Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 8.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+8&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel.  2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah;  they were judging in Beersheba.  3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;  5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways.  Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.”  6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.”  And Samuel prayed to the Lord.  7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.  8 Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.  9 Now then, listen to their voice;  however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”  1 Samuel 8:1-9.

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First, we are reminded of “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. 

You would think Samuel being a Godly man, even a priest and prophet of God, would have Godly sons.  “His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.”  Verse 3.

Likewise, you would think Eli, another priest of God, would have Godly sons.  But, Hophni and Phinehas were not.  “Now the sons of Eli (Hophni and Phinehas) were worthless men;  they did not know the Lord and the custom of the priests with the people …  Now Eli was very old;  and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.”  1 Samuel 2:12-13 and 22.

What about the first priest, Aaron?  “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.  And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.”  Leviticus 10:1-2.

And, more generally, the people of Israel rejected the LORD.  “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.”  Verse 8.

So, Reformed Doctrine teaches that our hope is not based on man, but that our hope is based on God.  We do not need a king who is man.  We need a King Who is God.  And, that is exactly Who we have:  Christ is our King. 

And, what about those who think that they can reject Christ as their King? 

“1 Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”  Psalm 2:1-6.

For His enemies, Christ the King shall destroy them. 

“‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:9.

For His people, God’s elect, Christ the King shall save them and otherwise bless them in His kingdom.

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  Colossians 1:13-14.

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;  and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”  Colossians 2:9-15.

Here is what the Westminster Larger Catechism states in part.

Question 45:  How does Christ execute the office of a king? 

Answer:  Christ executes the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself, and giving them officers, laws, and censures, by which he visibly governs them; in bestowing saving grace upon his elect, rewarding their obedience, and correcting them for their sins, preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings, restraining and overcoming all their enemies, and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory, and their good; and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.  

Let us not glance over the forgoing Westminster Larger Catechism and miss the phrase that Christ our King powerfully orders all things “for his own glory, and their good“.

Christ our King is not like the kings who take the best from their subjects and who reign over their people with an iron fist for only their own good like those kings who are described in verses 10 to 22 of today’s Scripture. 

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Mathew 11:28-30.

This is a special Easter devotion.

“He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”  Romans 4:25.

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What is the meaning of Easter?  What was the purpose of the resurrection of Christ? 

Sadly, too many churches are content to deliver only the same simple message:  “He is risen!  He lives!”.

The focus too often is only on the joy and glory of Christ escaping the bonds of death.  For example, consider the classic song:  “Up from the Grave, He Arose”.  The following lyrics summarize this central and dominant theme that you too often leave the service without much more:

“Up from the grace, He arose

With a mighty triumph o’er His foes

He arose a Victor from the dark domain

And He lives forever with His saints to reign

He arose!  He arose!

Hallelujah!  Christ arose!”  

As stimulating as that music is and as true the message is, this song and most Easter services do not focus sufficiently on the following most important meaning of Easter.

“He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”  Romans 4:25.

Christ was raised to show our justification!  Christ was raised to give us hope that one day we will be resurrected too!

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”  1 Corinthians 15:20.

Consider that Christ did not need to prove His immortality by rising from the grave.  Christ did not need to come to earth to be glorified.

Christ came to earth, died, and rose from the dead so that we would be justified, so that we would be resurrected.

Consider the very strong language of 1 Corinthians 15:12-17.

“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”  1 Corinthians 15:12-17.

In other words, we should not separate Christ’s resurrection from what it means for us:  namely, our justification and our resurrection.

Here is what the Heidelberg Catechism states in part:

17. Lord’s Day

Q. 45.  What does the “resurrection” of Christ profit us?

A.  First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, that he might make us partakers of that righteousness which he had purchased for us by his death;  (a) secondly, we are also by his power raised up to a new life; (b) and lastly, the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection. (c)

(a) 1 Cor.15:16; Rom.4:25; 1 Pet.1:3. (b) Rom.6:4; Col.3:1,3;

Eph.2:5,6. (c) 1 Cor.15:12,20,21; Rom.8:11.

In conclusion, there is true joy for us in Easter in this hope and focus on what the resurrection of Christ means to us:  our justification, our resurrection, and our salvation.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  1 Peter 1:3.

“But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;  but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Corinthians 15:54-57.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 7.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+7&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“7 Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel.  And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.  8 Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”  9 Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel and the Lord answered him.  10 Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel.  But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.  11 The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”  13 So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel.  And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.  14 The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines.  So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.”  1 Samuel 7:7-14.

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In today’s Scripture, we read:  “…  But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.”  Verse 10.

We are reminded of the following Scripture.

