Observing the ways of the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 16:1b-3,

"'I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.' But Samuel said, 'How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.' The Lord said, 'Take a heifer with you and say, "I have come to sacrifice to the Lord." Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.'"

Here is a look at how the Lord handled a difficult situation he gave Samuel. We often talk about the ways of the Lord and it is always fascinating to me to see how he accomplishes what he does. Those who love the Lord, love to understand his ways.

In this account, the Lord tells Samuel that he has rejected Saul as king over Israel and that he wants him to anoint David as Israel's new king. Samuel raises the concern that King Saul would kill him if he found out about it.

How did the Lord handle the issue? He could have just "smitten" Saul to remove him altogether to make way for David, but he didn't. He could have arranged for Samuel or David himself to simply kill Saul, but he didn't. He could have waited for Saul to die of "natural causes" and then had him replaced by David, but he didn't. He could have had the nation rebel against Saul, but he didn't.

There are many things the Lord could have done, but what he did do was to have Samuel anoint David as Israel's new king by having Samuel, God's king-maker, approach it through a subterfuge. The Lord had Samuel approach Bethlehem and invite, together with David's father and family, the elders "to sacrifice to the Lord" as a smoke screen. It was during this occasion Samuel was presented David and anointed him.

The Lord has done countless things over the millenia and many have been documented in the Scriptures. As we read of them we find the Lord will do things in different kinds of ways. For instance, when the Lord decided to remove King Azariah, the king of Judah, because he did not eradicate the places of idol worship, he simply afflicted him with leprosy till he died.

A part of loving the Lord is growing in our understanding and knowledge of him, and certainly a part of that is to observe how he works, the way he accomplishes things.

Possibly he may do something in your life in a fascinating way...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com