A Thorn Between Two Roses: 1 Samuel

Description

Sometimes we have heard of a rose between two thorns, but in the book of First Samuel, we have a thorn between two roses. The book begins with Samuel who was a mighty prophet in Israel and was instrumental in listening to the Lord and leading the people of God out of an era where every man was doing that which was right in his own eyes. The book closes with David, the sweet psalmist in Israel who was a man after God’s own heart. Between these two stellar examples is the life of Saul, a king who frequently defied God and eventually was stripped of his monarchy. In First Samuel, we see the positive example of gifted leaders but also the horrific example of a carnal leader who injured the very people he had been called to serve. Between these sweet leaders comes the injurious stab of a selfish king – a man who was a thorn between two roses.