PART 3 A LONGING OF THE SOUL

What is the basis or condition for God hearing and answering prayer during the Age of the Jews?

2 

During the Age of Israel, What Determined Whether God Heard and Answered Prayer?

The next dispensation we’ll investigate is called the Age of the Jews. This begins from the exodus of the Jews from Egypt under Moses to the birth of Jesus Christ.

Now that we know the truth about God’s hearing and answering prayers during the Age of the Gentiles, let’s see if we can confirm what was found during the subsequent age, the Age of Israel. Let’s begin by turning your Bible into the Book of 1 Samuel.

                             

Saul

Suggested Reading: 1 Samuel 8:1-22; 1 Samuel 9:15-27; 1 Samuel 10:1-6; 1 Samuel 15:1-35; 1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 17:1-58; 1 Samuel 18:1-9; 1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Samuel 28:1-20

For over four hundred years, Israel was ruled by Judges. Then, a significant shift took place, and the rulership of kings began. The following question will help us to find out why.

 

Why did God allow for a king to be placed over the Israelites?

Before the children of Israel entered Canaan, the land of promise, God appointed a new leader to replace Moses. This man’s name was Joshua. Under his guidance, they crossed the Jordan River into a new land. While there, they set out to conquer its inhabitants. After Joshua died, the leadership changed. The Jews had no distinct ruler over the twelve tribes. This was known as the period of Judges.

When God’s people disobey Him, they’d find themselves subjected to one of their enemies. After hearing their cry for deliverance, God would raise someone to be in charge of them, who was otherwise known as a judge. They would receive instructions from Him on securing their freedom from the oppressive ruler.

1 Samuel 8:1-3 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

After many years, the Israelites decided they no longer wanted a judge to rule over them. Why was this the case? Both of the sons of one of the judges, Samuel, who was in line to take over, were considered corrupt. So, this was what prompted the Jews to ask Yahweh for a different form of leadership to be placed over them. God reluctantly consented to their demands to have a king rule over them. A man named Saul was chosen by God to be their first king.

1 Samuel 9:20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

God spoke to the prophet/judge Samuel and told him that on the following day, at the same time, a man from the land of Benjamin would show up at the cities’ gate in Ramah whom he would anoint to be Israel’s next king. Saul, whose purpose in being there was to inquire of Samuel about finding some lost donkeys that belonged to his father, found Samuel, who took him aside and disclosed to him that God had chosen him to be Israel’s king. Samuel brought him to his house and shared more information with him.

1 Samuel 10:5-6 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

Early the next morning, Samuel disclosed the Word of God to Saul and anointed him with oil. After which, he instructed him to go to a significant place, where he’d meet up with a company of prophets. Saul did as he was directed, and it would be at this time, when the on-resting Spirit of the Lord would come upon him. 

During King Saul’s reign, the Israelites gained victories over many of their foes. However, at times, he’d disobey the divine instructions relayed to him via the prophet/judge Samuel. In one instance, he was commanded to destroy all the people and animals of one of Israel’s enemies known as the Amalekites, including their king, Agag. Rather than doing exactly as God said, he spared their king and the best of the cattle. Continued disobedience plagued him throughout his reign.  

1 Samuel 16:14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

Eventually, he was approached by the prophet who conveyed to him that God had rejected him from being king. What happened next was Samuel would receive a glimpse from God as to who the next king would be. He was instructed to visit the sons of a man named Jesse, and it was revealed to him that the youngest one, whose name was David, would be the next king of Israel. As King Saul continued to do things his own way, God eventually caused the on-resting Spirit to depart from him and instead gave him an evil spirit. Thus, King Saul would never be the same man again.

King Saul would meet the person, who unbeknownst to him, would become the next king of Israel in an unusual set of circumstances. At this time, the Israelites and their enemy, the Philistines, were ready to engage in battle. Goliath, a champion of the Philistines, came forward from the ranks and challenged Israel to send one of their men out before him in a fight to the death match. However, neither the king nor any one of his men would reply.

