you may discern the paths to its home?
21 You know, for you were born then,
    and the number of your days is great!

22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
    or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
    for the day of battle and war?
24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,
    or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

25 “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain
    and a way for the thunderbolt,
26 to bring rain on a land where no man is,
    on the desert in which there is no man,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
    and to make the ground sprout with grass?

28 “Has the rain a father,
    or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,
    and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?
30 The waters become hard like stone,
    and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades
    or loose the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,
    or can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
    Can you establish their rule on the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
    that a flood of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go
    and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts
    or given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
    Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
38 when the dust runs into a mass
    and the clods stick fast together?

39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
    or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens
    or lie in wait in their thicket?
41 Who provides for the raven its prey,
    when its young ones cry to God for help,
    and wander about for lack of food?” – Job 38:19-41 ESV

God finally speaks. Job has heard from his three friends and Elihu, the young, arrogant upstart. But now he hears from the only one who matters; God Himself. And God's response is full of not-so-subtle sarcasm as He peppers Job with rhetorical questions designed to accentuate His divine nature. He starts out His response to Job by saying, "Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them" (Job 38:3 NLT). God tells Job to brace himself like a man because He has a few questions for him. "Who are you...?" "Where were you when..." "Have you ever...?" "Can you...?" "Do you know...?"

At one point, God's sarcasm becomes painfully clear and pointed. He sardonically states, "But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!" (Job 38:21 NLT).

God is questioning Job’s right to question Him. Who is Job, a mere man, to question the intentions and integrity of the holy, righteous, all-powerful, God of the universe? Every one of His questions is a statement of His sovereignty and superiority. He is providing Job and his four friends with a much-needed reminder of His surpassing greatness. God’s emphasis on nature is intended to get Job’s focus off of himself. His myopic and rather morbid perspective has tainted his view of God, and produced faulty reasoning and a fragile faith.

“The function of the questions needs to be properly understood. As a rhetorical device, a question can be another way of making a pronouncement, much favoured by orators. For Job, the questions in the Lord’s speeches are not such roundabout statements of fact; they are invitations, suggestions about discoveries he will make as he tries to find his own answers. They are not catechetical, as if Job’s knowledge is being tested. They are educative, in the true and original meaning of that term. Job is led out into the world. The questions are rhetorical only in the sense that none of them has any answer ventured by Job. But this is not because the questions have no answers. Their initial effect of driving home to Job his ignorance is not intended to humiliate him. On the contrary the highest nobility of every person is to be thus enrolled by God Himself in His school of Wisdom. And the schoolroom is the world! For Job the exciting discoveries to which God leads him bring a giant advance in knowledge, knowledge of himself and of God, for the two always go together in the Bible.” – Francis I. Andersen,
Job

By drawing Job’s attention to the wonders of creation, God is showcasing His power and providential care. There are wonders surrounding Job that reveal just how great and good God really is. The presence of light and dark are the handiwork of God. From the human perspective, these elements simply appear in the sky and little thought is given as to their source. But God demands that Job explain where light comes from and where the darkness goes in the morning. Then He sarcastically adds, “But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!” (Job 38:21 NLT).

God is not being mean; He is simply driving home the extents of the vast gulf between His own reality and man’s infallibility. He wants Job to contemplate the inconceivable greatness of the One who controls the entire universe and all it contains, including Job. 

Job wants answer from God. He demands to know the source of his own pain and suffering, but God asks him, “Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind?” (Job 38:24 NLT). God is letting Job know that there are greater questions to consider other than the ones he keeps asking. If Job wants to understand the nature of his circumstances he needs to know his God, and a quick look at the creative order would provide Job a masters-level course in theology.

