Day 102- The Bible Recap

Today's reading is 1 Samuel 15-17. Here's what stood out to me:

Samuel told Saul that the LORD commanded him to destroy all the Amalekites because they opposed the Israelites when they were coming out of Egypt. Saul defeated the Amalekites but didn't kill their king, and he also kept some of their livestock to give as a sacrifice to the LORD.

The LORD regretted making Saul king. When Saul tried to make excuses, Samuel wasn't hearing it and yelled, "Stop!" He told Saul that obeying the LORD came first over sacrifices. And presumption is a form of idolatry because you are doing what is right in your own eyes. Samuel told Saul that the LORD rejected him as king.

Saul admitted his sin but again blamed others. Verse 35 again reiterated that the LORD regretted He made Saul king. Samuel finished what Saul should have done and executed Agag, king of the Amalekites.

The LORD told Samuel to go to Jesse because among his sons would be the new king. But the LORD told Samuel, "The LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 16:7 David was the smallest of his brothers and a shepherd...the least likely to be chosen but the LORD chose him to be the next king. As the LORD's spirit entered David, it left Saul.

Saul's servants observed a significant change in him when the Spirit of the LORD left him. So much so that they had David come play his lyre to calm him. Saul eventually made David his armor-bearer.

David was not fearful of Goliath because he recognized Goliath was defying the LORD, and because of that, the LORD would fight with him against Goliath.

I had never noticed before just how much David's brother tried to belittle him in 17:28, saying, "With whom have you left those few sheep?" As if to say your job is meaningless, and you're barely even doing it because you don't have many sheep to care for.

Saul tried to talk David out of going up against Goliath, but David was determined with the confidence of the LORD.

I think it's interesting that this behemoth of a man needed a shield bearer out in front of him. Goliath called out David's staff but didn't recognize he had a sling, which ended up causing his demise.

David recognized the battle was the LORD's, not his own strength, and certainly not the strength of a giant man who cursed the LORD.

David ran quickly to the battle line, and with the strength of His LORD he defeated Goliath, the one who was feared by all.