Jonathan’s Daring Plan
1 Samuel 14:1-23 NLT
^14:1 One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing.
² Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron. ³ Among Saul’s men was Ahijah the priest, who was wearing the ephod, the priestly vest. Ahijah was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord who had served at Shiloh.
No one realized that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp. ⁴ To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh. ⁵ The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash, and the one on the south was in front of Geba. ⁶ “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”
⁷ “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”
⁸ “All right, then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the Lord’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”
¹¹ When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” ¹² Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!”
¹³ So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. ¹⁴ They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.
¹⁵ Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.

Israel Defeats the Philistines
¹⁶ Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction. ¹⁷ “Call the roll and find out who’s missing,” Saul ordered. And when they checked, they found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone.
¹⁸ Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the ephod here!” For at that time Ahijah was wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites. ¹⁹ But while Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Never mind; let’s get going!”
²⁰ Then Saul and all his men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other. There was terrible confusion everywhere. ²¹ Even the Hebrews who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites. ²² Likewise, the men of Israel who were hiding in the hill country of Ephraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away. ²³ So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle continued to rage even beyond Beth-aven.

Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 14:1-23 NLT
Jonathan’s Daring Plan 

^14:1 One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” (Michmash)

The Philistines were north of the gorge at Micmash and the Israelites were south of the gorge.

Jonathan acted.

• Jonathan took the initiative to do something about Israel’s plight.

Jonathan’s actions were in harmony with God’s plans for Saul.

1 Samuel 9:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man (Saul) from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”

In our previous lesson we learned about Jonathan’s victory over the garrison of Philistines at Geba.

1 Samuel 13:3 NLT
³ Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. 

But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing.

Scripture does not tell us why Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing.  We can only speculate why this happened. 

² Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron.

Jonathan was being aggressive whie his father Saul remained in Gibeah, evidently on the defensive.

• Saul’s comfortable position under a fruit tree in secure Gibeah, surrounded by his soldiers, contrasts with Jonathan’s vulnerable and difficult position with only the support of his armor bearer. 

 ³ Among Saul’s men was Ahijah the priest, who was wearing the ephod, the priestly vest.

The ephod and breastplate (or chestpiece) were two separate items of clothing worn by the high priest.

The Ephod was an elaborate garment worn by the high priest, and upon which the breastplate containing Urim and Thummim, rested.

A breastplate wore over the ephod had pouches that were used by the priests to carry certain devices used in determining the will of the Lord (Urim and Thummim or sacred lots.)

In this way, the high priest will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord.

• Among Saul’s men was Ahijah the priest, who was wearing the ephod, the priestly vest.

Read Exodus 28:6-30

Sacred garments for the priests.
Exodus 28:6-30 NLT
Design of the Ephod
⁶ “The craftsmen must make the ephod of finely woven linen and skillfully embroider it with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. ⁷ It will consist of two pieces, front and back, joined at the shoulders with two shoulder-pieces. ⁸ The decorative sash will be made of the same materials: finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.
⁹ “Take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁰ Six names will be on each stone, arranged in the order of the births of the original sons of Israel. ¹¹ Engrave these names on the two stones in the same way a jeweler engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in settings of gold filigree. ¹² Fasten the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as a reminder that Aaron represents the people of Israel. Aaron will carry these names on his shoulders as a constant reminder whenever he goes before the Lord. ¹³ Make the settings of gold filigree, ¹⁴ then braid two cords of pure gold and attach them to the filigree settings on the shoulders of the ephod.

