Upon Saul’s having proved that he wasn’t worthy of being anointed by God for the kingship of Israel, he still clung to that position in his unrighteousness. Disobedience to God took Saul down the path of greater disobedience. He did what was right in his own eyes, but little of it was Godly in any…
Posts Categorized: Israel
1 Samuel 17:26 – Defying the Armies
While David was yet a youth and Saul was still king, the Philistines were a powerful force that constantly oppressed Israel. In those days, the two armies gathered on opposing mountains that stood above the Elah Valley. For forty days the Philistines taunted Israel with their superior might. During this time of testing their champion,…
Luke 14:28 – Counting the Cost
It’s an astounding fact that western Christianity has largely made itself no Christianity at all. How is it that we’ve come from the early church, in which the apostles and the followers of Jesus were severely persecuted, to a place where following Jesus is made to be like having a boy- or girlfriend? In those…
1 Samuel 14:12 – Against All Odds
Early in the days of Saul’s kingship, the Philistines gathered a large army to come against Israel. One contingent of this force camped upon a rocky plateau called Michmash, which provided a strategic advantage for the Philistines. Upon seeing how powerful and well equipped this army was, the Israelites trembled in fear and hid themselves….
1 Samuel 8:7 – Rejecting God
The mindset of the people in the Ancient Near East (ANE) was quite different from ours today. This is a major reason that when we read the Bible, we need to do so with the mind of someone in ancient Israel. If we don’t do that; if we read and judge from our modern perspective,…
Luke 12:46 – Cut to Pieces
When I read Luke 12:35-48, sub-headed in the ESV as You Must Be Ready, the passage inevitably disturbs me. Jesus was speaking to His disciples and relating a parable that reflected directly upon His return from heaven. The parable deals with the master who has gone away for his wedding feast and the servants who…