The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

I Samuel 13:5-13, “Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel,
30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the
seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of
Beth-aven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were
hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in
cliffs, in cellars, and in pits.

7 Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and
Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed
him trembling.

8 Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel,
but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.

9 So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.”
And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And it came about as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering,
that behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.

11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that
the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the
appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,

12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at
Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself and
offered the burnt offering.”

13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the
commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD
would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.”

The Philistines were perpetual fighters. They seemed always to be picking a
fight with Israel. Some people are like that yet today. They would rather
fight than anything. I was in seminary with a boxer. I never saw him fight,
but he talked more about it than he did about his studies.

Israel’s problem, however, was not so much with the Philistines, as it was
that they didn’t wait for the LORD. Saul was, at that time, king of the
Israelites. He had informed them he was coming, but Israel got scared and
offered a burnt offering to the LORD before Samuel arrived. Samuel verbally
chastised Israel for offering the sacrifice and for not waiting on Samuel.

Have you ever rushed ahead of the LORD when you knew waiting on Him was
best? The LORD can handle everything! Why do we think we ought to forge
ahead when He has clearly told us to wait? Why do we wait when He has told
us to forge ahead? Why do we seem never to do what He says?

In the end, Israel and Saul all suffered. Maybe we should think more clearly
-more biblically– about things. What has the LORD said? Why are we anxious
when we know He can and stands ready to fix things?

Heartily in Christ,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom