I Samuel Bible Studies 10-19

I SAMUEL 19 | Lesson # 20 | The Spirit of God: Protection or Persuasion?

2008-10-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction:

Note: In Chapter 18 Saul had twice overtly and twice covertly tried to kill David. We also learn that David is highly successful and loved by Michal and Jonathan and the people of Israel. In the last verse of chapter 18 the author again tells us that David was highly successful and therefore highly esteemed. Given the contradictory views of David, on the one hand by Saul, and on the other hand by Saul's children and the nation, let me ask you a question.

Q If we are competent, loyal, good and do the right thing will we always be appreciated and treated well?

An = With this question in mind let us now look at Chapter 19.

III. Three Narrow Escapes: Jonathan, quickness, Michal. I Samuel 19:1-17.

A. First Escape: Help from Saul's Son Jonathan. I Samuel 19:1-7.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 19:1-7.

Q Do good friends warn and also speak up for one another even when it is not politically correct?

An = Notice Jonathan first hides his friend and then does not over promise, he merely says he will do his best.

Q Is Jonathan's approach to Saul rational and well reasoned?

Q Why or why not? What is Jonathan's case?

An = In 19:4 Jonathan appealed to Saul's morals and sense of fair play. Jonathan brings to the forefront that David has not sinned against him and in fact has been of benefit to Saul. In 19:5 Jonathan appeals to Saul's sense of gratitude: David risked his life to kill the Philistine, and finally Jonathan points out the serious sin Saul would commit by killing an innocent man. Jonathan makes a good logical case in David's behalf.

Q Does the appeal by Jonathan temporarily succeed?

An = Yes it does. Notice that Saul takes another oath by God (typical of Saul). David is brought back into the court, but it will be for the last time.

B. Second Escape: Either Be Quick or Be Shish-ke-bob. I Samuel 19:8-10.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 19:8-10

Q What causes Saul to brake his oath and attempt the Shish-ke-bob (meat on a stick) game with David again?

An = According to verse 8 it was David's success and also verse 9 says an evil spirit from the Lord is also present. The evil spirit from the Lord (the invisible wind-like action of God) forces Saul into the open, at least Saul's true character is revealed to David.

Q Why did Israel want a king in the first place?

An = Turn to I Samuel 8:19-20 and >> have someone read I Samuel 8:19-20. The original reason for a king who that he would provide military leadership, most probably against the Philistine encroachment. Now that Saul is king, Saul disregards a successful military leader in the person of David.

Q Has Saul lost sight of the reason for his position?

Note: David struck the Philistines (19:8) and now Saul tries to strike David (19:10). In Hebrew the same word, meaning to strike, is used (Davis, p.56). The Philistines fled in 19:8 and then David flees in 19:10. Saul has lost sight of the reason for leadership. It is not to keep it, but to serve the people.

Q Is David paid well for his efforts in bringing victory to the nation?

An = Saul seems to preoccupied with something else besides the welfare of the nation.

C. Third Escape: Help from Saul's Daughter Michal. I Samuel 19:9-17.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 19:11-17

Q Who saves David's life this time?

An = The irony is that is it Saul's own daughter and she lies to protect her father's enemy. It is Saul's own children that twice thwart his efforts to murder David.

Q Of these three episodes how many times does David escape because of his own abilities?

An = Once, If we are to succeed in the world and accomplish what God has desired for us to do then we will only do so with the help of others. At times the help will come from the least likely of sources.

Q Nothing is said of God acting in these three stories but is God is silently active in protecting David's life?

An = In the next story we see God move more directly in behalf of his servant but God was just as surely behind the other escapes as well.

IV. Saul's Encounter With the Spirit of God. I Samuel 19:18-24.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 19:18.

Q To whom does David now go for protection?

An = A man of God. We do not know what Samuel told David, but Samuel is the only one who knows that God has pronounced the end of Saul's reign.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 19:19-24.

Q How come Saul or his men do not succeed in capturing David?

An = They fall under the influence of the prophesying. Three groups of Saul's troops have this experience and are unable to arrest David. Finally, Saul has the same experience but his experience takes place even before he reaches the place where everyone is prophesying.

Note: Perhaps it would help to define a term present in our text: prophesying. In older Hebrew this word took on the meaning of being "under the influence of God's Spirit". It seemed to have been connected with being "in ecstacy". Perhaps we would call it today having a charismatic experience.

Note: Perhaps, it would help to clear up one thing. The word in Hebrew in 19:24 does not necessarily mean naked, and most scholars thing what Saul took off was his outer clothing leaving his inner, long, linen tunic on. That was the garment everyone wore near the skin (McCarter, p. 329). What Saul took off was the distinctive clothing that designated his station in life.

Q Is having a charismatic experience a good thing or a bad thing in your estimation?

Q What is Scripture's attitude about it?

An = Obviously, here Samuel is presiding over them. Samuel is highly regarded by the text and so the behavior must be acceptable. We also learned that Saul had such experiences when he was anointed and such behavior is described as having taken place in Moses' time (Numbers 11: 24-29), and Moses thought the behavior was positive (Numbers 11:29). The behavior is not widely spread (Numbers 11:25), but it did take place in the Old Testament.

Q How are we to view this type of experience here?

An = Let them answer and then re-ask the question in the following manner?

Q From a negative point of view, what is bad about this experience?

An = First of all from Saul's point of view the experience is negative 1) It prevented him from obtaining his goal, namely the arrest of David, his rival. 2) It allowed David time to escape. 3) It was seemingly embarrassing, he lay prostrate without his outer, kingly robes for a day.

Q From a positive point of view, what is good about the experience?

An = 1) David is saved from being murdered. 2) Saul is prevented from committing murder which was good for him. 3) Anyone who has sensed the presence of God knows that it is pleasant (as any good and true Charismatic will tell you) and this is not the first time Saul has had this experience. It accompanied his anointing as king as helped confirm a great and glorious future for him. Perhaps, this was the Lord trying to remind Saul what it was like to be right with the Lord as he was in his first encounter and that first experience with the Lord. It could have been an attempt by the Lord to help Saul see the wrongness of his position. Perhaps, the reason for mentioning the same phrase "Is Saul also among the prophets" again is to remind the reader of Saul's previous experience. 4) What Saul has taken off are his distinctive clothing signifying his kingship, and the very thing that he has sold his soul to retain. The very thing that Saul is addicted to and that drives his jealousy is his grasping after the kingship. In this experience Saul is momentarily freed from this savage preoccupation with maintaining his power as King. When in God's presence we do not need our distinctive places in society to understand and experience joy. 5) Saul is no longer in control here. Saul is not manipulating God with religious ritual, God is controlling Saul. Perhaps, for a brief day, Saul is free.

Note: I believe this story is God trying to bring Saul to remember His anointing. God does want Saul to repent. This is another action of the Spirit from the Lord, another example of an invisible (though powerful) action of God in the world.

V. Conclusion:

Three thoughts could be summarized here.

1) Note: What is found to be in common with all four stories is that David escaped (The word escape is found in the Hebrew 5 times in this chapter: 10,11,12,17,18). Two times by the help of specific individual, once by David's quickness and finally by the direct action of God's Spirit.

Q Does God always save in the same way?

An = No He does not. He uses others, David himself, or the direct action of His Spirit, but all comes from God's hands. There is tremendous variety here (Davis, pp. 59-60).

2) Q Will God protect His anointed today?

An = Yes, God is sovereign over the highly placed Saul. God is sovereign today of people in power in christian circles that have gone corrupt. God is at work, even though it looks like leaders like Saul have stopped listening to reason and will lie under oath.

3) Q Will God will save us from trouble, or out of it?

>>>> Close with reading from Psalm 59: 1-4, 16-17.

I SAMUEL 18 | Lesson # 19 | GOSPEL OF WEALTH OR SHISH-KEBOB

2008-09-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction:

Q Does every body love a winner? Or put another way, does success always make us loved by everyone?

Q If you do everything right and everything successfully will everyone appreciate you?

Q What group or persons may not appreciate your successes?

Note: Our chapter today will stress three things about David: his success, his being loved and that "the Lord is with him". It will stress that everyone loves David, but one man.

TWO REACTIONS TO THE SAME MAN: JONATHAN AND SAUL DAVID

III. David and Jonathan: Hero meets Hero. I Samuel 18:1-5.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:1-4.

Note: The narrator tells us twice in this little section that Jonathan loved David as himself (17:1,3). It also tells us that Jonathan made a covenant with David and we do not know if this meant that this covenant was made right away or that refers to the one the two would make in the future.

Note: Jonathan evidently recognizes in David, a kindred spirit. Both are risk takers and both have a deep faith in the power of God to deliver. Both are adventurous

Q What is being symbolized in the giving away of Jonathan's garments?

An = One's station in life was symbolized by one's clothes. Jonathan is submitting to David and giving him royal prestige, there is irony here, because it foreshadows the fact that the kingdom will indeed go to David. We will see this symbolization of garments used again in I Samuel 19:19-21. It is the outward garments, over the muslin undergarment that all wore, that signifies one's station in life.

Note: It appears that when the Lord is with someone then the Spirit of God makes us winsome.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:5.

Q Who else likes David?

An = All the people, including Saul's staff. David is a great success.

IV. Saul and David: King Sees A Not Hero, But Competition. I Samuel 18:6-9.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:6-9.

Q How does Saul interpret the song?

An = Saul sees David as a threat (I Samuel 18:8). Saul sees things the others do not see. Saul is analyzing a song no one else is. He is alone in his paranoia, but he knows 15:28 and no one else but he and Samuel do. >> Have everyone turn to and read I Samuel 15:28. Note: Saul cannot enjoy the fruits of victory, a lack of humility does that.

Q Did David do anything to deserve this suspicion?

An = No, but neither did Jesus Christ. All He did was heal the sick, feed the hungary, and embody the very Spirit and Nature of God and yet the religious leaders of His day wanted Him dead.

Note: Brueggemann (p. 137) notes that Saul sees David only as a threat and as an ambitious man, but not as a man destined by God. Brueggemann goes on to say that Saul has lost contact with God and cannot understand His ways. What is ironic, is that Saul's son can. He is on good terms with the Lord and he is drawn to David. Sin makes us imperceptive!

