I Samuel 11-12

1. I Samuel 11-12 Old Testament Bible Studies True Love Church of Refuge Prophetess Delisa Lindsey December 2, 2009

2. Saul Defeats the Ammonites:His Victory at Jabesh-Gilead 1 Samuel 11

3. Nahash, the Ammonite surrounded Israel at Jabesh-Gilead (dry and rocky) to attack them. The men of Gilead were afraid and said we will make a covenant or alliance with you, Nahash (serpent). Gilead is on the other side of Jordan and the Ammonites (descendants of Lot) were exacting revenge for what Jepthah did to their fathers decades ago in Judges 11:33 The men of Gilead were still recovering their military might and were in no position to fight against Nahash. Beyond that they had fallen out of God’s favor and were at the mercy of their enemies. They knew that if they didn’t submit to the Ammonites’ will, they would be killed. Nahash replied that he would accept their agreement on the condition that he could gouge their right eyes out. He wanted to humiliate Israel and exalt himself. He also wanted to render them unfit for war and make them a reproach to Israel. How can one fight effectively with one eye, a left eye. He wanted to torment them and put them through excrutiating pain 1 Samuel 11:1-2

4. What was Nahash’s (the Serpent) Plan • Notice how strikingly similar his plan was to satan’s. • Satan wants to attack us but he is harmless without our consent. He needs a license (our surrender) to operate in our life. • He wants us as his servants and will attempt to intimidate us into making bargains with him. • He hates the human race so much that he wants to humiliate us and cause us to bring a reproach to God, our families, our churches, and ourselves. • He wants to disable your eyes of faith so that you cannot effectively war against him. • He wants to blind us, if not completely, he will gladly accept our partial blindness. • His name means serpent or snake. • Don’t bargain with Nahash people of God! Stay in God’s favor and grace.

5. The men of Jabesh ask for a 7 day grace period to seek out someone who may deliver them out of Nahash’s hand. They sent messengers throughout Israel to seek for a deliverer. They told Nahash that if they could not find a deliverer, then they would serve him. Nahash did not think that the men of Gilead would be able to find anyone to rescue them from his hands, so he gave them all the time they needed to secure a ‘deliverer.’ One thing the men of Gilead had over many people today is that they knew they needed a savior and sought to find him. Many people today need a savior and yet they are unwilling to seek Him out. The Gileadites had enough sense to know they could not save themselves. Nahash wanted all of Israel to think that he was some formidable foe and that all of Israel had to be searched for someone who would dare to defend them against him. 1 Samuel 11:3

6. The messengers reached Gibeah, Saul’s hometown, and told of Nahash’s threat against their brothers at Gilead. Nahash had not yet heard that Saul was Israel’s king. Saul sees the people weeping and in despair and asks them what was the problem. No doubt the men were concerned for their brothers but perhaps they felt that if Nahash conquered Gilead then he might cross the Jordan and begin to attack them as well. It is important to note that although Saul was privately and publicly anointed as king that he returned to his job as a farmer. There was no castle for him to live in, no court for him to govern, so he did what he had always done, get back to work in the fields. Just because God anoints us to do a privileged work for Him, we must realize that we have been saved to serve. Remain humble and let the Lord exalt you. Jesus became the most humble servant, yet the strongest and mightiest man who ever walked the face of the earth. 1 Samuel 11:4-5

7. As Saul heard the disturbing report, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he became angry. The Lord had to equip Saul with a righteous indignation to deal with Nahash and the Ammonites. This would be the difference between the Lion’s anointing and the Lamb’s anointing. Saul received power, an anointing from the Holy Ghost to defend the people of Israel against their enemy. Saul, inspired by the Holy Ghost, takes a yoke of oxen and hacks them in pieces, sending them by messengers throughout all Israel. He threatened any man who would not report for military duty, under the authority of Saul and Samuel, would have their oxen cut in pieces. Saul, filled with the Spirit, is influenced by the Spirit to include Samuel in the battle. The people responded to the bloody tactic Saul used and in the fear of the Lord they came out to support Saul. 1 Samuel 11:6-7

8. To best determine his military strength and might, Saul numbers the military of Israel as 300,000 and the men of Judah, 30,000 for a total of 330,000 men. Saul sends the messengers back to Jabesh Gilead with the encouraging news that by noon the next day, you will have your deliverance. Apparently, the seven day grace period was winding down and God was stepping in right on time. Needless to say, the men of Jabesh Gilead were glad. In the meantime, this is the sixth day, the men of Gilead tells Nahash that tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do with us as you wish. Isn’t it funny how we can become cocky when we know someone has our backs? The men of Gilead used trickery to deceive Nahash into thinking he had already won the battle. 1 Samuel 11:8-10

9. Early in the morning of the next day, Saul divided the men into three companies and arrived to Jabesh Gilead and slew the Ammonites. The battle lasted until high noon when Saul and his army scattered the Ammonites. God anointed Saul as a warrior to defeat Nahash and the Ammonites. He endowed Saul with skill, precision, and strategy. Saul knew by revelation how many companies to divide his army into. He knew the exact moment to attack and he knew how to scatter the enemy. Don’t you want the Holy Ghost to lead you in your battles against the enemy to a great victory? The Spirit of God quickened Saul to make a 60 mile journey, on foot, with 330,000 men in less than 24 hours! We can do ALL things through Christ which strengthens us! 1 Samuel 11:11

10. Saul Confirmed as King

11. The people were so enthused that Saul, a valiant man of war, was their new king, that they wanted to demonstrate their loyalty to him by pursuing and destroying his enemies. They wanted to expose and kill those who opposed Saul’s authority. Notice satan’s plan to conquer Israel through division. He could not defeat them through Nahash, therefore he attempted to sow strife in the hearts of the people to kill their brothers. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Satan uses division as a major tactic in destroying a church. He is a liar. Satan loves to attack in time of victory because this is usually the time when we are not watching him, our eyes are feasted upon the miracles. Be vigilant and sober. This was a time of revenge, this was a time of praising and thanking God for his salvation. Although Saul was the man God chosen to deliver Israel, he gave all glory to God as their salvation. It is easy to take the credit for a job well done, but all glory belongs to the Lord. Saul understood that. Jesus brought us salvation from the hands of our Nahash. 1 Samuel 11:12-13

12. Saul had finally reached the point when the people wanted to acknowledge him as King. Although Samuel privately anointed him and the Lord publicly appointed him, it was not until he manifested the attributes of a king that he was formally installed as King of Israel. How is it that we want to be admonished as something that we are not demonstrating. Saul had to demonstrate his position of king before the people would admonish him as such. Samuel led them to Gilgal (rolling) where he received his official installation accompanied by great rejoicing. God is taking us, His kings and priests to Gilgal to make some things in our life ‘official’. People may not want to acknowledge what the Lord is doing in our lives right now, but God is sending a chariot to escort us to Gilgal. This explains the intense season of warfare and the reason we have received military strategy from the Chief Commanding Officer. He is taking us to a place where He is turning things around. In our Gilgal, He is rolling away our old ways of thinking and He is changing us into kings and priests unto Him. What a reason to rejoice. 1 Samuel 11:14-15