1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:08,959 Speaker 1: Ashtroth and serve the Lord only first Samuel seven four, 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: Dear Heavenly Father, to day is spring cleaning. To day 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: is the day that I'm taking inventory of what's in 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: my heart. And if there are any idols that I've 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: allowed to stay, idols like jealousy, unforgiveness, people pleasing, and 7 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: spiritual compromise. I break at the altar of your presence. 8 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: I confess that if I'm not in spiritual alignment, I 9 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: lose battles that you've already spoken victory over. However, the 10 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: days of losing battles because of idols are gone. I 11 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: decree and declare that my heart only longs for you 12 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: and your ways. I declare that I am sincd and 13 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: aligned with your ways. I will not fall to fear 14 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: when the clouds of trials descend upon me. I know, 15 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: like thunder, you will roll through my life and hand 16 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: victory to me. I declare that all fear, doubt, anxiety, 17 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: and worry will melt under the hand of the Almighty. 18 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: I will not look for any other king to rule 19 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: my life, but you lead me and guide me to 20 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: your desired outcome for my life in Jesus name. Amen. 21 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: Thanks for making prayer or priority in your life to 22 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: hear the Bible come to life. Stay tuned for the 23 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: Bible in a Year brought to you by Bible in 24 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: a Year dot com. Israel's return to God. In our 25 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: last story, we learned of God's victory over the Philistines 26 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: and his return to Israel. He plagued them with tumors 27 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: and made it known that he was the God above 28 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: all other gods. Now we see Israel turn away from 29 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: their old idolatry and pursue God with their whole heart. 30 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: Victory and prosperity follows them, but idolatry still creeps in 31 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: the darkness of their hearts. Inspired by the Book of 32 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 1: First Samuel, Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode 33 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: of the Bible in a Year. In yesterday's reading, we 34 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: heard about how God punished the Philistines judge them for 35 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: stealing the Ark and attempting to use God for their 36 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: own benefit. After being afflicted with terrible tumors in two 37 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: different cities, the terrified Philistines returned the Ark along with 38 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: guilt offerings to Israel. The people of God rejoiced and 39 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,399 Speaker 1: praised God for returning the arc to them. Today, we'll 40 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: hear how they turned back to God and try to 41 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: follow him with the integrity of their hearts. They will 42 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: sperienced prosperity and success in battle as long as they 43 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: remain committed to the Lord. But Israel is still plagued 44 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: by a desire to be like other nations. They will 45 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: insist on a king, despite God's promise to rule over them. 46 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: God will hear them and eventually give them what they want, 47 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: but they don't understand for what they are asking or 48 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: what they will receive. Let's listen now to today's story. 49 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: The Ark of the Covenant had been returned to Israel, 50 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: but the Philistine gods were not destroyed completely. Many Israelites 51 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: clung to many different gods. They kept idols in their 52 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: homes and used idol worship as an excuse to sin. 53 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: Samuel spoke to the people as a loving and strong leader. Listen, 54 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: he shouted among them. The crowd grew silent as they 55 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: listened to Samuel. They hung on every word he said. 56 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: Samuel spoke the word of God over the sea of people, saying, 57 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: if you truly to return to the Lord, direct your 58 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: hearts towards him, Pursue what is meaningful and good for 59 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: your souls. Serve Him only, and you will have victory 60 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: over the Philistines. So the people of Israel burned their 61 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: idols to Baal and Astrov. It was as if the 62 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: walls of Jericho crumbled in their own hearts. The heaviness 63 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: of their idol worship dissipated, and they began to worship 64 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: God freely once again. Samuel took the children of Israel 65 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: to Mispah to worship God. There they sang to him, 66 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: recounted his laws, and made sacrifices. However, the Philistine wolves 67 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: caught scent of their vulnerability and sought to attack Israel 68 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: while they were worshiping. The Philistine army gathered like storm 69 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: clouds across the valley below Mispah. They rolled through in 70 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: great numbers, and their battle cries could be heard only 71 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: a few miles away. The Philistines were in hot pursuit, 72 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: and the Israelites grew terrified. Their marshes shook the earth, 73 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: and the clanging of their armor pierced their ears. They 74 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: were fast approaching. If Israel had still been worshiping their idols, 75 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,679 Speaker 1: they would have fallen to their fear. Instead, they brought 76 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: their cries before God. They bowed before him and asked 77 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 1: Samuel to continue to pray and make sacrifices. Samuel took 78 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 1: a nursing lamb and raised it high for all to see. 79 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: Samuel drove a blade across its throat. The blood of 80 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: the lamb was shed before the people. Years ago, the 81 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: blood of a lamb was shed to cover the doorposts 82 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: in Egypt, and years before that, the blood of the 83 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: lamb was accepted by Abel before God. Deliverance followed the 84 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: blood of a lamb. The Philistines were close enough to 85 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: see the sweat on their brows and the glimmer of 86 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: their blades. As Samuel was sacrificing the lamb, the Lord 87 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: rolled into the valley like thunder, and a great boom 88 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: shook the earth and skies. Philistines fell in every direction, 89 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: and the people of Israel descended upon them like the 90 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: armies of Heaven. Their swords swayed through the confused Philistines, 91 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: and victory was handed to Israel on a silver platter 92 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: by God. The Philistine army, once terrifying and powerful, melted 93 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: underneath the magnitude of the Almighty. Every city that the 94 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: Philistines had taken from Israel had been won back, and 95 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: slaves were set free. Freedom followed the blood of the Lamb. 96 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: Samuel judged over Israel and guided them with kindness and 97 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: wisdom until his old age. Israel prospered under him, and 98 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: the Lord was glorified amongst his people once again. When 99 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: Samuel grew too old to judge over Israel, he appointed 100 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to judge over them. 101 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: Yet they did not share in their father's heart. They 102 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: quarreled with the people, took bribes, and dishonored God. God 103 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: despised how they perverted justice and would rule unkindly. The 104 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: elders of Israel gathered together with Samuel. They were irate 105 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: at the state of Israel under his sons. Look at 106 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: your sons, Samuel, they yelled, They are nothing like you, 107 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: and judge unfairly appoint us a king to rule over 108 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: us like other nations. Samuel was devastated when he heard 109 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: these words. It grieved him that the people would want 110 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: a king like other nations. What have I done wrong? 