1 Samuel 9-15

1 Samuel 9-10 – Saul Anointed as King

The Israelites wanted a king and God gave them what they wanted.  God chose Saul to be their king.  He was much taller than other men so he would look good when he led an army to war.  Saul’s father, Kish was an important man with wealth and power.  He owned valuable donkeys.  One day the donkeys wandered away so Saul and his servant spent 3 days looking for them.  They went to see the “seer”, which was Samuel in hopes he could help them find the donkeys.  A seer is another name for a prophet.  Prophets could understand what God said and they spoke God’s word to the people. 

This meeting was not a coincidence, but was planned by God.  God told Samuel about Saul and planned for them to meet.  Saul asked Samuel about the donkeys.  Samuel prophesied about the donkeys and told him to stay and hear more from God.  Samuel dealt with Saul as a man who deserves honor.  He had him sit in the most important place and gave him special meat to eat.  Saul stayed at Samuel’s house that night.  God showed Samuel who the people’s king would be and the donkeys. 

Samuel anointed Saul and told him that God anointed him and chose him as leader.  Samuel told Saul 3 things would happen to him on his way home.  This would show him that God had chosen him.  When these things happened, Saul would know Samuel’s words were true and that God was with him.  Then the Spirit of God changed him.  Saul started to prophesy and the people were surprised. 

Samuel called the people together and gave them their king that God had chosen.  Samuel reminded the people that they had refused the Lord as their king.  When they saw Saul they were very happy.  Samuel explained their king wouldn’t be like kings of other nations.  Their king had to lead in the proper way and had rights and duties.  God also had rules for a king.

Are you looking for something right now? 

Whose word will you trust?

Is Jesus your King?

Not everyone was a supporter of Saul, but God puts all government leaders in places of authority for His purposes.  We should respect those in office and pray for them whether we support them and their ideas or not.

Principle:  God puts all government leaders in places of authority for His purposes.

1 Samuel 11-12 – Saul Confirmed as King

The people of the city of Jabesh wanted to surrender and make a treaty with the Ammonites, but the Ammoinites would have nothing to do with that.  They wanted to gouge out the people’s right eye to humiliate the men of the city making them look weak.  It would also make them unable to fight effectively.  Saul required every man to fight, but they were afraid.  When Saul heard this, the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he burned with anger.  So Saul took oxen, cut them into pieces, and scattered the pieces across Israel.  He did this as a warning to those who didn’t follow him.  The people where filled with terror so they followed Saul.  Then Saul and his army went to the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them.

After Saul had rescued the town of Jabesh, the people declared Saul as their king and no one opposed him.  Saul was declared as king on 3 different occasions.  First Samuel anointed him with oil (10:1).  Then God chose Saul from all of Israel (10:17-25). Then the people went to the holy place and everyone knew God gave Saul to them as king. (11:14-15)

Samuel told the people now they have a king just as they wanted.  Samuel was old and gray and had been their leader from his youth.  He had been a good leader.  He was honest and fair and the people could trust him.  Samuel had warned them about having a king.  He led them in the way God wanted and now God chose and anointed Saul as king.  Samuel reminded them of the past that God had given them all they needed.  He rescued them from their enemies.  He had chosen leaders for them who led in battles and had been successful and won their battles.  He reminded them they had stopped worshiping God at times and worshipped idols instead and God letting their enemies defeat them.  When they disobeyed God, they were punished.  If they did it in the future, He would punish them again.  Samuel was stepping aside as their leader, but would continue to serve and pray for them.

Principle: God’s people never outgrow the responsibility to serve Him and His people.

1 Samuel 13-15 – Saul Rejected as King

Israelite soldiers under Saul’s son Jonathan attacked a group of Philistines.  Saul knew this attack would lead to war so he gathered additional soldiers.  Saul was told by Samuel to go to Gilgal and wait 7 days for Samuel to come and offer sacrifices which would seek the Lord’s blessing before they went into battle.  It was important for Saul to wait, because only Samuel was authorized to perform sacrifices.   As Saul saw some of his soldiers deserting, he panicked and became impatient.  Saul was disobedient and didn’t wait.  He performed the sacrifices himself. 

When Samuel arrived and saw what Saul had done, Saul chose to blame others.  Saul failed to follow God and acted on his own in willful disobedience against God’s specific command.  Saul would suffer the consequences.  His kingdom would not endure.  If he had been obedient, God would have established his future kingdom.

