Choices and Consequences

 

READ 1 Samuel 5–10

In today’s world, failure to see cause and effect is common. Not so in the days of Samuel, at least with the Philistines, enemies of Israel. They had taken the Ark of God from God’s people and recognized that this was the cause of affliction that then happened:

The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.” (1 Samuel 5:6–7)

They sent the ark to another city, Gath, but “after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.” They sent it to Ekron, but the people cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.” They called their leaders to send it back to Israel “that it may not kill us and our people” for there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven. (5:8–12)

They knew why they had been struck, and their method of sending it back settled any doubt . . . “send it off and let it go its way and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land . . . then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.” (6:8–9)

They did this test after realizing the power of God when their idol made of stone fell on its face two times before the ark. That knowledge is missing today. We hear all kinds of assumptions about cause and effect or no connections between the two are made at all, as if life is random and God is not involved.

The Israelites also knew otherwise. They realized that their own worship of idols was bringing trouble into their lives so “the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.” (7:3–4) However, their devotion didn’t last. When Samuel grew old and his sons failed to properly take on his responsibilities, the people wanted a king like the other nations. Samuel was not happy. He prayed . . .

And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them . . . . And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” (8:5–9; 18)

This answer reveals how the people needed to be warned about cause and effect. Their decision to run their own lives the same way as the pagans around them may have messed with their ability to see what would happen because of it. Lack of faith has consequences.

Samuel did anoint a king and God gave this new king a boost of His Spirit and a new heart (10:6; 9). Even though Saul was handsome and the people were excited, there were some who said, “How can this man save us?” and they despised him and gave him no support. (10:24–27)

Would support have made a difference? Would these people pray for their king (like the NT commands) or would they go along with his disobedience to God? Would they see the errors of his ways and recognize the consequences? Or would they be like today’s people who select a leader because they don’t want to be led by the Lord? And because he or she looks and sounds good, failing to recognize that even leaders can fail to see the future results of their choices and actions?

Lord Jesus, all this makes me realize how often I act on impulse without consulting You or thinking ahead to how my choices will affect my life and the lives of others. I don’t want to make the same errors described in this passage and carry on as if I know better than You. Grant me the grace to stop and think far more often and more seriously than I do. Amen.