“Sh’mu’el returned to Ramah, and Sha’ul went up to his house in Giv‘at-Sha’ul. Never again did Sh’mu’el see Sha’ul, until the day he died. But Sh’mu’el grieved over Sha’ul, and Adonai regretted that he had made Sha’ul king over Israel.”-1 Samuel 15:34-35
Today we’re finally going to finish 1st Samuel Chapter 15!
Boy was that a hike!
I’ve been blogging through this chapter for 45 days straight.
But given all of the spiritual and theological treasure we unearthed, I’m sure you can agree it was well worth it.
So without any further ado, let’s dive right into things.
This incredible chapter ends with Samuel and Saul each going their separate ways never to meet again.
Understand that Samuel didn’t separate from Saul out of hatred for the man.
Note it says Samuel “grieved over” Saul.
Samuel may have been more traumatized over Saul being dethroned than Saul himself.
Now, from a theological perspective, it’s important to understand that at this point in the Scriptures, Saul has been permanently KARET (כָּרֵת) or “cut off” from God.
In the Biblical era, God communicated His Will to Israel’s kings through His prophets.
So once Samuel left Saul, Saul was cursed to wither away in an empty spiritual desert with no divine nourishment whatsoever available to him.
Saul may still have held his position as King…
And was still surrounded by opulence…
But none of that meant diddly squat.
God’s Living Water was no longer available to Saul and the Holy Spirit that previously rested on him departed never to return.
So if you’ve ever wondered what happens to a human being who once had a relationship with God, and who was at one time even led by the Lord but no more, then study Saul’s character from chapter 16 onwards.
You’ll get amazing insight about how a person who once knew God on some acceptable level can descend into total madness.
So here’s the takeaway I’m getting for today.
It comes from the following passage:
“Never again did
Sh’mu’el see Sha’ul,
until the day he died.”
The lesson I’m discerning is there comes a time in your life when you need to separate from certain people in your life because the path you are on with God is on a total collision course with the person you need to cut ties with.
Ya feel me?
This may be painful to do…
Especially if you are called to separate from family or close friends whom you’ve known for a long time.
You may grieve over the separation as Samuel grieved over Saul when he departed from Israel’s first king.
However, it’s necessary if you want to move up into that next phase of God’s plan for your life.
I leave you these inspiring words from the prophet Jeremiah.
“For I know the plans
I have for you,”
declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you
and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope
and a future.”
-Jeremiah 29:11
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN FIRST SAMUEL CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Good point- I have often said that it is impossible to work at a fish market all day and not come home smelling like fish.
On the other hand, we are told to be a light in the darkness, so how can we separate ourselves from ungodly people and still be that light?
For me, the answer is to separate our public lives from our personal lives. Keep bringing the light to the darkness in our everyday activities, but in our personal lives keep the darkness away from us. We may have to separate ourselves from family and friends, and more often than not they will do that for us when we lead godly lives, but in our everyday activities, there is the need to be with unsaved people.
Up to a point: did you know that Steven Hill, the actor who played Mr. Briggs in season one of the original TV show Mission Impossible left that show because he was an Orthodox Jew and refused to work on the Shabbat?
Or that Sandy Kofax, one of the Brooklyn Dodgers (that’s right- they came from there, first!) ace pitchers refused to pitch in a World Series game because it was on Yom Kippur?
Sometimes we need to stand apart to serve God correctly, even if it costs us something in the real world, but it will always pay off in eternity when we do as God wants.
So go to the fish market, work in the sheep fields (watch your step), and come home to a godly house, where you can wash off the world.
Interesting. I like your distinction between keeping our public and personal lives separate.
Thanks for sharing about Steven Hill. Very inspiring.
As a Jewish believer in Yeshua, I find this time of year especially painful. While almost every Christian church celebrates Christmas and later Easter, I choose not to participate in those religious activities, which have nothing to do with either the Messiah’s birth, nor his resurrection. I know both have pagan in origins, and even the customs associated with these, so called, Christian holidays are not commanded by God. This puts me at odds with church services and festivities associated with them. I’m wondering if you feel the same and, if so, how do you handle this time of year?
Thank you for your constructive comments
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your comment.
Even though I’m not Jewish, I sympathize with your pain during the yearend holidays when the gentile churches go hog wild with their Christmas and Easter celebrations.
If possible, I pray you can find a Messianic Congregation near you that celebrates the Feasts.
Or even a regular synagogue would be fine because that’s where Yeshua would have been.
Be blessed.