Like Saul we don’t always understand all of God’s Word, but we should obey and trust His plans.  We should wait on God and His timing, because He always knows best although we may not see it right away.

When have you surrendered to impatience instead of waiting on the Lord?

When have you trusted God’s timing?

The army had only 600 men left and they were without swords.  Only Saul and his son Jonathan were armed.  Jonathan and his armor-bearer went behind enemy lines while Saul stayed under a tree.  Jonathan showed courage, leadership and faith in God.  He killed 20 men.  God struck the Philistines with panic and the ground shook.  Men scattered.  They began to strike each other.  The Lord rescued His people through Jonathan’s leadership.

Saul made a foolish oath telling the people to not eat before evening causing the men to become weak with hunger as they marched in the woods.  Jonathan didn’t hear the oath and when he found honey he ate it.  After the battle the men were so hungry they slaughtered the enemies’ animals and ate them, which violated God’s law of eating meat with blood till in it.  Saul stopped this sin and built an altar for proper slaughter and sacrifice.

Saul sought guidance from God about whether to attack the Philistines during the night, but no answer came.  Because God didn’t answer, Saul assumed it was because someone had sinned.  Jonathan was revealed as guilty and confessed that he ate honey.  Saul said he must die.  The men insisted that he must not die so Saul relented.

The Amalekites had been Israel’s enemy for 400 years.  God said He intended to completely blot out their name from the earth.  God had withheld His punished on them until now.  He commanded Saul attack and destroy them completely.  Saul gathered his soldiers, attacked and destroyed those near Egypt’s border, but he spared King Agag.  Saul and his men sinned by keeping the good animals for themselves.  This was disobedience to God’s command.

God told Samuel that He was grieved by making Saul king because he didn’t carry out instructions.  Grieved doesn’t mean God had been wrong or changed His mind.  He was just grieving or regretting the people had made bad choices and sinned.  Saul rejected God by not obeying and God rejected Saul as king.

God convicted Saul to confess his sin, but still Saul made excuses and blamed others.  He was concern was not that he sinned, but concerned about his public image.  He only feared how he would look to others.  Samuel told Saul that he had rejected the word of the Lord and now the Lord had rejected him as king over Israel.  Samuel mourned over Saul, but never saw him again.  Saul began his reign well, but success made him put himself before God.  He became self-focused and self-righteous.  Saul continued to rule until he died many years later.  Saul had many problems and was not a good leader.  

When you repent, are you truly sorry or do you take your sin too lightly?

Do you give yourself the benefit of the doubt and say you almost completely obeyed God?

Do you try to blame others for your sin?

Principle:  Obedience to some commands does not justify disobedience to other commands.

When a person disobeys God, they sin.  The Bible calls this rebellion.  There is a warning in 15:23.  Evil magic comes from the devil.  Rebellion is as bad as evil magic.  People who worship idols don’t give honor to God.  They think the idol is better than God.  A proud person thinks that he is the best person.  He gives honor to himself and doesn’t give honor to God or worship Him.  There is good news - God will forgive sin if we repent and turn from it.

No one ever perfectly obeys God.  It may appear we have.  Our righteousness is often “self-righteousness” and our service “self-serving”.  There is only one person whose obedience has been perfect.  That is Jesus Christ.   He is the only one that can claim perfect obedience to the will of God.  It’s this obedience that made it possible of the salvation of unworthy sinners.

Next week we will continue our study in 1 Samuel.  Hope to see you here.

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1 Samuel 4-8

1 Samuel 4 – Ark Captured

Israel went to fight the Philistines, but the Philistines defeated Israel and killed about 4,000.  Israel didn’t understand why this happened.  They decided take the Ark with them at the next battle in hopes by having it there they would win the battle.   Eli’s sons went with the Ark.  When the Ark arrived in the Israelite camp the people shouted and the ground shook.  The Philistines heard their shout, which made them afraid.  This motivated them to be strong and to fight harder.  The Philistines and Israel fought, but Israel was defeated.  Israel lost 30,000 soldiers.  The Ark was captured and Eli’s 2 sons died as God had promised.

When Eli who was now 98 years old heard all this, he fell over backwards, broke his neck and died.  His daughter-in-law who was pregnant heard the news, went into labor and died.  She had a son and named him Ishabad and said “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.” – 1 Sam. 4:22

Philistines are people who worshiped the gods of Baal, Astarte, and Dagon.  They were hostile people and often fought with Israelites.  Philistine comes from the Philistines and includes modern-day Israel, Gaze, Lebanon and Syria.  This is known as the Gaza Strip where there is still conflict today.