1 Samuel 17:37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

David, the son of Jesse, had just shown up, having been sent by his father to bring food provisions for his elder brothers who were enlisted in Saul’s army. While there, he heard Goliath’s challenge and decided to come before the king, letting him know he would fight him. King Saul tried to discourage him by mentioning that he had no experience in military matters. David replied and said that yes, he had credentials, as evidenced by the lion and bear, which he killed by means of the deliverance of the Lord.

Upon hearing this, King Saul allowed him to confront the giant. While running toward him, being equipped with a slingshot and five small stones, he slung one of them, hitting him right in the middle of his forehead. Subsequently, Goliath became unconscious and fell. David quickly took his sword and finished the job.

1 Samuel 18:6-9 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Saul, amazed at what had taken place, wouldn’t allow David to return home but brought him into his family dwelling at the royal palace. Not soon after that, the king designated him as general over the army. Soon, his exploits were so numerous that untold admiration was bestowed upon him from the Jewish people, proclaiming that the king had slain his thousands but David ten thousands. At this pronouncement, King Saul became extremely jealous of him and expressed that what more could David desire but the kingdom (to usurp the throne)?  

1 Samuel 18:13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

This poisonous mindset caused Saul to try to take David’s life on numerous occasions. Eventually, David was commissioned by him to be a captain over one thousand men of war, which allowed him to be away from his presence in the palace. As time went by, David, having befriended one of the king’s sons named Jonathon told him about his father’s attempts to kill him and asked if he could try to find out why he chose to act this way.

During this time, one of Saul’s daughters, Michal, aspired to marry David. Her father, upon hearing this, used it as another opportunity to slay David. He asked him to kill one hundred Philistines and bring back proof of such by bringing back one hundred foreskins (projecting fold of skin in the distinctive member of the male sex, which was removed in circumcision⁴). David and his commissioned army went beyond what was asked and killed two hundred of the enemy. Saul realizing that David kept his side of the bargain, gave him his daughter Michal to wed.

1 Samuel 19:11 Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

Unfortunately, Saul couldn’t stop trying to see that David, now his son-in-law, would be slain. A short time later, his wife found out that an attempt on her husband was forthcoming. She told him, and he immediately fled.

1 Samuel 24:8-10 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed.

1 Samuel 24:19-20 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

King Saul, learning of David’s departure, took with him his army and decided to hunt him down. He came very close to carrying out his directive on a few occasions. Likewise, David, on the other hand, had opportunities to kill him but chose not to. Eventually, Saul realized that David had no aspiration to usurp the throne. He admitted to David that he was wrong in pursuing after him. However, David, not being sure if his confession was truthful, decided to depart from the king and go in a different direction.

At this time that Saul would find himself in a situation where he desperately needed to hear from God in prayer. Surely, God would answer the king and provide instruction. Another battle between Israel and the Philistines was about to take place. Saul was concerned that this one might not go his way, so he sought guidance through the Urim and Thummim. Many believe these were two stones on the inside of the high priest’s breastplate, located on a piece of beautifully embroidered fabric that hung on his chest. The breastplate itself is believed to contain twelve beautiful jewels arranged in four rows, each stone representing one of the tribes of Israel.⁵Some commentators thought that if any of the kings of Israel approached the high priest for an answer to a question that God would convey his response by means of illuminating one of these stones indicating either yes or no.

1 Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

What was God’s answer to Saul’s prayer request regarding the outcome of the battle? God chose not to answer him by this or any other means (e.g., dreams, prophets, etc.). Why not? Let’s read further and we’ll find out.

1 Samuel 28:7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

Desperate, he resorted to seeking a woman with a familiar spirit. She was otherwise known as a medium, one who was possessed by an evil spirit. The words familiar spirit indicate that she could call up departed spirits to give answers to those who consulted them.⁶      

Just who are these departed spirits? Some say they’re the spirits of those, who didn’t believe in God when they lived on the earth and subsequently, after they died, went to a place in hell called torments. Others believe these aren’t the spirits of the dead at all but are demons (fallen angels) who are impersonating the dead.      