Design of the Chestpiece
¹⁵ “Then, with great skill and care, make a chestpiece to be worn for seeking a decision from God. Make it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. ¹⁶ Make the chestpiece of a single piece of cloth folded to form a pouch nine inches square. ¹⁷  Mount four rows of gemstones on it. The first row will contain a red carnelian, a pale-green peridot, and an emerald. ¹⁸ The second row will contain a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone. ¹⁹ The third row will contain an orange jacinth, an agate, and a purple amethyst. ²⁰ The fourth row will contain a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones will be set in gold filigree.  21 Each stone will represent one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe will be engraved on it like a seal.
²² “To attach the chestpiece to the ephod, make braided cords of pure gold thread. ²³ Then make two gold rings and attach them to the top corners of the chestpiece. ²⁴ Tie the two gold cords to the two rings on the chestpiece. ²⁵ Tie the other ends of the cords to the gold settings on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. ²⁶ Then make two more gold rings and attach them to the inside edges of the chestpiece next to the ephod. ²⁷ And make two more gold rings and attach them to the front of the ephod, below the shoulder-pieces, just above the knot where the decorative sash is fastened to the ephod. ²⁸ Then attach the bottom rings of the chestpiece to the rings on the ephod with blue cords. This will hold the chestpiece securely to the ephod above the decorative sash.
²⁹ “In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the sacred chestpiece over his heart when he goes into the Holy Place. This will be a continual reminder that he represents the people when he comes before the Lord. ³⁰ Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord. 

• Ahijah the priest was considered to be a spiritual advisor who could use the items in the breastplate to determine the Lord’s will and give Saul divine guidance. 

Ahijah was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord who had served at Shiloh.

• Saul was keeping company with a priest from a family of priests rejected by God. 

No one realized that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp. 

• Jonathan and his armor bearer were acting without any support from the Israelite army.

⁴ To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh. ⁵ The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash, and the one on the south was in front of Geba.

• The Philistines had secured the area around Micmash.

 ⁶ “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

Jonathan had no guarantee of survival.

Jonathan believed that God would work for His people in response to faith, as He had done repeatedly in Israel’s history.

Jonathan had learned that superior numbers were not necessary for God to give victory in battle.

Jonathan most likely knew the story of Gideon.

• Jonathan knew the outcome of his venture was in God’s hands. 

⁷ “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”

• Jonathan trusted in the Lord. Jonathan’s armor bearer trusted Jonathan. 

⁸ “All right, then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the Lord’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”

• Jonathan put out a fleece.

If they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the Lord’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”

Gideon’s fleece (Judges 6:36-40)

¹¹ When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” 

The Philistines knew that many of the Israelites were hiding in caves.

1 Samuel 13:6 NLT
⁶ The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.

¹² Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”

“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!” 

• When the men from the Philistine outpost shouted, “Come on up here” Jonathan took that as a sign that the Lord would help them defeat the Philistines. (see verse 10)

¹³ So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. ¹⁴ They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre. 

¹⁵ Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck,

and everyone was terrified. 

• Jonathan and his armor bearer killed twenty Philistine soldiers and panic broke out in the Philistine army. 

• Clearly, divine intervention was taking place.

This is similar in many ways to the time when Gideon went up against the Midianite army.

Judges 7:19-22 NLT
¹⁹ It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. ²⁰ Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
²¹ Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. ²² When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

Israel Defeats the Philistines 

¹⁶ Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction. ¹⁷ “Call the roll and find out who’s missing,”

• Saul suspected someone had invaded the Philistines, but he had no idea who it was.

 Saul ordered. And when they checked, they found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone. 

¹⁸ Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the ephod here!”

Numerous translations say, Bring the ark of God here.

The language in this passage better fits the ephod rather than the ark.

For at that time Ahijah was wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites. 

• It appears that Saul was about to ask Ahijah to use the items held in the ephod to determine the Lord’s will for them at this point in time. 

¹⁹ But while Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Never mind; let’s get going!”

Saul ordered the priest to stop the inquiry into the will of the Lord.

• Again, Saul chooses not to wait for the word of the Lord.

Saul’s decision rests on his own insights rather than a dependence on the Lord.

²⁰ Then Saul and all his men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other. There was terrible confusion everywhere. 

• Saul acted after he saw the confusion in the enemy camp. 

²¹ Even the Hebrews who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites. 

• Israelite deserters who were fighting for the Philistines changed their allegiance and took sides with Jonathan.

This was not unique to this battle.