The Ark was a wooden box that held God’s laws, the Ten Commandments.  It was a symbol of the presence of God.  The lid of the Ark was a mercy seat where sacrifices were made.  God gave it to Israel because He chose them to be His people.  The Israelites thought if they brought it with them in battle, they would defeat the enemy.  Israel didn’t turn to God for help, but wanted to fix it themselves so they brought the Ark as if it were a type of mascot or good luck charm.  They found out that they could not manipulate God to get what they wanted.

How do you try to manipulate God?

Do you manipulate Him by giving money, but not surrendering to Him?

Principle:  God is in control and you cannot manipulate Him into doing what you want.

1 Samuel 5-6 – Ark Returned

The Philistines took the Ark of God to Ashdod, then to the temple of Dagon and set the Ark beside Dagon.  Dagon was a god worshipped by the Philistines.  The next morning they found that Dagon had fallen on his face before the Ark of the Lord.  They put Dagon back in his place and the next morning they found that Dagon had fallen on his face and his head and hands had broken off.  This was a clear that lifeless idols are powerless and the Lord is a Living God.   

The Lord brought devastation upon the people and afflicted them with tumors.  He could have destroyed them, but He wanted them to recognize His judgment and power.  They decided that Ark could not stay here so they took it to Gath.  After they moved it, the Lord afflicted the people of Gath with tumors.  They sent the Ark away again.  This time it was sent to Ekron, but the people of Ekron cried out that the Ark could not stay there.  They decided to send the Ark back to its own place in Israel.

The Ark had been with the Philistines for 7 months.  For 7 months the Philistines were punished with the presence of the Ark of God.  They looked at the Ark as a prize of battle and didn’t give honor to God.  They worshipped other gods and were not willing to serve the real God.  They should have sent it home sooner.  Egypt’s plagues would have been fewer if Pharaoh had let the people go sooner.  Sinners lengthen out their own miseries by refusing to repent of their sins. 

They saw the power of Israel’s God and now must be humble and give honor to Him.  They felt guilty so they sent a guilt offering of 5 gold tumors and 5 gold rats along with the Ark.  God didn’t need gold.   He needed their hearts.  They placed the Ark on a cart along with the offerings and hitched cows to it.  The Philistines followed the cart.  They watched to see which way it went.  If it went straight toward its own territory and didn’t turn right or left, then they would know that it was the Lord who brought disaster on them.  If it did not, then they would know that it was just happened by chance.

We do the same kind of things today.  We put stipulations and meanings on things and events.  God wants Christians to be different and doesn’t want us to live our lives according to norms and attitudes of society.  He wants us to live according to His Word.  Society puts lots of pressures of all people including Christians.  We can overcome these pressures by focusing on God and stay in His Word.

It was harvest by tin Israel and as the people were working, they saw the Ark coming down the road.  They shouted and rejoiced.  God had not forgotten His people and the Ark was the evidence.  The Levites carried the Ark to a large rock.  The people offered burnt offering and sacrifices to the Lord.  The Philistines saw all this and returned to Ekron.

Christians today try to use God and His Word to get what they want.  They pick and choose parts of the Bible that suits them and their agendas.  They only go to God when they are in trouble or want something from Him.

The people received the Ark with joy, but some men opened the sacred and looked inside.  That was a very unholy thing to do.  They should have known better.  The result was that many of them died.  God holds His people accountable.  Relationship with God is on His standards and on His terms and that’s through Jesus Christ.  Finally the people understood that God is holy and they must respect Him.

Principle:  A relationship with God is based on His holy standards not ours.

1 Samuel 7 – Israel Repents

They took the Ark to Abinadab’s house and consecrated Eleazor his son to guard it.  The Ark remained there for 20 years and all the people sought after the Lord.  They went to Samuel and asked how they could serve God.   Samuel told them they must serve the real God and not their false gods.  They must trust God alone to save them from their enemies.  The people followed Samuel’s advice.  They confessed and repented.  They began to depend on God alone.

The Israel gathered at Mizpah for prayer, but when the Philistines heard they came to attack them.  The Israelites were afraid and when to Samuel and asked him to continue praying for them.  Samuel offered sacrifices and prayed on their behalf.  There was a loud thunder which was God at work.  Israel won the battle, but really it was God who won on their behalf.

