ADULT STS LESSON 201 DEFEAT OF THE AMMONITES
MEMORY VERSE:
“And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad” (1 Samuel 11:9).
TEXT: 1 Samuel 11:1–15
The request of the children of Israel for a king who would lead them like other nations was granted in the preceding study. Saul was thus anointed king over Israel to lead and defend them against external aggression. Shortly after his selection, the Ammonites laid siege on Jabeshgilead, a territory of the Israelites. As it were, this challenge and the accompanying victory confirmed Saul as the divine choice. God appoints leaders to solve problems, fight and win spiritual battles for His people and lead them on the path of righteousness.
Jabeshgilead, a town on the east of Jordan, was located within the portion of the half tribe of Manasseh (Judges 21:8). This town, it could be recalled, was sacked by the Israelites’ punitive expedition for refusing to join in chastising the tribe of Benjamin at Gibeah for shielding some rapists from being penalised. After its sack, four hundred virgins were captured from there and given to the surviving Benjamites as wives so their tribe would not suffer extinction (Judges 21:8–25).
Now, bereft of valiant men that could defend it, Jabeshgilead was thought to be an easy prey by Nahash, king of the Ammonites, who laid siege on it. An irony however played out at this time of siege: the people of Jabeshgilead who did not see any reason to join forces with the other tribes previously, now rode to victory on the strength of a united force of the entire tribes of Israel. Living in isolation brings defeat. Believers should unite forces to win souls before the devil destroys them.
SIEGE ON JABESHGILEAD
(1 Samuel 11:1–4; Revelation 12:9; 1 Peter 5:8; Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20; Matthew 4:10; John 10:10)
“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” (1 Samuel 11:1).
Nahash, which means serpent, was the king of the Ammonites at the time Saul was anointed king over Israel. Like a real serpent, he was cruel and oppressive. He attacked Jabeshgilead unprovoked. He behaved like Satan, the age-long serpent that has continued to terrorise and oppress humanity. This unprovoked attack and siege should make present-day believers realise that the world is a battleground; that the devil, like a roaring lion, is seeking whom he may devour whether he is provoked or not. In any case, a person’s decision to make Christ Lord and serve Him grieves him.
Meanwhile, the discipline meted out to the people of Jabeshgilead by other tribes of Israel left them weakened and defenceless. To forestall hostility and destruction, the men of Jabesh, ignobly timid and faint-hearted, chose to enter into a covenant that would put them into slavery. Unfortunately, their offer of voluntary servitude based on their acknowledged weakness was rejected. It was wrong in the first place to suggest making a covenant to serve a heathen king. God does not want His people to serve their enemies.
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Luke 4:8; Matthew 4:10; Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20).
When we serve God only, He will intervene to deliver us when we need Him. Perhaps, the men of Jabeshgilead thought the other tribes would be unwilling to help, in retaliation for their previous uncooperative attitude. They made concession without knowing their enemy would not stop at making them slaves but also inflict permanent injury on them. With no milk of mercy, Nahash stoutly gave a tall order:
“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” (1 Samuel 11:2).
To make all the people one-eyed was a most awful condition for covenant of ‘peaceful slavery’ and grossly dehumanising. It also revealed a broader intent of the Ammonites: to bring “reproach upon all Israel”. Many people still live in similar horrible conditions contrary to the word and will of God. Sin and Satan have enslaved them.
“Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34).
These twin enemies blind the mind of sinners and prevent them from seeing their wretchedness and from seeking the Saviour for freedom. The devil’s attack, siege and oppression are designed to steal, kill and destroy. Unwilling to accept this affliction, the people of Jabeshgilead asked for 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”.
Many people are suffering one form of oppression or the other having not heard or read the words of Jesus that He is the Way (John 14:6). In a bid to find solution, some wanderers are initiated into occult groups while others accept brutal conditions in life. Believers therefore, need to keep sharing the message of hope and deliverance to all people. The elders of Jabeshgilead sent messengers to Gibeah, Saul’s immediate community, to bear these sad tidings and the people wept since none of them could challenge the enemy. This agony and weeping drew Saul’s attention on his return from tending his flock.
SAUL PREPARES ISRAEL FOR BATTLE
(1 Samuel 11:5–9; Ephesians 6:12; Proverbs 21:31; Acts 13:6–12; 16:16–18; 1:8; 2:38,39; John 14:16; Galatians 2:6; 1 John 3:16; Isaiah 53:4,5; Luke 8:9; Acts 8:5–8)
Since Samuel anointed him king, Saul had yet to be confirmed and installed in office. The confirmation was necessary because some of the people did not agree that he was the best choice for the throne. His confirmation came when the Spirit of God descended on him. When he heard about the cruel condition of the Ammonites, he was filled with holy anger and inspired to assemble three hundred and thirty thousand men at Bezek in preparation for battle.
