1 Chronicles 10: Saul's Death

1 Chronicles version of 1 Samuel 31 & 2 Samuel 1, discussing how Saul died.

Introduction

We're only given a single chapter on Saul by the chronicler, who spends most of his time talking about David. It is interesting to me because this is a typical pattern found in most cultures. Leaders who disappoint us are not spoken of as often as those who carry significant impact or are loved. By the time the chronicler was born, Saul would have been just a tiny speck in history. Although he was the first king of Israel, he hadn't been very remarkable and it was David's line that inherited the throne. Although the chronicler does not go into great detail about Saul, we are given two important confirmations in this chapter.
Top

How Did Saul Die?

Many people complain that the account of Saul's death is a contradiction. In 1 Samuel 31 we are told that Saul killed himself, but in 2 Samuel 1, an Amalekite tells David he killed Saul. People often forget that 1 and 2 Samuel are actually the same book, and the two passages were likely written by the same author. Which means the person likely knew and meant to give two different accounts. The important distinction is that in the first account we are being told what happened, but in the second, a man is telling his version of the story. This man isn't the first man to lie. Since David and Saul were are odds, the man probably thought if David believed he had killed Saul, he would gain favor. 1 Chronicles 10 confirms that Saul killed himself, further supporting the theory that the Amalekite man was lying to David.
Top

Condemnation

The Chronicler only gives enough information on Saul to explain why Saul was condemned as king. We see him condemned for consulting a familiar spirit and for not abiding in God's law. Despite these transgressions, the Israelites still rescued his body to give him a proper burial. This should remind us that no matter how a person choses to live their life, we have a duty to treat humans with dignity in both life and death.
Top

References

2 Samuel 5-10: David's Military Success

These chapters mostly discuss the success of David. These successes include capturing of the ever-controversial city, Jerusalem, moving the ark, and upholding his promise to Jonathan. Also discussed is the rift that suddenly emerges between David and his first wife, Michal. Finally, we see a semi-messianic prophecy from the prophet Nathan.

Introduction

2 Samuel 5-10 discusses the military success David has when he takes over as king, as well as, a few personal matters in David's life.

From the book of Exodus through this point, the Israelites have been complaining and neglecting God's order to drive out the Canaanite nations. These chapters bring us to a point in history where Israel was actually obeying God. These chapters mostly discuss the success of David. These successes include capturing of the ever-controversial city, Jerusalem, moving the ark, and upholding his promise to Jonathan. Also discussed is the rift that suddenly emerges between David and his first wife, Michal. Finally, we see a semi-messianic prophecy from the prophet Nathan.
Top

The City of Jerusalem

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/tek_cat

Jerusalem is probably the most famous city in Israel, though Bethlehem comes to mind as well. Jerusalem is also the holiest city in the world (arguably), with holy sites from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although the Jews of today probably still consider Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, most of the world currently recognizes Tel Aviv as Israel's capital. Like in the days of the Bible, specifically during David's time, both the Israelites/Israelis and the Philistines/Palestinians wanted to claim the city for themselves.

Currently, Jerusalem is divided into West and East Jerusalem, kind of like Berlin after WWII. Israel captured the eastern part of the city, then seen as "international territory" by the UN, during the Six-Day War in 1967; this was considered a breach of International law. Because of the U.N.'s condemnation of Israel's occupation, countries (specifically those in the U.N.) place their embassies in Tel Aviv instead.^[1]

When David took the throne, Jerusalem was occupied by the Jebusites, who were descended from Canaan.^[2] Joshua had defeated the Jebusites and seemingly took the city when the Israelites entered the promised land, but the Jebusites were able to reclaim the city and no one else had been able to defeat them. Now that David was in charge, he made sure the Israelites reclaimed the territory. Perhaps the fact that the land was meant to belong to Judah, the tribe from which David descended, motivated him to recapture the city.
Top

The Ark of the Covenant

One thing that marks Jerusalem as holy is the Temple Mount, where the Temple was built and the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Part of the conflict today is the issue that the Temple Mount is holy ground for Jews (and subsequently Christians), as well as, Muslims. When David conquered Jerusalem, none of God's holy relics were in the city. David sought to change that by moving the Ark to Jerusalem and his son completed this buy building The Temple. Neither the ark, nor the tabernacle had ever been placed in Jerusalem at this point in history.^[3]
Top

The Ark is Taken to Jerusalem

David commands the Israelites to take the Ark to Jerusalem. It's not explicitly stated that God commanded David to move the ark to Jerusalem, so we are left to wonder whether he was following God's will or simply making a show of himself. David had finally captured Jerusalem and called it the city of David, putting the Ark in the city as well would have been a sign of his divine appointment.

David takes 30,000 men to retrieve the cart, which makes me wonder if it had been captured or was in hostile territory. Instead of moving it in the tradition manner with the Levites carrying it, they transport it using a cart. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drive the cart. Interestingly, there are two Abinadab mentioned in the book of Samuel: one is the son of Saul and the other is David's brother. Therefore, these two men were likely David's nephews (either by blood or by law, since David was Saul's son-in-law).

The Israelites have a grand celebration as they move the Ark—another implication that Ark may have been in hostile territory. At some point during the festivities, Uzzah reaches out and touches the ark; he is subsequently killed by God. It is thought, based upon the original Hebrew of the text, that the Ark was falling and Uzzah reached out to catch or steady it. Most would consider that a good deed; furthermore, it's only natural to reach for things when they fall near you. This would explain why David is upset and considers God's execution of Uzzah a "breach" (2 Samuel 6:8).

This is an example of people placing themselves in poor situations. Had the Levites been carrying the Ark using the rods made especially for that purpose, it would not have been in danger of tipping over in the first place. The Israelites knew this was not the proper way to transport the Ark, but chose to do so anyway. Uzzah and the others had rebelled against God's law, which meant Uzzah was fresh with unclean sinfulness. In this unholy state because he had not offered a sacrifice to cleanse himself, Uzzah touched the holiest relic of the Israelites. This probably amplified God's anger.^[3]
Top

A Sign of Prosperity

David receives one of the ultimate signs of prosperity (at least, during Biblical times) after he reclaimed Jerusalem: a son.
Top

David's Failed Marriage

Most of discussion in these chapters focuses on David's victories, but we are briefly told of his failure with Michal. I find this to be quite the interesting subplot. Initially, Michal loves David, so much so, that she betrays her father to help David escape. Yet in 2 Samuel 6:16, suddenly Michal despises him. Yet, we aren't given any details on why Michal's heart changed. Anything we claim has to be inferred, because her point of view is completely omitted.
Top

Unrequited Love

There's a thin line between love and hate; it's really hard for me to hate something or someone I don't love. On the off chance I don't secretly love the person or thing, usually I love (or am passionate about) someone or something that is in direct opposition of the hated person or thing. Since we already know Michal loved David in the beginning, we are left to wonder what could trigger emotions of hate. After jealousy, unrequited love comes to mind.

Michal risked her own life to save David, but we aren't told of any efforts he made to get her back while Saul was living. On top of that, he marries a ton of other women! Well, ok, in the context of David's time the number of wives he took may not have been considered "a ton," but in comparison to other men of the Bible and our current society, he married a ton of women. That had to have been hard for Michal.
Top

Jealousy

Another theory is that Michal was jealous of David's other wives. There are plenty of examples of polygamy in the Bible and in modern times, but we've probably all been bitten by the jealousy bug. Some people argue polygamy (and even polgany) is natural based on the Biblical examples, but a deeper look reveals the troubles that stem from this type of lifestyle. From wives being jealous of each other to men losing their minds trying to impress women, it's kind of obvious why the New Testaments mandates church leaders to have only one wife. Whether the practice is generally OK in God's eyesight or not, we can all understand any feelings of jealousy Michal may have had.

