Fri.’s Devo - Living Water

Read: 1 Samuel 14:1-52; John 7:31-53; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 15:5-7 Jonathan was the only shining light in Saul’s heritage. Saul’s father was Kish which means “a snare” and Saul means “requested”. So by the people’s request for a king, they got a snare. Jonathan means “Jehovah is giver” and he gave his life over and over for Israel’s victory. Today we read where Jonathan took his armor bearer to an outpost of the Philistines. He understood that God could deliver with one or many, it didn’t matter. He stood between two cliffs Bozez which means “surpassing white: glistening” and Seneh which means “thorn”. He was standing between the blessing and the curse. Michmash was behind Bozez which was where the outpost of the Philistines were. Jonathan decided that if they asked them to come up and fight this would be God’s sign he was going to give them victory. That was just what happened and Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed 20 Philistines. Then God shook the earth with an earthquake and caused great panic in the Philistine camp and all of their outposts. Saul’s army watched as they saw the Philistines running for their lives in every direction. To find out what happened he did a roll call and found that the only soldier missing was his own son, Jonathan and his armor-bearer. Saul started to ask God what to do but everything happened so fast he just told his men to go and fight. Many Israelites who had defected to the Philistine’s army came back to fight with Saul. Many who had been hiding in the hills and had not been a part of the fighting joined to save Israel that day. Saul, in fear and desperation, had proclaimed a curse on anyone who ate that day. Jonathan had not been there to hear the curse so when he saw some honey, he ate it. Saul’s men also saw honey and refused to eat it because of the curse. When Jonathan heard about his father’s curse he said that his father’s curse had brought trouble to Israel and kept them from a greater victory. The army was so exausted and hungry by the end of the day that when the fast was lifted they ate animals with blood still in them. This was a sin against the Lord. Saul offered a sacrifice to the Lord and wanted to continue fighting during the night. He asked the priest what God wanted them to do but God was not answering. They knew they had offended the Lord. By lot Jonathan was chosen and it was made known that he ate honey and because of the curse Saul had given, God was not speaking. Instead of going to the Lord and interceding for Jonathan’s life like Moses would have done, Saul declared that Jonathan must die. The army disagreed and they stood up for Jonathan and saved his life. They saw the injustice of Saul’s curse. The Philistines were Saul’s enemy during his reign so whenever he saw a strong man he would draft them into his army. Saul ran his kingdom with force and demand. In John, many believed Jesus was the Messiah because of all the miracles he did. When the Pharisees realized the people believed Jesus was the Messiah, they wanted even more to arrest him. Jesus told the Pharisees that he was leaving soon and they wouldn’t be able to find him. He was going back to the one who sent him. They were confused by this. On the last day of the feast of Tabernacles they would do a water libation where the priests would bring water in pitchers from the Siloam springs up to the altar. While this was being done the people would sing, “With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation,” As they were doing this Jesus stood up and said if anyone was thirsty they could come to him and drink. His waters were rivers of living water that flow from the heart. Jesus was speaking of the Spirit which would be given at Pentecost. The crowd was divided. Some thought Jesus was The Prophet they were waiting for; some thought the Messiah and some wanted him arrested. The Pharisees sent men to arrest him but they couldn’t because no one spoke like Jesus. They had the fear of God on them. The Pharisees mocked anyone who defended Jesus, even Nicodemus who was a leader in the Pharisee sect. Lord, thank you for giving us the living waters of your Spirit. Thank you for the wells of salvation.