1 Samuel 11 NKJV Audio: A Story of Courage and Faith
The Background
The book of 1 Samuel is a historical account of the Israelites' transition from the period of the judges to the monarchy. It tells the story of Samuel, a prophet and the last judge of Israel, and the reign of King Saul, the first king of Israel. In chapter 11, we find an inspiring story of courage and faith in the face of overwhelming odds.
The Story
11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."
The city of Jabesh Gilead was under siege by Nahash, the Ammonite king. The people of Jabesh were desperate and asked Nahash to make a covenant with them, offering to serve him in exchange for sparing their lives.
11:2-3 And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, and I will make you a reproach among all the people." So the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven days' respite that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel, and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you."
Nahash, however, had a cruel condition for making a covenant: he wanted to gouge out the right eye of every person in Jabesh Gilead, making them a reproach among all people. The elders of Jabesh asked for a seven-day respite to send messengers to all of Israel, hoping someone would come to their rescue.
Saul's Courageous Response
11:4-5 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept. Now there was Saul, still at Gibeah, and the men of Israel were with him, about six hundred men.
When the messengers arrived at Gibeah, the people wept upon hearing the news. Saul, who was at Gibeah with about six hundred men, was stirred to action.
11:6-7 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen."
The Spirit of God came upon Saul, arousing his anger and prompting him to take bold action. He took a yoke of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them throughout Israel, warning anyone who failed to join him and Samuel in battle that their oxen would suffer the same fate.
Victory and Faith
11:11-12 And it happened the next day that Saul put the people in three companies; and they raided the camp of the Ammonites in the morning, and they killed them until the heat of the day. So those who survived were scattered, and no two of them were left together.
The next day, Saul divided his men into three companies and launched a surprise attack on the Ammonite camp. They killed many Ammonites and sent the rest fleeing in all directions.
11:13-14 Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Look, we are ready to obey you. Crown him before the Lord at Gilgal."
After their victory, the people of Israel recognized Saul's bravery and asked Samuel to crown him king before the Lord at Gilgal.
Lessons from 1 Samuel 11
This chapter teaches us important lessons about courage, faith, and obedience:
- Courage in the face of adversity: Saul's bold response to the crisis in Jabesh Gilead shows us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act in spite of fear.
- Faith in God's power: The Spirit of God empowered Saul to take action, reminding us that our strength comes from God, not ourselves.
- Obedience to God's will: Saul's obedience to God's will, even when it was difficult, led to victory and blessing for Israel.
May we, like Saul, demonstrate courage and faith in the face of adversity, trusting in God's power and obeying His will.