V. Saul's First Type of Attempt to Kill David: Overt Murder. I Samuel 18:10-16.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:10-16.

Q How many up and coming young men are undermined by disobedient old men?

Note: Notice that the narrator says two attempts to make shish-kebob out of David were attempted.

Note: Saul according to 18:11 thinks his attempt to kill David is justified because it will work, but narrator sees the attempt in a different light in verse 12. The narrator sees more truly that Saul is afraid. The reason Saul fears David is that Lord is with David and no longer with Saul.

Q What does I Samuel 18:12,14, and 28 have in common?

An = Three times the narrator tells us that the key to David's success is the Lord's hidden grace. The Lord is the secret to David's success.

Q How does Saul deal with his fear in 18:13?

An = He removes David from his presence and places him, ironically, where David will have a greater platform. Saul would have been wiser to leave David in the court and not let him go to the battle field where his blessing from God could have greater exposure.

Note: Let me explain a phrase. In some translations you will often find the words "go in and out before the people". That phrase refers to going to battle. Perhaps it arises from the people watching there captains go out to war and come home from battle.

Q This time who is it that loves David?

An = Now it is all Israel and Judah. The word love in connection with people's reaction to David in this chapter will be found six times: 1,3,16,20,22,28. He is said to be pleasing to the people in 5,7,30.

Note: The very opposite reaction is created in Saul. He now lives in dread of David (see also 18:12 and 29). What is consistently repeated throughout the chapter along with David's success and popularity is Saul's reaction to David: 8-9,11-12,15,17,21,29. He is suspicious, fears, and four times attempts to kill his loyal servant.

VI. Saul Second Type of Attempt to Kill David: Covert Murder. I Samuel 18:17-29.

A. First Covert Attempt Through Merab. I Samuel 18:17-19.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:17-19.

Note: Again, it would have been wiser for Saul not to bring David royal status by marrying him into the family.

Q What does David's response in 18:18 mean?

An = David's rhetorical questions basically reveal a humble response. He questions his own worthiness and the worthiness of his social status to be a king's son-in-law.

Note: Saul breaks his word and why he does so we are not told. However, just like the last attempt on David's life which was tried twice, now we will watch Saul attempt to let the Philistines do his dirty work for him in the next few verses. This will be Saul's fourth attempt to polish off David and his second in a subtle or covert fashion.

B. Second Covert Attempt Through Michal. I Samuel 18:20-29.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:20-27.

Note: Note that in I Samuel 18:20-22 the plot is conceived and specifically in 18:21-22 Saul sets the trap.

Note: Note that in I Samuel 18:23-26 the trap is sprung. Saul sets the trap with Michal, a king's daughter, as bate. At the end of 18:21 and 25, the narrator makes clear what Saul's motives were.

Note: Note that in I Samuel 18:27 the trap fails.

Q What is David's reaction to the offer of a king's daughter?

An = Again in a Rhetorical Question, David's response is one of humility. David understands his low position. Notice that David does not see the trap but actually welcomes the challenge. He could never afford a dowry for a king's daughter.

Q Does the trap fail?

An = Yes, it does, for the Lord is with David.

RQ Can you imagine David presenting the dowry?

Note: Again, David is a great musician but he is not afraid of war. The foreskins are proof of the men being dead and their being Philistines. Most of the countries around Israel did circumcision, except the Philistines.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:28,29.

Q In 18:28 and 29 what is Saul's reaction?

An = He is both aware of David's having the Lord with him and that his own daughter loved this country shepherd. He therefore grew more afraid of David and saw his best warrior and soldier as an enemy.

Note: Saul is totally consumed with fear and need to kill David and David is seemingly unaware. He does not know of the plot covertly to kill him and Davis is probably right in David seeing the spear attempts as nothing more than a bad affect of Saul's depression (Davis, p. 54).

VII. Continuing Success In Battle. I Samuel 18:30.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 18:30.

Note: The twin topics of this chapter are the Lord's favor and Saul's disfavor, but the former is stronger (Davis, p. 55).

Note: Davis makes another suggestion (p. 55). The "quiet protection" of God could be the heritage of His servants. He suggests that we could be moving totally in such a protection and that it is unknown to us. We call it "hidden grace".

Q Does the "hidden grace" of God mean that if we do all things right that everyone will like us and all things will go smooth?

An = We shall see the another aspect to be "under the wings of the Almighty" in the chapters to come.

I SAMUEL 17 | Lesson # 18 | FIGURING WITH GOD IN THE EQUATION

2008-09-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

I SAMUEL 17 Lesson # 18

FIGURING WITH GOD IN THE EQUATION

I. Greetings.

II. Introduction.

Note: We have met David as a shepherd boy and then as a musician and now we will meet him as a warrior.

Note: We will also hear from David for the first time. The text has yet to quote David but in this story he will speak for the first time (Davis, pp. 41-42). His speeches will be important because it will be on the mouth of this 15 year old kid that the most direct theology of the chapter will be given.

III. Setting the Scene: The Giant's Appearance And The Shepherd's Arrival. I Samuel 17:1-22.

A. The Geographical Setting And The Appearance Of Goliath. I Samuel 17:1-11.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:1-11.

Note: The Philistines appear to want Israel to fight the battle through "proxy". Each nation puts up one fighter and these two men fight in behalf of their respective nations.

Q How big do you picture this Philistine warrior to be?

An = His size is rather daunting. It could easily have been 9 feet tall. There was a tribe of unusually large people that the Bible makes reference to in this area. They are called by several names. Joshua 11:22 seems to refer to them and calls them the Anakim. It appears that such a group of people were seen by the spies of Israel when they were still in the wilderness. See Numbers 13:33 where they were called Nephilim or sons of Anak (Anakim). It appears that the Philistines absorbed these people into their ranks and used them as mercenaries (this could be what Saul is referring to in I Samuel 17:33).

Q What does Goliath do in 17:10 that again in 17:25, 26 (2x), 36, and 45?

An = He taunts, defies or reproaches the armies of Israel.

B. The Arrival Of David. I Samuel 17:12-22.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:12-22.

Q How did David come to be at the battle?

An = He obeyed his father and did a menial chore. He brought food to his older three brothers. He was a "gofer" for his dad. He had played music in the court of the king but this did not make him unfit for "blue collar" tasks, or for service to his older brothers.

Q Is arrogance ever the attitude we can have if we wish to be in the right place and the right time for God to use us?

An = Notice David's involvement in the royal music scene did not allow him to shirk his "sheep herding" tasks (see I Samuel 17:15). God's musicians, no matter how prestigious their "gigs" should not be above doing "waitress work".

IV. Pre-Battle: Encounters With Those Of Limited Vision or Perspective: I Samuel 17:23-39.

A. The Nation's Perspective: Fear. I Samuel 17:23-25.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:23-25

Q What is the reaction of the men of Israel to the challenge of the giant?

An = It is fear, see verse 24. Notice also I Samuel 17:11. When Goliath speaks he brings fear into the heart of Israel. They see no hope in the situation. They are defied and can do nothing about it.

B. Eliab's Perspective: David Is Arrogant. I Samuel 17:26-30

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:26-30.

Q What is Eliab's, David's brother, response to David's questions?

An = He thinks David is a big-mouthed brat. Perhaps Eliab is still smarting from the choice of David over himself in the anointing or he cannot see his little brother's heart. All he sees is a kid without fear and maybe that irritates him.

Q What is David asking about in 17:26?

An = David is inquiring about two things: what is the reward for freeing Israel from reproach and why should anyone be allowed to taunt the armies of the living God.

Note: David makes a logical deduction (not the only one he will make in this chapter). He correctly reasons that taunting of the armies of Israel is a taunt against the God of Israel and David understands God in a peculiar manner.

Q How does David refer to the God of Israel, what adjective does he use?

An = The God of Israel is a "living God".

Q Is David detoured from his inquiry by his brother's rude reply?

An = He asks again in verse 30 what is to be gained for fighting the Philistine.

Q What do we learn of David's character in these five verses?

An = 1) He is persistent and not easily talked out of things. 2) He is bold. 3) He has a double character to him.

Q Is David a normal boy, is he is interested in bucks and women?

An = Yes, he is. He can acquire a tax free status for his dad and a beautiful king's wife for himself. He is not only interested in getting ahead but he is interested in God's honor. His Lord has been bad-mouthed, and he will not let it go. David cares about the honor of his Lord.

Q When someone tries to be courageous for the Lord, does it surprise you that someone from his own country or family misinterprets his motives?

Q Has this ever happened to you? Did it discourage you?

C. Saul's Perspective: David Is Inexperienced. I Samuel 17:31-39.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:31-40.

Q According to 17:33 what does Saul think about David's chances?

An = He does not think they are good. He thinks David is inexperienced and will be fighting against a man of superior experience and ability.

Note: Remember Saul is the tallest man in the nation and perhaps knows that he should really be the one to fight the giant.

Note: It is also possible that Saul really likes this kid and does not want him harmed, even though Saul is in a tough spot.

Q Why does David feel he will be successful?

An = According to 17:34-37 David believes he will be successful because of past experience. David is actually experienced, though not in warfare, but in trusting God when a crisis arises. He has seen God come through before. He makes another logical deduction in that since God came through in the past, he can expect Him to come through in the present (see 17:37). David has risked on God and found Him trust worthy.

Q What is the final statement of David in verse 36?

An = Goliath has taunted the armies of the "living God". David is quite interested in His Lord's honor.

Q What is the best preparation for ministry according to this story? What is the best preparation, experience-wise, that a young man or women should have to take on a tough assignment?

An = The experience of trusting on God in previous crises and finding God sufficient for our needs. This is something that academic training, or Book knowledge cannot help with. One must have risked on God in the real push and pull of one's own experience. David learned about how to handle a great crisis while working at a "blue-collar" job.

Q Why did David refuse the King's armor and chose a sling-shot?

