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 31:7,
"When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them."
Saul became king over Israel when the elders approached Samuel, Israel's last judge, and demanded a human king be placed over them. The demand "displeased" Samuel, and the Lord explained to him that the nation was not rejecting him (Samuel) but the Lord himself, "it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king." 8:7. The Lord gave the nation over to what they demanded.
Samuel warned the elders of the disaster that would take place, but they "refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.'"
"When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them."
Saul became king over Israel when the elders approached Samuel, Israel's last judge, and demanded a human king be placed over them. The demand "displeased" Samuel, and the Lord explained to him that the nation was not rejecting him (Samuel) but the Lord himself, "it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king." 8:7. The Lord gave the nation over to what they demanded.
Samuel warned the elders of the disaster that would take place, but they "refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.'"
1 Samuel 31:7 tells how it turns out with this first king Israel demanded. He died in battle with his sons (he fell on his sword after being wounded.) Following Saul's death and the scattering of Israel's army, the Israelites had to abandon their towns as the Philistines took them from the Israelites and occupied them.
No glory for Israel here. No example of what a nation who submits herself to God can become. Defeat, destruction, despair... here is the outcome for any nation that rejects the Lord.
How about us? Will we hit a tipping point where God is rejected by so many that his blessings are removed from our nation? Can we expect to see our nation turn out like so many losers on the international stage throughout recorded history?
The next time anyone tells you "your religion" has no legitimate presence in the public square, recall Israel here. Learn and remember what happens to a nation that rejects the Lord. If we have any care for our nation, believers need to be the loudest voice being heard; believers need to be pushing back against the darkness of what the spiritually dead are pushing into the national conversation, in the political arena, in social media, everywhere.
It was Christians who founded this country. It was believers who built it and it will require the same to keep it afloat. Never buy into the lie that believers need to keep their faith hidden behind church walls. As children are given an "F" for refusing to deny God's existence, as coaches are terminated for praying with their teams, as vestiges of what founded our nation and the cause of its blessings are challenged and rejected, what do you expect will keep it afloat?
Be strong, be courageous, be heard! Share the gospel and proclaim our nation's need of God.
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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