I first taught the books of Samuel to a packed adult class that met in my home over 40 years ago. My wife, who attended those classes, requested a repeat study of the Books and I was more than happy to oblige, for I had very happy memories of those days. So, we again studied both books from early 2000 to the middle of the year 2001, this time with different Christians. (note: and studied in 2017, again by request).

In many of those early classes, the listeners were often gripping the edge of their seats as they heard the historical narrative unfold like some great Hollywood movie block-buster! I did not need to use theatrics to make the Books come alive - they already are alive! If Christians can only read these marvellous Books with open and searching minds, they will see an era when God spoke in His actions as well as through the mouths of prophets. There was a direct response to God’s commands with direct results. And the same applies today, if only we would trust!

Samuel gave me a big thrill the first time I expounded the Book, and it did so again. I find Samuel enthralling, full of excitement and intrigue, political manoeuvres, sinful mistakes and God’s mercies. I have told my present class that Samuel would make a magnificent film if only it could be done, such is its enormous breadth of action and its portrayal of people! I find the Books breath-taking, and those who hear the account verse by verse are often on the edge of their seats as that ancient time comes alive in their minds and hearts. I hope that some of this excitement we first felt is conveyed in a small way to the present reader!

“...I will cut off thine arm...”

Two contrasting matters are brought before us in this chapter: the faithful, powerful, prayer of Hannah, and the sin of Eli’s sons who brought God’s service into disrepute. In the background we have a report of the young Samuel serving God truly.

Here we read of the most fearful thing that can happen to a man in this world – the removal of God’s favour and active presence. Because he allowed his priest sons to do what they liked, Eli was told, through another man of God, that his days were numbered and his name would be removed from amongst those favoured by God. He was told that all would be lost. You will note God does not give Eli a second chance, nor even the opportunity for him or his sons to repent.

From this we might assume God must have warned them before this, so the warning we read of in this chapter must have been a last resort. It might be the case, but there is no evidence of God directly warning Eli or his sons before this time. We do read, though, that the whole of Israel was critical of the sons’ evil ways. Eli knew of this national shame upon his house, but he did nothing substantial about it. At the very least he ought to have removed his sons from office; but, he did not.

How often modern pastors and preachers tolerate sin amongst themselves! They think maybe one day their brethren might repent and turn from their ways. And so the evil continues, often without ceasing. For Eli, the result was God’s disapproval and wrath, and his own eventual shame. This can and does happen today. It is a mistaken view that God will always turn the other cheek. This is clearly not so! God is His own master and His requirements of His people do not apply to Himself.

Here we see God giving not a first warning, but a chilling final judgement. Because it was a judgement, it was sealed, and there was no way Eli or his sons could have escaped. Even if they had repented, they would still have suffered the penalty given by God. In other parts of this book, we will see God acting out his wrath suddenly and without warning, upon those who were His people. Not just upon His enemies, but upon His own children whom He loved. To God love and wrath are not opposites, but simply different aspects of His divinely holy activity.

“Here am I”

Throughout his childhood Samuel worked in the temple, under the guidance of Eli and the other priests. He met with his mother at least once a year, when she and the family came to the Temple to make sacrifice and to worship. Possibly, they met in between, too, though the text does not tell us.

See how different the attitude is toward children in those days? Today, young people are treated as special cases when it comes to worship and discipline. But, here, we read of Samuel who ‘ministered unto the Lord’ from his youngest days. Jewish children and young people are given responsibility early on. They are not excused their sin and bad behaviour, or their ignorance. It would do our own young people a power of good not to be placed on a pedestal!

Verse 1

1. “And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.”

So, Samuel ‘ministered unto the Lord’ under the watchful eye of Eli the High Priest and ultimate ruler of the Hebrew nation. That is, he served God. This is powerful testimony as to his calibre! We are told that God’s word was ‘precious’ in those days because there was ‘no open vision’. By comparison, we can read in verse 21 that ‘the Lord appeared again in Shiloh’, and this is how we ought to understand verse 1. That is, the word of God, by vision or prophecy, was almost non-existent at this time later in Eli’s life.

We can only assume that God withdrew His active presence from the nation because of the wickedness of Eli’s sons and the way Eli did not deal properly with their sins. God will not give His blessings to those who wilfully and constantly commit evil in His sight. In this case, God withdrew His presence from the whole nation because of the sins of these three men.

“The Death of Eli and His Sons”

In the New Testament we read of the deaths of a husband and wife, Ananias and Sapphira, because they lied to the Apostles (and therefore to God). Their deaths brought a hush of reverence upon the whole Christian church at that time.

A long time before that, God displayed His mighty hand against Eli and his priest-sons. For a long time Eli ignored, or did not do anything about, his rebel sons. They held grave and powerful positions in the land of Israel, for the Temple priests were also princes of state along with the Chief Priest. Eli was the chief prince, judge over all Israel, and its supreme ruler. Therefore, his responsibility to both God and men was tremendous.

In this chapter we read of how this responsibility was called to book as Eli was reminded of his errors at the cost of his life; he had failed God miserably by allowing his wayward sons to act sinfully within the walls of God’s house. They also acted with gluttony, violence, greed, and sexual impropriety outside it, giving the households of Eli and God a terrible name.

As my mother used to warn me, God does not sleep. He knows what is going on. Indeed, He knew the sins we would commit before He made the world! So, why are we so stupid when it comes to disobeying? Why do we think we can get away with it? He will, and He must, act against us at some point in our lives, if we continue in our sins. For Eli, the sins of his sons were to lead not only to their deaths, but also to his own.

“Dagon Falls Before the Ark”

The terrible news of the Ark’s capture by Israel’s enemy precipitated the deaths of Eli and his daughter in law. Eli’s two wayward sons died in battle and thousands of Hebrew soldiers died on the battle field. The whole thing was a disaster. This is what happens when God is left out of our lives and we do whatever we please.

