Fight Or Sight (1 Samuel 11)

In 1952, America was in the midst of significant political change. For the first time in 20 years, a Republican was elected president. Dwight D. Eisenhower won in a landslide. As he stepped into leadership, he faced dangerous enemies on multiple fronts. One front was a cold war as Ike would have to contend with Soviet expansion. Another front was a hot war on the Korean peninsula.

On the campaign trail, Eisenhower promised the American people, “I will go to Korea.” It was a bold statement. But voters paid attention and gave him their trust. Ike took the 10,000 mile trip. He spent time on the front lines. He brought new leadership and a new plan to the conflict. Just 188 days after his inauguration, the armistice was signed and the War ended.

What’s most remarkable about Ike’s visit to Korea was that he wasn’t president yet! He went before inauguration. He took the trip, secretly, just a few weeks after the election.

We expect the president-elect to be spending those months before inauguration assembling a team and picking out new curtains for the Oval Office. But in Ike’s case, he began the job before he was installed in the job.

Something even more dramatic happens in this text. Saul has been anointed king, but when the story begins, he’s not yet ruling. But then a serious threat crops up and the people need not only a leader, but a deliverer. Saul immediately goes to save them, and then finally his reign begins.

This text reminds us that our God is a Savior, He is a Supplier of power and mercy and grace, and that He is a King to be celebrated.

1 Samuel 11:1-2 – ¹ Nahash, the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” ² Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I’ll make one with you on this condition: that I gouge out everyone’s right eye and humiliate all Israel.”

The Philistines threatened from the West. The Ammonites were a threat on Israel’s east. When Israel finally came into the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh said they didn’t want to cross the Jordan. They stayed on the east side. Jabesh-Gilead was in that region. The Ammonites regularly attacked seeking to claim the land.^[1]

The Samuel scroll found among the Dead Sea Scrolls gives us additional historical background. It records, as does Josephus, that Nahash had gone through the whole region of the Reubenites and the Gadites conquering and gouging out eyes. In fact, that scroll says, “there remained not a man of the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye Nahash did not gouge out,” other than 7,000 who had escaped to Jabesh-Gilead.^[2]

They were in a tough spot, facing a terrible enemy. One much stronger than them. Nahash means “snake.”^[3] His brutal example reminds us of the great enemy, that serpent of old, the devil. He has no intention of coexisting with you. His goal is to attack, maim, humiliate, and subjugate you.

He didn’t just want to hurt them, he wanted to make it so they could no longer fight. At that time, a soldier’s shield would cover the left eye with the right eye exposed.^[4] Nahash is very specific: “I want to gouge out your right eyes.” He wanted to make it so they could never fight again.

What’s sad is how quickly the people were to compromise. He laid siege and they immediately said, “Let’s make a covenant. We’ll be vassal servants under your authority and influence.”^[5]

1 Samuel 11:3 – ³ “Don’t do anything to us for seven days,” the elders of Jabesh said to him, “and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you.”

Why would Nahash agree to this? Remember: It’s a siege. He’s going to be waiting a long time anyway. Seven days would be a very short siege. He’s going to get this city at a discounted rate!

The people of Jabesh don’t have much hope. They think it’s very possible this ends with them all lining up to have their eyes gouged out.

Why? Well, there’s history here. In the time of the Judges there was a situation where the western tribes would not come help the Jabeshites. And then later, when the western tribes needed help, Jabesh refused to come to their aid.^[6] It was a sad cycle of selfishness and isolationism.

But now they realize they needed a savior. “If no one saves us, we will surrender.” You can sense the hopelessness. They’re not strong enough to fight Nahash alone. They had settled for land outside of God’s plan and command. They had been unfaithful when others needed help.

But we’ve already heard the text read. We already know what happens. God is going to save them!

What about you? Have you been saved? The enemies we face are worse than an Ammonite king. Our enemies are the devil. Death. Sin. Have you been saved from them? One great encouragement from this story, one wonderful promise is that God will save you. It doesn’t matter where you are, what you’ve done, how you’ve failed, left turns you took when you should’ve gone right. God is the savior of all people, especially those who believe.^[7] You can stop running from your enemies and start running to Him.

The Bible says we are saved by believing the message of the Gospel. By turning from your sin in what the Bible calls repentance. Turning to God. Believing He will save you.

1 Samuel 11:4-5 – ⁴ When the messengers came to Gibeah, Saul’s hometown, and told the terms to the people, all wept aloud. ⁵ Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. “What’s the matter with the people? Why are they weeping?” Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh.

Clearly, Saul has not started to reign. Jabesh sent messengers throughout all Israel, not know who might answer. Even in Gibeah, Saul’s neighbors don’t bring the report to him. He asks them.

Before the presidential election of 1952, Eisenhower publicly told people he had no interest in politics.^[8] Throughout his career as a soldier, he had never even voted.

Saul had gone back to his regular life as a farmer. But now it wasn’t just a moment of ceremony, but a moment of crisis. And now was the time God was going to move Saul forward in his calling.

1 Samuel 11:6 – ⁶ When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly came powerfully on him, and his anger burned furiously.