1 Samuel 27:1-4 NLT
David Among the Philistines
^27:1 But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
² So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok king of Gath. ³ David and his men settled in Gath (a major Philistine city) with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. ⁴ When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

²² Likewise, the men of Israel who were hiding in the hill country of Ephraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away. 

²³ So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle continued to rage even beyond Beth-aven.

• The Lord(not Saul) saved Israel that day.

Samuel Rebukes Saul

1 Samuel 13:1-14 NLT
^13:1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.
² Saul selected 3,000 special troops from the army of Israel and sent the rest of the men home. He took 2,000 of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bethel. The other 1,000 went with Saul’s son Jonathan to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.
³ Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!” ⁴ All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the Philistine garrison at Geba and that the Philistines now hated the Israelites more than ever. So the entire Israelite army was summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
⁵ The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. ⁶ The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns. ⁷ Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul’s Disobedience and Samuel’s Rebuke
Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. ⁸ Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. ⁹ So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.
¹⁰ Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, ¹¹ but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”
Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. ¹² So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
¹³ “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Israel’s Military Disadvantage
¹⁵ Samuel then left Gilgal and went on his way, but the rest of the troops went with Saul to meet the army. They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. When Saul counted the men who were still with him, he found only 600 were left! ¹⁶ Saul and Jonathan and the troops with them were staying at Geba in the land of Benjamin. The Philistines set up their camp at Micmash. ¹⁷ Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, ¹⁸ another went west to Beth-horon, and the third moved toward the border above the valley of Zeboim near the wilderness.
¹⁹ There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews. ²⁰ So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. ²¹ The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad. ²² So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.
²³ The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army.

At this point in history, the Ammonites were a constant threat from the east to Israel, while the Philistines were a threat to Israel from the west.

In 1 Samuel 11 Saul defeated the Ammonites.

Brief summary:
1 Samuel 11:10-11 NLT
¹⁰ The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” ¹¹ But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.

In this lesson Saul is dealing with the Philistines.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 13:1-14 NLT
Saul’s Disobedience and Samuel’s Rebuke

^13:1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.

A closer look at the numbers used in this verse.  (30 and 42)

Problem: If Saul was 30 years old, would his son Jonathan be old enough to lead 1,000 men into battle? 

Acts 13:21 NLT
²¹ Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years.

What numbers are used in other translations?

English Standard Version
Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,

Common English Bible
Saul was 30 years old when he became king, and he ruled over Israel forty-two years.

American Standard Version
Saul was [forty] years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

New International Version
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.

Revised Standard Version
Saul was . . .years old when he began to reign; and he reigned . . . and two years over Israel.

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Saul was [forty] years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

King James Version
Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

New King James Version
Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

• It appears that some numbers from the original text are missing.

If we were to use the American Standard Version the verse would look like: 

 Saul was [forty] years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

If we were to omit verse one it would not change the narrative that follows. 

² Saul selected 3,000 special troops from the army of Israel and sent the rest of the men home.

Review:
1 Samuel 11:8 NLT
⁸ When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.

Saul had a “reserve” of 330,000 troops.

1 Samuel 14:52 NLT
⁵² The Israelites fought constantly with the Philistines throughout Saul’s lifetime. So whenever Saul observed a young man who was brave and strong, he drafted him into his army. 

He took 2,000 of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bethel. The other 1,000 went with Saul’s son Jonathan to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.

Refer to a map.

• Saul established a “standing army” of 3,000 men.

2,000 men served under Saul and were stationed at Micmash.

1,000 men served under Jonathan and were stationed at Gibeah.

This is the first mention of Jonathan

Saul would have been aware of the Philistine outpost located at Geba, which was located between Micmash and Gibeah. 

³ Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba.

A deep gorge separated Geba and Micmash.

This outpost was in the “heart” of Israel.

Indicating the fact that the Philistines exercised some control of the area (more about this in our next lesson).

The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!” ⁴ All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the Philistine garrison at Geba

It is not unusual for the “commander in chief” to get credit for what his soldiers accomplished. 

and that the Philistines now hated the Israelites more than ever.

