Can we be passive or must we conquer evil? Can God mercifully rescue us from evil? Do God’s enemies want to humiliate us? Does righteous anger conquer evil and unrighteous anger let evil conquer us? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 11.
Did the Ammonites threaten Jabesh in Gilead with a humiliating offer of surrender? Was Nahash (meaning snake) an appropriate name for someone who acted like the devil?
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. (1 Samuel 11:1-4 KJV)
After being anointed king did Saul just go back home to farm work? What emotion did the Spirit of God use to help Saul take the lead?
Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh. Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he burned with anger exceedingly. Then he took a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. And he numbered them in Bezek; and the sons of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. (1 Samuel 11:5-8 LSB)
Did the army led by Saul achieve victory over the Ammonites?
They said to the messengers who had come, “This is what you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be saved.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they rejoiced. Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.” The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch, and struck and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived scattered, so that no two of them were left together. (1 Samuel 11:9-11 NASB)
To whom did Saul give credit for the victory? Did the people then reconfirm Saul as king?
The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.” But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration. (1 Samuel 11:12-15 NIV)
Did the Holy Spirit stir up in Saul a righteous anger, without sin?
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27 NKJV Psalm 4:4; 37:8)
Is a loving God ever angry, and with whom is He angry?
God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day. (Psalm 7:11 NLT)
Does Jesus, the Lamb of God, get angry and conquer evil?
They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:16-17 WEB)
Was Jesus ever righteously angry regarding financial abuse in the temple?
Then Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those who were selling and buying there. He pushed over the tables used for currency exchange and the chairs of those who sold doves. He said to them, “It’s written, My house will be called a house of prayer. But you’ve made it a hideout for crooks.” (Matthew 21:12-13)
What about unrighteous anger, whereby evil conquers us?
But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others. (Colossians 3:8)
Can we be passive or must we conquer evil? Can God mercifully rescue us from evil? Do God’s enemies want to humiliate us? Does righteous anger conquer evil and unrighteous anger let evil conquer us? You decide!