In everyday life we follow the culture of the day, wanting good incomes, great jobs and employer applause. That is because we lack the understanding that we should pray for whatever GOD wishes us to do. When we thus leave out God and His will, we will live aimlessly through life, unless and if He graciously stops us in our tracks and causes us to think again. If this happens to you, do not moan and become depressed – thank Him for His mercy and look for HIS answers for your life. Otherwise your heart and mind will remain captive to the enemy of souls.

There are times when God will allow His children great latitude when they sin. This does not mean He allows the sin to go unchallenged, or that it is somehow forgotten. Sin that is not repented of is never forgotten by God! We are all challenged every day over our sins. The more we try to avoid listening to God’s voice the worse becomes our sin, for to avoid God we must elevate self and silence conscience. Yes, God is ‘longsuffering’… but NOT always! Beware.

Now, the whole nation of Israel was suffering because Eli did not control his own sons. To control children is every parent’s (and societies’) duty. But, when a high-profile man of God does not control his children, everybody knows about it and everybody must suffer, for his influence travels far.

"The Ark is Returned – but God’s Wrath Continues”

Unlike human beings, God is not a respecter of persons. His laws and commands must be met by all, great and small, whether His children or not. It does not matter who you are, you must obey Him. There are no excuses and no allowances. In this chapter we see the Ark returning to its own country. However, the slaughter by God does not end, but continues. It must be repeated – God cannot be placated. He must only be obeyed!

Verses 1-9

1. “And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

2. And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

3. And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

4. Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

5. Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

6. Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

7. Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:

8. And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

9. And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall no that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.”

“The Lord Thundered!”

Pious folk often look down their noses at those of us who fail at times in our Christian walk. They ask how it is possible for one who has been saved by grace to fall away and sin? Well, I will leave them to their pseudo-holiness, for even Paul admitted to failing on occasions. In this chapter we see how the whole nation of Israel fell to the lies of Satan, to follow after false gods. If the whole of God’s chosen nation can thus fail, so soon after being given the Middle East for their home, then maybe one or two of us can sometimes fail as Christians!

We now read of the long period between getting back the Ark from the Philistines and God returning to the people in an active sense. Forgetting what God had done time and again for them in the past, the people of Israel slid back into the stupid worship of false gods. We are all capable of sliding into sin of all kinds, and none of us is free of the penchant for evil. Let us not look down our noses at Christians who sin, or who appear to slide down into a pit of falsity. Each of us is more than capable of doing the same thing when we forget God. And Satan is there, by our sides, ready and waiting to find the tiniest chink in our armour so he can urge us onwards in sin.

Samuel had to wait for over 20 years, watching his nation foul its own nest with false gods, until it was God’s time to bring the people back to sanity. And when He did, it was with a spectacle. He roared with thunder and enemies scattered! We have a mighty Lord whose arm is always stretched out to gather us up. We also have a God Whose wrath can be aimed like a thunderbolt at those who fall away into sin. Let us beware, then, and walk the path of righteousness, lest we also fall and incur His wrath. God might tolerate your sin right now, but He might also come upon you with great anger tomorrow, even for the same sin. Do not, then, be a fool.

“Make Us a King”

For a long time the people of Israel obeyed the Lord and worshipped Him in truth. However, as Samuel grew older and less able to travel and hold court, so his own two sons took over many responsibilities of state. Sadly, just like Eli’s sons, Samuel’s sons were corrupt and the people did not wish to return to the days of Eli.

So, they demanded a king. Though their dislike for the evil priests was acceptable, their answer to their activities was not. God did not wish them to have a king like the other nations – He wanted them to obey Him alone, without intermediaries. But, they insisted. In our churches we often jettison what is of God for the sake of an humanly substituted remedy. We must not allow ourselves to be led by emotion or human factors. Our continual measure must be God’s word alone. Once we stray from this holy and just measure we lose God’s favour and dilute anything He might give us.

Verses 1-3

1. “And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beesheba.

3. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgement.”

Because of his age, Samuel had to delegate his tasks of government to his two sons, Joel (‘Jehovah is God’) the eldest, father of the singer, Heman, and Abiah (‘Jehovah is my father’). Both operated out of Beersheba (‘well of the seven-fold oath’) at the southernmost part of Israel. They ‘walked not in his ways’; their lives were not holy, but were led by the love of ‘lucre’, which does not just refer to money – it means unjust gain or profit, procured by violence. They were simply thuggish thieves in priests’ clothing. They did not care how they made their riches and gladly accepted bribes (gifts in return for favours and corrupt judgements). They also ‘perverted judgement’, literally meaning to ‘bend’ their judgement to suit a bad conclusion. No wonder the people were against them!

Verses 4-9

4. “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5. And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

7. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.”

“Saul is Led to Samuel”

One of the most amazing facts about God’s acts or help is that He generally mobilises people and arranges events well in advance of us asking Him for something. In my own life I have been dumb-struck by the way God brings together resources to bring me help, even before I know I need it! For example, a sudden need might come upon me on, say, a Friday, so I pray for God’s intervention and help. The help comes that day or the next... but the activity began well before I knew I would need help! This fact is mind-blowing.

Let me give a simple but telling example. I needed to get to my work very fast, for if I arrived late I would be disciplined. It was my own fault, but, even so, I prayed for God to get me there on time. Frankly, I did not expect an answer, though I was fervent in my prayer. (We are all like this!).

I had just ten minutes to cover a journey of 30 minutes, so even if I ran I would be late. I began to run! I turned the corner of my street and ran up the hill to another major road. As I slowed to a walk, out of breath, and crossed the road, about to run again up a side street, a taxi came to a halt at my side and a female voice called “Get in!” The voice belonged to a female nurse who worked with me! As we sped toward work she said that she had also got up late, so called for a taxi. We got to work on time and I was not disciplined.

Now, the girl told me that she called for the taxi half an hour before I had a lift. Thus, God had mobilised the means of my ‘salvation’ well before I knew I needed it myself! This filled me with amazement and I was awe-struck. But, sadly, as the day wore on, I began to think it was just coincidence.

