Life After Death?

So 1 Samuel 28 shares with us a unique story, not just because it’s an odd account about the dead Samuel being conjured up to speak to Saul, but also because it’s really one of the few times in the Old Testament that we broach the topic of the afterlife.

At first that might seem unusual -especially since our Christian faith revolves around the afterlife- but in light of the gospel, it really makes sense.

“…but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…” – 2 Timothy 1:10

The gospel itself revealed many things which were beforehand a mystery (Col. 1:26, Ro. 16:25); it lifts the veil from the eyes of those under the Mosaic law (2 Cor. 3:14). God patiently lead his people to maturation, to the climax – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ- in which his great plan would be revealed. Some have even noticed the progression in comprehension of the afterlife within the OT: from Sheol and darkness to a hope of being in the presence of Yahweh to finally the prophets teaching that creation would be freed from corruption and resurrection was promised to God’s people.

Today, there is no longer a mystery to those who come to Christ. Today there is an answer to ‘What happens after death?’ to ‘What is the point?’, ‘What hope is there?’

It’s not about ghosts or the isolated incident in which God allowed some con-artist woman to actually temporarily produce a dead man for the purposes of condemning a rebellious, fearful Saul. It’s also not about becoming ghost-like creatures ourselves – it’s about a real, physical resurrection. Transformation. It’s about freedom from fear and pain and corruption and decay, about victory, Christ, a home with our Father, paradise, eternity, relief, rest, joy, a new heavens and new earth. It’s about what God had planned for his creation from the beginning.
And by the grace of God through Christ, we can read about and understand (at least as much as our human minds can comprehend the divine realm) and anchor our souls in that hope, today.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” – Romans 8:18-25

Follow us on Facebook!

We Have A Refuge

A verse stuck out to me while reading 1 Samuel 22, as David is fleeing from the jealous and murderous Saul:

“David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone ho was bitter in soul [discontented], gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.”

It struck me because David in many ways can be seen as a “type” -sort of a foreshadowing- of Christ, and I think we get a taste of that here. Not only of Christ, but of us – of the church. How beautifully this verse meshes with others:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

To be honest, we are all weak, we are all spiritually distressed, indebted and discontented, yet not all of us will come to see it before our lives wither away. Those of us who do, which are often the ones who are not surrounded by the comforts and praises and ease of this world, are the ones who seek and find refuge in God. And just as David’s misfits and outcasts became mighty men of valor (1 Chronicles 12:8) by the hand of God, David’s leadership, and through testing and training, God has promised all who rely on Him will be transformed as well. We all come to Him broken, lacking, corrupted, weak and He not only embraces us in love, but takes us further by strengthening, purifying, comforting, healing, and changing us.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6

No doubt the story of life is full of difficulty: not only the challenge in recognizing our bankruptcy before God, but the uncertainty and fear of our own various and numerous “caves of Adullam” we must enter throughout life. We all experience that uncertainty and suffering at times, but not all of us have a trustworthy refuge. Not all of us have the power to use those experiences as training, strengthening, as growth to become men and women of valor, because not all of us have sought our refuge and strength in God.
And here’s the reality: God is the only one who can deliver us from the greatest difficulty and oppression we all are subject to: the oppression of sin; the danger of an enemy greater than Saul who is seeking to devour us each day.

But we have a leader greater than David. And we can enter into a family greater than his army. And we have the key to greater growth than we’ve could ever comprehend: the gospel.

Will we flee from our oppressor? Will we be among those who gather to Christ? Will we come to Him and receive our rest?

God Filled or Fear Filled: Which Will You Choose?

Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 26-30.

We’ve watched the contrast between Saul and David for nearly 20 chapters, and what a sad conclusion we find for Saul. 1 Samuel 16:14 says, “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul…” (ESV). This happened because Saul had first departed from the LORD. Now we come to Saul’s final days and in preparation for battle he finds no comfort or encouragement from the LORD. He cannot get a word from the LORD no matter how hard he tries, so he seeks to speak to the spirit of Samuel, hiring a medium at En-dor (not of Ewok fame) to summon the departed prophet. The whole thing ends like this: “Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear…” (1 Samuel 28:20, ESV). And these are our choices. God Filled or Fear Filled. Which will you choose today?

We’d love to know what you got out of today’s reading or if another part of the reading struck you. Let us know in the comments section.

Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Samuel 31 and 2 Samuel 1-4.

God Filled David vs. Goliath

Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 16-20.

We must not read the story of David and Goliath in a vacuum, simply making neat parallels to our own lives, trying to define what the five stones represent or the shepherd’s bag or staff. Rather, we must see this story in context of 1 Samuel 16:13-14: “And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward…Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him” (ESV). David was following in the footsteps of the judges and king before him. His victory came because God was with him, God was in him. What should we learn? The God Filled beat giants.

We’d love to know what you got out of today’s reading or if some other part of the reading struck you. Feel free to let us know in the comments section.

Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Samuel 21-25.

 

The God Filled Can Put a Thousand to Flight

Today’s reading (rather yesterday’s reading, I’m a day late but hopefully not a dollar short) is 1 Samuel 11-15.

Saul’s reign over the newly forming nation of loose knit tribes and clans was in a precarious spot.  They had one victory under their belt, but now the prophet and priest Samuel wasn’t coming to offer the sacrifice to gain God’s blessing on the next battle. It had been a full week, and Saul’s army was dispersing. There was no way he could defeat the enemy by himself; so he did what any sane general would do. Taking matters into his own hands, he offered the sacrifice himself (1 Samuel 13:8-15). Samuel arrived and announced that for this infraction Saul would lose the kingdom. “What else was Saul to have done?” we ask. But in the very next chapter, Jonathan and his armor bearer routed an entire Philistine garrison all by themselves. Imagine what Saul could have done if he had simply relied on God. When we are God Filled, one can put a thousand to flight (cf. Joshua 23:9).

We’d love to know what you got out of today’s reading or if another part of the reading struck you. Let us know in the comments section.

Tomorrow’s reading (rather today’s) is 1 Samuel 16-20.

 

A Battle of the Gods

Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 6-10.

A battle of the gods. Well, that’s not quite fair, because one god came to the battle unarmed or, rather, nonexistent. God’s Ark of the Covenant had been captured by the Philistines as judgment on Israel, but God didn’t take it lying down. He attacked Dagon in his temple and sent plagues on the Philistines. The Philistines came up with a plan to know if this was Jehovah or coincidence. The milk cows left their young and went straight to Beth-Shemesh pulling God’s ark behind them. There was no doubt. The God of Israel was supreme and greatly to be feared by His enemies. Postmodernists can claim every culture’s god is just as valid, but the Philistines learned that just wasn’t so. Perhaps we should learn the same lesson today.

We’d love to know what you got out of today’s reading or if another part of the passage struck you. Let us know in the comments section.

Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Samuel 11-15.

Speak, LORD, for Your Servant Hears

Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 1-5.

I don’t expect the Lord to call you in the middle of the night. However, each day as we delve into our Bible texts, we need the same attitude Eli taught Samuel. “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:9, ESV). Whatever He says, we believe. Wherever He sends, we go. Whatever He instructs, we proclaim. The LORD do so to us and more if we hide anything of what He tells us (cf. 1 Samuel 3:17).

We’d love to know what you got out of today’s reading or if some other part of the reading struck you. Let us know in the comments section.

Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Samuel 6-10.