Israel was in a time of historic change. The time of the judges was ending. The time of the kings and prophets was beginning. Previously, when the Spirit came upon Saul, he acted like a prophet. Now, as the Spirit rushes upon him, he acts like a judge. We see this happen to individuals like Samson where acts of deliverance are needed and God comes upon someone for what one scholar describes as as sort of “berserker” mode.^[9]

This verse gives us something to think about both doctrinally and devotionally. Doctrinally, we understand that this is no longer how God the Holy Spirit comes upon His people. In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit would come and go in the lives of His people. He would “rush upon” them for particular situations.^[10] But the Spirit would also depart after times of disobedience or unfaithfulness. That happened to Samson. It will happen to Saul.

In the New Testament dispensation, the Holy Spirit does come and go. He permanently indwells our hearts. We are sealed in the Spirit. The Counselor given to us by the Father forever.^[11] But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to really think about our relationship with God the Holy Spirit. We absolutely do. In Acts 19 there were disciples in Ephesus, yet they didn’t know about the Holy Spirit. But a relationship with God the Holy Spirit is an absolute essential in the Christian life.^[12]

The devotional aspect of this verse is that it is the Holy Spirit Who makes the difference in our lives, in our difficulties, in our callings. Saul didn’t need strategy. He needed the Holy Spirit. It’s not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit.^[13]

1 Samuel 11:7-8 – ⁷ He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.” As a result, the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they went out united. ⁸ Saul counted them at Bezek. There were three hundred thousand, Israelites and thirty thousand men from Judah.

Historians note that Eisenhower got America’s attention by using 30 second TV commercials during his campaign. It was the first time ever that political ads on TV played a role in an election.^[14]

Saul got their attention with a threat. It’s too bad Saul felt the need to do this. Was it heavy-handedness on his part or did he rightfully expect sluggishness from the people? We don’t know.

As we participate together in the work of the Gospel and the will of God, hopefully we’re not making it a habit of threatening others. If you someday find yourselves in a church, for example, where coercion or pressure or threats are utilized to get you to participate, get out of there.

1 Samuel 11:9-11 – ⁹ He told the messengers who had come, “Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced. ¹⁰ Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do whatever you want to us.” ¹¹ The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions. During the morning watch, they invaded the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. There were survivors, but they were so scattered that no two of them were left together.

The message Jabesh sent to Nahash probably made them let their guard down. The Ammonite camp was likely relaxed and hung-over after a night of partying since they wouldn’t have to fight.^[15] But in came Saul with thousands upon thousands of rescuers sometime between 2am and 6am.^[16] He didn’t just send others, he put himself into the fight.

President-elect Eisenhower went to the front lines in Korea. He ate meals with the troops in the extreme cold.^[17] He knew what it was to be a soldier risking his life for others.

But what a victory was won by Israel that day. And what did the people of Jabesh-Gilead do? Nothing! They called out for deliverance and God supplied what they couldn’t win on their own.

If you’re not a Christian here today, that’s what you need to know. You don’t earn salvation. You don’t have to fight your own way out of sin and damnation. Jesus Christ has already won. You receive salvation as a free gift. It is given to you by grace and you receive it by faith.

1 Samuel 11:12 – ¹² Afterward, the people said to Samuel, “Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Give us those men so we can kill them!”

In the last passage we saw that group of good-for-nothings who didn’t want to accept Saul as king. But this group isn’t much better. Notice, they don’t go to Saul, they still go to Samuel as the decider. Their first instinct is to turn their weapons on their own kin. I’m sure they thought it was a spiritual thing to say and do, but in reality it was just bitter and vindictive.

1 Samuel 11:13 – ¹³ But Saul ordered, “No one will be executed this day, for today the LORD has provided deliverance in Israel.”

Saul is stepping into his role. It’s not just about attacking enemies, it was also about leading the people and giving them a proper perspective. And here, Saul does great. He says, “It wasn’t me, it was God Who delivered Israel.” And he stops this bad plan in its tracks.

President Eisenhower is remembered for a lot of things. Some historians argue that one of his greatest achievements was his willingness to challenge his own party when necessary.^[18]

We sometimes talk about “doing things” for God. But if there is any fruit, if there is any Gospel success, it’s not because of us. It’s because of God’s gracious power that He pours into our lives. It’s because He has invited us to be used for His purposes.

Sadly, later in the story there will be a similar situation, only that time it will be Saul who demands death of someone who is totally innocent and it’s the people who have to restrain him.

Perspective matters. We want to keep a humble perspective that acknowledges God’s greatness, and not become convinced that we’re more important than we really are.

1 Samuel 11:14-15 – ¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let’s go to Gilgal, so we can renew the kingship there.” ¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal, and there in the LORD’s presence they made Saul king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings in the LORD’s presence, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Saul is officially inaugurated. And not only do they celebrate him, they also celebrate the Lord. They offer Yahweh fellowship offerings. Of course, He was always willing to fellowship with them. They were the ones that had turned their backs on Him. But there the Lord remained. Ready to hear them. Ready to help them. Ready to share His power and His grace with them.

If Jesus has delivered you, then celebrate your King. Seek His Kingdom. Determine in your heart to be in fellowship with Him and to come into His presence with rejoicing and with offering and with thanksgiving.

And remember we don’t have to be afraid of the Snake anymore. He comes to destroy. He comes to devour. But Christ has beaten him. Christ has defeated death. He has defeated sin. He has rescued us and we do not need to compromise with Nahash. We don’t need to live outside of God’s plan anymore. We don’t have to feel hopeless anymore. The King has come to save and He’s coming again. And that is cause for great rejoicing.