Daily Bible Devotionals

“Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, ‘Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor man who is common.’ The servants reported back to Saul, ‘These are the words David spoke.’ Then Saul replied, ‘Say this to David: “The king desires no other bride-price except 100 Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.”’ Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.” 1 Samuel 18:23-25 (HCSB)

The Lord was obviously protecting David! Everything he put his hand to was successful. David had won the hearts of all of Israel and Judea. Even Saul’s son, Jonathan, was on the bandwagon to the extent that he gave David his royal vestments. In ancient times, this was an unheard-of gesture; significant because the clothes signify the person and his position – hence, Jonathan renounced his position as crown prince. Jonathan transferred, so far as his own will goes, the right of succession to David.

This was the level of success God was giving David, and such was the level of character Jonathan possessed. How many politicians have you ever known who withdrew from an election because they felt their opponent was actually a better man for the job? Royal leaders simply do not transfer their crown rights to an up-and-comer; they eliminate them!

Jonathan may have been honorable, but his father sure wasn’t. Saul simply did not make due on his promises. Much of chapter 18 deals with Saul’s promise of marriage to his daughters, used as bait to lure David into fatal heroic deeds. David’s response was that he was unworthy to be the king’s son-in-law because he was lowly and poor. Almost overlooked in the narrative is that David should have already been very rich and married to Saul’s daughter. Riches, tax exemption, and royal matrimony had been promised to whoever defeated Goliath. David verified that offer three times before he fought the giant!

“Previously, an Israelite man had declared, ‘Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter. The king will also make the household of that man’s father exempt from paying taxes in Israel.’” 1 Samuel 17:25 (HCSB)

“The people told him about the offer, concluding, ‘That is what will be done for the man who kills him.’” 1 Samuel 17:27 (HCSB)

“Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before.” 1 Samuel 17:30 (HCSB)

Oh, the short-term memory of political promises! Aren’t we thankful to have God’s never-changing Word and character to depend upon?

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Samuel 17. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, ‘Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before Him.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees his heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:6-7 (HCSB)

Most of us have a job or have been employed at one time. Personally, I can’t stand to be interviewed for a job. You feel so…judged. And you ARE being judged. That’s the point of the interview!

Many years ago, about the time when my band outgrew our van and we began traveling on a tour bus, it became apparent we needed to hire a road crew. It was the first time I had ever been on the other side of the negotiating table. Instead of searching for employment, I was the employer. Let me tell you, if you’ve never hired anyone, it isn’t as easy as it looks! That is especially true if you hire people to manage your personal assets. You want employees who are honest, competent, and gracious team players. Let’s just say I learned (the hard way) that you can’t judge a book by its cover.

The same is true for personal relationships. I doubt anyone sitting in Divorce Court feels they conducted a thorough character analysis of their mate before tying the knot. As for guys, the thought process leading up to marriage is generally: 1) She looks good, 2) She digs me. (Repeat, if necessary.) Ladies may be a little more discriminating than that, but I’m pretty amazed at what kind of guys some of you gals settle for.

Don’t you wish you had the eyes of God? He looks beyond external beauty and searches the depths of the heart.

“I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have selected a king from his sons.” 1 Samuel 16:1b (HCSB)

While Samuel was mourning over Saul’s sin and Israel’s future, God was personally searching the hearts of every Israelite. Today, there are still those who grieve over the future of the Church at large. I admit the forecast doesn’t look good. Every year, we lose more old soldiers of the faith, and it seems we have fewer recruits of Godly character to replace them. Our prayers go forth, “Who will take their place?” The Lord answers, “I have selected them already!”

Have you considered that God is searching your heart at this very moment? What do you think He sees? What role has He prepared for you, based on the evidence of His search? Are you on track to become a Saul or a David? A Jezebel or a Ruth? In many ways, the choice is up to you because He chooses to lift up those who choose Him.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)

“So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being King.’” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV)

Over the years, I have purchased several homes and rented/leased a few apartments. I am generally not a big fan of the process of buying a home, but when I am in the mood/circumstance to find a new property, I always get so caught up in the positive aspects of a house that I neglect to see its flaws. That is why mortgage companies insist that home buyers purchase a home inspection. Sometimes, the outside elements of a structure (paint, landscaping, and decorating) are hiding serious flaws within.

While Saul’s (and the Kingdom of Israel’s) spiritual condition may look healthy on the outside, it is exposed to have serious foundational flaws. Saul wanted to appear to be righteous by picking which parts of God’s Word seemed worth following. He was even on his way to building a monument to himself! All the while, the Lord was not impressed. Saul was about to be replaced by one more worthy. Samuel delivered the news of God’s decision to Saul. As Samuel was leaving, an interesting thing occurred. Saul grabbed for Samuel’s clothing and caught the tzitzit (tassel) from Samuel’s robe, tearing it away. We know this from Samuel’s response.