I find this to be the most likely case because in 2 Samuel 6:20, Michal brings up David being "uncovered" before handmaids. The commentaries I've read do not insinuate that this is a sexual reference, though it seems that it could be.^[3] Overall it seems Michal is condemning David for his joyfulness.
Top

Young Love

The final thought that comes to mind for me, is the age at which Michal first fell in love with David. Perhaps she outgrew her love for him. Many teen girls think they're dating their soulmate only to find out that really aren't compatible. The difference is that in our culture teens don't usually get married.
Top

The End Result

After Michal chastises David, he reminds her that God chose him as king. In 2 Samuel 6:22-23, it seems, to me atleast, David refused to sleep with Michal after this point, though some assert God punished Michal by causing her to be barren.^[3]
Top

Nathan, the Prophet

2 Samuel 7 introduces us to the prophet Nathan. God gives Nathan a message for David, which includes the prompt to build a house for the Lord. It is in these verses that God promises David his kingdom would last forever. David responds humbly, praising God and trusting in His power.

I have seen people list this as a contradiction or evidence that God lied, since David's line did not remain king of Israel forever. What they forget is the fact that Jesus is from the line of David. God was not just talking about the kingdom of Israel, He was talking about the only kingdom that matters: the kingdom of Heaven! This message was given to a prophet because it is a prophecy, a messianic prophecy.
Top

Jonathan's Family

In 1 Samuel 20, David made a promise not to let enmity come between his family and Jonathan's; this was not an idle promise. One of the reasons God warns us about oaths, vows, and pledges, is because He expects us to keep them once we've made them. When Jonathan and David promised to be good to each others' families even after death, both parties trusted the other to uphold their end of the covenant and both believed David would emerge the victor in the skirmish between Saul and David. However, once Jonathan was dead and David had been crowned king, there was no one to verify that David honored his word—aside from God, that is.

David had 3 choices: he could have gone against his vow and pursued Jonathan's family, as is common for new kings; he could have let Jonathan's family fade into obscurity, neither fostering a positive or negative relationship with Jonathan's kin; or he could have welcomed them into his home and heart. The first option would be a direct break of the covenant David had made with Jonathan, while the second would probably have been considered a sin of omission. David wouldn't have done anything wrong, per sé, but he wouldn't have done anything good either. A true man of God, David chose the final option, in which he welcomes Jonathan's son into his home as though he were blood kin.
Top

Ziba

Determined to uphold his promise to the fullest, David seeks out surviving relatives of Saul in the hopes that he can show them kindness. In 2 Samuel 9, we see that David finds a man named Ziba, who used to be a servant of Saul and can provide the information David desires. Ziba leads him to Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan.

In addition to restoring Saul's land to Mephibosheth, David also restores Ziba as servant to the family. David instructs Ziba to work the land so that Mephibosheth "may have food to eat," adding that Mephibosheth will also eat at David's table. This command is also given to Ziba's 15 sons and his 20 servants. That's right, 20 servants.

There's a line in the Disney movie Aladdin in which Aladdin (pretending to be rich and sophisticated Prince Ali) quips that he's so rich his servants have servants; apparently, this was a real thing for King Saul. To make the matter more interesting, Aladdin is set in the fiction town of Agrabah, which is supposed to be located somewhere near the Jordan River. Disney was likely trying to be humorous, but it's possible that this was normal at one point in history.

The introduction and description of Ziba challenges the interpretation of servitude and slavery people have come to believe. First, the fact that Ziba had servants proves servitude was much different in those days. American slaves did not have servants of their own. That's a huge clue that the way we think of slavery today was not how slavery was in Biblical times. The second point to be made stems from the simple fact we know his name. Slave owners in the U.S. didn't even record births, they definitely wouldn't include a slave— by name, at that— in a text they were keeping, especially a text of Biblical importance. The author of Samuel could have easily told this narrative without specifying Ziba by name, however he chose to record this servant's name for all to learn.
Top

Mephibosheth

Although David extends his search and promise to any of Saul's descendants, Jonathan's son is the one that reaps the benefits. God works in mysterious ways, but sometimes He operates exactly the way we think He should. God rewarded Jonathan for his faithfulness by preserving his line.

Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, was born lame. In Israel this would have made him both "useless" and a blemish on the family's name.^[5] Possibly cast out from society, Mephibosheth was staying with the house of Machir, at the time David sends a messenger to get him. Upon meeting David, Mephibosheth bows down reverently. His presumption was likely that he had been summoned for death since he was a descendant of Saul. We don't know if Jonathan ever told his son about the promise between him and David, but given the knowledge that Mephibosheth was only 5 with Jonathan died, it's doubtful.^[6]

David comforts Mephibosheth, promising him the land of Saul, as well as, extending an indefinite invitation to dinner, specifically inviting Mephibosheth to eat bread at the king's table. Biblically, bread is associated with covenants and friendship: the priests eat shewbread before God in the tabernacle and Jesus tells the disciples to eat bread in remembrance of Him. David inviting Mephibosheth to eat bread at his table signaled to the kingdom (and to Mephibosheth) that there was peace between them. This concept is the origin of our modern phrase "breaking bread."

David even proclaims that Mephibosheth will be like one of his own sons. We see this happen today. Close friends will often step in and raise their friend's child in the absence of the friend. We might even think of David as Mephibosheth's godfather today. Like his real father, Mephibosheth remains humble before David.

Despite being lame, Mephibosheth eventually has a son named Micha. Whether it was because of status, wealth, or something else altogether, this means Mephibosheth was still able to acquire a wife (or at the very least, convince a woman to have sex with him). This is a great example of the difference between stating something is unclean vs. treating a person as though they are worthless. Mephibosheth may have been considered unclean because of his handicap, but David showed him great love and presumably, so did his wife.
Top

Hanun, King of Ammon

2 Samuel 10 leads with the death of the Ammonite king, who is succeeded by his son, Hanun. During David's time, the now-deceased, Ammonite king, Nahash, had not caused problems for Israel and had even shown kindness to David. David sought to repay this kindness by sending comfort to Hanun during his time of grief.

When David's messengers arrived in the city, the princes of Ammon preferred to believe the messengers were sent as spies than to comfort the new leader. From a military standpoint, I guess it makes sense, but from a human standpoint, it begs the question: why do we always believe the worst?
Top

Ungratefulness

Hanun listens to the princes' counsel and does the unthinkable: he shaves off half of their beard and cuts off their garments. This was meant to bring shame upon the men and subsequently on David. Can you imagine taking the time to travel all the way to another country (remember they didn't have cars or planes back then!) only to be shamed for your act of kindness?

David's reaction speaks volumes on why God chose him as the leader of Israel. When he hears the news, he rushes out to meet the men who have been shamed for his sake. David also allows them to stay in seclusion until their beards grow back so that they are not subject to humiliation in the city. David takes ownership of the situation and comforts these men the way a true leader should. How often do we do that? When we stand for Jesus, people will try to shame us, but like David, Jesus will come to our aid and provide shelter for us.
Top

War

Whether the Ammonites truly thought David's act was a declaration of war, or they assumed their king's act would prompt David to retaliate with war, they began preparing for war. They form an alliance with the Syrians from Bethrehob and Zoba, garnering them an army of 20,000 footmen. They go on to ally themselves with a king named Maacah to add another 1,000 men and a city called Ishtob to gain another 12,000. This sounds like quite an army!