“The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.
“And He sent out arrows, and scattered them,
Lightning, and routed them.”  2 Samuel 22:14-15.

What was the response of Samuel? 

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”  Verse 12.

We may not set up a stone and name it Ebenezer.  But, we can refer to our God as “the Rock of Our Salvation”.  
 
We delight to read such references in Scripture. 

“There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.”  1 Samuel 2:2.

“For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God,
The God who girds me with strength
And makes my way blameless?”  Psalm 18:31-32.

“He (King David) said,
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;
My savior, You save me from violence.”  2 Samuel 22:2-3.

“For who is God, besides the Lord?
And who is a rock, besides our God?
“God is my strong fortress;
And He sets the blameless in His way.”   2 Samuel 22:32-33.

“The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,”   2 Samuel 22:47.

“O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God
And a great King above all gods,”  Psalm 95:1-3.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 6.

“1 Now the ark of the Lord had been in the country of the Philistines seven months.  2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord?  Tell us how we shall send it to its place.”  3 They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty;  but you shall surely return to Him a guilt offering.  Then you will be healed and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”  4 Then they said, “What shall be the guilt offering which we shall return to Him?” And they said, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on all of you and on your lords.  5 So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will ease His hand from you, your gods, and your land.  6 Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?  When He had severely dealt with them, did they not allow the people to go, and they departed?  7 Now therefore, take and prepare a new cart and two milch cows on which there has never been a yoke;  and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves home, away from them.  8 Take the ark of the Lord and place it on the cart;  and put the articles of gold which you return to Him as a guilt offering in a box by its side.  Then send it away that it may go.  9 Watch, if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done us this great evil.  But if not, then we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.”

10 Then the men did so, and took two milch cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.  11 They put the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the box with the golden mice and the likenesses of their tumors.  12 And the cows took the straight way in the direction of Beth-shemesh;  they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.  And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh.

13 Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark and were glad to see it.  14 The cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stood there where there was a large stone;  and they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.  15 The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the box that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone;  and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the Lord.  16 When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.

17 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a guilt offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;  18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages.  The large stone on which they set the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.

19 He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord.  He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.  20 The men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God?  And to whom shall He go up from us?”  21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up to you.”  1 Samuel Chapter 6.

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In these last 3 chapters, we have seen that God is a “Holy, Holy, Holy” God Who does not tolerate sin.  We have seen God’s punishment of Eli, Hophi, and Phineas.  We have seen God’s punishment of the Philistines.  And, in today’s chapter, we have even seen God’s punishment of some of the Israelites (men of Beth-shemesh) who “only” looked into the ark of the LORD.  Verse 19.

“Sinners in Zion are terrified;
Trembling has seized the godless.
“Who among us can live with the consuming fire?
Who among us can live with continual burning?”  Isaiah 33:14.

“… You have sat on the throne judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.”  Psalm 9:4-6.

We are reminded of Isaiah’s vision.

“1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings:  with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  3 And one called out to another and said,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory.”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.  5 Then I said,

“Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”  Isaiah 6:1-5.

But, there is hope! 

It will take an Almighty act of God, but there is hope!  

“Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.  He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips;  and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”  Isaiah 6:6-7.

“But who can endure the day of His coming?  And who can stand when He appears?  For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.  He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.”  Malachi 3:2-3.

“24 Therefore the Lord God of hosts,
The Mighty One of Israel, declares,
“Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries
And avenge Myself on My foes.
25 “I will also turn My hand against you,
And will smelt away your dross as with lye
And will remove all your alloy.
26 “Then I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of righteousness,
A faithful city.”  Isaiah 1:24-26.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 5.

“1 Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.  2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.  3 When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord.  So they took Dagon and set him in his place again.  4 But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord.  And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold;  only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.  5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 Now the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them and smote them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.  7 When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.”  8 So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”  And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.”  And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around.  9 After they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city with very great confusion;  and He smote the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.  10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.  And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people.”  11 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people.”  For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city;  the hand of God was very heavy there.  12 And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and the cry of the city went up to heaven.”  1 Samuel Chapter 5.

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We see in today’s Scripture that the idol Dagon, god of the Ashodites, could not stand before the God of Israel.  Moreover, its head and the palms of its hands were cut off.

Like the idol Dagon, god of the Ashodites, the wicked will not stand before God nor the righteous, God’s people.  

“5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.”  Psalm 1:5-6.

“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.  Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you;  I will not fail you or forsake you.”  Joshua 1:5.

“Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted;  State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”  Isaiah 8:10.

“The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.”  Proverbs 12:7.

