March 22, 2025 - 1 Samuel 25-27

“Now Samuel died.  And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah” (25:1).  We’re at another transition.  For so long, Samuel had served as counselor (Of course, he was much more than this.) to Saul and, now, he was dead.  It will not be long until we read about Saul’s death.  At that point, David becomes king of Israel, and the prophet Nathan steps into the shoes of the king’s most trusted counselor.  Over and over in the Scriptures we find these transitions:  Abraham to Isaac, Isaac to Jacob, Moses to Joshua, and so on.  And in the same way, we see these natural transitions from generation to generation.  A couple thoughts:  In every generation, God has his people and those who lead his people.  Let the world do what it will, it will always be so.  And then, this; though times change and people change, God never changes.  As he was faithful to Abraham so he was faithful to Isaac.  Faithful to Isaac, he was faithful to Jacob.  And on and on until we come to us.  As God has been faithful to his people in generations past, so is he to us, today.

O taste and see that he is good;

experience will decide

how blest are they, and only they

who in the Lord confide.

Fear him, you saints, and you will then

have nothing else to fear;

make serving him your sole delight,

your wants shall be his care.   --Tate and Brady's New Version, 1696, 1698