Samuel: Introduction

The two books of Samuel are combined as one book in the Hebrew Bible.

The first book closes with the death of Saul and the second takes up David’s time as king.

The books of Samuel are part of a larger group of books that trace the history of Israel from the conquest of Palestine to the captivity in Babylon. This history begins with Joshua and Judges and ends with 1st & 2nd Kings.

The books of Samuel and Kings were originally grouped together and were known as the “Book of the Reign of Kings.”

The books of Samuel cover almost 100 years of Israel’s history. They take Israel from a loose gathering of tribes to a settled monarchy under David.

The content of these books could be loosely arranged around three personalities:

Samuel, Saul, And David. 

The historical author probably used material preserved by the prophets Samuel, Nathan, and Gad. The books did not take their final shape until approximately the sixth century B.C. as the people were returning from the captivity. Part of the people were still in Babylon. There was no temple, no capital, no king.

If we look at the books of Samuel through the eyes of a people desperate for hope, there are several basic ideas about God that are seen and are repeated throughout the two books:

1. God overrules human affairs, great and small, to achieve His purpose.

2. God always acts in the best interest of His people, whether He blesses, judges, or teaches.

3. God always calls appropriate leaders for His work, and uses them to implement His will.

4. God is present with His people and never abandons them.

5. God is a righteous God and expects His children to reflect His character.

6. God is at work in the smallest details of history working out His purpose in His holy way.

Bible scholars tend to agree that Samuel himself wrote 1st Samuel 1-24 and

Nathan and Gad wrote the balance of the books.

The books teach us that Samuel was presented to God by his mother Hannah, as she had promised the Lord when He granted her wish for a son.

Her gifting of Samuel to God for His service was done with the promise of him as a Nazarine for life. This time in the life of Samuel seems to conclude at the age of 12. There were next to be what is called his “silent years” until he was 32 years old, and it was during these years he was commissioned a prophet by God. It is no coincidence that Numbers 4:3 commanded full service to God to begin after age 30.

From those years until his old age, he served God as prophet and judge of the people.

As Samuel grew into manhood, God worked powerfully in his life.

He became one of the most important figures in Israel’s history. Not only was he a national prophet, but also he was the bridge between the time of the judges and the kings to come.

When Samuel was an old man, he saw much disappointment that Israel asked him to appoint a king to rule. God instructed Samuel to warn the people about the power of a human king but He instructed Samuel to give Israel what she wanted as she was not rejecting Samuel but rejecting God Himself.

1st Samuel is crucial in showing the continuity of God’s plan for Israel. God had promised Abraham a king would descend from him when Israel did not yet exist. When the first king was crowned, God had partially fulfilled His promise. The promise will be fully filled when Jesus will sit upon David’s throne

Samuel is a book about the providence of God. When powers of evil appeared to prevail, God had not lost. When Israel failed God, He never failed them nor forsook them. In Saul’s failures, God still ruled and when David was running for his life, God still was in control.

God’s sovereignty is on full display in the books of Samuel. We see His power over all things as He even used the powers of darkness to render His judgment over Israel’s first king in 1st Samuel 16. His control over His creation is never partial but always is fully complete and the books of Samuel will so testify as they are studied.

1 Samuel 1: An Answered Prayer

WE REALLY ARE NOT READY TO BEGIN THE BOOK OF 1ST SAMUEL UNTIL WE REFLECT BACK TO THE BOOKS OF JUDGES AND JOSHUA.

THE DAYS OF THE JUDGES WERE VERY DARK DAYS FOR THE NEW HEBREW NATION.

GOD HAD DELIVERED THE PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE IN EGYPT.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE UNBELIEF OF THE PEOPLE THEY WANDERED FOR A GENERATION.

IN THE SECOND GENERATION, UNDER JOSHUA, THE NEW NATION DID BETTER, HAVING LEARNED SOME TOUGH LESSONS ABOUT DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.

BUT AFTER THE DEATH OF JOSHUA, THINGS FELL APART FOR ISRAEL, AS THEY WENT THROUGH CYCLES OF DISCIPLINE AND BLESSING AS THE LORD SENT JUDGES TO DELIVER THEM EACH TIME THEY CRIED OUT TO HIM FOR DELIVERANCE.

THE PEOPLE DECIDED THE NEW NATION NEEDED A KING.

AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH 1ST SAMUEL, THE LORD WILL PROVIDE THEM THEIR KING IN SAUL BUT WILL REMIND HIS PROPHET THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM THEIR TRUE RULER, GOD.

1ST SAMUEL IS A BEAUTIFUL HISTORY LESSON OF GOD DEALING WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

WHILE THESE PEOPLE ARE FROM LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, THEY ARE INDEED JUST LIKE US.

THEIR STRUGGLES ARE TRYING TO LIVE AND REMAIN FAITHFUL IN A FALLEN WORLD.

WE CAN IDENTIFY EASILY WITH THE THESE PEOPLE FROM OUR OWN TIMES.

IN THESE OLDEN DAYS THERE WAS UNBELIEF, HERESY, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CORRUPTION, AND CONTINUED SOCIAL CONFUSION.

SOUND FAMILIAR?

LET'S HOPE THAT THE LESSONS WE LEARN FROM 1ST SAMUEL WILL HELP US TO RENEW OUR FAITH THAT ALL THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND US IN UNDER THE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE LORD.

NOW LET'S LOOK AT 1ST SAMUEL, CHAPTER ONE WHICH WE WILL BREAK DOWN INTO FOUR SECTIONS:

1. ELKANAH AND HIS WIVES (1-8)

2. HANNAH'S PRAYER & VOW (9-18)

3. THE PRAYER IS ANSWERED AND SAMUEL IS BORN(19-20)

4. THE CHILD IS WEANED AND PRESENTED TO THE LORD

(21-28)

1-8

THE NAMES IN THE BOOK ARE OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE.

ELKANAH MEANS “ACQUIRED OF GOD”

HE WAS THE SON OF JEROHAM “TENDERLY LOVED”

HE WAS THE GRANDSON OF ELIHU “MY GOD IS HE”

HE WAS GREAT GRANDSON OF TOHU “PROSTRATION”

ELKANAH HAD TWO WIVES, THE FIRST LIKELY WAS HANNAH “GRACE” AND THE SECOND PENINNAH “PEARL”

THE FACT THAT HANNAH'S NAME COMES FIRST IN THE BOOK PROBABLY MEANS THAT SHE WAS THE FIRST WIFE.

MOST LIKELY BECAUSE SHE SEEMED BARREN, ELKANAH MARRIED A SECOND WIFE TO PROVIDE CHILDREN.

WE ARE TOLD THAT ELKINAH WENT EACH YEAR TO THE TABERNACLE IN SHILOH AT FEAST TIME AND WAS DEVOTED IN HIS EFFORTS OF SACRIFICE AND PRAYER.

HERE THE TERM “LORD OF HOSTS” IS FIRST USED IN SCRIPTURE

TO DESCRIBE GOD.

WE WILL LATER SEE IT USED 281 TIMES IN THE WORD, 80 TIMES IN JEREMIAH AND 50 TIMES IN ZECHARIAH.

IT MEANS THE LORD OF POWER AND IS APPROPRIATE AS HE BRINGS LIFE WHERE THERE WAS BEFORE NONE TO HANNAH.

IN THESE FIRST FEW VERSES, HANNAH IS SHOWN TO BE A WOMAN OF MUCH SORROW.

THE FAMILY WAS STRONGLY DIVIDED.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THE ACT OF ELKANAH IN MARRYING PENINNAH WAS NOT IN ACCORD WITH THE LORD'S ORIGINAL PLAN OF ONE WOMAN MARRIED TO ONE MAN.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE DISCORD THAT RESULTED IN ABRAHAM'S FAMILY WHEN HE TOOK HAGAR TO HIMSELF AND FROM THAT UNION ISHMAEL ARRIVED, NOT BEING ACCEPTED BY GOD AS A CHILD OF PROMISE.

THE WORLD IS STILL FEELING THE CONSQUENCE OF THAT UNION IN THE MIDDLE EAST TURMOIL WHICH SEEMS NEVER ENDING.

HERE ELKANAH WAS FIGURATIVELY BEATEN WITH A ROD OF HIS OWN MAKING.

PENINNAH WAS FERTILE AND CHILDREN ARRIVED.

BY THIS FACT, SHE GREW HAUGHTY AND INSOLENT AND TAUNTED HANNAH CONTINUALLY ABOUT HER BEING BARREN.

PENINNAH COULD NOT BEAR THE BLESSING OF HER FRUITFULNESS AND HANNAH COULD NOT SEEM TO BEAR THE AFFLICTION OF HER INABILITY TO BEAR A CHILD, AND SHE GREW MELANCHOLY AND DISCONTENT.

ELKANAH WAS IN BETWEEN BOTH WOMEN AND MOST SURELY HE SPENT A LOT OF HIS TIME TRYING TO SETTLE THESE ISSUES FESTERING INSIDE HIS HOUSEHOLD.

ELKANAH DID NOT LOVE HANNAH LESS BECAUSE SHE HAD NOT BORNE CHILDREN.

HERE HE WAS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF PAUL'S TEACHING IN EPHESIANS 5:25 THAT MEN ARE TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVES HIS CHURCH.

JESUS LOVES HIS CHURCH DESPITE HER INFIRMITIES AND AT TIMES THE BARREN CONDITION OF THE CHURCH IN FAITH.

PENINNAH WAS PEEVISH AND PROVOKING TEASING HANNAH THAT SHE WAS NOT IN GOD'S FAVOR, DOING THIS EVEN MORE WHEN THEY WENT UP TO THE TABERNACLE.

THIS WAS A MANY YEAR CONTENTION AND NO INSISTENCE OR INTERVENTION BY ELKANAH SEEMED TO RESOLVE IT.

HE WAS GRIEVED AT HANNH'S GRIEF, ASKING HER WHY SHE WEPT.

HE HIMSELF WAS LESS THAN HAPPY AT THE SORROW HE SAW IN HANNAH.

HERE IS AGAIN A REMINDER THAT THOSE WHO ARE MADE BY GOD INTO ONE FLESH MUST BE ALSO OF ONE SPIRIT.

WHEN ONE IS SORROWFUL, THE OTHER CANNOT BE HAPPY.

WE ARE TO BEAR EACH OTHER'S BURDENS.

9-18

ELKINAH CONTINUED TO TRY TO HELP HANNAH RECOVER FROM HER SORROW.

HE GAVE HER THE BEST PORTIONS OF FOOD, AND SHE TRIED TO PUT UP A GOOD FRONT, COMING TO THE MEAL TABLE AND SHE TRIED TO REASON HER OWN WAY OUT OF HER DEPRESSION.

SHE ASKS HERSELF “DO I DO WELL TO BE ANGRY?”

“DO I DO WELL TO FRET?” “WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO ME?”

SHE FINALLY DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO TAKE THE BURDEN FROM HER OWN SHOULDERS AND GIVE IT TO GOD.

THEY WERE AGAIN AT THE TABERNACLE AND WERE FINISHED WITH THEIR SACRIFICE AND THE TIME OF PRAYER WAS UPON THEM.

HANNAH TOOK HER PLIGHT TO GOD.

SHE PRAYED FOR EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTED.

WE MIGHT REMEMBER HERE THE TEACHING THAT YE HAVE NOT BECAUSE YE ASK NOT, AND OFTENTIMES YE ASK AMISS.

HANNAH ASKED AND SHE DID NOT ASK AMISS.

SHE MINGLED TEARS WITH HER PRAYERS.

(HOSEA 12 TEACHES THAT WE ARE TO WEEP IN SUPPLICATION)

SHE WAS VERY PARTICULAR IN HER REQUEST. SHE ASKED FOR A SON TO BE GIVEN.

SHE MADE HER OWN PROMISE TO GOD IN HER PRAYER. SHE ASSURES THE LORD THAT IF HE GRANTS HER THE SON, SHE WILL GIVE HIM UP TO GOD.

HE WOULD BE BY BIRTH A LEVITE, THEREFORE BORN TO SERVE GOD BUT SHE WENT FURTHER OFFERING HIM TO BE A NAZARITE FOR LIFE.

SHE SPOKE ALL THIS SOFTLY, QUIETLY, SO THAT IT MAY BE HEARD ONLY BY THE LORD.

THIS WAS HER HUMILITY IN HER SECRET PRAYER IN A PUBLIC PLACE, AVOIDING ALL APPEARANCE OF HAUGHTINESS.

ELI, THE CHIEF PRIEST, OBSERVED HER SUPPLICATION AND TEARS, AND WRONGLY ASSUMED SHE MAY BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF WINE, THE SAME MISCONCEPTION THAT WAS LATER MADE OF PETER IN ACTS 2:13.

IN THESE DAYS OF LOW MORALITY IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN UNCOMMON TO SEE A DRUNKEN WOMAN AT THE ALTAR OF PRAYER, BUT ELI'S CONCLUSION WAS WRONG.

AS CHIEF PRIEST, HE SHOWED NO COMPASSION TOWARD HER EVEN WHEN SHE CONVINCED HIM THAT SHE WAS NOT DRUNK.

HANNAH HAD BEEN REPROVED BY ELKANAH BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT EAT OR DRINK, AND NOW HAD BEEN REPROVED BY ELI FOR DRINKING TOO MUCH.

BUT HANNH REMAINED HUMBLE IN FRONT OF BOTH.

SHE COULD EASILY HAVE BROUGHT UP THE DRUNKEN WAYS OF THE SONS OF ELI, REVEALED IN 1ST SAMUEL 2:12 AND KNOWN BY THE PEOPLE, BUT SHE HELD HER PIECE.

SHE CONTINUES IN VERBAL RESPECT TO ELI, CALLING HIM “MY LORD” AND SHE GIVES HIM HER TRUTH BY TELLING HIM SHE IS “A WOMAN OF SORROWFUL SPIRIT”.

ELI NOW ENCOURAGES HER DEVOTIONS AND TELLS HER TO GO IN PEACE, AND THAT THE GOD OF ISRAEL GRANT THEE THY PETITION.

NOW HER COUNTENANCE WAS NO MORE SAD.

WHY WAS THIS?

SHE WAS NO LONGER CARRYING THE BURDEN.

SHE HAD GIVEN IT OVER TO THE LORD.

MERCY WAS ON THE WAY TO HANNAH FROM ABOVE AS HER PRAYER HAD BEEN HEARD AND HER WISH IS TO BE GRANTED.

19-28

NOW HANNAH CONCEIVED AND BORE A SON.

SHE NAMED HIM SAMUEL MEANING “HEARD OF GOD”

HE WAS ASKED OF GOD, AND BY HIS NAME WAS NOW DEDICATED TO GOD BY HANNAH.

FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, HANNAH DID NOT GO TO THE ANNUAL FEAST AND SACRIFICE IN SHILOH.

SHE STAYED HOME UNTIL THE CHILD WAS WEANED.

SOME TEACHERS SAY THIS WAS A PHYSICAL WEANING FROM BREAST FEEDING.

OTHERS SAY IT MEANT A SOCIAL WEANING, MEANING LONGER, THAT THE SON WAS WEANED FROM CHILDISH WAYS. (PSALM 131)

NOW HANNAH DOES TAKE SAMUEL TO THE TABERNACLE, REMINDS ELI THAT THIS WAS THE CHILD SHE HAD PRAYED FOR AND THAT SHE WAS READY TO PLACE HIM IN THE TABERNACLE TO BE TRAINED IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD.

HE WAS TO BE GIVEN OVER TO THIS NEW LIFE AND WAS TO REMAIN A NAZARITE FOR ALL HIS LIFE, NEVER TOUCHING STRONG DRINK NOR CUTTING HIS HAIR.

FROM THIS TIME FORWARD, HE WORSHIPPED AND PRAYED, LEARNING UNDER ELI, AND MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HOLY LIFE OF A NAZARITE.   (SET APART)

HE WAS TO BE ONE OF THE LORD'S MOST POWERFUL PROPHETS.

HE WAS TO ANNOINT BOTH SAUL & DAVID, AND WAS TO TO BE THE MOUTH OF GOD TO THE NATION THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.

FROM THE DARK DAYS BEFORE NOW COME THE TIME OF KINGS, BEGINNING WITH SAUL, AND THEN AFTER HIM KING DAVID, KNOWN TO BE A MAN AFTER THE HEART OF GOD.

HERE IS A GREAT LESSON IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF 1ST SAMUEL.

THE NEED OF THE NATION WAS MET BY THE TROUBLE AND TRAVAIL OF ONE WOMAN TAKING HER SORROW IN PRAYER TO GOD AND SINCERELY ASKING FOR WHAT SHE NEEDED TO BE SENT.

NOT ONLY WERE HER NEEDS MET, BUT THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE NATION WERE MET BY THIS ACT OF MERCY FROM THE LORD.

ALL GREAT SPIRITUAL THINGS COME FROM TROUBLE OR SUFFERING:

FOR THE TEMPLE TO BE RAISED, DAVID HAD TO SUFFER AND BE TOLD HE COULD NOT BUILD IT, WHICH WAS HIS DREAM.

FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS TO SPREAD, AND BE UNTANGLED FROM JEWISH UNBELIEF, PAUL'S LIFE HAD TO BE ONE LONG AGONY.

FOR THE REFORMATION TO OCCUR, MEN HAD TO SUFFER BURNING AT THE STAKE, STANDING FOR GOD NO MATTER THE COST.

BEFORE SAMSON COULD DIE, HE HAD TO PRAY FOR AND USE ONE MORE MOMENT OF HIS GREAT STRENGTH.

BEFORE THE CROWN CAME TO THE REDEEMER, FIRST CAME THE CROSS.

HANNAH'S BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD DID NOT STOP WITH THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL.

1ST SAMUEL 2:21 TEACHES THAT HER BARENNESS WAS SURELY RESOLVED BY GOD AS SHE WAS GIVEN 3 SONS AND 2 DAUGHTERS.

THE POWER OF PRAYER PREVAILS.

GOD HAD CLOSED THE WOMB OF HANNAH WHILE SHE HAD ENDURED FAMILY SUFFERING AND BECAME HUMBLY READY TO ACCEPT THE SON SHE LONGED TO HAVE.

HER ACCEPTANCE WAS EVIDENCED BY HER DEEP PRAYER OF REQUEST.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT THE OBJECT OF PRAYER IS NOT TO HAVE OUR WILL DONE IN HEAVEN BUT TO GET GOD’S WILL DONE ON EARTH THROUGH US.

IT IS ALSO THE TELLING TO GOD THE THINGS HE ALREADY KNOWS BUT DEVINELY WAITS FOR EACH OF US OPEN OUR HEARTS FULLY TOWARD HIM.

ONLY WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE FULLY SUBMISSIVE DOES HE FULLY REVEAL HIS LOVE.

HANNAH TAUGHT US THIS LESSON IN 1ST SAMUEL ONE.

IN THE FIRST VERSES OF CHAPTER TWO, HANNAH’S PRAYER THERE TEACHES US OF HER THANKFULNESS FOR THE LORD’S ANSWER TO HER REQUEST.

IN THOSE SAME VERSES HANNAH ESTABLISHES THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON FOR ALL OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, WHICH IS THE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN ALL THINGS. HER WORDS OF HER FULL UNDERSTANDING WILL CARRY US FORWARD IN THIS STUDY JOURNEY.

1 Samuel 2: A Father’s Negligence

AS WE BEGIN OUR SECOND STUDY STOP IN 1ST SAMUEL, WE NOTE THAT THE FIRST 11 VERSES OF CHAPTER TWO WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY ASSIGNED IN CHAPTER ONE.

THOSE VERSES CONTAIN THE GREAT PRAYER OF HANNAH WHICH DETAIL HER THANKS TO THE LORD FOR OPENING HER LONG CLOSED WOMB TO CONCEIVE SAMUEL, AND TO EXPLAIN THE MATTER OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.

IN THE BALANCE OF CHAPTER TWO VERSES WE ARE GRANTED A VIEW OF TWO FAMILIES MOVING IN TWO OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.

THE FAMILY OF ELKANAH, THE HUSBAND OF HANNAH, HAD SHOWN RESPECT FOR HER VOW TO GOD TO RAISE SAMUEL AS A NAZARINE AS WELL AS DEDICATE HIM AS A SERVANT OF GOD IN THE TABERNACLE.

SAMUEL WAS LIVING AND MATURING IN THE WORSHIP CENTER AND GOD ARRANGED FURTHER BLESSINGS TO HANNAH AND HER FAMILY WITH MORE CHILDREN.

THE FAMILY OF ELI, THE HIGH PRIEST IN SHILOH AND A JUDGE OF ISRAEL, WAS MOVING STRONGLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE LIGHT OF THE LORD AND INTO THE DARKNESS OF CORRUPTION.

THE SONS OF ELI, HOPHNI AND PHINEAS, OVERSAW PRIESTLY DUTIES AND WERE BOTH MEN OF WICKED WAYS.

THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THOSE WHO WISHED TO WORSHIP AND SACRIFICE AND THEIR SINS WERE HORRID AND ELI DID LITTLE IF ANYTHING TO CORRECT THIS WICKEDNESS WITHIN THE PLACE THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BE THE MOST HOLY PLACE IN ISRAEL.

THE LORD WILL SEND AN UNNAMED PROPHET TO PRONOUNCE JUDGMENT UPON THEM ALL.

THE NEGLIGENCE OF ELI TO CONFRONT THE DARK WAYS OF HIS OWN HOUSE FILLS CHAPTER TWO.

IN VERSES 12-17 THE WICKEDNESS OF THESE TWO SONS IS EXPOSED AS THEY ARE SAID TO BE “SONS OF BELIAL”.

THIS WORD REFERS IN HEBREW TO MEAN USELESSNESS, WICKEDNESS AND VILENESS.

KING SOLOMON USED SIMILAR WORDS THREE TIMES IN PROVERBS TO DESCRIBE UNGODLY PERSONS. (6:12 & 16:27 & 19:28)

HANNAH HAD USED THE SAME WORD HERSELF IN 1:16 WHEN SHE DID NOT WANT ELI TO THINK SHE WAS A DRUNKEN WOMAN AT GOD’S ALTAR.

VERSE 12 TELLS US THAT THESE TWO SONS “KNEW NOT THE LORD”.

FAITH AND OBEDIENCE WERE TWO CRUCIAL THINGS HOPHNI AND PHINEAS LACKED.

THEY CLEARLY KNEW ABOUT GOD AS THEY WERE POSING AS PRIESTS, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE A PERSONAL RELATION WITH HIM IN THEIR LIVES AS THEY LED LIVES OF WICKED WAYS.

THEIR LIVES LEAD US TO KNOW THEY WERE LOST.

WHEN WORSHIPERS BROUGHT SACRIFICE ANIMALS TO THE TABERNACLE THESE TWO KEPT FAR MORE THAN THE PORTION ALLOWED AS THEIR OWN.

IF A WORSHIPER OBJECTED, THEY WOULD THREATEN THEM WITH VIOLENCE.

THE LAW OF MOSES IN LEVITICUS AND DEUTERNOMY CLEARLY COMMANDED A PORTION OF MEAT BE ALLOWED TO THE PRIEST AS GOD USED THAT COMMANDED PORTION TO SUSTAIN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO SERVED HIM.

(LEVITICUS 7 & 12 & DEUTERNOMY 18)

THESE TWO WERE SELFISH MEN AND WERE BASICALLY STEALING BOTH FROM GOD AND THOSE WHO CAME TO WORSHIP GOD.

VERSE 17 CLEARLY SAYS THE SIN WAS VERY GREAT AND THAT THESE TWO MEN ABHORRED THE OFFERING OF THE LORD.

SUCH WORSHIP ACTIVITY IS UNACCEPTABLE TO GOD AND WE HAVE LESSONS ON THAT MATTER FROM CAIN IN THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL GARDEN AND NADAB AND ABIHU BRINGING STRANGE FIRE TO THE TABERNACLE IN LEVITICUS 10.

BOTH BROUGHT STRONG REBUKES FROM GOD AND THE LAST TWO LOST THEIR LIVES AS A RESULT.

THERE WAS NO HUMBLE REVERENCE IN THE HEARTS OF THESE TWO SONS OF THE HIGH PRIEST AND HE KNEW OF THESE THINGS AND DID NOT CORRECT THIS ACTIVITY.

THESE MEN WERE POSING AS RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHILE LIVING AS LAW BREAKERS IN REBELLION.

SUCH SCANDAL REMAINS A DANGER IN OUR OWN MODERN TIMES AS WE FIND NUMEROUS STORIES OF THOSE WHO POSE AS PREACHERS AND LEADERS WHO ENRICH THEMSELVES RATHER THAN SERVE.

JESUS OBSERVED THIS VERY LIFESTYLE IN THE PHARISEES AND CONDEMNED IT IN MATTHEW 23:17 AND CALLED THESE WHO DO THESE THINGS AS “BLIND GUIDES”.

VERSES 18-21 PROVIDE US A TEACHING IN CONTRAST IN THE SERVICE OF YOUNG SAMUEL.

WHILE THE WICKEDNESS OF THE SONS OF ELI WAS “VERY GREAT BEFORE THE LORD” (2:17), SAMUEL MINISTERED BEFORE THE LORD

(2:18).

SAMUEL WORE A LINEN EPHOD AND SERVED NOT ONLY ELI IN EACH DAY IN THE TABERNACLE BUT ALSO SERVED GOD. THE EPHOD WAS PERMITTED TO LEVITE PRIESTS ONLY AND HANNAH WOULD CONTINUE TO ARRIVE EACH YEAR WITH NEW ROBES FOR HER SON.

ELKANAH WAS STILL FAITHFUL TO THE TABERNACLE IN SPITE OF THE WICKED WAYS OF THE SONS OF ELI. HE REMAINED A SPIRITUAL LEADER OF HIS FAMILY AND MORE BLESSINGS CAME TO HIS FAMILY OF ADDED CHILDREN BY HANNAH.

IN VERSE 21 WE ARE GIVEN A SMALL ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY OF SAMUEL DURING THESE YEARS:

 “And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.”

BEAUTIFUL COMMUNION, FELLOWSHIP, AND TOGETHERNESS EXISTED ALREADY BETWEEN GOD AND SAMUEL.

THE ONLY OTHER PERSON IN THE ENTIRE OLD TESTAMENT TO BE DESCRIBED IN THIS WAY WAS MOSES WHEN HE WAS ON MOUNT SANAI IN EXODUS 34:

“And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water.”

THE CLOSENESS OF THESE TWO MEN OF GOD TO SERVE THE LORD SEEMED TO BE PARALLEL AND BOTH WOULD GO ON TO BECOME GREATER IN THE EYES OF THE LORD.

VERSES 22-25 AGAIN TAKE UP THE SINS OF THE SONS OF ELI.

WE ARE TOLD THAT THEY NOT ONLY MADE A MOCKERY OF WORSHIP TIME, BUT ENGAGED IN SINFUL FORNICATION WITH WOMEN WHO SERVED IN THE TABERNACLE.

THE SINS OF THESE TWO POSING AS PRIESTS HAD BECOME INDENTICAL WITH THE SINS OF THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE IN CANAAN, WHICH GOD CLEARLY WARNED AGAINST AND WAS WHY HE WISHED THEM DRIVEN OUT OF THE LAND.

VERSE 22 ALLOWS A REBUKE GIVEN BY ELI MADE ONLY WHEN HE WAS “VERY OLD”. HE HAD NEGLECTED HIS DUTY TO CORRECT THESE WAYS OF WICKEDNESS AND THE TWO SONS IGNORED THE LONG OVERDUE WORDS OF THEIR FATHER.

THE LORD HAD BEEN PATIENT BUT THE CUP OF THEIR WICKEDNESS WAS OVER FULL.

IN VERSES 27-36 GOD RENDERED JUDGMENT AND SENT A PROPHET WHO IS NOT NAMED TO ELI.

THE PROPHET REMINDED ELI OF THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE GIVEN TO HIS TRIBE AND HIS OWN FAMILY.

GOD CHOSE THEM TO SERVE HIM AND HAD PROVIDED A PART OF HIS LAW TO SUSTAIN THEM BUT THIS FAMILY HAD NO APPRECIATION OR RESPECT FOR THE LORD’S GIFT TO THEM.

THROUGH THE MOUTH OF THIS PROPHET GOD ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION IN VERSE 29:

“Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering?”

THIS WAS A WORD PICTURE TO SAY THAT ELI AND HIS SONS DESPISED THE HOLY OFFERINGS.

BECAUSE ELI HAD DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS AWFUL BEHAVIOR, HE WAS AS MUCH TO BLAME AS THE SONS.