So the entire Israelite army was summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

• After Jonathan destroyed the Philistine garrison at Geba, the Philistines hated the Israelites more than ever. 

⁵ The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore!

• The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore!

The Israelites did not have chariots at this point in time. (NIV Study Bible)

They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. ⁶ The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns. ⁷ Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.

East of the Jordan River.

Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. ⁸ Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come.

Review:
1 Samuel 10:8 NLT
⁸ Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”

Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 

• Saul’s men were beginning to scatter. 

⁹ So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

• Saul sacrificed a burnt offering to the Lord.

Saul saw his troops rapidly slipping away.

Saul did not respect Samuel’s authority as a priest.

Saul took on the role of a priest without the authority to do so.

Review:
1 Samuel 7:7-11 NLT
⁷ When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. ⁸ “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel. ⁹ So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
¹⁰ Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. ¹¹ The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.

Burnt offerings are a good thing, if done properly.

Look at 1 Samuel 15:22 (a verse we will study in a future lesson).

1 Samuel 15:22 NLT
²² But Samuel replied,
“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 

¹⁰ Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 

Apparently Saul did not realize that he had done anything wrong.

¹¹ but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”

This is more a rebuke than a question.

• Samuel rebuked Saul for his actions.

Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. ¹² So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”

• Saul made excuses for his behavior.

Clearly, Saul is not trusting in God at this point in time.

Review a passage where Saul had recognized a time when God rescued Israel.

1 Samuel 11:11-13 NLT
¹¹ But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.
¹² Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
¹³ But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”

¹³ “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.

Saul failed to recognize Samuel’s higher role as God’s messenger.

Saul disregarded the instructions of the Lord’s prophet.

As the Lord’s prophet, Samuel had spoken “the command of the Lord”.

Saul had disobeyed the Lord. 

Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.

David

• Saul loses the kingship because of his disobedience. The kingship would not be passed on to Saul’s sons.

Application: Trust and obey.

The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Israel’s Military Disadvantage

¹⁵ Samuel then left Gilgal and went on his way,

• Samuel’s departure from the battlefield was symbolic of the separation between Samuel and Saul, the prophet and the king.

but the rest of the troops went with Saul to meet the army. They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. When Saul counted the men who were still with him, he found only 600 were left! 

Saul had over 300,000 men to rescue the people of Jabesh Gilead and then had cut it down to 3,000, but now his forces numbered only 600.

• The seven day delay had greatly depleted Saul’s forces.

¹⁶ Saul and Jonathan and the troops with them were staying at Geba in the land of Benjamin. 

The Philistines set up their camp at Micmash. 

Refer to a map.

Geba and Micmash were only one or two miles apart, but the two cities were separated by a deep ravine.

The pass at Micmash was a strategic passage through the canyon that separated Micmash from Geba, Gibeah, and other towns to the south. 

¹⁷ Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, ¹⁸ another went west to Beth-horon, and the third moved toward the border above the valley of Zeboim near the wilderness. (Zeboim, only mentioned in 1 Samuel 13, was a ravine located to the east of Micmash.)

Saul’s army was dwindling while the Philistine army was able to move around his capital city, Gibeah, freely.

• The Philistines used raiding parties to plunder the land and demoralize the inhabitants. 

¹⁹ There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days.

• The main physical advantage the Philistines enjoyed was their ability to smelt iron. This advanced technology gave them a strong military edge over the Israelites.

 As in the days of Deborah and Barak (Judg. 5:8),

Judges 5:8 NLT
⁸ When Israel chose new gods,
war erupted at the city gates.
Yet not a shield or spear could be seen
among forty thousand warriors in Israel!

the Philistines still had the advantage of superior weapons and the power to restrict the Israelites’ use of iron implements. “This monopoly continued with some success until the time of David when Israel began to produce iron objects rather freely (cf. 1 Chron. 22:3).”

1 Chronicles 22:3 NLT
³ David provided large amounts of iron for the nails that would be needed for the doors in the gates and for the clamps, and he gave more bronze than could be weighed.

• The Philistines has superior iron and metal-working craftsmen until David’s time. 

