1 Sam 9:15-17 - THINGS WE LEARN ABOUT GOD
We get to know more about God, in seeing the way He deals with His people Israel.
God had a plan for Israel, but the people felt they know better.
• 8:6 “Give us a king to lead us…” They wanted a king for all the wrong reasons, because the other nations have them.
• 8:5 “such as all the other nations have.” They wanted to be like the rest of the world. Such a temptation is very real, even for us today.
• Instead of seeking God and His pattern for life, we tend to copy what we see around us, thinking that if everyone is doing it, it is fine.
As God’s people, if we desire MORE to be like the world than what God THINKS, then we are in trouble.
• We are called to be HOLY, just as the Lord Himself is holy. We are SET APART to be different, to be like Him.
• Israel wanted a human king. God tells Samuel to warn the people of the consequences of their choice. It was a lengthy warning (end of chapter 8).
• 8:19 “But the people refused to listen to Samuel.” They chose to ignore the warnings.
THINGS WE LEARN ABOUT GOD:
GOD GIVES US THE FREEDOM TO OBEY OR DISOBEY HIM
I do not know if this is a bane or a blessing of life; it is a good thing or a bad thing.
• God has given us freedom in life. We are free to choose - the good and bad, the right and wrong, or most of the time, between two goods.
• God guides us, warns us and reminds us. But at the end of the day, we are given the freedom to choose.
Why doesn’t God stop me from making the wrong choice, forcefully? (Forcefully because usually we are not willing to listen.)
• Why doesn’t God force the right choices upon us? Which also means I’m rob of my freedom to choice.
• The reason is partial freedom is no freedom at all. We are just being controlled, but in a less obvious way. We become puppets in the hands of God.
It saddened God to see that Israel demanded for a king. Samuel reasoned with them but failed. They had already made up their minds.
• It takes humility to know that we can be wrong, because pride will always tell us we are right.
• I was talking with my dad about the flowers on Mark & Sophia’s wedding. He says there were sunflowers but I say NO. I was quite sure that there isn’t any sunflowers, not even on the arch. Then the thought came - I might be wrong. I took out my phone to prove it. I’ve a photo with the bride and groom. Photos cannot lie. Guess who has to eat the humble pie.
• We are just talking about flowers here, but the consequences will be much greater if we are talking about bigger decisions of life.
Don’t always think that you are right. The fact that God has given us FREEDOM in life, means that we need to be MORE CAREFUL of the way we use this freedom.
• Every choice counts. Every choice has its consequences. Every decision matters.
• Seek God with a heart of humility. We can never be SMARTER than God. CONSIDER more carefully His Word and His ways.
• Take time to understand God’s heart. Seek “His good, pleasing and perfect will”. (Rom 12:2)
-----------------------
With Israel’s rejection of God’s counsel, I expected God to “dump” them. “Serve you right!” I expected Him to turn His back on them and be silent.
• Yet reading on to 1 Samuel 9 and 10, we continue to see God’s involvement. In fact, He is doing MORE, much, much more than I expected.
• In fact, God is helping them find a king.
THINGS WE LEARN ABOUT GOD:
WHEN WE CHOOSE OUR WAY, GOD DOES NOT ABANDON US
His door stays open. He did not close it, not yet. He is still watching over them.
• God let us have our own way WITHOUT leaving us. We can reject God, but He will not forsake us.
• It is not His character to do so, nor His will. He is the loving Father waiting for the return of His disobedient child, Jesus said in the parable.
So we see this God stepping in to help Israel finds a king. And He will prepare a prophet (Samuel) to anoint this king, because that’s what a king will need.
• The story starts with this seemingly random event of a man named Saul sent by his father to look for lost donkeys (1 Sam 9).
• He couldn’t find them and was about to return when his servant suggested looking for a man of God in the nearby town.
• 9:14 “They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.”
9:15-17 15Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: 16“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him leader over my people Israel; he will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people, for their cry has reached me.”
17When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, "This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people."
