”And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.” -1 Samuel 11:7
It can be frustrating when the best efforts for God seem to result in just spinning our wheels. When the best choices laid in front of us seem to be bad or worse than bad. There is no way, or seeming, no way maker. The only decision is one of desperation.
The men of Jabesh found themselves in such a predicament. They were next in line to be conquered by the Ammorites army and went out to broker peace before they came and destroyed them all. The terms of peace were harsh, pluck out your right eye, and they only afforded servitude. Of course, the other option would be death. Not great. They asked for time to think about it and sent out emissaries for help. Saul the newly anointed King in Israel heard their cry and in righteous indignation for his people quickly came to aid. Using his own means of “rock and hard place” tactics to call others in the country to aid. Basically saying, either you come and fight or I will come and cut up your oxen. “Whosever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel.” Now maybe I am reaching on this, but what made the people come out with one consent wasn’t just Saul, but Samuel. Samuel was respected among the Israelites. He was God’s chosen man; he had the power and spirit of God on him. It was the reputation of Samuel that appointed the lowly Saul to be king in the first place. Samuel standing with Saul in this charge brought the necessary firepower (if you please) to bring the force to bear. A force which would soon put down the threat to Jabesh and liberate the people. Saul, the Benjamite, could have sent out ultimatums the country over, and it would have been regarded as junk mail. However, standing with Samuel, on him the spirit of Almighty God, it was like having the seal of God. The spirit and power of God is what made Samuel, Samuel, and by extension Saul, King Saul. This is what brought salvation to the Jabesh. The spirit of God. The power of God. The power that elevated Abraham, guided Joseph, aided Moses, and slew the Egyptians. It was God’s man, with God’s power, standing with God’s chosen who called the people to aid.
Our best efforts with God are just that, ours. What can we do against the mighty forces of sin? Nothing. What can we do against the militant pagan world that is creeping in? Nothing. Our best hope is death or dismemberment. Yet, if we have Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; we are more than conquerors. The tides turn and the forces of God come to our aid. Having Him, means keeping Him at the center of our lives.