Learning of this, David sends his trusted captain, Joab, with a host of his mightiest men to answer the call to battle. When Joab and his men get to Ammon, they realize they've been lured into a trap where they will have to fight on two fronts. This is the same technique that won the war for the allies in World War II. Joab doesn't panic at these tidings—why should he? God was with Israel!—instead he divides the men into two companies. The choice men of Israel are sent to fight the Syrians under Joab's command, and the rest are put under the command of Joab's brother Abishai to fight the Ammonites. The two brothers agree that if either has trouble defeating their enemy, the other will come to help.
Top

Fighting on Two Fronts

We often think of life as having two sides: good and evil. If we are on God's side, that of good, then the only front we have to fight on is that of evil. However, this isn't true. Just as the Ammonites and Syrians tag teamed to place Israel in a two-front battle, the devil can come at us from multiple direction at the same time. Lucky for us God is will fight on all fronts for us.
Top

Fleeing the Battle

When the Syrians see Joab and his army, they flee. We are not told if Israel had more men than the Syrians or if this was simply God putting fear in the enemies heart. Whatever the case, when the Ammonites discovered that the Syrians had fled, they knew the war was lost, so they fled too. At these tidings, Joab returns to Jerusalem.
Top

Syria

Despite fleeing of their own will, these events anger the Syrians. They rally behind Hadarezer in the hopes of creating a better army that can defeat the Israelites. Naturally, David wins this battle, as well. David kills the men controlling Syria's 700 chariots along with 40,000 men who rode into battle on horses. David also defeats the Syrian captain, Shobach. This defeat was so crushing that the Syrians entered into a treaty with Israel and were afraid to make an alliance with the Ammonites again.
Top

References

1. Kate Samuelson. "Why Jerusalem Isn’t Recognized as Israel’s Capital". Time. December 16, 2016
2. Genesis 10:15-16
3. Matthew Henry. "2 Samuel 6 Commentary". Bible Study Tools. 2017
4. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 535. 2014
5. Leviticus 21:18
6. 2 Samuel 4:4

1 Samuel 28-31: Saul's Last Battle

Abandoned by men of faith, Saul resorts to sorcery before dying in his final battle.

Introduction

Once again, the Philistines gather against Israel. This time, Saul has neither Samuel (who is now dead) nor David (who is in exile) to be his strength in the battle. Without these two faithful men present in his life, Saul turns to "a woman that hath a familiar spirit"—a person he was forbidden from dealing with by God (Leviticus 19:31). The woman would have been a sorcerer or medium, and the "familiar spirit" would be how she communicated with the dead. Since God does not give us these abilities (hence forbidding them), we know it is the devil who rules these people.^[3]
Top

Saul

Breaking God's Law

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo

The woman is initially wary of fulfilling Saul's request; wizardry, witchcraft, etc. were all against God's law, and thus also against the laws of Israel. As king, Saul was to uphold God's law so the woman likely thought he was setting her up. Saul, however, had drifted so far away from God that he believed breaking God's law would bring him closer to God. Saul needed comfort and reassurance, but he no longer had a relationship with God. When Saul prayed, God didn't answer. This drove him to such desperation that he swore an oath to God not to punish someone for breaking the law of God. This is the exact point I was trying to make in my response on a pastor teaching his congregation to be "clean and empty;" when you are full with God's Spirit, you run the risk of filling yourself with something that isn't good for you.

Relating to Today

This is an important part of Saul's story because it gives us a framework to remember about our own lives. Saul put himself in a situation many of us have been in or will be in at some point in our lives. We have a tendency to put God on the back burner, and then when life gets tough, we want Him to be at our beck and call. No where in the passage do we see Saul repent of the wrong he's done or make amends for all the time he's spent away from God's presence. Saul jumps straight into worrying about the battle and asking for God's help. Similarly, we often will go days, weeks, maybe even months without thinking about God, until something happens and we are forced to pray for His help.

When God doesn't immediately answer, Saul impatiently jumps to the next thing. How often do we do that? When we don't hear from God or can't understand His voice, we often try to take matters into our own hands, which is never a good idea. I say "can't understand His voice" because I think most of the time, it isn't that God isn't answering so much as the fact that we either aren't listening or have forgotten His voice. There are many verses that state God will never leave or forsake us (i.e. Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrews 13:5), but that doesn't mean we won't feel forgotten. We are told the Spirit of God leaves both Samson and Saul at some point during their lives. In Samson's case, when he repents, God returns, giving him the strength to carry out the mission. The key there is the repentance. Saul does not repent, so God does not return to save the day for Saul.

We should remember this. When we feel we have lost the presence of God, we should reflect on our behavior, on our relationship with God prior to our current situation. Along with repenting, we must exercise patience and faith that God will return to show us the way. It is this patience that will keep us on the right path.

Did Saul Actually Speak to the Dead?

As we know, Saul didn't do this. Instead, he convinces a sorcerer to contact the spirit of Samuel. Remember Leviticus 19:31 and Deuteronomy 18:11-14? God told the Israelites not to try to communicate with the dead. Saul clearly didn't remember this, or he deliberately chose to disobey God. When a man appears, Saul infers him to be Samuel and begins a conversation. It's important to remember that 1 Samuel 28:14 says "Saul perceived that it was Samuel," which means it may not have been Samuel. If it was Samuel, I would think the text would have said something along the lines of "Saul saw Samuel..." As it is written, it could just as well mean that Saul only thought this person was Samuel.

However, the words of Samuel are what lead me to believe Saul spoke with the real Samuel. Samuel tells Saul that he will lose the battle, his sons will die in battle, and the kingdom will pass to David. All three of these prophecies come true, just as Samuel predicted. In the New Testament, one of the ways to discern a prophet of God from a false prophet is whether their prophecies come true or not (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). Since we know the real Samuel was a real prophet, it follows that the real Samuel would give a true prophecy, but a demon posing as Samuel may not. That being said, although the devil isn't all knowing like God, he does know some things. Since his game is deceiving people, it seems unlikely the devil would give the full story in a prophecy, however he may have been using Saul as a pawn. When Saul's soldiers saw that he consulted a medium (ungodly), spoke to the dead (ungodly), and received a valid prophecy, they may have followed in his footsteps.
Top

Saul's Defeat

As predicted, Saul does not fare well in battle. 1 Samuel 31 recounts the death of Saul and his sons. Saul is initially wounded by an arrow, but the wound must have been too great for him to continue in battle. Knowing that he would be tortured when captured, Saul requests his armor bearer finish the job before the Philistines capture him. When the armor bearer refuses, Saul kills himself by falling on his sword. The armor bearer commits suicide after discovering Saul has killed himself, and all three of Saul's sons die in this battle. Although Saul escaped torture, his body was desecrated when the Philistines found it on the battlefield. I imagine this was a great day of mourning for the Israelites.

The act of killing oneself to avoid torture has been a long standing tradition and found in many cultures. I find it interesting, however, that this trait has been found mainly in those who are/were against God. Jesus, our ultimate example, did not kill himself when He was taken from the garden. He didn't avoid the torture of being whipped, crowned with thorns, hung on a cross or pierced in the side. The only man of God (that comes to my mind) who "committed suicide" was Samson. Though, Samson didn't commit suicide to avoid torture; Samson killed himself in the process of killing a multitude of Philistines (more like a suicide bomber). Even so, I wouldn't count Samson among the most faithful and godly men; he got himself into bad situations by disobeying God the same way Saul did. How we respond to adversity is definitely something to think about. It seems to me that the key difference is in the faith affirmed or denied in the action. By falling on his sword, Saul admitted that he had no faith in God delivering him in the battle. He was convinced Israel would lose, the Philistines would capture his body, and he would live long enough to be tortured, which means the wound couldn't have been that bad. This lack of faith is perfectly juxtaposed with David's valiant faith as these last few chapters parallel the two battles. David's army is tired and worn out, but David doesn't put off the battle, nor does he give up. Instead they trusted God to lead them to victory and came out unscathed.
Top

David

1 Samuel 29 switches to the Philistine side of the battle, primary because that is where David is. While Saul is cowering and consulting sorcerers to prepare for the battle, David and his men are following the Philistines into battle. David and his men were located in the rear of the main army, with Achish, the king of the Philistines. Naturally, this made the Philistines nervous. The princes complained, suggesting that David would turn on them in battle. With David and his men located at the rear, he could easily trap the Philistine army by cutting off their retreat should he decide to fight for Israel instead. Achish has great faith in David that he wouldn't betray them, but eventually, David is dismissed back to Ziklag.
Top

Would He Betray Them?

