Bart Byl on Galatians 2:20.

The Apostle Paul went further in mission, deeper in theology, and higher in spiritual experience than any other follower of Christ ever has. Yet what he gloried in was that the Son of God loved him and gave himself for him. This is the secret of everyone who has grown strong in God: joyful faith in the self-giving love of Jesus.

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Bart Byl on 1 Samuel 14.

Series: Waiting for the Kingdom (1 Samuel)

King Saul was concerned about ritual correctness but lacked a true heart of devotion to God. But his son Jonathan was a worshipper whose vision of the greatness of God inspired him to risk his life to save Israel from the Philistines.

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Bart Byl on 1 Samuel 13.

Series: Waiting for the Kingdom (1 Samuel)

Saul forfeits his dynasty because he is more concerned about immediate military necessity than obeying God’s command to wait for Samuel. Outward religious obedience is not enough: God cares about inner hearts submitted and waiting on him.

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Bart Byl on 1 Samuel 12.

Series: Waiting for the Kingdom (1 Samuel)

Old Samuel exhorts the Israelites to remain faithful to their covenant God as they transition to the kingship. Down the centuries, each generation must choose to be faithful to God or to wander away. But only Christ can empower faithless people to truly live for God.

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Bart Byl on 1 Samuel 10:17-11:15.

Series: Waiting for the Kingdom (1 Samuel)

Saul may have been privately anointed by Samuel, but to be crowned he must save Jabesh Gilead from Nahash, the snake-king of the Ammonites. Jesus, too, will earn his crown by saving his people from the Serpent. He exercises his triumph in magnanimous mercy as his people celebrate and feast before the LORD.

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Bart Byl on 1 Samuel 8.

Series: Waiting for the Kingdom (1 Samuel)

Israel demands Samuel appoint them a king, because deep down they don't trust God to keep them safe. But sometimes sinful projects actually advance God’s purposes—in this case, God's long-term plan to give his people a servant king who will give them true security.

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Bart Byl on 1 Samuel 7.

Series: Waiting for the Kingdom (1 Samuel)

Samuel leads Israel to repent and turn fully to God, who thunders from heaven and defeats the Philistines. God calls us to repent: to put away our idols, fix our hearts on the LORD, and serve him only—led by Christ, the greater Samuel, who brings us back home to God.

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Bart Byl on Hebrews 2:10-18.

Christ became human in order to deal with sin, death and the devil as our Pioneer. We were trapped in fear and guilt—salvation has come only because God has sent his Son from the outside to seize hold of us and draw us out of sin and death into glory.

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Bart Byl on Isaiah 64.

Isaiah cries out, on behalf of Israel, for God to have pity on his sin-enslaved people and come in power. God will answer in a way no one expected—sending his Son in weakness. Jesus comes in total solidarity with us: he takes our uncleanness on himself. He is the priest who rouses himself to lay hold of God on our behalf. By his Holy Spirit he changes us from the inside: we begin to truly desire God. And we look for his mighty coming at the end of history to put us right forever.

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Bart Byl on 1 Samuel 6:1–7:2.

Series: Waiting for the Kingdom (1 Samuel)

God turns out to be just as dangerous to the Israelites as he is the Philistines. His holiness is too dangerous to be mishandled—to approach lightly is death. “Who is able to stand before this holy God?” Only Christ—and those safely clothed in him. He turns the terrified urge to push God away into joyful confidence to enter boldly into the holy place.

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