1 Samuel

The first book of Samuel covers a period of transition in the history of the Nation. It deals with the transition from the Judges to the kings. The condition of the people during the Judges was one of terrible degeneracy. They had everything, yet they rejected od from being their !ing. The clamor for an earthly king, then, was the natural outcome. This book may be divided under the names of three of its chief characters " Samuel #$hapters %"&', Saul #$hapters ("%)', and *avid #$hapters %+",%'. It commences with the birth of Samuel, and ends with the death of Saul. (A) SAMUEL - -hen od has a great work to do, .e often places a little child in a godly home, so he/ll be fully prepared when his hour of service arrives. Samuel was born in answer to a mother/s prayer #%0%1" %%'. .is whole life was shaped by her godliness. Samuel was born in a most degenerate hour. 2ven the priesthood was corrupt #30%%"%&,33'. 2li seems to have had a heart for od, but was unable to affect his sons. The sons of 2li were completely corrupt. Into this atmosphere, .annah brought her son, and dedicated him to the 4ord, and to .is service #%035"3('. -hile he was yet young, Samuel heard the voice of od #,0,"%1', and his first message was one of judgement upon 2li/s house for their sins #,0%3"%5'. The judgement that came upon Israel, at this time, is described in chapter 5. The ark was taken, and 6Ichabod7 was written over their history #503%"33'. The 8rk caused great havoc amongst the 9hilistines #)"+'. The 9hilistines found that dealing with Israel/s od was not as simple as dealing with sinful Israel. :inally, after having the 8rk for seven months, they sent it away, and it was placed in the house of 8binadab for he ne;t twenty years. *uring this twenty years, od was preparing Samuel. .e grew form boyhood to manhood, and the hour for his leadership approached. This as ushered in by the lamenting of the people after od #&03'. Samuel then called the people to put away their strange gods, and return to the 4ord. They obeyed, and he called them to <i=peh. .ere, by *ivine intervention, the power of 9hilistia was destroyed. Samuel erected a altar, and called it 2benee=er. .e was a great man of prayer. 8gainst him, no evil is recorded. .is ministry was that of a circuit judge #&0%)"%&'. Note: 2li may have had a heart for od, #in the priesthood', but he was a terrible father. No amount of success in ministry, is worth failure in the home! 2li never controlled his sons/ actions, and more than once, od 6called him on the carpet7 for it> #% Sam. 30%3"%&,33"35? ,0%%"%, " Notice, it wasn/t enough just to 6say something7 to his boys. od said that 2li should have 6restrained7 them. 8 6slap on the wrist7 wasn/t enough> 2li should have removed his sons from serving, until they repented>' The interesting thing is0 2ven after od had used Samuel to bring judgement on 2li/s household, Samuel turned around and did the very same thing with his sons> #(0%",'. Children dont inherit our values by osmosis! THEY MU T !E T"#$NE%! #9rov. 330+ " The word 6train7, means 6to hem in, to restrict to a goal, to initiate into a chosen lifestyle7. od says that parents are to limit their children/s choices, until the only choice left, is the right one>' (B) SAUL - The second section of this book has to do with Saul. The people clamored for a king. The e;cuse they used was the shameful conduct of Samuel/s sons. Their real motive, however, was a desire to be 6like all the nations7 #(0)'. They had been chosen to be 6unlike7 the other nations. They were to be a people governed by od. od/s best is neither democracy, nor dictatorship, but theocracy #the rule of od'. The real root"cause was that the people were rejecting od as their head. od made this very clear to Samuel when .e said, 6for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them7. In one of the most powerful addresses ever given, Samuel told them the conse@uences of choosing an earthly king of preference to od. It was not od/s perfect will that Saul be their king, but od granted their re@uest, because they insisted. Af Israel, *avid said, 6 od grated them their re@uest, but sent leanness into their souls7, #9s. %1+0%)'.

$onsider the man they chose. They chose him because he was physically impressive. No man ever had so great a potential, yet failed so miserably. .e started well, but ended in suicide. .e said, in summing up his life, 6I have played the fool, and erred e;ceedingly7. .e had been given great possibilities for success. .e had been touched by od. 6 od gave him another heart7, and 6the Spirit of od came mightily upon him. #% Sam. %10%1'. In addition, od gave him a band of men 6whose hearts od had touched7. Besides, he had the faithful counsel and friendship of Samuel. But, Saul failed in several ways. The biggest two were0 Csurping the place of Samuel as priest #%,0("%5', and his disobedience regarding 8malek #%)0%",,("D,%1"3('. :rom that hour on, Saul continually declined. .e lost the presence of od. .e became intensely jealous of *avid. :inally, we see him in desperation, seeking the advice of a witch #% Sam. 3('. .e reveals his desperate situation #3(0%)' by saying that od no longer communicated with him. Ane word can be written over his life0 :ailure> Saul/s failure was due to self"will. (C) DAVID " 8s the third division of the book opens, we see Samuel mourning for Saul. god rebukes him, and tells him to arise, and anoint the new king. *avid was Israel/s greatest king. The people chose Saul because of his physical stature. od chose *avid because of his heart. 2ve Samuel was not entirely free from the temptation to choose a man from the physical standpoint. -hen he went to Jesse/s house, and saw 2liab, he was sure he had found Saul/s successor. But, od had chosen another. In this book, we see *avid as a shepherd lad, a minstrel, an armourbearer, a captain, the king/s son"in" law, a writer of 9salms, and a fugitive. .e was anointed to be king when he was %( years old, but many years passed before he assumed the throne. In those years, od was training, preparing, and developing him to rule Israel. .is first contact with Saul came when he was called to the court to play the harp to comfort Saul in his hours of depression. No doubt it was here that he met Jonathan, and a deep friendship was formed. *avid was suddenly catapulted into the limelight, and aroused the jealousy of Saul, by the slaying of oliath #%(0D'. :ive times, Saul attempted to kill *avid #%D0%1,%),31,3%, 3,,35'. But, od delivered him. the greater part of this last section of the book has to do with *avid/s years in 2;ile. In one of his psalms, he describes himself as being hunted like a partridge. These were difficult and trying days. Twice, Saul/s life was in his hand, and he would not take it #350,"+? 3+0%"3)'. *avid would let his case rest with the 4ord. So, in this book, we see *avid anointed, but not reigning. The book concludes with the death of Saul and Jonathan, and 3 Samuel opens with *avid mourning over them.