It is Friday! That means its the last day of the reading challenge for this week. We are officially at the midway point in our study. I encourage you all to stay the course and keep reading. Also, it is not to late to join in the readings. Just because you haven't read the earlier chapters doesn't mean you can't read and gain insight into the chapters we are currently reading, so don't hesitate to join.
Today's reading is 1 Samuel 27-28
Chapter 27:
This chapter is somewhat confusing for me. David goes and strikes a deal with the Philistines to live among them. King Achish gives him a town to rule over, plus, David goes and raids neighboring towns each day. It appears that he is even raiding and killing Israelites. I'm not sure what to think about this or why David is even doing it. Is this some kind of fear tactic against Saul? Is David just trying to preserve his life? Either way, it seems to go against the nature of David, the warrior king of Israel.
Chapter 28:
Death is lurking and is near for Saul. Saul is frantic with fear as he sees the vast Philistine army, so he decides to consult a medium or psychic. These had been banned from Israel, but Saul is in a panic. Several things that this brought to mind for me: 1. obviously there is biblical evidence here that mediums and psychics can legitimately connect with the dead or the eternal - though he wasn't supposed to be doing this. 2. Saul is taking oath's in the name of the LORD, but he has no standing with God at this point. I can't imagine his oath means much in the eyes of God. 3. When Saul calls Samuel forth, he is told that soon he and his sons will be with Samuel - dead! This is some crazy stuff! This chapter leaves more questions for me than answers. I want to have the ability to ask follow-up questions about this. I don't want to read to heavily into this or get to focused on this part alone, but I'm fascinated with the idea that there are some people who may have an ability to connect with those in the afterlife; however, it is inevitably dangerous and not of God. What did this make you think?
Look forward to hearing your thoughts. Don't hesitate to post, even if you are just putting your favorite verse from the two chapters down. Believe it or not, people like to hear and know what you think, plus we can all learn from it.
http://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx80.htm
ReplyDeleteadd htm to the end of the link above..if it is not there.
This link gives an interesting two theories about who this witch was and this event.
Without getting into a tangled web of interpretations....what did I get from these chapters?
Alot about the fickleness of those involved with God.
Saul zap all those avenues of witchcraft. Why, who knows, because he thought it was the thing to do to get on God's good side? It did not work, because he simply was not going to hear from God.
Davids hides among the most feared enemies of Israel....even begins to be like them in his raiding parties to prove his commitment to being apart of their world. He ends up being a body guard to the enemies of God's people. What happened to his heart and mind....."Wilderness Attitude".
For me it just says get entangled in the world's ways and you may experience both physical and spiritual death....my advice to myself would be.....regardless of the circumstances around one's self....stay truth to God and wait upon Him to redeem you from those moments that all hope seems lost...!!
Learn to Speak as Jonah did...
"And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and
thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption,
O LORD my God.
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD."
To me, the first verse of Chapter 27 seems out of place. God has protected David thus far, and actually delivered Saul to him several times. This is the first time I think we see David taking his eyes of God and it is no coincidence that he heads to the land of the enemy.
ReplyDeleteDavid is a stud when he is following God's directions. He is an idiot when he isn't. I find it odd they even allow David near them. He has to be the most feared man to the Philistines. And we actually see that in Ch. 29 when the rest of the Philistine army can't believe David is in their midst.
So I rally don't know what he is doing for this year and a half. Seems he is operating out of God's will, but God's blessing is still on him and everything he does turns out well.
David to me is a mystery. He is an absolute killer. Probably the best soldier in history. Movies should be made about him and I don't think even Hollywood can capture the truth of what he did. It is easy to miss because it all happens in one verse, but repeatedly David would attack and leave nothing alive. He and his men kill everything, women and children included. Yet, he is best known as the man after God's heart. Truly getting into his life everyday like we are messes my mind up. I want him to be the shepherd boy that killed Goliath and went on to become the king. But he is a ruthless warrior also and that doesn't fit in my mind.
There are several instances in the bible where great men of God get "down" after doing some tremendous work.David has got to be exhausted mentally,physically,emotionally...
ReplyDeleteLiving on the run,with all the stresses of leading,feeding and protecting his little army and their families is no small feat!How long can one stay hyper-vigilant and continue to function?
You know that it is advised to never make decisions after a divorce or a death because you will make poor choices based on emotion.
It's a shame Saul and David couldn't work together. They would have cleaned out the ememy,and have made Israel a very strong nation.Because of Saul's sin,David is not welcome in his own country.Until this time it looks like God has had His hand on protecting David,but because of David's state of mind he decides to seek sanctuary with an enemy so he can catch his breath.
King Achish is liking this alliance even though his generals don't.(Maybe Goliath was just a bully and wasn't acting on behalf of Achish.I remember,he kinda toyed with them for 40 days and made agreements with Israel as to serving them if Israel won.Also, this was the second time David went to Achish for help).
I thought it was cool that Achish gives David Ziklag.He's out in the country away from the pagan influences,and Ziklag was right on the border to Israel and really should have gone to Israel if they had finished their job back in the day and subdued it;I can see the hand of God here.
David going out and totally annihilating every living thing associated with the Amalikites is awesome bold! He finishes the job God had given to Saul back in Ch.15
Isn't it weird that nobody questions where all these sheep,cattle and clothes have come from??
I was disappointed to see David lie to Achish as to where he had been.From a military standpoint I can see why he did.If word got out that David was annihilating Israel's enemies,the Philistines would be worried to have him in their borders and David would probably be driven out. It's a shame that David is doing these acts for Israel even though they offer no kindness and that the word of a Philistine can be relied on where Saul's word meant nothing!
What was in David's mind when he was recruited to fight with Achish against Israel? How is that gonna work?His friend Jonathan would be there;on the other side...(of course God intervened...I read ahead).
Again,Saul shows his desperate state of mind.How come when Samuel was alive he never asked what he should do? If Saul wanted to do something and didn't get the answer he wanted or when he wanted it, he went ahead and did it anyway, Saul's way.
I believe there are powers we should remain ignorant of.I studied a little on the occult and it became too much and I had to put it down.Why is it the ungodly,(like the rich man in hell) want to have the godly,(Lazarus) leave their place in paradise to come back and give a word from God when they disregarded it before?
I believe Samuel didn't appear because the medium called him;I think it was God that allowed Samuel to deliver this final message-get ready,David will be king... you're fixin to die and so are your sons and you're losing this battle to the Philistines.
Finally, God's words seem to sink in!
Saul acted just like a kid who tries to play his parents against each other. Ask mom and don't like that answer, ask dad. Still don't like that answer? Ask mom again.Still don't get your way? Try whining and begging;maybe that will wear them down.Or come back in a day or so and ask again to see if the answer changes. Geez!!
The sad part is that Saul's sin affects not only himself, but it affects his family. What had Jonathan done to deserve death?? Why can't he live and be under David like he had suggested once before? Even the nation is going to suffer for Saul's sin. Life isn't fair!But,God is Just and He is in charge.He will sort everything out in the end.
Just like Saul's sin affected not only himself, but others, so does mine. It's like a stone thrown into a still pond.
I have to agree with Erik that these 2 chapters leave more questions than answers...
ReplyDeleteI didn't have much of a take away this time around..but love how samuel's spirit basically ask Saul why he is disturbing him...I just picture some old man with long grey beard and hair...looking sleepy and being very sarcastic.