Curtain Call
Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:14b NASB
Killed – Saul died at his own hand, but YHVH killed him. Does this bother you? Are you ready to serve and worship a God who kills disobedient people? Does that sound more like Allah than the God of Israel?
Our cultural ideas about the character of God often interfere with an appreciation for the complexity of the real God of Israel. We don’t like to think of God as the One who kills Saul (or quite a few others). We like to think of God as that benevolent great grandfather handing out blessings and rewards. We easily adopt the God of love. We’re not so sure about the God of wrath. But the Scriptures don’t lie. In a rare peek behind the phenomenological curtain, we discover that even though Saul committed suicide, YHVH takes the responsibility for killing him. What appeared to be death by deliberate choice turns out to be capital punishment for crimes against the Lord. What you see is not always what you get.
Hebrew is an observer’s language. It records the way things appear. It’s not in-depth analysis or “behind the scenes” reporting. It’s just the way things look to a bystander. But once in awhile Hebrew pulls back the curtain and we get a glimpse of the inner workings of our world. We see what God is doing invisibly through the hands of men. In this case, we see that God is behind the suicide of Saul. That might not sit easily with us because we are used to having the curtain closed. When the curtain is closed, we see only what is before our eyes. We see a man who disobeys. We see a man who is trapped. We see a man who thinks he has no way out. We see a man who falls on his own sword. What we don’t see is God’s orchestration of all these events. Until Scripture pulls back the curtain, we are unaware of the divine design. But perhaps we should be.
Saul’s death is not an accident, nor is it a voluntary choice. Somehow God is involved in this tragedy, this execution. We wouldn’t know this unless He told us, but that’s probably because we are so naïve about God’s involvement in our lives. If we look behind the curtain, don’t you suppose we would find that God’s handiwork is everywhere? Of course, we can’t guess. Unless He tells us, we won’t know. But we might suspect that if God is orchestrating Saul’s “suicide,” He just might be choreographing our little lives as well. What do you think? Is that possible? Can you imagine it?
A few weeks ago I was suddenly struck by the confluence of several different lives coming together at just the right moment. Taken individually, not one of these people was aware of the greater plan. Each followed his own agenda, doing what he thought was best. But without knowing anything about the others, when it was all said and done, each person fell into place together so that precisely what was needed was accomplished. Coincidence? No, I don’t think so. Behind the scenes was a plan, put into place months before anyone even realized the serendipity of the situation.
Maybe you need to ask the Lord for a curtain call. Just a brief glimpse at the plan that has been going on before you even thought about it. Maybe you might be surprised.
Topical Index: killed, Saul, plan, 1 Chronicles 10:14
Sin Kills
~ 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, and did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse ~ (1 Chronicles 10:14)
~ the wages of sin is death ~ (Romans 6.23a)
When it comes to sin (rebellion, disobedience) God don’t play.
We don’t take sin seriously. God does. God hates sin. So should we.
I serendipitously stumbled into an allergist’s care. But not just any allergist, “only” the number one ranked allergist in the nation! (I’ll give you his name if you need it!). I didn’t know it at the time, but I was told this by a friend who shares the same doctor.
These are his very words to the one who suffered… (me)..- “If you do as I say, I can help you.” My (immediate) reply to him? I had another Doctor (the Great Physician) say to me – the exact same thing! Whatever you tell me to do, – I will “do it.” – I will act according to your instructions.
Well.. here it is folks, (in a “real life” scenario), “trust and obey” or in Hebrew parlance- “shema” the words of your doctor. “Do” as He says.
Now, let’s “kick it up a notch..” Let’s play the “what if” game.. What if I made the choice – (and it is my choice) to NOT do as the good doctor instructed?
Naw.. “I know you mean well doc.. but I’m not going to listen to you- you don’t have a clue what you’re talkin’ about.. ” Remember, please..(na!) this is the numero uno ranked allergist in our nation!
