Today’s Reading : I Samuel 26-27 ; I Chronicles 8, Acts 18
Connections. Each of my interactions throughout the day, I attempt to find a connection between everything. In today’s readings, I try to find what is the connection between all of the passages. In the first passage, we have David fleeing again from Saul, the first king of Israel. The next passage, we are given the lineage and the descendants of Benjamin, of which Saul, the first king, is a direct descendant. In the third passage, we have Paul the apostle, who is in his mission travels.
Upon researching, I found that both Saul the king of the Israel and Paul the apostle were both from the tribe of Benjamin. Both were men whose internal nature was that of warriors and fighters. In the blessing of the tribes of Israel, Jacob actually described Benjamin as a wolf.
“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; all morning he gorges on his kill, at evening divides up what’s left over.”
Genesis 49:27 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/gen.49.27.MSG
Both Sauls are actually exhibiting the proclamation that Jacob gave to his son, Benjamin, who would be like the wolves. The nature of this tribe was warriors. The nature of this tribe was being clever and being very protective of your tribe. This protection and nature actually became their downfall for both of them. King Saul was so protective of his “inheritance” that he lost the vision and blessings of God. Saul the enforcer was so protective of the Jewish faith that he almost annihilated the early Christian church. The nature or human flesh part of us can lead to unforeseen consequences.
But in juxtaposition to these passages is the use of the Spirit of God. In these passages the Spirit of God is with David in the first passage. The Spirit of God is guiding David not to submit to his nature. If David was allowed to do as his nature intended, he could’ve killed Saul, God’s anointed. But David listens to the Spirit and not to his own nature.Paul the apostle, formerly Saul, listened to the Spirit when he was afraid, and the spirit of God allowed him to be calm in Corinth, and to continue his work in a place that he was not prepared.
I Samuel 26:9-12
But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord‘s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord‘s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
Acts 8: 8-11
Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Many times in our life we have both the spirit and our nature that are at constant battles. It’s in our relationship with Christ, that we are able to allow the spirit to be more in us than our nature. It’s not to say that our nature will not come out more often even while we’re in the spirit. But we have to acknowledge both the spirit animal is, and allow God to work in his way. We may not do all the things correctly, but when we submit to the spirit, we can be assured that it’s going to work for God’s favor.
Be blessed