In modern terms, we would never have heard of Gad, never have seen his name in a magazine, and never have appreciated the contribution he made in his day. Yet, while he occupies little in the way of space, clearly he had a role to fulfil and a work of the Lord to do. In general terms, he is one of those people who appear on the pages of scripture and then disappear again. Whilst we may be familiar with the name as one of the twelve tribes of Israel, the man who forms the basis of this simple study may well be unknown. The biblical text in Gads book is slightly different from the MT, with some minor changes that might be regarded as scribal errors and some important variants.For many believers there might be an enquiry as to who was the prophet Gad. Chapter 10 is Psalm 145 chapter 11 is Psalm 144, and chapter 7 is a kind of compilation of 2 Sam 24:1-21 and 1 Chr 21:1-30, a chapter that deals with the deeds of Gad the Seer.
-The lord said he will punish the amelekites so the lord says go attack amelek and kill thema ll and their animals and destroy their stuff. -Samuel told Saul that the lord sent him to anoint you so listen to the Lord. Migration into western North Carolina where Samuel McCorkle would.1 Samuel:15. Carolina (Raleigh: 1886), III. Saunders, ed., The Colonial Records of North.
The transition from a tribal society under the leadership of elders and eventually.As far as we know, he did not come from a famous line of seers, prophets, rulers, or leaders. He appears, fulfils his role, and disappears as he had come.- The Deuteronomistic History: Prophets and Kings (1 and 2 Samuel). It tells us what he was, King David’s seer, but nothing about his parents, his family, his tribe, or where he was from within the land of Israel.
We do not know much about who Gad was but we do know what he achieved for God.When we write of Gad’s appearance we are not interested in his physical characteristics. He has a work to accomplish in our hearts and lives. What we need is a willingness, like Gad, to be used of God. We do not need a wealth of godly heritage upon which to draw. We do not need the advantage of godly parents, or the influence of a godly home to be active in the Lord’s service.
David was being pursued with vigour and venom by King Saul. 5.Gad did not arrive on the scene at the most propitious of moments in David’s experience. Are we prepared to rise to the challenge of doing a work for God that now needs to be done? While we may not be able to ‘fill the shoes’ of those who are taken we can seek to exercise the gift that God has given us for His glory.‘Abide not in the hold depart’, 1 Sam. However, what we do know is that as Samuel is taken so Gad emerges as the man prepared to do a work for God.Is there a challenge for believers today? Men of God are being taken from us.
In this, Gad demonstrates that balance of grace and truth that is so necessary amongst the people of God.But then we read, ‘Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite’, 2 Sam. Here was a man who had a heart for what was right and yet a tender heart that would be protective of those who were the chosen of God. However, are we prepared to be God’s messenger with God’s message, desiring to be faithful to Him? In some countries that may entail a cost far higher than many of us will ever be asked to pay!From the first verse in 1 Samuel 22 we see Gad’s concern for the safety and welfare of David. He was God’s messenger with God’s message to which he would be faithful.It is not a popular thing to be seen as a Christian today. Yet Gad was not to be intimidated by Saul, or any of his people. In the following chapter the betrayers are numerous fearing the king and his potential for retribution, many are prepared to deliver up David.At such a time it was a serious risk to be found as a spiritual guide to David in a land that was in fear of Saul.
Again, we need to demonstrate the balance between the negative and the positive so that saints might learn and develop spiritually. The hard thing is to teach what is right. We are all deeply conscious of our short-comings and failures. In that sense, the task is easy. It is one thing to point out what is wrong.
Gad had to deliver a message to the king detailing the choices that God was to give him – painful and costly choices of judgement as a result of David’s sin. 11.We should not underestimate the seriousness of the task. The two aspects of Paul’s ministry went together.‘The word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad’, 2 Sam. But, alongside that, he could also say, with feeling, ‘by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears’, v.
25.This reference in 2 Chronicles chapter 29 is to the reforms instituted by King Hezekiah. Here is the mark of a faithful man.‘And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets’, 2 Chr. He did not seek to ‘water down’, or compromise, the message, but delivered it as God had instructed him.There may be times when the message is not popular, and the consequences potentially difficult, but we have to stick to the word of God and carry out what His word would teach. He did not shun his responsibilities.
That’s quite a testimony and quite a challenge to all our hearts! What will we leave for future generations?But then we should also notice Gad as a writer, ‘Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer’, 1 Chr. The benchmark of truth in the lives of the kings of Judah was that established by David, Gad, and Nathan. It stood the test of time and judgement in respect of its faithfulness to the word of God. This reference tells us the nature of Gad’s work. No previous king had brought about such a revival as this one.But our focus is not upon Hezekiah but upon Gad.
Neither would we suggest that it is everyone’s gift. Clearly, not everyone is a writer. He put the truth on record.
8.Editorial - ‘Who is Apollos?’ 1 Cor. Perhaps there is something here to exercise all our hearts.A Study of First Thessalonians: The Model Church, Gary McBrideChrist - A Greater than Solomon - (4) As to His SovereigntyThe Riches of Divine Wisdom, David GoodingWidows, Orphans and Strangers - God Loves the OrphanWisdom for Fools – 101 Proverbs to Live By, Shane WatsonEditorial - ‘We be brethren’, Gen. While we revelled in their oral ministry when they were with us, there is nothing of that gift of exhortation or exposition from which a rising generation can benefit.
GibbardBible and Church Conference 2009 Peter Williams, Dirk Jongkind, Simon GathercoleChristian Devotedness Anthony Norris GrovesA Practical Theology of Missions: Dispelling the Mystery Recovering the PassionPsalm 119 For Life: Living Today In The Light Of The WordEditorial - ‘For if ye do these things ye shall never fall’Editorial - ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love’, Gal. Jones – Gospel Ministry in Turbulent Times N. 22.Could you ever love me again? Bob CretneyR.
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