For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
1 Sam. 8
Appointing a king meant Israel would be subjecting themselves to whatever that king desired. In reading through the rights of a king, I noticed his desires would likely involve an awful lot of taking. In contrast, I look at what God promised the people if they subjected themselves to what HE desired. I notice an awful lot of giving. God does things differently, serving His faithful subjects in love and grace. God does not empty us. He fills us to overflowing when we empty ourselves. Why, then, do we continue to look to things that can only take?
1 Sam. 9-11
Saul started out a humble man, in spite of his great physical stature. We see several indications of this.
- When Samuel first hinted at Saul’s pending kingship, Saul acknowledged his low position in the smallest clan of the smallest tribe of Israel.
- Later, when Samuel selected Saul as king before all the people, he was hiding among the supplies. While possibly a more spineless action than a humble one, it at least shows that Saul didn’t immediately get a big head with Samuel’s news.
- Several people rejected Saul’s kingship, but Saul kept quiet.
- He was still plowing his fields even after Samuel anointed him king before the people.
- Finally, when he rallied the people against the Ammonites on behalf of Jabesh-gilead, he didn’t claim full authority. He called the people to march behind both Samuel and himself.
The hard truth is that it isn’t about how we start. It is how we finish that matters. We can’t let whatever happens in between choke out the truth and turn us off the right path. Because we know, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 24:13).