The real awe came the next day and the day after that... next day I again woke up late and had another ten minutes to cover the 30 minute journey. Again, I prayed to God to deliver me. As I did so, I felt a deep twinge of anxiety and as I started to run, I felt guilty that I awoke late yet again and had the temerity to call for God’s help. Thus, I did not expect a result. But, when I reached the exact same spot as the day before, a taxi again stopped and I was given a lift to work in time, by the same person!

The girl said she had also got up late, again, and told the taxi driver to follow the same route just in case I was late, too! The amazing thing was that she normally went a completely different route. On the first occasion, she felt compelled to tell the driver to travel along the road I was on, though she did not know why. The taxi driver, too, would not have normally travelled that route. On this second occasion the girl ‘had a feeling’ that maybe someone might need a lift! So, when it happened a second time, the awe I felt was deep seated. It was only a lift, but it showed me something of God that was wonderful.

I was almost content with this revelation, but God had other ideas! Next day, for the third time, I again got up late, and again had only ten minutes to get to work. This time, things had changed – I automatically called to God for help... but suddenly felt a cold shiver as I realised my position. As I ran up my road I was filled with fear. I had got up late three times and each time expected God to help me. Surely I was now tempting God? As I ran I repented of my foolishness. Yet, when I reached the same spot as before, I expectantly looked for a taxi! None came and so I continued to run. Perhaps, after all, it was imagination…

Then, as I was about to turn up the side street, a vehicle stopped and a voice called me. It was another nurse, but in his own car. He, too, never used that route, but felt he had to travel that way. I had not seen a taxi because God used someone else instead! I got into that car in a state of shock. All day I ruminated over what had happened and as I remembered the exact details of each of those three days my awe was complete. In a simple way God had shown me His power and elective grace. The timings and conditions were so exact as to cast out any doubt or other explanation.

I realised that, on each occasion, God had mobilised other people well before I had prayed for help. Those people travelled a route they never used before and never used again. And each time it was in direct response to my specific prayed-for need. And it happened three times, in exactly the same way, at the very same spot! The awe I felt was so dramatic and real I could think of nothing else for months. I had been shown God’s power and authority over every part of His creation. I had been shown how He acts even before we know our own needs. And I had been shown the reality of prayer.

Knowing what I know now, over forty years later, I am convinced God gave me those three days as a test. The result was complete trust in God and true prayer, and those three days, insignificant in themselves as events, were used to display a power so awesome, I quaked in holy fear. But, the ensuing trust (faith) affected my whole life from the third day onward. The three episodes were very necessary, because one act would have left me thinking it was coincidence (as I indeed thought). A second time would have made me totter on the brink of belief. It took a third episode to convince me. I thank God for His gracious intervention and now know He is alive and active in our lives today!

I wanted to share this amazing time in my life before talking about Saul, because what happened to him was what happened to me. Here we have two men who did not know each other. Yet, God mobilised everything in such a manner as to bring them together, starting the events even before either man knew what was going to happen. I wanted the reader to know that such events are not just in the past. They occur today, bringing immense fear of Almighty God, yet a trust that cannot be shaken. God is alive! So, read in awe, my friends, for you are looking at God’s mighty power, not just a dusty piece of history.

"God Save the King!"

Just before Saul was sent home again by Samuel, the prophet deepened the mystery for him. He told him he would become the king (‘captain’) of Israel. A young man, he had no idea what it meant, for to that juncture in history the Israelites had never experienced the rule of an earthly king. They knew what it was like to be subjected to a forced allegiance to foreign kings and princes, and they even knew what it was like to be dealt with harshly by those kings. But, they did not know what to expect of their own king.

It is true that Samuel spelled it out to them when they first demanded a king, but they simply could not properly comprehend the reality of having a king over them. So, Saul probably heard the message but did not really perceive how it would actually affect him. Nor did he feel exactly confident about it all, as his silence before his uncle proves (see later section in this chapter).

“Saul’s Great Victory”

The momentous declaration was made – for the first time, the Hebrews were to have a king. Note that even though this was not God’s wish, He nevertheless required the people to obey their new earthly monarch. I believe this was a part of His judgement, a ‘thorn in their side’ as a reminder of the consequences of putting God aside. After all, before this time, the people were free under God. Now they had to obey a human king as well as their heavenly Father. They placed a yoke upon themselves, so perhaps the Lord wanted them never to forget that fact. They wanted an earthly king, and they got one, with all the chains that come attached to earthly power.

The majority of the people accepted Saul as their new king. But, a few refused to have him. These God refers to as the ‘children of Belial’ (10:27). The men of Jabeshgilead appear to have been some of these ‘children of Belial’ for, a short while after the announcement of the new king, they were besieged by Ammonites, led by Nahash. It could be that the men of Jabeshgilead were just afraid of being slaughtered, so they capitulated to the foreigner, rather than send to Saul for help. At any rate, the price for their surrender was high... the blinding of their right eyes!

“The Hand of the LORD”

Following their earthly salvation at the hands of their future king, Saul, the Israelites were jubilant. This was, amongst other things, a fine stamp of approval on their decision to have a king just like all the other (pagan!) nations. Or, so they thought. When Samuel urged them all to go to Gilgal, he had other matters in mind, beside that of praising God for his merciful intervention in this latest war. He had called them all together to remind them they had sinned, yet the Lord was still their God. (This is a good fact to remember – we cannot lose our salvation).

Whilst He had certainly provided a champion in the figure of Saul, He nevertheless wanted to remind them of their great sin, and of the consequences of ignoring His demands. The ‘hand of the Lord’ saved them from their mortal enemies, and the same hand of the Lord would punish them for their spiritual evils, if they continued on their chosen path of selfishness and human pride.

As with all of scripture, God’s word, these texts are alive with instructions for our own lives. When we reject and ignore God’s way, specifically as found in scripture, we open ourselves up not only to the natural consequences of our sin, but we also attract the censure of our most Holy God. As has been shown before, God will and does punish His people even during their earthly lifetimes. It is this fearful reminder that Samuel brought to the people, who were still buzzing with joy at being victorious against their enemies.

