20/11/13

King Saul and his generation

1 Chronicles 9:43 - And Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.


1Chronicles 9:35-44 and 1 Chronicle 8:29-38 record the generations of Saul and it is rare that in the same book in the Bible a genealogy of a person is repeated. One may ask why that too a man who looks like one who failed as a representative of God?

One would understand Saul only by the relation between Saul and David, and the conversation between Saul and the spirit of Samuel.

David was a great Man of God who had an insight of spiritual things that is why even though he hated Saul yet he could not act his hate against him, instead loved him for there was something about Saul that David knew. We also read the Spirit (anointing) of God left Saul after God rejected Saul as king for disobeying Him. Yet we see David respected Saul as a Man of God and even though he got occasions to take his revenge and kill Saul, he refrained at the last moment. We also see the next chapter talks of the death of Saul and his sons in the battle field. When David came to know what they did with the body of Saul he got very angry and immediately got the person killed who claimed to be instrument in Saul's death. Also before this battle we read Saul tried to communicate with God directly and through people and failed on all fronts. In his desperation he tries to communicate with the spirit of Samuel (who is dead) to know God's will although knowing God had forbidden talking / communicating (even praying) to a dead persons (spirits). Saul himself had killed / chased people who would do witchcraft or communicate with spirits (human or evil spirits/fallen angels).

What David knew of Saul is confirmed by the spirit of Samuel. Even though Saul had disobeyed God and rejected by the Lord yet like the son in the parable of a prodigal son he turned to God at the last moments of his death and was saved. Samuel confirms this with Saul and tells him even though God would punish him with death for his wrong (trying to communicate with him after he had died) yet after he and his sons die they would be with Samuel. Now Samuel was a great Man of God in whom God was pleased and still was not in Heaven after death. None of us can go to Heaven after death until Judgment Day, after the Son of Man Jesus Christ judges us and finds us holding the Truth in us. It is then only He would cover us with His Righteousness and make us worthy to enter Heaven.

When we die we who believe in Christ / YHWH for Who He Is, go to sleep like Samuel in a spiritual level called Grave (which is lower than the level we dwell in, but above the level Hell). Even if we have the Truth in us or not, just by our belief we will be saved from Hell; only those who hold the Truth in them will pass Judgement Day and go to Heaven.

Yesterday the Lord spoke to us about having Him in us. Today He is telling us it is never late to turn to Him and be saved in Him. Like Saul even at the point of death we can turn to Him and be saved.

Jesus speaks in Matthew 7:21-23 there would be people who believe in Him and would do great and mighty wonders in His name. They would work hard for the Kingdom of God but yet because the Truth is not in them (do not do the Will of the Father) He denies them and does not allow them to enter Heaven.

I may sound harsh or my words frightful when I say 'it is better to die as an unbeliever than to know Christ and not have Him inside of us'. Those who reject Christ would go to Hell and suffer the sins in them, but those who know Christ and deny Him in their lives would be put in a place called Lake of Sulphur / Fire which is worse than Hell. This place one does not get punished for their sins but are punished for rejecting the Word of God / Truth and this punishment is worse than suffering Hell.



[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You forgive our ignorance and things that we do out of lack of knowledge, but after we know You and after You have revealed Yourself to us there is no excuse for us to reject You and your Word in our lives. Lord, although You are Love and seated on a Throne of Mercy, yet for You are Righteous You judge us and are fearful to those who reject You after all that You did for us. Lord, we pray your people understand believing in You is not about being Christian, but following You and having You in us is all about being Christian, and it is only those who believe in You are judged by You, other like Paul says are judged by themselves from the beginning...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
1 Chronicles 10:1-6
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.
4 Then said Saul to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell on it.
5 And when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

1 Samuel 31:1-6
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14
13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;
14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

2 Samuel 1:2-12
2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

1 Samuel 28:5-20
5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.
19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)