An = He had not tested them. When in a crisis go back to what you really know. David knew sling shots. He later learned how to handle a sword. He did not stay with only one type of instrument. However, maybe when up against it we go back to what we know and put our trust in the Lord and go forward. It isn't the instrument that counts anyway, it is God who helps us use them.

Note: Note that Israel, Eliab and Saul all think only on a human plain. It is only David who sees the situation through the eyes of faith. He sees one more element in the equation: God. Oswald Chambers says we often forget to figure God into the equation. David has a fuller view of reality.

V. The Battle. I Samuel 17:40-54.

A. The Verbal Exchange Between David and Goliath. I Samuel 17:41-47.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:40-47.

Q What does Goliath think of David's chances of success?

An = Not much, he plans on making bird food out of David.

Q Why does David think he will succeed? What does David think he has on his side?

An = He comes in the Name of the Lord of hosts. He is there to defend the honor of God. Notice David is not an assassin like the guy who killed Rabin in Israel recently. He believes in defending God's honor in an honorable fight. A lot of people do mean, sneaky, low-down things and justify it as defending God's honor, but this is not what David is doing. He is defending God's honor against impossible odds. If there is no God, then there is no chance that he will succeed. What David does takes courage, not fanaticism.

Note: David has a different idea on how the birds are going to be supplied with food!!!

Q According to the end of verse 46 and all of 47 what does David think will be the results of his success?

An = That "all the earth may know" that there is a God in Israel (46) and that He is so powerful that He can deliver by non-conventional means (47).

B. The Battle Itself. I Samuel 17:48-58

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:48-54.

Q How does David make sure the giant is dead?

An = He cuts off Goliath's head with his own sword. David is surely not afraid to mix-it-up. David is not squeamish.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 17:55-58.

Q Does it surprise you that Saul asks who David's father is?

An = There are two ways to take this. It could mean that Saul has forgotten who David is, or that Saul has need of knowing David's father's name so he can honor the lad's household with the promised tax-free status (see 17:25). Notice the questions all center not on who David is, but who David's father is.

Note: If we are going to have the faith David had we will have to take risks. Two main things come out repeatedly in this chapter that help guide us to its main meaning:

1) David is motivated to fight the giant because he is in love with his Lord and therefore takes seriously the honor of the Lord's people, their armies, because that reflects on the honor of God. 2) David is able to persevere despite the disbelief of Israel (24), Eliab (28), Saul (33) and the Goliath (43-44). David sees what they do not see: God in the equation.

I SAMUEL 16:14-23 | Lesson # 17 | The Evil Spirit From The Lord

2008-09-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction: In our previous lesson (I Samuel 16:1-13) we had our first introduction to the person of David. There we saw him selected by God's initiative and selection process from the sheep folds of Israel. God saw the heart of this eighth son doing menial labor and elevated him to be the anointed king of Israel. Now we will see him another light: that of a musician, or harp player.

Note: Again there is irony, (before it was Saul's preoccupation with religious sacrifice instead of with God that provided the cover for David's anointing), for David's entrance into the King's Court was due to Saul's need for comfort. It was Saul himself who first brought David into the Court. Both cases though, it was God's engineering that brought this course of events about (16:2-3 and 16:14-16).

III. Saul's Problem With Terror: The Evil Spirit From the Lord. I Samuel 16:14-19.

A. The Transfer of Leadership. I Samuel 16:13-16.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:13.

Q What comes upon David after the anointing of the oil?

An = The Spirit of the Lord.

Q What does the anointing of the Spirit of the Lord mean?

An = In the Old Testament the anointing of the Spirit of God was usually tied to enabling of leadership for the believing community. Now watch what is being said as we read the next three verses.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:14-16.

Note: There has been a transfer of power: from Saul to David.

Q What does it mean an "evil Spirit from Yahweh"? Does this mean evil spirits and Yahweh come from the same source?

An = What makes this even more confusing is the word behind the English word for Spirit is the Hebrew word ruach and this is the same word used to speak of God's Holy Spirit.

In approaching this problem it would help to briefly look at the word ruach in its wider use in the entire Old Testament. The word has several major use, "wind", "human spirit" or "human vitality", and the "activity of God". All of these usages are connected to the basic meaning of "wind" or "moving air". There are also several minor uses such as "side", "direction on a compass", and, what is pertinent to our situation here in I Samuel, it can refer to personal spiritual beings that are not part of Yahweh, nor human, nor demonic power.

Here, in our text, the word ruach is utilized to denote "beings" from the spirit category that perform evil deeds but do so at the direction of God.

Q Do you think these beings are associated with Satan?

1) These beings are never associated with Satan. The word is never used in the sense of a familiar spirit, which comes from completely different Hebrew words. The few allusions to Satan or familiar spirits in the O.T. use completely different terms. Thus the word ruach is carefully limited to the activity of Yahweh and never the activity of evil spirits or Satan.

2) There are twelve different stories that use the word ruach in this distinctive manner (18x the phrase employed used in these 12 stories, which means some stories employ the term more than one. In our story it is used three times.)

3) This unusual usage of ruach (evil spirit from the Lord) in our Samuel text is one of a group of texts that describe spiritual beings who have three clear characteristics.

<<>>

a) Results are evil on highly placed, untouchable evil men.

First, these being are usually spoken of in connection with a word that defines their evil results upon men (i.e. evil= 7x, deceiving 3x, distortion 1x, destroyer 1x). It is what these spirits do that is described as evil, their goal is not to accomplish evil. Let me repeat, what they do is perceived by the humans beings to have evil consequences. The spirits in question are not evil in themselves because they are doing the will of God, but the means used are called evil. the means used, treachery (Judg. 9:23), depression (I Sam. 16:14,15,16,23; 18:10; 19:9), deception (I Kgs 22:22-23); II Chron. 18:22), distortion (Isa. 19;14), improper prophecy (Zech. 13:2), and destruction (Jer. 51:1) are considered to be actions not proper for believers. However, because such actions bring about justice in the world against powerfully placed humans in society by God Himself, they receive positive evaluation by the writers of Scripture. They are His invisible means to bring about the deserved judgment on certain humans.

b) Wind=invisible quality points to the hidden working of God's judgment.

Second, these particular acts of judgment seemingly employ the strange phrase "evil spirits from the Lord" because they are judgments from the Lord and they partake of a "wind-like quality". Just as wind is invisible, but has powerful physical effects in the world these judgments originate from an invisible source. They are done in a manner that only by the help of revelation given by a prophet or inspired writer of the Bible can the average human see the hand of God. The causal relationship between Yahweh and the physical effect is not otherwise directly observable. God's invisible power was understood to have worked on the invisible inner human psyche. Thus, the invisibility of the wind is a type of the invisible effect over the inner psychological make up of the men who were judged. God prompted the inner thinking of these individuals or a group to bring about heir own doom or set into motion the properly deserved fall of another.

c) These beings do the Lord's biding and only judge the wicked.

Third, these beings are indeed "from the Lord" and do His biding. They are Yahweh's chosen means to bring about judgment one evil human beings in this world. Yahweh does not use them indiscriminately, for in no instance are the actions of such spirits turned lose on the righteous. Every case has to do with a person or group who are in positions of power and are clearly guilty of sins, thus meeting their deserved doom.

4) The O.T. recognized that ceratin evil individuals are seemingly unassailable in their powerful positions in society. These texts speak of their being brought to justice by God working deep down in their inner being to bring about justly deserved negative consequences. These texts do not speak of the demonic activity of Yahweh, but speak of His sovereignty. He is able to bring to justice even on the mighty by causing them to go into depression, accept bad advice, or to see reality in a distorted or deceived manner and so bring about their own doom.

Q What can we draw from this to help us live better lives?

An = We should not do evil to accomplish good. God is quite capable of bringing judgment on highly placed evil men. Trust Him to bring justice.

Q Why did Hitler attacked Russia (creating a second front) and thus delay the developing of the atom bomb, etc.?

An = Had Hitler not acted thus, he would have probably won World War II. Who knows but God what went on deep in Hitler's inner being and influenced him to make those decisions.

God does not do this often, but Scripture says at times He does.

Q Why does the Scripture use the word "wind" to describe such actions?

An = Scripture says it is like the "wind", hidden, invisible and only through the divine revelation of God would we know that such actions are taking place. Only in heaven we will later see His "hidden, wind-like, spirit actions" revealed.

So, back to I Samuel.....

>>>> Have someone re-read I Samuel 16:14-16.

Q Were Saul's servants accurate in their assessment of Saul's condition?

An = Yes. Notice their answer is not to resort to counter magic or the occult, but to simple, honest music.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:17-19.

Q How does the more righteous David get to court?

An = It is the "evil" spirit's action that brings David to the court.

Q Does it help David that is he skilled in something?

An = Yes, it does. It never hurts to learn as many skills as one can. God can always use them in ways we would never imagine. Notice the description of this young man. It is quite a resume. I am particularly struck by the fact that he was prudent in speech. I take this to mean that he did not run-off at the mouth.

IV. The Arrival of David: Answer to Saul's Problem. I Samuel 16:20-23.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:20-23.

Q Why do you think someone like a "Saul" loved David?

An = Often those who have walked away from God are still hungary for and appreciative of the beauty of God in others, especially when that beauty meets their needs. It is only God who can really meet our needs anyway. God will often meet the needs of people through His "anointed ones". Jesus will clearly state this in Matthew 5:13: we are the salt of the earth. (Davis, p. 34.)

Q Have you ever experienced this? Someone who is away from God finds you or some other good Christian an excellent relief from their inward suffering?

Q You all know that Saul will eventually try to kill David. Has that happened to you? You served someone faithfully but because of your faith and what God was directing you to be and do they eventually hated you?

An = This is not unusual. Remember they cheered Jesus on Palm Sunday and five days later they wanted His death.

Q When the Spirit of God anoints an individual, does that mean that from now on things are going to go very well and all will be easy?

An = David will first play the harp: that is easy! Next this anointing from the very Spirit of God will drive David to defend God's honor and compel David to take on the giant Goliath. That same anointing will be come so evident that it gets Saul to begin a cruel series of years to attack and kill the "anointed one". (Davis, p. 32.) We are the salt of the earth, but for some people salt's ability to preserve is lost sight of and all that they can focus on is that salt stings.

