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Saul's Victory over the Ammonites - The Book of 1 Samuel · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And Saul said, There shall not be
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  Speaker 1: a man put to death this day, for today the
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  Speaker 1: Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel. 1 Samuel 11.13 Dear God,
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  Speaker 1: as I look into the horizon of my future, sharpen
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  Speaker 1: my eyes so I can pinpoint the enemy and see
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  Speaker 1: where Satan is planning an attack. Like Saul in 1
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  Speaker 1: Samuel 11, Tune my ears to hear the cries of
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  Speaker 1: the hurting as I operate in my position of leadership.
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  Speaker 1: Put a fire in my bones and an assurance that
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  Speaker 1: for such a time as this, you've called me to
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  Speaker 1: fully step into and take ownership of the calling in
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  Speaker 1: my life. It doesn't matter the size, expertise, or reputation.
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  Speaker 1: I will outpower, out-faith, and out-perform any opposition. that is
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  Speaker 1: standing before me. This is my war cry. This is
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  Speaker 1: my call to arms. I thank you that you've surrounded
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  Speaker 1: me with an army of generals who are prepared to
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  Speaker 1: fight for what is theirs. I declare that no pride
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  Speaker 1: will seep through the cracks of my character. Keep my
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  Speaker 1: heart holy, humble, and honoring as I live my life
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  Speaker 1: in victory. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for making
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  Speaker 1: prayer a priority in your day. To learn more about
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  Speaker 1: the Bible, stay tuned for today's story. Brought to you
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  Speaker 1: 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: Hello, Pastor Jack Graham here with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. Yesterday we met the first
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  Speaker 3: king of Israel. We heard how God showed Samuel the
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  Speaker 3: man that he had chosen for the job, Saul. Saul
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  Speaker 3: was not expecting to be king and was very surprised,
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  Speaker 3: even confused by what Samuel was telling him. But God
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  Speaker 3: filled Saul with peace and confidence and faith, and when
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  Speaker 3: he was presented to the people, he was ready for
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  Speaker 3: the challenge. The people received Saul with great joy, but
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  Speaker 3: they were warned that having a king would not be
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  Speaker 3: all they had dreamed it would be. Still for now,
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  Speaker 3: Saul was God's man for the job, and he began
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  Speaker 3: from a place of humility and a desire to serve
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  Speaker 3: God and his people. Today, we will hear of Saul's
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  Speaker 3: first battle as king. God will give him a huge
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  Speaker 3: victory over the Ammonites, and Israel will enter into a
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  Speaker 3: time of prosperity. So let's 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.
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  Speaker 1: We will spare you.
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  Speaker 2: You will serve us and Israel will be disgraced. Nahash
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  Speaker 2: then patted the leader on the back and began walking
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  Speaker 2: back to his horse. The elder of Jebesh begged Nahash, saying,
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  Speaker 2: Give us seven days. If there is no hero to
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  Speaker 2: challenge you, then we shall be your slaves. Nahash smiled,
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  Speaker 2: knowing full well no hero could defeat him in battle.
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  Speaker 2: He agreed and allowed the men to return to their work.
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  Speaker 2: Yet the Ammonites stayed and harassed the city. Their presence
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  Speaker 2: was like chains wrapped around their necks. Messengers were sent
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  Speaker 2: out throughout all of Israel, and the people wept. In
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  Speaker 2: the distance, Saul was tilling his field behind Oxen. The
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  Speaker 2: hot sun beat down on him. Saul's strong body was
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  Speaker 2: dripping with sweat as he methodically broke up the ground
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  Speaker 2: beneath him for planting. Saul could hear a faint cry
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  Speaker 2: from the city. Some people were running across the roads
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  Speaker 2: 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 territories. 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 approached the Ammonites 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 to 13, here is what
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  Speaker 3: we read. Then the people said to Samuel, Who is
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  Speaker 3: it that said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the
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  Speaker 3: men that we may put them to death. But Saul said,
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  Speaker 3: Not a man shall be put to death this day,
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  Speaker 3: for today the Lord has worked salvation for Israel. No,
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  Speaker 3: this was not a time for revenge or killing, especially
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  Speaker 3: not the killing of God's own people. So Saul unified
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  Speaker 3: the people under one banner, that God had brought salvation
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  Speaker 3: to his people. Rather than look at this as his
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  Speaker 3: own personal victory, he turned the attention of the people
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  Speaker 3: of God to the Savior of Israel, God himself. They
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  Speaker 3: rejoiced because of what God had done. When we succeed,
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  Speaker 3: we can sometimes be tempted to take credit or feel
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  Speaker 3: pride in our own accomplishments. There's nothing wrong, of course,
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  Speaker 3: with celebrating, but we must always give glory to God
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  Speaker 3: who gives us the victory. We win not in our
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  Speaker 3: own strength or cleverness or charms. It is God at
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  Speaker 3: work in us and through us. And in this first victory,
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  Speaker 3: that's exactly what Saul did. But unfortunately, soon he would
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  Speaker 3: start to believe his own greatness and pride would creep
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  Speaker 3: into his life. It would be the beginning of the
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  Speaker 3: end and his downfall. We'll hear more about that the
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  Speaker 3: next time. Dear Lord, we thank you for victory. Victory
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  Speaker 3: that we know comes through Jesus Christ, our Lord. It
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  Speaker 3: is not because of what we have done, but because
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  Speaker 3: of what you have done, Lord. Not because we are strong,
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  Speaker 3: but because you are our mighty God. We thank you
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  Speaker 3: for your Spirit who lives in us and empowers us
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  Speaker 3: and enables us to live lives to accomplish your purposes.
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  Speaker 3: May we always be humble before you. We pray this
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  Speaker 3: in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
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• 13:48
  Speaker 3: a priority in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast,
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  Speaker 3: make a genuine, even eternal difference in their lives. And
• 13:59
  Speaker 3: if you want more resources on how you can know
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  Speaker 3: the power of God through Jesus Christ, then visit jackgraham.org.