I often wonder if David would have betrayed them. Samuel told Saul that he would lose the battle, and it is assumed that it was God's Will for Saul to lose and die and that moment. Thus it stands to reason that God did not intend on David fighting for Israel that day. If David had fought and switched sides mid-battle as the Philistines feared, surely Israel would have won. However, if David had fought for the Philistines, why would Israel accept him as king? Would that not be fighting against God? It seems unlikely, to me, that David was ever inclined to fight his own people. Achish's faith in David was based on a misunderstanding which convinced Achish that David had already attacked his own people, but David had done no such thing.
Top

Ziklag

We get a better glimpse of David's mindset when he returns to Ziklag 3 days later in 1 Samuel 30. While they were gone, the city had been invaded by the Amalekites. The Amalekites burned the city and took the women captive. This included the wives of David, as well as, the wives of the soldiers. The people were so angry, they threatened to stone David!

Unlike Saul, David knew he could not fix the situation by himself. He calls upon Abithar, a priest, so that he may consult God for direction. Abithar brings David the ephod, and then David asks God what he should do. It interesting that the ephod is mentioned just before David prays to God, and God answers David. It almost seems that David used the ephod to contact God. I find this interesting, only because I've heard theories from ancient alien theorists that many of God's holy items were actually high tech communication devices to "alien" space ships.

While I don't necessary share the same ideas or beliefs as these theorists, God (along with the angels) are not earthlings which technically makes them aliens... I'm not sure whether the ephod served as a "telephone" to God, or if it was just a symbol. Back in Leviticus, the ephod was described as an article of clothing, however as the Bible continues, scholars agree the word "ephod" seems to take on a different meaning.^[1][2]
Top

David's Victory

God was marching with David, so even though his men were tired (they had just walked 3 days from the location of the Philistine battle to their "home" in Ziklag) and distraught (over the situation in Ziklag), David still defeated his enemies. When David and his men set out behind the Amalekites, they happened upon an Egyptian servant from the Amalekite army who had been left to die. Not only does this man confess that he was there when they burned Ziklag, but he agrees to take David and his men to the army, provided they do not harm him. This man took a leap of faith on David. An ungodly man would have killed the servant once they had the information they needed, but David promised neither to kill nor hand over the servant. This is one of the passages in the Bible many Southern whites apparently skipped during American slavery.

In remaining true to God, both in his heart and in his actions, David ensured he would win. He was able to recover all of the stolen goods along with all of the people who had been kidnapped without losing any soldiers in the process. How often do people win battles without losing something? I guarantee it only happens when God is present. Further confirming his allegiance to God and Israel, David sends the spoils of his victory to the elders of Judah (1 Samuel 30:26).
Top

References

1. Emil G. Hirsch, Immanuel Benzinger, Solomon Schechter, and Louis Ginzberg. "Ephod". Jewish Encyclopedia. 2016
2. "What was the significance of the ephod?". GotQuestions.org. 2016
3. "What are familiar spirits?". GotQuestions.org. 2016

1 Samuel 15: Saul Sins

Saul disappointing God to the point he loses his throne is more like us today than we like to think.

Introduction

Saul had already committed a sin, when he decided to present the offerings instead of waiting on the priest (Samuel) in 1 Samuel 13, and God had already made it known to Saul that he would be replaced. You would think this would drive Saul to be better, to prove that his sin was one moment of poor judgment, not his normal behavior. Perhaps that was Saul's intent with the fast he imposed upon his soldiers before their battle; of course that, too, backfired, causing them to sin when they finally could eat. 1 Samuel 15 tells us how Samuel fell into sin, once again.
Top

Saul

1 Samuel 15 finds the Israelites at war once again, this time with the Amalekites. Samuel relays a message from God to Saul that they are to attack the Amalekites. God reminds them of how Amalek unjustly attacked Israel during their time in the wilderness, though He does not specify why the Israelites are to attack them now. It is possible that the Amalekites were thinking of attacking Israel, so God was moving Israel to attack first. It is also possible that the Amalekites were still in sin; most of the nations, including Israel, worshipped pagan gods. In the latter instance, God may have been using Israel to render punishment.

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.1 Samuel 15:3 KJV

As with most battles Israel entered, God command them to destroy everything. Whatever the Amalekites' sin was, it had defiled everything around them.
Top

Why Kill Everything?

Death to all sounds harsh; I'm pretty sure that would be considered a war crime in today's world (of course, only the losers ever get tried for war crimes). God Himself told us not to kill, so why does He tell the Israelites to kill everyone when in battle? That's hard logic to follow, and perhaps why Saul didn't follow God's instructions. Let's think about the situation for a minute.

Per God's design, and especially in that era, men were supposed to be leaders and warriors. Anyone left after a battle would harbor resentment and desire revenge, but the men would be the ones to carry it out. A perfect example of this is in the movie 10,000 BC. Whn an army attacks a village, carrying off many of their residents, the men that were left behind form a small army and set off in pursuit of the stolen villagers. Spoiler alert: in the end, that small army recruits other small armies in the same position, and together they defeat a massive empire. This is likely why God wanted all the men killed; to put a final end to the conflict. Afterall, once Jesus wins the final battle for the Earth, everyone who opposes God will be killed, too.

What threat did the women possess that they should be killed? In Numbers 25, we see it is the women that lead the Israelites into idolatry. Once their men were killed, they would have to seek out Israelite men or men in neighboring kingdoms for husbands, which would also make them low hanging fruit for the Israelite men to pluck. Lust and love can have a tremendous affect on a person's behaviors. Just a few years ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about the holidays. When I asked what he was going to do about holidays such as Christmas (we'll skip the discussion that it has pagan origins and is not really Christian) when he had children, he started saying it would depend on his wife. He kept talking about how "normal" it was for people to change their beliefs and stance on beliefs for their spouse. "People change all the time," he argued. This is why we are told not to be unequally yoked! We are to chose partners who are following God so that we are not tempted away from God. God knew that the Amalekite women would provide just that, temptations and gateways to paganism.

Which brings us to the animals. If anyone was completely innocent in the matter, the animals were. Why should they die? For the same reason God sent Jesus to die; after all of the killing the Israelites did, there had to be sacrifices to cleanse the Earth (Numbers 35:33). If they kept the spoils of war without atoning for the bloodshed, it would be detrimental to the Earth, and thus themselves. The animals' blood would cover the blood of the Israelites who should have otherwise send their own blood to atone for the massacre.
Top

Saul's Response

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Ra Wan

Saul gathers an army of 210,000 men to advance against the Amalekites. Though they are victorious, Saul does not kill the king of the Amalekites (Agag) and keeps the best of the livestock. If my assumption about the livestock acting as a sacrifice for the blood spilled, he withheld the best from God! Needless to say, God was not happy about Saul's decision to forgo His instructions.