ELI HONORED HIS SONS MORE THAN GOD AND HIS NEGLIGENCE PROVED IT.

FURTHER PROOF WAS THE FACT THAT ELI LOVED EATING THE STOLEN MEAT. LATER IN 1ST SAMUEL 4:18 WE SEE THAT ELI IS DESCRIBED AS “HEAVY”, MEANING OVERWEIGHT.

THE PROPHET PRONOUNCED DEATH UPON HOPHNI AND PHINEAS BUT ALSO UPON THE ENTIRE FAMILY, WITH NONE OF THE FAMILY TO COME BEING ALLOWED TO SERVE GOD.

VERSE 35 TEACHES THAT GOD FOUND A “FAITHFUL PRIEST” TO SERVE HIM .

THE JUDGMENT SHOWN AFTER MUCH PATIENCE IS A WARNING.

WE SHOULD BE AWARE HOW SERIOUS GOD TAKES THE MATTER OF WORSHIP.

WORSHIP MUST COME FROM A HUMBLE HEART THAT RECOGNIZES THE SUPERIORITY OF THE LORD IN ALL MATTERS OF OUR LIVES.

OUR ACTIONS MUST REFLECT THAT FACT TO PLEASE THE LORD.

GOD TOLD ELI THROUGH HIS PROPHET THAT BOTH SONS WOULD DIE TOGETHER ON THE SAME DAY TO END THEIR SINFUL LIVES.

WE WILL SEE IN 1ST SAMUEL 4 THAT THE WORD OF GOD THROUGH HIS PROPHET WAS FULFILLED EXACTLY AS PROMISED.

THE CONTINUAL WAR AGAINST THE PHILISTINES WAS WAGING AND ALL ISRAEL WENT OUT AGAINST THIS ENEMY.

THE PHILISTINES KILLED OVER 4,000 MEN OF ISRAEL IN A MAJOR BATTLE AND ISRAEL BROUGHT OUT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT TO TURN THE BATTLE IN THEIR FAVOR.

ANOTHER 30,000 MEN OF ISRAEL WERE THEN KILLED BY THE PHILISTINES, INCLUDING BOTH SONS OF ELI, ON THE SAME DAY AS GOD HAD FORETOLD.

A COURIER ARRIVED TO TELL ELI THAT THE BATTLE HAD BEEN LOST AND THE ARK HAD BEEN CAPTURED BY THE ENEMY.

ELI WAS 98 YEARS OLD, WITH DIM EYES THAT COULD NOT SEE, AND BEING MUCH OVERWEIGHT, FELL BACKWARD AT THE TERRIBLE NEWS, AND DIED OF A BROKEN NECK FROM THE FALL.

IN THIS MOMENT VERSE 4:22 TEACHES THAT THE GLORY HAD DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL.

MOST SCHOLARS BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD TO BRING FORWARD A “FAITHFUL PRIEST” WAS NOT A REFERENCE TO SAMUEL, WHOSE CALLING WE WILL STUDY IN CHAPTER THREE.

PERHAPS THE REFERENCE WAS TO THE HOUSE OF ZADOK WHO SERVED GOD DURING THE MONARCHY PERIOD.

FOR THE CURRENT TIME, TABERNACLE LEADERSHIP WAS UNFORTUNATELY A “LAME DUCK” LEADERSHIP UNTIL SAMUEL HIMSELF IS CALLED TO RENDER GOD’S ORDER TO ANOINT HUMAN KINGS REQUESTED BY THE PEOPLE.

THESE LESSONS REQUIRE US TO PONDER IN OUR MODERN WORSHIP WHETHER WE PLEASE THE LORD BY HEARTFELT HUMILITY OR

PLEASE ONLY OURSELVES IN OUR WORSHIP.

1 Samuel 3: Samuel’s Call to the Ministry

JUST AS IN CHAPTER ONE, WE MUST REMEMBER HOW DARK THESE PARTICULAR DAYS WERE FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL.

THERE WAS DISARRAY WITHIN THE NATION'S LEADERSHIP AS THE TIME OF THE JUDGES WAS ENDING AND THERE WAS STRONG CORRUPTION WITHIN THE PRIESTHOOD.

THESE THINGS WERE DISAGREEABLE TO THE LORD. HE WAS LESS THAN HAPPY WITH THE STATE OF HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

BUT, AS IN ALL OTHER TIMES, AND JUST AS IS TRUE TODAY, GOD WAS NOT FINISHED WITH THESE HE HAD CHOSEN.

EVEN IN THE DARKEST TIMES, HE TURNS THE DARKNESS INTO LIGHT AND THE CORRUPTION INTO GOOD TO SERVE HIS PURPOSE.

ROMANS 8:28 CLEARLY TEACHES THAT “... AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD... ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE”.

YEARS HAD PASSED SINCE HANNAH HAD TURNED HER HEARTACHE OVER TO THE LORD. HER PRAYER HAD BEEN ANSWERED, A SON HAD BEEN GIVEN, AND SHE HAD KEPT HER VOW AND DEDICATED HIM & HIS LIFE TO THE LORD.

HER SON, SAMUEL, NOW LIVED WITHIN THE TABERNACLE SERVING THE HIGH PRIEST, ELI.

NOW THE TIME HAD ARRIVED FOR THE LORD TO WORK HIS WILL IN THE HEART OF THIS YOUNG MAN AND TO FORM HIM INTO WHAT THE LORD WISHED HIM TO BE, ONE OF THE GREATEST PROPHETS IN ALL OF HISTORY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

OUR STUDY CHAPTER TODAY SEEMS BEST TO BE BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE SECTIONS:

• GOD SPEAKS TO SAMUEL

•  GOD'S MESSAGE TO SAMUEL

• SAMUEL MATURES INTO GOD'S PROPHET

WE SEE THAT THE YOUNG MAN MINISTERED TO THE LORD BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST, ELI.

THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS PRECIOUS (MEANING RARE) IN THOSE DAYS AND THERE WAS NO OPEN VISION.

THE ONLY WORD OF THE LORD WE READ ABOUT IN THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS IS THE WORD OF JUDGMENT BROUGHT BY THE MAN OF GOD AGAINST ELI.

GOD DID NOT SPEAK OFTEN, AND IN THESE TIMES WHEN HE DID SPEAK, HIS WAS A WORD OF JUDGMENT.

WE MUST RECALL THAT IN THESE DAYS THE HEARTS OF MOST OF THE PEOPLE WERE HARDENED WHILE THE PRIESTHOOD, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROPERLY LEADING THE PEOPLE, WAS FILLED WITH CORRUPTION & EVIL.

THE LORD MAKES HIMSELF CLOSE WHEN HIS PEOPLE SEEK HIM AND WHEN HIS CHOSEN MINISTERS SEEK TO SERVE HIM.

AS WE DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER ONE, THERE ARE STRONG PARALLELS IN THESE DAYS AND OUR DAYS.

AS THE LORD OPENS HIS CONVERSATION WITH SAMUEL, ELI WAS LYING DOWN IN THE EVENING, AND HIS AGE HAD DIMMED HIS EYES AND IT IS LIKELY THAT HIS NEED FOR REST WAS STRONG.

WE ARE TOLD THAT HE WAS RESTING BEFORE THE LAMP OF THE LORD IN THE TABERNACLE WENT OUT.

THIS IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH MEANING “BEFORE DAWN” AS EXODUS 27:21 TEACHES THAT THE LAMP WAS TO BE TENDED UNTIL DAYBREAK.

WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE DIMNESS OF THE EYES OF ELI WAS BOTH PHYSICAL FROM AGE, AND SPIRITUAL, FROM HIS NEGLECT OF HIS FATHERLY DUTIES TO CORRECT HIS CORRUPT SONS, WHO WERE CORRUPT TEMPLE PRIESTS.

AT THIS TIME OF CALL, JOSEPHUS, THE EARLY WRITER, TELLS US THAT SAMUEL WAS 12 YEARS OLD.

THE SILENCE AND AWE OF THE HOLY PLACE WERE EVIDENT  AND IN ACCORD WITH THE BOY’S ATTENTION AND OPEN HEART.

THE SMALL PLACE WHERE THIS YOUNG SERVANT OF THE LORD LAID AT NIGHT WAS NOT TOO LOWLY FOR THE ETERNAL GOD TO VISIT.

STOOPING DOWN FROM HEAVEN ITSELF GOD CAME AND STOOD AND CALLED.

GOD WAS NOT IMPATIENT WITH SAMUEL AND GOD KNEW THAT ONCE SAMUEL UNDERSTOOD WHO WAS CALLING, HE WOULD BE EAGER TO OBEY THE CALL.

GOD SPKE TO SAMUEL AND CALLED HIM BY NAME.

THIS MOMENT OF THE LORD CALLING SAMUEL BY NAME IS VERY IMPORTANT AS BOTH THE OLD & NEW TESTAMENTS TEACH US:

ISAIAH 43:1 “I HAVE REDEEMED THEE, I HAVE CALLED YOU BY NAME AND YOU ARE MINE”

WE SEE THIS STRONG REFERENCE TO THE WORDS OF JESUS IN JOHN 10:3 WHEN HE SAID THAT THE LORD CALLS HIS SHEEP BY NAME AND LEADS THEM OUT.

SAMUEL WAS AN OBEDIENT YOUNG MAN, THINKING ELI NEEDED HIM AND HAD CALLED HIM AND HE GOES TO ELI.

ELI SAYS HE DID NOT CALL SAMUEL.

A 2ND & 3RD TIME THE LORD CALLS, AND AGAIN SAMUEL THINKS ELI IS CALLING AND HE GOES TO THE PRIEST.

NOW ELI UNDERSTANDS IT IS GOD CALLING AND HE INSTRUCTS SAMUEL TO ANSWER THE CALL WITH HIS OWN VOICE AND TO SAY “SPEAK LORD, FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH”.

HOW DOES GOD SPEAK?

IN MOST CASES TODAY AFTER THE GRANTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT PENTECOST, WE GENERALLY THINK THE LORD SPEAKS WITHIN US, GUIDING US FROM INWARD CALLS TO HIS PURPOSE.

IN SAMUEL'S DAY, THE CALL WAS AUDIBLE, AND CLEAR TO THE EAR.

WE SHOULD TAKE NOTE THAT THE COMMAND GIVEN BY ELI AND THE RESPONSE GIVEN TO GOD BY SAMUEL WAS WITH REVERENCE AND HUMILITY.

NOTICE THAT AMONG FIRST WORDS SPOKEN TO GOD BY SAMUEL, HE IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS “THY SERVANT”.

HERE WAS SAMUEL'S CONVERSION MOMENT.

EVEN THOUGH HANNAH HAD DEDICATED SAMUEL TO THE LORD AND PLACED HIM IN THE TABERNACLE AND EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BEEN SERVING THE HIGH PRIEST, SAMUEL WAS NOT YET BONDED TO THE LORD HIMSELF IN SERVICE.

NOW GOD SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO SAMUEL, CONFIDING IN HIM, BEGINNING THE LIFE LONG PROCESS OF FORMING HIM AND BRINGING HIM CLOSE BY CALLING HIM BY NAME.

FROM THIS MOMENT FORWARD, HE BELONGED DIRECTLY TO GOD WITH NO PRIEST BETWEEN THEM ANY LONGER.

HE WAS CALLED. THE CALL WAS EFFECTUAL AND HE ANSWERED THE CALL AS A SERVANT WHICH IS HOW HE LIVED ALL THE REST OF HIS DAYS.

AS WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT GOD SAID TO SAMUEL IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT SKIM OVER THE VALUE OF VERSE 10.

HERE WE ARE TAUGHT THAT THE LORD CAME AND THE LORD STOOD.

HERE IS THE PROOF THAT THE CALL WAS AUDIBLE AND THAT THE LORD ACTUALLY APPEARED VISIBLY TO SAMUEL AND OPENED A CONVERSATION WITH HIM.

THE LORD'S MESSAGE TO SAMUEL WAS THAT THE TIME OF JUDGMENT HAD ARRIVED FOR ELI.

HE SAYS HE WILL DO A THING IN ISRAEL AND THAT BOTH THE EARS OF EVERYONE THAT HEARS IT WILL TINGLE.

THE LORD SAYS THAT THE THINGS HE HAD STARTED WILL NOW BE BROUGHT TO AN END BY HIM.

GOD ALSO TELLS SAMUEL THAT HE HAD ALREADY TOLD ELI THIS WOULD HAPPEN BECAUSE HIS SONS WERE VILE AND CORRUPT AND ELI HAD NOT CORRECTED THEM.

SINCE THE ORIGINAL LAW WAS GIVEN TO MOSES, THE LORD COMMANDED IN EXODUS 29 & LEVITICUS 7 THAT THE PRIEST SHOULD BE ALLOWED A PART OF THE BREAST & SHOULDER MEAT OFFERED.

BUT NOW, 400 YEARS LATER, THE SONS OF ELI HAD CORRUPTED THIS COMMAND BY TAKING FAR MORE OF THE MEAT THAN WAS ALLOWED, THEREBY STEALING FROM GOD HIMSELF.

THE SONS ALSO WOULD OFTEN NOT TAKE THE MEAT AFTER IT WAS PREPARED BUT RATHER INSISTED ON TAKING RAW MEAT SO THEY COULD SELL IT AND POCKET THE MONEY.

THEY WERE RESISTED BY SOME GIVERS BUT THEY EVEN THREATENED TO TAKE THE GIVER'S MEAT FOR SACRIFICE BY PHYSICAL FORCE.

IN CHAPTER TWO WE SEE THAT THE SIN OF THE YOUNG MEN WAS GREAT BEFORE THE LORD, INCLUDING PHYSICAL IMMORALITY WITH WOMEN WHO CAME TO WORSHIP.

REMEMBER THAT THIS CONVERSATION WAS NOT TO ANNOUNCE THE EVENTS TO COME.

GOD TOLD SAMUEL HE HAD ALREADY TOLD ELI.

HERE WAS A HEAVY BURDEN THAT SAMUEL HAD TO CARRY WHEN HE WOULD SHARE THE WORDS OF THE LORD WITH ELI.

ELI WOULD HEAR GOD’S REBUKE OF HIM FROM SAMUEL FOR HIS NEGLECT AND ELI WOULD KNOW THIS JUDGMENT COULD NOT BE AVOIDED BY ANY SACRIFICE TO COVER HIS SINS.

SAMUEL SPOKE TO ELI IN A DELICATE WAY TO TRY TO SPARE THE OLDER MAN’S FEELINGS WITH THIS AWFUL DISCLOSURE.

ELI HAD BEEN FORETOLD AND HE THEN TOLD SAMUEL:

“It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good.”

THIS MEETING IS TO CONSECRATE SAMUEL AS THE LORD'S PROPHET AND IS TO CONFIRM WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED TO THE PRIEST.

ELI HAD TWO FAILURES.

FIRST, HE WAS THE FATHER OF THE TWO MEN AND SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED THEIR BEHAVIOR AS A FATHER SHOULD DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO ASSURE SONS LIVE PROPERLY.

SECOND, NOW THEY WERE GROWN MEN, AND ELI WAS CHIEF PRIEST, SO HE HAD A HIGHER CALLING TO CORRECT THEIR BEHAVIOR AS A MATTER OF TEMPLE EXAMPLE & PROPRIETY.

THEY WERE NOT LIVING AS THEY SHOULD HAVE EITHER AS MEN NOR AS TEMPLE OFFICIALS AND ELI HAD DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THEM.

NOW THEIR SIN BECAME HIS SIN.

IN SAMUEL 2:27-36 A MAN OF GOD HAD BEEN SENT TO ELI WITH A WARNING.

THERE HAD BEEN NO REPENTANCE SO NOW COMES JUDGMENT.

SAMUEL LAYS DOWN UNTIL MORNING AND THEN OPENED THE DOORS TO THE LORD'S HOUSE, AS WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY.

HE WAS AFRAID TO RELATE THE EVENT OF THE NIGHT TO ELI.

BUT ELI CALLED, LIKELY KNOWING THAT IT HAD BEEN THE LORD CALLING SAMUEL.

HE ASKS SAMUEL TO RELATE TO HIM WHAT HAPPENED, CALLING SAMUEL TO HIM BY THE LOVING TITLE OF “MY SON”.

ELI ASKS SAMUEL TO TELL HIM ALL, AND EVEN GOES FURTHER TELLING SAMUEL THAT IF HE DOES NOT TELL ALL, THAT THE SAME THING GOD PROMISED SHOULD COME UPON SAMUEL.

SO SAMUEL TELLS HIM ALL HE HEARD, HOLDING BACK NOTHING, REVEALING EVERY DETAIL.

ELI HEARD, ACCEPTS AND SAYS THAT THE LORD SHOULD DO WHAT SEEMETH HIM GOOD.

AT THIS MOMENT THE MANTLE OF THE FUTURE SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE NATION FELL FROM ELI ONTO THE YOUNG MAN SAMUEL'S SHOULDER.

VERSE 19 TEACHES US THAT SAMUEL GREW AND THE LORD WAS WITH HIM AND DID LET NONE OF HIS WORDS FALL TO THE GROUND.

THIS MEANS THAT ALL WORDS SPOKEN BY SAMUEL FROM NOW ONWARD WERE TRUE WORDS FROM GOD, AND ALL HIS PROPHECIES CAME TO PASS.

ALL OF ISRAEL FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH KNEW OF SAMUEL AND HE BECAME ESTABLISHED AS THE LORD'S PROPHET IN THE JEWISH NATION.

SINCE THE DAYS OF MOSES, FEW PROPHETS HAD ARISEN AND CERTAINLY NO GREAT PROPHET HAD COME.

NOW THE LORD HAD RAISED UP HIS OWN GREAT PROPHET, BROUGHT BY THE SIMPLE PRAYER OF ONE DEVOUT WOMAN WHO PLED HER CASE BEFORE GOD AND VOWED TO GIVE THE SON BACK IF HE MIGHT BE GIVEN.

THE PRAYER WAS ANSWERED, AND THE VOW WAS KEPT.

SCRIPTURE ALLOWS US PROOF OF THE STATURE OF THE PROPHET SAMUEL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD:

PSALMS 99:6 “MOSES AND AARON AMONG HIS PRIESTS, AND SAMUEL AMONG THEM THAT CALL UPON HIS NAME; THEY CALL UPON THE LORD AND HE ANSWERED THEM”.

JEREMIAH 15:1 “THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO ME; THOUGH MOSES AND SAMUEL STAND BEFORE ME...”

SAMUEL BRIDGES THE TIME GAP BETWEEN THE JUDGES AND THE KINGS, WHEN NATHAN, ELIJAH, & ISAIAH WOULD ARISE.

IN THE LAST VERSE OF CHAPTER THREE, THE LORD APPEARED AGAIN TO SAMUEL IN SHILOH REVEALING HIMSELF BY HIS WORD, LIKELY THE WORD THAT JOHN TEACHES WOULD BECOME FLESH AND DWELL WITH MEN.

THE REAL TRUTH WE FIND IN TODAY'S CHAPTER IS THAT SAMUEL WAS WILLING TO SURRENDER HIMSELF TO THE WILL OF THE LORD AS A SERVANT.

THROUGH THIS HUMBLE GIVING OF HIMSELF, EMPTYING HIMSELF TO RECEIVE THE FILLING BY THE LORD, HE BECAME AMONG THE GREATEST OF ALL THE LORD'S PROPHETS.

EACH LIFE CONTAINS A PLAN SET BY THE LORD. WHEN HE CALLS, ARE WE READY TO LISTEN & SUBMIT?

SO HOW CAN WE HEAR THE LORD SPEAK TO EACH OF US?

1. BE QUIET -

SAMUEL HAD TO GO BACK TO HIS BED AND LIE DOWN.

PSALM 131:2 “SURELY I HAVE BEHAVED AND QUIETED MYSELF”

 ELIJAH FLED FOR HIS LIFE AND ONLY HEARD GOD AS A STILL SMALL VOICE.

IS THERE TOO MUCH NOISE WITHIN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES TO HEAR THAT STILL SMALL VOICE TRYING TO REACH US?

2. WAIT

SAMUEL HAD TO WAIT UNTIL HE HEARD THE VOICE AGAIN.

PSALM 27:14 TEACHES “WAIT ON THE LORD, BE OF GOOD COURAGE...”

WE MUST NOT HURRY IN OUR WAITING. ALL THE TIME WE HAVE LEFT IS UNDER HIS CONTROL SO WE SHOULD GIVE IT HUMBLY TO HIM. HE WILL SPEAK WHEN HE IS READY, NOT WHEN WE THINK WE ARE READY.

3. LISTEN

ELI TOLD SAMUEL “THOU SHALT SAY, SPEAK LORD, FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH”.

WHEN MOSES WAS FACED WITH TOUGH QUESTIONS AND NEEDED ANSWERS FROM GOD HE SAID IN NUMBERS 9:8:

“STAND STILL AND I WILL HEAR WHAT THE LORD COMMANDS”.

4. SURRENDER

SAMUEL WAS TO TELL THE LORD THAT HE WAS THE LORD'S SERVANT.

WHEN WE ARE TRULY SURRENDERED TO THE LORD AND WILLING TO LISTEN, HE WILL SPEAK.

5. KNOW HIS VOICE

SAMUEL WOULD FROM THIS DAY ONWARD KNOW HIS VOICE.

IF WE SPEND TIME WITH HIS WORD, THAT WHICH HE HAS ALREADY SPOKEN WE WILL BE WELL FAMILIAR WITH THE WAY HE INTENDS HIS WORDS TO BE HEARD AND WE WILL KNOW HIS VOICE WHEN IT COMES TO US THROUGH HIS SPIRIT THAT IS IN US.

ARE WE LISTENING?

IS OUR WORLD TOO FILLED WITH BUSYNESS & CLUTTER TO BE QUIET, TO WAIT, TO LISTEN, TO SURRENDER? 

1 Samuel 4-6: A Departed Glory

WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT DURING THE LIFE OF SAMUEL THERE WERE YEARS THAT WERE SILENT ABOUT THIS PROPHET AFTER HE WAS CALLED BY GOD.

THE DETAILS OF THESE NEXT CHAPTERS REFLECT SOME OF THOSE YEARS AND THESE EVENTS SEEM TO HAVE HAPPENED AFTER SAMUEL WAS GIVEN THE CALL BY THE LORD.

CHAPTERS 4-6 HAVE NO MENTION OF SAMUEL EVEN THOUGH HE DOMINATES CHAPTERS 1-3.

 THE DEATHS OF ELI AND HIS SONS ARE RECORDED FOR US KEEPING EXACTLY AS ANNOUNCED BY THE MAN OF GOD IN 2:27 & BY SAMUEL 3:18.

THE FOCUS OF THESE THREE CHAPTERS IS ONE OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT, FIRST FULLY DESCRIBED FOR US IN EXODUS 25.

THESE THREE CHAPTERS TELL US OF ITS CAPTURE BY THE PHILISTINES IN CHAPTER 4, ITS POWER OVER THE PHILISTINE’S GODS IN CHAPTER 5, AND ITS RETURN IN CHAPTER 6.

CHAPTERS 1-3 HAVE GIVEN US NO HINT OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION WITHIN ISRAEL OR OF ISRAEL’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER NEIGHBORS.

WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION WE ARE TOLD IN 4:2:

“… Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel…”

THESE WERE NON JEWISH PEOPLE LIVING MOSTLY ALONG THE COASTAL PLAIN AND WE KNOW FROM LATER CHAPTERS THAT THIS CONFLICT CONTINUED FOR MANY YEARS INTO THE TIME OF DAVID.

ISRAEL LOST THE FIRST MAIN BATTLE WITH NO REASON GIVEN FOR THIS DEFEAT. WE NOTICE THE OPINION OF ISRAEL’S ELDERS IN VERSE 3 AS:

“Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?”

THEIR CONCLUSION WAS TO MOVE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT FORWARD TO THE BATTLE LINES THINKING THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE ARK WOULD SAVE THE HEBREW ARMY.

MOVING THIS ARK EXPLAINS FOR US HOW THE SONS OF ELI, HOPHNI AND PHINEAS, CAME TO BE AT THE BATTLE AS THEY WERE STILL PRIESTS COMMANDED TO MOVE THE ARK.

DO WE NOTICE THAT NO SCRIPTURE ALLOWS US TO KNOW ANY OF THE ELDERS OR PRIESTS SUBMITTED THEMSELVES HUMBLY BEFORE GOD TO SEEK HIS FACE & COUNSEL IN THIS MOMENT?

34,000 FOOT SOLDIERS OF ISRAEL DIED, INCLUDING THE SONS OF ELI AS GOD HAD EARLIER COMMANDED.

WHEN ELI WAS TOLD OF THE LOSSES HE FELL BACKWARD AND DIED FROM A BROKEN NECK.

AT THE SAME TIME THE WIFE OF PHINEAS WAS GIVING BIRTH TO A SON AND NAMED HIM ICHABOD MEANING “THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL, FOR THE ARK OF GOD HAS BEEN CAPTURED.” (4:21-22)    SHE DIED IN CHILDBIRTH.

THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES ENTERED GRIEF FOR THE MANY LOSSES OF HEBREW SOLDIERS BUT THE WORST LOSS OF ALL WAS THE CAPTURE OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT.

THIS LOSS RAISED DISTURBING RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE.

DID THIS LOSS MEAN THAT GOD HAD LOST HIS POWER TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE?

DID THE CAPTURE MEAN THE ENEMY NOW CONTROLLED THE GOD OF ISRAEL THROUGH THE ARK?

DID THIS MEAN THAT GOD WAS NO LONGER PRESENT WITH ISRAEL?

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO THE CHOSEN PEOPLE?

A CLUE TO THE ANSWERS IS FOUND BACK IN 4:3 WHEN THE ISRAELI

ELDERS DID NOT ASK WHY HAVE THE PHILISTINES SMITTEN US, BUT RATHER ASKED WHEREFORE HATH THE LORD SMITTEN US.

THE LAST SECTION OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES ALLOWED US A PREVIEW OF WHY THIS TERRIBLE MOMENT IN HISTORY HAD COME.

THERE WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS WAS A FULLY EVIL TIME WHEN MEN WERE DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES.

IN ADDITION, THE SONS OF ELI HAD CORRUPTED THE WORSHIP OF ISRAEL AND THE HIGH PRIEST HAD THROUGH HIS NEGLIGENCE MADE NO EFFORT TO CORRECT THE WORSHIP FAULTS.

THOSE WHO BROUGHT THE ARK TO THE BATTLEFIELD WERE ALREADY UNDER THE CURSE OF GOD.

WE REMEMBER THAT THE ARK WAS CARRIED AROUND THE CITY OF JERICHO TO BE A SYMBOL OF THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH HIS PEOPLE BUT IN THAT TIME JOSHUA SOUGHT GOD’S INSTRUCTION AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD’S ARMY VISITED JOSHUA TO CONFIRM GOD WAS WITH THEM.

IN CHAPTER 5 WE ARE GIVEN STRONG DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PHILISTINES AFTER THEY CAPTURED THE ARK, AND PLACED IT WITHIN THE SHRINE OF THEIR FALSE GOD, NAMED DAGON.

THE NEXT MORNING THE STATUE OF THE FALSE GOD HAD FALLEN OVER ON ITS FACE INSIDE THE SHRINE.

THE STATUE WAS RESET IN ITS PLACE AND THE NEXT MORNING IT HAD FALLEN AGAIN AND THE HEAD AND HANDS OF THE STATUE HAD BEEN BROKEN OFF, LEAVING ONLY THE TORSO.

THE SURROUNDING CITY, ASHDOD, WAS RAVAGED AS THE PEOPLE WERE CURSED WITH TUMORS AS WELL AS THOSE IN THE SURROUNDING TERRITORY.

THE PHILISTINES KNEW THE ARK WAS RESPONSIBLE AND DECIDED TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE FALSE GOD STATUE TO THE CITY OF GATH.

GREAT DESTRUCTION FOLLOWED THE ARK AND THE PEOPLE OF THE SECOND CITY WERE CURSED WITH TUMORS AS WELL.

THE ARK WAS MOVED AGAIN TO THE CITY OF AKRON WHERE MANY MEN DIED AND THOSE WHO DID NOT DIE WERE ONCE MORE CURSED WITH TUMORS IN THEIR BODIES.

THE PHILISTINE PEOPLE CRIED OUT TO THEIR LEADERS TO GET RID OF THE ARK BY RETURNING IT TO ISRAEL.

THE PHILISTINE PEOPLE HAD FOUND THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED BY ISRAEL.

THE POWER OF GOD WITHIN HIS ARK WAS ALIVE AND FUNCTIONING IN THEIR CITIES.

