READING:
One-year plan: 1 Samuel 5-10
Two-year plan: Psalms 26-29, Romans 4:13-5:5
———
In the first part of today’s readings, God is the God who is so powerful that the Philistine god Dagon falls on his face before the ark of God, symbolizing that every power must bow before the true God, the one and only warrior for His people (1 Sam 5). It was that God again who “thundered loudly” against the Philistines and threw them into a panic in 1 Samuel 7:10-11.
Still, though, the Hebrews requested their own king in 1 Samuel 8. That request was itself not wrong as long as that king would fulfill God’s expectations in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. The problem was that they wanted a king (1) just so they could be like all the other nations and (2) so they would have someone to “go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Sam 8:20).
What they seemingly were ignoring was the truth God had already taught them: HE would be their warrior. When they sought a warrior-king, they were essentially dethroning God as their warrior, preferring instead to have a warrior they could see — one whose very presence would not require their faith.
As I teach this text around the world, I usually ask, “Why did the Hebrews want a king?” Almost invariably, people remember the first part — they wanted to be like all the nations — but they forget the second part — they wanted another warrior. Perhaps that’s because we’ve missed this point in general. We are so committed to fighting our own battles that we, too, choose to ignore the One who seeks to be our warrior.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Are you trusting God to fight your battles today?
DAILY PRAYER: “Father, You are our Warrior. Amen.”
TOMORROW’S READINGS:
One-year plan: 1 Samuel 11-14
Two-year plan: Psalms 30-31, Romans 5:6-21
MEMORIZATION VERSE (March 16-31):
“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col 3:17)
*first published in 2016
