Read: 1 Samuel 6-10
To start, 1 Samuel was written by the prophet Samuel, along with contributions from various prophets, to the people of Israel to record their history and show God’s authority, leadership, and faithfulness as they moved from judges to kings. Also, the Saul we are reading about here is the Saul of the Old Testament, the first king of Israel. There are two important Sauls in the Bible. King Saul in the Old Testament, and Saul of Tarsus in the New Testament, who later becomes Paul. Two very different men with very different stories, but both used within God’s plan.
In chapter 6, we see the Ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory for seven months, and during that time the Philistines were struck with plagues. Tumors and even a rat infestation came over them, and they recognized that this was not random, it was the hand of God. They decided to return the Ark with a guilt offering, acknowledging what they had done. It really shows the importance of keeping holy what God considers holy. God is loving, but He is also holy, and there should be a level of respect and honor that comes with that.
In chapter 8, Israel demands a human king. This part makes me pause. They had God as their king, and yet they still wanted someone visible, someone human, someone like the other nations. It makes me think about how often we do the same thing. We say we trust God, but then still look for something, or someone, that we can see, control, or understand to put our confidence and trust in.
“But the people refused to listen to Samuel. ‘No,’ they said. ‘We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations.’” -1 Samuel 8:19-20
God allowed it, but He did warn them. People are flawed and we are all sinners. Putting full trust in another human will always fall short in some way. I do believe that structure and a level of authority matter. Because of the sin in this world, we need leadership, laws, and systems in place. We need order. Governments, courts, and leadership all exist because without them, things would fall into chaos. But even with those systems, things are not perfect, because they are run by imperfect people.
Without any kind of order, sin would take over completely. Things like greed, jealousy, and selfishness would run unchecked. Think of the purge movies for example. Something made up for Hollywood that I could see easily become a reality. It just shows how real the need is for both structure and, more importantly, for God. Because without Him, nothing truly holds.
In chapters 9 and 10, we see Saul being anointed as king. What stands out is that he does not even feel worthy of it. He questions how he could possibly be the one chosen. As most people seem to respond when God chooses them for His will.
“Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?” -1 Samuel 9:21
But that is the thing about God. He does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Saul may not have seen it in himself, but God chose him with purpose. I think that is something that some of us can relate to. Feeling unqualified, overlooked, or not enough. Know that if God has called you to something, He will equip you for it. He will make a way. The key to that is that you must listen to and obey God. Of course, we know that Saul eventually disobeys the Lord; but again, we are all flawed sinners and he was no exception.
As a mom, this is something I think about for my kids. I want them to grow up knowing that their identity is not in what the world says about them, but in what God says. That even if they feel small or unsure, God can still use them in big ways. I want them to trust God’s voice over the noise around them, and to know that being chosen by Him matters more than being accepted by the world.
Discussion Questions
- Do you ever find yourself putting more trust in a political party, a judicial system, or any form of human law and order than in the Lord your God?
- How do you find yourself responding when God calls you into something that feels substantial?
- How can you teach your children (nieces, nephews, grandchildren) to find their identity in God instead of in the world?
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A Note from the Author
Hello everyone,
I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about the Bible verse studies, devotionals, and prayers that I put together. While I strive to offer meaningful insights and reflections, it’s important to clarify that I am not a trained or licensed biblical professional. My goal is not to provide expert theological advice but to share my personal knowledge, beliefs, and experiences as I read and reflect on the Holy Bible.
The insights I offer come from my own understanding and spiritual journey. I approach these reflections with the intention of sharing what personally resonates with me, what I’ve learned through my own study of Scripture, and what the Holy Spirit is sharing through me. I hope these thoughts are helpful and encouraging, but they are based on my personal perspective rather than formal theological training.
This specific Bible study is based off the book A Beautiful Year in the Bible The 52-Week Bible Study for Women by a series of wonderful authors Copyrighted by Alabaster Creative Inc. I do not own the rights to this book and am not claiming to. I am using the book to create my own version of the Bible in 365 days and continue to direct God’s word towards women, more specifically mothers.
Thank you for your understanding and for joining me in this journey of faith and reflection.
Blessings,
Maria Wilcoxon
*The header image is not mine and was taken from Pinterest
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