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July
14
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Reading
1 - 1Samuel 28
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here to Listen
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However
we choose to explain what happened in this chapter, there is a clear message.
It is obviously possible to remove ourselves so far from God that he no
longer has any desire to help us. Saul's position was quite extreme here
in God's eyes, and yet it seems to us that all he did was to disobey one
small command. It all goes to impress upon us that it is our state of heart
that matters. Saul's was wrong, and he was therefore condemned for just
one sin, where David's was right, which caused him to be forgiven of many
sins, including murder. It is our state of heart that matters, not our track
record of obedience, though, of course, one will tend to influence the other!
Peter Cresswell |
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v.3
- We need to realise that these folk were in this position by choice. They
have chosen to become involved with the power of darkness - things about
which we are encouraged not even to speak. Banishing them was one of the
few righteous acts of Saul recorded towards this end of his life, which
of course he then spoils by approaching one such person himself!
Peter Cresswell |
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v.1-3
- That Achish trusted David demonstrates that on the earlier occasion [1
Samuel 20:10]
he would have been happy for David to stay. We see this Philistine, against
the background of David slaying Goliath, wishing to befriend him. Rather
a strange situation.
Peter Forbes |
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Saul,
in going to Endor, crossed into land controlled by the Philistines, to see
the woman with the familiar spirit. That Saul had cut off those with familiar
spirits (1
Samuel 28:9) shows at one point in time that Saul had done God's will.
How often do we deal with an issue only to return to it again later and
have to deal with the matter again? Saul's double mindedness should stand
as a warning to us.
Peter Forbes |
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In
the incident of the witch of Endor both the witch and Saul got far more
than they bargained for. She was afraid and Saul was 'sore afraid' (:20)
One wonders what Saul thought he would achieve by going to a witch in the
first place. Did he think that she had special powers? The inference is
'yes'. Saul really did not appreciate what God had told Israel about death
or His supremacy.
Peter Forbes |
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DISGUISES
The LORD wouldn't answer Saul, no matter what way he enquired of him. The
LORD had departed from him. With the Philistines about to attack at any
moment, Saul was a desperate man. Now he went completely against what he
had once stood for and sought out a medium. Before he went to see her, "Saul
disguised himself putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men
went to the woman." (verse
8).
Who was he trying to deceive with his disguise? Maybe it was his own men
who looked to him as an example - but word soon gets around, and most had
lost faith in him anyway. Maybe he was trying to deceive the medium, so
that she wouldn't know that he was the King of Israel, but if she was a
true medium she would have known who he was - disguise or not. Or maybe
it was to deceive the LORD so that God wouldn't see Saul consulting with
a medium. If that was the case then Saul had forgotten that God can see
through disguises.
Whatever the motive, Saul's disguise was useless. God knew, the medium knew,
his men found out and now we know.
It can be tempting to go in disguise when we are led into sin - maybe no-one
will notice us. But we can be sure that, like Saul, disguise or no disguise,
we will be seen, recognized and recorded. So instead of trying to deceive
others and conceal sin, lets do the right thing and live truthfully and
faithfully before the LORD. Doing that, we will have no need of disguises
or falsehood.
Robert
Prins |
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ANSWERS
FROM GOD
Saul wanted an answer from God. He had seen the Philistines assembled for
war and didn't know what to do. But when he enquired of the LORD, the LORD
did not answer him. Quite possibly Saul had asked in more than one way,
because we read of the variety of answers he didn't receive. "But the
LORD did not answer him by dreams or urim or prophets." (Verse
6).
Why wouldn't God answer Saul? The simple answer is that Saul did not obey
the LORD. Saul rebelled against God and so God left him to his own devices
and to his own downfall. Saul had left God and so God had left him. In desperation
Saul enquired of a witch instead of seeking the LORD, and in doing so, his
fate was sealed.
There may be times in our own lives when the answers we want from God are
delayed in coming because God wants us to wait. But may it never be said
of us that there will be no answer because we have rejected the LORD. If
we stay at one with God, love and obey him, there will always be an answer
when we need it.
May the LORD give you an answer of peace.
Robert
Prins |
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Reading
2 - Jeremiah 4
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here to Listen
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v.