King David had graduated with honors from God’s divine school of wisdom, having learned the lessons of God’s greatness found in the world around him.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world. – Psalm 19:1 NLT

And it was Jesus who used nature to teach His disciples the wonder of God’s providential care so that they might understand His unwavering faithfulness and their need for enduring faith.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” – Matthew 6:25-30 NLT

God turns Job’s attention to the clouds that produce rain, ice, hail, thunder, and lightning. These everyday, commonplace meteorological events are not the result of chance but are the handiwork of God. The very presence of rain is a reminder of God’s faithfulness. Without it, nothing on earth would survive. Yet, God can turn life-giving rain into crop-destroying hail. He can transform a gentle rain into a torrential, flood-producing downpour that takes away life and livelihood. These kinds of occurrences are an inexplicable yet inescapable part of life on this planet, and so is human suffering.

God’s point seems to be that there are some things men will never fully comprehend. Despite our modern scientific capabilities and our incessant obsession with solving the riddle of the universe’s creation, there are certain aspects of God’s creative order that will remain a mystery to us. Job was earth-bound and suffered from a limited understanding of the heavens. He could see the stars and even know some of them by name, but he could not explain their existence or comprehend the magnitude of their number.

In a sense, Job had been trying to give God directions concerning the future of his own life. He wanted to provide the God of the universe with some helpful guidance regarding his future state. But God asks Job if he has any insight into the “the movement of the stars” (Job 38:31 NLT). If Job knows that is best for himself, can he also “direct the constellations through the seasons?” (Job 38:32 NLT). And the answer is clearly, “No!”

Job has no business giving God advice. He is in no place to tell God what to do. And to ensure that Job understands that point, God asks, “Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?” (Job 38:33 NLT). If the answer is no, then why does Job seem to believe he knows the laws concerning his own universe and how they should be used to regulate the affairs of his life?

Sometimes, a simple upward glance will help take our eyes off of the worries and concerns we face in this world. The prophet Isaiah echoes the words of God and provides a much-needed reminder to reminder to acknowledge the greatness of God rather than attempt to advise Him.

Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
    Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth
    or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?
    Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
    Does he need instruction about what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right
    or show him the path of justice? – Isaiah 40:12-14 NLT

And Isaiah recommends that we consider a bit of star-gazing before we resort to advice-giving. God doesn’t need our recommendations, but He is worthy of our veneration.

Look up into the heavens.
    Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
    calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
    not a single one is missing. – Isaiah 40:33 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When God Speaks, It Pays to Listen

1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Dress for action like a man;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
    Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
    or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars sang together
    and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors
    when it burst out from the womb,
9 when I made clouds its garment
    and thick darkness its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed limits for it
    and set bars and doors,
11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
    and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
    and caused the dawn to know its place,
13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,
    and the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It is changed like clay under the seal,
    and its features stand out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their light is withheld,
    and their uplifted arm is broken.

16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
    or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
    Declare, if you know all this.” – Job 38:1-18 ESV

Job has expressed his desire to stand before God. He has repeatedly begged the Almighty for an audience so that he can receive answers to all his questions, relief from his pain, and the chance to be vindicated.

“O God, grant me these two things,
    and then I will be able to face you.
Remove your heavy hand from me,
    and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence.
Now summon me, and I will answer!
    Or let me speak to you, and you reply.
Tell me, what have I done wrong?
    Show me my rebellion and my sin.” – Job 13:20-23 NLT

“If only someone would listen to me!
    Look, I will sign my name to my defense.
Let the Almighty answer me.
    Let my accuser write out the charges against me.” – Job 31:35 NLT

Well, Job gets his wish. After a long and indeterminate delay, God breaks His silence. But if Job was expecting to get a chance to defend himself before God, he was in for a surprise. If he was expecting God to provide answers to all of his questions and absolve him of all guilt, he was going to be sorely disappointed.

The reader has been given an explanation for Job’s losses in the opening chapters of the book, but Job was left in the dark as to the cause of his pain and suffering. He had no idea about the conversations that took place between God and Satan. Job was completely unaware that this entire ordeal had been a test of his own faithfulness. God knew Job was “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8 ESV).

