The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Chronicles 10:13-14, “So Saul died for his trespass which he committed

against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep;

and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it, 14 and

did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore, He killed him, and turned the kingdom

to David the son of Jesse.”

Genealogy is all about life and death. Everyone dies eventually. In fact, only

two men in Scripture –Enoch and Elijah— lived without dying. So, it is normal

as we come to the end of the genealogical listing in First Chronicles, mention

should be made of the death of the first king of Israel. As a young man, Saul

was handsome and shy. He was the LORD’s selection for Israel when the

people clamored to have a king like all the other nations. Saul did some good

things as king, but eventually he turned away from the LORD and did evil in

His sight. Two wrong things ultimately caused his death: 1) Saul did not keep

the Word of the LORD; and 2) he sought the counsel of a witch instead of

the counsel of the LORD. “Therefore, He (the LORD) killed him.” Pretty graphic.

What we are to learn is obvious: stay true to the Word of the LORD and

seek His counsel alone. The subtle teaching of this last verse is that the

LORD is always in control. Numerous things in my life did not go as I had

thought or planned. But later, I learned that the LORD had had something

better in mind. That helped me to trust Him for other things I could not

understand. And like those long before me said, “He has done all things

well…” (Mark 7:37 NAS).

We love you and pray for you every day,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”