Saul was misinformed and acting out of anger.
He was hurting others who disagreed with him.
His circumstances changed suddenly.
He acknowledged the lordship of the One speaking to him.
He learned that he was fighting against God.
His companions were silenced by God’s presence.
There was a period of silence (testing) during which he could have rationalized it all away.
He [...]

That’s kind of an odd thought isn’t it?  But that is the predicament that King Saul found himself in.  He was near the end of his life and reign.  He had long ago rejected God’s commandments and had found himself rejected by God.  Literally, Saul had lived a lifetime without God after knowing what the [...]

In reading through Samuel, I came across a phrase which stood out to me in the story of Nabal.  In 1 Samuel 25, he is the man from whom David requested food when he was shearing his sheep.  He gave a rough, rude answer and sent David’s men away empty.
When his servants were discussing the [...]

In 1 Samuel 24, as I was reading today, I pondered verse 4. Apparently at some point in the past, a prophet of God had spoken to David that God would deliver David’s enemy into his hand to do with as seemed best to David. What a prophecy!
Can you imagine having that spoken [...]

In Samuel 17:31-37, David has been brought before King Saul.  People have heard David’s bold words about how Goliath had to be faced.  Saul has sent for him.
When David expresses that he will fight Goliath, King Saul says this is impossible due to his youth and inexperience.
David shares the story of fighting against a lion [...]

In reading Samuel again, I was struck by something I hadn’t thought of before.
In chapter 16, when God tells Samuel to go anoint a new king, we are told that Samuel looked at Jesse’s firstborn and said, “Surely God’s anointed is standing right here.”  God told Samuel that He had rejected Eliab because God looks [...]

Had some thoughts while listening to a sermon on Jonah.
In Jonah 3, it says God spoke to Jonah the second time.  What happened between the first time God spoke and the second time?  We know.

Jonah rejected God’s word.
Jonah’s life took a decidedly downhill turn (repeated use of word “down”).
Jonah possibly attempted suicide by telling the [...]

As I’ve been rereading Samuel, one of the thoughts that strikes me from Chapter 1 is that Hannah gave up her son to God at such an extremely young age. The Bible says she kept him until he was weaned. How long was that? In Western countries, about one year or less. [...]

I’ve been reading through Samuel again.  In chapter 9, Saul is looking for his father’s lost donkeys.  At the prodding of his servant, they try to find Samuel the Seer (prophet) to find out if he can help them locate the asses.
In vv 23-24, Samuel tells the cook at a feast he had called to [...]

The Bible is full of good stories.  Who hasn’t ever heard of David and Goliath?  Or Moses and the Red Sea?  Or Peter walking on the water?  Or Jesus raising the dead?
It also has its share of stories which do not fit the proper church mold.  The following is a list of some of these [...]