Following his invitation to the people to come “after [him] and after Samuel… the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent”. The Spirit did not only inspire fear and unity among them but also the strategy for battle. Without the Holy Ghost, the stoutest of Christians with the best spiritual credentials will suffer defeat in life’s battles.
If the Spirit of God helped His children to win the victory over their foes in physical battle, we have greater need of Him because ours is a spiritual battle. Without the Holy Ghost, how would Paul have overcome the demonic activities of sorcerers like Barjesus and the damsel that confronted him on the field of soul-winning?
Christ has promised to baptize every believer with the Holy Spirit.
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
With faith, hunger for the experience and earnest prayer, every believer can be filled and indwelt by the Spirit, unlike His occasional descent on Old Testament saints for a specific task.
Saul then sent message to the people of Jabeshgilead concerning their readiness to rescue them. They were overjoyed and “glad” to receive mercy and promised intervention from other tribes who had previously commissioned a punitive expedition against them. The Scripture commands believers to bear one another’s burden and so fulfil the law of Christ. He conquered Satan through His crucifixion and promised divine intervention and victory to everyone who becomes a child of God. He is the Saviour from every form of slavery and oppression.
Believers must urgently take the message of deliverance, salvation and freedom from bondage to sin and Satan to their communities. This gospel liberates and brings joy to people and communities under demonic siege (Acts 8:5–8).
SUBJUGATION OF THE AMMONITES
(1 Samuel 11:10–15; 1 Corinthians 15:57; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 103:1–3; Philippians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 5:14,15)
While rejoicing for the promised deliverance, the people of Jabeshgilead sent a misleading message to the Ammonites that they would surrender to their cruelty. This message must have made the enemy soldiers not to prepare to fight anymore. Unknown to them, the scheduled day of surrender would be their day of deadly defeat.
Saul divided the entire army into three operational groups. In a pre-dawn surprise attack, “…they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together” (1 Samuel 11:11).
From this victory over the Ammonites, we learn:
- The need to establish a relationship with God so that His Spirit can continually help us overcome temptations and battles of life.
- Oneness and unity among the brethren enhance victory (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
- It is important to bear one another’s burden.
- Faith and dependence on the Spirit of God in spiritual warfare are non-negotiable.
- It is important to participate in prayer vigils of the church: the timing of the surprise attack was “the morning watch”.
- The need for strategy cannot be ruled out. We need to establish prayer and evangelism groups to rescue souls.
- It is godly to forgive those who oppose us and not seek opportunity to revenge. Following their victory in battle, the people wanted to kill those who questioned the eligibility of Saul to reign over Israel. But Saul objected to taking vengeance.
- It is good to ascribe victory in life’s battle to God. Acknowledging this, Saul said, “There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel” (verse 13).
Sequel to this, Samuel, who had been part of the rescue team, called the people to celebrate it in God’s appointed place of worship. It was a call to renew the kingdom before God. Three things happened at Gilgal:
- First, all the people made Saul king.
- Second, they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings.
- Third, Saul and all the people rejoiced greatly.
When God grants us victory in life’s battles, we must not abandon the fellowship of believers but return to praise and worship Him. It is pertinent to offer sacrifices of praise to God for granting us deliverance and peace. Believers need to rejoice in the Lord for His care and intervention and further show gratitude by rededicating their entire lives to serve Him.
The people of Jabeshgilead did not only praise God but also appreciated Saul’s efforts at mobilising the entire tribes to rescue them. In fact, they showed this gratitude forty years later by taking down the dead bodies of Saul and his three sons from the walls of Bethshan, cremated them and buried the bones under a tree near the city (1 Samuel 31:11–13; 2 Samuel 2:5). As Christians, we will only be remembered by what we have done.
Questions for Review
- Why does God appoint leaders over His people?
- What can believers learn from the unprovoked siege of Nahash and the Ammonites on Jabeshgilead?
- From the real purpose of the siege in our text, what is Satan’s aim of attacking believers?
- State the purpose and power of the Holy Spirit in a believer.
- How can people win the victory in life’s battle?
- Why should believers forgive those who offend them?
- What should be our attitude when God grants us victory in the battles of life?
