Thursday, July 21, 2016

1 Samuel 13 - Fatal Error of the King

As we are positioned to choose our next president in 2016, I am reminded by this chapter that the Lord sets people in positions of power, but if they will not honor Him from that position, God may remove them and place another in that role. Our own places have been given to us by God and if we will honor Him, He will remember us as well. 

Let's take a moment to consider Saul's situation. He was confident on his ability to go to war with the Philistines - didn't ask for the Lord's help in battle there. But when he saw the size of the Philistine army coming against them, his men fled and hid themselves for safety. They were quaking in fear. It was then that it seemed right to offer a burnt offering asking for the Lord's favor. 

Since Samuel the priest wasn't there, Saul decided to take matters into his own hands. Just as the offering was made, Samuel arrived. Saul's excuses held no weight with Samuel or with God. Saul's days were up as King and God would replace him. Sails army was down to 600 men and the Philistines had military and economic victory over Israel. 

Today our own nation stands in great jeopardy with threats internal and external. We have turned away from marriage, discarded our unborn, disenfranchised fathers, attacked our own people for their philosophies, their skin, and their jobs. We have embraced lawlessness and turned from God's call to obedience. We have external threats from terrorists and from enemy nations. We are in grave danger. We need a leader who is a man after God's own heart. If one is not elected we can be sure that God himself will call that leader to task for this nation just as He will the other nations of the world. 

We ourselves need to be pledging our alliegience to God and recognizing that we have sinned and are in great need of the salvation only God can provide. As for us individually we need to be seeking God in prayer and yielding to His direction for our lives. We have no other hope. The moral compass has gone from our nation and we are utterly devastated by the sins we have committed. May God intervene and quick. 

This chapter ends on a sad note with the nation disarmed and vulnerable, yet God still had a future plan for Israel, and He has a plan for you too if you will turn to Hom and make God your passion. Consider 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) 14 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.