1 Samuel 9-12

Day 89

Ahhhhh.....my OWN bed with my family! Nothing as good as being gone and coming home!!!  Sigh.  :)   

Chapter 9-10  Saul gets chosen as king!  In the midst of searching for the lost donkeys, of all things, Israel's future King ends up meeting with Samuel.  All Israel knows the prophet/judge Samuel but not Saul.  But hey...they've asked for a king and they are getting one.  The Israelites didn't realize how special they are to be God's chosen people and they He is their King, but they wanted to be similar.....not special!!  So there's Saul, been out looking for 3 lost donkeys all over the countryside.....he's bound to be filthy and dirty and he's been annointed with oil.  Sounds like a mess to me!  But God is with Saul (v. 9) and there is nothing he cannot do with God.  When God is with us, powerful things happen.....with God is with us we are attuned to him and we can do whatever our "hand finds to do," because it will be God working through us, directing u, and fulfilling His purpose through us!!!  

Chapter 11  Saul's first victory   Here we have Saul rescuing the city of Jabesh.....God moved him to make this move (v. 6) and then the people respond (v. 7)....."they turned out as one man."  Meaning, that for the first time, since maybe Joshua, the nation is united!!!  This is a good start to the new king's reign.

Chapter 12  Pretty stern words here in Samuel's farewell speech.    This is marking the end of the period of the judges.  Samuel has always alerted the people to be aware of the reign of a king in their midst to be like other nations.  So ironic that this prophet took nothing from the people "what have I done against you?"  and the people found Samuel innocent.  But here will a king that will take and require everything from them.  He is replacing a prophet who asked for nothing.   Ironic, huh?!  All in the name of progress?!  

Tomorrow:  13-14