Q Turn with me to Mark 1:10-11, after the anointing of Jesus in Mark 1:10-11 what does the Spirit do?

An = Jesus is compelled to go into the desert, into the wilderness, into the heavy temptation of the Devil. Our hardship is often not a sign of sin but of discipline, of son-ship, of anointing. To be a great man or woman for God requires the anointing of God's Spirit, and then it requires the discipline of wilderness. (Davis, p. 32.)

Note: There is irony here as mentioned in the start of the lesson. David was effective in consoling Saul.

Q Who troubled Saul, worked through David to refresh him?

An = The Irony is also that the one comforting Saul is the very one who is Saul's threat to his kingdom and therefore to his ego.

Note: There is more here. God could not get Saul to act and trust Him as a King who "listened" to His voice. Saul opted for religion. Now, through David God is not just going to judge Saul, but attempt to give him another way to submit to God. His judgment could be his salvation, if Saul will allow it. But that is for future lessons.

I SAMUEL 16:1-13 | Lesson # 16 | The Call of David

2008-08-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction:

Many of us have several aspects to our lives and David is much like us. He begins as a "shepherd" and does faithfully shepherd Israel as her king but he was also a great warrior and a great musician for he was responsible for much of Israel's temple music. Israel's greatest warrior king also influenced much of the Psalter. So he has this triple aspect: shepherd/warrior/singer. This will be our first introduction to David and it will start with his anointing and selection by God from the sheep holds (16:1-13), then it will be followed by his being introduced as a singer/musician (16:14-23) and then as warrior (17:1-58).

Lets first look at the selection of David....

III. Samuel Struggles/Hesitates to Obey. I Samuel 16:1-3.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:1-3.

Q Why does Saul hesitate to anoint one of Jesse's sons?

An = He fears Saul's reaction. Samuel may be the key religious figure in Israel but Saul is now out of the will of God and thus a bit of a lose cannon. Samuel's fears are justified as we shall see in chapter 22.

Q Is it OK to be afraid of doing something God ask or wants?

An = Yes, notice God does not criticize or chastise Samuel for speaking the truth. Instead of condemning Samuel's fears God shows him a way to deal with a difficult situation. He gives Samuel a cover for his operation of anointing.

Q What is God's answer to Samuel's perceived threat from Saul?

An = Go to the town under the guise of wanting to offer a sacrifice (16:2).

Note: God has already made His choice. David does not come from the insightful choices of men but purely from God's sovereign will. Fretheim says it well when he calls David's selection "not a human accident but a divine intention" (Fretheim, p. 120).

Q Does God give Samuel the specific information needed to make his exact selection of one of Jesse's sons?

An = No. God gives direction, but often not a complete way.

Q Why does God give partial instructions?

Q Have you ever experienced this: the need to constantly go to Him? Why does God do this?

An = This often frustrates me, but real growth in our faith comes when we "walk" in our faith. Walking is movement, but usually sustained, more long-term movement. We are to "walk" with God, and this implies movement, purposeful movement but steady movement "with" God.

It is easier to walk, talk, and get to know each than by hearing and running. Jesus says we are to pray: "Give us our daily bread". Not give us bread by the truck load for the whole year.

I was once asked by my former pastor: "Well, son, what are you going to do with your life?" I answered: "I do not know". He answered: "Good, because you cannot do it until you get there."

Note: Notice though the end of 16:3. We are to do what we are told and then further instructions will come. The key is to obey what we know, then the "more" will open up.

Note: There is some tremendous irony here. Saul is into religion (sacrifice) instead of into God and it is under the guise of "religion" or "sacrifice" that the beginning of his reign's end takes it start. The sacrifice covers the anointing of his replacement.

III. Samuel Obeys/Listens at Bethlehem. I Samuel 16:4-13.

A. Samuel obeys. I Samuel 16:4-5.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:4-5.

Note: Samuel physically obeyed. He made his way to Bethlehem despite his fears or misgivings. It does not matter how great you are. You cannot be used of God unless you will "listen" and "obey".

B. The Review of Jesse's First Seven Sons: The Need to Listen. I Samuel 16:6-10.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:6-10.

Note: Even a great prophet can be fooled. We need to "listen" to His voice if we are going to serve Him as He desires.

Q What does the Lord look for in a great leader?

An = He looks at the heart.

Q What does it mean to look at the heart?

An = The word "heart" comes from the Hebrew word lev meaning our hidden thoughts or consciousness. Something that is central, hidden and has to do with the mind or our thoughts. God knows what a man really is. He looks for a man who at his hidden core thinks like Yahweh. >> Have two different people look up John 7:24 and II Corinthians 5:16. Have them read these verses to the group.

Note: Samuel does not panic even though he sees son after son that the Lord's rejects. Samuel will wait where Saul never would.

C. The Selection of David: Picking the Dark Horse. I Samuel 16:11-13.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:11-13.

Q Where was David when he was sent for?

An = He was at work, menial work, but work. He was tending sheep. Taking care of sheep is not a very prestigious job. Even today in Montana sheep herders are not considered to be very reputable people. It is more of a "no-brainer" job. But notice God selected a man who was at work and someone who took his work seriously.

>>> Have everyone turn to I Samuel 17:34-35 and have someone read it.

Q What kind of worker is David?

An = He takes seriously every task no matter how menial. Most young men would have run at the sight of a ferocious animal but David holds in there. He does not run away from tough tasks. See 17:36, it is faithfulness in dealing with the sheep that has taught him that God will be faithful in one of the key moments of his life and Israel's life. Little private actions prepare us for the big public actions.

Q Which Israelites were given the announcement of the birth of the Messiah?

An = In Luke 2:8-19 we learn that it was shepherds, the poor, the "low-end of the blue collar" working scale that is chosen to hear the angels sing. It was not the great Rabbis or the members of Herod's court. Jesus and David came from humble circumstances.

Note: The fact that David is the eighth son is significant. He is outside the "hallowed" number seven, he is the runt of the litter, the least son. He was not even invited to the sacrificial feast. He participates in a long line of "Dark Horse Motif" selections of Israelite leaders. In racing terms a "dark horse" is one no one expects to win. The great judges of the book of Judges are for the most part "long shots", people you would not expect to be selected. In Judges you have Gideon, the coward, Jephthah, the bandit, Ehud, the left handed one (when almost everyone else is right handed), and Deborah, who was a woman, which was very unusual in those days.

Q What happens to David when he is anointed with oil?

An = The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.

Q What does that mean?

An = We are not told, where in Saul's case we are given a lot of details with a lot of little miracles and finally the great military victory against the Ammonites. Here nothing is said except that the Spirit has fallen. It is interesting to note that both Saul and David were genuinely anointed by the Spirit. Saul was given all the tools to succeed as much as David was given. The key difference is "listening".

Q Does God still select men today?

Q What type of men will He be looking for?

Q What should young men and women be about before their selection?

An = They should be working and learning to be faithful. Also, the selection of David is good news for those who are "little" without prestige. God can select anyone.

>>>> Have someone read Luke 16:10

I SAMUEL 15 | Lesson #15 | ANOINTED TO LISTEN

2008-08-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

This chapter stresses that outward religious actions or formal ceremony cannot be used as a substitutes for obeying the actual desires of God. Our job is to "hear" or "listen" to His voice, His commands, His desires, not do formal ceremonies that we like to do. Divinely anointed leadership is leadership that "listens" to God's voice. To not "listen" invalidates the "anointing".

I. Greetings/Introduction:
Q Did you ever receive a gift for Christmas or your birthday that you didn't like?
Q What if a wife really liked flowers but the husband always gave her candy? How would she feel?
Q What if the husband said: I have taken a survey and most wives prefer candy and since candy is easier to purchase on my way home from work that is what I am going to give you?
Q What is wrong with this husband?
An = He is not listening to his wife. He treats her as "type" of wife but not as a real individual person who thinks and has a will.
Q What if someone gave you a gift that you didn't really want and deliberately did not give you a gift you deeply desired? How would you feel?
Q If we truly love someone do we not have to love them in their own currency?
Note: We are going to read about Saul who decided to do godly things but they were not the things that God wanted.

II. The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back: The Amalekite War. I Samuel 1
A. Getting Directions: Remembering That Godly Leadership Is Listening. I Samuel 15:1-3.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:1-3.
Q According to 15:1 what is the role of the one who is anointed of the Lord?
An = That person is to "listen" to the Words of the Lord".
Q What specific instructions did God give Saul through Samuel in 15:3?
An = Destroy everything that belongs to the Amalekites, everything. This is called in Hebrew "herim". It is term often called "holy war", or in the Bible: "putting something under the ban". It has a long history in Israel and every Israelite must have known about it. In a "holy war" there was to be no gain for the soldiers. Usually soldiers were not paid for fighting but got reimbursed by taking plunder from their enemies if they won. In a "holy war" or "ban" nothing was to be taken (Joshua 7) all was to "devoted to the Lord". To disobey was to violate the direct command of the Lord.
The Amalekites were dirty plunderers who had robbed and murdered Israelites since they had come out of Egypt. They were known as wandering plunders who lived on the edge of civilization. Now the Lord was going to eliminate and judge these vile people. He had decided to use Saul. In Deuteronomy we learn that they would way-lay the weak and straggling of the Israelites and brutally attacked them (Deuteronomy 25:17-19.
Note: Show on the map where this battle no doubt took place.
B. Saul's Response to Yahweh's Word. I Samuel 15:4-9.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:4-9.
Q Was Saul successful militarily?
An = Yes he was. Also, he was kind and just to the Kenites who were innocent.
Q Who is the subject of almost every verb in 15:4-9?
An = Saul is almost every time. Five times he is specifically named as the actor in these verses, and he is implied in two other sentences. The author clearly shows Saul as the key actor in these verses. The entire battle is cast as a response by Saul to the Lord's command.
Q Did Saul and the Israelites obey the command of the Lord to destroy the Amalekites?
An = Yes and no. They did destroy Amalekites but Saul and the army decided to keep the best of the spoil and to keep (for some reason) the king alive.