I have observed throughout my life the way Christian living in the West has declined almost to the point of collapse. All manner of things have contributed to this sad state of affairs, including relative financial security, provision of nearly everything by the State, lack of opposition* to the Christian ethos and a generalised slackness of application of God’s requirements to our lives. But, the onus is on each and every one of us to reverse this slide in to obscurity. Whatever the contribution made by external elements to our decline, we cannot blame them, for we are all held accountable before Almighty God for our individual lives. Sin is charged to us on a moment-by-moment individual basis! (*2018 note: Opposition has now come upon us with great vengeance – via homosexuals and Islamists – because of spiritual laxity).

It is about time that we, as elected representatives of the Kingdom of God, began to show our position in Christ. We must throw off the mantle of sloth and put on the mantle of holiness. Otherwise the hand of the Lord will be raised against us in wrath. We are His people – but that does not stop His anger against sin. Do not wait until He gives us a sign, for by then it could be close to earthly punishment. Rather, do what is right and good now, as time permits. Then, the same hand of the Lord will provide us with earthly delights such as peace, love and communion with Him, and even all that we need to live on this earth (as promised in Matthew). Now let us examine the chapter before us:

“Beginning of the End for Saul”

Saul started his life honourably, and in many ways, he continued to be honourable. But, he was hasty, and his haste was to bring about his own demise, both as king and man. In this chapter we see how Saul, with the best intentions in the world, did not adhere to precise instructions given to him by Samuel (and, thus, from God). Holding nothing back, Samuel told the king he had thereby sealed his own destruction, and his kingdom would be passed to another (David, yet to be anointed by Samuel).

This report, of the removal of God’s approval from a man, is a vital lesson for us all today. It tells us several things... that:

God is active in our lives

He expects us to follow what He says, to the letter

When we do not do so, we fall into sin

When we sin God will sometimes remove His approval

That in our lifetime we may never again know His approval

That when this occurs we can expect nothing but trouble

This is no fallacy, or scaremongering. What happened to Saul happened to others in scripture, and what happened to them can happen to us. The only reason we, today, neither acknowledge this, nor expect it to happen, is a sign of our unbelief and lack of understanding of our own condition and the nature of God.

The vast majority of people in our churches are nice people. They are sociable and do their best to live good lives. Within their ranks are those who are truly saved. They are the true ‘Church’. Within their ranks, the majority have very little understanding of what their own beliefs are, or how to live their lives in the Lord. In many cases, neither do their pastors. This is observable fact.

That is why we see the inroads in the churches made by charismaticism and other heresies. God’s people simply do not know who they are, Who God is, or what He really expects of them. They have been duped by the prevalent teaching that ‘God is love’ – and nothing but love. Western affluence seems to support the view. Without knowing it, these good people, saved by God, live out their lives not even realising that God does not approve of what they say, think or do.

Some do not realise that God has removed His active presence from their lives, and what they consider to be His loving hand on their lives is actually His disapproval in allowing them to do exactly what they wish! So they earn their money, have their holidays, live without any true sense of holiness and apart-ness from the world, and convince themselves that what they have in this world has been provided by God. So, everything must be alright!

But it is not. God will leave people to their own devices – a fate far worse than being obviously punished and knowing you are being punished. God does this after He has called them to repentance, sometimes many times. He will have talked to them from scripture, in their hearts and minds, and through others sent to jolt their consciences. But, they remain in their sinful pride and never acknowledge their need to repent.

It is my personal estimation that a very large number of fellow Christians are in this position. I take my cue from what happens in local churches today. So, take heed, friends, and do not be lulled into a false sense of security. Saul’s fate could be yours. Remember that many in scripture who God punished did things we would probably think were minor acts. To God there is no such thing as a minor sin – each sin merits death and hell. As you read this chapter, then, do not just think of it as a piece of Biblical history. It is more than that, for it reminds us of the sovereignty and lordship of God. What He says is law. What He requires is 100% compliance. Anything less is sin, and sin cannot be tolerated by Him.

“Saul’s Changes of Mind”

Saul had already started to go downhill, by being hasty. Now we find him doing the same things, by uttering declarations he could not, or would not, keep. These are not signs of a man whose actions are wholly of God. The man who is sure of his spiritual ground will not move an inch to alter his ways. Saul, though mighty in battle, and though knowing God’s hand to be with him, was again hasty, and this led on to mistakes of both judgement and execution. In many ways Saul was a good man, but human goodness can never be a measure for our lives – only the goodness of God can be our yardstick.

In the previous chapter we saw how the first wave of Philistines - the ‘spoilers’ or destroyers – were sent to bring havoc to the few Hebrews still left standing with Saul. The job of these murderous soldiers was very simple – to utterly crush initial opposition and to destroy everything and everyone in their path. Then would come the main army to finish the task.

The Hebrews waited for their fate. Saul had led them to victory before, but this seemed to be different, for only Saul and his son, Jonathan, had weapons! Most of the Hebrews fled and hid. A small handful of men stayed with Saul in the city of Gibeah as the massed army of the Philistines encamped near Michmash.

Awaiting their apparent fate, Saul and his few men did not know what Jonathan was planning. If nothing else, this young prince had courage!

Verse 1

1. “Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that (is) on the other side. But he told not his father.”

We can write with some confidence about what scriptural texts say, but we can only make assumptions when it comes to motives. Why did Jonathan do such a foolhardy thing? Just two young men against a whole contingent of Philistines? Did he want to show his father his prowess as a soldier? Did he want to prove to himself how brave he was? Did he want to impress the Hebrews? Did he have a word from the Lord that gave him a brave heart? Or, was he plain stupid? We cannot tell from the account before us.

In those days, things were more civilised in the run-up to battle. The two sides camped opposite each other and did not strike until the stated time. After fighting they usually went back to their tents until the next day. So, if they kept their heads down, these two men could get away with their plan.

