King James Daily Bible Study: Right Thing Made Wrong
Date: Monday April 04, 2011
Chapters: I Samuel 12-14
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-april-4
Details of Today's Reading: Samuel’s proclamation of the kingdom, Samuel reminds the Israelites what God has done for them, the sign of thunder and rain, the self-will of Saul, his intrusion into the priests office, and Jonathan’s great victory over the Philistines.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
As Christians we all long to please God and follow His will, but if we are not careful we can change the right things into wrong things. There is a right and a wrong way to do everything, even when it comes to serving God. Yes, it is good to read the Bible, but if you are reading it while at church listening to a sermon, it is wrong. It is the right thing made wrong. “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” - James 1:26,27.

While all the other nations had an earthly king, Israel's king was God. However, the people never saw God as their king, demanding an earthly king like the rest of the nations. God fulfilled their request and sent them Saul, at first the people rejected him, but it did not take long, (I am sure it was because of something he did that was pleasing) for them to accept him as their king. Samuel talked to the people, reminding them who they chose to be their king, and that God was still the King, even over the king.

“Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.” - I Samuel 12:13-18.

At Samuel's word, God sent thunder and rain, at a season of the year when, in that country there would be none. He showed their error in desiring an earthly king to save them, rather than God, or Samuel through the power of God in prayer, reminding them that the king would only give them their anticipated deliverance if they would fear the Lord, and give up their rebellion against God. Fearing God does not mean to be afraid of Him, although some people should be afraid of God after what they have done to put Him to shame. However, fearing God means to acknowledge Him as God, respect Him, and listen to Him. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.

It did not take long before Saul, about a year, began serving God on his terms rather than God's. Saul was instructed to wait for Samuel to present an offering before God. Regardless of how much power a person had, no one was allowed to offer up an offering before God, except a priest, the priest had to offer it on the sinners behalf. However, Saul took things into his own hands by offering the offering to God himself.

“And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.” - I Samuel 13:9-14.

When Samuel confronted Saul about his sin, the first thing he did was make excuses as to why he went against God's command. He tried to justify himself in what he had done and gave no sign of repentance for it. Had Saul just confessed to God he probably would have allowed him to remain king, but that instant God sought a king who was after His own heart. God will forgive us and even help us get out of our messes, but unless we sincerely and humbly go before God He will not justify the sin. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” - James 4:6,7.

Once again we learn of Saul trying to do the right thing, making it wrong. The Israelites were in battle with the Philistines, Saul ordered the people to fast, including the army, if anyone ate during the fast he would be put to death. “And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food...And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. ” -I Samuel 14:24,26.

Saul's severe order was very unwise, it kept the men from being able to fight the Philistines the proper way. Ever try to do a hard job when you are tired and weak? Daily work cannot be done without daily bread, which God graciously gives to us. Saul was turning aside from God, along with building the altars, his eagerness was to serve the form of godliness, but he refused to do it the right way. He was not doing any of it to reach God, but to give himself glory. There are times when fasting is needed, but fasting is a time to be spent with God for His glory, not our own. “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” - Matthew 6:16-18.

When choosing to follow God with all our heart, soul, and mind we must look at the proper ways to do that, otherwise we are serving God in vain. If we want to truly have a loving, joyous, prosperous relationship with God we need to learn the right ways to do it. “Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” - Galatians 5:21-23.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through Samuel the intercessor (12:23). Jesus the intercessor for all who believe in Him. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” - Hebrews 7:25.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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