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Saul's Victory over the Ammonites · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And Saul said, There shall not be a man put
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  Speaker 1: to death this day, for today the Lord hath wrought
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  Speaker 1: salvation in Israel. 1 Samuel 11.13 Dear God, as I
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  Speaker 1: look into the horizon of my future, sharpen my eyes
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  Speaker 1: so I can pinpoint the enemy and see where Satan
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  Speaker 1: is planning an attack. Like Saul in 1 Samuel 11,
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  Speaker 1: Tune my ears to hear the cries of the hurting
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  Speaker 1: as I operate in my position of leadership. Put a
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  Speaker 1: fire in my bones and an assurance that for such
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  Speaker 1: a time as this, you've called me to fully step
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  Speaker 1: into and take ownership of the calling in my life.
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  Speaker 1: It doesn't matter the size, expertise, or reputation. I will outpower, out-faith,
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  Speaker 1: and out-perform any opposition. that is standing before me. This
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  Speaker 1: is my war cry. This is my call to arms.
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  Speaker 1: I thank you that you've surrounded me with an army
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  Speaker 1: of generals who are prepared to fight for what is theirs.
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  Speaker 1: I declare that no pride will seep through the cracks
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  Speaker 1: of my character. Keep my heart holy, humble, and honoring
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  Speaker 1: as I live my life in victory. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for making prayer a priority in your day.
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  Speaker 1: To learn more about the Bible, stay tuned for today's story.
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  Speaker 1: Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Saul's victory over the Ammonites. In our last story, Saul
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  Speaker 2: was anointed as the first king of Israel. He was
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  Speaker 2: a strong, handsome, and well-built man who stood a foot
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  Speaker 2: taller than every other man in Israel. The people rejoiced
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  Speaker 2: over finally having a king, yet Samuel had warned them
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  Speaker 2: that having a king would not be exactly what they envisioned.
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  Speaker 2: Now we see Saul's first victory as king. He slays
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  Speaker 2: the evil Ammonite army with force, and the entirety of
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  Speaker 2: Israel is restored to balance and prosperity, as inspired by
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  Speaker 2: the book of 1 Samuel.
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  Speaker 3: I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
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  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would absolutely love
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  Speaker 3: to send you my daily devotional, that will give you
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  Speaker 3: fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment
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  Speaker 3: we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
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  Speaker 3: the pillow, there are thousands of things demanding our attention.
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  Speaker 3: But it's in the midst of all this crush and
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  Speaker 3: hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
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  Speaker 3: truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
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  Speaker 3: you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing Word,
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  Speaker 3: by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.
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  Speaker 3: So visit JackGraham.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.
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  Speaker 3: That's JackGraham.org. JackGraham.org. Yesterday we met the first king of Israel.
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  Speaker 3: We heard how God showed Samuel the man that he
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  Speaker 3: had chosen for the job, Saul. Saul was not expecting
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  Speaker 3: to be king and was very surprised. even confused by
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  Speaker 3: what Samuel was telling him. But God filled Saul with
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  Speaker 3: peace and confidence and faith, and when he was presented
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  Speaker 3: to the people, he was ready for the challenge. The
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  Speaker 3: people received Saul with great joy, but they were warned
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  Speaker 3: that having a king would not be all they had
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  Speaker 3: dreamed it would be. Still for now, Saul was God's
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  Speaker 3: man for the job, and he began from a place
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  Speaker 3: of humility and a desire to serve God and his people. Today,
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  Speaker 3: we will hear of Saul's first battle as king. God
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  Speaker 3: will give him a huge victory over the Ammonites, and
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  Speaker 3: Israel will enter into a time of prosperity. So let's
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  Speaker 3: listen now to today's reading.
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  Speaker 2: Jebesh Gilead was a small and quiet city on the
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  Speaker 2: edge of Israel. Farmers, shepherds, and their families dwelt peacefully
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  Speaker 2: in the land, minding their own business and working diligently.
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  Speaker 2: Children played in the fields as their fathers and mothers worked.
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  Speaker 2: All was well in the tranquil city of Jebesh Gilead,
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  Speaker 2: until one day battle horns could be heard in the distance.
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  Speaker 2: The farmers looked up towards the horizon as a sea
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  Speaker 2: of Ammonites peaked above the hills. The women took their
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  Speaker 2: children into their homes, and the men of the city
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  Speaker 2: grabbed anything they could to brace themselves. The Ammonites swarmed
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  Speaker 2: the city like locusts. The Ammonites surrounded the city on horseback.
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  Speaker 2: Their scowls loomed over the men of Jebesh. They were
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  Speaker 2: completely surrounded with no means of escape. Nor could they fight,
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  Speaker 2: for there were too many. The elder of Jebesh stepped
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  Speaker 2: forward and shouted,' Please do not harm us!' He bowed
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  Speaker 2: to the floor.' We will do anything you ask! Make
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  Speaker 2: a treaty with us! We will serve you! But please
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  Speaker 2: do not kill us!' The men began to laugh. Their
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  Speaker 2: dark and deep cackles filled the air like a poisonous gas.