Not telling his father, Jonathan took his armour-bearer and made his way toward the nearest group of Philistine soldiers, who were camped in a field opposite Gibeah. It was broad daylight, so it is odd that they could sneak out when everyone was supposedly on full alert.

“Saul defies the Lord”

Saul was chosen to be king. Yet, despite this honour beyond words, with its attendant responsibilities, Saul very quickly left God’s path by making decisions against those already given by God. There are many today who do this, thinking it makes no real difference. There are pastors who follow their own hearts, and Christians who follow their own interpretation of scripture. They think they can get away with it. But, they can’t. Like Saul, but maybe not in such spectacular fashion (as is seen much later in his life), they will be shown by God that they were sinful people. When God tells us what we should do, we must do it, regardless of our own plans and ideas. Simple as that. And this is exactly what the first verse of this chapter says…

Verses 1-3

1. “Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

2. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

3. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”

Samuel had a word from God for Saul. He said, the Lord sent me to anoint you king. So, listen to what your Lord tells you. Samuel then gave Saul the message from God – God said He remembered when Amalek (‘dweller in a valley’; Esau’s grandson who began a tribe in southern Canaan) ambushed Israel (the nation) as they travelled from Egypt (Exodus 17: 8-13) Deuteronomy 25: 17-19.

At the time he was ‘duke Amalek’; ‘duke’ or ‘alluwph, in this context, meant ‘chief’, for he had many people at his disposal, who wished to prevent their distant cousins from entering the land. He ranged his army against Israel at Rephidim (‘resting places’; between Sinai and Egypt), as the tired people tried to rest. Moses sent Joshua out to fight Amalek. From that time God cursed Amalek, and an altar was built at Jehovahnissi to remind the people that God would war against him and his descendants. This would have been known to Saul, yet he went on to disobey the Lord! Sadly, though Saul began as a good man, his life began to disintegrate when he tried to run his life on his own human terms. This is bad enough for believers, but far worse in the case of a leader of God’s people.

Today, we have the full scriptures and know what God says, yet many disobey by ‘doing their own thing’. They have no qualm about giving their own personal interpretation of what God says. This is called disobedience… and Saul died because of it.

God’s instructions to Saul were specific – go and fight the Amalekites; destroy all the people and everything they have, from homes to fields and animals. Even the children had to die. There were to be no exceptions, for God had declared it. Whether or not we have a personal wish to accept it or not, we must obey God’s commands. He has no emotional tie to His creation, only a pure and unadulterated view of His own plan and will. What we think of His plan is irrelevant and does not come into any part of His will. We are His creatures and we must do what He says, disregarding our own ideas and emotions.

“A New King”

Saul failed to obey the Lord, so God replaced him with another king. In this chapter we read of how that happened and of the way Saul quickly degenerated through a black depression that haunted him until his death. Ironically, the cause of his depression (his own disobedience leading to loss of the kingdom) was temporarily relieved by the very man who was secretly appointed by God to be the next king – David!

Verses 1-3

1. “And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn or Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear (it), he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me (him) whom I name unto thee.”

Have you taken in what God is doing here? He is using subterfuge! God could simply have executed His will by drawing a veil over Saul’s eyes, so that the new king could be anointed before his very eyes. But, no. He used subterfuge. We cannot really glean much for our own use from this, because we cannot understand His ways. All we know is that God did not, on this occasion, use a direct approach. Even the spies sent out by Joshua did not attempt to pretend to be someone else – they remained Hebrews. But, God’s actions are based on His holy will, and what He does is not always what we should do.

Did He, then, lie? Could His subterfuge be construed as a lie? No, it could not, for God cannot lie. It was, then, a legitimate secret way of dealing with the situation.

But, before He sent Samuel to contact the new king – who was unaware of his pending kingship at that time – God wanted Samuel to tell Him why he was so distressed by Saul’s coming demise. Samuel was mourning Saul, or lamenting over him. God did not think this was appropriate. How often do we, as Believers, lament or mourn over other people, even fellow Believers, after God has cast them aside? It is a human emotional response, particularly if we know the people well and like them. But, it is out of place!

“David and Goliath”

The fight between David and Goliath is so well-known it has been relegated to the realm of legend. In particular, it has most fame amongst children. Yet, it is very much for adults. Far from being a mere story, often called a myth, even amongst Christians, it is an actual historical account, of a time when champions went out to fight for their king. If the champion won, the losing side vowed allegiance to the victor’s king. But, if the champion was beaten, the opposing army demanded the allegiance of the losing side.

At this particular time Goliath, a member of a dwindling race of giants, intimidated the Hebrew army to its very core, so that even its best men were too frightened to go against this huge adversary. All except for one young man, David. Only an armour bearer, and much derided by his brothers, David was incensed that a heathen soldier should dare to chant abuse at the children of God! He was not a seasoned soldier, but he knew, even at his tender age, that if God was for him, no-one could possibly be against him. What a model of faith he is to us today! (Note that though young, David was well experienced in fighting wild animals, alone).

So, when reading this account remember it is about toughness, courage, and faith in God. It is about how God elected David to be future king, and predestined him to beat the most formidable foe the Hebrews had known for a very long time. We must all know how to place our trust completely in God, for even in the most harrowing and seemingly impossible situations, God will bring us through and give us the victory.

Verses 1-3

1. “Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which (belongeth) to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

2. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

3. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and (there was) a valley between them”.

This is the setting for one of the most amazing and famous scenes in scripture. The Philistines, long-standing enemies of the Hebrews, but allowed to exist by God to test His chosen people, marched to a place between Shochoh (‘bushy’) and Azekah (‘dug over’), which was in Ephesdammim (‘edge of blood’).

Ephesdammim was 16 miles south-west of Jerusalem, probably consisting of plains. The two towns were in these lowlands of Judah… a vast army needs a large valley. Saul and his army pitched their tents in Elah, which was at the other end of the same plain. Interestingly, Saul’s army pitched closer to Philistine territory, whilst the Philistines pitched closer to Judah. Both armies then set themselves in battle array, though not in battle lines. Between the two was a ‘no-man’s land’ and both armies could see each other, waiting.

