Tehillah Generation Chapel
Daily Manna
Friday, August 5, 2016
Topic: Safety is of the Lord 16
Reading: 1Sam 23:7-14, 1Sam 18
Scripture: And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. (1Sam 23:7)
Note: Saul was a man of the flesh whose main priorities and preoccupation as king, were influenced more by what people say, think or feel than what God says. His general disregard for the influence that God wielded over the throne in Israel, demonstrated a man and king whose lack of fear of God misled him into arrogating to himself the right to offer sacrifices to God at a time that Samuel’s arrival delayed for the sacrifice before the war.
Saul’s penchant for taking spiritual things lightly, in not belonging to the priestly office or lineage and yet believing that it wasn’t necessary to observe the protocols laid down for order in the conduct of the priestly office. Consumed with a typical religious spirit, Saul’s only regard was for the mere ritualistic aspects of the sacrifice. Saul proceeded to act foolishly by hurriedly and thoughtlessly offering a strange sacrifice to God so that he could proceed with the business of the war against his perennial enemy, the Philistines.
Things pertaining to the priestly office such as sacrifices were consecrated to God. They weren’t things that God took for granted. God was very particular about order in the priestly function because every single detail represented a prototype of the fulfilment of the priestly function of the Messiah to come.
Saul was in a hurry to get the priestly sacrifice quickly out of his way so that he could get on with the fight. He had completely ruled out the critical and essential role of Yahweh as Captain of the Host of Israel. Saul was relying more on his fighting acumen, battle readiness, resources and manpower to facilitate the war. He hadn’t learnt any valuable lessons from history. His reckless action and lack of judgment compounded an already bad situation for a king who was already on probation for grave comedy of errors.
Food for thought: Sacrifices are essential but safety can only be guaranteed from the Lord of the sacrifice.
Declaration: The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord. (Proverbs 21:31)
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