4
- This idea of circumcision of the heart began back in Deut.10:16
and goes right through into the New Testament. It is, effectively, the link
between the Old Covenant and the New. Under the old, circumcision of the
flesh made you a 'slave' to the law, which couldn't save you, but circumcision
of the heart was a demonstration of faith in God, which, in line with the
new, could. Heb.11 talks of men of faith who lived under the old, but would
be saved with us who are under the new. Eze.18:31,
Rom.2:28,29, Col.2:11
Peter Cresswell |
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v.3,
which leads into verse 4 as discussed above, gives them (and us) practical
encouragement - or at least encouragement which is presented in a practical
idiom. The idiom is used in Hosea
10:12. In preparation of the heart, the fallow ground as it is here
referred to, for the sowing of the seed of righteousness, it must first
be broken up and prepared. This is the preparation necessary for circumcision
of the heart to be effective.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.8
- The phrase 'fierce
anger of the LORD' is seen in the following places. [Numbers
25:4 32:14 Jeremiah 4:8 12:13 25:37 30:24 51:45 Zephaniah 2:2]
Of the 8 occasions 5 are found in Jeremiah and Zephaniah, the time of Josiah
and the Babylonian overthrow.
Peter Forbes |
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4:4
Israel repeatedly were heard hearted. In calling them to 'circumcise
your hearts' quoting Deuteronomy
10:16 Jeremiah is calling for repentance.
Peter Forbes |
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:23-27
The land of Israel is presented as desolate like the earth was before creation
(Genesis
1:2 is quoted :23). However Israel are given hope :27
'yet will I not make a full end ' - a phrase which recurs later in Jeremiah
- keep your eyes open for it.
Peter Forbes |
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Jeremiah
4 BLESSING THE NATIONS There are a few things God says must be
done by Israel, and (if we make the lesson personal to ourselves) by us,
before he can pour out his blessings in full.
1. "If you will return, O Israel, return to me". This is based on the first
commandment, "You shall have no other God's before me." Put God in first
place in your own personal life. Make him your center and focus in everything
you do.
2. "Put your detestable idols out of my sight." This is the second commandment.
"You shall not worship idols." To put an idol out of God's sight means it
must be out of our sight too. Get rid of anything that takes first place
away from God. Put it out of your sight.
3. "In a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the LORD
lives.'" We must believe that God exists and that he will hold us accountable
for our actions. Therefore we must live in a way that shows by our truthful,
just and righteous actions that our belief is more than knowledge, but is
a matter of the heart and a way of life.
When these things are achieved God will be able to pour out his blessings
fully.
Robert
Prins |
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Reading
3 - Matthew 15
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here to Listen
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v.
8
- The concept of the heart is common to all three of our readings today.
Let us take heed of the warning given about those people that say the right
words, but do not think the right thoughts. Jesus is quoting here from Isa.29:13.
Let us be sure that we do not fall into the category of creating our own
doctrines and teaching them instead of the revealed truth, as so many people
do in our present generation. Acts
8:21, Heb.3:12, 1Pet.3:10
Peter Cresswell |
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v.7
- Jesus starts to call the religious leader of his days 'hypocrites'
towards the end of his ministry, getting more direct as time goes on. [Matthew
15:7 16:3 22:18 23:13 14 15 23 25 27 29 Mark 7:6 Luke 11:44 12:56 13:15]
His desire was to cause them to repent.
Peter Forbes |
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15:23
Rather like the feeding of the 4,000 (14:15)
the disciples wish to remove the problem of the woman by sending her away.
So this is twice that they have done this. This explains why Jesus took
the initiative (15:32)
telling the disciples 'I will not send
'
Peter Forbes |
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:14
We might think that we should continue to try to convince those who are
opposed to the gospel of it's truth. Jesus gives us an example 'let them
alone ...'. We should think about the way we might apply this in our lives.
Peter Forbes |
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question of the disciples in v33
is very similar to the question of Moses in Num
11v13. Moses felt the burden of the people's grumblings, and felt he
had to feed them himself! Likewise with the disciples. Both Moses and the
Disciples should have known that God / Jesus had both the power and the
inclination to feed the people. God had fed them with mana day in day out,
and Jesus had just fed five thousand with just a few loaves. It's easy to
say this though, with hindsight. How often do we forget to pray to God for
help when we need it, and start being anxious, trusting in our own strength
to help ourselves, or even grumbling to God?
A further point to ponder:
The effect
of the woman on Jesus in v22-28
must have been very great. The "crumbs which fall from the master's
table" ended up feeding four thousand people who were probably also
gentiles!
Robin
de Jongh
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