Even after Satan had destroyed all of Job’s flocks and herds and caused the deaths of his ten adult children, “Job did not sin or charge God with wrong” (Job 1:22 ESV). Instead, Job had declared his faith in God.

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” – Job 1:21 ESV

And when Satan appeared before God a second time, God had declared Job to be “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 2:3 ESV). God proudly boasted of Job’s faithfulness in the face of trials, telling Satan, “He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason” (Job 2:3 ESV).

Yet, when God appears before Job, He doesn’t divulge any of this information. Instead, He gives Job a much-needed lesson on His own sovereignty and authority. God has had to listen to all the arrogant claims and theological ramblings of Job and his four friends, now He is going to set the record straight, and He directs His words to Job.

God appears to Job in the form of a whirlwind. The Hebrew word is סַעַר (saʿar) and it can be translated as “tempest, storm, or hurricane.” This visible manifestation of God’s divine presence is called a theophany, and it is meant to allow human beings to see the invisible God. To Job, God appeared in the form of a storm. Moses and the people of Israel had received a similar glimpse of God when He appeared to them on Mount Sinai.

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. – Exodus 19:16-19 NLT

This description of God’s presence is meant to illustrate His power and glory. From the midst of the storm, “God thundered His reply.” He didn’t speak with a still, small voice, but He boomed out His words with power and authority. The same was probably true in Job’s encounter with the Lord. And the first words out of God’s mouth were in the form of a question.

“Who is this that questions my wisdom
    with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man,
    because I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.” – Job 38:2-3 NLT

God had heard enough. Everyone had been quick to share their opinions about Him but no one knew what they were talking about. Even Job had made some fairly condemning statements about God, declaring Him to be distant and even unjust. The longer Job had been forced to endure his pain without any sign of a resolution, the more accusatory he had become. He felt abandoned by God and wasn’t afraid to say so.

“The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked,
    and God blinds the eyes of the judges.
    If he’s not the one who does it, who is?” – Job 9:24 NLT

Job’s despondency had grown so deep that he lost all hope. He was convinced that God had already predetermined his guilt and punishment. Nothing was going to change. 

“I know you will not find me innocent, O God.
Whatever happens, I will be found guilty.
    So what’s the use of trying?” – Job 38:28-29 NLT

But God had heard enough of Job’s whining and was ready to pose a few questions of His own. This entire situation had begun as a test of Job’s integrity and faithfulness but it had somehow evolved into a test of God’s character. God was on trial and He begins a well-reasoned defense of His greatness and goodness. He does so by asking a series of rhetorical questions that are meant to disqualify anyone from setting themselves up as His judge, including Job.

God goes back to the literal beginning, asking, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much” (Job 38:4 NLT). The answer is obvious. Job was nowhere to be found when God created the heavens and the earth. Neither was Elihu, Eliphaz, Bildad, or Zophar. None of these men were around at the beginning of all things, and yet they were quick to give their opinions about the One who brought all things into existence.

They could debate and speculate but they had no idea how God formed the earth or how He separated the seas from the dry land. These references to the creation account are meant to emphasize God’s power and authority. He rules over everything, from the wind and waves to the stars and galaxies. He caused the earth to rotate and revolve around the sun so that men might experience day and night as well as the changing of the seasons.

But God isn’t satisfied with stating His divine attributes of power; He wants to know if Job or his friends can replicate any of them.

“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear
    and caused the dawn to rise in the east?
Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth,
    to bring an end to the night’s wickedness?” – Job 38:12-13 NLT

“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come?
    Have you explored their depths?
Do you know where the gates of death are located?
    Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?
Do you realize the extent of the earth?” – Job 38:16-18 NLT

These questions are meant to expose mankind’s desire for self-deification. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the garden, man has been on a relentless quest to be his own God. Unwilling to worship and obey the one true God, humanity has sought to “be as God.” That was the promise Satan made to Adam and Eve in the garden when he offered them the fruit that God had declared off limits.

