#1231

“A MAN FOR THE HOUR”

I. HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES
A) ACTUAL PROBLEM
1. REBELLION OF MEN OF JABESH
• (SMALL CITY OF W. OF JORDAN RIVER)… MEN OF JABESH HAD BEEN SLAIN BY ISRAEL – ‘CAUSE
WOULDN’T FIGHT AGAINST BENJAMIN
…WHEN BENJAMIN WOULD PROTECT MEN OF GIBEAH
CLASSIC CASE: (BENJAMITES HOLDING OUT FOR GAY RIGHTS)
NOW, NAHASH (AMMONITE)… (1SAM 1:1) : “ENCAMPED AGAINST”
NOW… MEN OF JABESH (V.16) … BUT, IF MEN OF JABESH HAD NOT BROKEN COVENANT W/
ALMIGHTY… WOULDN’T BE DEALING W/ AMMONITES
(NO VIRTUE, NO CHARACTER)… MEN OF GOD DO NOT DEAL W/ ENEMY!
2. REPROACH OF NAHASH (V.2) … WISHED TO DISARM
…WISHED TO DEFY ENTIRE NATION OF ISRAEL
(SEEKING REVENGE FOR A DEFEAT BY JEPTHA, 100 YRS. EARLIER)
• ENEMY OF GOD IS NEVER CONTENT TO HAVE YOU SERVE HIM
… * ALSO WISHES TO TORMENT & TO INFLICT PAIN
3. RESPITE GIVEN MEN OF JABESH (V.3)
… NAHASH WAS NO MILITARY GENIUS [NO GEN SCHWATZICOFF…]
(POMPOUS & PROUD)… DOESN’T BELIEVE IN 7 DAYS ANY FORCE COULD GROW
BUT, NAHASH IS IGNORANT OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD…
4. REGRET/REMORSE OF MEN OF HIBEAH (V.4)
(MIGHT SEEM LIKE NOBLE RESPONSE) BUT…WERE MORE WILLING TO WEEP THAN TO GO TO WAR (TO
FRET & NOT FIGHT)
B) AWFUL PARALLELS
1. POLITICAL SYSTEM…TODAY… WHEN PARTIES, CANDIDATES HAVE GAY RIGHTS AS A PART OF
PLATFORM…CHURCH IS AFRAID TO FIGHT
2. PUBLIC SCHOOLS … WHEN SCHOOLS HOUSE HEALTH CLINICS PROMOTING PREMARITAL SEX…
CHURCH IS AFRAID TO FIGHT…
ARE AWFUL PARALLELS FROM THAT DAY TO OUR OWN…

II. HEROIC COURAGE OF SAUL

1. HE WAS PRACTICAL (V.5)… (CHAPTER 10: “KING”)
• KNOW WHAT THE NEW KING OF ISRAEL HAD BEEN DOING?
… PLOWING A YOKE OF OXEN… [DID NOT SAY:…]
2. HAD PERCEPTION (10:26, 27)
TO SAUL’S CREDIT HE DID NOT SAY: “MY FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO HAVE A BACK-DOOR
REVIVAL”…
[I’M GONNA GET ‘EM”] … SAUL THOUGH IT BETTER TO FIGHT THE AMMINONITES THAN HIS DISSENTERS!
… HAS SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION
3. WAS PASSIONED (V.6) … (V.7A)
SAUL GOT HOPPING MAD… I TELL YOU: A PASSIVITY, A BLASÉ, BLAND SPIRIT IS KILLING THE CHURCH
[SOME WOULDN’T CARE IF…] … THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT OUGHT TO MAKE US MAD… OUGHT TO
MAKE US SAY:
“WHATEVER THE OUTCOME, I’M GOING TO DO WHAT I CAN”
 #1231

NOW, SAUL MIGHT HAVE RATIONALIZED … HAD HE BEEN A TYPICAL BAPTIST HE WOULD HAVE…:
[YOU KNOW, THERE’S NO GUARANTEE…]
• WE DO NEED TO USE OUR MINDS… BUT, ARE TIMES WHEN RED, HOT PASSION FOR WHAT IS RIGHT
SHOULD MOTIVATE US
(WE DON’T HAVE TO WIN, BUT WE’VE GOT TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT)
[3 KINDS OF PEOPLE] WHICH ARE YOU?

III. HALLOWED CONSEQUENCES

1. FEAR FELL (V.7B)
2. FLOCK FOLLOWED (V.8)
3. FIGHT WAS FIERCE (V.11)
• DID YOU NOTICE THE BREVITY W/ WHICH SAUL MOVED?
HOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT (NO EDUCATION, EXPERTISE…)?
… THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON HIM