III. The Encounter Between Saul and Samuel: Confrontation and Repentance. I Sam. 15:13-35.
A. God speaks to Samuel: His Regret About Saul. I Samuel 15:10-12.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:10-12.
Q According to 15:11 did Saul once follow the Lord?
An = Yes, he did. He now has turned from the Lord. Saul was still religious as we shall soon see, but he turned away from following the Lord. The Lord sees the heart.
Q What is God's response to Saul?
An = He regrets, or grieves that Saul has turned out like he has. God is portrayed as One who hurts when we turn away. God is not some cold calculating power, but one who deeply cares about what we do and what we become.
Q Is Samuel happy about this information about Saul?
An = No! In Hebrew it says he was "angry" and he cried out to the Lord all night. What he was angry about, with Saul, with himself for anointing Saul, angry at the situation, we are not told. We can clearly see that Samuel was not happy. What he cried out to God about all night we are also not told. Was it for Israel, for Saul?
B. Confrontation. I Samuel 15:13-16.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:13-16.
Q What type of mood is Saul in?
An = Saul is stoked! He has just won a great victory, set up a monument to himself (15:12) and so blesses Samuel. Saul thinks he has done great! Saul is like a mayor using religious language in front of a minister like: "Praise the Lord, Jesus reigns!" He then asserts that he is quite an obedient fellow! Saul is blind it appears to his errors.
Q What does Samuel's question about hearing the cattle imply?
An = That Saul's claim to obey is inaccurate. The presence of the cattle represent Saul's disobedience.
Q Does Saul confess?
An = No. In verse 15 he first blames the people, then gives a religious excuse for disobeying God and claims that he has done well. He is answering like a politician, not a man of God. He puts the best spin on the occasion that he can, but he is not talking to the public, he is talking to a man of God, who has heard from God.
Note: Notice the pronoun used to refer to God in 15:15. He says he desires to sacrifice to your God. This phrase your God will continue through out the dialogue with Samuel (15:21,30). It is almost a subtle slip of the tongue that reveals how really far Saul is from a vital relationship to God.
C. Discussion of True Religion: Formal Ceremony or Obedience. I Samuel 15:17-23.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:17-21.
Q What does the rhetorical question in the first part of 15:17 mean?
An = Saul once knew his origin. He was once humble, knowing that God was the One who made him king. Notice Samuel also reminds Saul of his mission which was to completely destroy, not get rich.
Q What did Saul do that was wrong? Why was it wrong?
An = Notice that when Samuel accuses him of disobeying he puts in three phrases: You "disobeyed the Lord" (the Hebrew has the "voice" of the Lord), you "broke the ban" on the plunder, and you "did evil" in the sight of the Lord. What Saul did in the breaking of the ban what to put aside the "will of God", His very voice.
Note: To knowingly disregard the will of God is to become our own God. We decide what is good and evil. We have the knowledge of good and evil. We then place ourselves in the place of the Lord (Genesis 3:5).
Q Does Saul confess?
An = No. He again puts a good face on his actions and points out all the good he did. He certainly did do much good, but he was now in the place of deciding what issues were to be obeyed and what issues were not to be obeyed. Again, Saul is like much of our politicians. When questioned they never quite answer the question but go on telling us how much good they have done.
Q Who does Saul blame?
An = He blames the people.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:22-23.
Q What does Samuel mean by the statement in 15:22?
An = That formal ceremony is OK, Samuel certainly did formal ceremonies, but they do not please God like obedience does.
Q What does Samuel mean by the statement in 15:23?
An = That disobedience to what God tells us to do is just the same as playing with the occult or idolatry. This should have deeply offended Saul or deeply troubled him. Saul was so careful to be religious. We have seen this all through the passage. From an outward point of view Saul looked so great.
Q Is God impressed with Saul's religious activities?
An = He knows Saul's heart and that it has rejected Him and so He pronounces that Saul will lose the kingship. This is one of the major themes of all I Samuel: God knows our hearts and His knowledge can go beyond appearances. This will become clearer and clearer as we continue into Samuel.
D. Phoney Repentance. I Samuel 15:24-31.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:24-25.
Q Is Saul sincere?
An = It appears that he is. He confesses that he has sinned and has broken the Lord's commandment. It has taken a long time to bring about this confession. We are not able to tell if the threat against his kingship (23b) or the shocking news that his disobedience was as idolatry and witchcraft (23a) motivated the confession.
Q Who does Saul now admit he was afraid of?
An = The people. He also says something very strange he equates the Lord's command with Samuel's command. Saul could be politically maneuvering again. He has apologized to Samuel and confessed his wrong as a violation of Samuel and God's commandments. It could be he is trying to placate Samuel, or it could be a sincere understanding that Samuel represents the voice of the Lord. The text leaves the question open at this point.
Q In verse 25, does Saul want Samuel to come back because he needs the prophetic guidance with him again or does he want Samuel with him so he can look good before the people?
An = Again, our text leaves that open. It hard to tell from the outward appearance if people are sincere. In many ways this seems like a very sincere act of repentance, or it could be concern that Saul does not want to let the people know that the godly Samuel disapproves.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:26-31.
Q Does Samuel believe Saul?
An = No. In verse 26 Samuel tells Saul you are still in a state of rejecting God's Word. In verse 29, he lets Saul know that the statement of Saul being dropped from the kingship is not a threat but a done-deal. Saul could still make things right with God, but the kingship was lost. Saul appears to worried again about public appearance and image (15:30).
Q Does Saul ever pray to God or confess to God?
Q What seems to make Saul take this issue seriously?
An = When his power is threatened and then he makes a confession. What is disturbing is Saul's constant worry about how it will look. He is willing to confess privately but his constant reference to proper public image is disturbing. It is almost as if Saul deeply wants to be religious, but to not take God seriously as a Person who has a will.
Note: (if time allows do this) In verse 29, Samuel says God does not change His mind, but this seems to contradict both verses 11 and 35. What I believe is happening here is a delicate balance that is so common through out Scripture. Yes, God does change His mind. See Exodus 32:14 and there are 28 other times where God is said to regret or repent. What all of these various situations have in common is that there is a definite "emotional" aspect to all of these references. >> Read Genesis 6:6 and here one can since the passion, the emotion in God who loves humans and grieves about their choices. God is deeply concerned when we sin and reject Him because He is source of life and He knows we will die without Him. God loves us and therefore we can grieve, or hurt God. This is what I believe 15:11 and 15:35 are saying.
What I believe Samuel is saying in 15:29 is that though God is moved He is not fickle. He does not try to run mind games on us and just threaten us but never really mean it. He does not act like human beings do where words are cheap. This is what I believe Samuel is trying to get across to Saul who seems to think this issue will just blow over and he can go back to "religious but disobedient" way of life.
E. Bad News. I Samuel 15:32-35.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 15:32-35.
Note: Note Agag thought he was going to escape out of this fix but got fixed by Samuel. Also, Samuel and Saul permanently part ways, but neither God nor Samuel was happy with this result. God never desires the death of the wicked.

I SAMUEL 14 | Lesson #14 | FAITH VERSUS RELIGION: THE POWER OF OATHS

2008-08-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction: Faith Vs. Religion.

Q How many of you have ever coached or played on a soccer team, football team or a basketball team?

Q What if you as the coach suggested that you fasted from early morning until late afternoon on the day of the championship game? What would happen?

An = Your chances of winning would dramatically drop down. You need physical nourishment to do a physically challenging task. In ancient warfare, it was hand to hand combat. It was a contact sport. To fast during a day long battle would be quite a blunder.

Note: We are going to read of such a blunder that is covered with the guise of super religious piety. The person making the mistake is very pious, very religious. We are also going to read of faith and sometimes to the outside observer it is hard to tell the difference.

III. Victory Over the Garrison: A Victory of Faith. I Samuel 14:1-15.

A. The situation: I Samuel 14:1-5.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:1-5.

Q From just reading 14:1 what sort of picture do you get of Jonathan?

An = He is certainly not afraid of the Philistines and is an aggressive lad. Maybe, he knew his dad would stop him if he told him where he is going. Remember, it was Jonathan's action in 13:3 that started all this trouble.

Q What is Saul doing?

An = He was staying at the base with six hundred men. He is sitting with his troops and Jonathan is moving out to confront the enemy. Notice also that your author wants you to know that Saul has the priest with him (14:3). Saul is portrayed as very religious. However, so was the priest's great grand father Eli, and he was not favored by God.

B. Jonathan's Courage of Faith: I Samuel 14:6-15.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:6-10.

Q Is Jonathan over bold?

Q On what is Jonathan's faith based on according to 14:6?

An = His faith is based on his knowledge of God and his knowledge of God's ability. He knows "if" God is with him he can succeed. He does not command or "claim" anything of God, he just knows that with God in the equation, much can be done.

>>>> Have someone re-read I Samuel 14:7-10

Q Does Jonathan give God the ability to veto his plans?

Q Is Jonathan certain God will bless his plans?

An = No, however, if God is "with" them they will succeed. Jonathan's attitude is "who knows", who knows what God will do (Davis p. 138).

Q Would you like to have been the armor-bearer of Jonathan? Would it have been exciting or frightening to have such a boss?

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:11-15.

Q Did God bless Jonathan's efforts? How do we know?

An = Jonathan and his armor-bearer not only polish off 20 Philistines but God is the one who really starts the ball rolling. It is His earthquake that shakes the land that should remind us of I Samuel 7.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 7:10-11

Q Who was the man of faith in chapter 7?

An = Samuel

Q Who is the man of faith in chapter 14?

An = Jonathan. The last time that the Israelites had beaten the Philistines in a large battle. There was a man of faith.

>>> Have someone re-read I Samuel 7:13

Q Was it hard to get there in order to fight?

An = Jonathan and the armor-bearer had to work hard to get into the situation they were in.

Q What does that tell you?

IV. The Resulting Battle: I Samuel 14:16-30.

A. The Battle: I Samuel 14:16-23.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:16-23.

Note: This story is told very dramatically. The lookouts can see the people "melting away". This huge army is scattering every where.

Q Who is "melting away"? Whose army?