IN ADDITION TO THESE AWFUL CURSINGS ANOTHER CURSE APPEARED WITH A PLAGUE OF RATS EVIDENT BRINGING GREAT PANIC OF DEATH TO THE PEOPLE.

VERSE 5:10 SHOW THAT THE PHILISTINE PEOPLE SAID THE ARK WAS BROUGHT AMONG THEM TO KILL THEM.

THEY WANTED THE ARK GONE FROM THEIR POSSESSION AS THEY HAD SEEN THE EVIDENT STRENGTH OF GOD WITHIN THIS HOLY ARK.

WHILE GOD HAD NOT PROVIDED THE VICTORY FOR ISRAEL IN THE BATTLES, HE HAD DISPLAYED HIS AWESOME POWER OVER THE ENEMY OF ISRAEL, AND THEIR FALSE GOD.

CHAPTER 6 PROVIDES THE METHOD USED BY THE PHILISTINES TO RID THEMSELVES OF THE ARK OF GOD.

THE ARK HAD BEEN INSIDE THE COUNTRY OF THE ENEMY SEVEN MONTHS, WHICH WERE SEVEN MONTHS OF DISTRESS OF DEATH AND PLAGUES.

THEY BROUGHT TOGETHER THEIR OWN PRIESTS AND THOSE WHO CLAIM TO DIVINE THE WILL OF THEIR FALSE GOD.

THESE ENEMY HOLY MEN SAID FIRST THAT AN OFFERING OF GOLD SHOULD BE MADE AS A TRESPASS OFFERING AS A CONFESSION OF THEIR SIN AND TO ACT AS A PLEA OF FORGIVENESS SO THAT THE ARK MIGHT NOT BE RETURNED TO ISRAEL WITHOUT THE OFFERING.

THE OFFERING WOULD BE GOLDEN AND SHAPED LIKE BOTH TUMORS AND RATS, AN ATTEMPT TO REMOVE GOD’S ANGER AGAINST THEM.

THE ARK WAS PLACED UPON A NEW CART, NEVER BEFORE USED TO TRANSPORT ANYTHING, AND THE CART WAS TO BE YOKED TO TWO COWS WHO HAD NEVER BEFORE BEEN YOKED.

THE CALVES OF THESE COWS WERE PENNED AWAY FROM THEIR MOTHERS AND THEREBY SHOWING THAT IF THE COWS MOVED THE ARK AWAY FROM THEIR OWN CALVES, THE MOVEMENT MUST BE BY GOD COMMANDING IT.

THE COWS PULLED THE CART WITH THE ARK DIRECTLY TO THE NEAREST ISRAELI VILLAGE, BETH SHEMESH, WITH THE COWS USING THEIR VOICES TO ANNOUNCE THEIR COMING.

THE LORDS OF THE PHILISTINES FOLLOWED THE CART FROM A DISTANCE TO OBSERVE HOW IT WOULD BE RECEIVED.

THE PEOPLE OF BETH SHEMESH RECEIVED THE CART, SPLITING THE WOOD THAT MADE THE CART, SACRIFICING THE TWO COWS AS A BURNT OFFERING UNTO GOD, PLACING THE ARK AND THE CHEST OF GOLD FROM THE PHILISTINES UPON A GREAT ROCK.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE OPENED THE ARK AND LOOKED INSIDE, A CLEAR VIOLATION OF GOD’S LAW.

GOD STRUCK THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE FOR THIS SIN AND FIFTY THOUSAND AND SEVENTY MEN OF THE PEOPLE WERE STRUCK WITH A GREAT SLAUGHTER BY GOD.

THOSE LEFT SENT WORD TO KIRATH JEARIM TO SEND PROPER PEOPLE TO REMOVE THE ARK FROM THEIR POSSESSION.

THESE CONTACTED CAME AND PROPERLY MOVED THE ARK TO THE HOUSE OF ABINADAB AND CONSECRATED HIS SON, ELEAZER, TO KEEP THE ARK OF THE LORD.

THE VILLAGERS HAD BEEN SAID TO REJOICE AT THE ARRIVAL OF THE ARK BUT CREATED A MOST SINFUL MOMENT BY OPENING THE ARK OF GOD.

IN THE END OF THIS EPISODE THE VILLAGERS OF ISRAEL WANTED THE SAME THING THE PHILISTINE PEOPLE WANTED, WHICH WAS TO BE RID OF THE ARK OF GOD.

THE ARK WAS NOT RETURNED TO SHILOH, THE HOLY LOCATION.

INSTEAD IT WAS PLACED IN THE HOME OF ABINADAB, A LEVITE, WHO LIVED IN JUDAH ABOUT 14 MILES WEST OF JERUSALEM. HIS SON, ELEAZAR, CARED FOR THE ARK FOR TWENTY YEARS.

GOD WOULD THEREFORE NO LONGER DWELL IN THE TABERNACLE IN THE MIDST OF HIS PEOPLE.

THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE TABERNACLE FROM 1ST SAMUEL 3:3 TO 2ND SAMUEL 6:17, A PERIOD OF ABOUT 100 YEARS.

DURING THIS TIME OF NEGLECT, THE GLORY OF GOD HAD INDEED DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL.

SIN HAD CREATED A SPIRITUAL BARRIER BETWEEN GOD AND HIS OWN CHOSEN ONES.

THE FELLOWSHIP WAS CORRUPTED BY DISOBEDIENCE AND GOD WAS NOT DWELLING WITH THEM.

LITTLE IS HEARD IN SCRIPTURE CONCERNING THE ARK AFTER THIS MOMENT UNTIL KING DAVID MADE PROVISION TO BRING IT TO A MORE PERMANENT PLACE.

WE KNOW THAT HE HIMSELF TRIED TO MOVE THE ARK IMPROPERLY AND WAS TAUGHT A STRONG LESSON BY GOD AND THEN HE TURNED OVER THE MOVEMENT OF THE ARK BY THE LEVITES, WHICH HE SHOULD HAVE DONE ORIGINALLY.

THREE CHAPTERS ARE GIVEN US TO REVEAL THE POWER OF GOD OVER HIS HOLY ARK AS WELL AS OVER ANY WHO ATTEMPT TO MISUSE IT IN ANY WAY, WHETHER ENEMY OR HEBREW.

NO MENTION WAS MADE WITHIN THESE THREE CHAPTERS OF SAMUEL SINCE HIS CALL IN CHAPTER THREE.

ISRAEL WAS AS LOW SPIRITUALLY AS THEY HAD EVER BEEN.

THE HIGH PRIEST AND HIS SONS WERE DEAD.

THE ARK ITSELF HAD BEEN CAPTURED BY PAGANS.

1ST SAMUEL 4:22 CONFIRMED THE GLORY OF GOD DEPARTED.

FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS ISRAEL CHASED PAGAN GODS AND FORSOOK THE TRUE & LIVING GOD.

GOD HAD HEARD THEIR CRIES AT TIMES AND HAD SENT JUDGES BUT NO RESCUE BY THE LORD, EVEN TIME AFTER TIME, CHANGED THE HABIT OF ISRAEL’S DISOBEDIENCE.

OUR NEXT STUDY STOPS WILL TEACH US ABOUT THE RENEWING OF A COVENANT, DEPENDING UPON GOD ALONE, BUILDING PLACES OF REMEMBRANCE, THE FAILURE OF LEADERS, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A HUMAN KING IN ISRAEL.

SAMUEL WILL REAPPEAR NO LONGER A CHILD BUT AS A JUDGE OF ISRAEL, WITH THE PAST TWENTY YEARS OF HIS LIFE NOT EXPLAINED.

OUR STRONG LESSONS GIVEN WITHIN THESE THREE CHAPTERS ARE THAT GOD JUDGES THOSE WHO VIOLATE HIS COMMANDS, WHETHER THEY BE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL, OR PEOPLE OF ISRAEL THEMSELVES.

IN BOTH WE ARE TAUGHT THAT SIN HAS CONSEQUENCE AND THE FIRST HUMAN KING OF ISRAEL WILL LEARN THIS HARSH LESSON HIMSELF IN THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS.

1 Samuel 7 & 8: The People’s Desire

WHEN WE FINISHED OUR LAST STUDY STOP ON CHAPTERS 4-6,

OUR STUDY ALLOWED SOME SERIOUS LESSONS FOR US.

WE LEARNED ONCE MORE THAT GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS AND HE VIEWED AS UNHOLY BOTH THE PHILISTINES AND THE ISRAELIS WHO BOTH MISUSED HIS HOLY ARK OF THE COVENANT.

EVEN GOD’S PEOPLE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SIN WITH IMPUNITY.

WHEN IT SEEMED THE POWERS OF EVIL HAD THE VICTORY, GOD WAS STILL ON HIS HOLY THRONE AND WAS STILL SOVEREIGN OVER ALL MATTERS IN HIS CREATION.

WHEN THE PHILISTINES TOOK THE ARK, IT DID NOT MEAN THAT GOD LOST A BATTLE.

INSTEAD HE USED THAT EPISODE TO BRING JUDGMENT ON BOTH THE PHILISTINES AND HIS OWN CHOSEN PEOPLE.

THE JEWS WERE JUDGED SIMILARLY TO THE ENEMY.

SAMUEL WAS NOT SEEN OR HEARD IN THOSE LAST THREE CHAPTERS.

HE NOW REAPPEARS, NOT AS A CHILD IN THE TABERNACLE AT SHILOH, BUT AS THE JUDGE OVER ISRAEL.

THE FIRST TWO VERSES OF CHAPTER 7 COMPLETE THE STORY OF THE ARK. IT WAS TAKEN TO A LEVITE HOME FOR KEEPING, NOT RETURNED TO SHILOH.

THE PHILISTINES DID NOT STOP THEIR WAR AGAINST THE HEBREW NATION.

EXACTLY LIKE THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES, ISRAEL ONCE MORE WANTED TO RETURN TO THE LORD.

VERSES 7:2-6 TELL THE STORY OF ISRAEL’S TURNING BACK TO GOD UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF SAMUEL.

WHEN THEY WERE TOLD TO PUT AWAY THEIR FALSE IDOLS AND RETURN TO GOD, THEY SEEMED READY.

VERSE 2:

“… all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.”

THE MESSAGE OF SAMUEL TO ALL OF THE HEBREW PEOPLE WAS THAT THERE IS MORE TO RENEWING A COVENANT THAN DESIRE.

THERE ARE THINGS TO DO TO PROVE THE TURNING REPENTANCE:

FIRST, THOSE THINGS THAT HAD REPLACED GOD IN THEIR AFFECTIONS MUST BE PUT AWAY. THESE WERE THE FALSE GODS OF THE CANAANITES THAT HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY ISRAEL.

THESE WERE FALSE GODS OF FERTILITY AND IMMORALITY, WHICH HAD CAPTURED THE SOUL OF ISRAEL.

SECOND, A GATHERING WAS REQUIRED BY SAMUEL AT MIZPEH.

HE PROMISED TO PRAY TO GOD THERE ON THEIR BEHALF. HE MADE A POURING OF WATER TO MARK THEIR CONFESSION AND AFTER A FORCED FASTING, THE PEOPLE VERBALLY CONFESSED THEIR SINS.

VERSES 7-11 PROVIDE A NEWFOUND DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR THEIR NEEDS, INCLUDING THEIR MILITARY NEEDS.

THE GATHERING AT MIZPEH HAD BEEN SPIED OUT BY THE PHILISTINES WHO SAW THE WORSHIP GATHERING AS A PERFECT TIME TO ATTACK. VERSE 7 SAYS THEY “WENT UP AGAINST ISRAEL”.

THE CHOSEN PEOPLE WERE FRIGHTENED AND ASKED SAMUEL TO CRY TO THE LORD WITHOUT CEASING. IN VERSE 9 THE LORD ANSWERED SAMUEL.

THE ANSWER PROVIDED LOUD THUNDERINGS FROM ABOVE OVER THE ATTACKERS AND SENT THEM INTO RETREAT SUCH THAT ALL ISRAEL HAD TO DO WAS TO PURSUE AN ARMY FLEEING.

THIS DEFEAT WAS SO COMPLETE THAT THE PHILISTINES NO LONGER CONTINUED THEIR ATTACKS ON ISRAEL FOR A LONG TIME.

IN VERSES 12-17 SAMUEL WAS CAREFUL TO ARRANGE TO BUILD A REMEMBRANCE OF THIS PLACE.

JUST AS JOSHUA HAD OBEYED GOD AND ARRANGED STONES FROM THE RIVER JORDAN TO BE PLACED AS A REMEMBRANCE, SAMUEL TOOK A LARGE STONE AND SET IT IN PLACE TO MARK THIS MOMENT OF RETURN TO GOD.

HE NAMED IT EBENEZER, MEANING “THE STONE OF HELP”.

THE CONCLUDING VERSES OF CHAPTER 7 ESTABLISH THE ROLE OF SAMUEL AS ISRAEL’S JUDGE.

HE TRAVELS AROUND ISRAEL PREACHING AND TEACHING AND JUDGING THE PEOPLE IN THEIR WORSHIP, ALWAYS RETURNING TO RAMAH, WHERE HIS HOME REMAINED.

WE ARE NOT TOLD WHETHER HIS PARENTS STILL LIVED AND IT IS ONLY IN OUR NEXT CHAPTER THAT WE LEARN SAMUEL IS MARRIED  AND HAS SONS.

IN CHAPTER 8:1-5 WE BEGIN TO BE AWARE OF HOW DIFFICULT  MATTERS BECOME WHEN LEADERS FAIL.

THESE FEW VERSES TEACH US THAT HIS SONS, JOEL AND ABIJAH, WERE MADE JUDGES IN THE MOST SOUTHERN AREA OF BEERSHEBA BUT VERSE 3 TELLS US THESE MEN DID NOT WALK IN THE WAYS OF SAMUEL.

THEY TURNED ASIDE FROM GOD, TAKING DISHONEST GAINS AND BRIBES AND RENDERED PERVERTED JUSTICE.

THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL GATHERED TOGETHER AND CAME TO SAMUEL TO PROTEST THESE MATTERS.

IN THEIR UNHAPPINESS, THE ELDERS REQUESTED A HUMAN KING TO RULE OVER THEM.

THIS PASSAGE IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT TELLS THE STORY OF THE TRANSITION FROM THE TIME OF THE JUDGES TO THE TIME OF KINGS.

THIS CHANGE HAPPENED IN SAMUEL’S OLD AGE.

CHAPTER 9 WILL TELLS US THAT GOD IS SENDING A MAN FROM THE LAND OF BENJAMIN TO BE ANOINTED AS COMMANDER OVER GOD’S PEOPLE.

THESE VERSES TELL THE UNHAPPY STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED WHEN SAMUEL TRIED TO PASS HIS MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP ALONG TO HIS SONS.

HERE WAS SIMPLY A RERUN OF THE SAME ISSUE THAT FACED THE HIGH PRIEST ELI WITH HIS TWO SONS.

THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST SAMUEL’S SONS WERE SERIOUS.

THEIR PERSONAL GREED CAUSED THE SENSE OF JUSTICE TO BE HARMED AND IT SEEMS EVERY MAN EXCEPT SAMUEL HIMSELF KNEW OF THESE AWFUL MATTERS.

THE SIN OF THE PERVERSION OF JUSTICE AMONG THE PEOPLE WAS A CENTRAL THEME OF THE PREVIOUS PROPHETS IN ISRAEL.

IN AMOS 5:7 THAT PROPHET HAD SAID:

“You … turn justice into wormwood…”

GIVEN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE REQUEST OF THE ELDERS SEEMED REASONABLE BUT SAMUEL RESISTED STRONGLY.

THAT REQUEST VOIDED ALMOST EVERYTHING HE KNEW AND BELIEVED CONCERING GOD RULING ISRAEL, NOT A MAN TO BE NAMED KING.

ISRAEL WAS FEELING THE EFFECTS OF BEING A PEOPLE SURROUNDED BY HOSTILE FORCES AND THE PEOPLE WANTED STABILITY AND SECURITY.

UP TO NOW, ISRAEL’S LIFE HAD BEEN IN LITTLE UNITY AS THE 12 TRIBES SEEMS TO ALL GO THEIR OWN WAY.

THE WISH FOR A KING MADE GOOD SENSE, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT IT LEFT GOD OUT, WHO HAD CONSISTENTLY FOUGHT FOR AND DELIVERED THEM FOR CENTURIES.

THIS FACTOR, ALONG WITH ISRAEL’S TENDENCY TO CLING TO FALSE GODS OVER TIME MADE THE PLAN SEEM FLAWED TO SAMUEL.

IN 8:6-22 GOD PROVIDED HIS THOUGHTS TO SAMUEL CONCERNING THE PROBLEMS THAT WOULD ARISE IF A HUMAN KING WAS CROWNED.

THE ESSENTIAL FOCUS SEEMS TO BE THAT A KING WOULD TAKE FROM THE PEOPLE AND GIVE IT TO WHOM HE PLEASED.

HE WOULD NOT SERVE THE PEOPLE BUT WOULD SERVE HIMSELF, AND THE PEOPLE WOULD BECOME HIS SERVANTS.

SAMUEL REPORTED THESE WARNINGS AND THE PEOPLE RESPONDED IN A STRONG VOICE IN VERSES 8:19-20:

“NEVERTHELESS, THE PEOPLE REFUSED TO OBEY THE VOICE OF SAMUEL, AND THEY SAID:

“… No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

SAMUEL REPEATED THESE WORDS FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE HEARING OF THE LORD AND IN VERSE 22, THE LORD ANSWERED:

“Heed their voice, and make them a king.”

INSTEAD OF ARGUING WITH THE PEOPLE, SAMUEL PRAYED TO THE LORD AND RECEIVED FROM GOD THE PERSONAL AFFIRMATION THAT HELPED SAMUEL’S FEELINGS.

THE ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM THE LORD TO SAMUEL WERE:

“… they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”

ISRAEL’S REQUEST IS SEEN AS MUCH MORE THAN A

DESIRE FOR AN EARTHLY KING, AS THEY ARE REJECTING THE KINGSHIP OF GOD OVER THEIR LIVES.

IN AN EARLIER DAY, THEY HAD ATTEMPTED TO MAKE GIDEON THEIR KING AND HE WISELY DECLINED THE OFFER BOTH FOR HIMSELF AND HIS SON. (JUDGES 8:23)

WHILE GOD REMINDED SAMUEL THAT ISRAEL HAD A LONG HISTORY OF TURNING AWAY FROM GOD (VERSE 8), SAMUEL WAS TOLD BY GOD TO: “… heed their voice…”.

ISRAEL’S MOTIVES WERE CONFUSED AND THEY WANTED TO BE LIKE OTHER NATIONS.

GOD HAD PROVIDED A CLEAR MESSAGE OF HOW A KING WOULD ACT AND WE WILL SEE IN ISRAEL’S FUTURE THAT ALL OF THESE BEHAVIORS WERE INDEED PRESENT IN THE TIME OF DAVID, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE TIME OF SOLOMON.

UNLIKE THE PAST FOREIGN KINGS WHO HAD RULED OVER ISRAEL FROM TIME TO TIME, THIS KING, WHOM GOD PERMITTED, WOULD BE ANOINTED AND ADVISED BY SAMUEL, GOD’S PROPHET.

BEFORE WE MOVE ONWARD IN OUR STUDY, WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT GOD HAD LONG BEFORE PROMISED ABRAHAM THAT KINGS WOULD COME FROM HIS DESCENDANTS. (GENESIS 17:16).

GOD, IN HIS SOVEREIGN WILL WOULD USE THIS DESPICABLE DECISION FOR HIS PURPOSES.

IN CHAPTER 7 SAMUEL’S MINISTRY IS SUMMARIZED AND IS SURPRISINGLY SMALL IN AREA.

HIS INFLUENCE WAS WIDESPREAD BUT HIS TRAVEL WAS AMONG BETHEL, GILGAL, MIZPEH, & RAMAH (HIS HOME).

EVEN SO SAMUEL WAS ARRANGED BY GOD TO BE A NATIONAL LEADER.

THERE ARE SEVERAL INTERESTING REASONS WHY THE PEOPLE WANTED A HUMAN KING:

• THE SYSTEM OF JUDGES WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.

• THEY WANTED A STANDING MILITARY FORCE.

• ULTIMATELY, HOWEVER, THE DESIRE WAS SPIRITUAL,

• MEANING IT WAS PROOF THEY HAD REJECTED THE

• LEADERSHIP OF GOD.

MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES, THE BIBLE NOTED THAT “THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL”, (JUDGES 17/18/19/21).

FORSAKING GOD’S LEADERSHIP WAS NOTHING NEW IN ISRAEL.

IT HAD HAPPENED MANY TIMES.

GOD WAS NOT SURPRISED, FOR HE NEVER IS.

HE DECIDED TO GIVE THE PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED.

SOMETIMES HIS GREATEST JUDGMENT IS TO LET US HAVE OUR OWN WAY.

PAUL SPEAKS OF THIS FACT IN ROMANS 1:28 WHEN HE SAYS GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO A REPROBATE MIND.

ASKING FOR AN EARTHLY KING MEANT MORE THAN PLACING A CROWN ON A HEAD.

SAMUEL FOLLOWED GOD’S ADVICE AND TOLD THE PEOPLE IN GREAT DETAIL WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH A HUMAN KING.

HE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT AN EARTHLY KING WOULD TAKE FAR MORE THAN HE WOULD GIVE:

1ST SAMUEL 8:11/13/14/15/16/17.

THE PEOPLE SEEMED TO ASSUME THAT THEIR DESIRE FOR A KING WOULD SOLVE ALL THEIR PROBLEMS, BUT IN REALITY IT WOULD BRING ANOTHER FORM OF OPPRESSION UPON THEM.

KINGS NEED RESOURCES, AND KINGS TAKE THOSE RESOURCES FROM THE PEOPLE.

SAMUEL WAS VERY BLUNT WITH THE PEOPLE.

IF THEY THOUGHT HAVING AN EARTHLY KING WOULD BRING ONLY GAIN THEY WERE VERY MISTAKEN.

VERSE 17 SUMMARIZED THE THOUGHT THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD BE THE KING’S SERVANTS.

HOW MANY TIMES HAD THE JEWS CRIED OUT FOR GOD TO DELIVER THEM FROM SERVING SOMEONE?

YET, NOW THEY BEGGED FOR GOD TO ARRANGE THEIR SERVITUDE.

SAMUEL HAD DELIVERED GOD’S MESSAGE AND HE SENT THE PEOPLE HOME AND THE EVENTS WERE SET IN MOTION TO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANTED AS GOD HAD COMMANDED HIM.

THE ATTITUDE OF THESE PEOPLE WAS LONG AGO DEFINED BY GOD IN EXODUS 32:9:

“And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:”

CHAPTER NINE WILL DEMONSTRATE THE WISDOM OF GOD AND SAMUEL AS THE 1ST KING IS CHOSEN AND ANOINTED.

AFTER GIVING ISRAEL THE KING THEY WANTED WHICH WOULD BE SAUL, GOD THEN LATER WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER TO BE KING WHICH WOULD BE DAVID, A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.

GOD WOULD MAKE A COVENANT WITH KING DAVID IN WHICH HE PROMISED THAT HIS DESCENDANT WOULD SIT ON DAVID’S THRONE FOREVER, AND THAT KING WILL BE JESUS CHRIST, KING OF KINGS.

A FINAL THOUGHT FOR US TO CONSIDER IN OUR OWN DAY TO BE SURE WE DO NOT DISPARAGE THE JEWS FOR CHOOSING TO HAVE A KING AFTER THEY WORSHIPPED IDOLS FOR SO LONG OVER WORSHIPPING JEHOVAH GOD.

ANYTHING A PERSON DESIRES MORE THAN GOD IS AN IDOL.

IT COULD BE MONEY, POWER, STATUS, OR ANY NUMBER OF THINGS, WHICH COME TO HAVE TOP PRIORITY OVER THE PLACE GOD HOLDS IN OUR LIVES.

BELIEVERS MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS AND PRAY THAT WE ALLOW NO STRANGE GODS TO OPENLY OR COVERTLY SNEAK INTO OUR LIVES.

IF IT HAPPENS WE MUST, AS SAMUEL TEACHES, PUT THEM AWAY AND SERVE ONLY THE GOD WHO ARRANGES ALL BLESSINGS.

1 Samuel 9-11: Saul is Chosen as King

AS WE CONTINUE OUR STUDY IN SAMUEL WE FIND MORE AND MORE EXAMPLES OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD GUIDING HIS PEOPLE, EVEN WHEN THEY STRONGLY REJECT HIS LEADERSHIP AS KING.

CHAPTER 9 CONTAINS THE STORY OF THE CHOOSING OF SAUL TO BE FIRST HUMAN KING OF ISRAEL. IT BEGINS WITHOUT ANY CONNECTION TO WHAT HAS COME BEFORE.

IN VERSES 1-27 WE GAIN UNDERSTANDING AS TO EXACTLY HOW A KING IS CHOSEN FOR THE HEBREW NATION.

THE FIRST TWO VERSES GIVE THE BACKGROUND OF SAUL AND A PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION.

HE WAS FROM THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN WHICH WAS THE SMALLEST TRIBE IN ISRAEL.

HIS CHOICE MEANT THAT HIS CHOOSING WOULD NOT CAUSE ANY SPLIT AMONG THE LARGER TRIBES IF ONE OF THEM HAD BEEN USED TO PROVIDE THE KING.

HIS FATHER, KISH, WAS SAID TO BE A MAN OF SUBSTANCE, MEANING HE LIKELY HAD BEEN A WARRIOR AND VALIANT IN BATTLE AS WELL AS A MAN OF WEALTH.

SAUL HIMSELF WAS DESCRIBED AS HANDSOME AND TALL, AND HIS NAME MEANT “THAT WHICH HAD BEEN ASKED FOR”.

HIS FATHER HAD SENT SAUL AND A SERVANT HELPER TO FIND A GROUP OF DONKEYS WHO HAD WANDERED AWAY FROM THE FARM.

THIS SEEMED LIKE AN ORDINARY EPISODE ON A FARM BUT WILL SOON BE REVEALED AS THE LORD WORKING HIS WILL TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF SAUL BECOMING KING.

HIS SOVEREIGN WILL IS AT WORK.

AFTER MUCH SEARCHING, THE SERVANT SAYS HE KNOWS OF A MAN OF GOD WHO LIVED NEAR AND COULD SURELY HELP THEM IN THEIR SEARCH.

THE STORY DETAILS WHAT SEEMS TO BE A SERIES OF CHANCE EVENTS IN WHICH THE LARGER PURPOSE OF GOD IS AT WORK.

SAUL’S STORY IS FULL OF SURPRISES.

AS SAUL AND THE SERVANT ENTER THE CITY OF THE WISE MAN, THEY MEET SEVERAL WOMEN AT A WELL, AND THE WOMEN DIRECT THEM TO A RELIGIOUS SACRIFICE SERVICE SOON TO BEGIN IN WHICH THE PROPHET SAMUEL HAS JUST ARRIVED TO BLESS THE SACRIFICE. (9:12-13)

NEITHER SAUL NOR THE SERVANT KNOW THAT ON THE DAY BEFORE, GOD HAD APPEARED TO SAMUEL AND TOLD HIM:

“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him captain over My people Israel.”    (9:16)

SAMUEL KEEPS THE APPOINTMENT TO BLESS A SACRIFICE AND ENDS UP ANOINTING A KING.

SAUL GOES OUT SEEKING HIS FATHER’S LIVESTOCK AND FINDS A CROWN.

AS SAUL AND HIS SERVANT APPROACH, THE LORD REVEALED TO SAMUEL:

“This one shall reign over my people.” (v 17)

SAMUEL INVITES SAUL TO BE THE GUEST IN THE FEAST AFTER THE SACRIFICE AND IN VERSE 21 SAUL PLEADS UNWORTHINESS, EXACTLY AS GIDEON HAD DONE IN THE TIME OF THE JUDGES.

(JUDGES 6:15). BOTH MEN EXPRESSED HUMILITY.

SAUL SEEMED SURPRISED AT THE INVITATION TO THE FEAST, AND EVEN MORE SO AS HE WAS GIVEN THE PLACE OF HONOR BY SAMUEL, WITH THE CHOICE SERVING OF MEAT.

AFTER THE MEAL, SAUL SPENT THE NIGHT WITH SAMUEL, SLEEPING ON SAMUEL’S ROOF.

EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, SAMUEL WAKES SAUL AND WENT WITH HIM TO THE EDGE OF THE CITY, WHERE, AFTER SENDING THE SERVANT ONWARD, SAMUEL ANOINTS SAUL AND SPOKE TO HIM THE WORD OF GOD. (V27)

UNLIKE DAVID’S ANOINTING WHICH WAS DONE AT THE HOME OF JESSE, THE ANOINTING OF SAUL HAD NO WITNESSES.

THE ACT OF SETTING SAUL ASIDE TO BE KING MERELY WAS A SYMBOL OF WHAT GOD HAD ALREADY DONE IN HIS DIVINE CHOOSING OF THIS FIRST KING REQUESTED BY THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

1ST SAMUEL CHAPTER 9 IS THE STORY OF GOD AT WORK IN THE LIFE OF BOTH SAMUEL AND SAUL.

CHAPTER 10 WILL TEACH US OF THE ANOINTING AND ASSURING OF A KING.

SAMUEL HAD TAKEN A FLASK OF HOLY OIL AND POURED IT ON THE HEAD OF SAUL AND THEN KISSED SAUL.

SAMUEL THEN TOLD SAUL TO DEPART AND FIND TWO MEN BY THE TOMB OF RACHEL AND THEY WILL CONFIRM TO YOU THE DONKEYS HAVE BEEN FOUND, AND SAUL’S FATHER NOW WORRIED FOR HIS SON.

SAMUEL ADVISES SAUL WILL MEET MORE MEN WHO WILL HAVE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND WILL BE PROPHESYING.

SAMUEL SAYS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL COME UPON SAUL AND YOU WILL PROPHECY WITH THEM AND BE TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN.

SAMUEL SAID GOD WAS WITH SAUL, AND AS HE LEFT SAMUEL, GOD GAVE SAUL A NEW HEART.

AS SAUL RETURNED HOME TO QUESTIONS FROM HIS UNCLE, HE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM WHEN HE HAD MET SAMUEL.

THIS CHAPTER CONTINUES THE STORY THAT BEGAN IN CHAPTER 8 WITH ISRAEL’S REQUEST FOR A KING AND CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 9 WITH THE CHOOSING OF SAUL.

CHAPTER 10 DIVIDES INTO TWO PARTS, SAUL IS ANOINTED AND GIVEN SIGNS OF HIS CALLING AND THEN SAUL IS PROCLAIMED TO BE KING BEFORE THE PEOPLE IN VERSES 17-27.

SAMUEL HERE ACTS AS THE LORD’S REPRESENTATIVE.

LATER, AFTER SAUL HAD BEEN REJECTED, DAVID REFUSED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO KILL SAUL BECAUSE HE SAID SAUL WAS “GOD’S ANOINTED”.

SCRIPTURE ALLOWS NO RESPONSE FROM SAUL TO SAMUEL AFTER HIS ANOINTING.

THE SIGNS SAMUEL GAVE TO SAUL TO CONFIRM HIS CHOOSING ALL WERE SAID TO HAPPEN IN ONE DAY AS ALL CAME TO PASS AS WELL AS A NEW HEART GRANTED BY THE LORD. (V3-9)

THE EXPERIENCE GIVEN SAUL BY MEETING THE BAND OF PROPHETS GAVE SAUL ASSURANCE THAT THE POWER OF GOD WAS GOING TO BE EVIDENT IN HIS REIGN.

THE MOST IMPORTANT SIGN TO SAUL WAS THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD HAD INDWELT HIM, REMEMBERING THAT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THE SPIRIT OF GOD ENTERED A MAN FOR A SPECIFIC TASK FOR A SPECIFIC TIME AND THEN LEFT HIM.

WE WILL UNDERSTAND THIS FACTOR STRONGLY WHEN WE STUDY CHAPTER 16 WHERE THE LORD LEFT SAUL AND REPLACED HIS DIVINE SPIRIT WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT.

THE CURRENT EXPERIENCE INSPIRED SAUL, CONFIRMED HIM, AND GAVE HIM A VISION OF THE TASK MEANT FOR HIM.

SAUL THEN WENT HOME AND DID NOT REVEAL HIS CHOOSING EVEN WITH HIS CLOSE RELATIVES. (V14-16)

SAMUEL HAD INSTRUCTED HIM TO WAIT AND SAMUEL’S EXACT WORDS WERE:

“… wait till I come to you and show you what you should do.”

IN CHAPTER 10, VERSES 17-27 ISRAEL MEETS HER KING.

SAMUEL CALLS FOR A NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEETING IN MIZPAH AND CAST LOTS FROM SECTIONS TO TRIBES TO FAMILIES TO FINALLY CONFIRM THE PERSON OF SAUL CHOSEN.

ESSENTIALLY THIS WAS A CEREMONIAL PROCESS AS GOD HAD ALREADY CHOSEN SAUL AND TOLD SAMUEL SO THEREFORE THE LOTS CAST WERE GOD GUIDED TO END UPON SAUL.

IN AN INTERESTING MOMENT, AFTER SAUL WAS KNOWN TO BE THE CHOICE, HE COULD NOT BE FOUND.

VERSE 10:22 SAYS HE WAS “HIDDEN AWAY FROM THE CROWD”, PERHAPS A HUMILITY MOMENT FOR SAUL.

BUT AS HE WAS FOUND AND BROUGHT FORTH, ALL WERE IMPRESSED BY HIS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, BEING TALLER THAN ALL OTHER MEN AND WHEN SAMUEL INTRODUCED HIM AS GOD’S CHOICE, THE PEOPLE CALLED OUT “GOD SAVE THE KING”. (V24)

ISRAEL NOW HAD A HUMAN KING, AS REQUESTED.

BEFORE SAMUEL DISMISSED THE CROWD HE ONCE MORE EXPLAINED THE BEHAVIOR OF ROYALTY THAT KINGS DISPLAY AND WROTE DOWN HIS WARNING INTO A BOOK AND PLACED IT IN THE TENT OF TABERNACLE, FOR SAFE KEEPING AND PROOF OF WHAT HAD BEEN SAID ON THIS IMPORTANT DAY.

CHAPTER 10 ENDS ON A SOMEWHAT SOUR NOTE AS SAMUEL SENT THE PEOPLE AWAY AND SAUL LEFT FOR HOME AS WELL.

THERE WERE SOME THERE WHO DID NOT ACCEPT SAUL AND EXPRESSED NO CONFIDENCE IN HIM TO DEFEAT ISRAEL’S ENEMIES.

IN CHAPTER 11 THE NEW KING IS RATIFIED.

HIS FIRST CHALLENGE WAS ARRANGED IN THE BLOOD OF WAR.

THE AMMONITES, LED BY THEIR LEADER NAHASH APPROACHED THE ISRAEL TOWN OF JABESH GILEAD IN A WARLIKE MANNER.

THE ISRAELIS ASKED FOR A COVENANT WITH HIM AND HE AGREED ON ONE CONDITION WHICH WAS THAT EVERY MAN OF ISRAEL THERE AGREED TO THE AMMONITES DEMAND THAT THEIR RIGHT EYE BE PUT OUT.

THE ISRAEL ELDERS ASKED FOR SEVEN DAYS TO CONSIDER THE OFFER.

SAUL HAD RETURNED TO HIS FATHER’S FIELDS AND HEARD MANY PEOPLE WEEPING AND GATHERED AND HE ASKED WHY THE SORROW WAS AMONG THEM.

THEY TOLD HIM THE SITUATION.

VERSE 6 ALLOWED A GLIMPSE OF THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN SAUL WHEN HIS REACTION TO THE PLEA OF THOSE THREATENED BY THE AMMONITES:

“… the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.”

VERSE 7 ALLOWED THE QUALITY OF THE CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS TO JOIN THE FIGHT SPOKEN IN A SPECIAL WAY:

“…join Saul and Samuel… the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.”

SAUL TOOK A TEAM OF OXEN, MOVED BY THE LORD, AND KILLED THEM, CUTTING THEM INTO PIECES AND SENDING A PIECE TO EACH AREA OF ISRAEL WITH A MESSAGE OF ANY TRIBE THAT DID NOT RESPOND TO THIS ATTACK ALONG WITH HIM WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN OXEN SO CUT APART.

330,000 MEN CAME FORWARD UNDER SAUL’S REQUIREMENT AND SAUL MADE THE ARMY INTO THREE COMPANIES AND IN THE NEXT DAY ALMOST THE ENTIRE AMMONITE ARMY WAS DESTROYED.

VERSE 11 SAYS THE DEFEAT WAS SO COMPLETE THAT THERE WERE NOT TWO AMMONITES LEFT TOGETHER.

THE COMBINATION OF A COMMON ENEMY AND A NEW LEADER HAD DONE A NEW THING FOR ISRAEL, WHICH IS TO UNITE THEM.

TWO SIGNIFICANT THINGS HAPPENED IN THIS MOMENT.

FIRST, THE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO ACCLAIM SAUL AS THEIR NEW KING AND SECOND, THE PEOPLE HAD ACCOMPLISHED THEIR RECENT DESIRE FOR A HUMAN KING, NO LONGER HAVING GOD AS BOTH THEIR SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL LEADER.

IN THE LATER VERSES OF CHAPTER 11, THERE WAS A CRY FROM THE PEOPLE TO FIND ALL THOSE WHO HAD QUESTIONED THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NEW KING AND JOIN THE ARMY.

THE CRY WAS FOR THESE PEOPLE TO BE PUT TO DEATH. (V12)

IT IS SAUL, NOT SAMUEL, WHO ANSWERED THAT SUCH ACTION WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE AND HIS REPLY IN VERSE 13 WAS SURELY A LEADERSHIP REPLY:

“…for today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel…”.

SAMUEL JOINS IN ON THAT DIFFICULT MOMENT WITH A DEEPER SUGGESTION WHICH IS THAT THE PEOPLE GATHER AT GILGAL TO

“RENEW THE KINGDOM” WHICH THEY DID IN A GREAT ACT OF WORSHIP, BEING REMINDED THAT GOD WAS STILL ON THE THRONE.

(V14)

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT EXACTLY AS WE LEARNED IN ACTS 9 WHERE PAUL DID NOT CHOOSE GOD BUT RATHER GOD CHOSE HIM, SAMUEL DID NOT CHOOSE SAUL.

WHEN SAUL APPROACHED SAMUEL FOR HELP IN LOCATING THE MISSING DONKEYS, SAMUEL HAD ALREADY BEEN TOLD BY GOD THAT SAUL WAS HIS CHOICE FOR KING. (V9:16)

THE DONKEYS WERE THE INSTRUMENT USED BY GOD TO BRING SAUL TO THE PROPHET.

THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS IN GOD’S WILL.

SAUL WAS CALLED OF THE LORD FOR HIS PURPOSE TO GRANT THE CRY OF THE PEOPLE FOR A KING TO MAKE THEM LIKE OTHER PEOPLE RATHER THAN PEOPLE RULED BY GOD.

VERSE 10:1 TEACHES US THAT WHEN SAMUEL ANOINTED SAUL WITH OIL, HE SAID THAT SAUL HAD BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD.

GOD’S PLAN WAS IN MOTION AND SAUL WAS USED BY HIM TO UNFOLD THE PLAN.

SAUL ROSE TO BE KING IN FOUR WAYS:

1. HE WAS CHOSEN BY GOD.

2. HE WAS ANOINTED BY SAMUEL.

3. HE WAS CONFIRMED BY LOT.

4. HE WAS ACCEPTED BY THE PEOPLE.

HIS BEGINNING WAS THE DIVINE PLAN FOR ISRAEL BEGINNING.

HIS PERSONAL CHARACTER WILL SHOW FORTH IN THE COMING CHAPTERS AS HE BECAME ARROGANT AND NO LONGER WILLING TO TRUST AND OBEY THE LORD.

HE LET HIMSELF LAPSE INTO SIN.

HE BEGAN A LONG SLOW SLIDE INTO DESPAIR, ALLOWING THE SIDE OF HIMSELF WHICH WAS CARNAL & OF THE FLESH TO RULE HIM.

ULTIMATELY SUCH THINGS WILL COST HIM HIS CROWN.

AS LATER CHAPTERS WILL TEACH US, SAUL WAS NOT GOD’S FINAL SETTLED CHOICE FOR KING.

THAT WILL BE DAVID, A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.

1 Samuel 12: Samuel’s Farewell Sermon

THREE OF THE LONGEST SPEECHES BY SAMUEL ARE FOUND HERE.

HERE SAMUEL COVERED MUCH GROUND IN THIS LAST AND LONGEST SERMON.

HE REPEATED ISRAEL’S HISTORY AND ASSESSED IT, REMINDING THE CONGREGATION OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

HE OFFERED STERN WARNINGS AND HEARTFELT ENCOURAGEMENTS, AND EVEN CALLED UPON GOD TO SEND A STORM AMONG THE LAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRY SEASON.

HERE WAS THE HIGH POINT OF SAMUEL’S CAREER OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND ISRAEL’S JUDGE AND GOD’S PROPHET.

THE GATHERING WAS AT GILGAL WORSHIPPING GOD AND INAUGURATING SAUL AS KING AND SAMUEL USED THIS TIME TO ADDRESS THE PEOPLE.

VERSES 1-5

HE WAS AN OLD MAN AND WAS THE LAST OF THE JUDGES.

SAMUEL USED THE SAME WORDS THAT HE HAD USED BEFORE WHEN HE ANSWERED GOD’S CALL,   “HERE I AM”.

HE SOUGHT AN ANSWER FROM THE PEOPLE AS TO WHETHER HE HAD BEEN A FAITHFUL AND HONEST LEADER AMONG THEM.

HE CALLED ON BOTH GOD AND KING SAUL TO BE HIS WITNESSES.

ISRAEL CONFIRMED SAMUEL HAD BEEN A RIGHTEOUS LEADER, NOT ACCEPTING BRIBES (SUCH AS THE SONS OF ELI) NOR USING HIS POSITION TO OPPRESS THE PEOPLE.

SAMUELS’ LIFE HAD BEEN ONE OF INTEGRITY.

HE MAKES NO MENTION OF ANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR ACHIEVEMENTS SO HIS LEGACY WAS NOT IN WHAT HE DID BUT IN WHAT HE WAS.

VERSES 6-11

SAMUEL’S SERMON REMINDED THE PEOPLE OF THE GRACE OF GOD THAT HAD ARRANGED THEIR DELIVERANCE FROM BONDAGE IN EGYPT.

GOD HAD ADVANCED MOSES AND AARON TO BE HIS MESSENGERS AND THE PEOPLE HAD INDEED LEFT EGYPT EXACTLY AS GOD HAD INTENDED.

THE PEOPLE HAD ORIGINALLY REJECTED MOSES (ACTS 7:25-41) BUT GOD DID NOT WAVER IN HIS SUPPORT OF MOSES.

WHEN THE NATION ARRIVED FINALLY IN THE PROMISED LAND THEY CONTINUED TO FAIL GOD, EVEN TO WORSHIP OF FALSE GODS, WHICH JOSHUA REBUKED THEM FOR DOING.

SAMUEL SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE CANAANITES OF THE NORTH AND THE PHILISTINES TO THE SOUTHWEST AS CONTINUING ENEMIES.

DESPITE ISRAEL’S SIN, GOD NEVER FORSOOK THEM AND HAD CONTINUED TO DELIVER THEM WHEN THEY CRIED OUT TO HIM.

GOD’S PATIENCE HAD BEEN IMMENSE AND SAMUEL MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE PEOPLE WORSHIPPED GOD, THEY DWELLED SAFE.

VERSES 12-13

IN SPITE OF THE MANY INSTANCES OF DELIVERANCE BY GOD, PROVING HOW POWERFUL HIS HAND WAS IN THEIR DEFENSE, THE PEOPLE STILL INSISTED ON AN EARTHLY KING TO FIGHT THEIR BATTLES.

CONSIDERING THE ATTACK BY THE AMMONITES IN CHAPTER 11 IN WHICH GOD GAVE THEM THE VICTORY, HIS PATIENCE AND GUIDANCE CONTINUED.

SAMUEL REMINDS THE PEOPLE THAT IN THESE TIMES OF DELIVERING, THEY SHOULD SERVE GOD EVEN STRONGER AND SAMUEL IS PREPARING THEM FOR THE PART OF HIS SERMON TO COME NEXT.

VERSES 14-15 & 24

SAMUEL SAYS THAT EVEN WITH A HISTORY OF REBELLION AND EVEN AFTER REJECTING GOD AS THEIR KING, IF THE PEOPLE HAD FOLLOWED GOD AND OBEYED HIM, HE WOULD HAVE BLESSED THEM AND THEIR NEW KING.

BECAUSE THEY DID NOT OBEY, THEY RECEIVED THE SAME DISCIPLINE THAT THEIR ANCESTORS HAD RECEIVED.

IF THE PEOPLE WOULD FEAR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY, HIS BLESSING WOULD SPREAD OVER THE NATION AS THE RECENT VICTORY PROVED.

WE REMEMBER THAT IN OTHER OLD TESTAMENT TEACHINGS WE ARE TAUGHT THAT THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM.

SAMUEL’S IDEA OF WISDOM WAS TIED TO SERVICE AND OBEDIENCE WHICH IS A TRUTH STILL AS TRUE TODAY AS IT WAS THEN.

MOSES IN EXODUS 20:20, JOSHUA IN 24:14, AND KING SOLOMON IN ECCLESIASTES 12:13 ALL TEACH THIS SAME IMPORTANT LESSON.

IN MANY REVIVAL SERMONS IN OUR OWN TIME WE CONSISTENTLY ARE CHALLENGED TO REMEMBER THAT THE STUDY OF GOD’S WRITTEN WORD WILL BRING OBEDIENCE IF WE APPROACH IT HUMBLY.

VERSES 16-19

IN THESE VERSES SAMUEL CALLS UPON GOD TO SUPPORT HIS WORDS AND TO DEMONSTRATE HOW SERIOUS THIS MATTER WAS IN THE SERMON.

WHILE LISTENING TO THE SERMON OF SAMUEL, THE PEOPLE SAW THE SKY DARKEN AND A LARGE STORM BROKE OVER THE PEOPLE.

DURING THESE TIMES WHICH WERE THE WHEAT HARVEST TIME, THERE WAS LITTLE IF ANY RAIN AND SUCH A STORM WAS UNHEARD OF AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

THUNDERINGS AND LIGHTNINGS, TRUMPET NOISES, MOUNTAINS WERE SMOKING, DURING THE DAYS OF MOSES ON MOUNT SINAI AND THE PEOPLE ASKED MOSES TO INTERCEDE AND TO SPEAK TO GOD AS THEY FEARED TO DO SO THEMSELVES

THIS STORM REQUESTED BY SAMUEL AS A SIGN PROMPTED A CONFESSION BY THE PEOPLE AND THEY ASKED SAMUEL TO PRAY FOR THEM (AS MOSES DID) AND THE PEOPLE SAID THEY HAD ADDED TO THEIR SINS WHEN THEY ASKED FOR A KING.

VERSES 20-22

IN THE STORMS OF MOUNT SINAI MOSES SAID THE PEOPLE WERE TO FEAR NOT, AND SIN NOT. (EXODUS 20:20)

SO THE MESSAGE OF SAMUEL TO THE PEOPLE IS THAT THEY HAVE BOTH SINNED AND REJECTED GOD, BUT DO NOT MAKE A BAD SITUATION WORSE BY NEGLECTING TO SERVE GOD NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

IF THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND AND AGREE, THEY WOULD BE COMMITTING “VAIN THINGS”, WHICH WOULD BE THE EMPTINESS AND VANITY OF A WASTELAND RATHER THAN A LAND DEVOTED TO GOD.

VAIN THINGS MAY ALSO BE SEEN IN FALSE GODS & IDOLS.

SAMUEL NOTED IN VERSE 22 ENCOURAGING WORDS TO THE PEOPLE, TELLING THEM GOD WILL NOT FORSAKE THEM AND HIS FAITHFULNESS WAS NEVER DEPENDENT ON THEM, BUT ONLY UPON HIS OWN GREATNESS.

HE FURTHER REMINDED THEM THAT GOD HAD CHOSEN THEM NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. HE COMFORTED THEM BY ASSURANCE THAT IT HAS PLEASED GOD TO HAVE THEM AS HIS CHOSEN ONES.

KNOWING THAT GOD NEVER MAKES MISTAKES IN HIS SOVEREIGN WILL, THAT LAST THOUGHT SHOULD ALLOW THEM TO REST IN GOD’S CHOOSING WHILE UNDERSTANDING THAT HE CHOSE THEM TO SERVE HIS WILL TO BE A BLESSING TO ALL NATIONS.

VERSES 23-25

HERE SAMUEL PROVIDES A POWERFUL NOTE NEAR THE COMPLETION OF HIS MESSAGE BY SAYING THAT IF HE SHOULD NOT PRAY FOR THESE PEOPLE, IT WOULD BE A SIN.

CLEARLY HIS PRAYERS WERE HAND IN HAND WITH HIS CONSTANT TEACHING OF THE RIGHT WAY TO LIVE AS GOD’S SERVANTS.

SAMUEL SAYS THEY ARE TO SERVE WITH A HEART IN TRUTH.

THIS FINAL THOUGHT IS AMONG THE MOST POWERFUL PREACHED BY SAMUEL, WHICH IS THAT PAST FAILURES DO NOT RULE OUT OUR FUTURE SERVICE.

ISRAEL FAILED GOD FOR MANY GENERATIONS BUT HE NEVER FAILED THEM.

THROUGH THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD, PETER’S GREATEST FAILURE WAS FORGIVEN AND HE WAS RESTORED TO GOD’S SERVICE.

HE MAY HAVE PREACHED THE GREATEST SERMON EVEN GIVEN IN ACTS 2 AT PENTECOST TIME AND THEN WENT ONWARD TO SERVE THE LORD UNTIL HE BECAME A MARTYR FOR CHRIST.

SAMUEL BEGAN THIS SERMON WITH THE WORDS:

“I have walked before you from my childhood” (VERSE 2)

AND HE CONCLUDES WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THEM TO GOD AND TO TEACH THEM WHAT IS RIGHT IN VERSE 23.

HIS COMMITMENT WAS SO STRONG THAT HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE A SIN FOR HIM TO CEASE TO PRAY FOR THEM.

WHILE HIS ROLE CERTAINLY CHANGED, HE WAS NOT A MAN WHO WAS STEPPING DOWN.

HE WAS GOING TO CONTINUE TO COUNSEL BOTH PEOPLE AND THE KING AS TO GOD’S WORD.

IT WILL BE UP TO BOTH THE PEOPLE AND THE KING TO OBEY.

IN OUR NEXT STUDY STOP WE SEE HOW AND WHY THE LORD REJECTS KING SAUL.

1 Samuel 13-15: The Lord Rejects Saul

IN CHAPTER 13 SAUL FOUND HIMSELF IN A DESPERATE SITUATION.

INSTEAD OF PATIENTLY OBEYING AND WAITING ON GOD, HE TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN DISOBEDIENT HANDS.

THESE THREE CHAPTERS DETAIL THE BEGINNINGS OF SAUL’S SLOW FADE AWAY FROM THE LORD AND ULTIMATELY GOD’S REJECTION OF HIS KINGSHIP.

13:1-8

SAUL WOULD RULE FOR 40 YEARS AND IN THE BEGINNING SAUL WON A VICTORY OVER THE AMMONITES IN CHAPTER 10.

BUT THE PHILISTINES REMAINED THE MAIN ENEMY OF ISRAEL.

THEY STATIONED OUTPOSTS ACTUALLY WITHIN ISRAEL AND IN VERSE 13:19 WE ARE TOLD THEY DOMINATED ISRAEL TO THE POINT THAT THEY FORBIDDED ISRAEL TO HAVE BLACKSMITHS TO MAKE ISRAELI WEAPONS.

WHAT WOULD THE FIRST KING DO ABOUT SUCH A SITUATION?

HE CHOSE 3,000 OF HIS BEST SOLDIERS, POSTING 2,000 WITH HIMSELF AND 1,000 WITH HIS OLDEST SON, JONATHAN.

JONATHAN WON BATTLES AGAINST THIS ENEMY WITH SAUL TAKING THE CREDIT RATHER THAN GIVING THE CREDIT TO GOD AS HE HAD PROPERLY DONE AFTER THE WINNING BATTLE AGAINST THE AMMONITES.

HERE WAS THE BEGINNING OF SAUL’S DECLINE.

THE PHILISTINES WERE DEFEATED INITIALLY AND THEY RESPONDED WITH MASSIVE FORCE, CREATING MUCH FEAR AMONG THE ISRAELI FORCES, WHO HID THEMSELVES AND MANY FLED ACROSS THE JORDAN RIVER.

THEY WERE FOCUSED UPON THEIR OWN FEAR RATHER THAN THE POWER OF GOD WHICH HAD BEEN DISPLAYED SO MANY TIMES BEFORE.

SAUL WAS WAITING UPON GOD’S PROPHET, SAMUEL, TO APPEAR WHILE THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM WERE SCATTERING.

13:9-12

SADLY, SAUL REACTED TO THIS SITUATION INSTEAD OF TRUSTING GOD AND WAITING ON GOD’S PROPHET.

SAUL OFFERED HIS OWN BURNT OFFERING JUST BEFORE SAMUEL ARRIVED, CLEARLY A VIOLATION OF GOD’S LAW.

IN SAUL’S OWN WORDS IN VERSE 12, HE SAID HE FORCED HIMSELF TO ACT IN THIS IMPROPER WAY.

THAT STATEMENT OFFERS INSIGHT INTO THE MINDSET OF SAUL, NOT WORRIED ABOUT PROPERLY WORSHIPING GOD, BELIEVING HE COULD FIND FAVOR WITH GOD WITHOUT GOD’S ACCEPTED HOLY MAN IN AN ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE.

13:13-14

SAMUEL WAS NOT IMPRESSED WITH SAUL.

HE REBUKED THE KING AND INFORMED HIM OF THE CONSEQUENCE OF HIS DISOBEDIENCE, SAYING SAUL’S ACTIONS WERE FOOLISH.

THE RESULT WOULD BE NO LASTING DYNASTY WOULD BE SET UP WITH SAUL IN THE FUTURE.

THE LORD HAD ALREADY SETTLED ON A REPLACEMENT FOR SAUL, WHICH WOULD BE A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART, WHILE NEITHER SAMUEL OR SAUL YET KNEW ABOUT THIS NEXT RULER WHO WOULD BE DAVID.

SAUL WAS ALLOWED TO BE THE PEOPLE’S KING AS THEY HAD INSISTED, AND HE WAS TALL AND HANDSOME AND PHYSICALLY STRONG LIKE OTHER KINGS IN OTHER LANDS, BUT HE REFUSED TO OBEY AND WAIT ON GOD.

DAVID WOULD LATER PEN DOWN DOZENS OF PSALMS ON THIS ONE FACTOR ALONE, TEACHING THE STRONG TRUTH OF WILLINGNESS TO WAIT ON GOD RATHER THAN RELIANCE ON HIMSELF ALONE.

HE WROTE OF THE LORD DELIVERING HIM FROM ALL ENEMIES IN PSALM 18, SHOWING THE PATIENCE GOD DEMANDED OF A KING TO HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

13:15-23

AFTER SAMUEL REBUKED SAUL, HE DID NOT REPENT.

FOR SAUL THERE WAS NO CONTRITION, NOT REGRET, NOR CONFESSION.

SAUL DID NOT EVEN ASK SAMUEL FOR ADVICE OR WISDOM TO OVERCOME HIS FAILURE AND WHEN SAMUEL LEFT, SAUL DID NOT GO WITH HIM AS THE TWO MEN PARTED WAYS.

IN VERSES 15 & 16 THE DANGEROUS SITUATION IS DESCRIBED FOR US IN WHICH SAUL HAD NO ARMY.

OVER 300,000 MEN HAD RESPONDED TO THE CALL IN CHAPTER 11 BUT NOW SAUL WAS DOWN TO 600 MEN WHICH MEANT THE ISRAELIS WERE SEVERLY OUTNUMBERED.

IN VERSES 17 & 18 THE ISRAELIS HAD NO MOBILITY AND THE PHILISTINES SENT RAIDING PARTIES IN EVERY DIRECTION.

HERE SAUL WAS EFFECTIVELY CUT OFF FROM OTHER PARTS OF ISRAEL AND HE COULD NOT BE RESUPPLIED NOR COULD REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE, NOR WAS ANY ESCAPE ROUTE AVAILABLE.

FINALLY IN 19-22 WE ARE TOLD THERE WAS A LARGE SHORTAGE OF WEAPONS AMONG THE SOLDIERS LEFT WITH SAUL.

ACCORDING TO VERSE 22 ONLY SAUL AND JONATHAN HAD REAL WEAPONS WITH THE OTHER MEN FORCED TO USE FARM TOOLS TO FIGHT.

