Thursday, February 25, 2010
How to Double Your Trouble
(I Samuel 14:47-52)
Saul’s troubled reign was a period of great unrest in Israel. Though his military abilities improved, the Israelites faced ever increasing challenges from their age-old enemies, the Philistines. In addition, the Ammonites, Edomites, and a few other “ites” joined in vexing the Jews. One battle led to another; and for every defeated foe, two new ones arose. Was all this trouble mere coincidence? No! As we shall see, Israel’s disobedience led directly to her ongoing conflicts.
God’s plan for the Jewish state was theocratic—a nation ruled by God. The human leaders He had chosen were judges, not monarchs. Though the system of judges seems a less organized, less centralized system, it was sufficient because God’s blessing hand was upon it. In other words, God amply made up for the foibles of the human judges. The Bible emphatically states that “the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel” (7:13). As long as Samuel functioned as God’s appointed judge, Israel was in safe hands.
Someone has wisely stated that it is better to be in a dangerous place in the will of God than in a safe place outside of His will. Israel learned that lesson the hard way. In demanding a king, they abandoned God’s plan for Israel’s government. The new king centralized government authority, raised a substantial army, and met with some military success. But something had changed. It appears that God’s protective hand was not as obvious under Saul as it had been under Samuel. Indeed, the nation that had known peace now knew ongoing conflict. Simply stated, obedience to God brings His protection and blessing in every endeavor. Disobedience, however, brings conflict—many times with an uncertain outcome. It’s always better to obey God!
