Saul was given a task from God. He was to bring justice, without any gain for himself, upon an enemy of the nation. All he had to do was obey. But he hasn’t. His heart has led him astray to
Grieving the Lord
Three times in three chapters Saul has the opportunity to sacrifice in the way God desires; three times he fails. The first was when he panicked over Samuel’s lateness in chapter 13. Then when he caused dangerous havoc with a
The heart of a man
Israel’s self-confidence that she can fight her own battles is exposed for the folly it is. Under the strain of Philistine intimidation, Saul’s heart gives way and he disobeys his orders from God via Samuel. Saul then follows this failure
Don’t mess with holiness
The Philistines have learned a little about the Lord but there’s much they still get wrong. Sadly, the Israelites, despite all the information given to them, are just the same. So when the ark lands in a Levite village, things
Listen to the cows
The Philistines feel bruised and battered, and want rid of the wretched “Ark of God”. Yet, the proud leaders are still uncertain this is anything other than bad fate and are wary of the idea of making an expensive offering
Humpty Dumpty
Israel’s judge of 40 years has fallen: his sons are dead, his daughter-in-law is dead, he is dead. Meanwhile, the Philistines think they have humiliated Israel’s little ‘god in a box’ by taking the golden Ark of the Lord and
Fantasy land
Israel has lived in a fantasy land where they imagine God is on their side but they have actually broken covenant with him. Eli’s family have lived in a fantasy land where they think they are successful but they are
No luck
Israel has failed to keep the covenant God gave to her at Mount Sinai. Yet with corrupt priests overseeing the people, they are utterly ignorant of their sin. This leads them to imagine that the Lord will protect them and
Debt free
Philemon 15-19. God loves to see reconciliation. Paul presses this on his slave-owning friend, as he returns the runaway slave Onesimus to him. He hints that maybe God even brought about these circumstances so that they could come together in