1 Samuel 28:11-12 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

The medium proceeded to ask Saul, who he’d like to hear from, and he replied the Samuel. When she sees him, she cries out as if in shock because she recognizes the person asking her to get in touch with him, Saul, the king of Israel.

1 Samuel 28:16, 18-19 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

Samuel proceeded to ask him why he was summoned. Saul replied because he’d attempted to receive direction from the Lord regarding the state of affairs relating to the upcoming battle with the Philistines, and God chose not to reply to him. Samuel said that God chose not to confer with him because he obeyedst not the voice of the Lord (of his continual disobedience to His directives). Furthermore, Samuel told him that on the following day, the Philistines would be victorious in battle and he and his sons would be killed and come to the place, a compartment of hell, called Abraham’s bosom, where he was residing (Luke 16:20-31).

It’s interesting in that God did convey an answer to Saul’s question, albeit using a man of God who had since passed.

Now we better understand why God didn’t give an answer to Saul’s prayer directly. It had to do with his continual disobedience to His instructions, which resulted in Him removing the on-resting spirit and giving him an evil spirit. Another way this could be said is that Saul was out of fellowship with God.

That was quite a story. I want to share with you one more example of another king of Israel who, like Saul, made a paramount decision that was contrary to God’s Word and prayed to God for deliverance. Did God reply? Let’s find out. Please turn to the Book of 2 Kings.

                         

King Hezekiah          

Suggested Reading: 2 Kings 18:1-19:37; 2 Chronicles 29:3-5; 2 Kings 19:1-37

The following person we’ll take a look at is King Hezekiah, who reigned over the two tribes of Benjamin and Judah of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Why was he king of only two tribes? After the reign of four successive kings (e.g., Saul, Ishbosheth, David, and Solomon), the nation of Israel became split. Ten tribes cooperated and formed what was known as the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The remaining two tribes also created a kingdom known as the Southern Kingdom of Judah with a priesthood and temple at Jerusalem. Eventually, the Northern Kingdom would be captured by Assyria and never reunite again. Years later, the Southern Kingdom would also go into captivity by the Babylonians. However, Cyrus the Great of Persia would be used by God to overthrow the Babylonians and set the Jews free, thus allowing them to return to their homeland.

2 Kings 18:5-7 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

The Scriptures are unclear about when God made himself known to King Hezekiah. But what we know is that he kept (faithfully adhered to keeping) his commandments. This is a clear indication that the king communed with the Lord. At age 25, he became the new king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. His father, Ahaz, had defiled the temple at Jerusalem and finally closed its doors, thus prohibiting the Levitical ministry of the Mosaic Law from being exercised. The [Temple] worship was at the heart of the Jewish nation, and if that was wrong, everything else would be wrong.⁷

2 Chronicles 29:3-5 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

On the first day of his reign as king, Hezekiah commanded the priests and Levites to clean the temple inside and out, removing all the remnants of idol worship. It took sixteen days to complete the work. Also, at this time, he commanded that all of the high places, the places of pagan worship, be destroyed. As the worship of Jehovah was reinstituted, the nation experienced agricultural prosperity. 

It was abundantly clear that Hezekiah loved the Lord, but this didn’t mean that every decision of his was made in accordance with God’s commands. One of his decisions, which God clearly said in His Word not to engage in, came back and caused him trouble. In the 14^th year of his reign, the army of King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded the territory of Judah. It was heading toward its capital, Jerusalem, to inflict punishment unless Hezekiah changed his mind regarding to a particular practice. Any idea what this was all about?

He had continued providing tribute money to Assyria, as had the previous kings of Judah before him. He decided, however, to no longer provide allegiance at this time. Knowing that a war with Assyria was imminent unless he changed his mind, he chose to do just that. It was apparent that he was torn over this decision. Here, he was encouraging the people to worship Yahweh and obey His commands in the writings of the Mosaic Law, yet he allowed this prohibition to continue.

