One Year Bible Readings and Commentary for Wednesday, May 11th
Click Here to Listen to the Readings
Click Here to Read 1 Samuel 10:1-11:15
Samuel Anoints Saul as King
This is a historic moment in the life of Israel as a nation, and as the chosen people of God. Samuel anoints Saul as its first king. He anoints him with oil, which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. To confirm his calling Samuel tells Saul about three encounters he will have shortly.
1. He will meet two men that will tell him that the donkeys have been found, but his father is worried about him.
2. He will meet three men who will bring offerings of lamb, bread, and wine.
3. He will meet a band of traveling prophets each playing a different instrument. When he meets them he will receive the Holy Spirit, and he will start prophesying. He will be a different man.
Then Saul tells him to wait 7 days until he comes, and they will go to bring offerings to the tabernacle.
Samuel’s Signs Are Fulfilled
Just as Samuel said, Saul was a new man and starting prophesying. All who saw it were amazed and wondered how the son of Kish could become a prophet. Importantly it says, "God gave him a new heart". When he met his uncle at worship he did not tell him all that had taken place.
Saul is Acclaimed King
Samuel called all of the Israelites together and to prove Saul was the one the Lord had elected he systematically drew lots. He drew lots and the tribe of Benjamin was picked. Then he drew lots and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally, Saul son of Kish was being chosen by lot. Saul was hiding when Samuel brought him out to introduce him as king. When they saw Saul (remember he was tall and handsome) they shouted. "Long live the king!" But there were other scoundrels who refused to give Saul gifts or recongized him as king.
Meanwhile the Ammonites were oppressing the Reubenites East of the Jordan. They gouged the right eyes out of all the men.
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
As the Ammonite king proceeded to threaten to men of Jabesh-Gilead, they tried to make a peace treaty with him. The king said fine as long as we gouge your right eyes out too. (What a deal!) When word got to Saul, he was furious and called upon all of the men of Judah (30,000) and Israel (300,000) to come out and fight the Ammonites. They broke into three groups and surrounded the Ammonites and slaughtered them. The men celebrated and had another special ceremony to make Saul king and made a peace offering to Lord. Meanwhile the scoundrels who refused to accept Saul and offer him gifts were executed.
Right now things are going pretty good for the Israelites. They have a great spiritual leader in Samuel, and a newly appointed King Saul, who has started out quite well. We will see if things continue like this.
Click Here to Read John 6:43-71
Jesus continues the theme of being the "bread of life". He says something important when he states, "No one can come to me unless the Father calls them." He continues to say he is the living bread that has come down from heaven . He add, "And the bread I offer is my flesh".
This throws the people into a tailspin, as they take him literally. They ask, "How this man give us his flesh to eat." Then Jesus adds that his flesh is like bread and his blood like something to drink. It seems odd that Jesus is speaking in these terms, especially since he probably knew they would not understand what he was getting at.
Jesus plainly explained what He meant by bread in this context. That bread was His flesh, given for the life of the world. It was His soon-coming work on the cross when He gave His life as a sacrifice pleasing to God the Father and as a substitute for guilty sinners. - Guzik
Such radical statements offend many; in part this was Jesus’ intent. In response to those who twisted His words and meaning, He made the metaphors stronger, not weaker. He refused to back down from the truth: I am the bread of life, and the substance of that bread is His sacrifice on the cross, the giving of His flesh and blood. What He gave at the cross, we must receive.
I think the most important thing Jesus is saying here is that to experience eternal life we need to accept what Jesus did on our behalf on the cross, where his body was broken and his blood was poored out on our behalf. It is only as we personally accept these truths into our hearts and minds that we are saved. Jesus uses these metaphors to point to the intimate relationship we have with him.
The metaphor of eating and drinking was common in Jesus’ day, and pointed to a taking within one’s innermost being. - Guzik
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
This language scared many of the disciples and they left him. It pointed out that what he was teaching could only be spiritually discerned, which is why the Father had to draw Jesus' true disciples by the Spirit. When Jesus say some of his disciples leave he pointedly asked the disciples, "Are you going to leave too??"
I love Peter's response, "“Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”
Though Peter will get it wrong in the future, he gets it right here. Peter realized that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life. He knew that even though Jesus' teachings were challenging, there was no other way to find eternal life except by believing in Jesus' Word.
Click Here to Read Proverbs 15:1-3
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