Reading Ahead

I Samule 12:25 ...if you do wickedly both you and your king will be swept away.

I Samuel 18 Sure reminds me of someone else...jealous, rageful, angry, tormented by demons...

18:30 Even with all the plots, attempts on his life, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. Saul even told his own son, Jonathan, David's good friend, to put David to death.

All these times Saul tries to pin David to the wall with a spear, David slips away from Saul's presence---a picture of Jesus, a foreshadowing of when Jesus would slip away out of the crowds until His perfect time to go to the cross.

And what was Saul's daughter doing with a huge household idol? That was a Ten Commandment biggie no-no.

And the irrationality and insanity of Saul---not willing to obey orders and kill the enemy when Samuel told him to, but when chasing David, he is told about a town that helped David, so Saul slaughters 85 men plus the whole city of Nob, women, children, infants, oxen, donkeys, sheep when Doeg the Edomite betrays David. Saul had his own people murdered. And they were priests, too.

When David hears the sad news, he says: I have brought about the death of every person in your fathers household. David takes responsibility.

I Samuel 25 The Abigail Story. What a discerning woman. Not afraid to tell the truth, and right a wrong. A woman of wealth, resources. Bold. Humble.

I Samuel 26 Look at Saul--even when Saul "repents" and admits the "I have sinned" (see verse 21 and 22) and promises PROMISES not to harm David again and Saul says, "I have played the fool..and have committed a serious error..." David does NOT obey Saul. He loves and respects Saul from AFAR! David says: "let one of the young men come over and take it. (Saul's spear and jug)

verse 25 So David went on his way and Saul returned to his place.

I need to leave life and death in God's hands, even when loved ones are the poorest testamony ever.

The whole story, the big picture foreshadows Jesus' first coming where He comes to do the job of removing the sins of the world. Jesus will come back to rule. There is a gap. But, I see so many pointers on our daily life when someone fails to do the right thing. And I wonder why God does not take them out.

The Old Testament stories not only point to Christ, but tell us how to live, and what pleases God, and what does not.

Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes God allows a whole town to be wiped out because one priest does the right thing, and helps a fugitive. Sometimes men die simply for being curious and peeking into the ark when they shouldn't. Sometimes battles are lost when God's objects (the ark of the covenant) are used as good luck charms. And sometimes God performs miracles to make a fancy teaching tool so repugnant to the enemy that they load it back on a cart, and sent it home pulled by oxen.

If you were a kid living in Nob---things would not look fair. Only in heaven someday will it all make sense. Sometimes God intervenes, sometimes He choses to let things play out. Who are we to judge.

We must do what is right because each of us answer to the Lord. Daily, and in the future at the Judgement Seat of Jesus Christ. Everything will make sense. Then.