Samuel weeps for Saul when he learns from God of Saul's disgraceful behavior. When Samuel confronts Saul, Saul's excuse for saving the livestock is that they were going to use it as a sacrifice. The sacrifice, however, was supposed to have happened on the battle field; it was the Amalekite's land that needed cleansing, not the Israelites. God didn't want "stolen" goods for the sacrifices in His tabernacle.

Samuel reveals God's disappointment to Saul. Suddenly, Saul changes his tune, and says it was "the people" that kept the spoils. This is like many before him, and many of us today. We often try to excuse our behavior by deflecting the blame to others (sometimes I think this is a subconscious decision and we don't even realize we're doing this). One of the most important verses of the Bible follows Saul's deflections.

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.1 Samuel 15:22

God would rather see us be obedient than have us shed the blood of animals. Justice may require bloodshed at times, but God's preference is that we obey so we don't need to shed blood. Saul's inability to follow God's orders constituted a rebellion and a rejection of God. Since Saul was rejecting God, God rejected Saul as king.

Upon hearing this, Saul begins to repent, claiming he was afraid of the people. Samuel doesn't seems to believe Saul at first. It is only after Saul's second declaration of repentance that Samuel agrees to pray with him. While Saul may have been genuinely sorry for his actions, his position required better. As king of Israel, he shouldn't have ever been so weak that the citizens were dictating how he was to lead. Whether God forgave him or not, he had proven himself to be inadequate as a leader. When we are placed in positions of power, we inherit higher standards. If we are easily swayed by the masses, we are not fit to lead God's people.
Top

The End of a Friendship

Even after Saul's declaration of repentance, it is Samuel who is forced to kill Agag and put an end to the conflict. Once Samuel leaves Saul this time, he doesn't go in search of Saul again until Saul's death. Saul seeks out Samuel in 1 Samuel 19, but from this point on, Samuel's view of Saul is forever altered. This was the breaking point of their friendship. Saul had chosen to lead a life where he disobeyed God, whereas Samuel had chosen to follow God in everything; they were no longer compatible. This happens in our friendships today. The closer we get to God, the farther away some of our friends will become. Our friends who do not believe or who chose to disobey God can serve as tethers to sin. Like Samuel, we must continue to pray for them, and sometimes our example may bring such a friend to Christ. However, we must be wary of seeking these people out and continuing to fellowship with them as though we agree with their choices.
Top

Getting Up After A Fall

When I was an undergraduate, I miraculously was able to earn a 4.0 for quite some time. At the end of my junior year, however, I earned a B in one class. That killed my 4.0 forever. I could have come back my senior year and churned out two more 4.0 semesters, but in the end, my GPA would have only been a 3.99. Some people probably would have went for that 3.99, but for me, that initial B was like permission to make other Bs. Suddenly, there was no need to be perfect, because I'd already messed that up, and as I watched my GPA dip, it didn't seem important any more. The first semester of my senior year, I ended up with 2 Bs, and the final semester, I let myself slide with 3 Bs. It wasn't until I started graduate school that I refocused my attention.

Sinning can be the same way. The devil has a way of convincing us that once we sin, we're hopeless. Once we get that first taste of sin, we wonder if it's really so bad—especially if we don't see immediate consequences. This is the process of drifting away from God. Most of my agnostic and atheist friends call it being enlightened, but really it's the fall all over again. The sin is like the forbidden fruit, and eating it opens your eyes to the knowledge that yes you can sin. You may reap positive consequences at first, maybe for so long you forget the connection. However, if you never repent, judgment day will bring the promised negative consequence of permanent death.

When we sin, we have to remember that God still loves us, that we aren't hopeless. We have to remind ourselves that unlike my 4.0 situation, Jesus can restore us to perfection. The whole purpose of Jesus dying on the cross was that we could be made new and wash away our sins.
Top

1 Samuel 13&14: Saul's Army

In 1 Samuel 13 & 14, we are introduced to the bravery of Saul's son and learn of Saul's victories in battle.

Introduction

In our world, no kingdom can survive without an impressive army. After reigning for 2 years, Saul chooses 300,000 men to serve as Israel's army. This figure helps to put the wars fought in the Bible in perspective to the wars fought today. For comparison, in the Revolutionary War, America boasted an army of only 217,000 men. Over 3 million fought in the civil war (roughly 2 million from the Union and 1 million from the Confederacy). 4 million fought in WWI, and 16 million fought in WWII.^[1] Clearly, our world has placed a greater emphasis on violence and armies over time (note that the wars since WWII have had significantly fewer combatants, but still remain well over the 300,000 mark). As we can see from our own statistics in the Revolutionary War, an army of 300,000 was a decent sized army.
Top

The Philistines, Again

Once again, the Israelites become embattled in a conflict with the Philistines, this time at Michmash. Jonathan, Saul's son, leads the army to defeat the Philistines. Michmash was a prime location for a military stronghold, so Saul knew that the Philistines were not going to take the defeat lightly; a larger battle was sure to come. Saul blows a trumpet to put the Israelites on guard.

As Saul had predicted, the Philistines responded to the defeat with a massive army. However, for some reason, Saul chose to leave Michmash, calling his army to Gilgal. In doing so Saul leaves the city to be taken back by the Philistine army, cutting him off from the rest of Israel. The Philistines also gained the high ground advantage. Not surprisingly, many of the Israelites flee in fear.

Samuel instructs Saul to wait for 7 days, at which point Samuel was to appear. The passage doesn't tell us if this was something Samuel and Saul had worked out before the first battle, or if Samuel left the scene and was set to return in 7 days. We also aren't told if Samuel was to appear with a larger army, or simply with a message from God. Either way, Samuel does not return in the appointed time. Panicking, the troops begin to scatter and Saul decides to take matters into his own hands. We often run out of patience with God and take matters in our own hands, too. These decisions never turn out well.

Saul decided to take over the role of priest. Thinking it would help their cause, he offers sacrifices to God, which was something only to be done by real priests. When Samuel sees this, he is quick to condemn Saul's actions. Samuel informs Saul that he will not be king forever and that God has already found a replacement (David).

It is interesting that God does not remove Saul from leadership right then. It could have been that Saul had not fully fulfilled his purpose yet, or that David wasn't ready yet. God knows our destinies well before we are equipped to take them on. This is likely one of those examples. Samuel's message to Saul was meant to humble him. He may not have been destined to rule Israel forever, but he still had the option to turn back to the path of God.

Saul's rash action did nothing to help his army. Despite attempting to fix the issue on his own, he was left with only 600 men. Hesitant and fearful, Saul's army was blocked from obtaining weapons by the Philistines. Jonathan and Saul were the only men in the camp equipped to fight a battle.
Top

Jonathan's Plan

More confident and faithful than his father, Jonathan decides to infiltrate the enemy camp. He and the man who bore his armor sneak away and into the Philistine's camp. Jonathan reason that if they are invited in, it will be a sign that God has delivered the Philistines to their hand. When this occurs, the two men begin slaying men.

From afar, Saul and the army notice the commotion. It is only then that they discover Jonathan's absence. Coming to the aid of the two men, Saul's army attacks the Philistines. At the sight of Israel gaining the upper hand, many of the Israelites who had abandoned Saul rejoin the army. This included people who had surrendered to the Philistines. God delivers Israel another victory, thanks to Jonathan's bravery.
Top

Saul's Oath

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Danijel Juricev

Before going into battle, Saul declares an oath that the army will fast. Now, from my point of view, this seems to be a bad idea for going into battle. I'm not an expert in battles or wars, but it seems to me that you would the strength and nourishment of a decent meal going into battle—obviously you wouldn't want overfed soldiers who are sluggish, but a happy medium seems like it would provide both strength and morale. Apparently, Saul thought otherwise.