“But 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.’ And as Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.’” 1 Samuel 15:26-28 (NKJV)

With that knowledge, imagine the gravity of the moment when David emerges from a Judean cave, holding Saul’s tzitzit, cut from his royal robe, announcing:

“Look, this day, your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed. Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe is in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.’’ 1 Samuel 24:10-11 (NKJV)

So, what is our takeaway today? A righteous man does good works, but good works do not make a man righteous. And the God who searches men’s hearts is always looking for those whom He may send. Seek the Lord continually, that He may send you, and do not cease searching His Word, so He will not cease using you!

“Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, ‘Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.’ His armor-bearer responded, ‘Do what is right in your heart. You choose. I’m right here with you whatever you decide.’” 1 Samuel 14:6-7 (HCSB)

One could hardly make the case that Jonathan’s faith was a product of his environment. His circumstances were not those that foster optimism. Consider the leaders: Sitting Saul, whose kingship has been rejected, assisted by Ahijah, whose priestly line has been rejected. Since Samuel has left, Saul has no prophetic direction. So, what help can such a king and priest provide?

Still, Jonathan decides it’s time for action. To understand the depth of Jonathan’s faith, it helps to understand the images surrounding the path he took to victory.

“Within the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other was Seneh. The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.” 1 Samuel 14:4-5 (ESV)

The Hebrew names of these rocks are roughly equivalent to “Slippery” (Bozez) and “Thorny” (Seneh). This was hardly a scenic leisurely hike. Most folks would consider the point impassable. Basically, nothing on Jonathan’s circumstantial “radar screen” encouraged optimism. But Jonathan’s response to his conditions was not to be optimistic. It was to be faithful. Some people are naturally optimistic – they don’t know better. But faith can arise even when no reason for optimism exists.

Faith arises in such situations because faith looks not to circumstances but to God. Jonathan is not trusting in his own daring scheme. He does not say, “Perhaps the Lord will act for us because we are clever.” If anything, his daring expresses his trust in the Lord. Yet the beauty of Jonathan’s faith is its IMAGINATION (“Come on, let’s cross over…), and the beauty of that imagination is its BALANCE (“perhaps”).

Many believers in our day think that to say “perhaps” cuts the nerve of faith, that faith must be certain, dogmatic, and absolutely positive. Faith, therefore, has become confused with arrogance. “Perhaps” confesses the power of the Lord yet acknowledges our ignorance of His plan. It retains the freedom of the Lord to act according to His will, not ours. It enables us to step out in faith but not sprint in pride.

Are you facing a difficult season? Is the Enemy taunting you as an army of “Philistines,” so to speak? Salvation does not wait until you can amass an overwhelming optimistic opposition. It begins with imaginative faith-in-action that is willing to say, “Perhaps, the Lord will act for us.”

“Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have been foolish. You have not kept the command, which the Lord your God gave to you. It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel, but now your reign will not endure. The Lord has found a man loyal to Him, a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people because you have not done what the Lord commanded.’ Then, Samuel went from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul registered the troops with him, about 600 men.” 1 Samuel 13:13-15 (HCSB)

There was once a man whose wife told him to move their china cabinet. She knew it would be an all-day job because she had a lot of china, and the cabinet was quite large. She decided to go out for the day with the stern warning: Have this cabinet moved before I come home this evening. As is typical with men, this woman’s husband decided to put the job off, watching sports all day instead. About 5 o’clock, his wife called, saying she would be home soon. The man decided the only way to cover his laziness would be to call his neighbor for help. The neighbor got delayed with a task from his wife, so now the only way to move the cabinet was with the china still inside. Then the man tripped on the rug. Needless to say, porcelain fought gravity, and gravity won. When his wife came home, the husband tried to blame everything on their neighbor’s slowness in coming over.

This could also be the story of King Saul; no questioning the pressure Saul must have felt. The Philistines were breathing down his neck because of a bold yet maverick move by Saul’s son Jonathan. His army was afraid, hiding and deserting the cause. And to add insult to injury, Samuel was nowhere to be found. So, Saul feels compelled to do something. He feels he must do something kingly and military in a priestly sort-of way. All he really needed to do was wait.

Should we give Saul any credit? After all, he waited 6 ¾ days instead of the full seven that Samuel had ordered. But it’s not just how you run the race; it’s how you finish that earns the prize. Samuel’s job was to bear God’s Word, and Saul’s job was to do it. For Saul, the sacrificial ritual was essential, but prophetic direction was not. By his action, Saul professed that certain emergencies rendered the Lord’s Word unnecessary. When the chips were down, Saul believed the kingdom could function on its own, based on God’s promise, yet, in neglect of obedience to His Word.