Eventually, he changed his mind, and the tribute stopped. This precipitated the Assyrian army returning to Jerusalem with warnings of dire consequences if what was required wasn’t reinstituted. A messenger of the Assyrians named Rab-shakeh was sent to speak to a man called Eliakim, who was over the household of the king of Judah. Rab-shakeh told him that if the mandate wasn’t forthcoming, not even their God could help them. After hearing this pronouncement of doom, Eliakim contacted King Hezekiah and told him this message.

2 Kings 19:6-7 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

Instead of changing his mind again, the king decided to do something entirely different. He entered the temple of God and remained there. He sent messengers to search out the prophet Isaiah and tell him what was going on, hoping that God would give him a Word in response. Almost immediately, when Isaiah heard the words from the king, the Lord responded with an assurance for Hezekiah that he be not afraid of Sennacherib’s words, for God himself will send a blast upon him in such a manner that he’ll return to his land. So, the messengers returned to King Hezekiah and told him these words.

2 Kings 19:14-16, 19 And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.

Meantime, the king of Assyria decided to stoke the fire a little more. He reinforced his demands by sending messengers again to Jerusalem with a letter to be given directly to Hezekiah. In it, he mocked his God by saying, let your God not deceive you into thinking that Jerusalem won’t be handed over into the hand of the king of Assyria. Immediately, he went into God’s temple, spread the letter before the Lord, and prayed to Him. His prayer began with him praising God for who He is and declaring unto Him the words of the Assyrian king, followed by asking Him to save himself and his people, not just for their sake, but so that all of the nations around would know that the Lord, He is God.

Unbeknownst to him, God heard his prayer and gave an answer concerning it to the prophet Isaiah, who had the Lord’s response sent back to the king. In it, Hezekiah received assurance that the Assyrian army wouldn’t enter Jerusalem. What God did next was quite remarkable.

2 Kings 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

He sent the angel of the Lord into the Assyrian camp, causing about 185,000 men of the army to be killed. Because of this, the Sennacherib and his military forces withdrew and returned home to Nineveh, their capital city. When they arrived, the enemy king decided to enter the house of Nisroch, his god, for worship. Little did he know that two of his sons waited for him in this very place and took his life.

After reading this story, let’s consider the following question.

 

Why did God continue to hear and answer Hezekiah’s prayers, even though he, as king, disobeyed one of His essential biblical commands?

I think the difference between Hezekiah and King Saul was that Saul habitually sinned and didn’t repent. He didn’t live out his admission of guilt. When God tested him repeatedly, he didn’t obey as stipulated.

On the other hand, Hezekiah, evidenced his relationship with God by removing the high places of idol worship and reopening the temple. He indeed violated one of the many commands God instituted for whoever Israel’s kings were, but he admitted wrong and showed a change of heart in his actions.

The lives of these two people confirm what caused God to accept or reject their prayers. And just what is that? The initial basis for having one’s prayers heard and answered (approved) is the person must have believed in God or what He communicated to them. Second, they trusted in what God said, hid it away in their heart, and obeyed it. Third, if they sinned, they recognized such and repented. Fourth, they received the on-resting Spirit.

What if they sinned, didn’t repent, and asked God about something? Did He hear and answer their request? In Saul’s case, God listened to his prayer and answered (rejected) it in an unusual manner by the ritual of divination summoning of a deceased prophet/judge of Israel. And what was declared contained no divine assistance but harsh consequences (divine discipline).

Could we deduce when Scripture declares that God doesn’t hear someone’s prayer, it means that He heard it but rejected it in the sense that His response will be one of reproval because of unforsaken sin.

Here’s a verse that seems to support this conjecture.

Psalms 66:18 If I regard (to recognize and to cherish,unwilling to confess and forsake known sins⁸) iniquity (secret or open sins) in my heart, the Lord will not hear me (refuses him a [favorable] answer):⁹

What else can we learn about prayer? In the next chapter, prayer will be studied during the Incarnation of Christ’s dispensation, i.e., when He lived on the earth. We’ll find out there’s one revolutionary prayer that Jesus asked His disciples to pray.