The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews. 

The Philistines were able to monopolize the iron industry.

• The Philistines had a distinct military advantage over the Israelites.

²⁰ So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. ²¹ The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad. 

• The Philistines charged high prices to sharpen instruments that could be used in battle.

²² So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.

They did have bows and arrows, slingshots, picks, axes, and sickles.

²³ The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army. 

Samuel’s Farewell Address (Part 2)

1 Samuel 12:12-25 NLT
¹² “But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king. ¹³ All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the Lord has granted your request.
¹⁴ “Now if you fear and worship the Lord and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the Lord’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize the Lord as your God. ¹⁵ But if you rebel against the Lord’s commands and refuse to listen to him, then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors.
¹⁶ “Now stand here and see the great thing the Lord is about to do. ¹⁷ You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!”
¹⁸ So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the Lord and of Samuel. ¹⁹ “Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.”²⁰ “Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. ²¹ Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! ²² The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.
²³ “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right. ²⁴ But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. ²⁵ But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”

xamine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 12:12-25 NLT
Samuel’s Farewell Address (Part 2)

¹² “But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon,

Review:

The Ammonites were a nomadic race descended from Lot’s youngest daughter.

• At this point in history, the Ammonites were a constant threat from the east to Israel, while the Philistines were a threat to Israel from the west. 

you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the Lord your God was already your king. 

The Israelites wanted a human king to protect them from their enemies.

1 Samuel 8:5 NLT
⁵ “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

1 Samuel 8:20 NLT
²⁰ “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.”

Israel wanted a king for all of the wrong reasons.  Israel was rejecting God.

1 Samuel 8:7 NLT
⁷ “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 

Man’s way

• Israel was turning away from God and was putting their trust in a king and his army.

God’s way:

Isaiah 41:10 NLT
¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. 

¹³ For I hold you by your right hand—
I, the Lord your God.
And I say to you,
‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. 

¹³ All right, here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the Lord has granted your request.

God granted the people’s request.

From previous lesson.

How did it go with Saul, David, and Solomon?

Saul and his sons were killed in battle.

David was a man after God’s own heart.

Solomon’s wives turned his heart to worship other gods.

After these three kings, the nation is divided into Israel and Judah.

The history of both kingdoms is a litany of ineffective, disobedient, and corrupt kings.

Judah – 20 kings – 8 good some or all of the time

Israel – 19 kings – all bad

Hosea the prophet talks about this:

Hosea 13:9-11 NLT
⁹ “You are about to be destroyed, O Israel—
yes, by me, your only helper.
¹⁰ Now where is your king?
Let him save you!
Where are all the leaders of the land,
the king and the officials you demanded of me?
¹¹ In my anger I gave you kings,
and in my fury I took them away. 

• God’s response: In my anger I gave you kings, and in my fury I took them away.

Two choices.

¹⁴ “Now if you fear and worship the Lord and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the Lord’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize the Lord as your God. 

Granting the people a king did not change God’s expectations of the people.

These were not new expectations for the Israelites.

Joshua 24:14 NLT
¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.

Deuteronomy 10:12 NLT
¹² “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.

• The correct response would be to fear and worship the Lord and listen to his voice, and do not rebel against the Lord’s commands.

¹⁵ But if you rebel against the Lord’s commands and refuse to listen to him, 

• • The wrong response would be to rebel against the Lord’s commands and refuse to listen to him.

Consequences.

then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors.

The Sinai covenant (conveyed to the people of Israel by Moses)

Exodus 19:5-6 NLT
⁵ Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. ⁶ And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NLT
¹⁵ “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. ¹⁶ For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
¹⁷ “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, ¹⁸ then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
¹⁹ “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! ²⁰ You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Joshua 24:20 NLT
²⁰ If you abandon the Lord and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.”

Leviticus 26: Blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

The Sinai covenant demanded obedience to God. 

• “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.

This applies with or without a king!

• Samuel asks for a sign from the Lord.

¹⁶ “Now stand here and see the great thing the Lord is about to do. ¹⁷ You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest.

