1 Samuel 11:1-15 | Food for Thought
1 Samuel 11:1-15
Food for Thought:
Terms of False Peace. The people of God from Jabesh-gilead were threatened by the Ammonites. Upon asking for a treaty, the people of the city were given the options of either being wiped out by a siege or surrending “peacefully” at the cost of every citizen losing their right eye. (Losing their right eye would make them unable to fight back at some point; not only is it an obvious setback, but shields were worn to cover the left side (and eye) of the soldier; without your right eye, you couldn’t fight with the protection of a shield!)
Imagine you’re in the position of the people at Jabesh-gilead. What would you do?! What could you even do?!
Nahash, the leader of the Ammonites, obviously isn’t interested in amassing a giant army of soldiers - otherwise he wouldn’t want to injure his captives! What is his goal? Why?
Spiritually, how does this translate to the desires of our enemy - and even our own sinful flesh - today? Do they have to be actively killing us right now to “win,” or are there are more subtle strategies? Why or why not?
On the flip side, what does this tell us about what “winning” spiritually looks like? How does Jesus offer a true and better peace?
Can you think of any situations for you personally (or even someone else) in which we’re presented with two options: either cave in and be humiliated or be cut off and cut out? What’s the right play?
What do you think of the response of God’s people here? To ask for a treaty and then ask for time to send for help? Was this the right play? Why or why not? (…I think it’s complicated!)
Godly Weeping and Spirit-fueled Anger. Messengers arrive to Saul’s town, and when he sees the people weeping, he learns of Jabesh-gilead’s plight. The Spirit of the Lord rushes upon him, and he makes it clear to his people the Lord’s burning desire for justice and protection.
In this little section, we see all the people weeping and the Spirit of the Lord fall upon Saul so that he burned with anger. It’s common to downplay these emotional responses or see them as bad, unimportant, or in the way, but how are these two emotions the right responses in this circumstance?
By chopping up a team of oxen (one of the teams we was presumably walking behind when he entered town) and sending them throughout Israel, what was Saul communicating?
Fear of all kinds of things can unite all kinds of people. How does the fear of the Lord unite the people here? Why is this a healthy fear? What would make it an unhealthy fear?
How did this healthy spur fuel the spread of good news of God’s deliverance of his people?
How does a fear of the Lord play into the gospel we preach / believe? What’s it’s role there?
Do you have a healthy fear of the Lord? Does it bind you to him and unite you with his people and his purposes? How much does fear play a role in your relationship with God?
A Merciful Warrior-King. At this point, it seems as if even the naysayers from the last chapter have been won over. All the people want him to lead… in order to kill people?! …even prisoners of war?!
What do we once again see a glimpse of in the heart of the people? What kind of king are they wanting?
Saul rightfully recognizes that in light of God’s mercy on and salvation of his people, he gets to extend a similar kind of mercy to those who had wished them harm. How is this possible? What let’s a warrior king no longer need to destroy his enemies, but rather show them mercy?
Because of Jesus, how are any of those same / analogous things present in your own life that let you have and show mercy towards others - even your enemies?
How is this different from the motivations of kings like Nahash and of the ways of the world? How is this difference good news to the world?