THE SITUATION WAS CLEARLY HOPELESS FOR ISRAEL BUT ONE MAN HAD FAITH AND IT WAS NOT SAUL, BUT WAS HIS SON.

14:1-5

SAUL TOOK A POSITION WITH HIS MEN NEAR GIBEAH AND WHILE GOD’S PRIEST, AHIAH, WAS PRESENT WITH THEM, SAUL DID NOT ASK THE PRIEST TO DO ANYTHING OR TO SEEK GOD’S WILL ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.

HIS SON, JONATHAN, WAS MOVED BY GOD TO ACT AND IN THIS DANGEROUS MOMENT HE RESPONDED TO GOD’S ANCIENT COMMAND IN DEUTERONOMY 20:1:

“When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee.”

THE ENEMY HAD MANY MORE BATTLE ASSETS, HORSES, CHARIOTS, AND WEAPONS, BUT JONATHAN TOOK HIS ARMOR BEARER AND THE TWO MEN ATTACKED.

14:6-10

JONATHAN’S PLAN WAS ONE OF THE WORST BATTLE STRATEGIES OF ALL TIME, AND IT DEFIED ALL MILITARY LOGIC.

HE GAVE UP ANY ELEMENT OF SURPRISE AND IF HIS PLAN WORKED IT WAS BECAUSE THE LORD BLESSED HIS ABSURD BUT FAITHFUL ACTIONS.

HE WAS NOT A BRAVE STRATEGIC GENIUS BUT RATHER WAS A MAN TRUSTING GOD TO LEAD HIM ONWARD.

IN VERSE 6 HE REFERS TO THE PHILISTINES AS “THE UNCIRCUMCISED” SHOWING THAT THE PHILISTINES WERE NOT ONLY ENEMIES OF ISRAEL BUT WERE ALSO ENEMIES OF GOD, NOT HAVING THE MARK OF ABRAHAM COMMANDED BY GOD.

DAVID WOULD LATER USE THE SAME LANGUAGE AS HE FACED AND KILLED THE GIANT GOLIATH.

14:11-14

THE TWO MEN CLIMBED A CLIFF UPWARD ON HANDS AND FEET TO CONFRONT THE PHILISTINES WHO COULD HAVE SHOT ARROWS OR EVEN ROLLED STONES OVER THEM.

THE BATTLE WAS GIVEN TO JONATHAN BY THE LORD AND THE TWO MEN KILLED AROUND 20 ENEMY MEN.

14:15-17

BEFORE IN 13:7 WE WERE TOLD THAT SAUL’S MEN WERE TREMBLING.

BUT THEY WERE NOT THE ONLY SHAKING EVIDENT.

THE EARTH BEGAN TO SHAKE UNDERNEATH THEM AS THE LORD ENTERED THE BATTLE AND THE ENEMY TROOPS SCATTERED IN FEAR WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT TIME FOR SAUL TO ATTACK HAD SAUL SOUGHT THE LORD’S WILL.

14:18-19

SAUL CALLED FOR AHIAH THE PRIEST BUT WHEN HE HEARD THE PANIC OF THE ENEMY TROOPS HE TOLD THE PRIEST TO “WITHDRAW THINE HAND”, AND JUST AS IN CHAPTER 13, SAUL WAS IMPATIENT AND UNWILLING, CONTINUING IN DISOBEDIENCE.

14:20-23

WHEN SAUL REACHED THE BATTLE GROUND THERE WAS MUCH CONFUSION WITH THE PHILISTINES FIGHTING THEMSELVES, AND JEWISH COWARDS WHO HAD EARLIER FLED FOUND COURAGE AND ENTERED THE BATTLE.

VERSE 23 IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VERSE OF ALL FOR US BECAUSE IT TEACHES US “THE LORD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY”.

ISRAEL WAS SAVED FROM A SUPERIOR ARMY, WITH SUPERIOR WEAPONS AND MOBILITY, BECAUSE OF THE LORD.

GOD WAS STILL FIGHTING FOR HIS PEOPLE.

14:24-30

SAUL CONSIDERED THIS MOMENT TO BE RIPE FOR HIS PERSONAL REVENGE AGAINST HIS ENEMIES AND HE PUT HIS MEN UNDER A VOW OF BEING CURSED IF ANY MEN ATE BEFORE EVENING EVEN THOUGH THEIR FATIGUE BROUGHT MUCH HUNGER.

HIS OWN SON HAD NOT HEARD THE VOW AND WAS PHYSICALLY REVIVED BY EATING HONEY FOR STRENGTH AND JONATHAN SAID IN VERSE 29 THAT HIS FATHER HAD TROUBLED THE LAND.

14:31-35

NOT ONLY DID STARVING THE SOLDIERS DAMPEN THE VICTORY, BUT IT WAS SO OPPRESIVE THAT IT CAUSED THE MEN WHO WERE SO NEEDY TO VIOLATE THE LAW OF MOSES BY EATING MEAT WITH BLOOD STILL WITHIN IT.

SAUL’S LEADERSHIP LED TO CARNAL ANIMAL WAYS, NOT POSITIVE SPIRITUAL WAYS.

SAUL STILL DID NOT ASK THE LORD’S WILL TO REMEDY THIS AWFUL TIME.

THERE IS NO RECORD OF PRAYER, OF ASKING ADVICE FROM THE LORD, OF RELIANCE UPON ANY PRIEST OF GOD, BUT SAUL DECIDED TO BUILD THE FIRST ALTAR IN HIS LIFE.

14:36-37

IN THESE VERSES A PRIEST SUGGESTED TIME TO PETITION GOD WHILE THE UGLY SIN OF MEN EATING BLOODY MEAT WAS EVIDENT.

SAUL DID FINALLY SEEK GOD’S COUNSEL AND GOD REFUSED TO ANSWER THE KING, A FORESHADOW TO COME OF GOD FULLY REJECTING ISRAEL’S FIRST MONARCH.

14:38-42

SAUL HAD FURTHER VOWED TO KILL ANY SOLDIER WHO HAD BROKEN HIS VOW OF EATING AND THIS MEANT THAT BASED UPON THE ABSURD VOW, HIS OWN SON, JONATHAN, SHOULD DIE AS HE DID EAT SOME HONEY.

IN VERSE 45 THE PEOPLE RESCUED JONATHAN, CREATING A KINGSHIP OF CONSTANT TURMOIL FROM THIS TIME ONWARD.

THE WARNINGS GIVEN BEFORE BY SAMUEL OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH A HUMAN KING WERE COMING TRUE AND THERE AROSE DISCORD IN ISRAEL UNDER SAUL.

15

WE HAD TO REVIEW CHAPTERS 13 & 14 TO ESTABLISH THE TRUE CHARACTER OF SAUL AND THE RESULTS WERE POOR.

IN ONE OF THE SADDEST STORIES OF THE ENTIRE OT GOD RAISES UP A MAN FROM THE SMALLEST TRIBE, BENJAMIN, AND MAKES HIM KING OF ISRAEL (1ST SAMUEL 9:21).

SIX CHAPTERS LATER THE LORD REJECTS HIM BECAUSE OF HIS DISOBEDIENCE AND ANOTHER KING WILL BE CHOSEN. SUCH WAS A FALL FROM GRACE NOT EQUALED IN SCRIPTURE.

THE SINFUL DISOBEDIENCE OF SAUL WAS SO DISPLEASING TO GOD THAT SAMUEL TOLD HIM IN 13:13-14 THAT HIS ACTIONS WILL COST HIM HIS THRONE.

YEARS PASSED IN DISCORD AND GOD THEN COMMANDED SAMUEL TO PROVIDE A NEW ORDER TO SAUL TO MAKE WAR AGAINST THE AMALEKITES, NOT JUST TO GAIN VICTORY BUT TO UTTERLY DESTROY THEM.

15:3 WAS MORE THAN SPECIFIC AS TO THE LORD’S COMMAND AND SAUL WAS TO KILL ALL LIVING THINGS, MAN AND WOMAN, INFANT AND NURSING BABIES, OX AND SHEEP, CAMEL AND ASS.

HE MADE THE ATTACK BUT DID NOT OBEY THE COMMAND.

HE ALLOWED THE KING OF THE AMALEKITES, KING AGAG, TO LIVE AND TOOK HIM PRISONER.

HE ALLOWED HIS MEN TO KEEP ALIVE THE BEST OF THE LIVESTOCK CONTRARY TO THE COMMAND, SAYING HE KEPT THEM FOR SACRIFICE TO THE LORD.

HE WAS CONFRONTED BY SAMUEL OVER HIS DISOBEDIENCE WAYS.

IN SCRIPTURE SAUL APPEARS TO REPENT IN 15:24: (SPEAKING TO SAMUEL)

“I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.”

HIS WORDS DID NOT TRULY REFLECT HIS HEART.

FIRST, SAUL GREETS THE PROPHET WITH A BLESSING & A LIE. (15:13), TRYING TO COVER EVIL DONE WITH GOOD BUT EMPTY WORDS.

WHEN CONFRONTED THE FIRST TIME SAUL BLAMES HIS SOLDIERS AND TRIES TO DEFLECT HIS DISOBEDIENCE BY APPEARING RELIGIOUS. (15:15)

WHEN CONFRONTED THE SECOND TIME SAUL AGAIN LIES (15:20-21), MIXING LIES WITH TRUTH, ADMITTING HIS CAPTURE OF KING AGAG.

EVEN WHILE ADMITTING GUILT SAUL CONTINUED TO BLAME HIS SOLDIERS RATHER THAN HIMSELF.

WHEN SAMUEL TURNED TO LEAVE, SAUL GRABBED HIM, TEARING HIS CLOTHING, DARING TO LAY HAND ON GOD’S PROPHET.

HE CONTINUES TO ASK SAMUEL TO APPEAR WITH HIM TO HONOR HIM CONCERNING THE BATTLE. (15:30)

EVEN WHEN TOLD EXACTLY WHAT HIS SIN WAS, SAUL MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE PROBLEM BETTER.

SAUL BRINGS KING AGAG OUT TO PRESENT HIM TO SAMUEL, AND SAMUEL IS SO DISTRESSED BY SAUL’S UNWILLINGNESS TO KEEP GOD’S COMMAND TO UTTERLY DESTROY THAT SAMUEL HIMSELF

TAKES A SWORD AND CUTS THE KING INTO PIECES, DOING GOD’S WORK THAT SAUL HAD REFUSED TO DO.

GOD HAD EARLIER GIVEN ALMOST THE IDENTICAL COMMAND TO JOSHUA CONCERNING THE DESTRUCTION OF JERICHO AND JOSHUA OBEYED LEAVING ONLY RAHAB AND HER FAMILY ALIVE WHICH HAD BEEN COMMANDED BY THE ANGEL OF THE LORD FOR HER SERVICE.

GOD HAS PERFECT FORESIGHT AND HE KNEW THAT LATER, IF ANY FAMILY OF AGAG WERE LEFT ALIVE, THERE WOULD BE CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR HIS PEOPLE.

WE SAW IN ESTHER THAT A MAN NAMED HAMAN TRIED TO DESTROY ALL THE JEWS AND WOULD HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL HAD ESTHER NOT RISKED HER OWN LIFE TO SAVE HER PEOPLE.

HAMAN WAS AN AGAGITE, A DESCENDANT OF THE KING SAMUEL KILLED, SO CLEARLY SOME PEOPLE HAD BEEN LEFT ALIVE AGAINST GOD’S WILL.

GOD HAD GIVEN THE DESTRUCTION ORDER AGAINST THE AMALEKITES NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE:

• EXODUS 17:8-15

• NUMBERS 24:20-25

• DEUTERONOMY 25:17-19

WE MUST NOT OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE PAGAN BELIEVERS IN IDOLS AND WOULD NEVER SEEK OR WORSHIP YAHWEH.

THEY WERE THE WALKING DEAD, SUBJECT TO BOTH MORTAL DEATH AND THE SECOND DEATH IN THE FINAL DAYS.

SAUL’S PERSONAL COLLAPSE SHOWN BY HIS CONTINUED DISOBEDIENCE WAS FOUND IN HIS SADDEST WORDS TO SAMUEL GIVEN TO US IN 11:13 & 13:12 & 14:33 WHERE HE SPEAKS THREE TIMES TO SAMUEL OF “YOUR GOD”, NOT “OUR GOD”.

GOD HAD PROMISED ABRAHAM IN GENESIS 15:16 THAT THE PEOPLE COMING FROM ABRAHAM MUST SERVE 400 YEARS OF BONDAGE AND THEN GOD WOULD GIVE THEM THE PROMISE LAND OF CANAAN.

HE TOLD ABRAHAM THE REASON FOR THE DELAY WAS THAT “THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITE IS NOT YET COMPLETE.”

GOD CHOSE TO LET THE SIN OF THOSE PEOPLE RIPEN, REACH ITS FULL MATURITY, AND THEN BRING HIS JUDGMENT UPON THEM.

THE TIME FOR HIS JUDGMENT HAD ARRIVED AND HE INTENDED HIS WILL TO BE COMPLETED BY HIS OWN CHOSEN PEOPLE AS THEY DROVE OUT AND UTTERLY DESTROYED THOSE THE LORD WISHED TO NO LONGER EXIST IN THE LAND HE HAD RESERVED FOR HIS OWN.

1 Samuel 13-15: Added Thoughts

IT SEEMS PROPER TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHY WE WERE ASSIGNED THIS STUDY BY OUR WRITERS AND WHAT IT TEACHES US BOTH NOW AND WHEN WE LATER ENTER 2ND SAMUEL.

THERE ARE FOUR MAJOR BIBLE STUDY THEMES IN THESE TWO BOOKS.

FIRST IS THE COVENANT OF DAVID, AND THE BOOKS ARE ACTUALLY FRAMED FOR US BY TWO REFERENCES TO AN ANOINTED KING.

WE SEE IT IN THE PRAYER OF HANNAH IN 1ST SAMUEL 2:10 AND THEN LATER IN WHAT IS CALLED THE SONG OF DAVID IN 2ND SAMUEL 22:51.

THE SECOND IS A REFERENCE TO THE MESSIAH, THE KING WHO WILL LATER TRIUMPH OVER NATIONS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO GOD.

SECOND, WE SEE WHAT CARRIES THE NAME OF OUR STUDY WHICH IS THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AT WORK IN HIS CREATION.

WE WERE GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE VIEW OF THIS MATTER IN THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL IN RESPONSE TO HANAH’S PRAYER AND IN 1ST SAMUEL 9:17 WHERE THE LORD HAS CHOSEN SAUL AND SENDS HIM TO SAMUEL WHEN SAUL ACTUALLY THINKS HE IS LOOKING FOR HIS FATHER’S MISSING DONKEYS.

THIRD, WE ARE GIVEN A VIEW OF THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERING MEN FOR DIVINELY APPOINTED TASKS. THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME OVER BOTH SAUL AND DAVID AFTER THEIR ANOINTING AS KING, INCLUDING ALSO VICTORY IN BATTLE AS SEEN IN 1ST SAMUEL 11.

FOURTH, THESE TWO BOOKS DEMONSTRATE BOTH THE PERSONAL AND THE ENTIRE NATION’S EFFECTS OF SIN.

THE SINS OF THE SONS OF ELI RESULTED IN THEIR DEATHS WHICH FURTHER RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF ELI WHEN HE HEARD THE NEWS, EXACTLY AS GOD HAD COMMANDED THAT ALL THREE WOULD DIE ON THE SAME DAY.

THE LACK OF REVERENCE FOR THE ARK OF GOD RESULTED NOT ONLY IN THE DEATH OF MANY PHILISTINES BUT OF FAR MORE ISRAELIS WHO SINFULLY MISUSED THE HOLY ARK.

DAVID WAS FORGIVEN FOR HIS SINS OF ADULTERY AND MURDER AFTER HIS CONFESSION IN 2ND SAMUEL 14, BUT HE STILL SUFFERED THE DEVASTING CONSEQUENCES OF IT WHEN AN INNOCENT LIFE OF HIS NEW SON WAS TAKEN BY GOD AS THE PRICE.

THE PURPOSE OF 1ST SAMUEL IS TO HIGHLIGHT TWO MAJOR EVENTS:

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MONARCHY IN ISRAEL AND THE RISE OF DAVID TO BE KING AFTER SAUL.

LATER IN 2ND SAMUEL 7, GOD PROMISES DAVID AND HIS HOUSE AN ETERNAL DYNASTY.

1ST SAMUEL CLEARLY NOTES THE PRINCIPLE THAT OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD IS THE NECESSARY CONDITION FOR A KING TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL.

WE ARE TAUGHT THAT SAMUEL IS THE LINK BETWEEN THE JUDGES AND THE KINGS IN ISRAEL. SAMUEL IS THE PROPHET GOD CREATED AND USES TO ANOINT BOTH SAUL AND DAVID.

THE KINGDOM OF SAUL WAS TRANSITIONAL GIVING THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANTED AS WELL AS PREPARING FOR THE CHOICE OF DAVID AS A KING AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART IN 2ND SAMUEL.

GOD HAS CLEARLY NOTED FOR US IN THIS STUDY THAT BELIEVERS MUST EXTEND THEIR FULL FAITH IN THE LORD AS HIS WORK IS DEFINING ALL THAT HAPPENS WHETHER WE WISH IT OR NOT.

WHILE GOD ALLOWED SAUL TO RULE FOR A TIME, THERE ARE STRONG LESSONS FOR US TO GATHER AS WHY HE FAILED.

HE WAS A CHOICE YOUNG MAN, IN THE PRIME OF HIS LIFE WHEN HE CAME TO THE THRONE.

HE WAS A PHYSICAL SPECIMEN, INDUSTRIOUS, GENEROUS, HONEST AND MODEST AT HIS BEGINNING.

BUT SEVERAL TIMES DURING HIS REIGN, HE DISQUALIFIED HIMSELF FROM THE HIGH OFFICE HE WAS GIVEN.

THE STORY OF SAUL IS ONE OF THE MOST PATHETIC ACCOUNTS OF GOD’S SERVANTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

HIS STRIKING APPEARANCE IN 1ST SAMUEL 9 BECOMES STRONGLY PRIDEFUL IN 1ST SAMUEL 18.

HIS INITIATIVE IN 1ST SAMUEL 11 BECOMES REBELLION IN 1ST SAMUEL 20.

HIS BRAVERY IN 1ST SAMUEL 13 BECOMES RECKLESS IN 1ST SAMUEL 14.

HIS PATRIOTIC SPIRIT-FILLING IN 1ST SAMUEL 11 BECOMES TERRIBLY DARK IN 1ST SAMUEL 16 WHEN HIS CONTINUAL DISOBEDIENCE CAUSES GOD TO WITHDRAW HIS SPIRIT FROM SAUL AND REPLACE IT WITH A DEMON TO POSSESS SAUL IN 1ST SAMUEL 16.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SAMUEL CLEARLY COMMANDED SAUL IN 10:8 THAT HE IS TO WAIT ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM GOD’S PROPHET BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS.

LET’S SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THESE THREE CHAPTERS, 13-15 THAT BRINGS THESE FACTORS FOR US TO PONDER.

IN CHAPTER 13 ISRAEL WAS AT AN OVERWHELMING MILITARY DISADVANTAGE AS THE PHILISTINES PREPARED FOR WAR WITH 30,000 CHARIOTS AND 6,000 HORSEMEN PLUS MANY THOUSAND FOOT SOLDIERS.

JONATHAN, SAUL’S SON HAD BRAVELY ATTACKED AND KILLED SOME PHILISTINES WHO WERE READY TO COUNTER ATTACK.

SAUL HAD GATHERED 3,000 MEN TAKING 2,000 VALIANT MEN TO HIMSELF AND GAVE 1,000 TO JONATHAN.

FEAR OVERCAME THE ISRAELI ARMY AND THEY HID THEMSELVES.

SAUL THEN DECIDED NOT TO WAIT ON SAMUEL TO ARRIVE AND OFFERED A BURNT OFFERING HIMSELF TO GOD, IN STRONG VIOLATION OF ALL THAT GOD HAD ALWAYS COMMANDED AS ONLY PRIESTS WERE SO ALLOWED.

IN 13:13 SAMUEL ARRIVED AND MOST STRONGLY REBUKED SAUL SAYING HE HAD BEEN FOOLISH AND HAD NOW MARKED THE END OF HIS OWN KINGDOM MEANING IT WOULD NOT ENDURE.

BECAUSE OF SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE, SAMUEL SAID GOD HAD ALREADY CHOSEN A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART TO COMMAND THE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF SAUL’S IMPETUOUS WAYS.

SAUL THEN NUMBERED HIS MEN AND FOUND ONLY 600 LEFT.

SAUL SEEMED TO BE A GREAT SOLDIER BUT A LESSER KING.

IN 13:16-23 WE ARE TOLD THAT ONLY SAUL HIMSELF AND JONATHAN HAD ACTUAL WEAPONS OF WAR WHILE HIS MEN USED FARM IMPLEMENTS MADE SHARP TO FIGHT AGAINST THE PHILISTINES.

IN CHAPTER 14 JONATHAN TOOK HIS ARMOR BEARER AND THE TWO MEN MADE A BADLY PLANNED ATTACK BUT BY SURPRISE AND THE GRACE OF GOD WERE ABLE TO KILL 20 PHILISTINES.

THIS ATTACK CAUSED MUCH TREMBLING AND GOD ADDED TO THE TREMBLING BY BRINGING AN EARTHQUAKE TO ROUTE THE PHILISTINE SUPERIOR FORCES (14:15).

THE ISRAELI FORCES WHO HAD HIDDEN NOW CAME OUT OF HIDING AND FOUGHT AGAINST THE FLEEING PHILISTINES.

SOME ISRAELIS HAD EARLIER ACTUALLY JOINED THE PHILISTINE FORCES AGAINST THEIR OWN ARMY AND THESE ALSO NOW JOINED AGAINST THE PHILISTINES.

WHEN THE PRIEST WHO HAD APPEALED TO GOD TO HELP HIS PEOPLE SEEMED SUCCESSFUL AS THE PHILISTINES WERE RUNNING AWAY IN THE EARTHQUAKE, SAUL COMMANDED THE PRIEST TO STOP SEEKING THE LORD’S HELP, ANOTHER TERRIBLE DECISION BY SAUL. (14:19)

BUT STILL IN 14:23 WE ARE TOLD THAT THE LORD HAD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY.

IN VERSES 14:24-46 SAUL ONCE MORE PROVIDES THE EVIDENCE OF HIS UNFORTUNATE SELF SERVING NATURE.

HE FORBIDS ANY OF HIS VICTORIUS TROOPS TO EAT ANYTHING UNTIL HE HAS ACHIEVED HIS PERSONAL VENGEANCE ON THE PHILISTINES, PLACING A CURSE OVER ANY MAN WHO BREAKS THIS OATH, WITH DEATH TO BE THE RESULT.

JONATHAN HAD NOT HEARD THE OATH AND ATE A SMALL AMOUNT OF HONEY HE FOUND WHICH STRENGTHENED HIM

MOST OF THE REMAINING SOLDIERS WERE HUNGRY AND ACTUALLY BEGAN SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS AND WERE SO FAMISHED THEY ATE THE MEAT WITH THE BLOOD STILL IN IT, A TERRIBLE VIOLATION OF GOD’S LAW.

THE PRIEST WHO WAS PRESENT SOUGHT GOD’S WORD AS SAUL WISHED TO ATTACK AGAIN IN THE NIGHT WHICH WAS COMING.

SAUL WISHED LOTS TO BE CAST TO DETERMINE WHO HAD BROKEN HIS OATH AND THE LOT FELL ON HIS SON JONATHAN WHO ADMITTED TO EATING HONEY.

THEN THE PEOPLE STOOD AGAINST KING SAUL AND SAVED JONATHAN FROM DEATH BY HIS FATHER.

SAUL WOULD HAVE SACRIFICED HIS OWN SON FOR HIS SMALL INFRACTION BUT HIS OWN PEOPLE STEPPED IN, SAVED JONATHAN, AND SAID JONATHAN HAD BEGUN A GREAT DELIVERANCE BY HIS BRAVERY.

CLEARLY SAUL WAS A MUCH BETTER SOLDIER THAN HE WAS A KING.

CHAPTER 14 ENDS WITH SAUL HAVING ESTABLISHED HIS SOVEREIGN RULE OVER ISRAEL AND LISTS ALL THE OTHER NATIONS WHICH WERE AT WAR WITH ISRAEL AND ONCE MORE STATES THAT THE PHILISTINES MADE FIERCE WAR WITH ISRAEL ALL THE DAYS OF SAUL.

CHAPTER 15 WILL BEGIN THE TENSION COMING TO A HEAD WITH A BREAK BETWEEN SAUL AND SAMUEL AND SAUL’S REJECTION AS  KING.

THIS CHAPTER LITERALLY ENDS THE CONTINUED SLIDE OF KING SAUL AWAY FROM THE LORD BY HIS DISOBEDIENCE, EVEN THOUGH HE CLAIMS HE OBEYED SOME COMMANDS.

HE PROVES FOR US THAT PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS FULL DISOBEDIENCE, A WARNING TO EVERY BELIEVER SINCE SAUL.

IN 15:1-3 SAMUEL SPEAKS:

The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts:

I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed them on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”

SAUL GATHERED AN ARMY OF OVER 200,000 MEN AND SENT WARNINGS TO THE KENITES TO LEAVE THE AREA OF AMALEK BEFORE THE ATTACK BEGINS.

THE KENITES WERE RELATIVES OF JETHRO AND HAD BEEN KIND TO ISRAEL FROM THE TIME ISRAEL ARRIVED.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COMMAND FROM GOD WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS COMMAND WAS GIVEN.

IN DEUTERNOMY 25:17-19, MOSES HAD TOLD HIS PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE “…to blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

SAUL PROCEEDED TO CARRY OUT THE COMMAND BUT IN SPITE OF CLEAR WORDS FROM SAMUEL WHO SPOKE THE LORD’S WORDS, SAUL SPARED THE KING OF AMALEK, AGAG, AND SOME OF THE BEST LIVESTOCK.

SAMUEL ACTUALLY RECEIVED WORD OF THIS DISOBEDIENCE FROM GOD AS REPORTED IN VERSES 15:10-11:

“It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king…”

SAMUEL WENT TO SAUL WHO WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP A MONUMENT TO HIMSELF.

SAMUEL PROVIDED HIS FAMOUS WORDS TO SAUL WHICH WAS IT IS BETTER TO OBEY THAN TO SACRIFICE AFTER SAUL USED THE EXCUSE THAT THE LIVESTOCK WAS SPARED TO BE USED AS AN OFFERING TO GOD AND IT IS NOTED THAT SAUL SAID THE OFFERING WAS TO BE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD (MEANING SAMUEL’S GOD, NOT ISRAEL’S GOD).

SAMUEL SAID THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD, HE HAS ALSO REJECTED YOU FROM BEING KING.

SAMUEL THEN COMPLETED THE COMMAND OF GOD BY USING A SWORD HIMSELF TO KILL THE CAPTURED KING AGAG.

SAUL ATTEMPTED TO SHOW REMORSE BUT IT WAS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE.

GOD TOLD SAMUEL TO FILL HIS OIL HORN AND GO TO JESSE THE BETHLEHEMITE FOR I HAVE PROVIDED MYSELF A KING FROM AMONG HIS SONS.

HERE WILL BEGIN THE RISE OF DAVID.

WITH GOD’S PERFECT FORESIGHT HE KNEW THAT IF AGAG WERE ALLOWED TO LIVE THOSE WHO CAME FROM HIM WOULD CONTINUE TO PLAGUE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE.

WE SEE LATER IN ESTHER THAT A MAN NAMED HAMAN INTENDED TO DESTROY ALL THE JEWS AND HE WAS AN AGAGITE SO SOME MEN HAD ALREADY COME FROM THIS KING AND ESTHER RISKED HER OWN LIFE TO OPPOSE HIM.

WE MUST NOT OVERLOOK THE FACT WHEN CONSIDERING THE COMMAND OF GOD FOR DESTRUCTION THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF AMALEK WERE PAGAN BELIEVERS IN IDOLS AND WOULD NEVER SEEK OR WORSHIP YAHWEH.

THEY WERE THE WALKING DEAD, SUBJECT TO BOTH MORTAL DEATH AND THE SECOND DEATH IN THE FINAL DAYS.

GOD HAD PROMISED ABRAHAM IN GENESIS 15:16 THAT THE PEOPLE COMING FROM ABRAHAM MUST SERVE 400 YEARS OF BONDAGE AND THEN GOD WOULD GIVE THEM THE PROMISED LAND OF CANAAN.