Like the head and the palms of the hands of the idol Dagon, god of the Ashodites, the wicked will be cut off.  

“Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, So as to cut off from the city of the Lord all those who do iniquity.”  Psalm 101:8.

“The face of the Lord is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth.”  Psalm 34:16.

“For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.”  Psalm 37:22.

“But the wicked will be cut off from the land And the treacherous will be uprooted from it.”  Proverbs 2:22.

“Wait for the Lord and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land;  When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.”  Psalm 37:34.

Does this sound like bowing down to the alleged free-will of some doctrine? 

Or, does this sound like the Total Perfect Triumph of Reformed Doctrine?

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 4.

“1 Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel.  Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped beside Ebenezer while the Philistines camped in Aphek.  2 The Philistines drew up in battle array to meet Israel.  When the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.  3 When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?  Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.”  4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts who sits above the cherubim;  and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded.  6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?”  Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp.  7 The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.”  And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.  8 Woe to us!  Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods?  These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.  9 Take courage and be men, O Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you; therefore, be men and fight.”

10 So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.  11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and dust on his head.  13 When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road eagerly watching, because his heart was trembling for the ark of God.  So the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out.  14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the noise of this commotion mean?”  Then the man came hurriedly and told Eli.  15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were set so that he could not see.  16 The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.”  And he said, “How did things go, my son?”  17 Then the one who brought the news replied, “Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.”  18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy.  Thus he judged Israel forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s wife, was pregnant and about to give birth; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her.  20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.”  But she did not answer or pay attention.  21 And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.  22 She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.”  1 Samuel Chapter 4.

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Are we focused on the glory of God?  Or, like Phineas wife, are we focused on our own glory (maybe including the glory of our family, friends, and nation)? 

God showed his own glory in today’s Scripture by fulfilling His Word in 1 Samuel 2:21-24 concerning Hophni, Phineas, and Eli.

But, Phineas’ wife did not see the glory of God in the fulfillment of His word;  she only thought about the glory of Israel departing from Israel and the doom on her family and nation and attribute it to the taking of the ark by man.

We too can fail to see the glory of God in the fulfillment of His word.  We too can be more focused and concerned about our own glory or the actions of man.

But, there is hope!

Reformed Doctrine changes our focus from man to God.

Reformed Doctrine changes our focus from our glory to God’s glory.

Reformed Doctrine is not fearful or anxious about man taking the glory away from God.

Reformed Doctrine is not fearful or anxious about man taking away God from us.  “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29-30.

“Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed;  all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.”  Joshua 23:14.

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;  I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;  Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

“O Lord, You are my God;  I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name;  For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”  Isaiah 25:1.

“The Rock!  His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.”    Deuteronomy 32:1-4.

“I am the Lord, that is My name;  I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”  Isaiah 42:8.

“For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act;
For how can My name be profaned?
And My glory I will not give to another.”  Isaiah 48:11.

“And I will set My glory among the nations;  and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed and My hand which I have laid on them.”  Ezekiel 39:21.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 3.

“¹ Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli.  And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.

² It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), ³ and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, ⁴ that the Lord called Samuel;  and he said, “Here I am.”  ⁵ Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”  But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.”  So he went and lay down.  ⁶ The Lord called yet again, “Samuel!”  So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”  But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.”  ⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him.  ⁸ So the Lord called Samuel again for the third time.  And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”  Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy.  ⁹ And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’”  So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”  And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”  ¹¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. ¹² In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.  ¹³ For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.  ¹⁴ Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

¹⁵ So Samuel lay down until morning.  Then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord.  But Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. ¹⁶ Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.”  ¹⁷ He said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me.  May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him.  And he said, “It is the Lord;  let Him do what seems good to Him.”

¹⁹ Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fail.  ²⁰ All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.  ²¹ And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, because the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.”    1 Samuel Chapter 3.

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There is a work of God that is necessary in us before we truly hear the words of God.   

Samuel heard the voice of God three times and did not know that the LORD was calling him:  “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him.”  Verse 7.

But then God reveal to Samuel through Eli’s discernment that He was calling Samuel.  Verse 8. 

This chapter concludes with the following:  “… the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.”  Verse 21.

In other words, we can hear and read God’s word but not understand unless God reveals Himself to us.

We see this through Scripture. 

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 1:18.

“¹¹ Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.  ¹² For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance;  but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.  ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables;  because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  ¹⁴ In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

“At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.  Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  All things have been handed over to Me by My Father;  and no one knows the Son except the Father;  nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”  Matthew 11:25-27.  See also Luke 10:21-22.

“But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.  This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.”  John 12:37-40.

