1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,480 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,480 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,080 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,160 Now, come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has 8 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,440 for us here today. 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,536 So if you have your Bibles, turn with me to 1st Samuel 13. 10 00:00:27,664 --> 00:00:29,800 1St Samuel 13. 11 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:35,880 We have been studying the life of Saul and watching how God's power 12 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:40,320 that rests upon Saul has certainly impacted the way that he's 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:41,000 made decisions. 14 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,520 We saw just a couple chapters ago, Saul being led by the Spirit, 15 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,320 the Spirit of God comes upon Saul, and Saul makes the decisions 16 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,240 that honor and glorify God in obedience. 17 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,360 But we're also going to see instances in the life of Saul that 18 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:56,960 indicate that he does not follow God. 19 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,300 And that's all about what First Samuel chapter 13 is about. 20 00:01:00,620 --> 00:01:04,300 And in First Samuel chapter 13, Saul has a problem with waiting 21 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:05,580 on the Lord. 22 00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:10,780 And we would talk about a situation here where he is told something 23 00:01:10,940 --> 00:01:14,780 through Samuel, through the prophet, and he's told to wait to 24 00:01:15,020 --> 00:01:16,260 give a sacrifice. 25 00:01:16,260 --> 00:01:21,100 But yet, because of his anxiety, because of his lack of patience, 26 00:01:21,100 --> 00:01:25,060 he moves forward and he moves ahead of God and he thinks that he's 27 00:01:25,060 --> 00:01:27,660 doing the right thing in his own strength and his own wisdom. 28 00:01:27,820 --> 00:01:31,500 But yet we see that there's a great problem with what he does. 29 00:01:31,500 --> 00:01:35,860 And ultimately God definitely gives him a place of discipline here 30 00:01:35,860 --> 00:01:36,780 in this chapter. 31 00:01:36,860 --> 00:01:40,300 So with that being said, we're in 1st Samuel chapter 13, and I want 32 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:42,060 you to keep your finger there. 33 00:01:42,060 --> 00:01:45,180 And we're going to cross reference this passage with a passage 34 00:01:45,180 --> 00:01:47,620 that you're probably very familiar with, and That's Galatians 35 00:01:47,620 --> 00:01:48,460 chapter 5. 36 00:01:48,940 --> 00:01:53,960 Galatians chapter 5 in the New Testament tells us a list of the 37 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,480 things that we call the fruit of the Spirit. 38 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,000 The fruit of the Spirit. 39 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,840 Fruit of the Spirit are essentially the manifestations of 40 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,880 the Holy Spirit leading and guiding our life and our decisions. 41 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,680 And as a Christian, we have a decision on whether or not we want 42 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:13,320 to yield to the Spirit and follow the Spirit in obedience, essentially 43 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,080 following God, obeying God, or to follow something else the Bible 44 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:18,560 calls the flesh or the Old Man. 45 00:02:18,940 --> 00:02:22,060 And if we decide to work out the works of the flesh, the Bible 46 00:02:22,060 --> 00:02:24,220 talks all about that in Galatians chapter 5. 47 00:02:24,220 --> 00:02:26,820 If you're interested in knowing more about that, you certainly 48 00:02:26,820 --> 00:02:28,300 can look at Galatians chapter 5. 49 00:02:28,300 --> 00:02:31,500 And starting in verse 17, it talks about the flesh and how the 50 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:33,380 flesh lusts after Certain things. 51 00:02:33,380 --> 00:02:36,860 And verse 16 tells us that we can make a decision in Galatians 52 00:02:36,860 --> 00:02:37,180 5. 53 00:02:37,340 --> 00:02:40,580 This I say, then walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill 54 00:02:40,580 --> 00:02:41,500 the lust of the flesh. 55 00:02:42,140 --> 00:02:44,900 So really what we see that even as a believer, we have to make 56 00:02:44,900 --> 00:02:48,300 a decision on whether or not we're going to yield to the Spirit 57 00:02:48,380 --> 00:02:52,420 and essentially obey God, or are we going to give in to the flesh? 58 00:02:52,420 --> 00:02:56,860 And so we go down to the famous passage in verse 22, where 59 00:02:57,020 --> 00:03:01,500 Galatians 5 says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, 60 00:03:01,900 --> 00:03:02,380 peace. 61 00:03:02,780 --> 00:03:06,140 And then we see a word here in the King James, long suffering. 62 00:03:06,140 --> 00:03:07,860 We use the word patience. 63 00:03:07,860 --> 00:03:11,020 But essentially it's a picturesque way to describe someone 64 00:03:11,340 --> 00:03:16,340 waiting, having that type of patience in the midst of a life of 65 00:03:16,340 --> 00:03:19,360 faith, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 66 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:20,720 Against such there is no law. 67 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,160 The one I want us to focus on here this evening is that word long 68 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:25,360 suffering or patience. 69 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,400 And really what we see within our lives is that when we're walking 70 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,840 in the Spirit, God gives us patience. 71 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:33,920 And the root of patience is faith. 72 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,120 It's believing that God's going to do what he says he's going 73 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:37,400 to do. 74 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,920 And I can be patient and wait in that. 75 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,800 Now, there's another side of the coin that a lot of people fall 76 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,970 into, and we often call that patience. 77 00:03:44,970 --> 00:03:47,690 And it's something called passivity or passiveness. 78 00:03:48,170 --> 00:03:50,170 Oftentimes there's the sin of passiveness. 79 00:03:50,170 --> 00:03:52,250 We should be doing something, but we don't do it. 80 00:03:52,490 --> 00:03:55,090 And then there's times in our life where we shouldn't be doing 81 00:03:55,090 --> 00:03:56,330 something, and we do it. 82 00:03:56,570 --> 00:03:59,970 And so really what patience is, is patience is waiting in faith, 83 00:03:59,970 --> 00:04:01,690 believing that God is working. 84 00:04:02,170 --> 00:04:06,770 And passivity is basically this, I need to do this, but I'm 85 00:04:06,770 --> 00:04:07,930 afraid to do this. 86 00:04:07,930 --> 00:04:09,570 Therefore, it's based in fear. 87 00:04:09,570 --> 00:04:11,860 So patience is based in faith. 88 00:04:12,340 --> 00:04:14,340 Passiveness is based in fear. 89 00:04:14,660 --> 00:04:19,500 And so we see in 1st Samuel, chapter 13, Saul coming to a situation 90 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:22,900 in his life where he can exercise patience or passiveness. 91 00:04:23,220 --> 00:04:25,940 And really, essentially, he doesn't do either one. 92 00:04:26,260 --> 00:04:29,260 Essentially, what he does is he just moves forward and does what 93 00:04:29,260 --> 00:04:30,180 he thinks is best. 94 00:04:30,580 --> 00:04:33,820 And oftentimes in our life, what that can look like is that God 95 00:04:33,820 --> 00:04:35,140 is making us wait. 96 00:04:35,140 --> 00:04:38,100 Maybe it's in a time of prayer, maybe it's in a time of service. 97 00:04:38,820 --> 00:04:40,260 Maybe it's just something that we want. 98 00:04:40,340 --> 00:04:42,380 And God tells us to wait on that. 99 00:04:42,380 --> 00:04:45,260 Maybe he doesn't say no, but maybe he says it's a time where we 100 00:04:45,260 --> 00:04:45,940 need to wait. 101 00:04:46,020 --> 00:04:48,900 And oftentimes, as Christians, we try to get ahead of God. 102 00:04:48,900 --> 00:04:50,900 And then we ask God to just bless our life. 103 00:04:50,900 --> 00:04:53,580 And that's what we see here in 1st Samuel chapter 13. 104 00:04:53,580 --> 00:04:55,940 So without further ado, we're going to get to 1st Samuel 13. 105 00:04:56,740 --> 00:04:58,980 It describes how long Saul has been reigning. 106 00:04:58,980 --> 00:05:00,260 Saul reigned one year. 107 00:05:00,660 --> 00:05:03,060 And when he had reigned two years over Israel. 108 00:05:03,060 --> 00:05:06,940 So we see that there's been some time for Saul to kind of get 109 00:05:06,940 --> 00:05:10,260 into his place, kind of get comfortable with what he's doing. 110 00:05:10,580 --> 00:05:13,180 And ultimately we know that there are a lot of people that are 111 00:05:13,180 --> 00:05:16,740 coming against Saul and the people of Israel, one being the Philistines. 112 00:05:17,140 --> 00:05:19,060 You're probably very familiar with the Philistines. 113 00:05:19,060 --> 00:05:20,979 And so that's what is going to happen here. 114 00:05:20,979 --> 00:05:23,140 There's going to be this conflict with the Philistines. 