Heralds Digest

  “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”” ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Without the intervention of God, the people’s revolt against theocracy would have been mishandled by Samuel. “ And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them ” (‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬). Actually, everyone knows that the problem was the fear of irresponsible reign by the children of Samuel. And even then the people were warned that their desired monarchy will not avert the fear, but rather complicate it, they preferred the option of holding someone responsible for breaking the rules. Today, even though the search for responsible reign has led man to the embrace of democracy, there has not ...

  “And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.” I Samuel‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ When the children of Israel proudly carried the Ark of the Lord to the battlefield against the Philistines in the previous chapter, they were disappointed and humiliated because the Ark was merely carried without the actual presence of the Lord within them. It shows that the presence of the Lord is not in the external works of men or the activities of believers’ hands; but in the works of God in believers’ lives. The great things that we do in life, and the amazing achievements that we command can truly speak about the possibilities of God’s presence; but they are not necessarily the ...

  “So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.” I Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Just like a flash, the Lord transferred the priesthood honour from the house of Eli, a Levite, to the house of Samuel, an Ephraimite, with a simple principle: “ for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (I Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭30‬). Even when the High Priest - Jesus Christ - was unveiled, the household of Israel (and by extension, the religious people of the world) still struggled to understand the principle of house honour. Little wonder Jesus said to them “ How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? ” (John‬ ‭5‬:‭44‬). Unfortunately, the same principle of absolute disregard or misinterpretation of house honour is wrecking houses, relationships, and in...

“Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.” ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The story of Hannah shows that powerful portions in life do not guarantee peace and satisfaction. Despite the favour in the receipt of double portions from Elkanah her husband, she always remained sorrowful and dejected until the wilful engagement in peaceful petition. No doubt, Samuel was given to her as the product of a peaceful petition before the Lord; rather than the pursuit of powerful portions from Elkanah, saying, “ Because I have asked for him from the Lord ”. While powerful portions are evident testaments of facts, peaceful petitions are believers’ statements of faith in the place of prayer. Like when Hannah left her prayer room, ‘and her face was no longer sad’ , those who truly wait upon the Lord re...

  “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭21‬:‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The literal difference between objective and subjective rules is simply system rules versus personal (regional) rules or interests. “ In those days there was no king in Israel ” suggests the absence of authority to enforce system rules. Therefore, everyone makes do with the enforcement of personal (regional) rules or interests. And with the advent of kings and state administration, there still remains an unending struggle with the interpretation of right rules in dealing with life’s social, economic, and political systems. Even at the level of the family system, where God instituted oneness in the relationship between husband and wife, there cannot be right rules without the submission of personal interests. In similar argument about right rules between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, Jesus told her “ If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Giv...

  “And the men of Israel turned back against the children of Benjamin, and struck them down with the edge of the sword—from every city, men and beasts, all who were found. They also set fire to all the cities they came to.” Judges‬ ‭20‬:‭48‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ When members of a household of faith, fellowship, or fieldwork fight against one another, everyone in the hostility is usually concerned about the settling of personal scores and individual offences. Whereas, all parties in the household hostility may not be spared from the terror of God. For example, in the hostility between the men of Israel and the children of Benjamin, it was interesting to note that none of the parties was spared from the terror of God and judgment against the evil of idolatry, immorality, and wickedness. Even while Israel represented the religious side with respect for asking for divine guidance before attacking Benjamin, they were defeated by Benjamin twice before the highlighted record of victory. It implies tha...

  “And they said to him, “Be quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us; be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?” So the priest’s heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.” Judges‬ ‭18‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Whenever young entrepreneurs enter the dragons’ den, they know that no matter how convincing their business propositions are, they cannot be sure if the proposition will come out alive or dead. Such was the proposition of an alternative to worshiping God at Shiloh in the days of Micah the Ephraimite. He had tricked his mom to raise a personal altar with carved images. Thereafter, the proposition extended to the hiring of a stranded Levite as priest. Then, the proposition was shortchanged by a counter offer of a bigger office from the Danites to the Levite. And at the moment under ...