“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement;  who can listen to it?”  But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?  What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life;  the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.  But there are some of you who do not believe.”  For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.  And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”  John 6:60-65.

But, for us, God’s elect to whom it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, there is hope!

I “do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.  These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,”  Ephesians 1:16-20.

In addition, even though we are the Elect and we know God, there may remain doubts and fear and anxiety and other imperfect attitudes in us, God will eventually reveal to us all that we need to know.  “Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude;  and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;  however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”  Philippians 3:15-16.

“Surely the Lord God does nothing
Unless He reveals His secret counsel
To His servants the prophets.”  Amos 3:7.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel 2:12-36.  Here is a link to this Scripture –  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+2&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“18 Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.  19 And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.  20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the Lord.”  And they went to their own home.

21 The Lord visited Hannah;  and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters.  And the boy Samuel grew before the Lord.

22 Now Eli was very old;  and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.  23 He said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?  24 No, my sons;  for the report is not good which I hear the Lord’s people circulating.  25 If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?”  But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the Lord desired to put them to death.

26 Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men.

27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?  28 Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me;  and did I not give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel?  29 Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’  30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’;  but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.  31 Behold, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house.  32 You will see the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that I do for Israel; and an old man will not be in your house forever.  33 Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.  34 This will be the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas:  on the same day both of them will die.  35 But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul;  and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always.”    1 Samuel 2:18-35.

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There is a sharp contrast between Samuel on the one hand and Hophni and Phinehas on the other hand. 

“Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.”  Verse 18.  “Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men.”  Verse 26.

But, Hophni and Phinehas sometimes took by force more of the meat offering than they were entitled.  “Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men despised the offering of the Lord.”  Verse 17.  Moreover, they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.  “He (Eli, their own father) said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?  No, my sons;  for the report is not good which I hear the Lord’s people circulating.”  Verses 23 and 24.

Hophni and Phinehas may think they could get away with all of their despicable behavior.  But, God is not mocked;  through a man of God, God declared to Eli in part:  “Behold, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house.   You will see the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that I do for Israel; and an old man will not be in your house forever.  Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.  This will be the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas:  on the same day both of them will die.”  Verses 31-34.

Concerning Samuel and possibly also other faithful priests, God declared:  “But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul;  and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always.”  Verse 35.  Moreover, “The Lord visited Hannah (Samuel’s mother who dedicated Samuel to the LORD);   and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters.   And the boy Samuel grew before the Lord.”  Verse 21.

Galatians 6:7-10 summarizes the lesson for us today.  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;  for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.  So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”  Galatians 6:7-10.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel 2:1-10.

“1 Then Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 “There is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
3 “Boast no more so very proudly,
Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
For the Lord is a God of knowledge,
And with Him actions are weighed.
4 “The bows of the mighty are shattered,
But the feeble gird on strength.
5 “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
Even the barren gives birth to seven,
But she who has many children languishes.
6 “The Lord kills and makes alive;
He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 “The Lord makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts.
8 “He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.
9 “He keeps the feet of His godly ones,
But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a man prevail.
10 “Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,
And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”  1 Samuel 2:1-10.

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“O Lord, You are my God;  I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name;  For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”  Isaiah 25:1. 

What does today’s Scripture show?

Is man exalted?  Or, is God exalted?

Is man’s will exalted?  Or, are God’s actions exalted?

Are man’s works and wisdom exalted?  Or, is God’s salvation exalted?

Is man’s pride exalted?  Or, is God’s punishment exalted?

Is man’s might exalted?  Or, is God’s majesty exalted?

Are man’s plans exalted?  Or, is God’s preservation of the steps of His godly ones exalted?

Are man’s contribution and contention exalted?  Or, is God’s conquest exalted?

Is man’s strength exalted?  Or, is God’s sovereignty exalted?

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;  I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;  Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 1.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+1&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;  5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb.  6 Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.  7 It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her;  so she wept and would not eat.  8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad?  Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh.  Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.  10 She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.  11 She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”

12 Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth.  13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard.  So Eli thought she was drunk.  14 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk?  Put away your wine from you.”  15 But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit;  I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.

…

19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah.  And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.  20 It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son;  and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the Lord.” 

…

27 For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him.  28 So I have also dedicated him to the Lord;  as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.”  And he worshiped the Lord there.”  1 Samuel Chapter 1:  Verses 4-15 and 19-20 and 27-28.

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Hannah poured out her soul before the LORD.  And, the LORD granted her petition and gave her a son, “and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the Lord.”  Verse 20.

“Trust in Him at all times, O people;  Pour out your heart before Him;  God is a refuge for us.  Selah.”  Psalm 62:8.

“1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.
6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.”  Psalm Chapter 42.