Samuel wanted the people to remember what God had done for them so he made a monument using a large stone to remind them of a past event.  The monument was called Ebenezer which means stone of help.  Many churches today have chosen the name Ebenezer.

There are 3 steps to true repentance - being truly sorry, naming your sins, then turning from your sin.

Principle:  True repentance restores our fellowship with God.

1 Samuel 8 – Israel Demands King

Samuel became the leader not as a king or ruler, but as its judge.  He continued to pray for the people.  God was Israel’s true king.  Samuel was the last person who led Israel as its judge.  He tried to appoint his sons but they were dishonest.  They accepted bribes and prevented justice.  The elders of Israel were unhappy with Samuel’s sons and gathered to ask Samuel to give them a king to lead.  They wanted to be like other nations who had kings.  This displeased him because of their hearts and motives.  He wanted the people to respect God as their king.  So he prayed to the Lord as to what he should do.

The Lord told Samuel to listen to the people and that it wasn’t Samuel they were rejecting but God.   God told Samuel to warn the people.  They needed to understand how a powerful king would behave.  They need to know just how a king would use his authority and how they would suffer because of their decision in wanting a king.  It was their decision and God would permit them to have a king.

The people acted foolishly and would not listen.  They wanted a powerful king who would defeat all their enemies so they would have peace and security.  They didn’t think about the problems they would have only the benefits.  They had convinced themselves that this was an excellent idea.

When we reject God is life, we become slaves to little gods.  When we ignore God’s rule and authority, we will suffer the consequences.  We are not to be like the world.  We are to be different, because God has set us apart.  We should have different views, morals and standards.

Sensible people think carefully about any problems that may occur, but wise people learn from the words of others.  Fools refuse to listen to advice.  God gave clear instructions to Samuel.  He should appoint a king to rule Israel because that’s what the people wanted.

When have you not listened to wise advice?

What were the results?

Principle:  Rejection of God’s rule brings consequences. 

God is the one true God.  He is fully present everywhere.  He has perfect judgments.  He is holy and wants His people to be holy.  He is an all-powerful and self-sufficient God. 

Next week we will continue our study in 1 Samuel.  See you here.

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1 Samuel 1-3

1 Samuel and 2 Samuel was written in Hebrew and used to be one book.  After many years it was translated into Greek and the book was divided into two parts.  Samuel was a prophet and not the author of the books.  The author is unknown.  It records the lives of Samuel, Saul and some of David.  It begins with the birth of Samuel and describes how he led Israel as a prophet, priest and judge.

1 Samuel 1 – Samuel’s Birth

The book starts with a list Elkanah’s family, which may indicate that he was an important man.  He had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah.  Hannah couldn’t have children and Peninnah would upset her because of it.  Elkanah loved Hannah very much although she couldn’t have a son for him.  She was very sad and even desperate for a son. 

Each year Elkanah and his family went to Shiloh to offer sacrifices.  One day Eli, the priest saw Hannah crying.  He saw her mouth was moving, but no words came out.  She was praying silently.  Eli watched and though she was drunk.  People didn’t say silent prayers, but prayed aloud.  Although she prayed silently, God heard her prayers.  She prayed humbly as a servant to God.  She felt God had forgotten her and that He was the only one to help her.  God answered her prayer and gave her a son, Samuel.

God always answers our prayers.  If we have to wait a while, it doesn’t mean they He has forgotten us.  Isaiah 49:15 – “I will not forget you”.

After Hannah had her Samuel, she didn’t go with Elkanah to Shiloh until he was about 3 years old.  Then she took him to Eli.  “I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.  So now I give him to the Lord.  For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” – 1 Samuel 27.

1 Samuel 2:1-10 – Hannah’s Prayer

Hannah prayed a prayer that was full of praises to God.  She was very thankful to God for giving her a son.  She had felt shame for not having children, but God saved her from this shame.  She says “my mouth boasts over my enemies”.  - Samuel 2:1.  There was a sense of vindication over her rival, Peninnah.  “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” – 1 Samuel 2:2.  She praised Him for His actions – He brings life, death and lifts the needy.  At the end of her prayer is a prophecy.  “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed”.  – 1 Samuel 2:10.  These words point to King David’s descendant, our eternal King Jesus.

Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord.  Samuel stayed there with Eli and ministered to the Lord.  I am sure it was hard to leave Samuel, but they had promise God and they kept their promise.  He became the Lord’s helper. 

