One Lofty Star

1 Samuel 9:15-10:1

22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant-boy and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited …

27As they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the boy to go on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God."

Acts 7:30-43

30 'Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush.

42 But God turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of heaven,

Luke 22:39-51

41Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.' 43Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 

v  I went back a bit in the story of Saul, because I was intrigued by the oddly important role of the servant boy. Sure enough, that boy was one of Saul’s father’s servants. He persuaded Saul to go on when he wanted to turn back, and had a stash of silver in his pocket which he gave Saul to stop Saul’s whining about not having a gift to give Samuel. Then Samuel honors them together at the head of the feast but when Saul is leaving, Samuel makes sure that the boy doesn’t witness the anointing.

v  An angel appears in a burning bush. That bush “was not consumed.” (There is a plant today that is actually called “burning bush.”) An angel gives God’s message out of the bush. Later on in the passage, God turns away from the Hebrews and “hands them over” to worship the “hosts of heaven.”

¾     Bible commentators pretty much all say that there are two different meanings for the phrase “host of heaven,” one of which is “angels” and the other is “heavenly bodies;” i.e. ‘stars’.” The Hebrew for “host” is “tsaba” which is often translated as “armies,” but would be better translated as “big group.” (Also: encampment; company; throng; or gathering.) “Heaven” is “shemayim” which could be better translated as “aloft” or “sky.” So, “Hosts of Heaven” becomes “Sky Throng;” or “Great Gathering Aloft.” (I like “sky-throng” because it reminds me of Anglo-Saxon poetry.)

v  One of the ‘Sky-Throng’ appears to Jesus and gives him strength to endure his pain. 

The ‘point’ of all this is not a nice sharp point like a newly sharpened pencil, but is more like a finger aimed at something off in the distance, pointing at…… 

A God in a servant boy, who carefully and confidently manipulates Saul into meeting Samuel at just the right time, and then changes from a being worthy of honor at the head of the feast, into a mere boy who should not overhear the conversation of his betters.

A God in a bush, who wavers and shimmers in the sunlight with a soundless, holy message; breathtaking; unfathomable. 

A God who hands his people over to their own stubborn distinctions, knowing that they are utterly blind to angels that are stars, and stars that are angels. 

A God who cries in the night, and finds courage in the light of one lofty star.