The people of Israel must have felt impatience and frustration when David was anointed king by Samuel. At that time the land faced years under the rule of the unstable King Saul, from whom the Spirit of the Lord had departed because of Saul's sinful choices. The people had watched Saul disobey God by taking on the role of a priest, though he wasn't a Levite. Then he failed to kill the king of the Amalekites as he had been told. Playing politics, he fought jealously against his own warrior, David. He even had the audacity to seek advice from a medium at Endor. Surely it was time for a new king! Must they wait forever?
In time Saul died and God raised up a new king. Good-looking, strong and powerful, David was anointed king by the elders of Israel, just as Samuel had promised. Best of all, here was a king who loved God and would lead the nation back to worshiping him.
The prophets and New Testament writers have promised that the King of kings, Jesus Christ, is coming against to establish his perfect kingdom. So what is he waiting for? Haven't things gotten bad enough? Isn't there enough pain, sorrow, corruption and cruelty in the world?
When you grow weary of waiting for Christ's return, remember that God is willing to wait because he is so merciful. Peter said, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). He is waiting for everyone who are willing to come to saving faith. When that time comes, he will keep his promise, just as he said.
-Women's Devotional Bible
God always has a perfect timing. Right after I had brain surgery in 2004, I met the man he had in store for me & now we're a happy family. I know the time is coming but God has a plan for us seekers here on earth. If you can tell, the world is taking God out of whatever it is they can. I don't watch tv much or ever listen to news but I do hear stuff. And everything I hear about is negative. I do not agree with the president but some don't agree with me. We're not all gonna agree but it is our job to go by what's right. And me, I go by the Bible. That's my dictionary in life and whoever doesn't agree or live by it will know the truth when the time comes. But right now it's us seekers job to awaken hearts.
#gobyhisplan
[1 Samuel 16:1-13]
1 Now the Lord
said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected
him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to
Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected
one of his sons to be my king.”
2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.
3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”
4 So Samuel did as the Lord
instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came
trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in
peace?”
5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.
Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel
performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them
to the sacrifice, too.
6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.”
9 Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.”
10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”
11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”
“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
13 So
as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive
oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of
the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
[1 Samuel 28:1-25]
1 About
that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with
Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to
join me in battle.”
[Acts 1:7-8]
2 “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.”
Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”
3 Meanwhile,
Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in
Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all
mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
4 The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa.
5 When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.
6 He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets.
7 Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.”
His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”
8 So
Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his
royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by
two of his men.
“I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”
9 “Are
you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul
has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the
dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?”
10 But Saul took an oath in the name of the Lord and promised, “As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.”
11 Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!”
13 “Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said.
14 “What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.
15 “Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul.
“Because
I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with
me, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have
called for you to tell me what to do.”
16 But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the Lord has left you and has become your enemy?
17 The Lord has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David.
18 The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites.
19 What’s more, the Lord will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The Lord will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”
20 Saul
fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of
Samuel’s words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing
all day and all night.
21 When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, “Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life.
22 Now do what I say, and let me give you a little something to eat so you can regain your strength for the trip back.”
23 But
Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in
urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and
sat on the couch.
24 The
woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She
took some flour, kneaded it into dough and baked unleavened bread.
25 She brought the meal to Saul and his advisers, and they ate it. Then they went out into the night.
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.
8 But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you
will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
[1 Thessalonians 4:15-18]
15 We
tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the
Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.
16 For
the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.
17 Then,
together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will
be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be
with the Lord forever.
18 So encourage each other with these words.
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