Forgiveness
Wed 17-07-2019
topic: Forgiveness & Fasting
When we read 1 Samuel 13:1-15 we read how Saul was battling filled with good courage and how he gained victory. Then Samuel the prophet delivered a message to Saul, that he should wait upon the Lord for 7 days. This was the agreement he had made.
Saul did what he was told, but how did he do it? He didn’t looked up to God, he didn’t prayed, neither praised Him.
During those 7 days he kept looking at his circumstances. He looked upon how afraid and impatiently his men were. How they were shaken and started slowly walking away. He was thinking about the mighty army of the Philistines and how they could attack at any moment. He was thinking; what is keeping Samuel?
This resulted him in taking matters into his own hands and making the decision to break the agreement with Samuel ( and so also with God).
Prayer points: Maybe you were in a situation where God told you to wait upon Him. How did you corresponded? With anger, annoyed, sarcastic, bitterness, or just like Job; you wanted to teach God a lesson, because you knew better than Him and went your own way.
1. Think about the situation (quietly, in the presence of God). What did God told you? Upon what should you wait?
2. Think about your behavior, your thoughts towards God,your emotions, your frustrations.
3. Now all your emotions, your behavior, confess it to God and ask for forgiveness.Let your behavior resemble David. He threw himself upon God, continually seeking His guidance.
Bible reading. (KJV)
1 Samuel 13
1. Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
2. Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
3. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
4. And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5. And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
6. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
7. And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8. And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
11. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
12. Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
14. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
15. And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
2 Samuel 2
1. And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
2 Samuel 5
19. And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
20. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
21. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
22. And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
24. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
25. And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
