Havasu Christian Church
Series in I Samuel
June 23, 2024
1 Samuel 11:1-15
“The first test of Saul’s kingship”
1 Samuel 11:1–15 Now Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh-Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us and we will serve you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it a reproach on all Israel.”
3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you.”
4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.
- The Problem….
- The Ammonites decide to invade and take the city of Jabesh-Gilead.
- They offer surrender terms, but they are heinous.
- They want the right eye of everyone in the town. WHY?
- The Ammonites want to “rub their noses” in the fact that they aren’t powerful enough to fight them.
- The people of Jabesh-Gilead ask for 7 days to call for help.
- Apparently, the Ammonite leader is pretty confident….
- “Sure! Go ahead.”
- Why would they be so confident?
- Israel hasn’t been much of a force unless a Judge is leading them and God is with them!
- When the messengers show up in Gibeah, the people are crying, but no one is doing anything.
5 Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry.
7 He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
8 He numbered them in Bezek; and the sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000.
- The call for help is made and answered!
- Saul is informed about what is happening.
- God uses him in a mighty way!
- The Spirit of God comes on Saul.
- He gets angry!
- Nothing wrong with Anger… it’s what you do with it that is good or bad.
- This is righteous anger.
- Even for those times, this is a terrible thing to do to a city full of people.
- Saul calls out for men to fight.
- There is a threat as well.
- See this piece of ox? This will happen to yours if you don’t show up!
9 They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.’ ” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
- The cavalry is about to ride over the hill!
- God, through Saul (the prophet) has promised them a victory by afternoon!
- 330,000 men show up, ready to fight!
10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.”
- The men of Jabesh make it seem like they will be surrendering!
- Saul brings the army!
11 The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
- God gives Israel an overwhelming victory!
- Survivors are absolutely scattered!
- It happens just as Saul prophesied it would.
- The people are now united in their support of King Saul.
- So much so that they want to kill his detractors and confirm Saul as king.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.”
13 But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”
15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
- Saul had people who made fun of the idea of him becoming king.
1 Samuel 10:27 But certain worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.
- Saul shows mercy to these men and refuses to allow the crowd to put them to death.
- Instead, Saul gives glory to God for the victory!
- The people respond by confirming Saul’s Kingship with a coronation.
- As part of that ceremony, they worship God with Sacrifices.
- EVERYBODY’S HAPPY!!!!
What can we learn from Saul’s actions today?
- There is nothing wrong with being angry for the right reasons.
- Like Saul, we should get angry when we here about harm being brought to the innocent.
June 13th in New York City, a 13 year old girl and boy, were threatened at knifepoint, taken into the woods… tied up and the girl was raped. A group of friends helped take down a migrant who was suspected of raping a 13-year-old girl in broad daylight.
25-year-old Christian Geovanny Inga-Landi was arrested this week by the NYPD after a group of community Good Samaritans cornered him and made a citizen's arrest.
- These people got angry, and they used that anger to do something that needed doing!
- Be careful how you use your anger.
Ephesians 4:26–27 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.
- Stay in control…. Don’t let it control you!
- Let it give you courage to do what is right, but don’t allow anger to take you places you shouldn’t go.
- Listen to the “Spirit of God.”
- Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your life!
- The Holy Spirit will never guide you to do something wrong… Pay Attention!
- Don’t let “Worthless men” get you down!
- There will always be people around to criticize or discourage you!
- If you are in the will of God, IGNORE Them!
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
- Even if you find yourself with the ability to do harm to your critics, forgive them.
- Be willing to ask for help!
- Help from God.
- Help from our Brothers & Sisters in Christ.
- Be the helper when you can!
Hebrews 10:23–25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
- Give God the credit and the thanks!
- We operate by HIS power!
- Make sure The credit goes to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