115 00:05:23,620 --> 00:05:26,660 And oftentimes in Scripture when we look at these pagan people 116 00:05:26,660 --> 00:05:29,700 that are coming against the people of Israel, their pictures 117 00:05:29,780 --> 00:05:34,030 or symbols or likenesses of the situations that we might face 118 00:05:34,030 --> 00:05:34,710 in our life. 119 00:05:35,030 --> 00:05:38,590 And so we see here that Saul has been reigning for some time now. 120 00:05:38,590 --> 00:05:41,750 And it says in verse 2, Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, 121 00:05:41,990 --> 00:05:46,390 where of two thousand were with Saul in Mikmash and the in Mount 122 00:05:46,390 --> 00:05:49,150 Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan, that's his son. 123 00:05:49,150 --> 00:05:52,230 This is the first mention of Jonathan, his son Jonathan, and Gibeah 124 00:05:52,230 --> 00:05:54,110 of Benjamin and the rest of the people. 125 00:05:54,110 --> 00:05:55,830 He sent every man to his tent. 126 00:05:56,310 --> 00:06:00,150 So what we're actually seeing here in verse two is the form formulation 127 00:06:00,310 --> 00:06:04,830 of the Israeli army, the, the Israelite army, the Jewish army that 128 00:06:05,070 --> 00:06:06,470 Saul is putting together here. 129 00:06:06,470 --> 00:06:09,190 And before this, they really didn't have anything really formal. 130 00:06:09,190 --> 00:06:10,590 It was just a lot of militias. 131 00:06:10,670 --> 00:06:14,230 And they would come together at times that they saw fit to protect 132 00:06:14,230 --> 00:06:15,790 themselves or attack certain places. 133 00:06:15,790 --> 00:06:18,110 But Saul is putting together an army. 134 00:06:18,670 --> 00:06:21,870 And then we see in verse three, and Jonathan smote the garrison 135 00:06:21,870 --> 00:06:23,470 of the Philistines that was in Kiba. 136 00:06:23,470 --> 00:06:28,150 So actually Jonathan leads these warriors into battle and there's 137 00:06:28,150 --> 00:06:28,750 this victory. 138 00:06:29,300 --> 00:06:32,060 And the Philistines heard of it and Saul blew the trumpet throughout 139 00:06:32,060 --> 00:06:33,940 all the land saying, let the Hebrews hear. 140 00:06:34,580 --> 00:06:37,420 And so we see this great victory happen with Jonathan and 141 00:06:37,420 --> 00:06:38,260 the people of Israel. 142 00:06:38,260 --> 00:06:41,500 And we, we know through different stories in the Old Testament 143 00:06:41,500 --> 00:06:42,540 that Jonathan was a. 144 00:06:42,540 --> 00:06:44,500 Was a fantastic military leader. 145 00:06:44,580 --> 00:06:46,420 He was greatly gifted in that way. 146 00:06:46,740 --> 00:06:49,780 And he shows leadership, he shows the ability to attack. 147 00:06:50,260 --> 00:06:53,020 And we see that there is this victory that happens. 148 00:06:53,020 --> 00:06:55,380 And there's a lot of ways that we can deal with victory in our life. 149 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:57,880 By the way, a lot of times we think about how we deal with defeat 150 00:06:57,880 --> 00:06:58,800 in the Christian walk. 151 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,640 And certainly it is to be noted how we should deal with defeat, 152 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,160 how we should deal with struggles. 153 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:07,200 But oftentimes we struggle, sometimes even in the victory, because 154 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,040 oftentimes we think about the victory being our own victory. 155 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,720 We think about the skills in our own selves being the reason why 156 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:14,800 we had that victory. 157 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,360 And we actually see here later on that Saul takes credit for this 158 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:18,720 victory. 159 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,920 And we know that none of us should be able to take any credit 160 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,280 for any victory that we see in our life. 161 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,560 Ultimately, that's the victory of the lord. 162 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:30,560 So verse 4, and all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the 163 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:31,880 garrison of the Philistines. 164 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:33,200 Now that's interesting here. 165 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,080 Think, think about this for just a moment with me says in all 166 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,000 Israel heard say that Paul, Saul had smitten a garrison of the 167 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:40,400 Philistines. 168 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:41,880 Well, really it wasn't Saul at that point. 169 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,160 It was obviously under his leadership, but it was really Jonathan. 170 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,320 So Saul could have had the opportunity to deflect that and say, 171 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:49,040 no, it was Jonathan. 172 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:50,120 Ultimately it was the Lord. 173 00:07:50,540 --> 00:07:52,140 But we see that that's the trend with Saul. 174 00:07:52,140 --> 00:07:53,580 Saul needs that approval. 175 00:07:53,580 --> 00:07:55,580 Saul needs that, that control. 176 00:07:55,740 --> 00:07:58,100 He needs that man praise, so to speak. 177 00:07:58,100 --> 00:08:01,260 And so we see that happening already even in verse four. 178 00:08:01,660 --> 00:08:03,740 And that Israel also was. 179 00:08:04,060 --> 00:08:05,940 Had an abomination with the Philistines. 180 00:08:05,940 --> 00:08:08,860 And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 181 00:08:09,260 --> 00:08:12,220 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with 182 00:08:12,220 --> 00:08:12,780 Israel. 183 00:08:12,940 --> 00:08:15,420 Now this is very interesting here because we're going to see that 184 00:08:16,390 --> 00:08:18,630 the Philistines have a lot of technology. 185 00:08:18,870 --> 00:08:23,670 They have a lot of at this point, chariots and, and powerful 186 00:08:23,830 --> 00:08:24,510 horsemen. 187 00:08:24,510 --> 00:08:27,070 And, and that's really where we're going to see this, this huge 188 00:08:27,070 --> 00:08:28,630 enemy that's coming against them. 189 00:08:28,710 --> 00:08:31,670 And so obviously that's going to be a cause for fear. 190 00:08:32,390 --> 00:08:36,310 You know, a lot of times we can walk like we are champions of 191 00:08:36,310 --> 00:08:39,070 the faith when everything's going our way, when no one's coming 192 00:08:39,070 --> 00:08:39,750 against us. 193 00:08:39,910 --> 00:08:42,870 But what really reveals what's in our heart, what really reveals 194 00:08:43,390 --> 00:08:46,350 how much faith we have is when the, the challenge comes when the. 195 00:08:46,350 --> 00:08:47,750 When the enemy surrounds. 196 00:08:47,750 --> 00:08:50,710 And so verse 5, the Philistines gathered themselves together 197 00:08:50,710 --> 00:08:51,710 to fight with Israel. 198 00:08:51,710 --> 00:08:55,550 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen and people as the sand, 199 00:08:55,550 --> 00:08:57,950 which is on the seashore in multitude. 200 00:08:58,030 --> 00:09:01,310 And they came up and pitched in Mikmash eastward of Beth Haven. 201 00:09:01,950 --> 00:09:07,150 So this is obviously a daunting army that is surrounding 202 00:09:07,230 --> 00:09:08,470 the people of Israel. 203 00:09:08,470 --> 00:09:11,370 And there's could, there could be a lot of things that Saul does 204 00:09:11,370 --> 00:09:11,610 here. 205 00:09:11,610 --> 00:09:16,130 And we're going to see that, that Saul is going to be in Gilgal 206 00:09:16,130 --> 00:09:16,930 at this point, verse six. 207 00:09:16,930 --> 00:09:19,090 And when the men of Israel saw that they were in a straight. 208 00:09:19,090 --> 00:09:19,290 They. 209 00:09:19,290 --> 00:09:21,450 They see that they're in a difficult situation. 210 00:09:21,450 --> 00:09:23,370 It says, for the people were distressed. 211 00:09:24,330 --> 00:09:27,810 And so because of Saul's leadership and, and because of the 212 00:09:27,810 --> 00:09:31,010 lack of faith with these people, they are in a place of distress. 213 00:09:31,010 --> 00:09:33,890 And, and ultimately we do know that there's times in our life where 214 00:09:33,890 --> 00:09:36,930 we will face situations of distress. 215 00:09:37,330 --> 00:09:40,370 We will face situations that are stressful. 216 00:09:40,610 --> 00:09:42,050 I used to think that the. 217 00:09:42,050 --> 00:09:45,970 The key to life was avoiding stressful situations. 218 00:09:46,370 --> 00:09:47,570 I used to think about that. 219 00:09:47,570 --> 00:09:49,170 I used to think about, well, you know what? 220 00:09:49,570 --> 00:09:53,770 I used to teach in a Christian school, okay, back in Florida. 221 00:09:53,770 --> 00:09:56,330 And so I came right out of college and I started teaching in 222 00:09:56,330 --> 00:09:56,770 a school. 223 00:09:57,410 --> 00:10:01,450 And I thought that that was the peak of stress in the world of 224 00:10:01,450 --> 00:10:03,310 teaching, know, 12th graders. 225 00:10:03,310 --> 00:10:05,630 And the most stressful moments for me. 226 00:10:05,630 --> 00:10:06,710 I'm just going to be honest with you guys. 227 00:10:06,710 --> 00:10:09,830 When the, when the principal would come in and observe me and 228 00:10:09,830 --> 00:10:13,190 those, those surprise observations, and of course, it was 229 00:10:13,190 --> 00:10:15,310 on the day that my kids were not acting the way that they should 230 00:10:15,310 --> 00:10:15,870 be acting. 231 00:10:15,950 --> 00:10:17,830 And I'm stressed out and I have so much stress. 232 00:10:17,830 --> 00:10:19,230 And I'm like, man, this is such a. 233 00:10:19,230 --> 00:10:20,510 They put me through a lot of stress. 234 00:10:20,510 --> 00:10:23,070 They make me do all these, these classes. 235 00:10:23,070 --> 00:10:24,590 They make me do all these lesson plans. 236 00:10:24,590 --> 00:10:25,390 I'm just so stressed. 237 00:10:25,390 --> 00:10:27,790 And so I really thought that maybe if I just got another job, 238 00:10:28,300 --> 00:10:29,060 maybe if I just got. 239 00:10:29,060 --> 00:10:31,260 If I, if I was another career, there wouldn't be any stress. 240 00:10:31,260 --> 00:10:34,660 And then I realized very, very early on in my life that it doesn't 241 00:10:34,660 --> 00:10:36,940 matter what career you're in, you're going to face stress. 