The wheat harvest occurred in late spring or early summer, when little or no rain fell in Israel.

Leviticus 26:4 NLT
⁴ I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. 

I will give you rain at the proper time, CEB

I will send you rain in its season, NIV

then I will give you your rains in their season, ESV

Deuteronomy 11:13-14 NLT
¹³ “If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, ¹⁴ then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil.

I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!”

Rain and thunder at this time of year was unheard of.  It just did not happen.

Thunder and rain would demonstrate God’s power as a sign of the people’s wickedness in asking for a king.

¹⁸ So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the Lord and of Samuel.  

God sent rain and thunder to authenticate Samuel’s words to the people.

God got their attention.

The people were terrified.  They recognized their sinful motives.

¹⁹ “Pray to the Lord your God for us,

The people turned to Samuel.

Samuel, you pray for us.

“your God”

or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.”

Idol worship (verse 21)

Asked for a king with wrong motives.

Having a king is not necessarily wrong.  Asking for the wrong reasons was sinful.

Asking for a King – rejecting God

• The people realized that their sin could result in their death.

²⁰ “Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong,

Idol worship and asking for a king with wrong motives. 

but

Addressing the central issue in the controversy surrounding the establishment of a king.

make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. 

Deuteronomy 6:5 NLT
⁵ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

Deuteronomy 10:12 NLT
¹² “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. 

• Make sure that you worship the Lordwith all your heart. 

²¹ Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! 

Deuteronomy 4:28 NLT
²⁸ There, in a foreign land, you will worship idols made from wood and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

Jeremiah 10:3-5 NLT
³ Their ways are futile and foolish.
They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
⁴ They decorate it with gold and silver
and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails
so it won’t fall over.
⁵ Their gods are like
helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”

Psalm 135:15-17 NLT
¹⁵ The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,
shaped by human hands.
¹⁶ They have mouths but cannot speak,
and eyes but cannot see.
¹⁷ They have ears but cannot hear,
and mouths but cannot breathe.

Hosea 4:12 NLT
¹² They ask a piece of wood for advice!
They think a stick can tell them the future!
Longing after idols
has made them foolish.
They have played the prostitute,
serving other gods and deserting their God.

• Idols are totally worthless. Israel was slow to learn this lesson. 

²² The Lord will not abandon his people,

because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.

Isaiah 43:25 NLTBR>²⁵ “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
and will never think of them again.

• God will always keep His covenant promises, even if His people do not. 

²³ “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. 

1 Timothy 2:1 NLT
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT
Never stop praying. 

• Samuel was taking his role as a prophet to Israel very seriously. He will continue to instruct and pray for the Israelites. 

And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.

Samuel will continue to serve as a prophet, even though the people of Israel have a king. 

Samuel summarizes his instructions. 

 ²⁴ But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. 

“I will continue to teach you what is good and right” quoting Samuel.

Fear the Lord.

Serve Him faithfully.

Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.

Exodus 19:5 NLT (repeated from verse 15)
⁵ Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.

(remember also the Deuteronomy passage referred to in verse 15)

• Fear the Lord. Serve Him faithfully.  Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. 

²⁵ But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away.”

Sin has consequences.

“Swept away” but a remnant will always remain.

Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites.

Joshua 24:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

• Sin has consequences.

This was not an easy lesson for the Israelites to learn.

 

Samuel’s Farewell Address (Part 1)

1 Samuel 12:1-11 NLT
^12:1 Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king. ² Your king is now your leader. I stand here before you—an old, gray-haired man—and my sons serve you. I have served as your leader from the time I was a boy to this very day. ³ Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.”
⁴ “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.”
⁵ “The Lord and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.”
“Yes, he is a witness,” they replied.
⁶ “It was the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel continued. “He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt. ⁷ Now stand here quietly before the Lord as I remind you of all the great things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors.
⁸ “When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to the Lord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land. ⁹ But the people soon forgot about the Lord their God, so he handed them over to Sisera, the commander of Hazor’s army, and also to the Philistines and to the king of Moab, who fought against them.
¹⁰ “Then they cried to the Lord again and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from the Lord and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’ ¹¹ Then the Lord sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel  to save you, and you lived in safety.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 12:1-11 NLT
Samuel’s Farewell Address 

^12:1 Then Samuel addressed all Israel:

“I have done as you asked and given you a king. 