Does this sound familiar? It is the core message of the argument for separation of church and state in the United States. It compartmentalizes and quarantines business, relationships, education, and politics from religion. It says to God, “You can have my soul, but that’s it. You may come to this border, but no further.” Saul’s punishment was that the kingdom would not be passed down through his descendants.

Let’s take the time and ask God to reveal those areas in our lives where we refuse to wait on Him, choosing to lean on our own understanding instead of seeking and obeying His Word.

“Samuel called on the Lord, and on that day, the Lord sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. Samuel replied, ‘Don’t be afraid. Even though you have committed all this evil, don’t turn away from following the Lord. Instead, worship the Lord with all your heart. Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or deliver you; they are worthless. The Lord will not abandon His people, because of His great name, and because He has determined to make you His own people. As for me, I promise that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and right way.’” 1 Samuel 12:18-23 (CSB)

As a young musician in my early 20s, I had followed the Lord for the first time and dropped out of college. I felt He was leading me into the music business. Nobody else in my family heard that calling, so I was doing double duty: Following the Lord and trying to legitimize my decision to my folks! I thought I would silence my critics with a record contract. I prayed, worked hard, networked even harder, and eventually, I landed a record deal.

I remember sitting with my attorney as we read through my contract. He said to me, “You know the word ‘contract’ means ‘to bind,’ i.e., “a boa constrictor contracts his prey!’” We both had a laugh. Several years later, it wasn’t quite as funny when my career goals didn’t match the record company’s business plan. Yet, there we were, leg-ironed like two prisoners disputing over which direction to run. (By the way, you always eventually run in the direction of the biggest inmate!)

The Hebrew word for “covenant” is “b’rit.” It comes from an Akkadian term meaning “clasp” or “fetter.” A covenant chains two parties to each other. In Israel’s case (and ours), the parties chained together are a people to their God. They are bound to obligations to each other. And for the vassal (the smaller party), the primary obligation is to the benefactor or “king.” If a covenant was broken (by one party), the other party had a right to either enforce or terminate that covenant.

Israel had rejected their covenant by asking for a king (other than the Lord) who would rule as the kings of the other nations. But God’s decision, Him being the greater party in the covenant, was not to forsake His people. Instead, He chose to motivate Israel to follow His direction. After all, He is the bigger of the two, “chained” together.

Believer, have you chosen to run away from the Lord’s leading? You won’t get far with those fetters you’re wearing! Our best scenario is to surrender our wills to the Father, recognize He always chooses wisely, and follow His lead. Furthermore, if you advise another brother or sister on how they should go, hold them accountable with truth and grace. Remember that we, too, are prone to wander.

“Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, ‘Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.’ Nahash the Ammonite replied, ‘I’ll make a covenant with you on this condition: that I gouge out everyone’s right eye and humiliate all Israel.’ ‘Don’t do anything to us for seven days,’ the elders of Jabesh said to him, ‘and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you.’” 1 Samuel 11:1-3 (HCSB)

Such is the arrogance the world has for God’s people! The Ammonite mind was not to simply defeat the people and exploit their resources but to humiliate and mock them.

So, why gouge out an eye, and the right eye for that matter? Most people are right-handed. Try closing your right eye and waving your right hand. No matter how frantically you wave it, your hand does not come into sight until it is almost to your nose. Now, take into consideration a man in battle. He carries a sword in his right hand and holds a shield over his left eye as he marches forth, slashing away.

By gouging out the right eye of every man, the Ammonites are ensuring never-ending subservience, for it made most men unfit for military service. Notice Nahash’s plan was to eventually humiliate ALL Israel, perhaps, one tribe at a time. In his arrogance and overconfidence, Nahash made a crucial slip-up. He gave the men of Jabesh-Gilead an opportunity to gather support. Even today, the Enemy picks us off, one by one, because he is confident Christians will not work together. Nor does he believe Christians will rely on God’s Spirit but will try and collaborate with other oppressed believers to develop some man-made rescue attempt.

The whole scenario brings to mind the words of Jesus:

“If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30 (NASB)

Jesus is saying our self-reliance is actually part of our problem! Gouge out the right eye, and we can’t see to fight with our right hand. Cut off our right hand, and we’re completely useless for conventional battle. But aren’t we in a spiritual battle? Rely on His Spirit, and heaven’s forces will rally around you!

Notice how the Bible says the Spirit of God “rushed” upon Saul. (v.6a) When God’s people humble themselves and seek Him as their only source of salvation, no physical, financial, relational, or other disabilities can hinder God from accomplishing His purposes in, for, and through them.

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of 1 Samuel 10. Click the links below to watch or listen now!