An = It is not the Israelites who are "scattering" but the Philistines. It makes a difference when God's people have God with them. Notice nothing happened when the Saul and his priest were "sitting" under the pomegranate tree.

Q After Saul ascertain's who is there and who is not there what does he do in 14:18?

An = He was trying to get religious and seeks a religious object.

Q When Saul sees that the noise of the confusion gets greater and greater what does he abandon?

An = His religious ceremony right in the middle of it (14:19). This is typical of Saul in these chapters: he is impetuous: 13:9, 14:24 and here.

Q Does Saul join the battle with his men?

An = Yes, Saul is not a coward. However, here is a follower where previously in chapter 11 he was a leader when anointed by the Spirit.

Q Who helps out in the battle?

An = Those Hebrews who had been turn-coats (who turn-coated again) and the neighboring Ephraimites who had been hiding. When fortunes turn so does one's popularity. Everyone loves a winner.

Q What really gave the Israelites the victory?

An = It was really God's earthquake. God uses Jonathan and Saul but it is His earthquake that really gives the victory. It is God who gives the increase, but He does use us to "sow" and "water" the seed. God uses men, but ultimately it is Him who wins the battle.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:24-30.

Q Saul has gotten religious again. What has he done this time?

An = He now puts the entire army under a fast. He seems to want to personalize the whole affair. See 14:24, in that he also wants revenge.

Note: The text says the battle entered the forest where there was honey on honeycombs readily available to the troops.

Q Who is the only person that eats some of the honey? Did he know?

An = Only Jonathan and he does not know about the oath Saul put the army under.

Note: The people greatly feared oaths. They did not eat food. Saul was God's anointed and he had put the entire people under oath before God and the text says the people were afraid: 14:26.

Q When Jonathan learns of the oath is he impressed?

An = No he isn't. He calls his father's action "trouble" for the nation. The people got so tired that their victory was lessened or mitigated because they had the Philistines on the run and could not capitalize on the situation because of the "oath of fasting".

V. The Aftermath to the Battle: A Double Sin. I Samuel 14:31-46.

A. The People Sin: Eating the Blood. I Samuel 14:31-35.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:31-35.

Q What religious taboo did the Israelites break?

An = They ate the meat in the hunger without properly draining the blood. This respect of the blood was deeply ingrained in the people's understanding because the blood was the fluid of life and belonged to God alone (cf. Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:11; Deuteronomy 12:23 see McCarter p. 248). This was a serious sin against a commandment that God had given as opposed to the oath that Saul decided upon.

Q What did Saul's religious burdens actually do?

An = It helped the people to truly sin against what God wanted.

Q Have you ever experienced something like this, where someone's misguided religious fervor hurt people more than helped them be pleasing to God?

Q Does Saul act decisively once he sees the problem his oath has caused?

An = Yes! Saul is a sincerely religious and pious man. The text clearly shows that Saul believes in religions rules and takes them seriously. He brings a rock so that the animals can be slaughtered on it and so that the blood can run down and drain.

B. The Sin of Jonathan: Eating the Honey. I Samuel 14:36-46.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:36-37.

Q Are the people willing to follow Saul in his mop-up action?

An = Yes they are.

Q What does Saul do next?

An = He now wants to do more religious activities. The priest maybe was smarting from the stopped ceremony in 14:19 and wanted some input into the victory. God had granted them great victory without the priest's help. Saul seems hesitant and bound by his religious sensibilities and now listens to the priest, and they lose the momentum of the battle opportunity that God's earthquake had provided. He listens to a priest (not Samuel) and loses a great chance to deal the Philistines a strong defeat.

Q How is this different than his son Jonathan?

An = Jonathan is forward looking and practical. Sometimes our religious sensibilities are not concerned with what God Himself really wants. The priest wanted to do all the right rituals, but ritual does not save, God does. Ritual is to lead us to God, not to take the place of God.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:38-44.

Note: Now Saul has moved from strong direction (which the people are willing to follow in 14:36) to divisive accusation and the people go along with this too. Leaders can lead in good ways and bad ways the people will follow. Saul now, instead of fighting the enemy is looking to fight his fellow Israelites. He has moved from saving his people to "purging", usually not a good sign of positive leadership. It is a lot easier to "purge" than to fight the evil.

Q Have you ever seen this done in church?

Q How many oaths does Saul take in these few verses of 14:38-44?

An = Saul makes an oath in 39 and another one in 44. The phrase "as the Lord lives" is an ancient oath formula.

Note: The lots that were cast were from the priest's neck and called the Urim and Thummim. The best scholarship acknowledges that we do not know much about them. They could not be compelled to answer from what the biblical stories that speak of them indicate. God could refuse to activate them so that they would give an answer. Remember it was with such lots that Saul's reign was partly justified before all Israel. Remember also though, that it was the victory over the Ammonites that truly cemented the legitimization of Saul's reign.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:45-46.

Q Who now takes an oath?

An = the people do in 14:45. Saul is God's anointed and he has taken three oaths (24,39,44) but the people over-ride Saul with a counter oath of their own and they have better theology. They knew it was through Jonathan that victory had come. They had practical proof of God's blessing and they seemed to have grown tired of Saul's over religiosity when it bordered on injustice. Jonathan had made an innocent mistake and Saul was willing to kill him because of it.

Note: Remember when Saul won his great victory over the Ammonites in 11:13? He was gracious to those who did not come to the battle.

>>> Have someone read I Samuel 11:13.

Q What was the reason Saul gave for forgiving those men on that day?

An = For this was the day that God rescued Israel. When His grace is given to us it should be given to others. Saul is not willing to forgive Jonathan for making an innocent mistake, but even willing to kill him despite the fact that it was his faith that brought about the victory in the first place. Saul has subtlety changed. He is quite religious but now bordering on being very ungodly with his religious activities. He has the letter of the law but seems to have lost the spirit.

VI. Conclusion. I Samuel 14:47-52.

Q Did God curse Saul because three of his oaths taken on God's Name where broken and ignored?

An = No. The proof is in what follows.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 14:47-52.

Note: God gave Saul a lot of victories. He is presented as a valiant and successful military commander. I think the author placed this little summary here in the text of Saul and his family to let the reader know that the oaths were certainly not the cause of Saul's downfall.

Note: There has been a change in things. In chapter 11:3,9,13 the word in Hebrew to save is used in reference to Saul's work. In chapter 14 the same root word is used again three times but this time in connection with Jonathan's deed (14:6,23,45).

Q Is Saul is treated fairly in these last few verses?

An = Yes, Saul was changing but still God was using him. We need to be as courageous as the Bible and see the good about people despite the bad that is there too.

I SAMUEL 13 | Lesson #13 | Faith and Religion

2008-07-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

Capsule: This lesson wants us to see how crisis can often reveal whether we chose to live by faith or trust in religion. There is a subtle difference between religion and faith: this story says that subtle distinction makes all the difference in the world to God Himself. No matter how we feel or look, God knows the real difference. This real difference will also show up in real life.

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction: Early In The Game. I Samuel 13:1

Q Have you ever seen a ball team start out well and then falter after the start?

Q Have you ever seen a business start out well for say two years and then decline?

Q What usually causes such down turns?

An = After several answers ask them if pressure and new stresses sometimes break a new company or even a new ministry. Circumstances in life can change rapidly and often mistakes by those new in leadership can harm an organization.

Q Have you ever seen something done in a panic that hurt a business or ministry?

An = After they answer then share with them the theme of our study. The decline of Saul. It is portrayed in three moves: chapters 13, 14 and 15. Today we will look at the beginning found in chapter 13.

>>>> Have someone read chapter 13:1.

Note: Most translations all have different numbers in the place of Saul's age and the length of his reign. In the Hebrew his age is not given and his reign is listed as two years. The best scholarship proposes that chapter 13 happens 2 years into Saul's reign. It hints that a crucial event took place early in Saul's reign that damaged it.

II. Setting to a Military Crisis. I Samuel 13:2-8.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:2-4.

Note: The text tells us that Saul is organized militarily. He may have been organized in other areas of his government but our story is primarily concerned with military issues. It was militarily concerned because Israel wanted a king precisely because of a military threat.

Q Who starts the military confrontation?

An = It was Jonathan, Saul's eldest son (see 14:49). It was Jonathan that precipitated the crisis, and this compelled Saul to send word to gather the nation together because he knew trouble was coming. Note, that Jonathan actually smote the garrison (13:3), but Saul was reported to have done it (13:4).

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:5-8.

Q How bad were things?

An = The Philistines were numerically over whelming.

Q What was the morale like?

An = The people fled (13:7), hid (13:6), and the few remaining troops were trembling (13:7 b), and because Samuel had not come in the seven days the people were scattering (13:8).

Q Why is it important that Samuel arrive?

An = Samuel is the one close to God and having a great man pray for you before an important event is important. There is one more thing about this waiting. Notice the amount of time that is spoken of. This length of time has a great deal of importance.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 10:8.

Note: This meeting at Gilgal, where Saul was to precede and then wait seven days had never taken place yet. They had been at Gilgal to renew the ceremony, not a time when Saul went ahead for seven days to wait for instructions on what to do. This was part of Saul's original instructions at Saul's call. Saul seems to have been given a blue-print on how to handle crisis situations that specifically fit his kingly needs. Wait seven days for God's prophet Samuel, the prophet will come and pray and then give divine guidance as to what to do. This seems to be why Saul assembles the people at Gilgal.

Q If you were Saul and thousands were arrayed against your diminishing troops would you be in a panic?

Q What would you do?

III. The Loss of a Kingdom's Endurance. I Samuel 13:9-15.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:9.

Q What does Saul do in this stressful situation?

An = He offers the burnt offerings and peace offerings.

>>>> Now re-read I Samuel 10:8.

Q What was the instruction to Saul in this verse?

An = He is to wait seven days.

Q What was Samuel's part in this verse.