I made a decision.. a (personal) choice! A choice to “shema” the doctor! I will do according to your instructions! Do this! – don’t do that! And??..
The results? (we all want results!) Oh friend! May I? May I “testify?”
What (he inquired) are the “wages”- the results- the consequences of obedience? To obey or not to obey- THAT is the question!
Oh, please! Allow me to tell you about my Savior!! My Deliverer! The Great (yes, He is great!) Physician! The One who heals! He is our “sozo” Savior! Listen! Listen to Him!! Who knows HIm better than His own mother? (Who knows “you” better than your own mother?) Listen to Mary’s words of wisdom! This, – this is wisdom: ~ Whatever He says unto you- “DO IT!!” (John 2.5)
Shall we? (Should we?) – Let’s. Let us inquire (please). Oh Adam, what happens when you disobey God and do not listen or do what He says to do? Eve? – what about you? U2? Booted out of Paradise?
Okay.. who’s next? Who is the next “sinner” for us to interview? What happened to you when “you” sinned? My, my.. don’t we have a long, long list of folks to interview! There is no shortage of examples (real lives, -real people) for us to “learn” from!
King Saul.. – you sir, did not die “in vain..” Your “story” – the story of your life is written in God’s Book for us to learn from. Yes.. it is true! (amen). “if you can’t be a good example, be a horrible warning!” Either way, each of us may wear the label: “Exhibit A.” We are (each and all) surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
We know what to do.. – all that is left now is for us to “DO IT..” (now).
Again, (fathers.. mothers..) – what are the “consequences” of obedience? And dad? Or mom? Do “you” (also) delight in obedient children?
~ “Be” therefore, followers of God,(our Father) as dear (obedient) children..- and walk in love.. ~ (Ephesians 5.1)
WE AIN’T ALONE!
As believers, we know Him! We are aware of His presence!
And we know how He has and is changing us.
Chief of which, is how’s He’s taken hold of us . . . and how we
willingly follow Him. He’s tangible. Viable. And undeniably real.
“Listen to this, O Job;
Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.” Job 37:14
“for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His
good pleasure.” Phil 2:13
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ
lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in
the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Gal 2:20
Our lives are in His hands! Oswald Chambers writes right on the money:
“Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less
than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs
anywhere and everywhere.”
There are a few I know who take the ‘phenomenological language’ perspective to mean that God NEVER had any part in any death or sacrifice in the Bible. To them, the ex-slave/shepherds accurately recorded what they THOUGHT God did, but since they attributed everything to God they missed the reality.
I’m glad to see a distinction made today. There are verses I must struggle with which address the seriousness of rebellion. But, if I’m going to wave the “I’m With God!!” banner – then I need to live in a manner that does not mock His name.
What people don’t understand about God is that not only is He is the God of love He is the God of wrath too.
It is a simple thing with God.
Just do His will.
His will is easier to do than to live in our will.
His will is holy and good.
Our will is sinful and bad.
We are not robots.
God gives us a choice to serve Him or not.
We are selfish if we think we are our own person.
God created us only beause Him was wanting to be loved by those that He gave life.
He like us desired not to be alone.
We live in God.
We breathe God with the breathe He gave us.
We are inside Him.
All He wants is for us to let Him inside us that we may live the life He is living.
And that is to live eternally and Holy.
God is not mean.
God is a God of Justice.
When it comes down to it God doesn’t need us.
We need Him.
And as a Christian myself it does not bother me that God took glory in killing Saul, Judas, Muslims or you.
You are sounding like you are on the border of being an Athesist.
You better be careful with your words for God is with His.
He will judge you by your own words.
You may even hang yourself and God will take the glory for it.
Why?
Because His Word that we live by says so.
Don’t try to explain His Word away.
Just live it.
For in it there is life Eternal.
I have come to wonder that if it is not but by mercy that we are not instantly consumed by our choices of death, then perhaps it should not be a wonder so much why the wicked eventually get what they are choosing, but why any of us are still walking around?
