Wed.’s Devo - Overcoming the Odds

Read: 1 Samuel 12:1-13:23; John 7:1-30; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 15:4 Samuel met with the people and proclaimed his innocence as their judge. They all agreed that he had not taken bribes or perverted justice even though both of his sons did. Samuel had been a prophet and a judge. He told the people that asking for a king had displeased the Lord and to prove it to them, it would rain and thunder even though it never rained during the time of wheat harvest. Wheat harvest is at the time of Pentecost. God fulfilled Pentecost in the New Testament by raining down his Holy Spirit with the sound of a mighty windstorm. This time God sent thunder and rain and they were afraid of God and of Samuel. The fear of God was upon the people so Samuel calmed them and told them not to fall back into idolatry. If they did, they and their king would be swept away. Saul was 30 when he became king and reigned for 42 years. Saul immediately began his campaign of freeing Israel from the Philistines who were ruling over them. He took 2,000 of his warriors with him to Micmash in Bethel and sent 1,000 with Jonathan to Gibeah. Jonathan’s group were successful in their mission so the war was officially started with the Philistines. Saul sounded the alarm for all Israelites to rise up and revolt. The Philistines gathered a huge army of chariots and men. Saul’s army was sandwiched between the Philistines and greatly outnumbered. When Saul had been anointed king, Samuel had told him to meet him in 7 days at Gilgal for a sacrifice. Saul was there surrounded by the Philistine army and losing men by the moment as he waited on Samuel. When it looked like Samuel wasn’t coming, Saul offered the sacrifice himself. Just as he was finishing, Samuel walked up and asked him what he was doing. He told him that because he had not kept the Lord’s command to wait until Samuel came to offer the sacrfiice, his kingdom would be taken and given to a man who would be after God’s own heart. Samuel left and went home and Saul continued to move toward the battle. When he got to Gibeah, his army had whittled down to 600. The Philistines divided their army into three parts and sent them out over the land. The Israelites had no swords because the Philistines didn’t allow them to have weapons. Only Saul and Jonathan had swords. In John, Jesus was trying to stay out of Judea because the religious leaders where plotting his death. But, it was the time for the Feast of Shelters or Tabernacles and all Jews would be going to Jerusalem to celebrate. Jesus’ brothers who didn’t believe him tried to get him to go so he would be caught and killed. They told Jesus he would never be famous hiding. Jesus didn’t come to be famous. He explained that he world hated him because he accused it of doing evil. So, he sent them ahead. At the feast, everyone was looking for him especially the religious leaders. Everyone was afraid of the leaders so they were afraid to say anything good about Jesus. In the middled of the week-long feast, Jesus went to the Temple and started teaching. Everyone was amazed at his teaching since he hadn’t been to “seminary school.” Jesus explained that he got his teaching from God and anyone who really wanted to know the will of God would be able to discern the truth of his teaching. Then he really stepped on their toes. He told them that Moses had given them the law but they didn’t obey it, in fact he told them they were trying to kill him. Nothing like putting it all out there. The crowd agreed that he was possessed of a demon. He called them out of circumcising on the Sabbath when the 8th day came on a Sabbath. If they could circumcised on the Sabbath, why could he not heal on the Sabbath? The crowd was confused about why the leaders were allowing him to speak if they wanted him dead. They also couldn’t figure out how Jesus could be sent from God when they knew about his birth. Jesus had told them to look below the surface, but they couldn’t do it. Neither could the leaders arrest him because his time was not yet come. Both Saul and Jesus were standing against unbeatable odds but when God is for you, who can be against you! Lord, it is obvious reading through your Word that nothing happens before You say it is time. You are in control of our calendar and we choose to be on Your side.