HE TOLD ABRAHAM THE REASON FOR THE DELAY WAS THAT:

“…THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITE IS NOT YET COMPLETE…”

GOD CHOSE TO LET THE SIN OF THOSE PEOPLE RIPEN, REACH ITS FULL MATURITY, AND THEN BRING JUDGMENT UPON THEM.

THE TIME FOR HIS JUDGMENT HAD ARRIVED AND HE INTENDED HIS WILL TO BE COMPLETED BY HIS OWN CHOSEN PEOPLE AS THEY DROVE OUT AND UTTERLY DESTROYED THOSE THE LORD WISH TO NO LONGER EXIST IN THE LAND HE HAD RESERVED FOR HIS OWN.

NEXT STUDY STOP WILL TEACH US THE USE OF DARK PROVIDENCE BY THE LORD TO EXERCISE HIS WILL.           

1 Samuel 16 & 17: God Looks at the Heart

IN CHAPTER 16 OF 1ST SAMUEL WE ARRIVE AT A POINT OF GREAT TURNING.

UP TO NOW WE HAVE STUDIED HOW SAMUEL THE PROPHET WAS CREATED FROM THE MOST DIFFICULT LIFE OF HIS MOTHER HANNAH,

WHO HAD TO ENDURE MUCH SUFFERING TO ARRIVE AT HER MOMENT OF HUMBLING AND SUBMISSION TO THE LORD BEFORE  GOD EXTENDED HER HIS MERCY IN HIS PRE-PLANNED SOVEREIGN WILL.

WE STUDIED THE GROWTH AND MATURITY OF SAMUEL AFTER HE WAS GIVEN TO THE TABERNACLE EXACTLY AS HANNA HAD PROMISED, GIVING HIM TO THE LORD AS A LIFETIME NAZARINE.

SAMUEL CAME TO BE THE LORD’S PROPHET, PRIEST, AND JUDGE OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE.

SAMUEL SEEMED WELL CONTENT WITH THAT LIFE UNTIL THE CHOSEN PEOPLE DEMANDED AN EARTHLY KING WHICH SAMUEL RESISTED UNTIL GOD TOLD HIM HE WAS NOT REJECTED BUT IT WAS GOD HIMSELF THAT HAD BEEN REJECTED AFTER ALL HE HAD DONE FOR THIS DIFFICULT & STIFF NECKED PEOPLE.

GOD TOLD SAMUEL TO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WISHED AND GOD CHOSE A MAN FROM BENJAMIN NAMED SAUL TO BE THE PEOPLE’S KING.

GOD SOVEREIGN WILL WAS SO CLEARLY EVIDENT IN THE CHOICE AND ANOINTING OF SAUL WHO WAS AN EXCELLENT PHYSICAL SPECIMEN BUT WAS UNABLE TO FULLY SERVE GOD AND WAVERED BETWEEN HIS OWN SELF IMPORTANCE AND DEFIANCE TO THE LORD.

SAMUEL HAD GREAT FAVOR IN HIS HEART FOR SAUL AND HE WAS CONTINUALLY DISHEARTENED AT THE DISOBEDIENCE AND OUTRIGHT REBELLION SHOWN BY SAUL.

AFTER THE MOST UNFORTUNATE EPISODE OF THE WAR AGAINST THE AMALEKITES WHEN SAUL ALLOWED THE KING TO LIVE AND BROUGHT SOME OF THE LIVESTOCK BACK ALIVE, SAMUEL WAS DONE WITH SAUL.

TO FULLY OBEY THE LORD’S COMMAND SAMUEL HIMSELF HAD TO TAKE A SWORD AND CUT KING AGAG INTO PIECES.

GOD WAS DONE WITH SAUL AS WELL.

NOW IN VERSES 1-13 WE ARE GIVEN THE COMMAND GIVEN TO SAMUEL BY GOD TO LOCATE AND ANOINT ANOTHER MAN TO BE KING OF ISRAEL.

THE LORD HAD ALREADY CHOSEN THE MAN BUT UNTIL NOW HAD NOT SHARED THE CHOICE WITH HIS PROPHET.

THE NEW CHOICE IS TO BE DAVID, WHO AT THAT TIME WAS STILL A YOUNG MAN WORKING ON HIS FATHERS FARM IN BETHLEHEM, THE YOUNGEST OF EIGHT SONS OF JESSE, FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.

WHILE SAMUEL WAS STILL MOURNING OVER THE REJECTION OF SAUL, GOD REBUKED HIM SOMEWHAT, ASKING HOW LONG WILL YOU MOURN, SEEING I HAVE REJECTED HIM?

FILL YOU HORN WITH OIL AND I WILL SEND YOU TO JESSE.

FOR I HAVE PROVIDED ME A KING AMONG HIS SONS.

SAMUEL QUICKLY RESPONDED THAT IF SAUL FOUND OUT ABOUT HIS MISSION, HE WOULD KILL HIM.

THE LORD TOLD THE PROPHET TO TAKE A HEIFER WITH HIM AND SAY HE WAS COMING FOR A SACRIFICE AND WISHED TO SHARE IT WITH JESSE.

GOD FURTHER TOLD SAMUEL THAT HE WOULD BE SHOWN WHAT TO DO WHEN HE ARRIVED, AND THAT GOD WOULD POINT OUT THE NEW KING FOR SAMUEL TO ANOINT.

THE ELDERS OF THE CITY OF BETHLEHEM ARE FEARFUL WHEN SAMUEL ARRIVES KNOWING THAT IT MAY NOT BE GOOD NEWS WHEN THE PROPHET OF GOD SHOWS UP. THEY ASK IF HE IS PEACEABLE. SAMUEL’S WORDS PUT THEIR MIND AT EASE.

HE SAYS HE HAS COME TO OFFER A SACRIFICE AND THEY ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. THEY ARE TO CONSECRATE THEMSELVES AND JOIN SAMUEL IN THE SACRIFICE AND FEAST. IN ADDITION SAMUEL CONSECRATES JESSE AND HIS SONS AS INVITED GUESTS.

SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING SAMUEL BEGAN THE SELECTION PROCESS REVIEWING ALL OF THE FIRST SEVEN SONS SHOWN TO HIM, BEGINNING WITH ELIAB, WHO WAS A FINE CHOICE AND SAMUEL SEEMED SURE THIS WAS THE MAN.

QUICKLY GOD CORRECTED SAMUEL INSTRUCTING HIM NOT TO LOOK SO MUCH ON THE COUNTENANCE OR WHAT A LARGE MAN HE WAS FOR THE LORD SAID HE DOES NOT LOOK UPON THESE THINGS, BUT RATHER LOOKS ON THE HEART.

HERE IS GIVEN A MESSAGE FOR ALL OF US WHO TEND TO JUDGE PEOPLE BY WHAT WE SEE, NOT BY WHAT THEY SEEM TO HOLD DEAR TO BELIEVE IN OR WHETHER THEIR HEART MAY BE RIGHT WITH THE LORD.

MANY SEEM EXCELLENT TO US WHO ARE NOT. WE MAKE THIS MISTAKE OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS WE WANT TO FORM OUR IMPRESSION IMMEDIATELY ON WHAT WE SEE.

SO JESSE HAD HIS SONS PASS BEFORE SAMUEL ONE BY ONE UNTIL ALL SEVEN HAD BEEN VIEWED BY THE PROPHET. GOD’S CHOICE WAS NONE OF THESE MEN.

SAMUEL ASKED IF THESE WERE ALL THE CHILDREN, AND JESSE SAID THAT THERE WAS ONE MORE SON, A YOUNG LAD, WHO WAS IN THE FIELDS KEEPING THE SHEEP.

SAMUEL TOLD JESSE TO FETCH HIM AND NO ONE WILL SIT IN REST UNTIL HE HAS COME.

IN VERSE 12 DAVID ARRIVES. WHAT ARE WE TOLD ABOUT HIM?

“Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.”

HE WAS A HANDSOME LAD BUT THAT IS NOT WHY THE LORD CHOSE HIM. GOD KNEW HIS HEART AND HE WAS SOLELY GOD’S CHOICE.

WE WILL FIND LATER IN HIS LIFE THAT HE SOUGHT TO FOLLOW GOD AND WALK WITH HIM, DESPITE HIS FAILURES.

HE WANTED FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND GOD LOVED HIM AND WE ARE TOLD IN SEVERAL PLACES THAT HE WAS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.

IN VERSE 13, SAMUEL TOOK THE HORN OF OIL AND ANOINTED DAVID TO BE KING AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON DAVID FROM THAT DAY FORWARD.

THE MOMENT OF DAVID’S FILLING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS A STRONG SYMBOL OF THE APPROVAL OF THE LORD AND THAT SPIRIT WOULD NEVER LEAVE DAVID AS LONG AS HE LIVED.

IN THAT MOMENT OF DAVID’S FILLING, WE SEE IN VERSES 14-16, THAT GOD WITHDREW HIS SPIRIT FROM KING SAUL.

THEREFORE THE SPIRIT OF GOD DID NOT GUIDE TWO KINGS, BUT ONLY DAVID FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARD.

IN THAT MOMENT WE ARE GRANTED EVEN FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD, THE WORKING OF HIS WILL, AND HIS GRACIOUS ALLOWING ALL READERS OF 1ST SAMUEL A GLIMPSE INTO SOMETHING RARELY ALLOWED FOR THE MORTAL EYES OF THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD TO SEE.

WHEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS REMOVED FROM SAUL, AN EVIL SPIRIT WAS PLACED WITHIN HIM REPLACING THE HOLY SPIRIT HE HAD CARRIED BEFORE.

THIS INDWELLING OF THE EVIL ONE WITHIN SAUL WAS NOT A MISTAKE FOR GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES.

THIS EVIL ONE WAS FROM THE LORD AND WAS SENT TO TROUBLE HIM.

AS WE HAVE TAKEN ON THIS STUDY OF THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD AND ITS WORKINGS, WE BEGAN WITH THE UNDERSTANDING  THAT THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY GOD TO IMPLEMENT HIS SOVEREIGN WILL ARE KNOWN AS HIS PROVIDENCE.

THERE ARE MORE THAN A FEW INSTANCES OF SCRIPTURE WHICH DEMONSTRATE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE.

THIS MOMENT IS ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES.

WE SEE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE IN PSALM 78:49 WHEN GOD SENT EVIL ANGELS TO TORMENT HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

WE SEE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE IN JOB 42:11 WHERE WE ARE TAUGHT THAT IT WAS GOD WHO WROUGHT THE EVIL UPON JOB AS SATAN HAD DISAPPEARED AFTER CHAPTER TWO.

WE SEE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE IN JUDGES 9:22-23 WHERE GOD SENT AN EVIL SPIRIT TO DO HIS BIDDING,

WE SEE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE IN MICAH 1:12 WHEN GOD SENT EVIL UPON JERUSALEM.

WE SEE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE IN 2ND CHRONICLES 18:20-22 WHERE GOD SENT A LYING SPIRIT INTO AHAB’S FALSE PROPHETS.

WE SEE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE IN JOHN’S GOSPEL, CHAPTER 13, VERSES 26-27 WHERE SATAN HIMSELF IS ALLOWED TO ENTER AND POSSESS JUDAS ISCARIOT TO DO THE DARK WILL OF GOD THAT THE CROSS BE ASSURED FOR JESUS FOR THIS WAS WHY HE CAME.

WE SEE HIS DARK PROVIDENCE WHEN HE SENT A THORN INTO THE FLESH OF PAUL, REFUSED TO REMOVE IT, AND SAID IT WAS SENT AS A MESSENGER OF SATAN.

NO EVIL SPIRITS ACT INDEPENDENTLY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL AND PURPOSE. EVEN SATAN WAS LIMITED IN HIS WORK AGAINST JOB BY GOD’S COMMANDS.

THESE BEINGS ARE INSTRUMENTS OF GOD’S HOLY WILL AND SCRIPTURE PROVES THIS FACT OVER AND OVER.

THE SERVANTS OF SAUL RECOGNIZED THE CHANGE AND SUGGESTED THAT MUSIC MIGHT HELP TO SOOTHE SAUL’S DARK MOODS.

ONE SERVANT KNEW OF DAVID’S TALENT ON THE HARP AND SAUL SENT FOR HIM ASKING JESSE TO ALLOW HIM TO COME TO HELP SAUL IN HIS SLIDE INTO MADNESS.

JESSE AGREED AND SENT DAVID WHO BECAME A FAVORITE WITH SAUL AND THE KING ASKED JESSE TO ALLOW DAVID TO STAY WITH SAUL.

DAVID ACTUALLY BECAME THE ARMOR BEARER OF THE KING AS WELL AS HIS FAVORED MUSICIAN.

HOW DOES A YOUNG MAN WHOSE FAMILY DID NOT EVEN CONSIDER A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR KING RISE TO THAT POSITION WHEN A PARANOID KING IS ALREADY ON THE THRONE?

WHAT NO ONE YET REALIZES IS THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE DAVID WITH ALL HE NEEDS TO BE ISRAEL’S NEXT KING.

IN THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD, HE IS STRATEGICALLY PLACED IN THE PRESENCE OF SAUL AS HIS ARMOR BEARER, WHERE HE CAN LEARN HOW A KING SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT RULE.

DAVID IS NOT CHOSEN TO IMMEDIATELY REPLACE SAUL, BUT IS FIRST PLACED IN A KIND OF INTERNSHIP, LATER TO BE MENTALLY, MORALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY GROOMED FOR THE KINGDOM, WHICH WILL BE SEVERAL YEARS COMING.

SAUL’S SIN IN CHAPTER 15 IS THE END FOR SAUL.

IT IS NOT THE END OF SAUL’S REIGN, BUT THE END OF SAUL’S OPPORTUNITY TO TURN AND REPENT. HE NEVER DOES.

ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT YET WIDELY KNOWN, ISRAEL HAS A NEW KING.

THERE ARE SOME CHOICES GOD MADE IN HIS WISDOM OF CHOOSING DAVID.

IT PLEASED GOD TO ANNOUNCE THAT PARTICULAR MAN IN ALL OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL FROM WHICH CHRIST WAS TO PROCEED WAS DAVID, WHO WOULD HOLD GOD’S ETERNAL COVENANT GOING FORWARD.

OF ALL OF THE THOUSANDS OF DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM THE MARK OF DISTINCTION WAS GIVEN TO DAVID WHILE HE WAS STILL SO YOUNG AS TO BE NOT IMMEDIATELY SHOWN BY HIS FATHER JESSE TO THE PROPHET.

THE PROPHET ISAIAH REVEALED GOD’S WISDOM IN 11:1:

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”

THIS CONNECTION IS FURTHER CEMENTED IN SCRIPTURE IN REVELATION 22:16 IN THE WORDS OF JESUS HIMSELF:

“… I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

THE PROPHET SAMUEL HAD TO BE GIVEN A SPECIAL DIVINE REVELATION IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY HIM.

WHEN JESSE AND HIS SONS STOOD BEFORE SAMUEL, SCRIPTURE SAYS SAMUEL:

“… Samuel looked on Eliab and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him…”

(1 SAM 16:6)

BUT IT WAS NOT TO BE AND IN VERSE 7 GOD TOLD SAMUEL TO LOOK NOT ON HIS COUNTENANCE AS HE HAD REFUSED THIS OLDER BROTHER AND LOOKED ON THE HEART OF THE YOUNGEST BROTHER.

GOD’S PRINCIPLE OF DIVINE ELECTION IS COMING FORTH ONCE MORE.

ISAAC WAS CHOSEN, NOT ISHMAEL.

JACOB AND NOT ESAU.

ISRAEL AND NOT THE EGYPTIANS TO HOLD HIS TRUTH.

ELDEST SONS ALL PASSED OVER TO APPOINT THE YOUNGEST.

THE HISTORY PSALM GIVES US EVEN MORE EVIDENCE IN PSALM 78:70-72:

“He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.”

THE CHOICE OF DAVID WAS MORE THAN THE CHOOSING OF A NEXT KING.

HE WAS NOTED AND EXPLAINED AS WHERE GOD SETTLED HIS EVERLASTING COVENANT, PLEASING GOD TO SINGLE OUT THIS SPECIFIC MAN WHO SHALL FORESHADOW THE COMING OF CHRIST.

DAVID’S THRONE AND CHRIST’S ARE SPOKEN OF AS ONE IN LUKE’S GOSPEL 1:32 SPEAKING OF JESUS:

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.”

SPEAKING OF DAVID IN HIS GREAT PENTECOST SERMON, PETER RECONFIRMS THE CONNECTION IN ACTS 2:29-30:

“… let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.”

IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT GOD ANOINTED DAVID AND TOOK AWAY THE CROWN FROM HIM WHO WAS HIGHER IN STATURE THAN ANY OF HIS PEOPLE AND GAVE IT TO ONE WHO WAS STILL A LAD IN BETHLEHEM WHERE JESUS WOULD FIRST DRAW BREATH.

DAVID WAS SUBJECTED TO A TIME OF TESTING TO ARRANGE HIS GROWTH BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY TO PREPARE HIM FOR HIS KINGSHIP.

GOD PLANTED HIS OWN SPIRIT IN HIM AND IN THE SAME MOMENT PLANTED IN SAUL THE SPIRIT OF THE EVIL ONE, PROVIDING DAVID WITH MUSICAL TALENT TO OVERCOME SAUL’S WORST MADNESS.

THE STATUS OF THIS MAN DAVID IS PLACED SO FAR ABOVE ALL OTHER MEN THAT IN JEREMIAH 30:9, AN EVEN GREATER PROMISE IS MADE OF HIM:

“… they shall serve the Lord their God, and David, their king, whom I will raise up unto them.”

THE TIME OF TESTING THE LORD PLACES UPON DAVID TO PREPARE HIM INCLUDES HIS DAY OF COMBAT AGAINST THE PHILISTINE GIANT, GOLIATH.

DAVID HAD NOT YET REACHED THE AGE OF 20 WHEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN A FULL TIME SOLDIER IN ISRAEL’S ARMY, LIKE HIS OLDER BROTHERS.

THE PHILISTINES WERE ONCE MORE THREATENING ISRAEL.

THE TWO SIDES WERE IN A STAND OFF AND FOR MANY DAYS A PHILISTINE GIANT VERBALLY CHALLENGED ISRAEL TO SEND A MAN TO FIGHT HIM, WITH THAT FIGHT TO DETERMINE THE FATE OF THE ARMIES.

CHAPTER 17 TEACHES US THAT THE ISRAELI ARMY WAS FILLED WITH FEAR AND NO MAN, INCLUDING SAUL WAS WILLING TO FIGHT THE GIANT WHO MAY HAVE BEEN NINE FEET TALL AND IN FULL ARMOR.

IN VERSE 23, DAVID FOR THE FIRST TIME HEARD SOMEONE DEFY ISRAEL AND RIDICULE THE CHOSEN ARMY OF GOD.

HE WENT TO THE BATTLE AREA WITH SUPPLIES FOR HIS BROTHERS, AND FOUND HIMSELF HEARING THE TAUNTS OF THE GIANT.

THE SOLDIERS OF ISRAEL CONSIDERED THIS TIME AS A MILITARY MATTER, JUST ANOTHER UGLY MOMENT OF WAR AS THEY FEARED THIS AWFUL GIANT.

DAVID CONSIDERED THIS MATTER A SPIRITUAL MATTER, CALLING GOLIATH “AN UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE” AND HIS USE OF THAT DESCRIPTION BRINGS ATTENTION TO THE GIANT BEING OUTSIDE THE COVENANT OF ABRAHAM, THE FATHER OF THE HEBREWS.

DAVID DETERMINED TO END THIS MATTER BY FIGHTING THE GIANT HIMSELF.

HE WAS STRONGLY DISPARAGED BY HIS OLDER BROTHER, ELIAB, AS WELL AS KING SAUL WHO TRIED TO DRESS DAVID IN HIS OWN ARMOR, WHICH DAVID REFUSED.

DAVID WAS NO STRANGER TO PHYSICAL COMBAT, HAVING FOUGHT AND DEFEATED BOTH A LION AND A BEAR WHO TRIED TO TAKE HIS FATHER’S SHEEP. DAVID HAD KILLED THEM BOTH.

THOSE TRIALS STRENGTHENED DAVID’S FAITH & RESOLVE AND HE WAS DETERMINED TO FIGHT THIS GIANT WHO STOOD AGAINST WHAT DAVID SAW AS GOD’S ARMY.

HIS CONFIDENCE WAS NOT IN HIMSELF BUT WAS IN GOD.

HE SPOKE NOTHING TO THE GIANT ABOUT STRATEGY, WEAPONS, OR STRENGTH.

DAVID’S ONLY WEAPONS WERE HIS SPEED & ABILITY TO FIGHT AT A DISTANCE WHICH IS WHAT HE DID.

HE TOLD GOLIATH IN VERSES 45-46 THAT ALL THE EARTH MAY KNOW THAT THERE IS A GOD IN ISRAEL, THAT THE LORD WOULD DELIVER HIM INTO DAVID’S HAND AND THIS DAY WOULD DAVID TAKE HIS HEAD.

DAVID WAS ARMED WITH ONLY A SLING AND STONES HE HAD GATHERED TO USE TO OPPOSE THE GIANT.

GOD GUIDED THE STONE OF DAVID INTO THE FOREHEAD OF GOLIATH AND FELLED HIM AND DAVID DID INDEED USE THE SWORD OF THE GIANT TO TAKE HIS OWN HEAD.

THE LORD KNEW THE HEART OF DAVID AND ALLOWED US A GREAT MESSAGE WHICH STILL HAS MEANING TODAY.

GIANTS, BOTH PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL CONFRONT THOSE WHO BELONG TO GOD AND OUR COMBAT AGAINST THEM BRINGS VICTORY ONLY WHEN WE ARE READY TO GIVE GOD HIS PROPER GLORY.

SO THE LORD IS NOT FINISHED WITH DAVID, THE ONE AFTER HIS OWN HEART, AND HE SHALL ONCE MORE BE GOD’S LEADER IN THE KINGDOM TO COME AMONG MEN, BOTH IN ISRAEL AS THEIR GOLDEN AGE AND IN THE 1,000 YEAR KINGDOM TO ARRIVE WHEN THE LORD HAS OVERCOME ALL ENEMIES AND HAS PLACED SATAN AND HIS FEARFUL ARMY IN CHAINS.

1 Samuel 18-20: A Devoted Servant

GOD GAVE DAVID THE VICTORY OVER THE PHILISTINE GIANT GOLIATH AFTER THE GIANT CURSED DAVID IN THE NAME OF HIS OWN FALSE GODS.

IN THAT MOMENT THE BATTLE WAS ALREADY OVER AS GOLIATH CAME UNDER THE CURSE OF GOD AS HAD BEEN PROMISED IN GENESIS 12 IN WHICH GOD PROMISED TO CURSE THOSE WHO CURSE ISRAEL AND THAT OATH MEANT THAT THE BATTLE WAS THE LORD’S AND GOD GUIDED THE STONE OF DAVID INTO THE FOREHEAD OF THE GIANT.

THAT VICTORY ALTERED AT LEAST TWO PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.

DAVID AND JONATHAN BECAME THE CLOSEST OF FRIENDS AND SAUL GREW EXTREMELY RESENTFUL OF DAVID.

EVEN THOUGH DAVID DISPLAYED NOTHING BUT LOYALTY TO SAUL, SAUL ENVIED DAVID AND THAT ENVY WOULD RESULT IN STRONGLY WICKED ACTIONS.

TIME AFTER TIME, SAUL WOULD ATTEMPT TO MURDER DAVID BUT GOD FAITHFULLY PROTECTED HIS NEXT KING OF ISRAEL.

WE MUST RECALL THAT FROM THE MOMENT DAVID HAD BEEN ANOINTED, GOD’S SPIRIT WAS REMOVED FROM SAUL AND AN EVIL SPIRIT WAS SENT BY GOD INTO SAUL TO TORMENT HIM.

WHILE SAUL TURNED ON DAVID, JONATHAN REMAINED TRUE TO HIS FRIEND.

IN 18:1-5 WE SEE THESE TWO MEN WERE SIMILAR EVEN THOUGH JONATHAN WAS OLDER (PERHAPS 15 YEARS OR MORE) AND BOTH DISPLAYED FAITH IN GOD.

JONATHAN WON REMARKABLE MILITARY VICTORIES AND THE TWO FORMED A COVENANT WITH EACH OTHER.

DAVID BECAME A LEADER IN ISRAEL IN THESE DAYS AS EVERY MISSION SAUL GAVE DAVID BECAME A SUCCESS.

IN 18:6-9 SAUL BEGAN HIS MOST INTENSE DISLIKE TOWARD DAVID WHEN HE HEARD THE WOMEN OF ISRAEL SINGING PRAISES FOR BOTH MEN BUT GIVING HIGHER PRAISE TO DAVID, SAYING SAUL HAD KILLED THOUSANDS BUT DAVID KILLED TEN THOUSANDS.

THE ENVY IN SAUL’S HEART GREW INTO A MURDEROUS LEVEL.

18:10-16

SAUL STOOPED SO LOW AS TO ATTEMPT TO KILL THE ONLY MAN IN ISRAEL WHO STOOD UP TO THE GIANT.

IN VERSE 12 WE SEE SAUL WAS AFRAID OF DAVID BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH DAVID AND HAD DEPARTED FROM SAUL.

DAVID HAD BEEN REASSIGNED TO BECOME A MILITARY CAPTAIN IN ISRAEL’S ARMY AND EVEN THOUGH DAVID WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST MEN IN THE ARMY, THE PEOPLE THERE BEGAN TO LOVE HIM AS HE SHOWED WISDOM BEYOND HIS YEARS.

18:17-19

SAUL HAD PROMISED THE HAND OF HIS DAUGHTER, MERAB, TO THE MAN WHO FOUGHT THE GIANT BUT THEN BETRAYED THE PROMISE AND GAVE THIS DAUGHTER TO ANOTHER MAN, ANOTHER EPISODE IN SAUL’S SINISTER PLOT OF WICKED WAYS.

18:20-27

SAUL DISCOVERED ANOTHER OF HIS DAUGHTERS, MICHAL, LOVED DAVID AND SAUL SAW A CHANCE TO RID HISELF OF DAVID OVER THIS LOVE.

HE REQUIRED A DOWRY OF 100 PHILISTINE FORESKINS OF DAVID TO EARN HIS DAUGHTER’S HAND IN MARRIAGE, THINKING SURELY DAVID WOULD BE KILLED TRYING TO KILL THAT MANY PHILISTINES.

DAVID, HOWEVER, WENT OVER AND BEYOND SAUL’S REQUIREMENT BY KILLING 200 PHILISTINES AND HAND DELIVERING 200 FORESKINS TO SAUL PERSONALLY CAUSING SAUL TO BE FORCED TO KEEP HIS WORD AND DAVID AND MICHAL WERE MARRIED.

18:28-30

SAUL BECOMES DAVID’S FULL TIME ENEMY AND SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY THE TWO MEN WERE ENEMIES, BUT THAT SAUL WAS DAVID’S ENEMY.

SAUL TRIES TO KILL DAVID MULTIPLE TIMES IN MULTIPLE WAYS.

THROUGH ALL THOSE AWFUL TIMES, DAVID REMAINED HUMBLE, FAITHFUL, AND LOYAL.

VERSE 30 TELLS US DAVID’S NAME WAS HELD IN HIGH REGARD BUT EVEN SO, SAUL DID NOT STOP TRYING TO DO AWAY WITH HIS SON-IN-LAW AND HIS INTENTIONS BECAME MORE EVIL.

19:1-8

SAUL DROPS ALL PRETENSE OF HIS PERSONAL ATTEMPTS TO KILL IN SECRET PLOTS AND OPENLY TELLS JONATHAN AND ALL OF SAUL’S SERVANTS THAT DAVID MUST BE KILLED.

NOW THE PLOT MOVED BEYOND PERSONAL JEALOUSLY AND SAUL’S HATRED OF DAVID HAD GROWN TO A RIDICULOUS LEVEL AND WAS NOW PUBLIC.

JONATHAN WAS ABLE TO WARN DAVID, AND HE TOLD DAVID TO HIDE UNTIL HE COULD DISCOVER A WAY OUT OF THIS AWFUL PLAN.

HERE WE SEE AN IRONIC MOMENT. PEOPLE IN SAUL’S ARMY HAD STOOD AGAINST SAUL WHEN HE WANTED TO KILL JONATHAN AND NOW JONATHAN WAS QUIETLY STANDING AGAINST SAUL TO SAVE DAVID.