Jonathan doesn't hear this oath, so when they come across some honey, Jonathan thinks nothing of eating it. The honey gives Jonathan a renewed sense of strength, while the others remain tired. The rest of the army questions Jonathan's actions and only then does Jonathan realize something is wrong. Learning of his father's oath, Jonathan knows that this will not bode well for the army.

It is after the oath is fulfilled that the ramifications of this act come to pass. The Israelites are famished so they begin eating the spoils of war without draining the blood. God commanded us not to eat the blood of the animals from the time Noah stepped off the ark in Genesis 9, so this wasn't just a breach of the Israelite covenant, but a breach all the way back to the first covenant! To remedy the issue, Saul builds an altar to properly sacrifice the animals; though, technically, he wasn't supposed to offer sacrifices away from the tabernacle. More than likely this was considered ok due to circumstance. God allowed the Israelites to kill animals for food within their own towns since it would have been a burden for some of them to get to the tabernacle. However, they still were forbidden from consuming the blood.^[2][3][4][5]
Top

Another Battle

Saul suggests they conquer the remaining Philistines at night. Both Saul and the priests consult God before acting on this decision; this shows a much needed return to godliness in Israel. When Saul cannot hear an answer from God, he is convinced sin is in the camp. As Saul attempts to get rid of the sin within the camp, none of the soldiers rat out Jonathan. This is an interesting show of loyalty. The soldiers knew that Jonathan's sin, though unintentional, was likely the cause of God's silence, but they also knew it was an accident and did not want to see Jonathan harmed.

Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, Saul casts lots. He first separates the army from him and his son to see if it's the army or family. When the lot lands on he and Jonathan, he knows that it is one of them that has sinned. Saul casts lots once again to reveal that it is Jonathan who has sinned. Jonathan does not make up excuses or run from his actions, instead he confesses that he ate the honey. Saul, true to his oath, announces that his son must die. Once again the soldiers come to Jonathan's defense. Because of their protests, Jonathan is spared.

Saul does not fight the Philistines at this moment, likely because God never answered due to Jonathan's sin. Saul does however fight many battles during his reign. Saul defeats the Amalekites. He also wars with Moab, Edom, Ammon, and Zobah. The war between Israel and Philistine continues throughout his reign as well.
Top

Saul's Family

The last few verses of 1 Samuel 14 give us information on Saul's descendants. We learn that he had three sons and two daughters. The sons were Jonathan, Ishui, and Melchishua and the daughters, Merab and Michal. Saul married a woman named Ahinoam. The captain of Saul's army, Abner, was his 1^st cousin. None of these people succeed Saul when he loses the crown.
Top

References

1. "America's Wars: U.S. Casualties and Veterans". Info Please. 2016
2. Leviticus 17:2-4
3. Deuteronomy 12:5-7
4. Deuteronomy 12:15
5. Mike. "Where in the Bible does it say that sacrifice can only be done on the temple?". Christianity Stack Exchange. February 2013

Judges 6-8: Gideon

Gideon is an interesting judge; hesitant and doubtful he carries out God's commands and forced me to re-evaluate any similarities I found in myself with him.

Introduction

The next period of oppression lasts 7 years. This time, the oppressor is Midian. During this time, the Israelites take to living in the caves of the mountains. The Midianites and the Amalekites destroy all of the crops and livestock Israel has cultivated, causing the Israelites to become poor. When this happens, they cry out to God and as promised, He delivers them. However, He does remind them that after all He has done for them, they still refuse to obey His commands.

The judge raised up by God in the next few chapters is much like Barak. He has little faith in God's plan and needs much encouragement to follow through with God's instructions.
Top

An Angel Appears

We are introduced to the next judge, a man named Gideon, when an angel appears to him under an oak tree in Orphah. Gideon is the son of Joash and is from the tribe of Manasseh. Gideon says that he is from a poor family (though later he manages to round up 10 servants to assist him). He also believes that he is unworthy of the task and that the Lord is not with Israel.

Notice the stark contrast between Gideon and previous judge Othniel or Noah. Now take notice of the similarities between Moses and Gideon. The Bible shows us that we are all weak in different areas, but that doesn't mean we can't be called on or used by God. Noah and Othniel were quick to obey God; they knew His voice and they knew if He told them to do something, they could do it. They were men of exceptional faith. Gideon and Moses were doubters. Moses doubted himself, not God (which is an important distinction). Once God was able to get Moses to realize it was God who would do all the heavy lifting, Moses became one of the most faithful men known to us. Gideon's doubt is quite different than Moses' doubt however. These chapters give us reason to reflect on how we respond to God's call. Are we quick like Noah and Othniel? Do we need a minute to remember it isn't us that will make things happen, like Moses? Or do we dally?

¹¹And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. ¹²And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.Mark 8:11-12 KJV

Gideon was a dallier. Most people in the Bible know when they've encountered an angel of God. Any doubt that they express seems to be more about their own worth than the identity of God; of course, in doubting themselves they indirectly doubt God. Gideon asks for multiple signs from God before completing his task. Gideon needed to be absolutely sure he was dealing with God and that he was carrying out God's Will—or he was afraid to carry out the task because he had low faith. Jesus doesn't seem so keen on signs in Mark 8:11-12 (echoed in Luke 11:29 and Matthew 12:38-39).

From a believer's perspective, I get why Gideon would ask the angel for a sign. There have been plenty of times when I wasn't sure what God wanted me to do and I asked for a sign. However, as I read the passage, I felt annoyed with Gideon. Gideon wants proof that the angel is actually a messenger from God, but even after acquiring this proof, He requests two more signs from God.

Luckily for Gideon, God is patient. The angel commands Gideon to bring an offering out. Gideon retrieves the meat of a young goat, broth, and unleavened cakes for the angel. He places the items on a rock before the angel, who reaches out his staff and performs a magnificent sign. After confirming his identity, the angel leaves. In the text this occurs so abruptly that it read like a "drop the mic" moment to me. Of course, I know that the Angel of the Lord would not be so arrogant. After this, Gideon knows that he was dealing with One and Only God of Abraham.

Upon realizing the truth Gideon calls out the Lord in shock. God further reassures that he will not die—another piece in the seeing God face-to-face puzzle. In reverence, Gideon builds an altar to the Lord and names it Jehovahsalom, which means "Jehovah is peace."^[3]

God instructs Gideon to dismantle the altar to Baal and sacrifice a bull on the new altar. Gideon takes 10 of his servants during the night to commit the act. On the one hand, God's instructions to Gideon come at night, so one could argue Gideon was quick to act on God's command. However, we are told that he "could not do it by day" because he was afraid of those in his father's house and the men of the city. In life, it is very possible to do the right thing for the wrong reason. We have to remember that God will always know our reason. We also have to remember that it is better to be outcasted by men to gain God's favor than to be outcasted by God to gain men's favor.
Top

Retribution

Of course, just as Gideon feared, the people were very upset when they found the altar destroyed. Someone—likely one of Gideon's servants—tells that it was Gideon who destroyed the altar. With this knowledge, they converge at Joash's house seeking to kill Gideon. When Joash confronts the men, he stands up for his son, stating that Baal should be able to fight his own battles. When the Israelites defiled God's law, He sent punishment as He saw fit. Remember when Aaron's sons offered "strange fire" to God in the tabernacle? The Israelites found them dead; they didn't have to defend God's altar because He did that on his own! Baal had no power.
Top

Gideon's Army

Not that Israel had tanks back then...
Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Dieter Joel Jagnow

When the Midianite troops begin to gather, the Spirit of God prompts Gideon to form an army for the Israelites. The Spirit of God is likely a reference to the Holy Spirit. Gideon follows God's instruction by sending messengers to the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and Zebulun to build the army.
Top

Signs

Despite taking the first step, Gideon still doubted and asks for a sign (the second sign he's asked for since his first encounter with the angel). This time he is specific about what the sign should be. Gideon places a fleece on the ground and asks God to let dew fall on the fleece but not the ground. As requested, God performs the sign, but Gideon still isn't convinced. Gideon asks for the inverse as a sign. God performs this sign as well.