An = He would 1) offer burnt offering and peace offerings and 2) show Saul what to do. Go back to chapter 7:9-10 and see that when Samuel sacrifices and prays to God, the Lord delivers. Saul may have been the king but it was God's prophet/priest that was going to intercede for Saul (the sacrifices) and give the necessary guidance. Samuel was probably going to be used to show Saul that victory comes through trust in God's instructions and that God would divinely give guidance. Saul's part was to obey (act of faith) by waiting and see what the Lord was going to show Samuel. This instruction about procedures at Gilgal was given way back, early in Saul's leadership, and it was a key part of his calling.

Q Why did Saul jump the gun?

An = 1) The text goes out of its way to show the reader that there was plenty to panic about. Faced with superior forces from the enemy and dwindling troops and morale Saul could be seen to have reason to panic. In addition, Samuel did not come till the very end, and Saul worried he would not be "spiritually covered". However, the message was clear: Samuel was to offer the offerings and then give Saul the necessary information that he would need. But it appears that Saul either panics and/or wants to make sure all the "ends are neatly tied up" religiously. This is our second point. 2) Saul may have been seeking some type of security or type of control in the situation instead of just crying out to God. He wants to do the proper religious things but not what God had asked. It is almost like Saul was seeking control of the situation by proper religious action instead of humbly obeying what he knew he was to do and crying out to God.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:10-14.

Note: What now begins is one of the toughest situations presented in the book of Samuel. Why is poor Saul rejected? His rejection will seem to be on a very petty issue. David will make much more obvious mistakes.

Q Why was Samuel so unhappy?

An = It seems that Saul wanted to make sure they were religiously covered and so disobeyed to accomplish that. The one thing that will become very clear in the next few chapters is that Saul is indeed very religious.

Q Can we do something religious and actually be displeasing to God?

Q Do you know people who are very religious but really do not trust in God or love God?

Q Why are some people religious but not in love with God?

Note: Saul seems to pay a very high price here. He will not lose his job as king but he will lose the right to pass it along to his sons and their sons' sons, etc. Saul will not begin a dynasty.

Q Is having a dynasty, something that goes on after you important? Is it important for men to see what they have done be passed on to their kids? Why?

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:15.

Q Did Samuel stay with Saul and let him know what to do?

An = No. It appears that Saul was religious, but his religion cost him the presence of God's prophet and therefore the help of God. Davis points out that for Saul religious observance was essential but prophetic guidance was not essential. Religion, properly performed, was necessary but obedience to God's Word was not (Davis p. 130).

Note: Remember there is real difference between praying at an inauguration and praying for guidance and obeying God's Word in political and military decisions.

IV. The Deteriorating Situation. I Samuel 13:16-23.

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:16-18.

Q What is happening to Israelite territory?

An = They are being raided and apparently Saul is powerless to stop them with only six hundred men. Religion has not worked and Samuel is gone (13:15).

>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 19-23.

Q Why do you think the author told us about this situation of the blacksmiths?

An = Iron was a fairly new invention. After all this is the beginning of the Iron Age (which scholars usually start at 1200 B.C.). Iron weapons were vastly superior to bronze weapons and so Philistia appears to want to control "advanced military technology" much like it is done today. The author wants you to see how difficult Israel's situation was. It faced a superior force (13:2-6), faced superior weapons (13:19-22), and what is worse their king is into religious observance and not God (13:8-15).

Note: Israel's greatest source of help is her Lord. However, the book of Samuel has told us all along that simple faith and obedience is how to deal with the Lord of Glory, not religious observance. Remember the religious Eli, the Ark stories, and now Saul? These are examples of religion, not faith. On the positive side, Hannah prayed in faith and obeyed by keeping her promise and received the help of God. Eli was religiously concerned but not obedient in disciplining his sons and when faith and good teaching was required of the sons, they were helpless to help Israel. Therefore defeat, with the use of religion, ensued (faith in the Ark not in God). In addition, Eli's sons died. The leadership was judged. Saul was successful when the God directed him through his prophet Samuel and Saul was endowed by the Spirit. Now it seems Saul is religious (we must sacrifice before a battle), but it seems he does it for almost "morale" reasons mixed with superstition. Samuel sacrifices because he actually wants to honor God and actually ask for help. A subtle but crucial difference.

Q We can determine our religious actions, but can we control God's action by religion. Q From a human point of view is it hard to tell motives in religious actions?

An = It is hard to tell the difference between attempts to control God and to attempt to obey and honor God for us. However, it is very clear to God. Saul will seems to be willing to do without obedience the prophet guidance in the name of religious observance.

Q What would the difference look life between faith in religion and true faith in God?

An = Faith in God, requires God being in control and usually requires some type of trust on our part that includes some type of risk (obediently waiting in a tough situation).

Note: It is our proposal that the down fall of Saul is lack of faith and almost a superstitious use of religious action? We will see if that proposal is correct in the next few chapters. We will test it.

I SAMUEL 12 | Lesson # 12 | TELLING THE TRUTH AND SURVIVING

2008-07-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

Issue: Finally coming to repentance does not bring about God's abandonment but actually reestablishes true communion with God and this allows God to verbalize his commitment to us. We can tell the truth and survive. God helps us finally see our pig-headed attitudes. This is shown in the miracle of the rain at harvest to help the people see that they had truly ignored God. Once they repent, the assurances not only from God but from Samuel begin.

I. Greetings:
If you read along the last few chapters, starting with chapter 8, a constant theme is on the lips of Samuel. He does not want a king. God clearly allows it (8:7,9,22), and tells Samuel he is to help in the finding of a king for Israel, Samuel, as the leader, is to listen to the people! However, Samuel really has problems with the concept. Samuel sees, along with the Lord (8:7) that the wanting of a king is a sign of Israel wanting to control their political destiny and safety. Samuel wanted Israel secure as well, but he knew that Israel's safety did not lie in a king but in "The King"! It was only in God that Israel had a chance to survive. So, though Samuel does cooperated in finding Israel a king, in 8:10-18 and 10:18-19 Samuel has tried to get the people to see that in their made rush to get a king, they were forgetting God. Even if the king was a success, putting God first was the key issue.

II. Introduction: Gathering at Gilgal.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 11:14-15.
Note: As we noted last week this celebration at Gilgal was a joyous one. They were renewing the kingdom, and making peace offerings (fellowship offering), rejoicing in a great victory. God had helped them stop the vicious oppression of the Ammonites. It was a great day. After the celebration, Samuel addresses the group because he is still worried.
Q Have you ever been in a situation where you have to be the wet blanket? Where you had to get the group or your children to focus on a tough issue that must be dealt with? Is this a fun assignment?
An = Share one of your own situations, but it would be much, much better if someone else shared.
Q Do most politicians confront the key but unpopular issues, when times are good?
An = Usually, no! They only deal with the real destructive problems when everybody is in such a state of disarray that is it politically popular to do so.
Note: Samuel is no ordinary leader. Even at a great celebration he brings up the issue that is bugging him. Some would see him as a person with a "burr under his saddle" or a person who "had to have the last word", but I think despite such possible motives, Samuel is correct in bringing up an old issue that has twice been ignored. So... Samuel begins.

III. Calling For A Review: I Samuel 12:1-5.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 12:1-5.
Note: In these three verses Samuel asks the Israelites to recognize three things, one in each verse. He opens with saying that "he has listened to them". Listen = obey in Hebrew and Samuel heard their request for a king and obeyed that request. He wants to point out to them that they have gotten their way.
Q Is it important for children/students/employees to get their way once in a while? Why?
An = We often want something that is not in our best interests but good leadership does not insist on getting its way every time. God has allowed the Israelites to have a different form of government and seems willing to work within such an arrangement though it may not have been the best form for them. Samuel has been commanded three times in chapter 8 (7,9,22) to "listen" or "obey" the request of the Israelites.
Note: Samuel points this out to the people. He lets them know they had gotten things their way.
Note: You could interpret 12:2 as Samuel complaining, or he is letting the people know what the current situation is. They have a king, he is old and gray.
Q What is Samuel telling them in 12:3? What is he after?
An = He could be reminding them that those things have changed and he is not longer in charge that things were not so bad under his rule. Perhaps we tend to demean the past when something new arrives and Samuel reminds them of some facts: he has never cheated them.
Q Is it important to recognize the good aspects of the past?
An = Yes. Not glorify the past or get into the "good old days" syndrome, but to honestly and accurately reflect and assess the past. Samuel is not asking them to return to the past ways of doing things but to reflect on the integrity that he had as their leader.
Q Can you give an example of reviewing the past in a positive way even though you do not want to return to the way things were?
Q In 12:3-5 how does Samuel force them to think about the past?
An = He asked them to verbally commit themselves to assessing his guilt or innocence in regard to his honesty. It is sometimes good to be forced to verbalize the truth. It does us good to say it.
Note: Notice Samuel does not speak depreciatively of Saul. He does not call him "king", but the "Lord's anointed" and as one who is worthy of the respect to be the authoritative witness to what is correct. Samuel does not seem to want to return to the past, but rather to see accurately the past.
Note: Notice the people do acknowledge that Samuel has never cheated them, and they agree that Saul is witness to Samuel's innocence.