242 00:10:37,580 --> 00:10:40,540 So as a Christian, it's not a matter of avoiding the stresses of 243 00:10:40,540 --> 00:10:42,900 life, because the reality is there's some things that we can do 244 00:10:42,900 --> 00:10:43,980 to alleviate stress. 245 00:10:44,140 --> 00:10:45,260 I really do believe that. 246 00:10:45,340 --> 00:10:47,580 I think that a lot of the stress we bring on ourselves. 247 00:10:47,900 --> 00:10:50,980 But there is a situation that might come up in our life that we 248 00:10:50,980 --> 00:10:51,740 can't avoid. 249 00:10:52,300 --> 00:10:55,450 And oftentimes we think about, well, what do I do then? 250 00:10:55,770 --> 00:10:58,690 Because we see these guys in First Samuel, Chapter 13, and we 251 00:10:58,690 --> 00:11:01,090 see all the people around them and we say, well, should they be 252 00:11:01,090 --> 00:11:01,490 stressed? 253 00:11:01,490 --> 00:11:04,730 Well, to a degree there should be some distress because there's 254 00:11:04,730 --> 00:11:04,890 an. 255 00:11:04,890 --> 00:11:06,170 There's an attack from the outside. 256 00:11:06,970 --> 00:11:09,770 But there's a New Testament passage of Scripture that I think 257 00:11:09,770 --> 00:11:10,650 that we should think about. 258 00:11:11,370 --> 00:11:14,250 And when I saw that word that they were distressed, I thought about 259 00:11:14,250 --> 00:11:18,250 what Paul says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4, 2nd Corinthians, 260 00:11:18,250 --> 00:11:18,810 chapter 4. 261 00:11:18,810 --> 00:11:23,380 Paul is talking to some people about things that he has gone through 262 00:11:23,380 --> 00:11:25,500 that he's personally experienced in his life. 263 00:11:26,060 --> 00:11:30,100 And if you know anything about Paul, this is a different Saul, right? 264 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:32,460 We had the Saul, the Old Testament, the Saul of the New Testament, 265 00:11:32,620 --> 00:11:36,020 the Saul of the New Testament, or Paul, he went through a lot of 266 00:11:36,020 --> 00:11:36,780 persecution. 267 00:11:36,940 --> 00:11:39,780 If anyone understood what it meant to have stress around him, 268 00:11:39,780 --> 00:11:40,460 it was Paul. 269 00:11:40,620 --> 00:11:43,340 I mean, he went and preached and people came against him. 270 00:11:43,740 --> 00:11:46,420 And he describes it this way in Second Corinthians, chapter four. 271 00:11:46,420 --> 00:11:50,780 He says, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. 272 00:11:51,820 --> 00:11:55,460 And so what he says is that there's trouble around me, there's 273 00:11:55,460 --> 00:11:58,620 stresses around me, but at the end of the day, at the. 274 00:11:58,620 --> 00:12:01,580 At the heart of the issue, I don't have to live in that distress. 275 00:12:01,900 --> 00:12:04,380 He says, we're perplexed, but not in despair. 276 00:12:04,620 --> 00:12:07,980 Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed. 277 00:12:08,220 --> 00:12:11,340 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. 278 00:12:11,500 --> 00:12:14,780 That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 279 00:12:15,270 --> 00:12:18,590 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake. 280 00:12:18,590 --> 00:12:22,510 That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal 281 00:12:22,510 --> 00:12:22,870 flesh. 282 00:12:23,190 --> 00:12:24,070 So what is he saying? 283 00:12:24,150 --> 00:12:27,670 He says this, yes, there are some stresses around us, but I'm 284 00:12:27,670 --> 00:12:28,430 not distressed. 285 00:12:28,430 --> 00:12:30,030 Yes, I can be confused, but I'm. 286 00:12:30,030 --> 00:12:31,110 But I'm not destroyed. 287 00:12:31,190 --> 00:12:34,230 And at the end of the day, what really Paul is saying is this. 288 00:12:34,230 --> 00:12:37,350 We have a greater hope in the Lord, that no matter what the stresses 289 00:12:37,350 --> 00:12:40,590 are around us, no matter what the enemy is around us, no matter 290 00:12:40,590 --> 00:12:43,250 what we're dealing with in our own personal life, we can look to 291 00:12:43,250 --> 00:12:46,090 the bigger picture of God being on our side and knowing that 292 00:12:46,090 --> 00:12:46,890 we're not destroyed. 293 00:12:46,890 --> 00:12:50,010 And so we go back to 1st Samuel 13, and we see the men of 294 00:12:50,010 --> 00:12:50,490 Israel. 295 00:12:50,490 --> 00:12:52,450 They see that they're in a tight place. 296 00:12:52,450 --> 00:12:56,810 They see that there is a lot of Philistine army around them. 297 00:12:56,810 --> 00:12:58,569 And it says that they were distressed. 298 00:12:58,569 --> 00:13:02,970 And then the people did hide themselves in caves and in thickets 299 00:13:03,130 --> 00:13:05,530 and in rocks and in high places and in pits. 300 00:13:06,970 --> 00:13:08,850 So this shows what happens. 301 00:13:08,850 --> 00:13:11,090 Often when those stresses come. 302 00:13:11,090 --> 00:13:14,450 People try to run from those problems for them. 303 00:13:14,450 --> 00:13:14,730 They. 304 00:13:14,730 --> 00:13:14,970 They. 305 00:13:14,970 --> 00:13:15,570 What do they do? 306 00:13:15,570 --> 00:13:15,730 They. 307 00:13:15,730 --> 00:13:20,050 They hid themselves in caves and they allowed themselves to get 308 00:13:20,050 --> 00:13:22,770 to the place where they thought they could hide from the 309 00:13:22,770 --> 00:13:23,250 enemy. 310 00:13:23,250 --> 00:13:25,490 They went to the thickets, they went to the rocks, they went 311 00:13:25,490 --> 00:13:26,570 to the high places. 312 00:13:26,970 --> 00:13:30,890 And though they're really afraid, they're trembling. 313 00:13:31,530 --> 00:13:31,930 They're. 314 00:13:31,930 --> 00:13:35,690 They're going to a place that I think a Lot of times when we see 315 00:13:36,330 --> 00:13:39,410 the world today, we see people that when the stresses come, they 316 00:13:39,410 --> 00:13:40,875 try to run from those problems. 317 00:13:40,875 --> 00:13:41,020 They. 318 00:13:41,090 --> 00:13:44,890 They might not run to caves or thickets or high places, but they 319 00:13:44,890 --> 00:13:48,410 might run to substances, they might run to a relationship, they 320 00:13:48,410 --> 00:13:52,290 might run to neglecting the situation at hand to try to get away 321 00:13:52,610 --> 00:13:53,410 from the problem. 322 00:13:53,410 --> 00:13:57,090 And so we know that Jonathan, as the leader, was bold. 323 00:13:57,330 --> 00:14:01,010 He went against the enemy, but the men of Israel were not bold enough 324 00:14:01,010 --> 00:14:03,650 to even stand against the enemy that they had before them. 325 00:14:04,370 --> 00:14:07,650 And so you've heard probably of the whole fight or flight situation. 326 00:14:08,030 --> 00:14:10,270 Well, these guys flew, they left, they were afraid. 327 00:14:10,510 --> 00:14:12,510 And I think that there's a lot of people in the world today. 328 00:14:12,830 --> 00:14:16,590 And I think that when we see these stresses come around us, what 329 00:14:16,590 --> 00:14:17,830 the world might tell us is just. 330 00:14:17,830 --> 00:14:20,150 Just avoid it, run away from it, slip away. 331 00:14:20,150 --> 00:14:23,230 But instead we know that the Bible tells us to stand in the truth 332 00:14:23,230 --> 00:14:25,310 of God because God, 2nd Timothy 1, 7. 333 00:14:25,550 --> 00:14:28,350 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, 334 00:14:28,350 --> 00:14:29,310 and of a sound mind. 335 00:14:30,030 --> 00:14:32,310 And so the reality is, is that we have nothing to fear. 336 00:14:32,310 --> 00:14:34,670 And so in that fear came the running. 337 00:14:34,670 --> 00:14:36,190 In that fear came the hiding. 338 00:14:36,820 --> 00:14:39,540 But we know that in faith comes the victory and faith comes 339 00:14:39,540 --> 00:14:40,180 the confidence. 340 00:14:40,180 --> 00:14:43,940 And yet we see them not having faith, even though God has promised 341 00:14:43,940 --> 00:14:45,540 his protection for them. 342 00:14:46,020 --> 00:14:47,380 And so verse number seven. 343 00:14:47,460 --> 00:14:51,260 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and 344 00:14:51,260 --> 00:14:51,780 Gilead. 345 00:14:51,860 --> 00:14:55,420 As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed 346 00:14:55,420 --> 00:14:56,260 him, trembling. 347 00:14:57,460 --> 00:14:58,740 This is interesting here. 348 00:14:59,700 --> 00:15:03,460 Saul had the position as king at this point. 349 00:15:03,460 --> 00:15:06,380 And being the king, he was essentially the military leader. 350 00:15:06,620 --> 00:15:07,980 And he was there in Gilgal. 351 00:15:07,980 --> 00:15:09,260 That's where he was confirmed. 352 00:15:09,420 --> 00:15:12,780 By the way, if you remember back in the story of Saul, that was 353 00:15:12,780 --> 00:15:15,060 really the place where they anointed him. 354 00:15:15,060 --> 00:15:19,060 He was confirmed as king, and he still stayed there. 355 00:15:19,060 --> 00:15:19,300 He's. 356 00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:20,700 He's there months and months later. 357 00:15:21,180 --> 00:15:25,140 And a lot of commentators might say that Saul was not in the 358 00:15:25,140 --> 00:15:27,580 place that he should be because he was trying to live in 359 00:15:27,580 --> 00:15:30,630 that glory of when he was confirmed as king and instead of 360 00:15:30,630 --> 00:15:33,430 being where he needed to be on the battlefield, but nonetheless 361 00:15:33,590 --> 00:15:38,790 we see that they honor Saul as the king and they're afraid, and 362 00:15:38,790 --> 00:15:40,230 so they go in trembling. 363 00:15:40,230 --> 00:15:42,070 And we're going to see what happens here. 364 00:15:42,150 --> 00:15:42,750 Verse 8. 365 00:15:42,750 --> 00:15:47,350 And he tarried seven days according to the set time that Samuel 366 00:15:47,350 --> 00:15:48,150 had appointed. 367 00:15:48,390 --> 00:15:50,470 But Samuel came not to Gilgal. 368 00:15:51,110 --> 00:15:54,710 So it's important to note that God spoke through Samuel. 369 00:15:54,710 --> 00:15:55,790 Samuel was a prophet. 370 00:15:55,790 --> 00:15:58,110 And Samuel had told Saul to wait. 371 00:15:58,190 --> 00:15:59,950 He had told him to be patient. 372 00:15:59,950 --> 00:16:01,550 He had told him to wait on him. 373 00:16:01,630 --> 00:16:03,070 But he had said seven days. 374 00:16:03,150 --> 00:16:06,870 And the seven days had essentially run out and Samuel had 375 00:16:06,870 --> 00:16:09,870 not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. 