The kings of each side sat on top of respective mountains, and their armies stood on the sides of the mountains. The valley from Elah to Ephesdammim ran between the two. Each waited to see who would make the first move. On this occasion it was the Philistines – and we quickly see the cause for their confidence!

Verses 4-7

4. “And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

5. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

6. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

7. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and one bearing a shield went before him.”

The Hebrews saw a lone figure stride out from the enemy camp. They probably could not believe their eyes, for they saw a giant of a man, literally. It could mean only one thing – this was their enemy’s champion! How their hearts sank. They obviously thought that a one-to-one fight between a giant and a normal-size warrior would have only one result... the death of the Hebrew and the subsequent subjugation of the whole nation of Israel. It is how modern Christians are paralyzed by fear of a seemingly bigger foe. They fail to remember – God is bigger than all!

The giant was Goliath (‘splendour’) whose very name described his stature. (Note: this was one of two Goliaths, both giants, killed by men of Judah, at different times). He came from Gath (‘winepress’) one of the five royal Philistine cities and home of many more giants. At that time there was a race of giants, in their various families. (See relevant article, and the book of Joshua).

Cynics, even amongst Christians, try to dismiss this fact, but giants existed for centuries. Even today there are giants, over seven feet tall, and some close to eight feet. Look no further than the massive athletes who are on the American fake-wrestling scene! Even if none existed today, Christians are duty-bound to just accept the scriptural statements. If scripture says so, then it can be taken as fact... giants existed!

There were many measures of cubits (some longer and some shorter), but on average the Biblical cubit was about 18 inches or 450 millimetres (the length of the forearm). A ‘span’ measured roughly half a cubit, or the distance between the thumb and little finger of an outstretched hand, about 9 inches or 200 millimetres. Goliath was six and a half cubits, so that made him roughly ten feet tall or about 3 metres. Impressive!

Not only was he tall, but he was very strong and muscular, judging by what he wore. He had an helmet of brass and his coat of mail alone weighed 5000 shekels of ‘brass’. There were different shekel weights for different metals, such as gold and silver, etc. A shekel of gold was one ten-thousandth of a talent, or 220 grains; a shekel of silver weighed one three-thousandth of a talent or 132 grains; a shekel of copper was one fifteen-hundredth of a talent, or 528 grains. In Western weight a talent was 125 lbs and 60 shekels was about 2 lbs. The ‘brass’ referred to in the text was copper or bronze. So, Goliath was wearing a mail armour coat of copper whose weight was staggering…166 pounds, the same as a very heavy man! Bear in mind that he had the height and stature to carry it – but even then he must have had the strength of an ox.

But that was not all! He wore brass/copper leg armour and a brass ‘target’ (short sword or javelin) between his shoulders. These would have added tremendous weight. The staff of his spear, that is the shaft, was as big as a weaver’s beam, and the iron spear-tip alone weighed 600 shekels or 20 lbs. No wonder he had an armour bearer carrying his shield! Can you imagine the size of the shield? Without doubt, he was a formidable enemy.

Verses 8-11

8. “And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am I not a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul ? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

9. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

10. And the Philistines said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

11. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.”

This massive specimen of man simply stood in the plain, reducing his enemies to a quivering mess. You might think this was reasonable, but, as you will see, it gives us a valuable lesson in trust and in how not to be a coward.

Goliath boomed out a taunt to the Hebrews. “Why have you come here to fight? Where is your champion? If he can kill me we shall be your slaves… but if I kill him, you will be our slaves! We defy you!”

Saul heard this challenge and so did his army. Everyone was “dismayed, and greatly afraid”. That is, they were ‘scared and shattered’ and had immense fear and awe. One of the most basic truths for Believers is that if God is for us who can be against us? At this early stage in Saul’s demise we can see that he had already lost the trust he once had in God. He showed fear in the face of God’s enemies, instead of an unshakable trust.

Verses 12-16

12. “Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.

13. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and the next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

15. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

16. And the Philistines drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.”

We now have a sub-plot in the account, where we are given details of where David was at this time. You will remember David was at the king’s court, and he used to play harp and sing soothingly to him when he became depressed by a demon.

Because of his youth and having had no experience at war, David was sent back to his aged father, Jesse, to assist in running the farm, for three brothers of seven were at the battle front. The three sons who followed Saul were the eldest, Eliab (‘my God is father’), the second eldest, Abinadab (‘my father is noble’) and Shammah (‘astonishment’) the third eldest. David, as we know, was the youngest.

So, David was at Bethlehem, shepherding his father’s flocks, whilst Goliath taunted the Hebrews, every morning and evening for forty days. On the very first day, his challenge drew great fear from the Israelites, so with each day that passed Saul and his army became more and more demoralised. During those forty days the king and his advisers would have debated their coming defeat and imminent enslavement, with a crushing gloom. Why did the enemy issue their challenge for forty days? Simply, to terrify the Hebrews and reduce any strength they might have had. Each day brought terror and a fear of fighting.

Verses 17&18

17. “And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren and Ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp of thy brethren:

18. And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

19. Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

At about the end of the forty days Jesse told David to take food to his brothers at the front. He was to take an ephah of parched corn, which was about 3 pecks or 70 lbs. The parched corn was roasted, rather like modern popcorn and eaten without further cooking. There were also ten large loaves. For the captain of the brothers’ company of 1000 men, Jesse sent ten complete cheeses, out of deference and probably out of a hope that he would take care of his sons. David was to check on his brothers’ welfare and obtain news from them as to their condition. All of Israel was waiting to see what their fate as a nation would be.

Verses 20-24

20. “And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

21. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

22. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

23. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

24. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.”

David got up early the next day and went about his task, after handing over the sheep to another shepherd. He reached the battle-field, which had a trench and earth barrier dug between the Hebrews and the Philistines, just as Goliath was about to come forward to shout his challenge, yet again. Thus far, he had single-handedly demoralised the entire Hebrew army, so all his own king had to do was wait until the enemy caved in from terror and inward defeat. The Philistine army went forward to back up the giant and the Hebrews walked forward.