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  Speaker 2: From among the crowd of Ammonites approached Nahash, their leader.
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  Speaker 2: He was larger than the rest of his men. His
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  Speaker 2: face was dark and battle-hardened, and his eyes revealed a
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  Speaker 2: corrupt wit. He was a truly frightening man, and worthy
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  Speaker 2: of fear. He dismounted his horse and slowly approached the men.
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  Speaker 2: He looked down at their elder bowing and smiled. He
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  Speaker 2: leaned down and said,' Of course we will make a
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  Speaker 2: treaty with you. Why waste my men's time and energy?'
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  Speaker 2: Nahash took the man by his arm and propped him up.
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  Speaker 2: He dusted him off and smiled. If you gouge out
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  Speaker 2: all your right eyes, we will spare you. You will
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  Speaker 2: serve us and Israel will be disgraced. Nahash then patted
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  Speaker 2: the leader on the back and began walking back to
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  Speaker 2: his horse. The elder of Jebesh begged Nahash, saying, Give
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  Speaker 2: us seven days. If there is no hero to challenge you,
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  Speaker 2: then we shall be your slaves. Nahash smiled. knowing full
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  Speaker 2: well no hero could defeat him in battle. He agreed
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  Speaker 2: and allowed the men to return to their work. Yet
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  Speaker 2: the Ammonites stayed and harassed the city. Their presence was
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  Speaker 2: like chains wrapped around their necks. Messengers were sent out
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  Speaker 2: throughout all of Israel, and the people wept in fear.
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  Speaker 2: In the distance, Saul was tilling his field behind Oxen.
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  Speaker 2: The hot sun beat down on him. Saul's strong body
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  Speaker 2: was dripping with sweat as he methodically broke up the
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  Speaker 2: ground beneath him for planting. Saul could hear a faint
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  Speaker 2: cry from the city. Some people were running across the
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  Speaker 2: roads and fleeing. Saul grabbed a man passing by and said,
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  Speaker 2: What is happening with the people? Why can I hear
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  Speaker 2: cries from the city? The man told him of Nahash's
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  Speaker 2: insurgence on Jebesh. Saul stood still and let the man go.
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  Speaker 2: He stood still in the fields quietly. Saul had experienced
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  Speaker 2: anger before, but this fire in his belly was different.
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  Speaker 2: The protective spirit of God came upon Saul. His eyes
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  Speaker 2: were like flames. His arms and legs tensed up like
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  Speaker 2: a mother bear whose cubs were under attack. This was
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  Speaker 2: the first time Saul truly felt like a king. Saul
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  Speaker 2: looked back to his oxen and tore them in pieces
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  Speaker 2: with his sword. He took those pieces and sent them
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  Speaker 2: all throughout Israel with messengers, saying, Whoever does not fight
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  Speaker 2: with Saul and Samuel for the heart of Israel will
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  Speaker 2: be torn apart like these oxen. The message had its
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  Speaker 2: desired effect. Three hundred and thirty thousand men gathered together
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  Speaker 2: with their swords and spears. Saul marched in front of them.
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  Speaker 2: They marched as one man, one body. Saul sent messengers
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  Speaker 2: ahead to Jebesh Gilead, saying, Tomorrow, when the sun is
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  Speaker 2: high and hot, you shall have your salvation. The next
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  Speaker 2: day Saul stood above the plains where the Ammonites met
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  Speaker 2: for battle. The sun was hot, and Saul tilted his
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  Speaker 2: head towards the sun and closed his eyes. The men
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  Speaker 2: were hungry for battle. They felt braver with a king
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  Speaker 2: in front of them. Saul lifted his sword towards the battlefield,
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  Speaker 2: and the Israelites yelled as they descended upon the Ammonites.
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  Speaker 2: Saul split his army into three companies, and the three
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  Speaker 2: armies surrounded the Ammonites and crashed upon them. The Israelites
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  Speaker 2: were overpowering. Swords clanged together as the men of Israel
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  Speaker 2: fought with ferocity and speed. Saul was among them, fighting
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  Speaker 2: his way to the center. He stood a head high
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  Speaker 2: above every enemy. He swung his sword with power and authority,
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  Speaker 2: striking down every man in his path. Nahash was in sight.
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  Speaker 2: and the two ran towards one another. Their swords and
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  Speaker 2: fists clashed. The two kings exchanged blows and parried one
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  Speaker 2: another's advances. Nahash swung upward towards Saul, leaving his side exposed,
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  Speaker 2: and Saul drove his sword through his ribs. The Ammonites
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  Speaker 2: scattered as Israel chased after them. Victory had been won,
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  Speaker 2: and God had gone before them. The people cheered and
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  Speaker 2: said to Samuel, Who were the men that doubted Saul?
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  Speaker 2: Bring them to us, and we shall put them to death.