If we are to be preserved alive until we either get enough chances to learn to choose love, or our hearts are perfectly hardened to the point where we would never choose life, then there must be a mechanism by which we are to learn what that death or that life means. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. If we fall in slow motion, maybe we can get it before we reach the bottom. I have suffered a lot of consequences of choices in my life, and, clearly, not all of them were mine. Some of those consequences my parents set in motion by their unfortunate choices. Many of them were tied to other people’s choices. But when I look back, I can see that the way OUT of my ditch rested entirely on MY choices. My parents may have chosen to respond to life in a way that left their children unprotected with the odds stacked; but still, their children, through suffering the consequences of those choices, can make a determination that those choices were wrong, and know why. It is like a vaccine innoculant for sin. For example, I think I have learned from experience WHY a parent should never abandon a child.
Curses come. Woe to him by whom offenses come, so pronounced our Saviour; but they come. I have come to think that curses are like consequences in slow motion. A Hebrew scholar may could help me here, but in Deuteronomy 28, there is the same word, “if”, in English, to declare consequences: IF we are obedient, then there are blessings: IF we are disobedient, then there are curses. But I had it explained to me that that word “if” came from two different Hebrew words: one of them, used in the blessing verse, to mean that blessings come swiftly, and the other, used in the curses verse, to mean that the curses come SLOWLY. Surely this is mercy. Are not the curses the rod in the hand of the schoolmaster of the Law to correct our way? Is not pain the best way to teach us that the stove is hot? Is it not better to learn about heat slowly, than to fry fast?
We are told to be thankful in all things. It is dawning on me that when I learn how to be thankful for the calamities and disasters of my life, the act of gratitude IS the act of accepting the correction. It is then at that point that all these things can be worked together for good. if I receive them with gratitude, then I can get included in that good. When I accept those curses, and become willing to take responsibility (either repent, if the causative choice included me, or acknowledge the sin -call sin by its right name- if the choice was made by others), then the correction has been successful. At that point, the curses are no longer legally (“under the law”) bound to me. What is hard is to continue to kick against the pricks until the end, like the unfortunate Saul, who could never accept correction. But who can argue with the fact that he chose death, and that YHVH finally agreed.
“Vain is the chiming of forgotten bells
that the wind sways above a ruined shrine;
Vainer is he in whom no longer dwells
Hunger for immortal bread and wine.
Light songs we sing, that vanish with our breath
OUT OF OUR LIPS THAT HAVE NOT KISSED THE ROD;
They shall not live who have not tasted death
They only sing who are struck dumb by God.”
Joyce Kilmer
Hi Laurita, thank you for that beautiful and encouraging expose on this thing we call life. It has come at a most opportune time for me. (as if there were ever an inopportune time! 🙂 BTW I believe your reference to Duet was correct, however it is probably chapter 11, verse 26 that you were referring to. “behold I set before you today a blessing and a curse…….and you are not mistaken on the implications as far as I can tell. (but I’m certainly no scholar in Hebrew)
YHWH bless you and keep you………..
I love all these responses….they tell me that God is not boxed up in their finite human brains – nor is He boxed in in my finite human brain. GOD! He is GOD! We did not make him up to suit our needs – He created us to give us life….abundantly. Now, I guess it’s our free choice to “set Him free” to be God or not…..oh! nevermind….He will anyway…with or without our permission. I guess it’s our free choice to flow with Him or not. Personally, I NEED HIM! I’ve screwed up enough all by myself!!! Great words everyone – you’re awesome!
I tend to think that everything that happens has God’s consent/will
Or it wouldn’t happen
Our job in my view is to learn to accept his will
I don’t think we always know how God feels or why things happen
ok, I post earlier that I never post, and here I am again. This was a great week, so I hope you feel as uplifted as the rest of us do. I know I want to submit to God’s will in my life, but ,and all week, you point to our God who is in our lives, no matter what we wish for or not. It helps us to understand that what we see when events occur, is more than just, that happened. Thank you for a great week!