376 00:16:10,270 --> 00:16:10,630 And. 377 00:16:10,630 --> 00:16:12,230 And so what does Saul do? 378 00:16:12,230 --> 00:16:14,270 Well, we're going to see Saul here make a decision. 379 00:16:14,270 --> 00:16:15,950 He says, I've got to make a decision. 380 00:16:16,110 --> 00:16:17,110 Samuel's not here. 381 00:16:17,110 --> 00:16:19,710 I know he said away for him, but I got to make a decision. 382 00:16:19,790 --> 00:16:21,310 So Saul, he waits. 383 00:16:21,310 --> 00:16:24,570 He was in Gilgal for many months and he's been waiting and 384 00:16:24,570 --> 00:16:26,770 he's afraid and there's anxiety. 385 00:16:27,010 --> 00:16:29,770 And now every day seems to be stacking up against them. 386 00:16:29,770 --> 00:16:32,850 And he knew the Philistines were coming with a big army. 387 00:16:33,170 --> 00:16:34,290 And, you know, it's. 388 00:16:34,290 --> 00:16:37,650 It's easy to see his anxiety here, basically saying this. 389 00:16:37,650 --> 00:16:39,329 I've got to make a decision one way or the other. 390 00:16:39,329 --> 00:16:40,650 I don't care what Samuel says. 391 00:16:40,650 --> 00:16:41,530 I don't care what God says. 392 00:16:41,530 --> 00:16:42,370 I need to do it. 393 00:16:42,930 --> 00:16:46,930 And so we know that Samuel told Saul to wait for him at Gilgal, 394 00:16:47,330 --> 00:16:49,940 but yet Samuel would be a little bit late. 395 00:16:49,940 --> 00:16:53,060 And sometimes when other people don't do what we expect them 396 00:16:53,060 --> 00:16:55,020 to do, that often causes us to work ahead. 397 00:16:55,020 --> 00:16:59,300 It often causes us to have added anxieties in our life and added 398 00:16:59,300 --> 00:16:59,780 fear. 399 00:17:00,100 --> 00:17:04,500 And so the waiting on Samuel became stressful for him. 400 00:17:05,540 --> 00:17:07,740 And we see that the people are beginning to scatter. 401 00:17:07,740 --> 00:17:11,180 And he often probably thought that I need to make a decision one 402 00:17:11,180 --> 00:17:11,740 way or the other. 403 00:17:11,740 --> 00:17:13,060 And it's not prayerful. 404 00:17:13,380 --> 00:17:13,820 It's. 405 00:17:13,820 --> 00:17:16,300 It's not meditated upon the truth of the word of God. 406 00:17:16,300 --> 00:17:18,650 It's not waiting on Samuel. 407 00:17:18,650 --> 00:17:19,650 It's not waiting on God. 408 00:17:19,650 --> 00:17:21,170 He just does verse nine. 409 00:17:21,170 --> 00:17:24,930 And Saul said, bring hither a burnt offering to me and peace offerings. 410 00:17:25,090 --> 00:17:26,850 And he offered the burnt offering. 411 00:17:27,970 --> 00:17:30,650 Now, if we were just to skim over that, that would not sound too 412 00:17:30,650 --> 00:17:30,850 bad. 413 00:17:30,850 --> 00:17:33,050 We would say, well, isn't Saul doing the right thing? 414 00:17:33,050 --> 00:17:36,050 Isn't he just following God by giving a burnt offering? 415 00:17:36,130 --> 00:17:37,890 Isn't he just trying to do what he can? 416 00:17:38,050 --> 00:17:40,010 Well, there's a couple things that are wrong with this. 417 00:17:40,010 --> 00:17:44,800 Number one, he's in complete disobedience to God through Samuel. 418 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:46,240 Samuel is the prophet of God. 419 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,280 Samuel is the one who says, thus saith the Lord. 420 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,560 So for Samuel to tell Saul something meant that God was telling 421 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:53,200 Saul something. 422 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,520 And Saul was told to wait on Samuel whether it was the timeframe 423 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:57,440 that he thought or not. 424 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:58,440 And he didn't wait. 425 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,720 So, number one, it was disobedience to God. 426 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,160 But Number two, we see that it's not even Saul's role to offer 427 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:05,080 a burnt sacrifice. 428 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:05,760 He's the king. 429 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:10,120 He has nothing, no responsibility towards doing anything. 430 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:12,080 When it comes to being a priest, he's not a priest. 431 00:18:12,290 --> 00:18:13,610 He's not a priest or a prophet. 432 00:18:13,610 --> 00:18:14,250 He's a king. 433 00:18:14,250 --> 00:18:17,130 Now, we do know that we have a prophet, priest and king in Jesus 434 00:18:17,130 --> 00:18:18,490 Christ, but not Saul. 435 00:18:18,490 --> 00:18:20,210 Saul is not a prophet, priest and king. 436 00:18:20,210 --> 00:18:22,130 He's a king, but he was not a priest. 437 00:18:22,210 --> 00:18:23,650 So he could not offer that. 438 00:18:23,650 --> 00:18:26,290 That was a big issue, that he did this. 439 00:18:26,290 --> 00:18:28,609 And so he was not a priest. 440 00:18:28,770 --> 00:18:31,330 He had moved forward with doing something that was not his 441 00:18:31,330 --> 00:18:32,050 responsibility. 442 00:18:32,290 --> 00:18:35,970 And so Saul had no business doing what he does here. 443 00:18:35,970 --> 00:18:40,130 He is knowingly in complete disobedience to God, but saying, 444 00:18:40,130 --> 00:18:41,010 I better do something. 445 00:18:41,810 --> 00:18:44,210 And so I just want to pause here and I want to look at Saul's 446 00:18:44,210 --> 00:18:48,170 decision and I want us to, you know, obviously look at the negativity 447 00:18:48,170 --> 00:18:51,530 of Saul's decision, but also introspectively look into our own 448 00:18:51,530 --> 00:18:55,010 life to say, you know, have there been any times in my life, 449 00:18:55,650 --> 00:18:59,290 including I'm looking at my own life here, that I have just said, 450 00:18:59,290 --> 00:19:00,770 you know what, Lord, I'm tired of waiting. 451 00:19:00,770 --> 00:19:01,730 I'm just going to do it. 452 00:19:02,130 --> 00:19:04,210 Well, I'm just going to go ahead and get ahead of you. 453 00:19:04,530 --> 00:19:05,970 It obviously is what I want. 454 00:19:05,970 --> 00:19:07,490 It obviously makes sense to me. 455 00:19:08,060 --> 00:19:10,500 But the Bible goes back to that idea of being spirit led and 456 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:12,780 being spirit filled and saying, no, I need to have patience. 457 00:19:12,860 --> 00:19:14,380 I need to wait upon the Lord. 458 00:19:14,460 --> 00:19:16,500 I need to wait upon the Lord to renew my strength. 459 00:19:16,500 --> 00:19:19,340 I need to wait upon the Lord to give me clarity and guidance, 460 00:19:19,340 --> 00:19:21,500 and so he doesn't wait upon the Lord. 461 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:25,220 And ultimately, what we see here is that Samuel does arrive very, 462 00:19:25,220 --> 00:19:26,140 very shortly after. 463 00:19:26,380 --> 00:19:27,340 I mean, it's almost. 464 00:19:27,740 --> 00:19:30,380 I would say it's almost comical to see how quickly Samuel 465 00:19:30,380 --> 00:19:34,060 comes after this, because it's like if you would have just waited 466 00:19:34,060 --> 00:19:35,260 just a few more minutes. 467 00:19:35,930 --> 00:19:36,610 Let's look at it here. 468 00:19:36,610 --> 00:19:38,330 It says in verse 10 and as. 469 00:19:38,330 --> 00:19:43,450 And it came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering, 470 00:19:43,450 --> 00:19:48,450 the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came and Saul went out to 471 00:19:48,450 --> 00:19:50,490 meet him that he might salute him. 472 00:19:51,210 --> 00:19:56,850 So it just shows the flaw to Saul's argument that, well, he's 473 00:19:56,850 --> 00:19:58,170 never coming, right? 474 00:19:58,410 --> 00:20:01,570 And we can often tell ourselves all these lies when we 475 00:20:01,570 --> 00:20:04,720 start to get into that place of anxiety and fear and hopelessness 476 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:05,320 and doubt. 477 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:06,000 Well, you know what? 478 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:06,360 Maybe. 479 00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:07,720 Maybe Samuel's never coming. 480 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,520 Well, the truth is that Samuel was on his way it says there in verse 481 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:11,680 10. 482 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,680 And it came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering, 483 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,720 the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came as well. 484 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:19,640 Samuel arrives. 485 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:23,160 And so Saul decided to perform this sacrifice. 486 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,640 He thought that he made the right decision. 487 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,340 But if he would have just trusted in God and just waited just 488 00:20:30,580 --> 00:20:33,780 another hour, another, another two hours, he would have been able 489 00:20:34,020 --> 00:20:37,460 to be totally walking in the obedience to the Lord. 490 00:20:37,460 --> 00:20:39,060 But we know that it was a heart issue. 491 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:43,540 We know that Saul's issue was not just an action issue. 492 00:20:43,860 --> 00:20:47,940 Oftentimes I, you know, deal with our kids and, you know, dealing 493 00:20:47,940 --> 00:20:50,140 with a child, you know, obviously it's a difficult thing 494 00:20:50,140 --> 00:20:52,100 and some of you are gurus on that. 495 00:20:52,100 --> 00:20:54,780 And at some other point, I might ask you some advice on it. 496 00:20:54,780 --> 00:20:57,010 But at the same time, when we're dealing with our children, 497 00:20:57,010 --> 00:21:00,210 you know, we don't just want to be dealing with the behaviors, 498 00:21:00,210 --> 00:21:01,410 even though that is important. 499 00:21:02,290 --> 00:21:05,770 But really my heart is that when we deal with our children, we 500 00:21:05,770 --> 00:21:06,370 deal with their heart. 