JONATHAN TOLD HIS FATHER THE TRUTH THAT DAVID HAD DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE DEATH AND THAT DAVID HAD SAVED ISRAEL FROM THE GIANT AND HE TOLD SAUL THAT TO KILL DAVID WOULD BE A SIN.

JONATHAN CONDUCTED HIMSELF IN THIS MOMENT IN A CALM, AND HUMBLE SPIRIT, A SPIRIT OF MEEKNESS.

SAUL RECOGNIZED THE STRENGTH OF HIS SON’S WORDS AND ISSUED AN VOW THAT DAVID WOULD NOT BE SLAIN.

DAVID WAS ABLE TO RECLAIM HIS POSITION IN SAUL’S ROYAL COURT AND HIS POSITION IN LEADING THE ARMY.

VERSE 8 MENTIONS ANOTHER GREAT MILITARY VICTORY DAVID ACHIEVED AGAINST THE PHILISTINES.

19:9-10

SAUL’S LIFE WAS SO TROUBLED BY THE TORMENT OF THE EVIL SPIRIT WITHIN HIM THAT HIS PARANOIA BECOMES UNBEARABLE AS SHOWN BY HIS CARRYING HIS SPEAR WITH HIM INSIDE HIS OWN HOUSE.

HIS ANGER BURSTED FORTH AND HE HURLED THE SPEAR AT DAVID, MISSING HIM BUT MAKING A HARSH STATEMENT ABOUT HIS OWN MENTAL STABILITY.

19:11-18

SAUL’S DAUGHTER, NOW DAVID’S WIFE COVERED UP THE FACT THAT DAVID HAD LEFT THE HOME BY USING ONE OF HER FALSE IDOLS IN DAVID’S BED TO APPEAR DAVID WAS SICK AND IN BED RECOVERING.

SAUL SENT HIS PEOPLE TO SEIZE DAVID, BUT THOUGHT HE WAS SICK IN BED WHEN HE ACTUALLY HAD LEFT THE HOME.

SAUL WAS FURIOUS WITH HIS OWN DAUGHTER, BUT DAVID WAS INDEED GONE.

IN VERSE 18 DAVID FLED TO SAMUEL FOR REFUGE IN RAMAH, SAMUEL’S HOME TOWN, WHERE SAMUEL HAD APPARENTLY FOUNDED A SCHOOL FOR TRAINING THOSE OF FAITH, MUCH LIKE OUR SEMINARIES IN MODERN TIMES.

DAVID WRITES ABOUT THIS MOMENT IN PSALM 59 SAYING:

“I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.”

WHILE DAVID WAS IN RAMAH, GOD WOULD DELIVER HIM ONCE AGAIN BUT IN A MORE EXPLICIT WAY.

19:19-24

WE ARE NOT TOLD HOW LONG DAVID TOOK REFUGE WITH SAMUEL, BUT SAUL HEARD WHERE HE WAS AND SENT MEN TO ARREST DAVID.

BUT INSTEAD OF ARRESTING DAVID, THE LORD TURNED THE TABLES ON THESE MEN ARRESTING THEM BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF THE LORD.

GOD PROTECTED DAVID AND SAMUEL, NOT BY SENDING AN ARMY, BUT BY SENDING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TURN WARRIORS INTO WORSHIPERS.

SAUL SENT A SECOND GROUP OF MEN TO ARREST DAVID, AND THE SAME RESULT HAPPENED BUT INSTEAD OF REPENTING, SAUL SENT A THIRD GROUP TO ARREST DAVID AND THEY TOO WERE TURNED INTO WORSHIPERS OF THE LORD.

SO SAUL, STILL NOT REPENTANT, WENT HIMSELF TO RAMAH TO ARREST DAVID, AND HE ALSO WAS HUMBLED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, BEGINNING TO PROPHECY AND REMOVING ALL HIS CLOTHING AND LAYING NAKED ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.

20:1-3

CHAPTER 20 BRINGS US TO THE END OF THE LOVING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DAVID AND JONATHAN.

SINCE SAUL NOW WAS AWARE OF DAVID’S LOCATION, DAVID LEFT RAMAH, THE HOME OF SAMUEL, AND SOUGHT OUT JONATHAN, ASKING HIM WHY SAUL WAS SO ANGRY WITH HIM.

THE LAST TIME THIS MATTER HAD BEEN MENTIONED BETWEEN JONATHAN AND SAUL, SAUL HAD PROMISED HE WOULD MAKE NO MORE ATTEMPTS AGAINST DAVID.

DAVID WAS UNWILLING TO TRUST IN SAUL’S PROMISE AND HE TOLD JONATHAN HE WOULD NOT ATTEND THE UPCOMING FEAST.

HE ASKED JONATHAN TO EXPLAIN TO SAUL THAT HE HAD GONE TO BETHLEHEM TO BE WITH FAMILY. IF SAUL SEEMED CALM ABOUT HIS ABSENCE, ALL MIGHT BE WELL. IF SAUL WAS FURTHER ANGRY, ALL WAS NOT WELL.

JONATHAN AGAIN EXPRESSED HIS LOYALTY AND FRIENDSHIP WITH DAVID AND THE TWO MEN REAFFIRMED THEIR PERSONAL COVENANT.

A SIGNAL WAS GIVEN BETWEEN THEM FOR JONATHAN TO SEND A MESSAGE AT A PRE-ARRANGED FIELD WHERE DAVID WOULD MEET HIM AND BY JONATHAN’S WORDS DAVID WOULD KNOW THE ANSWER. THEIR MEETING WOULD BE AT THE THIRD DAY OF THE PLANNED FEAST.

WHEN JONATHAN APPROACHED SAUL AND MADE THE EXCUSE FOR DAVID, SAUL FLEW INTO A FIT OF RAGE.

HE BERATED HIS OWN SON, WHO WAS A GROWN MAN AND A BRAVE WARRIOR IN HIS OWN RIGHT. NOW SAUL ACTUALLY TRIED TO MURDER HIS OWN SON WITH THE SAME SPEAR HE HAD HURLED AT DAVID EARLIER.

JONATHAN LEFT IN SHAME AND GRIEF.

THE MEETING WAS HELD AND SEEMED TO BE A GOOD BYE MOMENT BETWEEN THE TWO CLOSE FRIENDS.

KING SAUL’S DOWNWARD SLIDE WAS IN FULL EFFECT.

THIRTY YEARS HAD PASSED SINCE SAMUEL HAD ANOINTED HIM AND IN THAT TIME HE HAD BECOME DISOBEDIENT, TORMENTED, ENVIOUS, AND NOW MURDEROUS.

ALL OF THESE ISSUES WERE AS A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS UNWILLINGNESS TO CONFESS HIMSELF IN CONTRITION TO THE LORD AND TO REPENT OF HIS LIFE IN REJECTION OF GOD.

IN THIS CHAPTER WE ARE ALLOWED TO SEE THE CONTRAST FROM SAUL TO HIS SON.

JONATHAN WAS A TRULY NOBLE MAN WHO LOVED DAVID AND LOVED THE LORD, AND WAS A COURAGEOUS WARRIOR WHO RISKED HIS OWN LIFE AGAINST THE PHILISTINES IN BATTLE.

JONATHAN LOVED GOD MORE THAN HE LOVED SAUL.

IT WAS SAUL WHO WAS WRONG AND JONATHAN WAS NOT WILLING TO TEMPER HIS LOVE FOR GOD TO PLACATE HIS RAVING FATHER WHO WAS SINKING DEEPER INTO MADNESS BUT WAS STILL KING.

WE MUST CONSIDER WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED SO FAR ABOUT DAVID.

HE WAS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART AND HE HAD ALREADY FOUGHT A LION, A BEAR, AND A MONSTROUS GIANT WITH ONLY HIS SLING, AS WELL AS A RAVING MADMAN WHO SOUGHT TO KILL HIM.

NONE OF THESE TRIALS WERE AS A RESULT OF ANY SIN DAVID CARRIED.

DAVID REVEALS HE KNEW THIS FACT WHEN HE WROTE PSALM 59:

“Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloody men. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the mighty are gathered against me, not for my transgressions, nor for my sin, O Lord….”

WHAT ARE WE SEEING AS TO THE PLAN OF THE LORD TO PROTECT HIS CHOSEN KING?

GOD USED DAVID’S HUMILITY, THE HOLY SPIRIT, TWO MEMBERS OF SAUL’S OWN FAMILY, AND EVEN A HOUSEHOLD IDOL TO DELIVER AND PROTECT DAVID.

THROUGH IT ALL, GOD USED THESE TRIALS TO GROW DAVID, PROVE HIMSELF TO DAVID, AND PREPARE DAVID TO BE THE BEST KING HE COULD POSSIBLY BE.

DAVID TRUSTED GOD WITH HIS OWN LIFE.

DAVID HAD FULL CONFIDENCE THAT GOD WOULD DELIVER THE GIANT, GOLIATH, INTO HIS HAND, AND HE DID.

THE PLAN OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL TO USE ALL HIS POWER TO ENABLE DAVID TO BECOME WHAT GOD INTENDED IS CLEAR IN THESE LAST THREE CHAPTERS.

IN OUR NEXT STUDY STOP, WE WILL CONSIDER THAT EVEN AFTER ALL THAT SAUL HAD DONE, DAVID WILL HONOR HIM STRICTLY BECAUSE HE WAS GOD’S ANOINTED ONE.

1 Samuel 21-26: David Honors Saul

OUR STUDY CHAPTERS TODAY COVER A LITTLE OVER 10 YEARS IN THE LIFE OF DAVID.

THESE YEARS WERE A TIME OF TESTING, PERSECUTION, AND MUCH REFLECTION BY DAVID.

THESE WERE THE YEARS IN WHICH MANY OF HIS PSALMS WERE WRITTEN WHICH REVEAL HIS INNERMOST HEART TO US STILL TODAY.

IN THESE CHAPTERS WE LEARN A GREAT DEAL BY WHAT DAVID DID, BUT WE LEARN EVEN MORE BY THE THINGS THAT DAVID DID NOT DO.

THESE YEARS FOUND DAVID GROWING & MATURING FROM A YOUNG SHEPHERD INTO A SEASONED AND HARDENED VETERAN OF WAR AND A LEADER CHOSEN BY GOD HIMSELF.

WE SEE IMMEDIATELY THAT DAVID DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO BRING THE PERSECUTION HE SUFFERED ON HIMSELF.

HE WAS GUILTY OF NO CRIME DURING THESE DAYS, AND HERE IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF DAVID BEING A TYPE OF CHRIST TO COME, SUFFERING IN INNOCENCE.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THINGS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN BAD BETWEEN SAUL & DAVID.

EARLY ON SAUL FELT WARMLY TOWARD THE YOUNG DAVID AS DAVID WAS ABLE TO CALM HIS DARK MOODS WHEN HE PLAYED THE HARP FOR THE KING (16:21).

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN SAUL REJOICED IN DAVID'S VICTORY OVER THE GIANT, GOLIATH (19:5).

DAVID'S ANNOINTING AS THE NEXT KING WAS NOT AS A RESULT OF DAVID'S AMBITION, BUT WAS THE RESULT OF SAUL'S DECLINE AS HE CONSISTENTLY DISOBEYED THE LORD.

SAUL DISOBEYED THE LORD'S WORD GIVEN BY THE PROPHET SAMUEL IN 10:8 AND FURTHER ANGERED THE LORD BY OFFERING SACRIFICE HE WAS NOT APPOINTED TO OFFER (13).

SAMUEL REBUKED SAUL BUT SAUL NEVER REPENTED.

IN CHAPTER 15 SAUL DIRECTLY DISOBEYED THE LORD BY FAILING TO UTTERLY DESTROY THE AMALEKITES, CAUSING SAMUEL HIMSELF TO DESTROY THE CAPTURED AMALEKITE KING, AGAG, BY THE SWORD.

ALL OF THESE THINGS SPELLED OUT THE END OF SAUL'S KINGDOM AND SAMUEL TOLD SAUL EXACTLY THIS FACT.

WE KNOW THE LORD REMOVED HIS OWN SPIRIT FROM SAUL AND REPLACED IT WITH AN EVIL SPIRIT.

EVEN THOUGH IT IS SOMETIMES HARD FOR US TO ACCEPT, GOD DOES INDEED USE EVIL ONES TO CARRY OUT HIS WILL.

WE SEE THIS CLEARLY IN PSALM 78:49 AS THE LORD SENT HIS WRATH UPON THOSE DISOBEDIENT:

“HE CAST UPON THEM THE FIERCENESS OF HIS ANGER WRATH, AND INDIGNATION, AND TROUBLE BY SENDING EVIL ANGELS AMONG THEM”.

THE PERSECUTION OF DAVID BY SAUL WAS BEGUN BY HIS JEALOUSY AGAINST DAVID WHEN THE PEOPLE SANG GREATER PRAISE FOR DAVID IN WAR THAN SAUL HIMSELF.

SAUL WAS ANGERED BY THE IDEA THAT DAVID WAS REGARDED HIGHER THAN HIMSELF.

SAUL'S ARMY ALSO HAD HIGH REGARD FOR THE WARRIOR DAVID BECAME (18:13).

SAUL BROUGHT A CONTINUED CAMPAIGN TO RID HIMSELF OF DAVID BOTH INDIRECTLY AND DIRECTLY.

HE OFFERED DAVID A DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE(WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED DAVID TO SHOW STRENGTH & VALOR IN WAR WHICH SAUL HOPED WOULD GET DAVID KILLED). (18:17)

SAUL TRIED TO KILL DAVID HIMELF BY THROWING HIS SPEAR AT DAVID (18:10-12).

FINALLY IN 19:1 SAUL GAVE DIRECT ORDERS FOR DAVID TO BE KILLED.

NOW IN CHAPTER 21 WE SEE DAVID AS A POLITICAL REFUGEE, A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY AND WITHOUT A HOME AS HE IS PERSUED BY SAUL & SAUL'S ARMY TO KILL HIM.

IT IS A PAINFUL TIME OF SEPARATION FOR DAVID, SEPARATED FROM HIS POSITION IN SAUL'S COURT, SEPARATED FROM HIS STRONG & CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH SAUL'S SON, JONATHAN, SEPARATED FROM HIS WIFE, AND FAMILY.

IT IS ALSO A DANGEROUS TIME, WHICH DAVID KNOWS, BUT IT IS ALSO A TIME OF GROWTH & PREPARATION FOR DAVID AND THESE DAYS WILL WELL SERVE HIM LATER WHEN HE IS KING.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT EVEN THOUGH THESE YEARS WERE DANGEROUS FOR DAVID, HE COULD NOT BE KILLED BECAUSE HE WAS THE CHOSEN AND ANNOINTED ONE TO RULE ISRAEL.

AGAIN WE SEE A TYPE OF CHRIST, JUST AS THE JEWISH LEADERS PLOTTED & SCHEMED TO KILL JESUS, EVEN AT TIMES TAKING UP THE STONES TO KILL HIM, HIS LIFE WAS SECURE UNTIL HIS HOUR HAD COME AND HE GAVE IT WILLINGLY.

NO MAN COULD TAKE IT FROM HIM.

AS DAVID FOUND HIMSELF CONSTANTLY ON THE RUN FROM SAUL, HE WAS INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF EPISODES THAT SHOWED JUST HOW DESPERATE A FUGITVE HE BECAME.

FIRST – HE CAME TO NOB TO AHIMELECH THE PRIEST LOOKING FOR BREAD.

HE WITHHELD THE TRUTH FROM THE PRIEST OF HIS SITUATION THINKING THAT IF THE PRIEST DID NOT KNOW THE TRUTH HE COULD NOT REVEAL IT TO SAUL'S MEN.

THE ONLY BREAD THERE WAS THE HOLY SHEW BREAD ON THE ALTAR WHICH DAVID ACCEPTED AS FOOD.

HE ALSO ASKED FOR A WEAPON AGAIN MISLEADING THE PRIEST AS TO WHY HE HAD NO WEAPON HIMSELF, AND THE PRIEST HAD ONLY THE SWORD OF GOLIATH WRAPPED IN CLOTH BEHIND THE ALTAR.

DAVID TOOK IT AS HIS OWN.

UNKNOWN TO DAVID, ONE OF SAUL'S SERVANTS, DOEG, WAS THERE AND REVEALED THESE THINGS TO SAUL.

(MORE ABOUT THAT SHORTLY).

SECOND -

NOW DAVID FLEES TO GATH, AND WAS NOT WARMLY RECEIVED AND FOUND IT NECESSARY TO PRETEND HE WAS INSANE IN ORDER TO ESCAPE.

THIRD-

HIS NEXT MOVE IS TO FLEE TO THE PHILISTINES.

HE FLEES FROM THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE ENEMIES OF GOD.

HE SEEKS REFUGE WITH KING ACHISH.

THINK ABOUT HOW HARD MUST HAVE BEEN THIS MOVE FOR DAVID.

WE KNOW FROM CHAPTER 17 THAT DAVID AND THE ARMY HAD PURSUED THE PHILISTINE ARMY TO THE BORDER OF GATH & EKRON AFTER HE KILLED GOLIATH.

AND HE IS CARRYING GOLIATH'S SWORD.

AFTER THESE EPISODES, DAVID NOW MOVES ONWARD TO THE CAVE OF ADULLAM, SEVERAL MILES WEST OF JERUSALEM & BETHLEHEM.

IT SEEMS TO DAVID THAT HE MAY NOW HAVE FOUND A HIDING PLACE, THAT IS SAFE AND AWAY FROM SAUL.

FROM THIS PLACE HE VENTURES OUT TO THE LAND OF MOAB, ASKING THE KING THERE TO ALLOW HIS PARENTS TO STAY THERE SECURE UNTIL HE IS SURE OF GOD'S PLAN FOR HIM.

IT IS LIKELY THIS REQUEST WAS GRANTED BECAUSE DAVID'S GREAT GRANDMOTHER, RUTH, WAS FROM MOAB ORIGINALLY SO HE HAD FAMILY TIES THERE FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS.

NOW HIS FAMILY IS SECURE DURING THE TIME OF PERSECUTION.

NOW GOD'S PROPHET, GAD, COMES TO DAVID IN THE STRONGHOLD OF THE CAVE AND TELLS HIM HE MUST LEAVE THIS PLACE AND GO TO JUDAH, AND DAVID OBEYS, MOVING TO THE FOREST LAND OF HARETH.

DURING THIS TIME THE SERVANT OF SAUL HAD REPORTED BACK TO SAUL THE EPISODE WITH THE PRIESTS AT THE TIME DAVID SOUGHT BREAD.

SAUL BROUGHT HIS VENGENCE UPON THE PRIESTS FOR THIS ASSISTANCE THEY PROVIDED DAVID IN GIVING HIM BREAD BY MURDERING ALL 85 OF THE LORD'S PRIESTS & THEIR FAMILIES.

DAVID CLEARLY ADMITS IN 22:22 THAT HE IS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MASSACRE.

ALL THESE THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE YEARS OF DAVID'S FLIGHT WERE ON ONE LEVEL VERY DIFFICULT TIMES BUT ON ANOTHER DEEPER LEVEL WERE THINGS THAT WOULD TEACH DAVID THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUSTING IN THE LORD.

THIS IS THE MAIN LESSON OF OUR STUDY SCRIPTURE IN TODAY'S LESSON.

IT IS ALSO THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN DAVID & SAUL.

BOTH CHOSEN BY GOD, BOTH ANNOINTED BY SAMUEL.

BUT IN ALL THINGS, DAVID TRUSTED IN THE LORD AND WHILE HE WAS SHOWN TO BE A MOST SERIOUS SINNER, HE ALSO SHOWED HIS MOST SERIOUS CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE.

BECAUSE OF HIS NEVER ENDING REPENTANCE, HE BECAME A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART.

HEBREWS 11:32-33 TEACHES US THAT THROUGH HIS FAITH, DAVID SUBDUED KINGDOMS, WROUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND OBTAINED PROMISES.

ALL OF THIS SUFFERING AND PERSECUTION GREW DAVID CLOSER TO THE LORD.

THE DELIVERANCE OF DAVID FROM ALL THESE THINGS WAS NOT SIMPLY “GOOD LUCK” OR “HAPPENSTANCE” OR “RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME”.

THE DELIVERANCE OF DAVID WAS BY DESIGN OF THE LORD.

THE LESSONS DAVID LEARNED DURING THESE YEARS WERE ALSO BY DESIGN OF THE LORD.

DAVID LEARNED THESE LESSONS VERY WELL.

HE LEARNED TO LEAN ONLY UPON GOD AND THAT IF HE WAS STEADFAST IN FAITH GOD WOULD DELIVER HIM FROM ALL DANGERS.

DAVID REVEALED THESE LESSONS FOR US IN THE PSALMS HE WROTE.

PSALM 52 – A HISTORICAL TELLING OF DOEG'S REPORT TO SAUL THAT HE HAD SEEN DAVID AT NOB.

PSALM 34 & 56 ARE DAVID'S TIME AT GATH.

PSALM 57 & 142 ARE WRITTEN WHILE DAVID HIDES OUT IN THE CAVE.

DAVID'S WRITINGS IN THE PSALMS PROVIDE US WITH THE POWERFUL LESSONS OF HOW THOSE WHO REMAIN IN FAITH ARE DELIVERED BY THE LORD.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE LESSONS?

1. DELIVERANCE IS DIVINE. GOD IS THE ONE WHO SAVES, THEREFORE HE IS THE ONE TO WHOM WE MUST GO TO FOR DELIVERANCE. PSALMS 34 & 57 & 142 TEACH US THIS LESSON.

GOD IS ALSO THE ONLY ONE WHO SHOULD RECEIVE PRAISE FOR OUR DELIVERANCE FROM LIFE'S DANGERS.

2. GOD IS OUR DELIVERER FROM THOSE WHO SEEK TO HARM US.

PSALMS 56 & 57 TEACH US THAT WHILE DESTRUCTION MAY BE PLANNED BY WICKED MEN, GOD DELIVERS US FROM THE HANDS OF THE WICKED.

3. DIVINE DELIVERANCE IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO LOVE AND TRUST IN THE LORD & CALL UPON HIM FOR SALVATION.

PSALM 56 & 57 & 142 TEACH THAT GOD CARES FOR AND PROTECTS HIS LOVED ONES WHO ARE HIS CHILDREN IN FAITH.

HIS DELIVERANCE IS BY HIS GRACE, NOT FROM OUR OWN MERIT. PSALMS 34 & 56 TEACH THAT HE HAS COMPASSION ON OUR AFFLICTIONS FROM OUR OWN SINFUL WAYS & DELIVERS THOSE WHO REPENT.

4. GOD DELIVERS IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT THANKSGIVING & PRAISE TO HIS GLORY, NOT OURS.

PSALMS 56 & 57 & 142 TEACH THAT OUR DELIVERANCE IS NOT JUST FOR OUR OWN GOOD, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAT HIS GLORY MAY BE SEEN.

(DO WE REMEMBER THE MAN BORN BLIND IN JOHN 9 AND JESUS' APOSTLES ASKED WHO HAD SINNED, HE OR HIS PARENTS, THAT HE WAS BORN BLIND. BUT JESUS SAYS NO – HE WAS BORN BLIND SO THAT THIS MOMENT MIGHT COME TO SHOW YOU THE POWER & GLORY OF GOD)

5. DELIVERANCE IS SO THAT WE MAY BE INSTRUCTED AND TELL OTHERS OF HIS LOVE AND WORK IN OUR LIVES.

PSALM 34 IS WHERE DAVID TEACHES US OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD THAT MUST RESIDE IN OUR FAITH.

6. GOD DELIVERS EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS THAT THE DELIVERANCE IS FROM OTHER MEANS.

PSALM 34 FURTHER TEACHES THAT DAVID KNEW EXACTLY WHERE DELIVERANCE CAME FROM.

7. GOD WORKS THROUGH MEANS THAT APPEAR NORMAL AND HUMAN BUT ARE NOT.

PSALM 34 ALLOWS US TO SEE THAT ALL THINGS HUMAN ARE UNDER HIS WILL AND THAT HIS WILL IS COMPLETELY GUIDING HUMAN EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDE OUR DELIVERANCE.

LATER IN 2ND SAMUEL WE WILL SEE THAT THE MAN CHOSEN BY GOD TO BUILD HIS TEMPLE WAS THE RESULT OF THE ADULTEROUS AFFAIR DAVID CONDUCTED WITH BATHSEBA, AND ALSO RESULTED IN THE MURDER OF URIAH, HER HUSBAND, DUE TO DAVID'S ORDER.   ALL DESIGNED BY GOD.

8. GOD DELIVERS FROM CIRCUMSTANCE THAT OFTEN SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE FOR US.

 PSALM 142 TEACHES US THAT GOD ALLOWS SUCH SITUATIONS TO OCCUR SO THAT WHEN DELIVERANCE ARRIVES, WE KNOW IT WAS ONLY BY HIS HAND.

9. GOD DELIVERS US IN A WAY THAT BRINGS US TO HUMILITY.

GOD'S RESCUE OF DAVID WAS NOT TO BUILD UP DAVID'S EGO. DAVID WAS STARVING, & GOD SHOWED HIM BREAD.

DAVID WAS UNARMED AND GOD TOOK HIM TO THE PLACE WHERE THE SWORD OF GOLIATH WAS KEPT.

DAVID HAD NO PLACE TO GO AND GOD SHOWED HIM A CAVE TO LIVE IN.

ALL THESE THINGS HUMBLED DAVID AND TAUGHT HIM THAT WHILE HE WAS IN THE MOST DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE SHOULD TURN ONLY TO THE LORD.

DO WE RECALL HOW WE LEARNED RECENTLY IN ACTS THAT THERE IS NO OTHER NAME BY WHICH SALVATION IN GIVEN?

FINALLY TO SHOW JUST HOW POWERFUL THESE LESSONS WERE, WE SEE IN MATTHEW 12 THAT JESUS HIMSELF USED THE EXAMPLE OF DAVID WHEN THE PHARISEES WERE CRITICAL OF HIS APOSTLES PICKING A BIT OF CORN TO EAT ON THE SABBATH.

JESUS TAUGHT THE PHARISEES FROM THIER OWN SCRIPTURE THAT DAVID, WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY ENTERED THE HOUSE OF GOD AND ATE THE CONSECRATED BREAD WHICH WAS NOT LAWFUL.

THEN HE TAUGHT THEM THAT SOMETHING GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE IS HERE AND THAT THE SON OF MAN IS LORD OF THE SABBATH.

LIKE DAVID, WE ARE CONDEMNED BY OUR OWN SIN. BUT DAVID TAUGHT US THAT WHILE SIN IS EVER WITH US, HIS LESSON OF CONFESSION (FOUND SO WONDERFULLY IN PSALM 51) AND FULL REPENTANCE BRINGS FORGIVENESS IF WE ARE SURE IN FAITH.

DAVID GREATLY HONORS KING SAUL TWICE IN OUR STUDY CHAPTERS, BOTH IN CHAPTER 24 & 26.

IN 24 SAUL AND HIS ARMY, AFTER A BATTLE WITH THE PHILISTINES, SOUGHT TO FIND DAVID SO THAT SAUL COULD CAPTURE AND KILL HIM.

DURING THIS HUNT, SAUL NEEDED A PERSONAL MOMENT WHICH SCRIPTURE IN VERSE 24:3 SAYS WAS TO “COVER HIS FEET”, A POLITE WAY TO SAY HE NEEDED TO USE THE REST ROOM.

HE ENTERED THE VERY CAVE DAVID AND HIS MEN WERE HIDING.

HERE WAS A PERFECT CHANCE FOR DAVID TO KILL SAUL IN RETALIATION.

HE SNUCK BEHIND SAUL, DREW HIS DAGGER, AND CUT SAUL’S CLOTHING INSTEAD OF HIS THROAT, SHOWING MERCY ON THE MAN WHO WAS TRYING SO HARD TO TAKE HIS LIFE.

IN VERSE 10 WE ARE TOLD THAT DAVID’S REASON WAS THAT SAUL WAS THE LORD’S ANOINTED.

DAVID SHOWED THE FABRIC TO SAUL IN 12-15 AND SAUL WAS MOVED TO TEARS AND HE TOLD DAVID THAT HE KNEW DAVID WAS MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN HE WAS.

HE SAID HE KNEW DAVID WOULD BE KING AND ASKED DAVID NOT TO DESTROY HIS FAMILY AND DAVID AGREED.

IN CHAPTER 26 DAVID ENTERED SAUL’S CAMP IN THE NIGHT AND STOOD OVER SAUL AS HE SLEPT. INSTEAD OF KILLING SAUL, DAVID TOOK HIS SPEAR & WATER PITCHER.