It was interesting to read this passage because I know I've done this before. When I did this, I knew that if I asked for a specific sign, I wouldn't have to guess about what God was telling me. I can't remember if I ever asked for more that one sign about the same situation, but reading about Gideon's reaction, I felt guilty. Perhaps the first sign was to confirm that he heard God correctly, but the second time he asked for a sign, it was because he didn't like the outcome of the first. Clearly it wasn't coincidence. I know, because I've done that before. When we want to do something (or don't want to do something in this case), we try to bend everything to fit our own goals. We will try to convince ourselves that God approves of our way, even if He is loud and clear about His disapproval. When we feel the need to question what God has spoken, we should reevaluate our own feelings about the situation to ensure they aren't clouding our thoughts about what God has said. Fellowship with other believers may help us to see our own stubbornness as well.
Top

So Many People

God must have been with Gideon, and Gideon must have had quite an influence over the people, because once his army has assembled, God declares it's too large! It seems counterintuitive to decrease the army size, after all the more people you have the more likely you are to win. In World War II, one of the major factors of the Soviet Union's success was that they had so many soldiers; they suffered more casualties than any other army, but still won.

In Gideon's case, however, the aim wasn't particularly about the victory (which was guaranteed by God); it was about proclaiming God as the sovereign ruler of Israel (and the world). If they won with such a large army, the credit would go to the men of the army and their leader. With a small army, however, people would have to recognize God's hand in the matter. In situations like these, God's presence is only visible to us when the underdog wins.

God instructs Gideon to release those who are fearful and afraid. After Gideon's announcement that they may leave, 22,000 men leave! With 10,000 men staying, that's a little over half that were afraid God wouldn't deliver on His promises. Even so, the 10,000 that remained were still too many for God's plan. To dwindle the army further, God instructs Gideon to take the men to the water and divide them by how they drink. Some bowed to drink, while others lapped the water like dogs. The men who lapped by placing their hand to their mouth were the only people kept for the army. This left Gideon with 300 men. This a much smaller number that would afford God the glory.

This is an interesting passage for two reasons. First, can you imagine the reaction of the 10,000 men when they say that they were being separated by drinking habits (if they caught on), or when they learned that Gideon only needed 300 in battle? People probably thought he had lost his mind. The second interesting element is the number 300. Centuries later, Leonidas would keep only 300 men into the battle of Thermopylae. Why do I find that interesting? The tale of Leonidas and the 300 Spartans is far more popular than that of Gideon. On top of that, despite Leonidas' life and victory only being recorded by one person (like Gideon), many of those who believe Leonidas accomplished this do not believe the Bible.^[1] What makes Herodotus, who wasn't even born when Leonidas was king, a more reliable source in people's minds? Relatedly, Hollywood has convinced us that Leonidas only took 300 men to battle, when in reality about 7,000 men went into battle. When they were betrayed, the army was dismissed and 300 spartans stayed to defend the retreat. Along with those 300 Spartans were men from other Greek city-states. Most of the men, including Leonidas, died.^[2] This makes Gideon's victory all the more impressive! We are told of no casualties, but even if a few men did die, Gideon marched in to battle outnumbered with only 300 men and walked out with a victory.
Top

Time for the Battle

Gideon gets cold feet before the battle (even after his 3 signs...), so God tells him to sneak in to the enemy camp to listen to their thoughts. Gideon takes a servant with him and discovers that the soldiers of the Midianite army have been having dreams about Gideon's victory. God was doing everything in his power to give Gideon courage despite Gideon's doubt. This is one way we know that God will make sure His Will is carried out. We may try to resist His plan, but He's going to steer us to carry out the action He wants. Our freewill gives us the option of whether we willingly go or if he has to force our hand. That's not to say we are doomed if we have to be forced into making a move. Only God knows a person's heart to determine that outcome. Perhaps it takes that long for the person to find God and when they do, they truly believe. Perhaps, since hindsight is 20/20, the person repents after realizing how stubborn they had been. We do not know, so we cannot say for certain how God views each person's delayed reaction.

What we do know is that God knows exactly what we need to hear and the knowledge that the enemy thought Gideon would win gave Gideon the courage to lead his troops to battle. So much so, that he lead them to battle weaponless! They marched in equipped with only a horn, an empty pitcher, and a lamp. Again, can you imagine the soldiers' reaction when Gideon commanded this? They had to have faith in God to follow this plan. Outnumbered and unarmed?

Gideon divides the men into 3 companies and instructs them to surround the greater army in the night. Seeming to surround the army, Gideon's men make noise and blow their horns on his command. This strategy, along with God's divine help, causes fear and confusion to erupt in the enemy's army. They turn on each other, completing the Israelites' mission for them, and then flee toward the Jordan River. As expected, God's plan didn't require the Israelites to have weapons.

Strangely, Gideon reacts to his victory by calling upon more men. Responding to Gideon's call, the men of Ephraim join them and they pursue the fleeing army. In this continuation of the battle the Ephraimites kill 2 princes of Midian.
Top

Internal Disputes

After his victory, Gideon has a series of disputes with his own people.

The Ephramites

Despite coming to aid Gideon, the Ephraimites were offended that they had not originally been called upon to help. I'm not sure if they knew the original size of the army and dismal of most of the soldiers, or if they thought only the 300 men with Gideon had been called. Whatever the reasoning behind their offense, Gideon smooths over the hard feelings by reminding them that it is the Ephramites who were given a great victory in killing the 2 princes. This reduces their anger.
Top

The Men of Succoth and Penuel

Without instruction from God, Gideon announces that he is going after 2 kings of Midian. Since Midian was a confederation, the kings were likely kings of their individual tribes. Gideon travels to Succoth and Penuel in pursuit, but is denied aid by his fellow Israelites. They are doubtful that he can defeat the Midianites. People, especially non-believers will always doubt us when we follow God, even our fellow believers will often cast doubt. However, we are not to let them shake our faith and continue to be an example for those viewing our situation. Instead, Gideon let's his anger overcome him and threatens to destroy their cities.

Gideon moves on with his plan and captures the two kings by defeating their army of 15,000. Judges 8:10 tells us that 120,000 men fell during the weaponless battle. That's right, God led 300 men to defeat 120,000 without weapons. According to Judges 8:4 these same 300 men were the only ones to join Gideon in the second battle agains the 15,000 man army. Thats 5,000 men per soldier! Despite God not being mentioned anywhere in the decision to pursue the army, he had to have a hand in this victory. Likely, God was pleased that Gideon had finally grown a spine and some faith to take the lead in flushing out the Midianites.

