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1Samuel 1 - 31

Synominous to the story of Rachel who also couldn't have a child, Hannah prayed to the Lord and decided to concencrate the child to be nazarene. So Samuel grew up in the temple of the Lord. Given a vision from God, he was aks (at a young age) to tell Eli about the calamities that are about to happen upon his family.
At the time the Philistines ruled over Israel (what's new) and they captured the ark. But God being a God that honours his word, struck down the philistines for dishonouring God to the point of performing a burnt offering and take the ark back where it belonged.

Israel asks for a King and anoints Saul. What's weird is that in Deut 17, the king needed to be chosen by God and noone else. This was the case with Saul. He started off so valiently and freed his nation of their enenmies. Then he gets rebuked for making an offering to the Lord without proper consultation with Samuel. The issue of pride and arrogance started as he didn't show remorse and begged for forgiveness from God.
Jonathan rises up and a courageous and bold man (with the help of his armourbearer) and causes confusion (with God's help) amongsts the Philistines. Saul gets jealous and almost kills his own son, due to his pride of wanting everybody to obey him. Eventually Saul gets rejected by God for his lacking to honour the Word of God. For Saul even thought he had done the right thing revealing the extent of his pride and arrogance.
But to God, "Obedience is better than sacrifice". And the Lord and grieved for makinhg Saul king. Eventhough God knew this from the beginning, it needed to happen for our own benefit eventhough God hurt in the process.

God "discipled" Samuel on what to see when choosing a king. The same mistake was to be repeated with the anointing of David. For God looks at the heart. Again, the contrast between Bethlehem (in Judah) and Benjamin is made almost to show the power of good and evil as David was from Judah (and so was Jesus).
Saul was full of an evil spirit. This is what happens when you turn away from God. Your life becomes.
God, who trains us through the smallest acts, prepares us for bigger things. David had gained faith and confidence in God's deliverance and with that went to fight against Goliath. But because of that, Saul became jealous as previously with his own son Jonathan. You can't help but think Saul had mental problems and insecurities.

Jonathan and David became best of friends. A true sign a friendship is shown here which is unrivalled in the whole bible. They even made a covenant. David's success caused Saul to contemplate how to kill David to the point where he would make David his son in lawin the hope that the bride price would have him murdered. Jonathan warned David about Saul's obsession. David fled and escaped.

Saul's men (who wanted to kill David) were evangelized by them starting to prophesying as the spirit came over them. This shows the power of God. That he will continue to protect his people. Jonathan protects David and reassures him. They even wept with each other.

David went to the priest and was in a period of weakness and lied and ate concentrated bread for him and his men. David saw he was in danger and started acting like a mad man and a foaming mouth. Anything to get away! Saul kills the priests and the whole town (including women and children).

Saul searched for David in the desert. David ambushed him but didn't kill him and spared his life showing compassion and reverence for the one God had appointed. Abigail comes as a peacemaker on behalf of her master. David was amazed with her faith and courage. Nabal died and David was glad God avenged him. David realized that God was the one to avenge and the only thing he had to do is wait on Him.

David thought to escape to the land of the Philistines because of Saul. For surely Saul was a stubborn king with no fear of God.

Saul goes and sees a Sorcerer. The lowest point of Saul's life. Complete turnout away from God and his commands.

David's family was captured and he wept aloud by one of the servant that was left along a road. David showed his fairness by allowing the men that had stayed behind because they were tired and allowed them to share in the loot from the victory. For it is God who gave them victory so everyone must share in it. This lesson is very hard to learn even today.

Saul was killed by his amourbearer as God's prophecy came true about his whole family. For God is not a liar that he shall go back on His word.

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