Suggested Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 28-31; Psalm 18
Devotional Thought:
Title: “The Climax of Character.”
First Samuel 28 must rank among the most distressing parts of this remarkable book. Its significance is such that the three main characters we encounter in 1 Samuel are featured here: David, Samuel and Saul. Under the Divine spotlight of God’s revelation, only Samuel’s character emerges unscathed. If I were to outline this chapter, I would see it as the respect of David to Achish, the retirement of Samuel to death, and the response of Saul to hopelessness. The chapter is of particular significance because it is one of three occasions when God allowed communication from the other side of death to be heard. Here Samuel is allowed to speak to Saul about the gravity of his rebellion. Our Lord Jesus did allow men and women to hear Abraham speak about a great gulf between Lazarus and the rich man in hell. (Lk 16:19-31) Peter, James and John heard Moses and Elijah speak to Christ about the glory of His exodus by way of the cross at the transfiguration. (Lk 9:28-31) It is hard to reconcile in our minds how such a wise and tender leader could get mixed up with such compromise. Achish’s command was for David’s forces to engage in active service against Saul and Israel, a command to which David made the ambiguous answer to the Philistine king: “Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do.” (vs. 2) David’s answer was delivered so convincingly that he was offered, and accepted, promotion to be Achish’s bodyguard, a post he was to hold permanently. (vs. 2) David once had been called to be the keeper of Saul’s head (17:32); now he was the bodyguard of Saul’s greatest foreign foe. Only God, by His grace, could extricate David from the bondage into which he deliberately placed himself. How many Christians are doing the same thing today with so many poor choices. We find ourselves in bondage to materialism, technology, laziness, or a myriad of other vices. If David, a man after God’s own heart, could fall into the snare of pragmatic choices, we certainly had better put accountability in our lives that would help guide us to be wise. Samuel, on the other hand, had faithfully served his God, for which, rightly, he is later honored in the Word of God. Jeremiah 15:1 sees him as the equal of Moses in his intercession for Israel: “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people.” In Psalm 99:6, the anonymous psalmist seems also to honor the man who would not sin against God in failing to pray for disobedient Israel. Our true character is never manifested more than in the discipline to pray and in how we pray. It is an area of the Christian’s life that most will never know, but it certainly is an area for which God knows. Samuel manifests the character to do right even when it was difficult or confusing. God places his character on display for us and reminds us to develop the same kind of character.
Personal Prayer Requests:
- Lord, please help me to have the character to have the prayer life you desire and designed for your children.
- Lord, please help me to live a life that would demonstrate the character of a leader and the submission of a servant.
- Lord, thank you for giving us illustrations in scripture that serve as warnings like the compromise of David.