David left his yoke of oxen that pulled the cart, with the man responsible for guarding the other carts and animals, and ran toward the line where his brothers were, greeting them cheerily. As he chatted to them and asked how they were, Goliath swaggered out from the rest of his army and shouted his usual challenge. Everyone, including David, listened to his taunts and jeers. But, the Hebrew soldiers just ran back to their own lines in fear.

Verses 25-30

25. “And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? Surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.

26. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

27. And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

28. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

29. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”

30. And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.”

As they quaked in fear the soldiers spoke amongst themselves, saying that Saul was offering a huge sum of riches to the man who would kill Goliath. Saul would also give his daughter’s hand in marriage and make the champion’s family freemen of the nation. However, the sight of Goliath was too much, and no-one took up the challenge!

David could not believe what he was hearing and asked the men who were talking to repeat their words. David was incensed that a heathen enemy was allowed to defy the living God of Israel! Now that is the true response of a man of God! That is how we should all face our enemies, for our God is the living God, the only real and true God.

The fearful men repeated the offers made by Saul, to David, but when David’s eldest brother heard about it he was very angry with him. He demanded to know why David had come, and where the sheep were. Eliab was convinced David had left the sheep to watch the battle. Yet, all he had done was to obey his father. Once at the battle-field he heard the taunts of Goliath and his heart was stirred with holy anger against him, though he was very young. David did not think of the danger – he just felt anger that anyone should dare to defy his God.

David respectfully replied that his query was justified, for there was just cause to be angry with Goliath. David turned to the men and again asked what the circumstances were, and what Saul had offered.

Verses 31-37

31. “And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

32. And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33. And Saul said unto David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

34. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

35. And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

37. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.”

Someone went to Saul and repeated what the young man had said. Saul was intrigued and sent for David. With the wisdom and courage of a fearless champion, David told the king not to be ruled by anxiety – he would go and fight the giant!

Saul wanted a champion, but he did not wish to send a non-combatant against a seasoned warrior. Saul thought it would mean instant death for the plucky young man. So he said that a young man could not be a match for a man of war. Saul’s mistake was in not recognising the source of David’s anger and courage – God.

With frank factuality David stood his ground and related his past successes in the face of danger - like the time he fought off a bear and a lion that attacked his flock. David related how he fought them both, single-handedly. This, plus the later notes of how David wore Saul’s armour, tells us that David, though young, was big and powerful in stature (remember – Saul was also very tall).

The angry but faithful follower of God told Saul that Goliath would end up just as dead as the lion and the bear, because he had defied Almighty God! God, he added, saved him from the animals, and he would save him from death at the hand of Goliath. Saul must have been impressed, for he sent David to fight with his blessing. After forty days of fear, this young man gave a glimmer of hope - and even if he failed, at least they would have tried before they ended up as slaves.

Verses 38-40

38. “And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

39. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

40. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand; and he drew near to the Philistine.”

Saul went into Saul’s armoury tent and was given Saul’s own armour. David put the helmet on, then the coat of mail. The sword was strapped to his side. Then, David refused to go to battle wearing the armour and the sword: ‘I have not even tried them out yet’, he said to Saul. So, he removed the armour and stood in his own clothes. He took his own walking stick with him and then went to the small river to pick out five smooth stones. He placed them into his shepherd’s bag and then he walked confidently toward the defiant Goliath.

Saul and his men must have watched in amazement as they wondered what on earth the youngster hoped to achieve without armour and with only five stones. But, David was a shepherd, well-versed in the use of a slingshot. For him, his sling was as potent as the bow of an expert bowman.

Verses 41-47

41. “And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

42. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

43. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

45. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with a sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hands.”

Goliath strode out with confidence; his armour-bearer carried his shield before him. When Goliath saw who had come from the Hebrew line, he laughed in derisive anger. All he saw was a young man without a scratch on his body and with fair skin, not even weathered by the sun and wind.

Goliath called and asked if he thought he was a dog to be beaten with a stick! Goliath swore at David, using the names of his local gods. He then shouted to David to approach him, so that he could tear his body apart and feed his flesh to the birds and desert animals.

But, David was unperturbed by this huge mountain of vicious manhood. He shouted back with his own taunt: ‘You have come against a mere youngster with a sword, spear and shield… but, all I have is faith in my God! He is the God of our army, the very God who you have defied! In just a few moments you will die at my hand and I will cut off your head. The army of the Philistines will be cut down and fed to the birds, so that all the world might know the God of Israel is with us and is Almighty!’ What a speech! But could he deliver the promise?

David was to show that God wins with His own strength and that He could defeat the Philistines with His word alone. What a lesson in trust to us all. Do YOU believe God can deliver you from danger, enemies and circumstances? If you do not, then you do not know Him at all. I say this after having had many deliverances and victories in Christ, where my own strength was nil.

Verses 48-51

48. “And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

50. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

51. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took of his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.”

The enraged Goliath strode toward David, and David ran to meet him. How the adrenaline must have surged through his body! Have you ever experienced a similar circumstance? I have! The sheer joy of God is with you as you go forth in complete confidence! Behind Goliath, David could see the whole army of the Philistines. The Hebrew soldiers had heard David’s reply to Goliath. Now they must have willed him onward in a mixture of disbelief and faint hope. As David ran to meet the giant they must have waited with halted breath!

David stopped and took a stone from his bag, loading his sling with it. With expertise he swung the sling around his head and let go the end. The stone hit the giant with the force of a bullet, under the brow of his helmet and above his nose, driving into the flesh, stunning him unconscious. The mighty warrior crashed to the ground, face first. David ran up to the fallen champion, took his own huge sword, and cut off his head. In disbelief the shocked Philistines ran away!

