SAMUEL SAUL Era of Judges was mixed bag
SAMUEL & SAUL
• Era of Judges was mixed bag – God’s work was done, but no consistency in leadership. At the same time, Philistines were increasing in power. • God’s people begged to have a king (“everybody else has one”). Finally God agreed & tabbed the priest/prophet Samuel to find & anoint the king. • Beginning of time where Israelite leadership was “shared” by two people (king and prophet).
• History of Israelite kingdoms chronicled in four books – 1 & 2 Samuel & 1 & 2 Kings. • 1 & 2 Samuel have three main characters: Samuel, Saul and David. • 1 & 2 Kings deal with all other kings, beginning with David & Solomon. • 1 & 2 Chronicles – another historical view. Written after Babylonian Exile. Events very similar to Kings and Samuel books, but different theological viewpoint (ex. – David’s weaknesses are left out)
1 & 2 SAMUEL • Considered to be a literary masterpiece – most artfully composed piece of narrative in OT • Originally one book; divided into two in the Greek translation • Deals with three characters – Samuel, Saul & David – and the dynamics of the relationships between each.
1 & 2 SAMUEL • 1 Sam. 1 -8 – Calling of Samuel and establishment of monarchy • 1 Sam. 9 -15 – Saul becomes king; tenuous relationship between Samuel & Saul • 1 Sam. 16 -24 – David enters the picture, dynamics between three • 1 Sam. 25 – Death of Samuel • 1 Sam. 26 -30 – Continued tensions between Saul and David • 1 Sam. 31 – Death of Saul
1 & 2 SAMUEL • 2 Sam. 1 -19 – David fends off challenges from Saul’s sons & Philistines • 2 Sam. 20 – David rules Israel unchallenged • 2 Sam. 21 -24 – The end of David’s reign and story
SAMUEL’S BEGINNINGS: 1 Sam. 1: 1 -3: 1 • Theme of great people coming from barren women (Isaac, Samson, etc. ) continues: Samuel’s mother Hannah not able to have children. Prayed in temple & promised God that any child she bore would be dedicated to God. • When Samuel was born, Hannah left him with the priest Eli in the temple to be trained for priesthood (2: 11). • Eli’s sons had abused their positions as heirs to the shrine and lost that privilege
CALLING OF SAMUEL 1 Sam. 3: 2 -4: 1 - read • Twice God calls Samuel, but Samuel mistakenly thinks it’s Eli – so Samuel wakes him. Each time Eli sends Samuel back to bed. • Vs. 7 – “Editor’s note” explaining why Samuel didn’t know it was God calling him • Vs. 8 b-9 – The third time, Eli finally understands & instructs Samuel on what to do • God tells Samuel that Eli’s sons will be punished. Story ends in vs. 19 that Samuel became a great prophet.
Eli died when Ark of the Covenant was captured by Philistines (4: 6 -11). Captured ark would represent Israelite’s struggle in period prior to kingship & Saul’s troubled reign. Stolen ark also brought Philistines much hardship (5: 1 -6: 21). Perhaps the “last straw” for God finally granting the Israelites the king they always wanted.
SAMUEL’S MANY ROLES • Judge (7: 3 -17) – “administered justice” & functioned as Israel’s supreme court. • Prophet (8: 1 -9: 14) – warned Israel of pitfalls of having a king. Called a “seer” (9: 9). • King-Maker (9: 15 -10: 27) – anointed Saul as Israel’s first king, then David – “anointed” – separated, apart from.
SAUL • Sometimes referred to as last judge & first king – transitional figure. • Did not initially embrace his kingship. Continued life as farmer until circumstances forced him into action. • Samuel was very active behind the scenes, remaining involved in Saul’s kingship. But in the end his actions couldn’t make up for Saul’s deficiencies. • Saul had early victories over Philistines (who still had the ark) – 13: 2 -4. This gained him early support & popularity.
Question to ponder: If God told Samuel to pick Saul (as Samuel was reluctant to the whole king idea), and overall Saul ended up being a bad choice, then did God screw up and make a mistake? “Bad choice” vs. “bad king” Free will God puts us in position to make the most of our lives, but ultimately we bear responsibility for our choices and actions.
