Fri.’s Devo - The People's Choice

Read: 1 Samuel 12:1-13:22; John 7:1-29; Psalm 108:1-13; Proerbs 15:4
Samuel gave Israel his last speech at Saul’s dedication as king. He reminded them of his reign as their judge and prophet. He had not taken any money or done anything deceitful. Through the judges, God had given them peace on every side but when the king of the Ammonites came against them they cried out for a king. So here was the king God gave them. This was not God’s will but there’s and just to let them know that God sent thunder and rain. The people were afraid but it was too late to change what they had set in motion. They had a king and his name was Saul. He was 30 years old and served as king 42 years.
Six thousand of the men that came to Saul’s dedication were chosen by Saul to stay and fight the Ammonites. The Ammonites assembled 9,000 men to fight Israel. Saul waited for Samuel to come and bless his battle with sacrifices to God but Samuel was late and Saul’s men were quaking in fear and dropping like flies. Saul was also afraid and decided to take matters into his own hands. He offered the sacrifices and as soon as he was finished, Samuel showed up. Samuel rebuked Saul and told him that his decision would cost him the kingdom. God would give it to someone who had a heart after God and would obey him.
Saul’s army had whittled down from 6,000 to 600 and because the Philistines had taken all the blacksmiths out of Israel no one had a weapon except Saul and Jonathan, his son.
Once again, it was the time of the wheat harvest which has to do with Pentecost (spiritual warfare, betrothal and the Holy Spirit). Israel had betrothed themselves to a king and the Holy Spirit had left. They were in the midst of a war they had no way of winning.
In John, it was the Feast of Tabernacles. The fulfillment of this feast will be Jesus coming back to earth in the clouds on a white horse. He will be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and everyone will see and know who he is. So it is no wonder that the disciples were wanting Jesus to become public and exalted in the earth. Jesus told them that this was not the time for that. Instead he waited till a few days into the feast and showed up teaching them publicly. He read their thoughts and spoke directly to their questions in their heart.
Lord, help us to know the season we are in and respond to what your heart is saying.