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  Speaker 2: Saul stopped them, saying, No more Israelites shall die today,
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  Speaker 2: for God has given us his salvation. So Samuel led
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  Speaker 2: the nation up to Gilgal, where they renewed their oath
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  Speaker 2: to God and to Saul. They made a sacrifice to
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  Speaker 2: the Lord, and the entire nation celebrated and rejoiced over
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  Speaker 2: the new era brought by Saul. Saul was elated and
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  Speaker 2: stayed humble, yet something inside him enjoyed the praise and
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  Speaker 2: worship of his people. A subtle pride began to seep
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  Speaker 2: through cracks of his heart. None of the Israelites or
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  Speaker 2: Saul could see it, but God saw it and watched
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  Speaker 2: Saul closely.
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  Speaker 3: We begin today's reading in the small town of Jabez Gilead.
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  Speaker 3: It's not a mighty city or even an important one,
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  Speaker 3: but it is Israel's territory, and the Ammonites set their
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  Speaker 3: sights on it as an easy target. They surrounded the
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  Speaker 3: city and are ready to attack. Terrified, the elders of
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  Speaker 3: this city approach the Ammonite army and offer a surrender.
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  Speaker 3: They want their lives spared and will willingly give up
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  Speaker 3: their freedom to save themselves. The Ammonites say they'll accept
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  Speaker 3: the treaty, but they must all gouge out their right eye.
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  Speaker 3: The only purpose for this condition, of course, was humiliation
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  Speaker 3: and the torture of God's people. So the elders aren't
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  Speaker 3: ready to accept these terms, and they ask that they
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  Speaker 3: think it over and send out a call for help.
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  Speaker 3: The fact that the Ammonites agreed to wait signals just
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  Speaker 3: how arrogant they must have been. They had the city
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  Speaker 3: surrounded and could have easily taken it then and there.
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  Speaker 3: Why wait for a larger army to arrive? They did
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  Speaker 3: not fear or respect Israel, and they certainly did not
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  Speaker 3: fear or respect God. When the word got to Saul,
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  Speaker 3: he burned with righteous anger. He was angry that foreigners
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  Speaker 3: would act with such cruelty and make a mockery of
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  Speaker 3: his people And that, of course, was totally unacceptable. The
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  Speaker 3: Spirit of God filled Saul. He slaughtered his oxen and
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  Speaker 3: sent pieces of the beast as a message to his people.
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  Speaker 3: Anyone who did not join him in battle to protect
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  Speaker 3: Israel would meet the same fate as the oxen. His message,
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  Speaker 3: though startling, was effective, and 330,000 men gathered for battle.
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  Speaker 3: Israel was united to protect that one small town. and
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  Speaker 3: they were led by a man who was filled with
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  Speaker 3: the Spirit of God. The Ammonites never stood a chance.
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  Speaker 3: Saul led his men in a commanding victory, killing all
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  Speaker 3: but a few Ammonites who scattered and ran away in fear.
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  Speaker 3: If there was ever any doubt that Saul was fit
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  Speaker 3: to be the king, it was a race that day.
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  Speaker 3: Some had doubted him, and the people knew this. So
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  Speaker 3: in 1 Samuel 11, 12-13, here is what we read.
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  Speaker 3: Then the people said to Samuel, Who is it that said,
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  Speaker 3: Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we
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  Speaker 3: may put them to death. But Saul said, Not a
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  Speaker 3: man shall be put to death this day, for today
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  Speaker 3: the Lord has worked salvation for Israel. No, this was
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  Speaker 3: not a time for revenge or killing, especially not the
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  Speaker 3: killing of God's own people. So Saul unified the people
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  Speaker 3: under one banner, that God had brought salvation to his people.
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  Speaker 3: Rather than look at this as his own personal victory,
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  Speaker 3: He turned the attention of the people of God to
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  Speaker 3: the Savior of Israel, God himself. They rejoiced because of
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  Speaker 3: what God had done. When we succeed, we can sometimes
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  Speaker 3: be tempted to take credit or feel pride in our
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  Speaker 3: own accomplishments. There's nothing wrong, of course, with celebrating, but
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  Speaker 3: we must always give glory to God who gives us
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  Speaker 3: the victory. We win not in our own strength or
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  Speaker 3: cleverness or charms. It is God at work in us
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  Speaker 3: and through us. And in this first victory, that's exactly
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  Speaker 3: what Saul did. But unfortunately, soon he would start to
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  Speaker 3: believe his own greatness and pride would creep into his life.
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  Speaker 3: It would be the beginning of the end and his downfall.
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  Speaker 3: We'll hear more about that the next time. Dear Lord,
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  Speaker 3: we thank you for victory. Victory that we know comes
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  Speaker 3: through Jesus Christ, our Lord. It is not because of
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  Speaker 3: what we have done, but because of what you have done, Lord.
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  Speaker 3: not because we are strong, but because you are our
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  Speaker 3: mighty God. We thank you for your Spirit who lives
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  Speaker 3: in us and empowers us and enables us to live
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  Speaker 3: lives to accomplish your purposes. May we always be humble
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  Speaker 3: before you. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank
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  Speaker 3: you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, and before we go,
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  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would love to
• 14:35
  Speaker 3: send you my daily devotional, to give you fresh encouragement
• 14:39
  Speaker 3: every single day. So visit JackGraham.org to sign up for
• 14:43
  Speaker 3: your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's JackGraham.org.