THE KING’S BUSINESS
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He is ready today to gather a mighty army around His servants upon whom the Spirit of God comes when He goes forth to do the work that the Spirit of God moves him to do. v. 9. "Say unto the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have deliverance” (R. V.) Saul and the people were filled with a mighty and unquestioning faith. It was the Holy Spirit who had come upon Saul who gave him this unquestioning faith. He knew that he had a clear call from God, that God was on his side, and therefore he had no doubt of victory (cf. Rom. 8:31). It was when Saul the king came that the men of Jabesh Gilead were to have deliv erance, and it is when our King comes that we shall have full deliverance. "And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad” (R. V.). Well.might the men of Jabesh Gilead be glad, they were confronted with the threat of an apalling calamity and now they had the promise of complete deliverance, it was glad tidings indeed that was brought to them: but we have today a far better Gospel of a far more complete deliverance and from a far more dangerous and cruel enemy, and we should be far more glad (1 Peter 1:8). v. 11. “ And it was so on the morrow that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Am monites unto the heat of the day.” Though Saul was so sure of victory he used pru dence and wise strategem (cf. Judges 7:16; 9:43) : faith in God does not mean careless ness nor presumption. True faith co-oper ates with God and puts itself in a posi tion where God can work through the one who has faith. Saul’s victory was com plete and overwhelming as the victory of those who trust God, obey Him, and are filled with His Spirit, always is. As the Ammonites had shown no mercy, they re ceived judgment without mercy (cf. Jas 2:13; Matt. 7:2). v. 12. "And the people said unto Sam
uel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over u sf Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” When Saul was first anointed king, some had despised him and said, “How shall this man save us?” (ch. 10:27). Many are saying this same thing today of our Divinely appointed King, Jesus, and going still further and saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14). But all were now ready to acknowledge Saul’s right to reign and some day the whole world will acknowledge the right of the Lord Jesus to reign (Phil. 2:7). In this day of Saul’s triumph it was suggested that those who refused his right to reign should be put to death, and those who say about our Lord Jesus, “We will not have this man to reign over us,” when He returns they will be destroyed (Luke 19:15, 27). v. 13. “And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for today the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel.” Here Saul’s greatness of character as he was at this time comes out again. He would not consent to the death of a single person, no matter how bitterly they had opposed him; but that was not all, he humbly recognized that it was not he but Jehovah who had wrought deliverance for Israel. Happy is the one who today recog nizes that he in himself is nothing and that God is all, and that, if he is used, it is simply because he is an instrument in God’s hand. How few of us recognize this, and if we do recognize it at first, how soon we forget it when we begin to really accom plish something. All real victories come from God and we ought always, to say, “Not I have wrought deliverance,” but “The Lord hath wrought deliverance” (cf. Ex. 14:13, 30; 19:5; Ps. 44:4-8; Prov. 21:31 R. V.; 1 Cor, 15:10). v. 14. “Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go up to Gilgal; and re new the kingdom there.” Here comes out Samuel’s greatness of character. He did not envy Saul his victory, but rejoiced in the great successes of the one who, in a measure at least, had taken his place. Noth-
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