501 00:21:06,370 --> 00:21:09,570 We want them to not want to do wrong, not just stop doing wrong. 502 00:21:09,570 --> 00:21:12,450 We want them to know why it's wrong and why they shouldn't do it. 503 00:21:12,770 --> 00:21:14,370 And that's really what we see with Saul doing. 504 00:21:14,370 --> 00:21:17,650 Saul is, is kind of like one of those leaders that is always flying 505 00:21:17,650 --> 00:21:18,930 by the seat of his pants. 506 00:21:18,930 --> 00:21:20,930 He's always just doing knee jerk reactions. 507 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:22,080 And it's kind of like this. 508 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:23,400 He's like, well, is this what you want me to do? 509 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:24,320 Is this what you want me to do? 510 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:25,520 I'm going to try to do it my way. 511 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:28,440 And really, at the end of the day, Saul, he just does something 512 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:29,560 with his flesh. 513 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:31,480 He does something just on a whim. 514 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,120 He does something without giving it care and consideration. 515 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:36,040 And it really, we're going to see here. 516 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:37,080 It's a heart issue. 517 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:38,200 It's a heart issue. 518 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,280 His heart had not been given over to the Lord, at least not completely. 519 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,520 Saul decides to perform this. 520 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:45,640 And now Saul, he. 521 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,820 He has overstepped his role. 522 00:21:47,820 --> 00:21:51,780 He has taken too far of a liberty in what God had given him. 523 00:21:51,780 --> 00:21:56,780 And so we see that he comes out to salute Samuel, maybe hoping 524 00:21:56,780 --> 00:21:58,740 to have Samuel be okay with it. 525 00:21:58,740 --> 00:22:03,060 It kind of reminds me of, you know, like I pull in at the house, 526 00:22:03,060 --> 00:22:04,700 I use my kid as analogy a lot. 527 00:22:04,700 --> 00:22:06,780 I'm going to use them a lot tonight because they're not in here. 528 00:22:06,780 --> 00:22:07,780 They probably won't hear this. 529 00:22:08,740 --> 00:22:11,660 But when I get home and my kids like run out at me, I mean, 530 00:22:11,660 --> 00:22:13,700 a lot of times it's that they're happy to see me, but Sometimes 531 00:22:13,700 --> 00:22:14,980 it's like they're trying to get ahead of it. 532 00:22:15,110 --> 00:22:16,150 They're trying to be really nice to me. 533 00:22:16,150 --> 00:22:17,350 And I'm going, okay, what happened? 534 00:22:17,670 --> 00:22:19,030 Well, dad, you know, you're. 535 00:22:19,110 --> 00:22:22,030 Whatever broke and knocked off the wall, like, okay, so now I know 536 00:22:22,030 --> 00:22:23,350 why you're trying to be super nice to me. 537 00:22:23,350 --> 00:22:25,270 So, so, so Saul's coming out to. 538 00:22:25,350 --> 00:22:26,270 To salute him. 539 00:22:26,270 --> 00:22:26,550 And I. 540 00:22:26,550 --> 00:22:29,350 And I get the picture of, like, Saul coming out to Samuel, 541 00:22:29,350 --> 00:22:32,150 trying to appease this, knowing that he did wrong. 542 00:22:32,550 --> 00:22:34,990 And, and so he comes out there and. 543 00:22:34,990 --> 00:22:35,950 And we see verse 11. 544 00:22:35,950 --> 00:22:38,550 And Samuel said, what has thou done? 545 00:22:39,110 --> 00:22:42,950 So Samuel, Samuel knows, he understands, like, why are you coming 546 00:22:42,950 --> 00:22:43,270 out here? 547 00:22:43,270 --> 00:22:43,750 What's going on? 548 00:22:43,750 --> 00:22:44,750 He says, what have you done? 549 00:22:46,110 --> 00:22:49,110 And Saul said, because I saw that the people were scattered from 550 00:22:49,110 --> 00:22:49,310 me. 551 00:22:49,310 --> 00:22:49,750 So here's. 552 00:22:49,750 --> 00:22:50,270 Here it is. 553 00:22:50,270 --> 00:22:51,150 Here's what he does. 554 00:22:51,390 --> 00:22:53,430 Saul begins to give his excuses. 555 00:22:53,430 --> 00:22:55,390 He begins the self justification. 556 00:22:55,470 --> 00:22:56,590 And this is what we do. 557 00:22:56,830 --> 00:22:57,910 This is at least what I do. 558 00:22:57,910 --> 00:23:00,430 When I get myself into a problem, I start thinking about all 559 00:23:00,430 --> 00:23:03,390 the reasons why I did it and all the reasons why it makes sense. 560 00:23:03,550 --> 00:23:07,670 And so he says, well, look, because I saw that the people were 561 00:23:07,670 --> 00:23:10,580 scattered from me, he begins to blame the other people. 562 00:23:10,900 --> 00:23:12,300 He begins to blame the situation. 563 00:23:12,300 --> 00:23:14,260 He says, it's because of them I did this. 564 00:23:14,260 --> 00:23:17,260 I mean, this is the classic situation at the very beginning, 565 00:23:17,260 --> 00:23:17,540 right? 566 00:23:17,780 --> 00:23:18,660 Adam and Eve. 567 00:23:18,980 --> 00:23:19,740 Right, Adam. 568 00:23:19,740 --> 00:23:22,100 He goes, you know, it was because of her. 569 00:23:22,100 --> 00:23:23,700 It was the wife you gave me, right? 570 00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:26,660 And it's the idea that all of us come to a place in our life where 571 00:23:26,660 --> 00:23:29,460 we have to take accountability for the decisions that we make. 572 00:23:29,460 --> 00:23:31,180 But Saul here doesn't. 573 00:23:31,180 --> 00:23:32,900 To Samuel, he doesn't take accountability. 574 00:23:33,460 --> 00:23:35,620 He says, because I saw that the people were scattered from me 575 00:23:35,620 --> 00:23:36,980 and that thou camest not. 576 00:23:37,330 --> 00:23:39,850 So now not only does he blame the people for scattering, but now 577 00:23:39,850 --> 00:23:41,050 he's going to try to blame Samuel. 578 00:23:41,050 --> 00:23:41,970 He says, you weren't here. 579 00:23:42,930 --> 00:23:44,250 We can't blame somebody else. 580 00:23:44,250 --> 00:23:46,970 I. I can't look at somebody else and go, well, because you weren't 581 00:23:46,970 --> 00:23:47,370 with me. 582 00:23:47,370 --> 00:23:48,690 This is why I had to do this. 583 00:23:48,690 --> 00:23:50,610 I had to sin because you were sinning. 584 00:23:50,610 --> 00:23:53,890 Like, first and foremost, even if a person was sinning against us, 585 00:23:53,890 --> 00:23:56,450 it's not an excuse for us to return back and sin. 586 00:23:57,010 --> 00:23:57,730 You know, we. 587 00:23:57,730 --> 00:24:00,130 We shouldn't render evil for evil. 588 00:24:00,290 --> 00:24:03,370 And so in this case, even though Samuel wasn't wrong, Saul 589 00:24:03,370 --> 00:24:04,170 accuses Samuel. 590 00:24:04,170 --> 00:24:07,330 And then he basically blames Samuel for not being there. 591 00:24:07,730 --> 00:24:10,970 He says, you weren't here with me and that thou camest not within 592 00:24:10,970 --> 00:24:13,490 the days appointed and that the Philistines gathered themselves 593 00:24:13,490 --> 00:24:14,690 together at Mikmash. 594 00:24:15,650 --> 00:24:19,210 So, so he really gives three reasons why he didn't listen to the 595 00:24:19,210 --> 00:24:19,490 Lord. 596 00:24:19,490 --> 00:24:20,889 None of them are valid. 597 00:24:20,889 --> 00:24:24,570 He says, one, the people were scattering, two, you weren't here. 598 00:24:24,570 --> 00:24:26,210 And three, the Philistines were coming. 599 00:24:26,930 --> 00:24:30,210 And so he gave all of his self justification. 600 00:24:31,500 --> 00:24:34,740 And, and so what I see this as, and I think this is something 601 00:24:34,740 --> 00:24:36,940 that isn't a stretch. 602 00:24:36,940 --> 00:24:40,100 I, I, I look at verse number 11 and I see number one. 603 00:24:40,100 --> 00:24:43,540 He, he blames other people because it's his ego he wants, he 604 00:24:43,540 --> 00:24:44,940 says the people are scattering. 605 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:46,460 He wanted to be a good leader. 606 00:24:47,180 --> 00:24:49,020 So he says, well, you know what, what are the people going to 607 00:24:49,020 --> 00:24:50,380 think about me if they're all scattering? 608 00:24:50,380 --> 00:24:51,100 I don't do anything. 609 00:24:51,100 --> 00:24:55,020 And so it's a care and concern of the perception of who I am. 610 00:24:55,180 --> 00:24:58,820 So it's ego, it was a matter of pride, it was a matter of ego. 611 00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:02,740 And we even see that he blames Samuel. 612 00:25:03,380 --> 00:25:07,180 And so we see that there's a heart of bitterness, there's a heart 613 00:25:07,180 --> 00:25:07,860 of judgment. 614 00:25:08,420 --> 00:25:10,020 It could go all the way through this. 615 00:25:10,020 --> 00:25:12,940 And we can see that even it's a heart of fear, right, that the 616 00:25:12,940 --> 00:25:15,300 Philistines were gathering themselves together in Mikmash. 617 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:19,500 We see all these negative attributes pouring out of a life 618 00:25:19,500 --> 00:25:22,660 of someone who was not walking in the obedience of the Lord. 619 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:24,960 It's just, it's like a cumulative effect. 620 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,200 It's a chain that keeps having more and more links when an individual 621 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:29,680 is not following the will of God. 622 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:32,400 There's all these reasons, whether it be fear, whether it be 623 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,080 judgment, whether it be ego, whether it be pride, whether it be 624 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:37,320 just complete disobedience to God. 625 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,600 There is this cumulative effect that happens. 626 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:42,320 And, and that's what he says here. 627 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:43,240 He says, verse 12. 628 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,000 Therefore said I, the Philistines will come down now upon 629 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:46,920 me to Gilgal. 630 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,120 So now what is he doing? 631 00:25:48,910 --> 00:25:51,070 He's even making up situations that will happen. 632 00:25:51,230 --> 00:25:52,510 Like, I know this will happen. 633 00:25:52,590 --> 00:25:54,830 Definitely the Philistines will come if I don't do this. 634 00:25:55,230 --> 00:25:58,190 And this, this is what I've seen even in my own life. 635 00:25:58,190 --> 00:26:01,950 I start making all these irrational premonitions about things 636 00:26:01,950 --> 00:26:02,670 that might happen. 637 00:26:02,750 --> 00:26:03,870 They haven't happened yet. 638 00:26:04,349 --> 00:26:06,590 You know, isn't that what a lot of times anxiety is? 639 00:26:06,590 --> 00:26:09,350 Anxiety is about something that hasn't happened, but we expect 640 00:26:09,350 --> 00:26:11,390 it to happen the way that we say it's going to happen. 641 00:26:11,630 --> 00:26:12,990 At least that's for me in my life. 642 00:26:12,990 --> 00:26:14,510 I'm like, I know it's going to happen. 643 00:26:14,510 --> 00:26:16,990 This is what someone's going to say, and this is what someone's 644 00:26:16,990 --> 00:26:17,270 going to do. 645 00:26:17,270 --> 00:26:18,910 And then I'm going to end up being in this problem. 646 00:26:19,150 --> 00:26:20,500 And it hasn't even happened yet. 647 00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:23,620 I had a situation, a couple, I think it was like about a week ago 648 00:26:23,860 --> 00:26:25,380 that I was just really stressed about. 649 00:26:25,380 --> 00:26:26,780 And I thought, man, you know what? 650 00:26:26,780 --> 00:26:28,780 This is going to happen and this person's going to do this. 651 00:26:28,780 --> 00:26:30,220 And I was so stressed about it. 652 00:26:30,220 --> 00:26:31,860 I was worried my whole day. 653 00:26:31,860 --> 00:26:33,060 I was just thinking about it. 654 00:26:33,060 --> 00:26:33,740 And you know what? 655 00:26:33,740 --> 00:26:34,780 It never even happened. 656 00:26:34,780 --> 00:26:35,339 It just never. 657 00:26:35,339 --> 00:26:36,260 It just all felt. 658 00:26:36,260 --> 00:26:38,500 I just had all this imaginary stuff in my mind. 659 00:26:38,580 --> 00:26:40,740 Well, that's what we see really happening with Saul here. 660 00:26:41,060 --> 00:26:43,860 Therefore said I, the Philistines will come down now upon 661 00:26:43,860 --> 00:26:44,950 me to Gilgal and. 662 00:26:45,020 --> 00:26:47,100 And I have not made supplication unto the Lord. 663 00:26:48,140 --> 00:26:50,900 And, and he says, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord. 664 00:26:50,900 --> 00:26:54,300 I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 665 00:26:54,940 --> 00:26:55,460 Right there. 666 00:26:55,460 --> 00:26:57,580 We see it right there. 667 00:26:57,660 --> 00:27:00,700 We, we understand what's happening. 668 00:27:01,019 --> 00:27:01,500 He, he. 669 00:27:01,500 --> 00:27:02,700 He basically says this. 670 00:27:02,860 --> 00:27:05,500 We saw the Philistines. 671 00:27:05,500 --> 00:27:07,180 They definitely were going to come. 672 00:27:07,740 --> 00:27:11,680 If he would have just obeyed God and trusted the Lord, he would 673 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,760 have seen that God would have had them, that God would take care 674 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,040 of them and he could have made. 675 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:19,520 Why didn't he make supplication to the Lord? 676 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,240 He says, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord. 677 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:26,720 And so he admits there, he admits that he didn't cry out to 678 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:27,120 the Lord. 679 00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:30,400 He didn't ask God if he would have said here, if Scripture would 680 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,040 have said that Saul went to the Lord and Saul called him to do 681 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,320 this, then that would be a whole other Bible story. 682 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,630 But what we see here is that he didn't go to the Lord. 683 00:27:37,630 --> 00:27:38,910 He didn't petition God. 684 00:27:38,910 --> 00:27:40,950 He didn't ask for God's guidance and help. 685 00:27:41,350 --> 00:27:44,670 He says, I didn't go to the Lord. 686 00:27:44,670 --> 00:27:47,910 I didn't ask him for the wisdom and the guidance. 687 00:27:48,230 --> 00:27:52,670 Then I forced myself, therefore, I compelled myself, therefore, 688 00:27:52,670 --> 00:27:54,070 and offered a burnt offering. 689 00:27:54,710 --> 00:27:56,150 What does he basically say here? 690 00:27:56,550 --> 00:27:57,750 He says, I didn't go to God. 691 00:27:57,750 --> 00:27:58,870 And I felt like I had to. 692 00:27:59,270 --> 00:28:00,630 Felt like this was the only decision. 693 00:28:01,270 --> 00:28:02,590 And that's what Satan does to us. 694 00:28:02,590 --> 00:28:05,660 Satan and wants the boxes in a corner and make us think that the 695 00:28:05,660 --> 00:28:08,060 only decision is the bad decision and we've got to do it. 696 00:28:08,540 --> 00:28:10,140 And that's exactly what we see here. 697 00:28:10,140 --> 00:28:13,660 It just seems, it just seemed to him, it felt to him like it was 698 00:28:13,660 --> 00:28:14,620 the right thing to do. 699 00:28:15,820 --> 00:28:21,140 Even though Saul felt compelled, he was like, like any 700 00:28:21,140 --> 00:28:25,020 of us we're not supposed to be ruled by our feelings, our fears, 701 00:28:25,820 --> 00:28:26,860 our concerns. 702 00:28:28,140 --> 00:28:29,420 He didn't have to sin. 703 00:28:29,570 --> 00:28:30,010 We know that. 704 00:28:30,010 --> 00:28:30,530 All of us. 705 00:28:30,530 --> 00:28:31,810 We never have to sin. 706 00:28:31,810 --> 00:28:35,330 The Bible says in First Corinthians, chapter 10, that we 707 00:28:35,330 --> 00:28:36,690 don't have to give into the sin. 708 00:28:36,690 --> 00:28:37,970 God gives us a way out. 709 00:28:38,130 --> 00:28:40,410 We have the opportunity to seek after the Lord. 710 00:28:40,410 --> 00:28:43,770 And he is always willing and ready to give us the wisdom and discernment 711 00:28:43,770 --> 00:28:46,690 to overcome the difficulty that is before us. 712 00:28:47,170 --> 00:28:47,930 But he doesn't. 713 00:28:47,930 --> 00:28:49,450 I think verse 12 is so telling. 714 00:28:49,450 --> 00:28:51,770 In the character of Saul, he says, I didn't go after the Lord. 715 00:28:51,770 --> 00:28:54,610 I didn't make a supplication unto him. 716 00:28:54,770 --> 00:28:56,530 I just forced myself to do this. 717 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:58,200 Verse 13. 718 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:02,440 And Samuel said to Saul, thou has done foolishly. 719 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:04,360 Those are some hard words. 720 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:06,440 No one wants to be called a fool. 721 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:10,000 I mean, none of us want to be called a fool. 722 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:12,520 And the Bible says the fool has said in his heart there is no 723 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:12,920 God. 724 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:17,800 And so really, the idea of being a fool in the biblical sense 725 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,680 is not someone who is just unintelligent. 726 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:22,510 Okay, that's not what that's talking about here. 727 00:29:23,220 --> 00:29:25,780 He's basically saying this to Saul. 728 00:29:26,180 --> 00:29:28,980 Saul, you're acting like someone who doesn't believe in God, 729 00:29:29,620 --> 00:29:29,940 Right? 730 00:29:29,940 --> 00:29:31,940 The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. 731 00:29:32,020 --> 00:29:34,500 You're acting in your life as if there is no God. 732 00:29:34,500 --> 00:29:37,220 You have a God that is protecting you. 733 00:29:37,220 --> 00:29:39,060 You have a God who's providing for you. 734 00:29:39,060 --> 00:29:41,500 You have a God who brought your people out of Egypt. 735 00:29:41,500 --> 00:29:43,580 You have a God who part of the Red Sea. 736 00:29:43,580 --> 00:29:47,340 You have a God who did all of these amazing things, but yet you're 737 00:29:47,340 --> 00:29:48,980 acting like he won't listen to you. 738 00:29:48,980 --> 00:29:50,420 You're acting like he's not there. 739 00:29:51,180 --> 00:29:53,500 And so he says, you have acted foolishly. 740 00:29:53,980 --> 00:29:56,700 Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, 741 00:29:57,180 --> 00:29:58,620 which he commanded thee. 742 00:29:59,180 --> 00:30:02,380 For now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel 743 00:30:02,380 --> 00:30:02,940 forever. 744 00:30:03,180 --> 00:30:04,620 This is some serious stuff. 745 00:30:04,620 --> 00:30:05,740 It basically says this. 746 00:30:05,740 --> 00:30:10,220 You've missed out on the big blessing of having your family, your. 747 00:30:10,300 --> 00:30:13,220 Your kingdom established in Israel forever. 748 00:30:13,220 --> 00:30:16,740 Saul had the opportunity to have his family line be the line 749 00:30:16,740 --> 00:30:17,260 of kings. 750 00:30:17,260 --> 00:30:20,420 But yet, because of his disobedience, because of his selfish 751 00:30:20,420 --> 00:30:23,660 heart, because of his pride, because of his fear, because of his 752 00:30:23,660 --> 00:30:27,300 anxiety, it says here that he loses the opportunity to have the 753 00:30:27,300 --> 00:30:28,540 kingdom in his family name. 754 00:30:29,260 --> 00:30:31,260 And we're going to see where that is going to go. 755 00:30:31,260 --> 00:30:34,300 In verse 14, he says, but now thy kingdom shall not continue. 756 00:30:35,260 --> 00:30:36,940 Now, right then and there, he could have. 757 00:30:37,180 --> 00:30:39,420 He could have just wiped Saul out And said, you're done. 758 00:30:39,420 --> 00:30:40,540 There's a new guy up. 759 00:30:40,860 --> 00:30:43,740 But isn't this the character of God, that he's still gracious 760 00:30:43,740 --> 00:30:47,710 and patient to allow Saul to continue on, to allow Saul for a 761 00:30:47,710 --> 00:30:52,070 sense of repentance, to allow Saul to have a place of redemption? 