“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” – Genesis 3:5 NLT

Satan offered them the power to be their own gods. By disobeying God, they would be free to set their own rules and live according to their own standards. By rejecting God’s sovereignty they would establish their own autonomy or self-rule. But while autonomy offers the allure of god-like authority, it comes with none of God’s attributes. Men can create but they can’t replicate the power of God. Men are endowed with wisdom but it pales in comparison to the omniscience of God Almighty.

The apostle Paul provided insight into man’s delusion about self-deification and the self-glorification of human wisdom.

Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,

“He traps the wise
    in the snare of their own cleverness.”

And again,

“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise;
    he knows they are worthless.” – 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NLT

God wanted Job to comprehend the vast gulf that existed between God and humanity. Men are not His equals or peers. Their understanding of Him is limited and Job’s right to question His will or ways was not only unjustified but unwise. God ends His opening salvo with the command: “Tell me about it if you know!” (Job 38:18 NLT). He isn’t expecting Job to speak up; He’s expecting Job to shut up and listen to what He has to say. God is God and Job is not. The Almighty has had to listen to the ramblings of men, not it was time for them to hear the truth about God from the source of all truth.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Learning to Listen Before Speaking

1 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
    and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I open my mouth;
    the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
    and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
    and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me, if you can;
    set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
    I too was pinched off from a piece of clay.
7 Behold, no fear of me need terrify you;
    my pressure will not be heavy upon you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
    and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression;
    I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
    he counts me as his enemy,
11 he puts my feet in the stocks
    and watches all my paths.’

12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
    for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you contend against him,
    saying, ‘He will answer none of man's words’?
14 For God speaks in one way,
    and in two, though man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on men,
    while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he opens the ears of men
    and terrifies them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his deed
    and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
    his life from perishing by the sword.

19 “Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds,
    with ceaseless aching in their bones.
20 They lose their appetite
    for even the most delicious food.
21 Their flesh wastes away,
    and their bones stick out.
22 They are at death’s door;
    the angels of death wait for them.” – Job 33:1-22 ESV

Whatever credibility Elihu may lack due to his young age, he more than makes up for in swagger. He is an extremely confident individual who believes he has a divine calling to shed light on Job’s situation.

“I speak with all sincerity;
    I speak the truth.
For the Spirit of God has made me,
    and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” – Job 33:4 NLT

Yet, Elihu tries to win Job over by emphasizing their commonality. Both of them, he points out, are products of God’s creation, having been “formed from clay” (Job 33:6 NLT). Since they are mere men who have been created by and belong to God, there is no reason that Job should refuse to listen to what Elihu has to say. He insists that he is no threat to Job.

“So you don’t need to be afraid of me.
    I won’t come down hard on you.” – Job 33:7 NLT

Having tried to placate Job by stressing their similarities, Elihu shifts gears and begins to address where he and Job disagree. He starts by condensing all of Job’s complaints down to one simple sentence.

“You said, ‘I am pure; I am without sin;
    I am innocent; I have no guilt.
God is picking a quarrel with me,
    and he considers me his enemy.
He puts my feet in the stocks
    and watches my every move.’” – Job 33:9-11 NLT

This is an unfair and over-simplistic assessment of Job’s lengthy responses to Bildad, Eliphaz, and Bildad. In his desire to point out the flaws in Job’s arguments, Elihu resorts to reductionism, “the practice of simplifying a complex idea, issue, condition, or the like, esp. to the point of minimizing, obscuring, or distorting it” (collinsdictionary.com).

A quick review of Job’s earlier speeches confirms that he believed himself to be innocent of all charges leveled against him by his three friends, but at no time did Job ever declare himself to be sin-free. His only point was that he was not guilty of anything worthy of the kind of suffering he had endured. He had done nothing to deserve the collapse of his entire fortune, the deaths of his children, or the loss of his health. And because Job believed God to be sovereign over all things, the only conclusion he could reach was that God was behind it all. In Job’s mind, either God caused his suffering or, for some reason, refused to prevent it.