1 Samuel 2:11-26 – Eli’s Judgment

With all the sacrifices brought to the tabernacle, a portion was give to God and a portion to the priest.  God’s portion was always given first so it was wrong to take the priest’s portion before they burned the fat.  The idea was that God should get the best.  Eli’s sons were wicked men and had no regard to for the Lord.  They were greedy and wanted the raw mean, maybe so they could sell it for more money.  They didn’t hesitate to use violence and threats to get what they wanted.

Eli heard how his sons acted, but only rebuked them.  They were even committing sexual immorality.  Because they didn’t listen when Eli rebuked them, God saw they were corrupt and warned Eli that He would deal with them and they would be punished.  Eli’s sons were not worthy to be his successor. 

In the mean time, Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.

A man of God came to Eli with a very important message about future events.  He told him that God would not bless his descendants.  Eli had allowed his sons to behave in this way as priests.  He told him that God would give him a sign that his sons will die in one day and Eli will know the judgment of God has come against his house. 

1 Samuel 2:28 is a summary of some of the priesthood duties.  The job of the High Priest was to minister to the Lord.  He was a servant of God first and then the people.  He brought sacrifices for atonement and worship.  He burnt incense which was a picture of prayer.  He wore special clothing that represented majesty, dignity, glory and beauty of God to the people.  He was responsible of receiving offerings from the people.

Because Eli did not correct his sons and by his actions chose them to the Lord, God said, “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in my heart and mind.  I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always.” – 1 Samuel 2:35  Eli and his family would one day be reduced to begging.  This promise to raise up a faithful priest was partially fulfilled in Samuel.  The promise was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the High Priest forever.

1 Samuel 3 – Samuel’s Call

Eli’s eyesight was going and he had gone to bed.  Samuel was lying down when he heard a voice calling his name.  He thought it was Eli so he went to Eli, but it wasn’t Eli who had called him.  Eli told Samuel to go back and lie down.  This happened a second time.  Then when it happened a third time, Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling Samuel so he told Samuel to go back and when it happened again he was to say, “Speak, Lord for your servant is listening” – 1 Samuel 3:9.  Then the Lord came and stood calling Samuel again.  He answered as Eli had said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10.  Then the Lord told Samuel what He was about to do.  “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.  At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family – from beginning to end.” – 1 Samuel 3:11.

God spoke to Samuel not silently, but in an audible voice.  Samuel answered by saying “Here I am!”  God knew where he was.  It just reminds us we are His servants asking what He wants us to do.  There are others who answered God in the same way – Abraham in Gen. 22:1, Jacob in Gen. 31:11 and 46:2, Moses in Ex. 3:4, Isaiah in Is. 6:8, and Ananias in Acts 9:10.  God often speaks to us today in an “inner voice”, but when He does He will confirm what He wants us to do in a variety of other ways.

When has God spoken to you?

How did you respond?

These are several lessons here:  we are to make ourselves available for God to speak; then we are to be obedient to His call; we are to respond to God; we are to humble ourselves before God and His Word.  The Lord stood may mean this time it was a unique appearing of the Lord.  Maybe it was Jesus Himself.

The “ears of everyone who hears will tingle” are signs of God’s severe judgment (2 Kings 21:12, Jer. 19:3).  Samuel already heard of the judgment to come on Eli and his family.  Since there was no repentance God confirmed the judgment through Samuel.

Samuel went back to bed.  I’m sure he didn’t get much sleep because His ears were probably tingling.   He probably asked himself if he should tell Eli or not.  The Scripture tells us he was afraid to tell him.   In the morning he told Eli everything the Lord had said.  Eli accepted it and said that He is Lord and will do what is good in His eyes.

Samuel grew up and the Lord was always with him.  “Let none of his words fall to the ground” mean Samuel’s prophecies came true.  All of Israel recognized that Samuel was a prophet of the Lord.  The Lord continued to reveal Himself to Samuel through His Word.

What has God revealed to you in His Word?

How are you a servant of the Lord?

Prayer is communication with God.  It keeps God’s people powerfully connected with Him.  It is a great privilege to be in His presence.  He always hears and answers in His perfect timing and His perfect way.  Hannah had to wait years for God to answer her prayers, but through it all she experienced God’s power to peacefully persevere.

Next week we will continue our study in 1 Samuel.  Hope to see you here.

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