762 00:30:52,230 --> 00:30:55,190 He says, hey, look, you're done, but you're not really done 763 00:30:55,190 --> 00:30:56,150 in the concept of. 764 00:30:56,150 --> 00:30:57,430 He doesn't cut him off right there. 765 00:30:57,430 --> 00:31:00,230 We know that Saul is allowed to finish his. 766 00:31:00,470 --> 00:31:00,870 His. 767 00:31:01,350 --> 00:31:02,710 His kinghood, his. 768 00:31:02,870 --> 00:31:03,670 His leadership. 769 00:31:03,670 --> 00:31:06,390 But verse 14, he says, but now thy kingdom shall not continue. 770 00:31:06,710 --> 00:31:10,710 The Lord hath sought him, a man after his own heart. 771 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:13,840 Now we know who that's talking about. 772 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:17,560 We know that the next king is going to be a guy named David, a 773 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:21,440 young man named David, who is characterized as a man after God's 774 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:21,800 own heart. 775 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:22,560 Now, is. 776 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,640 Is David perfect? 777 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:24,960 No. 778 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:27,280 Is David completely obedient in every way? 779 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:27,560 No. 780 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:28,880 We're going to get into that study. 781 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:31,440 We're going to see that David made a lot of mistakes. 782 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:34,880 But the difference between Saul and David is not that one was 783 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,440 perfect and one was not perfect. 784 00:31:37,870 --> 00:31:41,310 The difference is, is that David was a man after God's own heart. 785 00:31:41,470 --> 00:31:43,630 Saul was not a man after God's heart. 786 00:31:43,630 --> 00:31:45,390 Saul was a man after his own heart. 787 00:31:45,630 --> 00:31:47,790 Saul was a man after the heart of the people. 788 00:31:47,790 --> 00:31:49,510 He wanted the people's approval. 789 00:31:49,510 --> 00:31:50,830 He wanted the people's praise. 790 00:31:50,910 --> 00:31:52,910 David was a man after God's own heart. 791 00:31:52,910 --> 00:31:56,510 So he says here, you missed it because your heart, not because of 792 00:31:56,510 --> 00:31:57,070 your actions. 793 00:31:57,070 --> 00:31:58,350 Your actions can be forgiven. 794 00:31:58,350 --> 00:31:59,390 You can be you. 795 00:31:59,390 --> 00:32:02,310 You can get to a place in your life to be broken and humble before 796 00:32:02,310 --> 00:32:03,310 the Lord and repent. 797 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:06,320 But God knew Saul's heart and knew that he did not have a heart 798 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:07,080 of repentance. 799 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:11,760 So verse 14, it says, I'm going to bring a man after my own 800 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:11,960 heart. 801 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,680 And the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, 802 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:17,560 because thou has not kept that which the Lord commanded thee. 803 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:22,320 So essentially what we see here is that Saul misses out on the 804 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:26,960 blessing because of his heart, because of his lack of desire to 805 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:28,440 honor God and to obey God. 806 00:32:30,450 --> 00:32:31,890 So we'll move forward a little bit here. 807 00:32:32,610 --> 00:32:36,370 It says in verse 15, and Samuel rose and got him up from Gilgalan 808 00:32:36,370 --> 00:32:36,890 to Gibbia. 809 00:32:36,890 --> 00:32:40,130 Benjamin and Saul numbered the people that were present with him, 810 00:32:40,130 --> 00:32:41,050 about 600 men. 811 00:32:41,050 --> 00:32:43,810 And Saul and Jonathan and his son Jonathan, his son. 812 00:32:43,810 --> 00:32:46,450 And the people that were present with them abode in Gibeah, 813 00:32:46,450 --> 00:32:46,970 Benjamin. 814 00:32:46,970 --> 00:32:49,010 But the Philistine encamped in Mikmash. 815 00:32:49,650 --> 00:32:52,570 So this is essentially painting the picture of what happened. 816 00:32:52,570 --> 00:32:56,530 Samuel proclaims God's judgment upon Saul and his whole 817 00:32:56,530 --> 00:32:57,090 household. 818 00:32:57,210 --> 00:32:59,960 And, and now there's going to be a description of the situation 819 00:32:59,960 --> 00:33:01,600 that they're going to be facing after this. 820 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:06,080 And so really, from verses 15 on down, we see the, the threat that 821 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:08,240 the Philistines are going to bring. 822 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:14,200 So, so because of the lack of Saul's faith, it affects the people 823 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:15,120 that he's leading. 824 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:15,880 Right? 825 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:19,520 If Saul would have been standing in the faith of the Lord, 826 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:22,600 he would have been able to see the protection of God not only upon 827 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,370 his own family, but, but upon the whole people that he's leading. 828 00:33:25,450 --> 00:33:26,890 And that goes for us in our life. 829 00:33:26,890 --> 00:33:29,970 The, the decisions that we make in faith will definitely impact 830 00:33:29,970 --> 00:33:32,850 those around us, but the decisions that we make in fear and 831 00:33:32,850 --> 00:33:35,810 anxiety and hopelessness are also going to affect the people around 832 00:33:35,810 --> 00:33:36,930 us in a negative fashion. 833 00:33:36,930 --> 00:33:39,649 So there's the, the, the physical threat that we see here 834 00:33:39,649 --> 00:33:40,490 in the Philistines. 835 00:33:40,730 --> 00:33:44,050 But also we do know that because of our lack of faith, there's 836 00:33:44,050 --> 00:33:46,090 spiritual threats that we can face in our life. 837 00:33:46,970 --> 00:33:49,250 And so we're going to see here in verse number 17. 838 00:33:49,250 --> 00:33:52,050 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines. 839 00:33:52,050 --> 00:33:55,620 And three companies, one company turned unto the way that 840 00:33:55,620 --> 00:34:00,180 leadeth to Orfra, unto the land of Shual, and another company 841 00:34:00,180 --> 00:34:01,780 turned to the way of Beth Horan. 842 00:34:02,020 --> 00:34:05,060 And another company turned to the way of the border that look into 843 00:34:05,060 --> 00:34:07,300 the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 844 00:34:07,860 --> 00:34:11,060 And now we're going to see that as the Philistines come, the 845 00:34:11,060 --> 00:34:15,020 Philistines have really what we would see as military superiority 846 00:34:15,020 --> 00:34:17,540 over the people of Israel. 847 00:34:17,940 --> 00:34:20,289 And, and really, that's not, It's. 848 00:34:20,289 --> 00:34:23,409 It's not always what we have in the physical realm that's going 849 00:34:23,409 --> 00:34:24,089 to give us the victory. 850 00:34:24,089 --> 00:34:26,329 We know that as Christians, it's because of what God gives us 851 00:34:26,329 --> 00:34:29,329 in our spiritual riches and our spiritual weapons. 852 00:34:29,409 --> 00:34:32,769 But at the same time, if people are looking without faith, 853 00:34:32,769 --> 00:34:35,009 they're going to see all of these things that the Philistines 854 00:34:35,009 --> 00:34:37,249 have, and there's going to be great fear and there's going to be 855 00:34:37,249 --> 00:34:38,049 great anxiety. 856 00:34:38,049 --> 00:34:39,249 So let's move forward a little bit here. 857 00:34:39,249 --> 00:34:41,729 We're going to finish the end of the chapter, verse 19. 858 00:34:41,809 --> 00:34:44,009 We're going to see for the rest of this time all the different 859 00:34:44,009 --> 00:34:45,590 things that they're facing now. 860 00:34:45,590 --> 00:34:48,110 There was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel. 861 00:34:48,670 --> 00:34:51,230 For the Philistines said, lest the Hebrews make them swords and 862 00:34:51,230 --> 00:34:51,550 spears. 863 00:34:51,550 --> 00:34:54,150 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen 864 00:34:54,150 --> 00:34:57,150 every Manish snare in his culture and his ax and his mattock. 865 00:34:57,470 --> 00:35:00,470 Yet they had a file for the Maddox and, and for the Coulters 866 00:35:00,470 --> 00:35:02,670 and for the forks and for the axes and for the sharpening of the 867 00:35:02,670 --> 00:35:02,910 goat. 868 00:35:02,910 --> 00:35:03,630 So it became. 869 00:35:03,710 --> 00:35:06,510 So it came to pass in the day of the battle that there was neither 870 00:35:06,510 --> 00:35:09,910 sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were 871 00:35:09,910 --> 00:35:10,960 with Saul and Jonathan. 872 00:35:11,590 --> 00:35:15,870 We see that they're so overwhelmingly under matched when 873 00:35:15,870 --> 00:35:18,510 it comes to their spears and swords. 874 00:35:18,510 --> 00:35:20,950 But with the Saul and Jonathan, his son was there found 875 00:35:21,030 --> 00:35:24,350 and the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage 876 00:35:24,350 --> 00:35:25,190 of Mikmash. 877 00:35:25,510 --> 00:35:28,510 So we get to this place where we're like, okay, wow, it looks completely 878 00:35:28,510 --> 00:35:29,030 hopeless. 879 00:35:29,190 --> 00:35:32,630 It looks completely like God is going to give up on his people. 880 00:35:33,270 --> 00:35:38,270 And there were so few weapons available for the, is the Israelite 881 00:35:38,270 --> 00:35:40,790 army that really it was only the leadership, the royal family 882 00:35:40,870 --> 00:35:42,510 that had enough weapons. 