It’s really hard to tell from this encounter who is really looking for the other.
• Was it Saul looking for Samuel, or Samuel looking for Saul, being led by God? Or was it God looking for Saul?
• This random trip to the town wasn’t that random. It was divine. God was in it. He was orchestrating everything for this encounter.
• He prepares Samuel’s heart a day in advance. He pinpointed the man out to him the next day. God acts to fulfil His will!
Saul thought he was looking for donkeys, but he ended up finding a crown. That was God’s plan for his life.
• Don’t be too sad if you lost your donkeys. Don’t be overwhelmed by setbacks in life. God uses them. God uses them because He is in control.
• He has not abdicated His throne. God directs. He leads us where He wants us to be.
Samuel was heading for a regular worship service, but found himself anointing a king that day, and changed history. God directs.
• Don’t undermine the little things you are doing. If you are led by God, you can find yourself at the right place and at the right time, for God to use you to say or do something significant.
• Prov 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.”
THINGS WE LEARN ABOUT GOD:
GOD DIRECTS THE STEPS OF THOSE WHO DELIGHT IN HIM
Psalm 37:23-24 23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
SONG KJV - The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delighteth in His way. Though He fall, though He fall, he shall not be cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand. With His hand, with His hand, for the Lord upholdeth Him with His hand, though He fall, though He fall, He shall not be cast down for the Lord upholdeth Him with His hand.
God carefully supervises all that happens. No event escapes His notice. No person is beyond His influence. No circumstance exists outside His control.
• Nothing is random. The timing was right, the place was right, the encounter was pre-planned by God.
• God led Saul and prepared Samuel. He orchestrated the circumstances to bring the two together.
Many years back we were trying to reach out to Agnes’ children –son Victor and daughter Victoria. We visited their place during Christmas carolling.
I still remember 3 years ago at Victor’s grandma funeral, we had the chance to meet up again. I passed him 2 books (Nick Vujicic testimony and Purpose-Driven Life book), hoping that he might just read them and get to know Christ.
On the funeral day itself, I was still hoping to have a chance to chat up with him but the funeral proceeding was on and it was difficult. But amazingly on the return trip of the Crematorium, Victor came on-board the bus. He did not take the family car. God provided the chance. There were many empty seats around but he chose to walk to the last row and took the seat beside me. God provided the seat. Now we can talk, at least for the 20 minutes journey back. God provided the time.
He said he would read the book I passed him, and then, he hesitated for a moment, and said, that there are some things that bothers him about Christianity. He felt he might offend me. I encouraged him to say it and he did. We had a good chat. That was the last time we see each other (Feb 2013).
On Sophia’s wedding, Agnes came and told us that Victor is getting married. He has come to know Christ, now attends Toa Payoh Methodist Church and is going to marry the girl that plays the piano at the worship service. What a joy!
God orchestrates events in our lives to bring us to Himself, if we are open to Him.
• Victor sought God and God directed him. God orchestrated events in his life the same way He did to Saul. Why?
• Why is He doing all these? 9:16 “I have looked upon MY people, for their cry has reached me.”
• He is still addressing Israel as MY PEOPLE. That’s compassion. That’s His unfailing love. That’s God’s grace!
• Israel might have rejected Him, but He will not reject them.
Saul has everything going for him right from the start. He has the qualities of a king – tall and impressive.
• But sadly, his heart eventually led him astray. He tasted the grace of God but he did not treasure what God has given him.
• You see, even with the blessings of God, there is no guarantee of success. We are still free to choose.
Things we can learn about God:
1. We are free to obey or disobey God; it’s a blessing, don’t abuse it.
2. When we choose our way, God will not abandon us. That’s the love and grace of God. Treasure it. Don’t take it for granted.
3. God directs the steps of those who delight in Him. Trust Him. God will orchestrate events in our lives to fulfil His good will and purpose.
God has done everything He could, because of His love for us. Jesus proved it! Be grateful. Let’s sing this song in closing, thanking God for His love.
