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MAY 4
it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My
body which is given for you; do this in
remembrance of Me.”
Likewise He also took the cup after supper, 22:22 as it has been determined. Every
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saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My detail of the crucifixion of Christ was under
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blood, which is shed for you. But behold, the the sovereign control of God and in accord
hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. with His eternal purposes. See Acts 2:23;
And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been
22 4:26–28. but woe. The fact that Judas’s betray-
determined, but woe to that man by whom He al was part of God’s plan does not free him
is betrayed!” from the guilt of a crime he entered into will-
Then they began to question among them-
23 fully. God’s sovereignty is never a legitimate
selves, which of them it was who would do this excuse for human guilt.
thing.
DAY 3:What was wrong with Israel wanting a king?
“Now make us a king…like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5).When Israel entered the land, they
encountered Canaanite city-states that were led by kings (Josh. 12:7–24) and were later enslaved
by nations that were led by kings (Judg. 3:8,12; 4:2; 8:5; 11:12). However, at the time of the judges,
there was no king in Israel (Judg. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).
According to Deuteronomy 17:14, God knew this would be their desire and He would allow it
to occur.“Heed the voice of the people,”the Lord told Samuel (v.7) and give them a king.“They have
not rejected you,but…Me.”The nature of this rejection of the Lord by Israel is explained in vv.19,20.
Samuel obeyed the Lord by warning them of the behavior of a human king in vv.10–18.A king
would: 1) draft young men and women for his service (vv. 11–13); 2) tax the people’s crops and
flocks (vv. 14,15,17a); 3) appropriate the best of their animals and servants (v. 16); and 4) place limi-
tations on their personal freedom (v. 17b). Additionally, Samuel told them “you will cry
out…because of your king” (v. 18).They would later cry out for freedom from his rule (1 Kin. 12:4),
but “the LORD will not hear you.”In contrast to the Lord’s response to Israel during the period of the
judges (Judg. 2:18), the Lord would refuse to deliver the people out of the hand of their king who
oppressed them.
In spite of Samuel’s warnings, the people demanded a king who will “fight our battles”(v. 20).
Up until this point, the Lord Himself had fought the battles for Israel and given continual victory
(Josh. 10:14; 1 Sam. 7:10). Israel no longer wanted the Lord to be their warrior—replacing Him with
a human king was their desire. It was in this way that Israel rejected the Lord.The problem was not
in having a king; but, rather the reason the people wanted a king, i.e., to be like other nations.They
also foolishly assumed there would be some greater power in a king leading them in battle.

May 4
10:1 the LORD has anointed you commander.
The Lord chose Saul to be the leader of Israel
1 Samuel 10:1–11:15 and communicated His choice through the
private anointing by Samuel, signifying a set-
Then Samuel took a flask of oil and ting aside for God’s service. His inheritance.
10 poured it on his head, and kissed him The inheritance was God’s nation, Israel, in the
and said: “Is it not because the LORD has sense that she uniquely belonged to Him
anointed you commander over His inheri- (Deut. 4:20; 9:26).
tance? When you have departed from me
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today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb
in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying
will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to three young goats, another carrying three
look for have been found. And now your father loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of
has ceased caring about the donkeys and is wine. And they will greet you and give you
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worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do two loaves of bread, which you shall receive
about my son?” ’ Then you shall go on for- from their hands. After that you shall come to
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ward from there and come to the terebinth the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is.
tree of Tabor. There three men going up to And it will happen, when you have come there
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