Samuel’s Challenge to Saul

23 August 2022
Samuel’s Challenge to Saul

Bible Reading

• 1 Samuel 12
• Psalm 26
• Psalm 27

Devotional Thoughts
Read 1 Samuel 12:14-15, 21, 25
What was Samuel’s challenge to Saul, after appointing him king?

• Fear the Lord. Serve him and obey his voice
• If you will follow your God, it will go well with you
• Do not turn aside after empty things… only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart
• Consider what great things he has done for you.

How did Saul do with those things? What about Israel? Reading the next 10 chapters or so of 1 Samuel shows that Saul did not do very well and living these things out. And subsequently, the people of Israel followed their leader, and also did not follow these instructions.

But, although Samuel did not give these instructions to David, lets look at a couple Psalms of David and see how he did with these things. (Psalm 26-27) There are more examples throughout the Psalms of David’s committment to God, but these were the chapters I read the morning I read 1 Sam 12.

What commitments does David make? How do they line up with Samuel’s instructions to Israel and their kings?

• Samuel’s instruction: “Fear the Lord, and serve him and obey his voice…” David’s committment:
  • Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall i fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
  • Ps 26:11 As for me, I will walk in my integrity;
• Samuel’s instruction: “If you and your king will follow your God, it will be well…” David’s committmen
  • Psalm 27:8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord do I seek.”
  • Ps 26:3 your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness
• Samuel’s instruction: “Do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty…. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart.” David’s Committment
  • Ps 27:4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
  • Ps 26:3 your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness
• Samuel’s instruction: “consider what great things he has done for you.” David’s committment
  • Ps 26:6b-7 I go around your altar proclaiming aloud and telling all your wondrous deeds.

David had an incredible relationship with God. Yes, there were times when he got distracted and turned aside to “empty things” (17:21). But, he made intentional choices to pursue the Lord, to focus on what God had done, and to walk according to what God had said.

What a great example for us to follow. May we seek to live like David did, and not Saul.