111 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: Samuel thought to himself. God spoke kindly to Samuel, saying, 112 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: do as they ask, Samuel, for they have not rejected you, 113 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: but they have rejected me as their king. Though Samuel 114 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: did not hear the voice of God as Moses once did, 115 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: he could sense grief in God's words. He spoke, saying, 116 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: from the day I saved them from Egypt, till now 117 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: they have sought after other gods. Now they do the 118 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: same in wanting a king. Do as they say, but 119 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: warn them that they will never have a king like 120 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: the lord. Samuel stood before the people, tears filled his 121 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: eyes and dripped down his old cheeks. You will have 122 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: a king, as you asked, but remember this. A king 123 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: takes more than he gives. Soon your property will be his, 124 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: and your goods will be taken a tax. The best 125 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: of your young men will be taken for his armies, 126 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: and your young women will be forced to work to 127 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: sell goods. And one day you will cry out to 128 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: God because of your king. You will ask him to 129 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: take your kings away, but you will not be answered. 130 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: The Israelites paid no attention to Samuel's warning. They longed 131 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,439 Speaker 1: to be ruled by a king. They had thrown away 132 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: their old idols, and now their hearts desired a king 133 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: to worship instead. The human heart is in constant pursuit 134 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: of something to rule over it. It wants safety, so 135 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: it grasps for the easiest form of comfort it can find. 136 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 1: God would allow the people to put their hope king. 137 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: He is not a God that begs for relationship. He 138 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: would wait faithfully for their new idols to fail them. 139 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: He would raise up redemption for his people, as he 140 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: always has before, for God is glorified when his people 141 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: are redeemed. Today's scripture begins with the people turning back 142 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:24,680 Speaker 1: to God. The ark has been restored to them. But 143 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: God tells the people through Samuel that the Philistines must 144 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: still be dealt with, and he says, as long as 145 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: they abandoned their idolatry and look only to Him by faith, 146 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: they will have victory. So they burned their false idols 147 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 1: and devoted themselves to God and to Samuel's leadership as judge. 148 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: As they worshiped and offered sacrifices. The Philistines then attacked. 149 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: Their army was great and would have easily defeated the Israelites, 150 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: but this time God showed up for them, and with 151 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: thunderous sounds from the heavens, he confused the Philistine army. 152 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,319 Speaker 1: Israel defeated their enemy that day and took back every 153 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: city and every slave taken by their pagan enemy. Samuel 154 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: then ruled as God's representative for many years. It was 155 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: a time of great prosperity. The people sought after God 156 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: and obeyed his commands, but there was still a seed 157 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: of doubt within them. They never stopped being jealous of 158 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: other nations who were led by mighty kings. So when 159 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: Samuel grew old and appointed his sons to judge over Israel, 160 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: things began to change. Samuel's sons weren't the noble, god 161 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: seeking rulers that their father had been. Much like Eli's sons, 162 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: they sought only their personal interests and indulgences, taking bribes 163 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: and making a mockery of justice. So now the people 164 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: tell Samuel that his sons weren't like him. They didn't 165 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: want another judge, They wanted a king. What they failed 166 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: to recognize was that God was already their king, and 167 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: unlike all the other nations, their king was always good 168 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: and always acted in their best interests. But none of 169 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: that mattered to the Israelites. They wanted to be like 170 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: everyone else. When we try to do things the world's way, 171 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 1: we are telling God that his best for us is 172 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: not good enough. We're not looking to him by faith 173 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: and finding fulfillment in the things that really matter. But 174 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: we're looking to the world and how the world can 175 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,599 Speaker 1: satisfy the cravings of our heart. And that's where Israel's 176 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: heart was when they asked Samuel to give them a king, 177 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: just like the other nations, just like the world. Samuel 178 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: wasn't happy about this, and he went to God seeking wisdom. 179 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: Here is God's response in First Samuel eight seven. Obey 180 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: the voice of the people and all that they say 181 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,559 Speaker 1: to you, for they have not rejected you, but they 182 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: have rejected me from being king over them. God allowed 183 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: the children of Israel to have a king. He tells 184 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: Samuel to give them what they want, but Samuel is 185 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 1: to warn them. The clear warning was that the king 186 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: would not satisfy what they really wanted. He would not 187 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: treat them kindly and lovingly as God always does. Undeterred 188 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: by the warning, the people insist give us what we want, 189 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: so God does. It's a case of be careful what 190 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: you wish for that will play out over many years 191 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: and we'll hear about that the next time. Lord, we 192 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: believe that you are a perfect, good, loving and righteous king. 193 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: You are our Lord and Savior through Jesus Christ, and 194 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: you always know what is best for us. We ask 195 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: you to rule in us, govern our lives, and help 196 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: us not to look to the world for answers, but 197 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: only to you in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for 198 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm pastor 199 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Prey dot com 200 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: app and make Bible study and prayer a priority in 201 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it 202 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 1: with someone you know because it can make a genuine, 203 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: even eternal difference in their lives. And if you want 204 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: more resources on how you can know the power of 205 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: God through Jesus Christ, then visit Jack Graham dot org. 206 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Medicine, an innovative healthcare solution 207 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.