Reading
SAA Notes
In God’s grace, a link is formed in all the tragedy between the people of Jabesh Gilead and the Tribe of Benjamin. This becomes important later in Saul’s time. Most of the population of Jabesh Gilead apparently escaped, as the history related in 1 Samuel 11 testifies. The refrain in these two stories is: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” Lawlessness destroys. The people need a Messiah!
SJA Notes
* Loving God, You are great and greatly to be praised, in Your city, Your holy mountain – the joy of all the earth.
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Again the lesson is hammered home in this passage – Religion without the Holy Spirit is useless, broken and fractured.
Israel wanted to do something good for Benjamin, they didn’t want their brother tribe to die out (although had sworn a foolish oath which meant they weren’t going to help them out personally).
We see the Lord works good through terrible human solutions.
But they are terrible solutions.
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
We need something better than our own eyes. We need someone who does what is right and tells us what the right thing to do.
More, we need a king that will be our King.
As always, the answer is Jesus.
We can be thankful that in Jesus we have a king who always does what is right.
We can follow Him, doing what He tells us, His Spirit living within us – Making our dead hearts alive.
So that we do what is right in God’s eyes, not our own.
Hallelujah, what a King we have!
* Father God Above,
Thank You that as with Israel so with us – That You work good for Your people, even through the bad and terrible decision we make.
Please refine us each day, make us more like Jesus.
Amen.