But Elihu takes issue with Job’s conclusion, and rebukes him for his arrogant and disrespectful view of God.

“you are wrong, and I will show you why.
    For God is greater than any human being.
So why are you bringing a charge against him?” – Job 33:12-13 NLT

Elihu had not been listening. He heard the words that came out of Job’s mouth but he was oblivious to the state of Job’s heart. Rather than probe behind all the impassioned rhetoric of his suffering friend, Elihu placed himself in the position of being the thought police. He was so busy monitoring Job’s use of words that he was unable to hear what Job was trying to say. Job wasn’t attacking God; he was simply trying to make sense of his ongoing pain and suffering. Job wasn’t blaming God either. All he was asking for was an explanation and the hope of vindication.

But Elihu heard what he wanted to hear, and in his mind, Job was nothing less than a blasphemer. As he had sat listening to Job’s responses to the other three interrogators, Elihu had deduced that Job was disparaging the Almighty. This made Job an enemy of God. Elihu heard Job repeatedly declare that all he wanted was a response from God. Job was demanding that God give him an audience and provide him with answers. But Elihu suggests that God had already spoken but Job was not listening.

“God speaks again and again,
    though people do not recognize it.
He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night…” – Job 33:14-15 NLT

Elihu asserts that Job had probably received word from God in the form of a dream but he refused to listen to what God to say. Without any evidence to back up his assertion, Elihu claims that Job had been warned by God but didn’t take the warning seriously. According to Elihu’s assessment, God had already revealed to Job the cause of his suffering. He had visited Job in a dream and warned him to repent or suffer the consequences.

“He whispers in their ears
    and terrifies them with warnings.
He makes them turn from doing wrong;
    he keeps them from pride.” – Job 33:16-17 NLT

Elihu’s conclusion was that Job could have escaped all his pain and suffering if he had only listened to God. Therefore, he was responsible for his own undoing. And, to make matters worse, Elihu suggests that God was still trying to speak to Job through his pain.

“God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds,
    with ceaseless aching in their bones.” – Job 33:19 NLT

It was all so clear to the overconfident Elihu. Job had lost everything because he refused to heed the warnings of God, and his continued suffering was a sign of God’s ongoing discipline. It was as simple as that.

Elihu shows little or no compassion. He exhibits no empathy for his older friend because he has no personal experience with such matters. It is unlikely that Elihu has ever lost all that he holds dear. His has no concept of what Job has suffered. He has no basis for understanding the pain behind Job’s words. So, he resorts to simplistic deductions that paint Job as a stubborn and unrepentant sinner who is getting exactly what he deserves.

Like his three companions, Elihu meant well. He is not an evil man who is guilty of kicking his brother while he is down. He sincerely believes that he is in the right and has the solution to Job’s problem. But in his haste to be the bearer of “good news,” Elihu ends up being the harbinger of doom and gloom. His words bring little comfort to Job. Instead, they are condemning and rather condescending, treating Job like he is nothing more than a stubborn child in need of a spanking or a time-out.

Elihu will attempt to shine a dim glimmer of hope on Job’s darkened world, but it will be well outside of Job’s control. God will not listen to Job, Elihu asserts, but He may be open to “a special messenger to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright” (Job 33:23 NLT). So, in effect, all Job can do is sit in silence and hope for the best.

Both men agree that God is in control, but Elihu suggests that Job has no right to demand an audience with the Almighty. He totally rejects Job’s suggestion that God owes Him an answer and just might acquit him of any wrongdoing. For Elihu, that kind of thinking was ungodly and out of bounds for any faithful God-follower. But the young and inexperienced Elihu had a lot to learn. In time, he would discover the truth behind God’s words.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.