THREE STRIKES FOR SAUL • Strike One (13: 5 -15 a) – Saul gets impatient waiting for Samuel before battle with Philistines. He starts on his own & is chastised by Samuel. • Strike Two (14: 16 -46) - Saul says no Israelite will eat until Philistines were defeated. Israelites get hungry & weak. • Strike Three (15: 1 -35) - Saul attacks Amalekites & takes the spoil as a sacrifice for God. Against holy war provisions. Samuel rebukes him for this (vs. 22, “To obey is better than sacrifice…”) • After this, Samuel withdraws his support &
SAUL, SAMUEL AND DAVID
Saul blew his chance at being king. Samuel withdrew his support and set out to anoint the next king. That led him to the family of Jesse, a sheepherder. https: //www. pbs. org/video/empireskingdom-of-david-rivers-of-babylon/ 30: 22 – 36. 39
DAVID’S ANNOINTING (1 Sam. 16: 1 -13) - read • David wasn’t even in the mix initially - Jesse summoned all his other sons other than David. Youngest son. • God doesn’t want Samuel to bless any, until Samuel asks Jesse for other sons. Jesse sends for David. • When David arrives, God tells Samuel this is the one to be anointed. • However, David would not actually become king until the current one died.
DAVID & GOLIATH (1 Sam. 17: 1 -58) • Great story of David as a young boy, defeating mighty Philistine warrior. • Phrase “David defeats Goliath” has achieved folklore status inside and outside Hebrew history. • vs. 3 -11 – Goliath was champion of Philistine army. Mocked & challenged the Israelites to fight him, for 40 days, but none would.
DAVID & GOLIATH (1 Sam. 17: 1 -58) • Vs. 19 ff – David brings provisions to encamped Israelites. Hears Goliath’s taunts & asks why no one is fighting him (vs. 26). He accepts the challenge (vs. 32) • Vss. 38 -40 – David won’t fit into Saul’s armor. Highlights not only the wonder of David’s future act but awkwardness of King Saul in the presence of this popular king-to-be.
DAVID & GOLIATH (1 Sam. 17: 1 -58) • Vss. 43 -46 – verbal exchange between David & Goliath • Vs. 49 – with a slingshot David defeats Goliath. Not the rock that kills him, but knocks him unconscious so David can take Goliath’s own sword & behead him. • David’s fame spread like wildfire after this, & tensions between him & King Saul increase.
DAVID AND SAUL (1 Sam. 18: 1 -21: 15) • Lots of tension between David & Saul, jealousy on Saul’s end. David becomes friends with Saul’s son Jonathon (another source of tension) • Early years – David played harp to soothe Saul’s troubled mind. • Later, Saul’s depression continues since David’s anointing; this leads him to do everything he can to eliminate David.
DAVID AND SAUL (1 Sam. 18: 1 -21: 15) • David has to flee to avoid being killed – thanks to a tip from Jonathon (19: 1 -7). David has no choice but to go into hiding and separate himself from Saul’s household. • When he did this, many people threw their leadership behind the future king David & abandoned Saul.
• 1 Sam. 23: 1 -24: 22 – David & his men continue to fight the Philistines while at same time fleeing from Saul. Dodging two bullets at once! Saul continues to pursue David. • 1 Sam. 24: 1 -22 – David creeps up on Saul while he was asleep and cuts off a piece of his robe but doesn’t kill him. When Saul wakes, David calls to him & tells him what he did. Saul is moved by David’s act of mercy & promises never to try to kill him. • 25: 1 – Prophet Samuel dies
END OF SAUL’S REIGN (1 Sam. 28: 3 -31: 13) • Saul was desperate. Abandoned by Samuel. His successor had been anointed & would take over when he died. David was immensely popular, in contrast to Saul’s unpopularity. • 1 Sam. 28: 3 -25 – Saul sought a medium to conjure up the spirit of Samuel. Message conveyed to him was one of utter doom; he and his sons would die the next day. 1 Sam. 31: 1 -13 – Saul & his sons die the next day in the battle on Mount Gilboa. Saul, mortally wounded, commits suicide.
SUMMARY OF SAMUEL & SAUL • Samuel & Saul are the bridge between judges and monarchy. Samuel was the predominant figure, with Saul being the weak link as one who succumbed to weak self-confidence. • Sets the stage for David, perhaps the most revered figure in OT.
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