John Paul Stanley / YoPlace.com
Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT.
Today’s Reading
— 1 Chronicles 9:35-39
— 1 Samuel 13:1-5
— 1 Samuel 13:19-23
— 1 Samuel 13:6-18
— 1 Samuel 14:1-52
(1041 BC) Click here for a timeline of the entire Bible.
Questions & Observations
Q. (1 Chronicles 9:37): I should have asked this a while ago. Why is Jerusalem an important place? What is there and why?
A. There’s a lot of answers to this question, and it is quite clear even from Genesis 14 that Salem/Jerusalem was an important religious place. But, the answer to your question is likely that Jerusalem is the “high ground” in that area of Canaan. It would have been a very strategic place to control, and it will, of course, become the capital of the entire nation, and then the nation of Judah.
Q. (1 Samuel 13:14): This is confusing to me. Saul is saying that Samuel should have made a better choice, but God knew he would not be the one to lead Israel forever. So, why is Samuel surprised? God had not informed him that Saul was not the one? Or, because Saul failed, God sought someone else and found him? This is also reminiscent of Moses’ and Aaron’s missteps when they got water from a rock.
A. What Samuel is saying is that if Saul had been faithful, his DESCENDANTS would have ruled over the Israel forever. Saul’s failings caused God to reject his line, but not immediately his personal rule — that comes later. Note the way that Jonathan, Saul’s line, is actually the faithful one of the family, as this will play an important role in the subsequent story.
Q. (14:1-15): What do you say about Jonathan’s sideline battle?
A. Jonathan, unlike his father, sought the Lord’s guidance before acting. When God gave him the sign he was looking for, he went for it. As I mentioned, it will become clear that, for many reasons, Jonathan is a more faithful man of God than Saul is, which will make the subsequent events even more tragic.
Q. (14:15): Is it possible that our natural disasters today could be God’s responses to sin?
A. I personally do not think so — regardless of what Pat Robertson says. Generally, when God uses a natural disaster as a punishment, the ones who will “reap” the disaster are fully aware of what will happen to them, and what they are being punished for. I would say we would be hard pressed to prove such awareness today. To me, natural disaster is proof that we live in a fallen world, and it is a regular opportunity for God to call people back to Himself in the aftermath — rather than punish them for sins. See the difference?
Regardless of our position on such disasters, however, what Christians SHOULD be able to agree upon is that we should be willing to sacrifice and show God’s mercy to those who have suffered from these disasters. We should see things like hurricanes and earthquakes as opportunities to serve and share the Gospel, not as examples of God’s wrath.
O. (14:45): I’m glad this story didn’t end on a gruesome note. I like seeing the Israelites, as a whole body, support someone.
Q. (1 Samuel 14:49, 1 Chronicles 9:39): We have two different lists of sons of Saul here. Rob, can you explain that?
A. Saul clearly had four sons, as the Chronicler tells us. I don’t know why the last son is “left off” the chart, but it may have had to do with the children — male and female — who served in Saul’s court or council of advisors. Since this fourth son was not part of that council — he may have come from a different mother than the other children — he is not a part of Samuel’s list. We will see this other son in 2 Samuel, but I don’t want to spoil why.
Videos
— Does God punish us for sinning? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnsumg6piXI
— If God forgives us, then why are there still consequences for our sin? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6NEI6P2LgQ
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Tomorrow’s reading: 1 Samuel 15-17:31
