Day 100- The Bible Recap

Today's reading is I Samuel 9-12. Here's what stood out to me:

Kish sent his son Saul to go look for stray donkeys, not knowing he was going to come back anointed as king!

When Saul finally reached Samuel, he didn't even have to ask his question concerning the missing donkeys. Samuel already knew and said there were more important things to be concerned about. All of Samuel's prophecies came true concerning Saul, and eventually he anointed him king. Several times, my version (ESV) used the term prince rather than king. It made me think there's only One who deserves that title...King Jesus!

Tara Leigh mentioned this as well, but the fact that Saul was a Benjamite spoke volumes in itself since they were almost completely destroyed earlier. Saul also wasn't known for his leadership, strength, or bravery but merely for his looks. 10:22 even hinted that Saul may have been hiding so he wouldn't have to accept his duties as king. Yet again, the LORD used the least likely to rule over His people.

10:9 said God gave Saul another heart. The Spirit of God was with him now, allowing him to prophesy.

In 10:17–19, Samuel didn't let the people forget that even though the LORD granted their request, He was always meant to be their only King. Instead, they rejected Him.

Not all the people were happy that Saul was anointed king. But his victory over the Ammonites, which required all the Israelites to come together as one to defeat them, changed the majority of the people's minds.

Samuel warned the people once more to turn away from their sin and follow the LORD. In 12:19, they recognized that asking for a king to rule over them was a sin. Samuel reminded them that even in their sin, if they turn away and follow the LORD, He will not forsake them. "Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart."

I thought it was interesting that in 12:23, Samuel felt he would be sinning if he ceased praying for the Israelites. That is a perspective on prayer that I had never thought of.

In reading about Jesus being the one and only true King, it reminded me of a passage from a book the staff is reading called The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer. "Sin has many manifestations, but its essence is one. A moral being, created to worship before the throne of God, sits on the throne of his own selfhood and, from that elevated position, declares, 'I AM." "For to set our will against the will of God is to dethrone God and make ourselves supreme in the little kingdom of Mansoul." Wow! That hits hard!