GOD HAD PUT A “DEEP SLEEP” OVER THE CAMP TO COVER DAVID’S SECRET ENTRY.

SAUL WAS SLEEPING WHILE DAVID WALKED INTO HIS CAMP WITHOUT CHALLENGE. ANOTHER MOMENT ARRANGED BY GOD.

SADLY IN CHAPTER 25 SAMUEL DIED AND THE GRIEF WAS POWERFUL IN ISRAEL, BUT DAVID WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND HIS FUNERAL SO AS NOT TO EXPOSE HIMSELF AT THAT TIME.

GOD HAS DELIVERED DAVID MANY TIMES, SECURING THE LIFE AND KINGDOM TO COME OF HIS CHOSEN SERVANT ALREADY ANOINTED AND PREPARING TO RULE THE NATION.

THE RETRIBUTION ON SAUL WILL COME IN CHAPTER 31, AND WILL BE A GREAT LESSON FOR US AS TO HOW THE LORD ARRANGES EACH AND EVERY EVENT TO SUIT HIS PURPOSE.

1 Samuel 27-30: Equal Parts

AS WE BEGIN THIS STUDY STOP, DAVID, THE NEXT KING, WAS IN DESPAIR.

SAUL HAD STOPPED TRYING TO TRACK AND CAPTURE DAVID TO KILL HIM BUT DAVID FELT SURELY THE DRAMA WAS NOT ENDED.

STRANGELY, DAVID DECIDED TO FLEE JUDAH IN ISRAEL AND GO TO ISRAEL’S ENEMY TERRITORY, THAT OF THE PHILISTINES.

IN THIS DECISION, DAVID DID NOT SEEK GOD’S COUNSEL WHICH WAS A SERIOUS LAPSE OF FAITH BY THIS ONE CHOSEN OF GOD.

IN CHAPTER 21 DAVID HAD SOUGHT REFUGE THERE AND HAD TO ACT AS A MADMAN TO STAY THERE.

GOD SENT HIS PROPHET, GAD, TO TELL DAVID NOT TO REMAIN WHERE HE HAD JUST ARRIVED, BUT DAVID DID NOT OBEY.

THE PHILISTINE KING, ACHISH, ALLOWED DAVID AND HIS MEN TO STAY AMONG THIS ENEMY’S TERRITORY, SETTLING IN THE TOWN OF ZIKLAG.

DAVID WAS SURELY IN A MESS BECAUSE THE PHILISTINES WERE CONTINUING TO WAR AGAINST ISRAEL, AND CLEARLY DAVID AND HIS MEN AT SOME POINT MAY HAVE TO FIGHT AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLE.

THE PRINCES OF KING ACHISH DID NOT TRUST DAVID AND BY GOD’S WILL, DAVID WAS DISMISSED AND SENT BACK TO HIS NEW ADOPTED CITY.

WHILE DAVID AND HIS MEN HAD BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE KING, THE ANCIENT ENEMY OF ISRAEL, THE AMALEKITES, ATTACKED ZIKLAG, DESTROYING IT EASILY AS NO MEN WERE THERE TO DEFEND IT.

DAVID AND HIS MEN LOST THEIR WIVES, CHILDREN, AND ALL LIVESTOCK.

DAVID’S MEN QUICKLY RECOGNIZED DAVID’S MISTAKE OF LEADERSHIP AND SPOKE OF STONING DAVID

DAVID HAD LEARNED HIS TERRIBLE LESSON, AND NOW HE DID SEEK GOD’S WILL, THROUGH ABIATHAR, A PRIEST, WHO TOLD DAVID TO BEGIN THE COUNTER ATTACK AND THAT HE WOULD RECOVER ALL HE HAD LOST.

THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS KEPT AND THE BATTLE TO RECOVER ALL THAT HAD BEEN LOST WAS WAGED AND WAS SUCCESSFUL.

THE LESSON WAS NOT LOST ON DAVID, AND HE RELEARNED WHERE HIS TRUE LOYALTY SHOULD BE CENTERED, ON GOD AND HIS WILL.

IN CHAPTER 28 THE CONTINUED WAR BETWEEN THE PHILISTINES AND ISRAEL WAS SET TO CONTINUE.

THE PHILISTINE KING ASKED DAVID AND HIS MEN TO SIDE WITH THE PHILISTINES IN THE WAR, AND DAVID GAVE A VAGUE & AWKWARD ANSWER, WHICH WAS NOT “NO” NOR WAS IT “YES”.

THE REST OF CHAPTER 28 DETAILS THE ISSUES FACED BY KING SAUL AS HE TRIED TO PREPARE FOR THE WARFARE THAT SEEMED NEVER ENDING.

28:3 MENTIONS AGAIN THE DEATH OF SAMUEL, GOD’S PROPHET, AS WELL AS REVEALING THAT SAUL HAD BANISHED FROM ISRAEL ALL WITCHES, AND THOSE WHO PRACTICED THE DARK ARTS, KNOWN AS FAMILIAR SPIRITS.

THESE WERE CONSIDERED AN ABOMINATION TO GOD ALL THE WAY BACK IN DEUTERONOMY 18 & LEVITICUS 19 & 20.

SAUL SOUGHT THE WISDOM OF THE LORD IN THE COMING BATTLE BUT WE ARE TOLD IN 28:6 THAT THE LORD ANSWERED HIM NOT.

WE NOTE ONCE MORE THAT THIS ANSWER BROUGHT NO REPENTANCE OR CONFESSION FROM SAUL.

GOD STILL AWAITED HUMILITY FROM SAUL AND SAUL GAVE NONE.

SAUL REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM HIS PEOPLE OF WHERE HE COULD FIND ONE THAT WOULD PROVIDE A FORECAST OF THE FUTURE IN THE BATTLE, A WITCH, A DIVINER, A FAMILIAR SPIRIT, ONE WHO HE HAD HIMSELF BANISHED.

HE WAS GIVEN THE INFORMATION HE SOUGHT, DISGUISED HIMSELF, AND IN THE DARK OF NIGHT VISITED THIS WOMAN WHO IS DESCRIBED TO US AS “THE WITCH OF ENDOR”.

1ST CHRONICLES 10 TEACHES US THAT SAUL’S DEATH WAS CAUSED BY HIS SEEKING AND USING THIS FORBIDDEN WOMAN.

IN VERSE 11, AFTER RECEIVING PROMISES FROM SAUL THAT HE WOULD DO HER NO HARM, THE WOMAN ASKED A MOST SERIOUS QUESTION:

“… whom shall I bring up unto thee?”

VERSES 12 & 13 TEACH US THAT THE SPIRIT OF SAMUEL HIMSELF WAS RAISED TO SPEAK WITH SAUL.

THE AGE OLD QUESTION IS WHETHER ANY WITCH HAS SUCH POWER TO RAISE THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD.

VERSE 12 STATES THAT WHEN THE WOMAN SAW SAMUEL, SHE HAD SHOCK AND FEAR AT HIS APPEARING, SUGGESTING THAT HIS ARRIVAL WAS UNEXPECTED BY HER.

MOST EARLIER BIBLE SCHOLARS SEEM TO BE OF THE OPINION THAT SUCH POWER IS RESERVED TO GOD ONLY AND THIS IS WHY GOD HAS LONG FORBIDDEN HIS PEOPLE TO INQUIRE OF SUCH PEOPLE AS THEY

COULD ONLY DECEIVE THOSE WHO SEEK THEM.

THE MAIN QUESTION FOR US IS NOT ACTUALLY WHO RAISED SAMUEL BUT THAT SAUL WAS SO FAR GONE INTO INSANITY THAT HE WOULD SEEK ANSWERS FROM SUCH A ONE & NOT OF GOD WITH REPENTANCE & CONTRITION.

SAMUEL TOLD SAUL THAT HE AND HIS SONS, WOULD DIE THE NEXT DAY.   

THAT PREDICTION WILL COME TRUE IN CHAPTER 31, OUR NEXT STUDY STOP.

CHAPTER 30 IS FOCUSED ON THE SITUATION IN THE CAMP THAT DAVID HAD LEFT UNGUARDED AT ZIKLAG AND ENEMY TROOPS ATTACKED IT, BUT DID NOT KILL THE PEOPLE OR THE LIVESTOCK.

THESE AMALEKITES WHO ATTACKED WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO SO HAD SAUL COMPLETELY DESTROYED THEM AS COMMANDED BY GOD IN CHAPTER 15.

CLEARLY SOME ESCAPED SAUL AND HAD REBUILT STRENGTH TO BE ABLE TO ATTACK DAVID’S TOWN.

THE PHILISTINES HAD ONCE AGAIN REFUSED TO ALLOW DAVID AND HIS MEN TO FIGHT WITH THEM AGAINST ISRAEL, DISMISSING THEM BACK TO THEIR TOWN WHERE THEY FOUND THE TOWN BURNING.

WE MUST NOTE THAT GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL WAS HARD AT WORK IN THIS MOMENT.

IN THE BATTLE TO COME BETWEEN THE PHILISTINES & ISRAEL, COMMANDED BY SAUL, THE LORD ARRANGED BOTH THAT DAVID AND HIS MEN WOULD BE DISMISSED FROM FIGHTING AGAINST ISRAEL AS WELL AS BEING ABLE, AFTER DAVID INQUIRED OF GOD, TO RECOVER ALL THEY LOST.

DO WE REMEMBER THAT DAVID HAD EXPERIENCED TWO MOMENTS OF BEING CLOSE ENOUGH TO KILL SAUL AND REFUSED BOTH TIMES, AS DAVID SAW SAUL AS GOD’S ORDAINED & ANOINTED ONE.

HOW WOULD IT HAVE LOOKED TO ALL OF ISRAEL IF DAVID HAD A HAND IN KILLING ISRAELIS AND THEIR KING?

GOD WAS HARD AT WORK TO SHIELD DAVID FROM SUCH ISSUES.

CHAPTER 30, VERSES 11-20, SHOW GOD’S PROVIDENCE STILL WORKING.

DAVID FOUND AN EGYPTIAN STRANGER WHOM HE HELPED AND THIS MAN WAS ABLE TO POINT OUT WHERE THE AMALEKITES HAD CAMPED.

THIS MAN WAS A SLAVE TO THE VERY AMALEKITES DAVID WAS SEEKING.

DAVID WAS ABLE TO SAVE THE MAN’S LIFE AS WELL AS HIS FAMILY IN THE ATTACK TO COME.

DAVID’S KINDNESS WAS CLEARLY PLEASING TO GOD WHO HAD PLACED THIS MAN IN DAVID’S PATH.

WHEN DAVID AND HIS MEN FOUND THE AMALEKITES, THEY WERE INTOXICATED AND WERE DESTROYED BY DAVID, CAPTURING MUCH SPOILS AS WELL AS RECOVERING ALL THEIR PEOPLE UNHARMED.

A PORTION OF DAVID’S MEN HAD BEEN TIRED BEYOND BATTLE AND HAD REMAINED BEHIND GUARDING SUPPLIES & RESTING.

SOME OF DAVID’S MEN WHO HAD ENTERED THE BATTLE WERE STRONGLY UNWILLING TO SHARE THE SPOILS WITH THESE MEN BUT DAVID COMMANDED OTHERWISE.

DAVID DECREED THAT THE SHARE FOR ALL MEN WOULD BE EQUAL, WHETHER SOME HAD FOUGHT AND OTHERS HAD STAYED BEHIND GUARDING SUPPLIES.

DAVID REMINDED HIS FIGHTERS THAT THEY HAD BEEN BLESSED BY GOD TO REMAIN ALIVE IN THE BATTLE.

IN 30:25 DAVID TURNED THIS PRINCIPLE INTO LAW FOR THE FUTURE, KNOWN AS “EQUAL PARTS” AND WHEN THEY RETURNED TO ZIKLAG, DAVID SHARED THE SPOILS WITH THE MEN AS WELL AS OTHER CITIES IN JUDAH.

A COMMON THREAD RUNS THROUGH ALL OF CHAPTER 30.

FIRST, DAVID WITH THE EQYPTIAN MAN, AND THEN DAVID AND THE MEN TOO FATIGUED TO FIGHT, AND FINALLY WITH DAVID AND OTHER CITIES IN JUDAH.

IN ALL THREE INSTANCES, DAVID SHOWED MERCY, GRACE, AND LOVE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE SURELY DESERVED IT.

WHY WAS HE READY TO DO THESE THINGS?

BECAUSE GOD HAD DONE THESE VERY THINGS TO HIM.

HERE GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE CONTINUED THE CHANGE NEEDED IN THE HEART OF DAVID FURTHER PREPARING HIM EVEN MORE TO BE THE KING GOD INTENDED HIM TO BE.

ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL LESSONS ON DISPLAY FROM THOSE WHO GOD HAS SAVED IS HOW THEY TREAT OTHERS.

JESUS SPOKE ON THIS VERY ISSUE IN JOHN 13:35 TEACHING HIS APOSTLES THAT THEY WERE TO LOVE OTHERS AS HE HAD LOVED THEM.

HE WAS SPEAKING OF AGAPE, THE DIVINE LOVE THAT SEEKS NOTHING IN RETURN.

1000 YEARS BEFORE JESUS DAVID WAS LEARNING OF SUCH LOVE.

AND 1000 YEARS BEFORE PAUL THIS SHARING BY DAVID WAS FOUND IN THE WRITINGS OF PAUL IN 1ST COR 12, WHERE HE EXPANDED THIS THOUGHT BEGUN BY DAVID TO INCLUDE ALL PARTS OF THE BODY OF THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST BEING EQUALLY NECESSARY.

PAUL SAID THE BODY HAS MANY PARTS, AND ARE SO CONNECTED THAT THE BODY NEEDS THEM ALL TO LIVE AND WORK PROPERLY, AND EACH PART IS EQUAL TO OTHERS AND ALL ARE IMPORTANT TO THE WORK OF CHRIST.

THE FINAL CHAPTER OF 1ST SAMUEL, CHAPTER 31, OUR FINAL STUDY STOP IN THIS IMPORTANT OLD TESTAMENT LESSON, BRINGS TO AN END THE TRAGIC STORY OF SAUL.

IT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR DAVID TO ASCEND TO THE THRONE AND THE FINAL BATTLE OF MOUNT GILBOA DISPLAYS GOD TEARING THE KINGDOM FROM SAUL.

THE DAY IS FULL OF TRAGEDY, BUT NO SURPRISES BECAUSE IT IS THE FINAL RESULTS OF SAUL’S LIFE OF DISOBEDIENCE AND IT FULFILLS THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET SAMUEL WHEN HE WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD IN SAUL’S PRESENCE.

THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD WAS STILL WORKING DURING THIS BATTLE AND WE WILL SEE IN 2ND SAMUEL WHAT ARE CALLED THE GOLDEN YEARS OF ISRAEL AS DAVID RULES THE NATION UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE LORD.

1 Samuel 31: Judgment for Saul’s Transgressions

1ST SAMUEL 31 & 2ND SAMUEL 4 & 1ST CHRONICLES 10

DAVID WAS IN GREAT DISTRESS OVER THE HORROR STORY OF THE AMALEKITE ATTACK ON ZIKLAG WHICH DAVID HAD LEFT UNGUARDED WHILE HE CONNIVED WITH ISRAEL’S GREATEST ENEMY, THE PHILISTINES.

HE REALIZED HIS ERROR IN NOT SEEKING THE LORD’S COUNSEL AND ALL HIS FAMILY AND THE FAMILIES OF HIS MEN WERE LOST, TAKEN PRISONER, AND THEIR TOWN BURNED.

DAVID’S MEN WERE SO ANGRY AT HIS LAPSE OF LEADERSHIP AND FAITH, THAT THEY THREATENED TO STONE DAVID.

CERTAINLY HE CAME TO HIS SENSES, SOUGHT THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD WHO TOLD HIM TO PURSUE THE AMALEKITES AND OVERTAKE THEM AND HE WOULD RECOVER THOSE TAKEN.

THE COMING FIERCE BATTLE BETWEEN THE PHILISTINES AND ISRAEL WAS QUICKLY BEGINNING.

SAUL HAD COMMITTED ONE OF HIS GREATEST SINS BY VISITING A WITCH TO DETERMINE THE NEXT STEP.

THE SOUL OF SAMUEL HIMSELF WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY GOD TO ASSURE THAT SAUL RECEIVED THE MESSAGE THAT HE AND HIS SONS WERE TO JOIN SAMUEL IN DEATH THE NEXT DAY IN BATTLE.

DAVID AND HIS MEN SEEMED TO BE READY TO FIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE PHILISTINES BEFORE THIS BATTLE BUT THE LORD ARRANGED THE ATTACK ON DAVID’S TOWN TO OCCUPY DAVID AND HIS MEN SUCH THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE A PART OF THIS MOMENT OF WAR.

IN CHAPTER 31, SAUL AND HIS FORCES WERE STRONGLY DEFEATED, JUST AS SAMUEL HAD WARNED, AND SAUL AND 3 OF HIS 4 SONS LOST THEIR LIVES.

THE LORD HAD FORSAKEN SAUL, AND HE WAS HEADING TO RUIN AS HE ENTERED THE BATTLE.

THE LORD WAS WITH DAVID AS HE WAS MADE TO AVOID THE BATTLE AND THE PATHWAY WOULD BE CLEARED FOR HIM TO BECOME KING, AS GOD HAD INTENDED SINCE SAMUEL HAD ANOINTED HIM OUT OF THE SHEEPFOLD.

THE END WAS FORETOLD BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE AND THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD WAS ACTIVE AND MOVING AMONG HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

DURING THE BATTLE, SAUL WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED BY THE ARCHERS OF THE PHILISTINES AS THE ENEMY WAS QUICKLY VICTORIOUS OVER ISRAEL.

MANY LIVES WERE LOST THAT DAY, INCLUDING DAVID’S BEST FRIEND JONATHAN.

AFTER BEING WOUNDED, SAUL ASKED HIS ARMOR BEARER TO END HIS LIFE SO THAT HE WOULD NOT BE CAPTURED AND MADE AN EXAMPLE OF BY THE PHILISTINES EXACTLY AS THEY HAD DONE TO SAMSON IN AN EARLIER TIME.

THE MAN REFUSED THE COMMAND AND SAUL TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HAND, FALLING ON HIS SWORD TO END HIS LIFE.

SEEING THAT ACT, THE ARMOR BEARER DID THE SAME.

THESE WERE VERY DARK TIMES FOR ISRAEL IN THAT THE KING, THREE PRINCES, AND LIKELY THOUSANDS OF THE ARMY OF ISRAEL ALL DIED THAT DAY.

WHEN DEFEAT WAS CLEARLY OBVIOUS, ISRAEL ABANDONED THE FIGHT AND NEARBY CITIES WHICH WERE THEN TAKEN AND INHABITED BY THE PHILISTINES.

SAUL’S BODY, AS WELL AS THE BODY OF THE SONS WAS NOT RETRIEVED FROM THE BATTLEFIELD.

THE PHILISTINES FOUND THE BODIES, AND REMOVED THE HEAD OF SAUL AND HIS ARMOR, DISPLAYING HIS HEAD AMONG THEIR PEOPLE, NAILING HIS BODY TO A WALL TO DISPLAY, AND TOOK HIS ARMOR INTO THE SHRINE OF THEIR FEMALE FALSE GOD, ASHTEROTH.

THESE LOSSES AND DESECRATIONS WAS THE FINAL ACT OF GOD’S JUDGMENT ON SAUL’S KINGDOM AND A FULL FULFILLING OF THE PROPHECY OF SAMUEL WHEN HE HAD BEEN RAISED.

THIS DEATH WOULD SOON BRING A NEW MONARCH WHICH WAS DAVID, THE PEOPLE LOST THE KING THEY INSISTED THEY WISHED, AND GOD ARRANGED ALL EVENTS TO INITIATE THE KINGDOM HE HAD TOLD SAMUEL WAS COMING AFTER HE REJECTED SAUL.

IN 1ST SAMUEL 31:11-13 (ALSO RECORDED IN 1ST CHRONICLES 10:11-14)

WE SEE A MOST INTERESTING EVENT RECORDED.

VALIANT MEN FROM THE PEOPLE OF JABESH-GILEAD JOURNEYED IN SECRET OVER 15 MILES AROUND THE LINES OF THE PHILISTINES TO RECOVER THE BODIES OF SAUL AND HIS SONS.

THEY BROUGHT THESE BODIES BACK AND BURNED THEM AND THEN BURIED THE BONES IN A SOLEMN EFFORT.

WHY DID THESE VALIANT MEN MAKE THIS DECISION?

FORTY YEARS EARLIER, AS WE SAW IN CHAPTER 11, THE AMMONITES HAD THREATENED THESE PEOPLE AND HAD SAID PEACE COULD COME IF EVERY MAN WAS WILLING TO HAVE HIS RIGHT EYE REMOVED TO SHOW SUBMISSION.

WORD WAS SENT TO KING SAUL AND HE ARRANGED THE ARMY OF ISRAEL TO QUICKLY DEFEND THESE PEOPLE AGAINST THE AMMONITES AND DESTROYED ALMOST EVERY AMMONITE MAN WHO HAD THREATENED THESE PEOPLE.

THEY HAD NOT FORGOTTEN WHAT SAUL HAD DONE FOR THEM AND THEY RISKED THEIR LIVES TO GIVE HIM AND HIS SONS AN HONEST BURIAL.

DAVID PRAISED THIS EVENT AND LATER MOVED THE BONES TO A TOMB NEARER HIS OWN AREA.

SAUL’S DEATH TECHICALLY ENDED THE BOOK OF 1ST SAMUEL.

SAUL WAS THE FIRST KING.

GOD GAVE HIM ALL THINGS NEEDED TO SUCCEED IF HE HAD UNDERSTOOD THAT HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE WERE THE KEYS TO HIS RELATION WITH THE LORD.

HIS DISOBEDIENCE, PRIDE, JEALOUSY, AND LACK OF EVER REPENTING LED HIM FURTHER DOWN A DARK ROAD THAT ENDED ACTUALLY IN THE HOME OF A WITCH.

ONE DAY LATER SAUL WAS DEAD.

THE STORY WAS NOT OVER WHATSOEVER.

GOD WAS STILL IN CONTROL OF ALL EVENTS AND WORKING ALL THINGS FOR HIS OWN PURPOSE.

FOR YEARS GOD USED DAVID’S TRIALS TO TRAIN HIM AND PREPARE HIM FOR THIS TIME THAT GOD KNEW ALL ALONG WAS COMING.

THE ROAD WAS NOW OPEN TO BEGIN THE DYNASTY OF DAVID, CONSIDERED THE MOST GOLDEN YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL, AND ARRANGING THE 42 GENERATIONS WE STUDY IN THE BEGINNING OF MATTHEW’S GOSPEL.

REMEMBER THAT IN THE HEBREW BIBLE, THE BOOKS OF 1ST & 2ND SAMUEL WERE ALWAYS AND STILL ARE ONE BOOK.

AFTER RETURNING TO ZIKLAG, A MAN APPEARED AND SAID HE HAD HIMSELF PUT SAUL TO DEATH AS SAUL REQUESTED. HE EVEN HAD SAUL’S CROWN & BRACELET WHICH HE WAS BRINGING TO DAVID.

ALL REPORTS AND ALL SCRIPTURE WE HAVE NEVER MENTIONS SUCH A MOMENT AND DAVID CONSIDERED THIS MAN, AN AMALEKITE, TO BE A SCAVENGER, FROM THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HAD CAPTURED THE FAMILIES OF DAVID AND HIS MEN AND BURNED THEIR CITY.

DAVID ORDERED THE MAN EXECUTED.

IN DAVID’S TIME OF LAMENT & GRIEF, HE WROTE A SONG MORE PRAISING JONATHAN THAN SAUL AND COMMANDED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO LEARN IT FROM THAT TIME FORWARD.

IT WAS RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF JASHER, A BOOK OF JEWISH HERO VERSES AND POETRY.

DAVID NEXT INQUIRED OF GOD HIS NEXT MOVE, HAVING LEARNED HIS LESSON WELL AND WAS TOLD TO GO TO HEBRON.

THERE HE DID NOT PROCLAIM HIMSELF KING, BUT THE MEN OF JUDAH CAME TO HIM AND NAMED HIM THEIR KING, RECOGNIZING THAT GOD WAS WITH DAVID AND WAS GUIDING HIS LEADERSHIP.

IN 2ND SAMUEL 2 VERSE 7 DAVID ENCOURAGED SAUL’S BIGGEST SUPPORTERS TO JOIN HIM.

SADLY, THESE MEN AND THE REST OF ISRAEL WOULD WAR AGAINST DAVID FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS BEFORE DAVID FINALLY BECAME KING OVER ALL ISRAEL.

ONE MAN, ABNER, LED THE EFFORTS AGAINST DAVID BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS HARD FEELINGS.

THE CIVIL WAR WAS A DIFFICUT TIME AND FINALLY AFTER MUCH FIGHTING AND MANY DEATHS, ABNER AND JOAB, DAVID’S CAPTAIN, CAME TO A TRUCE AFTER ABNER CONTINUED TO CLAIM THAT ISHBOSHETH, SAUL’S SON WAS KING OF ISRAEL.

ABNER, SAUL’S BROTHER, USED ISHBOSHETH TO APPEAR TO BE KING BUT ABNER EXERCISED ROYAL POWER.

ABNER WAS ACCUSED BY ISHBOSHETH OF TREASON AND ABNER DECIDED TO WORK AGAINST ISHBOSHETH AND TO BECOME LOYAL TO DAVID TO UNIFY THE KINGDOMS UNDER ONE RULER.

AS ABNER SOUGHT TO MAKE POLITICAL PEACE, HE WAS MURDERED BY JOAB, DAVID’S CAPTAIN IN HEBRON, VIOLATING THE LAW BECAUSE HEBRON WAS A CITY OF REFUGE.

IN 2ND SAMUEL 3, VERSE 31, DAVID ATTENDED THE FUNERAL OF ABNER AND HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME WE SEE THE WORDS “KING DAVID” WRITTEN.

DAVID DID NOTHING TO PUNISH JOAB FOR HIS CRIME.

INSTEAD HE ASKED GOD TO “REWARD THE DOER OF EVIL ACCORDING TO HIS WICKEDNESS”. (2ND SAMUEL 3:39)

ISHBOSHETH WAS MURDERED BY HIS OWN GENERALS WHO CAME TO SHOW DAVID THE HEAD OF THAT KING AND WERE EXECUTED BY DAVID FOR THEIR ACTIONS, CUTTING OFF THEIR HANDS AND FEET.

ONE LAST MATTER WAS THE YOUNG BOY NAMED MEPHIBOSHETH, A SON OF JONATHAN, WHO HAD BEEN CRIPPLED EARLY IN LIFE.

HE WILL APPEAR LATER IN THE COURT OF KING DAVID IN OUR NEXT STUDY OF 2ND SAMUEL.

OUR LESSON HERE AFTER ALL THESE EVENTS IS THAT SAUL WANTED TO BE GREAT NOT IN SERVING THE LORD WHO HAD ALLOWED HIS ANOINTING, BUT IN HIS UNWILLINGNESS TO OBEY, BEGAN HIS OWN DOWNFALL IN THE EYES OF GOD.

HE BECAME JEALOUS OF HIS RIVAL, DAVID, WHO NEVER WISHED TO BE HIS RIVAL AND CAREFULLY AVOIDED DOING SAUL ANY HARM.

SAUL WOULD NOT SUBMIT HIMSELF NOR HUMBLE HIMSELF SPIRITUALLY BEFORE THE LORD.

1000 YEARS LATER, JESUS SPOKE INDIRECTLY ON THIS MATTER SAYING THAT THOSE WHO WISH TO BE GREAT IN THE KINGDOM MUST BE A SERVANT. (MATT 18:4 & 23:11).

SAUL NEVER UNDERSTOOD THIS LESSON AND IT COST HIM HIS CROWN AND HIS LIFE.

OUR NEXT STUDY STOP IN SAMUEL WILL FIND DAVID RULING OVER ALL OF JUDAH AND ALL OF ISRAEL, UNIFYING THE NATION.

HE WILL CAPTURE JERUSALEM AND RENDER A MAJOR DEFEAT OVER THE PHILISTINES AS THE GOLDEN YEARS OF DAVID BEGIN.

HIS COVENANT THAT GOD ARRANGED WITH DAVID STILL IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND WE ARE TOLD IT IS ETERNAL AND THAT THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO RAISE DAVID TO HELP RULE THE 1,000 YEAR KINGDOM WHEN JESUS RETURNS.