Wisdom and Her Children

While Samuel was judge over Israel, the people demanded God give them a king to rule over them like other nations.  Samuel was angry the people rejected God's rule over them, and he warned them of many negative impacts of having their way in this matter.  God did as the people requested and Samuel anointed Saul of the tribe of Benjamin to be king.  After he was anointed king, we read in 1 Samuel 10:26-27:  "And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. ²⁷ But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace."

The people were given exactly what they asked for, yet aside from a small band of men whose hearts God had touched despised and rejected him.  First the people rejected God, and then they rejected the man God set over them.  There is a parallel with Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son who was sent to the world in human flesh as a Saviour.  The people of Israel longed for the promised Messiah to deliver them from the oppression of the Romans and to establish rule over the nations with a rod of iron, yet apart from a few disciples the people of Israel criticised and rejected Jesus.  It is ironic the very people who believed God would send the anointed One and were schooled in God's word, largely did not recognise or receive Jesus Christ Whom God sent when He stood and spoke with them.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:16-19:  "But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, ¹⁷ and saying: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament' ¹⁸ for John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."  In the illustration Jesus gave, the children playing were unhappy with everything:  they didn't want to dance to happy music, nor were they willing to mourn with sorrowful melodies.  John the Baptist--a devout man who shunned feasts and did not drink wine like a Nazarite--was sent to prepare the way for Jesus and was slandered by the Jews as being demon possessed.  His words were not believed though he spoke the truth.  Jesus went to feasts and drank wine and was wrongly condemned as a drunk!

People who wanted and needed a Saviour found excuses to reject God's messenger John the Baptist and Jesus Who is called Christ.  The point Jesus made could not be spoken against:  "But wisdom is justified by her children."  The children of Israel would someday realise the folly of rejecting God's rule and demanding a king, for God's word would be fulfilled.  Jesus is wisdom for us, and wisdom is justified by her children.  All who believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God are born again, filled with the Holy Spirit, and transformed by the power of the Gospel:  people afflicted by demons have been set free and healed in the name of Jesus; gluttons and drunks were granted self-control to deny themselves, to take up their cross daily and follow Jesus.  Those who followed Jesus Christ as LORD were people who loved one another despite differences, served one another, and walked by faith in God.  As the children of God through faith in Jesus we are God's heritage, and may we glorify God Who has touched our hearts by the Prince of Peace.