Essay on Samuel: God and Saul

Submitted By kimberly3333
Words: 3586
Pages: 15
Open Document
The last chapter ended with “How can this man save us?” Chapter 11 is going to present an example of God using the new king. 2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Abuse takes many forms. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to start an argument?
Broadly we can fall into one of two categories; abuser or abused. Verbal attacks and threats can quickly escalate to physical attacks. We are often quick to use the term to abuse to mean anything from disagreement to the hurting of a person’s feelings. The root word in the Latin language (abuti) meant to consume. The dictionary definition includes “a corrupt practice or custom; improper or excessive use (like abusing a car or a toaster); language that condemns or vilifies; usually unjustly or intemperately or angrily or physical maltreatment”.

Cruel Threats (vv.1-3) 1 Samuel 11:1 (NKJV) Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you. The Ammonites were the descendants of Lot. By now they were distant relatives from the past.
How do we go from distant relative to enemy? The “Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh” that is they surrounded the city with a massive army. Jabesh Gilead was located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south and east of Bet Shean; about 2 miles east of the Jordan river in the ancient tribal region of Manassah. In the future the men of Jabesh Gilead would remember the kindness of Saul, even after he was slain on Mount Gilboa and rescue his body that was mutilated and on the walls of Bet Shean--take the bodies (of Saul and his sons) and burn them in Jabesh Gilead. Right from the start the men of Jabesh Gilead attempted a truce--a surrender. In their minds the terms of the surrender means they become slaves and subjects of the Ammonites. Abused people often cave in to threats because they see no way out of their situation. When people use intimidation and threat to control you or manipulate you in order to get you to do what they want--against your will--you are in an abusive relationship. 1 Samuel 11:2 (NKJV) And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel. Like many abusers the demands are exceedingly high. The cruel condition included gouging out the right eye of every citizen. The purpose of the condition was to disgrace not only the citizens of the city, but to disgrace all Israel as weak and cowardly. The king also knew that blindness in one eye would also seriously handicap the men and help prevent any future revolt. Partial blindness would almost ensure complete and continued subjection of the people of Jabesh Gilead to the Ammonites. Abusers often think of their victims as cowards. Abusers see their victims as commodities, things to be consumed. An abuser may not gouge out your eye; they may be content to punch you or slap you, or kick you or bite you or pull your hair. Abusers feel justified in their abuse; and have no problems trying to excuse their behavior. 1 Samuel 11:3 (NKJV) Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you. The elders of Jabesh make two appeals to the king of Ammon; give them seven days to consider the conditions; and they be allowed to send out messengers to the territory of Israel to appeal for help from their near relatives. You might think, why would the king agree to such conditions? It could be that the king was unwilling to expend resources at that point; or because of a sense of over-confidence--that is what ever army Israel could mobilize would easily be defeated. If an army came it
Show More

Related Documents: Essay on Samuel: God and Saul

King Saul: A Great Impact On The Nation Of Israel

King Saul had a great impact on the nation of Israel. Before Israel appointed Saul as their King, Samuel was king over Israel and he had two sons who were next in line as King. However, Samuel’s two sons were not following Gods will, they were not following in Samuel’s footsteps as King. Samuel was devastated and prayed to God asking God why has the nation rejected me? (1 Samuel 8:6, New International Version). God comforted Samuel and explained that Israel had rejected God as their King, not Samuel…

Words 1080 - Pages 5

Life Of Saul Research Paper

Life of Saul Saul was a good king until he let the honor lead him away from God. Saul want chosen by God to lead Israel but when Israel became great he fell away from God. This is a good example that if the Lord is not our focus of our life we will go astray. Israel wanted to be like all the other nations around them so they asked the Lord to give them a king. In doing so then the people of Israel rejected the Lord who had lead them out of Egypt and delivered the canaanites into their hands. Yet…

Words 890 - Pages 4

Essay on For Crying Out Loud

paper, the lives of Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon reveal the types of men they were in the middle of hard times. Samuel was a leader chosen by God at a very young age. Samuel was not a king; he was a judge, and he saw God as the only king. The Israelites begged for another king, which made Samuel upset. He was afraid it was his fault that the people wanted a King because maybe he had failed or because his sons were Godless. Rather than taking it into his own hands, Samuel immediately went to…

Words 1007 - Pages 5

Essay on During the Time of Samuel, Why Did the People of Israel Desire a King?

own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Samuel was Israel’s spiritual leader (priest), a prophet, and the last and most effective of the judges. God used Samuel to assist in the change of Israel’s government from a system of judges to kings. Samuel judged Israel until his death, saved them from the Philistines, and led them back to God. However, when Samuel grew old, he started appointing his sons as judges but they were corrupt (1 Samuel 8:1). All of the elders of Israel…

Words 1027 - Pages 5

Essay 2

leaning toward a monarchy “God used Samuel to anoint Israel’s first two kings there by transitioning the country away from the judges and into a monarchy” The Essence of the Old Testament Ed Hindson, Gary Yates 2012 (p162) A survey of Eli’s household was wicked and God was not speaking because no one was listening. The message to Samuel was that God will bypass a disobedient generation and a new generation will follow him. God states he will destroy Eli’s house and Samuel will be the spokesman. “The…

Words 1307 - Pages 6

The Contradictions Of Saul And David In The Bible

and intriguing characters in the Bible is God. His personality entails many contradictions that may leave a reader puzzling over the true and real part of His character. One conflicting example is the story of Saul and David. Both men were chosen to be kings, yet only one formed a true and lasting relationship with God. Why? Does God simply have preferential treatment for some people? Or does the matter go in deeper? Throughout the Old Testament, we see God always choosing to single people out. What…

Words 1227 - Pages 5

Sacrifice In King Samuel's Teachings

After the Lord said that Saul was no longer to be king Samuel went away in grief. The Lord come to the Samuel one day telling him to stop his grieving because He has found who He wants next to be the king. He then went on to tell Samuel to go to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for one of the sons was to be the next king. Samuel was scared of king Saul killing him but God told him to bring with him a heifer and when he gets there to tell them he comes with a sacrifice for the Lord, but once there call for…

Words 378 - Pages 2

Comparison Of Hagar And Israelites

Through all of time God has always provided and cared for His people, the Israelites. In return for his love and care the only thing that He has ever asked of us is our love, and He even tells us how to do it. All throughout the Bible there are examples of people showing their love of God, and they are doing it through obedience. In Deuteronomy (1), the Lord promised the Israelites that if they would love Him by honoring and obeying Him, He would “He will love you and bless you and increase your…

Words 1068 - Pages 5

Matthew and John Essay

Rahab: Rahab was a prostitute who lived in Jerico. When two of Joshua’s spies went to view Jerico Rahab hided them from the men pursued them. And then she asked them to swear her by the God that they will deal kindly with her family. The two spices promised her and told her a sign. After that, Rahab let them go by a rope through the window and tell them the way goes back. The covenant between is if Rahab do not tell this business of them, they will deal kindly with her family. And when they come…

Words 1984 - Pages 8

King David Research Paper

Christ-like character and foreshadows Jesus’ coming to the earth to save His people. 1 Samuel talks about David, who he is, and how he grows to become someone great that the Israelites look up to for authority and leadership. In this paper, we will comparing and identifying the characteristics and…

Words 2090 - Pages 9