The pattern we find in 1st Samuel is a pattern of preparing and delivering. He sends two witnesses for each delivery, a preparer and deliverer. We continue with this pattern with the beginning of Saul’s reign. These stories are not just history, or entertainment. The book of 1st Samuel also shows us how Sh’mu’el (Samuel), Sha’ul (Saul), Yahunatan/Yonatan (Jonathan) and David are a foreshadowing of the Messiah to come. This history helped the prophets see and reveal the Messiah to us.
Category: Discussions
Richard Agee answers a submitted question — “What is the Gospel?” Unfortunately, the answer is not often clearly communicated.
We need to make our own personal connection to the Exodus and the events leading up to Sinai. These events are not only for those who have an ethnic Jewish heritage. This history belongs to all who are called by God our Father to take hold of Yeshua as our elder brother and kinsmen redeemer. At this point in the Exodus, God gives them manna to eat but also gives them very specific instructions of how, when and what to do with the manna after they gather it. The people violated those instructions and incurred different punishments for their folly.
Paul didn’t know it at the time but he spent two years of his life in jail thanks to the false accusations of the Sanhedrin, yet as he is called to defend himself, his demeanor remains calm and sanctified. Paul remains in jail as the Romans exchange Felix for Festus.
The people of Israel had cried out from the burden of overwork but they didn’t want God to remove them from Goshen forever. Yet, that’s what God did in a miraculous way. As we have reached the fifth week leading up to Sinai, the people are becoming very homesick for Egypt as they are traveling further and further from Egypt. God brings the people of Israel to the wilderness of Sin where they murmur against God for the second time. God responds by making a surprising provision and another test of their willingness to listen and obey God.
We see a pattern of preparation and deliverance throughout the Bible. The book of Judges is one example but the pattern is even more obvious in 1st Samuel. God prepares the people of Israel to move from leadership of judges and priests to the leadership of monarchy.
Moses takes the time to sing God’s praises after they all went through the Red Sea in safety. They also faced their first test at Marah: Would Israel trust God completely or be bitter toward Him?