Upon his victory, Gideon returns to Succoth and Penuel to make good on his threats. He learns the names of the leaders then kills them. He also destroys their tower as he had threatened. Basically, Gideon attacks his own people. The action is not specifically condemned with in Judges 8, but we see throughout he Bible where God commands us not to be so easily offended or angered. I'm quite convinced that God was not pleased with this action. Earlier in Judges 6, when Gideon destroys the altar, Baal's weakness is highlighted in his inability to defend himself. Even earlier in Judges, we see God curse a city of men for not joining Deborah and Barak in battle. Thus, if God's anger had been kindled against the men of Succoth and Penuel for their unwillingness to help Gideon, he would have handled the situation.
Top

On a Personal Note

²¹Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.Matthew 5:21-22 KJV

As someone who is prone to outbursts of anger, this passage meant a lot to me. In many ways I could see my similarities to Gideon, which made me want to fix them sooner rather than later. While I can't imagine that I would be so angry I came back to kill someone, I can see me having a lot to say about the situation. Jesus tells us not to be angry without a cause in Matthew 5, but as a person with a short temper, I can say that not everything we feel is a cause is actually a cause. When I was younger and had less control over my temper, I would often look back and think "Why was I even mad about that?"; this is what Jesus means when He says angry without cause. Similarly, people hold grudges even after someone has apologized; since we are commanded to forgive as Jesus forgives us, this too is anger without cause. Whether or not Gideon had cause to be angry is between him and God; I would wager that it rests on whether his anger stemmed from the men doubting him (vanity and arrogance) or the men doubting God's ability to lead him to victory. Nonetheless, I never want to be that angry.
Top

Ruling

After all if this, the people of Israel ask Gideon and his line to rule over them, but in a surprising display of humility, Gideon refuses. Gideon announces that God should (and will) rule over them. However, Gideon does ask for riches from the people. These riches cause his own house to fall into idolatry. Gideon has 71 sons. Obviously these sons are by many different women, something that was forbidden of a ruler (Deuteronomy 17:17). Perhaps Gideon's reason for refusing the offer to rule was his love for women and treasure. One of his sons, Abimelech, is featured in the next chapters. While we are told that Israel experiences 40 years of peace after Gideon's victory, it seems that they never turn away from sin during this period.
Top

References

1. History.com Staff. "Leonidas". History.com, A+E Networks. 2009
2. "Battle of Thermopylae". Wikipedia. 2016
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 423. 2014

Judges 3: Othniel & Ehud

Judges 3 covers the victories of Othniel and Ehud, two of the first judges of Israel

Introduction

God expects the Israelites to prove themselves by defeating the Canaanites. Only when they believed in God and followed His ways would they be able to rise up against the more powerful armies. Throughout judges, the question is always "Will the people follow God or will they chase idols?".

Judges 3 follows two cycles of unrest in Israel. The first period of unrest is ended by Othniel, the nephew of Caleb whom we met in Joshua. The second judge to lead Israel is Ehud, from the tribe of Benjamin.
Top

Decisions and Consequences

Growing up, my dad's mantra was that in life we have choices, and we always have to live with the consequences of those choices. When it was time to make a decision about something, he would remind me of this and expect me to make the choice that had the best consequences. This is crucial when we make decisions concerning our walk with God. Each act should be proceeded with the question "how will this effect my relationship with God?" and the answer to that question should determine your actions.

The Israelites decided to live amongst the people of the land, despite God telling them to do the opposite. As a consequence, they began to intermarry with the Canaanites, which led to idol worship of Baal and Asherah. Note, that in the King James Version of the Bible, the word "groves" refers to a pole for worshiping Asherah. Naturally, this disobendience infuriates God. As retribution, God turns them over to Chushanrishathaim, a king from Mesopotamia. Under his rule they are forced into servitude for 8 years.
Top

Implications of Marriages

I've probably discussed this elsewhere on the blog, but just in case, I want to make a point about God's stance on marriage between the Israelites and the Canaanites. For a long time, people used verses like those condemning the intermarrying of the Israelites and Canaanites to justify anti-miscegenation laws. From these verses, people decided interracial dating was forbidden, but that isn't what God was stating here.

While there are several instances of people marrying within their own people (i.e. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.), there are also examples of people marrying from other tribes/nations (i.e. Moses and Joseph). There was no such thing as "race" during the time period we're reading about. God did not consider color of skin or texture of hair to be a sign of someone's worth. This is confirmed in both the New and Old Testament with statements confirming that we were all created in God's image, that we all descend from Adam and Eve, and that we all have a chance to live in the Kingdom of God.

God's concern was with the heart of the people. We see this when Rahab is given sanctuary and the ability to live amongst the people of Israel. She isn't an Israelite, but she marries an Israelite and becomes an ancestor to Jesus! The reason God didn't want the Israelites to marry the Canaanites was not because they were descended from Ham and thus a "different race" or because the were "inferior." It all boiled down to idolatry and paganism. The Canaanites were deeply pagan and God didn't want that rubbing off on the Israelites. It's much easier to participate in drunken pagan rituals than to follow the more straight-laced commandments of God. Which is exactly what we see when these marriages take place.
Top

Othniel

Eventually, the Israelites plead to God for deliverance, just as they had in Egypt. God shows that He is merciful and loving when He calls upon an the first judge to deliver them: Othniel. This is the same Othniel that won the hand of Caleb's daughter. We are told that the Spirit of God—I assume this is the Holy Spirit—empowers Othniel to rise up and overthrow Chushanrishathaim. During Othniel's leadership, the Israelites experience 40 years of peace. Once Othniel dies, however, the Israelites fall back into idolatry.
Top

Ehud

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Brian Lary

When the Israelites fall back into idolatry, the king of Moab, Elgon, partners with the Amorites and Amalekites to capture Jericho (known as the city of palm trees). Elgon keeps Israel in submission for 18 years; it is in this 18^th year that Ehud is raised up. Ehud was a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin. The Bible notes his left-handedness because during that time period left-handedness was seen as a handicap or disfigurement. Today, this seems like unnecessary detail, but the Israelites who witnessed Ehud's victories (and up until quite recently, anyone who read this passage), would have understood this as a show of God's ability to raise up someone no one expected to be victorious and make them victorious.

Ehud uses his atypical handedness to his advantage. When searching for a weapon, guards would check the left thigh, where a right handed person would find it more natural to retrieve a weapon. However, Ehud hid his weapon on his right thigh, allowing him access to the king while in possession of a weapon.

Using trickery to gain alone time with the king, Ehud claims to have a special gift or secret for the king. In the king's greed for the gift, he dismisses everyone else and brings about his own death. In possibly the most abrupt and modern-action-movie-esque moments of the Bible, Ehud rams the knife into the king's gut. Ehud stabs the king in such a manner that the dagger remains in the fat of the king and the "dirt" of his intestines spill out. "Dirt" most likely refers to whatever was in his intestines.^[1]

When Ehud escapes, he locks the door behind him. The king's servants return but assume the king has locked the door for privacy and do not enter or bother him. By the time the servants decide to open the door, the king is dead and Ehud has safely escaped to Seirath.
Top

Defeating Moab with Ephraim

Ehud blows a trumpet upon enter the tribe of Ephraim's territory. He calls them all to war and they are successful at killing about 10,000 men, subsequently defeating the reign of Moab. 80 years of peace follow Ehud's victory.
Top

An Observation

Othniel responds immediately to God's call and carries out his task diligently. Ehud, while dabbling in trickery, also carries out God's plan without any protestations. Most of the other judges are just like the Israelites and do not leap at the chance to serve God.
Top

Minor Judges

The closing verses of Judges 3 tell us about a minor judge who might have been acting during the same time as Othniel and Ehud or directly after: Shamgar. It is thought that perhaps Shamgar was actually a pagan. He is described as son of Anath, which suggests he worshipped the Canaanite goddess of war who was named Anath. The structure of his name is also not Hebrew, further implying he was a foreigner.^[1] Continuing the gory tone of the book, we are told that with God's help, Shamgar is able to defeat 600 Philistines with an ox goad. This is just another example of God raising up unexpected people to deliver Israel.
Top

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg 417-420. 2014