Verses 52&53

52. “And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

53. And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.”

The men of Israel rose up with a shout – they now knew they would now beat the enemy! They ran after the fleeing Philistines, right back to their own borders at Ekron (‘torn up by the roots’), the most northerly Philistine town on the lowlands of Judah. As they followed, Philistines fell dead on every side even in their own towns and villages… Shaaraim (‘double gate’), Gath (‘winepress’) and Ekron. None were spared and the Hebrew soldiers took what was in their tents as spoil.

Verses 54-58

54. “And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

55. And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

56. And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.

57. And David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

58. And Saul said unto him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

David did not follow, but took Goliath’s head to Jerusalem as a trophy and sign of God’s victory. When Saul saw David kill the giant, he asked his general, Abner, who the young man was. Abner said he had no idea, so Saul asked him to find out who the ‘stripling’ was. The word means ‘young man’ and that is how we know David was not a child as so many pictures of him make us think. He was a big lad, for Saul was very tall and yet David could wear his armour.

When David walked back to the Hebrew lines with Goliath’s head, Abner met him and took him to Saul, where the king asked him who his father was. I am the son of Jesse, your servant, came the reply. It is curious that Saul should not recognise David, when he had been singing and playing for him at court. It is possible that Saul had other singers, or that he did not recognise him out of his usual occupation – see how we can not ‘see’ someone like a nurse if she is not in uniform. Or, it could be that he did not ‘see’ David when he was in the depths of his depressions.

© March 2000 (Revised March 2018)

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“Saul Fears David”

We now come to a very strange phenomenon – one man fearing another because of his relationship with God. This has happened to myself. On one occasion I was physically attacked by a ‘schizophrenic’, who said he feared me because I was a ‘man of God’. On another occasion, a colleague verbally attacked me for the same reason, admitting that my Christian faith made him feel uncomfortable.

There was also one time when a demon possessed man fell to the ground when I entered a room full of people. He crawled around on all fours away from me and into a corner under a table, where he lay stricken and fearful. A voice came from him in whining tones, imploring me not to harm him or to touch him. The demon was afraid of me, not because of who I was, but because of the God I obey and Whose power is far greater. Such instances can be repeated many times, so the response of Saul to David is not unique.

What is behind this fear? A two-fold acknowledgement. The first is the person’s own realisation that the one he attacks is of God, and that God is with him, highlighting his own abject poverty of soul until he feels the utter pain of it all. Thus, the fear is that of a man who is bound for hell, and he does not want to be reminded of the fact.

The second is the response of demons, who, though very powerful in their own right, are weak in the presence of God. Because a ‘man of God’ has the Holy Spirit within, his presence amidst the demonised causes the fallen angels to quake. There is nothing in the man to invoke this distress, for a man is easy prey for demons, who can cause him much harm.

No, what they recognise and acknowledge is the power of God within him, a power that can command them to go to outer darkness at the mere mention of Jesus’ name. This same Jesus will soon banish them to hell for ever, so the presence of the Holy Spirit also reminds them of this horrific truth. The light always shines into the darkness, causing it to flee. The darkness of evil and sin must hide before the Almighty power and truth of God. His Light must inevitably send the darkness away, for light is the environment and nature of God that displaces anything remotely dark.

Saul is the most miserable of men, for he has been told of his demise and yet he still lives. As he lives, he is both troubled by David and soothed by him, and the constant reminders of his own fate push Saul farther and deeper into an uncontrollable depression that finally kills him. Such is the lot of sinners whose lives are outside the grace and mercy of God.

“Was Saul a True Prophet?”

David’s existence in Israel when Saul was still king was indeed very strange, for very quickly after they came to know each other, Saul’s attitude toward David was at once murderous and conciliatory. Finally, David had to flee for his life. But, until that time, he put up with living on a razor’s edge, waiting for Saul’s javelin to again be hurled at him for no valid reason.

A careful reading of this book shows that Saul was very aware of the wrongness of his actions, yet he did them anyway, much as we all do. We all sin deliberately at times – perhaps not to the point of physical murder, but we all do it. In fact, there are occasions in the lives of some ordinary Christians, when they hate or despise other Christians, wishing them harm: a sure sign of undealt-with sin.

Jesus’ attitude on this matter should be made known, that the thought is just as blameworthy as the action. I think of those folk who have literally hated me in the past and now, and who ‘justified’ their thoughts and actions unbiblically. Do they realise that their unrepented-of sin is viewed as equal to actual murder in the eyes of God? For myself, I must try not to fall into the same trap. Let us all leave vengeance to the Lord and get on with being the Body of Christ!

“Jonathan, Friend of David”

Wicked men always find wickedness in innocence. Because their own hearts are wicked, they think everyone else is the same. Such wicked men try to taint both David and Jonathan with their own taste for perversion, by saying that Jonathan’s love for David was homosexual. They cannot envisage that men (or women) can have a non-sexual love for each other. As we find out in God’s word, there are many forms of love, each with their own word... but homosexuality is not love – it is just lust.

The love we find here, between Jonathan and David, is that close bond between young men who respect and admire each other, and whose God is the same God. In Jonathan we find the same kind of bravery and courage as is found in David. One might even think his courage was bordering on reckless – like when he ran into the midst of the Philistine camp, accompanied only by one other person! But, his was not a reckless courage – Jonathan relied totally on his God. This is something we rarely see in modern Christians. Do YOU have this courage?

So, Jonathan and David shared the same kind of holy courage and bravery, and this godliness was the basis for their relationship as close friends, a goodness that caused Jonathan to quietly oppose his own father’s violent disposition toward David.

There was, then, nothing suspect in their friendship, only a pure and selfless godly love for each other as brethren. Friendship not rooted in godliness is mere co-existence with good intent! Such friendships often crumble when resistance appears, or if one’s own well-being is threatened... when supposed ‘friendship’ evaporates quickly. A friendship found in God, though, stands the test of time, for it is founded on God and not on men.

In this chapter we see the desire of Saul to murder David, and his veiled threat toward his son, Jonathan, if he did not comply with his wishes. Yet, with the threat of execution hanging over his head, Jonathan bravely saved David’s life, defying Saul and his anger. One does not find such friendship easily, nor is it easily retained!