Beit She’an
Crossroads near nazareth
During
each Holy Land Pilgrimage our Lakes Church Lead Pastor Dr. Aaron D. Burgner shared
with us the biblical and historical significance of Beit She’an, both in the
life of King Saul from 1 Samuel and in the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ from John 15.
Beit
She'an, also known as Beisan, or Beth-shean, is a city in the Northern District
of Israel. Beit She'an is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the region.
It’s located in the center of several main crossroads between the Jordan Valley
and the Jezreel Valley. Around 1050 BC, the Philistines ruled the city for a
time because they hung King Saul's body on its walls after defeating Israel's
armies in the Battle of Gilboa. When King David reigned (1010–970 BC), he
conquered Beit She'an, making it part of Israel’s territories. In 63 BC, the
Romans conquered the City. It became one of the Decapolis, a group of cities
with a Hellenistic-Roman cultural character. Beit She'an was one of the key
cities of the Roman Empire in this area south of Galilee. Beit She'an was not
far from Nazareth, and it’s possible that Jesus, as a young man, worked here
with His father as a builder. Undoubtedly, Christ walked by it regularly.
The
death of King Saul: In 1 Samuel
31, we see that the problem with sinful humanity is that we all want to be king.
Adam and Eve were rulers in God‘s kingdom but wanted to be kings themselves. The
nation of Israel had no king but wanted to be like other nations, so they asked
and pleaded for a king. In spite of God’s warnings, he gave them King Saul. So
the story of King Saul is a picture that there is only one true king. He is the
greater king, King Jesus. King Saul only shows us how earthly kings will not
live up to God‘s righteous standard and ultimately be destroyed. In 1
Samuel 28 Saul seeks after the witch of Endor. In 1 Samuel 31 Saul and his
three sons are killed in battle against the Philistines at Gilboa, and then
his body is stretched out and nailed to the walls of Beit She'an.
Jesus
vs. Saul: The Spirit of God
left King Saul, but the Bible says that the Spirit of God descended on Jesus
Christ. King Saul talks with a witch, while Jesus constantly talks to
his father about his will. King Saul would die in his humiliation at the
hands of God’s greatest enemies. But Christ would die and be exalted at the
hands of his enemies as well. King Saul’s head was removed, but in
Christ death Satan‘s head was crushed. In King Saul’s death the enemies
of God declared the good news or gospel to all of their minions. But in Christ
death, the gospel is proclaimed to all the weak throughout the earth that
salvation has come. In Saul’s death, he was stretched out and nailed up
for all to see, then carried away by his friends but then burned with fire. In
Christ’s death, he too was stretched out and nailed up for all to see, but then
carried away by friends but exalted to live life everlasting.
Conclusion:
Christ must be king of our life so that we can enjoy his life that he
provides through his living spirit. In John 15, we must remain in
the vine and let his word purge us. Being king of your own life in any area,
even your private thoughts and actions, will only lead to destruction and
death. Perhaps even the destruction and death of the ones closest to you. Saul
cared more about what people thought of him than what God thought of him. He
made big decisions without consulting the Lord. Saul always had an excuse for
his sin and disobedience. We must realize that obedience delights God more than
asking forgiveness. Rebellion & arrogance are the same as witchcraft
because both attitudes fail to obey God and instead seek their own will and
pleasure. Saul presumed upon God’s grace. In other words, he believed he could
disobey God, that God would forgive him, and that there would be no
consequences. This attitude proved to be both dangerous and sinful, ultimately
costing him his life and ministry. Are we committed to submitting to God, or do
we set ourselves up as our own authority like Saul?
Christians
of times past felt that prayer found its greatest inspiration in the Lord
himself, and they had a term called “pleading God’s attributes,” in which
they would recount particular attributes of God’s character to him and then ask
him to answer their prayer on the basis of those attributes: “Lord, you are
merciful and gracious, so have mercy on me.” “Lord, you are full of unfailing
love. Show us your love in this situation.” “Lord, you delivered your servant
Daniel; I pray for your deliverance in my life.” “You revealed your character
and deeds to Moses and your people. Likewise, please reveal yourself to me!”
Since God’s attributes are numerous throughout Scripture, they provide a
never-ending source of inspiration for our prayer life. Praying God’s
attributes renews our faith and confidence and reminds us of his greatness and
his ability to save. Choose one of the attributes of God from this psalm to
“plead” as you pray today.
LORD,
you are merciful, gracious, full of unfailing love. I ask you to reveal this in
my life today. Thank you for revealing your wondrous attributes to us in your
Word. As I read it, continually open my eyes to who you really are so that my
prayers will rest on the solid foundation of your character. May my prayers
have power because they are based on the truth about you. Thank You, Father,
for the promises in your word. May they be incentives for me to continue in
prayer so that your will may be accomplished and your kingdom will come in my
life, family, nation, and world. Holy Spirit, thank you for dwelling within me
and for filling me with your power. Let my prayers be pleasing to you, Father,
as your Spirit leads me in praying in light of your promises. Father, no matter
how difficult the words of the Bible seem to be, help me to make decisions that
are in accordance with your Word. Help me, Holy Spirit, to understand how your
Word applies to every aspect of my life so that I will not be tempted to turn away
as others have done. Remind me daily that you alone have the words that give
eternal life. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Look
Up—meditate on John 15 …pray to see
what it reveals about the character of God.
Look
In—as you meditate on John 15 …pray to see how you might apply it to
your life. Be propelled to ask galvanizing questions about your discoveries:
"Because God is_________, I will_____________."
Look
Out—as you meditate on John 15…pray to see how you might apply it to
your relationships with others. Let the nature of God impact on every
relationship, for your good, and for His glory.
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