IV. A Call to Remember: A Call to See Facts As They Really Are. I Samuel 12:6-19.
A. A Call to Review the Ancient Past: I Samuel 12:6-11.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 12:6-11.
Q What was the means that God used to get Israel out of slavery according to 12:6?
An = Anointed leaders: Moses and Aaron.
Q According to 12:9 what caused God to deliver the Israelites into the hands of their enemies?
An = They forgot the Lord who was their God. It was He who brought them out of Egypt and made them what they were, but they forgot Him.
Q According to 12:10 when the Israelites cry out to God what two major parts does their prayer have?
An = 1) They confess their sins: forsaken the Lord and served other gods. 2) They request deliverance from their enemies and promise to serve the Lord.
Q What was the means that God used to get Israel free from their oppressing enemies according to I Samuel 12:11?
An = Again it was leadership that was "sent" by God.
Note: What both brief historical recounts have in common is a pattern that includes the Israelites never deserving deliverance but merely asking for help and acknowledging their need: they cried out to the Lord. This may seem unimportant but it signifies that these men could not solve their own problems but needed God. We have a name for this: humility.
Note: What Samuel is doing is reciting the history of the book of Judges. They people sinned, were oppressed by enemies, cried for help and then God sent anointed leadership to deliver them. This pattern was repeated several times through the twelve judges whose careers are recorded in Judges. Notice Samuel sees himself as part of this pattern.
B. Review of the Resent Past: I Samuel 12:12-13.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 12:12-13.
Note: It seems the Nahash crisis was handled not by crying out to the Lord, but by asking for a king. Samuel worries that the necessary repentance of seeking the Lord again has not taken place. The king is not a real answer to Israel's military problems, despite the resent victory.
C. Challenge to follow God in the Present Circumstances: I Samuel 12:14-17.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 12:14-15.
Q What is the promise found in 12:14?
An = If you do what the Lord's will is then you and the king will be following the Lord. Notice, that just doing religion is not what God wants, but actually doing what the Lord wants.
Q What is the threat found in 12:15?
An = The Lord Himself will be against them. Israel's greatest peril is God Himself.
Q If the church only pretends to follow the Lord, but does not really do what the Lord asks in His Word, who will be the church's greatest enemy?
An = The Lord Himself. Will the church prosper without God's helping hand? We need His help if we are to be successful.
D. Authenticating Sign from Heaven That God Is Lord.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 12:16-19.
Q What is the role of the rain taking place during the wheat harvest?
An = It was a sign from God. Rain normally does not fall at that time of the year and so Israel saw that salvation was from God, not from their king. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we are in His hands.
Q How does Israel respond?
An = They were at first afraid of the Lord and Samuel (12:18), and then they asked Samuel to pray for them. They finally confessed that the desire for the king was sin.
Q Why was the wanting a king a sin?
An = It became an excuse for depending upon the Lord. (***Give an example from your own life of where something not necessarily wrong is used as a prop to keep one from trusting in the Lord. Though this thing is not wrong in itself***).

V. The Result of Finally Seeing the Truth: Assurance and Challenge. I Samuel 12:20-25 .
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 12:20-25.
Note: The people admit their sin, they confess, and God encourages them to now to serve the Lord with all their hearts. They have finally seen that their lack of dependence upon God is wrong. Notice the Lord's opening words are "do not fear"!
>>> Re-read 12:22-23.
Q What does the Lord promise them in 12:22?
An = That He will not abandon them.
Q What are the reasons the Lord will not abandon them?
An = Because of who God is. They have done nothing to deserve His loyalty. He has chosen them and wants to keep them. Notice they can lose their lives if they do not stop their stupidity (12:25), but God wants to keep the relationship alive.
Q According to 12:24 what does Samuel think should motivate them to fear and serve the Lord?
An = Gratitude for all God has done for them.
Q Do our kids sometimes act totally ungratefully towards you?
An = You haven't had kids if they haven't been ungrateful.
Q Do you hate them and never want anything to do with them?
An = Of course not! Ultimately, if we are good parents, good children should realize all the goodness we have done for them and be grateful. But notice that we are free. God does not force us to obey. Therefore when our kids truly are grateful, they really are a joy!
Q What does Samuel promise them in 12:23?
An = That he will not abandon them either. He will pray for them and will instruct them in the good and right way.
Q What has both God and Samuel modeled for us in the way of good leadership?
An = When we do not get our way, we still need to care and not abandon those we lead who are so ungrateful. True leaders serve.

I SAMUEL 10-11 | Lesson # 11 | THE SPIRIT, THE CALL: PUBLIC CONFIRMATION

2008-07-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

I. Greetings:
Last wee we saw the anointing of Saul to a leadership position by Samuel. This was privately confirmed by God to Samuel and to Saul. However, leadership is a public thing and so we will now see how the leader is publicly confirmed.
The Bible is neither solely on the side of private religion, nor solely on the side of the power of the group's decisions. It is a wise balance of both. Saul is a good person to study because he is a quiet, non-aggressive man, whereas David is more his opposite. We will soon see about his anointing in the up-coming chapters. Samuel, whose call we have already seen, is neither overly non-aggressive or overly aggressive. What all three "call narratives" or stories have in common is the "private-public" tension. Lets see what this tension actually is....

II. Public Confirmation By Ceremony: I Samuel 10:17-27.
Q Why do we ordain ministers or install them?
An = Public recognition of the leaders acceptance by the people.
Q Are public ceremonies like this important or necessary?
An = In some ways it is, lets see why.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 10:17-24.
Q What did the casting of "lots" prove?
An = God is the one who selected Saul. The lots were some type of dice that were around the priest's neck: called the Urim and Thummim. How they worked is not known. What happened was that Saul's tribe was selected by the lots and then his clan and then his family and then his where-abouts. What is key is that the Lord wanted Saul to have public confirmation of His private selection (given to Samuel). The people of God need to know who the Lord has confirmed.
Q Where was Saul?
An = He was hiding in the baggage (see 10:22). Saul was hesitant to say anything to his uncle in I Samuel 10:16, and he is aware of his position in society in I Samuel 9:21 by claiming that he is from the least of the tribes. We do not have a picture of an arrogant or over-confident man here. He is tall physically but not ego-wise.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 10:25-27.
Q Did everyone buy into Saul's appointment? Why did they disapprove?
An = No, not everyone, because some doubted Saul's ability to "deliver".
Q Is this normal? Have you ever disagreed with the appointment of a boss or minister or the election of a government official? Did you doubt their ability?
An = Get them to share if they will. If they will not, share a quick example of your own to get them talking.
Q Does the Bible see these men who doubted as wrong?
An = Yes it does, it calls them fools. God had selected Saul by "lot" and by Samuel. Have three different people turn to the following three texts: Exodus 22:28, Titus 3:1, and Romans 13:1-4. Have them read the three texts. One can easily find other texts.
Q Do you like what you have read?
An = Let them answer as they really feel and let them speak their mind. Add after that the Bible does not want us to be blind, stupid, in our submission to authority, but it does not want us negative towards human authority. This is not politically correct or very popular in America but God's Word is clear. We should not have a chip on our shoulders towards authority.
Q For whom is the public ceremony or public installation service: Saul or the people?
An = It would help Saul feel legitimized but maybe it is for the people just as strongly.
Note: God touched the hearts of some of the valiant men. This is only something God can do.
Q How did Saul react to those worthless ones who did not go along?
An = He just kept silent, remember this.

III. Public Confirmation by the Spirit in Successful Ministry: I Samuel 11.
Note: It is one thing to be ordained or appointed, but it is quite another thing for someone to do their job successfully. We all have experienced ministers, politicians, or bosses at work who have done a poor job as a leader. The later half of chapter 10 has shown us that public ceremonies are not to be despised, for God is at work in them. He had worked through the casting of lots in the ceremony and He had touched the hearts of certain valiant men. In the earlier part of chapter 10 God had privately confirmed Saul to Samuel and given proof to Saul himself. However, private confirmation and public ceremony, no matter how moving, are not enough. There must be a further confirmation, it must happen in life. Here also, God is involved as he was in the other two steps.
A. The Crisis: A Threat to the Community. I Samuel 11:1-5.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 11:1-5.
Q What was the crisis here?
An = East of the Jordan River 2 1/2 tribes of Israel lived. The Ammonites earlier had fought Israel for territory and the israelites had won (Judges 11). Now it seems they not only wanted to conquer but humiliate by gouging out the right eye of all the males. The Dead Sea Scrolls tell us that this had already been done to other Israelites and some feel that it was common practice for the left eye to be covered by a shield so with the right eye out the Israelites would be effectively unable to ever put up much of a fight (Davis, p. 112).
Q Why did the messengers come to Gibeah?
An = Here we see how well the book of Judges is tied in with I Samuel. In Judges 19-21 Jabesh-Gilead had not joined the muster of troops to fight against Benjamin. This city was therefore raided and some of their women given in marriage to Benjamite men. So these two towns were related. The double irony is this: 1) Jabesh-Gilead did not come to the mustering of troops and now they needed the mustering to help them. 2) The group that was fought against for their blatant immorality (Benjamin) is now being asked to be the center of the mustering for salvation for Jabesh-Gilead. A double twist (see Brueggemann p. 84 and Davis, p. 115). Gibeah was the center of the coarse immorality and now it is the center of the hope for salvation.
Note: Saul is not "living like a king", but working in the fields.
B. The Resolution to the Crisis: Victory for the Community: I Samuel 11:6-11.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 11:6-11.
Q How bold a move was this for Saul to make? What if the troops did not muster? How would have Saul and his new kingship have looked?
An = He is very bold here. He risked everything.
Q What changed the timid Saul into an angry, decisive and aggressive ruler?
An = It was the Spirit of God. This goes back to an old Israelite tradition, again in the book of Judges that when the Spirit of God fell on a leader that leader never lost a battle. It was a proof of the anointing of the Spirit of God according to Israelite tradition. It may bother that the Spirit of God can produce rage and anger, and then animate a man to make decisive battle plans but this is merely one of many such examples in the Scriptures. We would call this "righteous anger". The Bible does not condemn it but says God is the author of it.
Note: What has happened here is that Saul has now been confirmed in the real "push and pull" of life. He was anointed to "deliver" and now he has indeed "delivered the people" from oppression. God has confirmed His new king in life by the Spirit. This is somewhat what I believe Chuck Smith means when he says: "If God guides, then God provides". There has to me more to claiming an anointing than mere private religious experience and public ceremony but also solid proof of deliverance in the lives of God's people. Leaders are not ordained to rule but to deliver.
C. After the Crisis: Mercy and Joy. I Samuel 11:12-15.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 11:12-15.
Q Why did Saul forgive his detractors?
An = Saul realized it was God who had given the victory and mercy should accompany the gracious flow of His mercy to His people. Even notice how when the Spirit of God has really been at work in a body of believers that they are much more likely to forgive those who have insulted them, etc. Also, it appears to say something about Saul's feeling of security about his position. God had confirmed it. He did not need to nail any of his detractors.
Note: They met publicly again, this time at Gilgal to "renew the kingdom". Now all things had been put in place. Private confirmation, public ceremony and divine confirmation in the deliverance of the people, all three were given, and so the people rejoice.
Q If you were a leader or wanting to be one, do you like the pressure of "having to be confirmed"? What do you think of this?