883 00:35:42,510 --> 00:35:46,150 And so really the rest of Israel had to just find something 884 00:35:46,230 --> 00:35:47,110 to fight with. 885 00:35:47,590 --> 00:35:51,310 And so it was bad enough that they were outnumbered, but now we 886 00:35:51,310 --> 00:35:53,510 see that the Philistines have way more weapons. 887 00:35:54,230 --> 00:35:57,190 And so at this point in time, we're going to get to First Samuel, 888 00:35:57,190 --> 00:35:57,709 chapter 14. 889 00:35:57,709 --> 00:35:59,070 We're going to have to stop for this evening. 890 00:35:59,070 --> 00:36:02,230 But we're going to really see a place in which Israelites have 891 00:36:02,230 --> 00:36:03,830 nowhere to turn other than God. 892 00:36:03,990 --> 00:36:06,110 I mean, the only victory that they're going to be able to find 893 00:36:06,110 --> 00:36:06,750 is through the Lord. 894 00:36:06,750 --> 00:36:09,490 And they would have to trust in God for this battle. 895 00:36:09,490 --> 00:36:10,930 And this is where God brings us. 896 00:36:10,930 --> 00:36:14,610 Even, even in the midst of our struggles and our battles, God always 897 00:36:14,610 --> 00:36:17,490 needs to bring us to a place where we can't turn anywhere else 898 00:36:17,490 --> 00:36:18,170 other than Him. 899 00:36:18,650 --> 00:36:20,730 And oftentimes we don't want to get to this place. 900 00:36:21,130 --> 00:36:23,650 You know, sometimes you hear the people talk about rock bottom 901 00:36:23,650 --> 00:36:26,010 and we're not necessarily talking about rock bottom as it comes 902 00:36:26,010 --> 00:36:27,130 to different things in our life. 903 00:36:27,130 --> 00:36:29,530 But what we do need to understand is that as a Christian, 904 00:36:30,410 --> 00:36:34,330 it's the wisest thing is to get to this place as soon as possible. 905 00:36:34,570 --> 00:36:37,050 Because if God needs to break us down, he will. 906 00:36:37,050 --> 00:36:39,570 So the place where we realize that the only thing that we can do 907 00:36:39,570 --> 00:36:42,850 and the only place that we can rest in, the only place we can find 908 00:36:42,850 --> 00:36:43,530 victory is Him. 909 00:36:43,530 --> 00:36:46,250 And I can look to situations in my own life for that. 910 00:36:46,330 --> 00:36:51,090 I can tell you that I, I talk about it a lot because it was a pretty 911 00:36:51,090 --> 00:36:53,810 traumatic night for us in one day. 912 00:36:53,810 --> 00:36:56,530 In the future, I, I want to give the whole testimony of the night 913 00:36:56,530 --> 00:36:57,570 that Silas was born. 914 00:36:57,570 --> 00:37:01,570 Because there was a lot that transpired in, in that night, I can 915 00:37:01,570 --> 00:37:02,010 tell you. 916 00:37:02,010 --> 00:37:02,890 There was a. 917 00:37:03,670 --> 00:37:07,270 So leading up to that night, for whatever reason, I got like, 918 00:37:07,270 --> 00:37:08,510 I don't know what happened to me. 919 00:37:08,510 --> 00:37:12,790 It was way before Silas was born, but I, I passed out. 920 00:37:12,790 --> 00:37:15,150 And someone was like, yeah, yeah, you passed out when your child 921 00:37:15,150 --> 00:37:15,710 was being born. 922 00:37:15,710 --> 00:37:17,070 No, I had another two kids born. 923 00:37:17,070 --> 00:37:17,710 I didn't pass out. 924 00:37:17,710 --> 00:37:18,670 There was something going on. 925 00:37:18,670 --> 00:37:20,470 No one knows what happened, but I passed out. 926 00:37:20,550 --> 00:37:21,430 I hit my head. 927 00:37:21,510 --> 00:37:23,950 I was in the emergency room while my wife was laboring. 928 00:37:23,950 --> 00:37:25,350 There was all this stress going on. 929 00:37:25,350 --> 00:37:27,470 And then, of course, some of you know the story about Silas being 930 00:37:27,470 --> 00:37:27,710 born. 931 00:37:27,710 --> 00:37:30,910 And it was, it was really one of the first times in my life that 932 00:37:30,910 --> 00:37:35,860 I just sat back and I said, okay, Lord, you obviously, I can't 933 00:37:35,860 --> 00:37:36,700 do anything right now. 934 00:37:36,700 --> 00:37:38,780 I, I, I am just totally undone. 935 00:37:38,780 --> 00:37:40,460 I'm putting it into your hands. 936 00:37:40,700 --> 00:37:44,300 And, and that was in the moment, as, as fearful as that was, 937 00:37:44,860 --> 00:37:47,820 it was the most freeing moment to just say, lord, you are in control. 938 00:37:48,300 --> 00:37:50,620 And, and he's the one who can control our lives. 939 00:37:50,620 --> 00:37:53,380 Because really, the reality of all of it is, and I think we all 940 00:37:53,380 --> 00:37:55,940 know this is that as much as we think that we're in control, we're 941 00:37:55,940 --> 00:37:57,830 really never, ever in control. 942 00:37:58,230 --> 00:38:01,030 It's always God in control, and we have to just relinquish that. 943 00:38:01,030 --> 00:38:02,430 And so that's where we're coming to. 944 00:38:02,430 --> 00:38:05,110 Jonathan's going to have a plan, and we're going to look at 945 00:38:05,110 --> 00:38:06,070 that plan. 946 00:38:06,070 --> 00:38:10,110 And ultimately, we do know that God is so gracious and merciful 947 00:38:10,110 --> 00:38:13,790 to his people that even as their leader is disobedient, God 948 00:38:13,790 --> 00:38:15,790 still brings forth victory. 949 00:38:15,790 --> 00:38:18,550 And, and that's what he does for us, even in our disobedience. 950 00:38:18,790 --> 00:38:20,630 He extends grace and mercy. 951 00:38:20,710 --> 00:38:23,150 And so we'll talk more about that when we come back next week 952 00:38:23,150 --> 00:38:24,950 when we look at 1st Samuel, chapter 14. 953 00:38:25,940 --> 00:38:27,420 But may we not be like Saul? 954 00:38:27,420 --> 00:38:30,420 May we go back and say, you know, are there points in our life 955 00:38:30,420 --> 00:38:31,780 that I'm struggling with patience? 956 00:38:32,420 --> 00:38:33,620 Not, not passiveness. 957 00:38:33,620 --> 00:38:34,660 Because passiveness is. 958 00:38:34,660 --> 00:38:37,020 You know, we look at some people and we say, wow, they're just 959 00:38:37,020 --> 00:38:37,860 so patient. 960 00:38:38,100 --> 00:38:39,060 Really, they're just passive. 961 00:38:39,060 --> 00:38:39,860 They don't do anything. 962 00:38:39,860 --> 00:38:40,260 Okay? 963 00:38:40,260 --> 00:38:43,140 You can never be accused of doing anything wrong if you never 964 00:38:43,140 --> 00:38:44,220 do anything, okay? 965 00:38:44,220 --> 00:38:45,340 But there's sin in that. 966 00:38:45,340 --> 00:38:45,580 There's. 967 00:38:45,580 --> 00:38:47,220 There's sin in being passive. 968 00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:49,180 And so we're not talking about passiveness. 969 00:38:49,180 --> 00:38:50,900 Like, I'm so afraid I just won't do anything. 970 00:38:51,430 --> 00:38:54,870 But there is a sense of not acting ahead of God and being patient. 971 00:38:54,870 --> 00:38:56,630 And then when he says go, then go. 972 00:38:57,190 --> 00:38:59,750 It's that idea of, I'm ready to go, Lord. 973 00:38:59,750 --> 00:39:01,230 But it's when you tell me to go. 974 00:39:01,230 --> 00:39:02,470 It's when you let me loose. 975 00:39:02,470 --> 00:39:04,630 It's when you tell me to start working and moving. 976 00:39:05,110 --> 00:39:07,910 I can tell you there's a lot of times in my life that if I would 977 00:39:07,910 --> 00:39:11,190 have just been a little bit more patient, God would have blessed. 978 00:39:11,190 --> 00:39:13,030 And there's a lot of times in my life that I. 979 00:39:13,110 --> 00:39:13,990 That praise God. 980 00:39:13,990 --> 00:39:14,830 I have impatient. 981 00:39:14,830 --> 00:39:16,390 And I'm so thankful that I was. 982 00:39:16,980 --> 00:39:20,140 I'm so thankful that I, I waited and I didn't rush ahead and 983 00:39:20,140 --> 00:39:22,740 do something that was not part of God's plan for my life. 984 00:39:23,060 --> 00:39:25,900 And, and I think that that's a lesson that we could learn here from 985 00:39:25,900 --> 00:39:27,300 the life of, of Saul. 986 00:39:27,300 --> 00:39:31,220 But what I, what I think we could boil it all down to is what 987 00:39:31,220 --> 00:39:36,300 we see there when God says to Saul through Samuel that he's picking 988 00:39:36,300 --> 00:39:37,860 someone after his own heart. 989 00:39:38,900 --> 00:39:41,740 May we be those people that, you know, the reality is, is that 990 00:39:41,740 --> 00:39:44,320 my, my heart should be tied to what does God want from me? 991 00:39:44,630 --> 00:39:46,310 Not, not, not what I want. 992 00:39:46,790 --> 00:39:49,870 And then God just bless it or not what other people want from me. 993 00:39:49,870 --> 00:39:52,070 Because that's a lot of times, sometimes I get wrapped up in that. 994 00:39:52,390 --> 00:39:54,710 You know, I don't want what I want, but I want to make sure everyone 995 00:39:54,710 --> 00:39:55,910 else around me is happy. 996 00:39:56,070 --> 00:39:58,870 Then when I do that, that sounds good. 997 00:39:59,190 --> 00:40:01,750 But ultimately, if I'm making other people happy and not making 998 00:40:01,750 --> 00:40:03,270 God happy, I'm not doing the right thing. 999 00:40:03,430 --> 00:40:06,510 I must first and foremost please the One who created me and 1000 00:40:06,510 --> 00:40:09,710 the One who saves me, and then from there deal with the situations 1001 00:40:09,710 --> 00:40:10,710 that fall out from that. 1002 00:40:11,230 --> 00:40:14,350 And so that's something to think about as well in that lesson. 1003 00:40:15,310 --> 00:40:17,870 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1004 00:40:17,870 --> 00:40:18,510 podcast. 1005 00:40:18,750 --> 00:40:21,070 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1006 00:40:21,790 --> 00:40:24,070 If you would like to find out more information about our church 1007 00:40:24,070 --> 00:40:27,550 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1008 00:40:27,790 --> 00:40:30,350 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1009 00:40:31,150 --> 00:40:35,590 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaroiddletownbaptistchurch 1010 00:40:35,590 --> 00:40:39,990 dot com if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1011 00:40:39,990 --> 00:40:42,830 along for future podcast and updates. 1012 00:40:43,470 --> 00:40:44,430 Thank you so much. 1013 00:40:44,670 --> 00:40:45,390 God bless. 1014 00:40:45,630 --> 00:40:46,910 Have a wonderful day.