Real People - Real Prpblems A Study Of 1 Samuel Part 11" Waiting On God" Series

Real People- Real Problems

Part 12

“Waiting on God”

1 Samuel 13: 8-14

As we continue our sermon series on the great book of 1 Samuel

And our look at Real People with real problems

We come to a problem that is so common to almost every person in the world

Waiting

Or better yet

Not waiting

I know that I am not alone when I say I hate to wait

We all want what we want

And we want it now

Right?

Patience is a virtue and often times it is a virtue that we lack

Sometimes I think I was out buying snuff when the patience was handed out

All kidding aside

We also know from out prior studies that patience is a fruit of the spirt

So that means we have within us the ability

The gift of patience

If we are believers

If we have received the Holy Spirit in our hearts

But

like any of the amazing gifts of the spirit

We must first open them and then learn to use them

Listen

Waiting is tough

As a matter of fact

In the culture we live in

Being people who typically make things happen

Waiting on someone else is very difficult

Many times, in my own life

On a personal level

If I had waited until someone did what they said they would do

I would have grown old and gray—er

And quite possibly what I was waiting on would no longer be needed by the time they got around to it

So- believe me when I say

The problem for today affects me just as much as it does some of you

Saul

Also had a problem waiting

In today’s passage

Samuel has stepped aside

And Saul is now the official leader of the people of Israel

But

Samuel has not gone away

He is still serving as the spiritual support for the nation

He has changed roles as we covered last week

In the days of Samuel and Saul

It seems as if ever body in the world wanted to beat up on Israel

Every time they turned around

The Philistines

Or the Moabites

Or some other group

Was trying to take their freedom

Their land

Their lives

Their identity in God

And so today once again the army of Israel is about to engage in battle

Please open your bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 13

Throw your bulletins in there as we will go back there quite a few times this morning

Reading from 1 Samuel 13

Beginning in verse 1 down through verse 7

Saul was thirty[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.[b]

2 Saul selected 3,000 special troops from the army of Israel and sent the rest of the men home. He took 2,000 of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bethel. The other 1,000 went with Saul’s son Jonathan to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.

3 Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!” 4 All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the Philistine garrison at Geba and that the Philistines now hated the Israelites more than ever. So the entire Israelite army was summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000[c] chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. 6 The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns. 7 Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul as we have studied was selected by God

Anointed in private by Samuel

Accepted and appointed by most of the people

Then accepted by all when he started doing what he was called to do

And now in this passage he is serving as their king

In those days warfare was common

And one of the biggest responsibilities that a king had was to lead the army

According to scripture is was against God’s plan for a King to serve as priest

So

The king had military leadership

Official leadership

But the spiritual leadership was still to be carried out by a man of God

In this case it was still Samuel

So

let me paraphrase this passage just a bit

The Philistines were intent on conquering the nation of Israel

If you will remember Israel had taken the land from them as well as others when they crossed into the Land God had promises