Reading the Bible Through

1 Samuel 15 - 17   Saul did not follow the Lord wholeheartedly. He sacrificed the lesser things. (As I understand it, this was also what was 'wrong' with Cain's sacrifice. It was not the best for the Lord.) Then Saul lies about what he did to Samuel's face while Samuel could hear the captured animals that were to have been sacrificed. Did Saul's power corrupt him or was it from fear? This was the same man who hid among the baggage. In 15:24, Saul owns that he was afraid of the people.  The Lord regretted making Saul king over Israel. What does it mean to have a God who had regrets, yet is always good and perfect. It is hard to see this God in the old testament being full of love for all people when he keeps telling the Israelites to devote them to destruction/kill them all.  In chapter 16, the elders of Bethlehem ask Samuel if he comes peaceably. What would the other answer be? A quick google search indicates Samuel may have come to rebuke or judge them in some mann...

1 Samuel 9 - 11   The story of Saul going to ask Samuel where to find the donkeys sounds a lot like going to a psychic in my opinion.  When Samuel meets Saul at the gate, it reminds me of Gandalf from Lord of the Rings.  In 10:9, it says that God gave Saul "a new heart." I am struck by that phrase today. I reminds me of Jesus saying that you must be born again. 

Deuteronomy 17 - 19   Here we see that Israel will want a king. I think this is the first time we see that.  When it talks about false prophets here, I am reminded that we will see quite a few off them telling kings what the kings want to hear.  When I listen today to the part about witnesses at the end of the reading, I am reminded that Jesus was testified against by false witnesses. I am also realizing that these laws about who must die/capital punishment are part of what lead to death on the cross to fulfill what is done over and over by animal sacrifice.