Advent is Over: Day 9

Today I'd like to do a little recap. Whether you've been following along every day, or if today is your first day, breaking the Advent story into 25 segments can get to feeling a little confusing and disconnected. So I'd like to break down where we're at.

First, God created the world. And from the start, humans shot their chances at eternal life by sinning. God closed off access to the tree of life which gave the gift of eternal life.

God "observed the extent of human wickedness on earth and he saw that everything [humans] thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil... It broke his heart." God made a plan to wipe out the human race.

But then a man named Noah found favour with God. And we learned that "[t]he Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love." God flooded the earth and gave a rainbow as a sign of his covenant with all generations that He would never again destroy life. Instead, He would save it.

God then began giving promises of hope. He promised Abraham that he would be father of generations, even though he and his wife were beyond childbearing years. 

However, God's promises were not enough. God's people (Israel) began demanding leaders, kings. So God raised up prophets and kings for the people of Israel to follow. He affirmed that all people can know whether a prophecy is true or not, by whether it comes true, or not. (That's simple.) 

Today, we are introduced to old king Saul and young king David.

Saul Fails as King 

Samuel said, “What is this you have done?" Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.” “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever (11).

David is Chosen by God to be King

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.” But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” “Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.” So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?” “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too. When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.” “Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.” So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah (12).