• With some personal reservations about a monarchy, Samuel, obeying the will of the Lord and the people, set the king of God’s choice over them.

1 Samuel 8:4-7 NLT
⁴ Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. ⁵ “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”
⁶ Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. ⁷ “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 

Application:

The people of Israel wanted a king.

“Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” 

The people of Israel were rejecting the Lord.

Psalm 118:8 NLT
⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in people.

Isaiah 2:22 NLT
²² Don’t put your trust in mere humans.
They are as frail as breath.
What good are they?

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take. 

• Don’t put your trust in politicians (of either party). God might give you what you are asking for.

² Your king is now your leader.

The age of Kingship has begun in Israel.

Only three kings, Saul, David, and Solomon rule the entire nation of Israel.

Saul reigned 40 years.

Acts 13:21 LT
²¹ Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years.

David reigned 40 years.

1 Kings 2:11 NLT
¹¹ David had reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.

Solomon reigned 40 years.

1 Kings 11:42 NLT
⁴² Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.

After these three kings, the nation is divided into Israel and Judah.

From this point on, there would be two kingdoms.

Israel in the north with their capitol in the city of Samaria

and Judah in the south keeping their capitol city of Jerusalem.

These kingdoms remained separate states for over two hundred years.

The history of both kingdoms is a litany of ineffective, disobedient, and corrupt kings.

 

Samuel will no longer serve as a judge in Israel, but he will continue to be a prophet, who gives the word of God to the king and people of Israel.

Later Samuel anoints David as the King of Israel.

 

 

 Samuel stands before the people of Israel.

I stand here before you—an old, gray-haired man—and my sons serve you. I have served as your leader from the time I was a boy to this very day. 

• Samuel stands up for himself.

³ Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one (Saul). Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice?

Unlike his sons who did these things.

1 Samuel 8:3 NLT
³ But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. 

Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.”

⁴ “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.”

⁵ “The Lord and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.”

Samuel’s life and leadership before Israel had been above reproach.

He never used his position for personal gain.

“Yes, he is a witness,” they replied.

Samuel is innocent.  The nation is guilty.

A Judge or Prophet can be a good leader.

Samuel could be trusted in the future.

This could be an example for Saul in his new role.

• There are times when it is o.k. to defend ourselves.

In the scriptures we read how Paul defends has apostleship for the sake of the Gospel.

 

Samuel shifts from talking about himself, to talking about the nation of Israel. 

⁶ “It was the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel continued. “He brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt. 

• When the “prophet” Samuel says “It was the Lord,” he is reminding the people of Israel to look to God for leadership rather than putting their hope and trust in an earthly king.

Psalm 121 expresses this well.

Psalm 121 NLT
¹ I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
³ He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

God is sovereign

Romans 13:1 NLT
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 

⁷ Now stand here quietly before the Lord as I remind you of all the great things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors.

Samuel rebuked the people foe ignoring and rejecting all that God had done for the Israelites during the time they had no king.

“Remember”

• Remember the great things the Lord has done for you and your ancestors.

Psalm 105:1-5 NLT
¹ Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
² Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
³ Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
⁴ Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
⁵ Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

Teach

Psalm 78:1-7 NLT
¹ O my people, listen to my instructions.
Open your ears to what I am saying,
²     for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
³     stories we have heard and known,
stories our ancestors handed down to us.
⁴ We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.
⁵ For he issued his laws to Jacob;
he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to teach them to their children,
⁶ so the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
⁷ So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.

An example of what the Lord has done.

The cycle of Apostasy. 

⁸ “When the Israelites were in Egypt and cried out to the Lord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt and to bring them into this land. ⁹ But the people soon forgot about the Lord their God, so he handed them over to Sisera, the commander of Hazor’s army, and also to the Philistines and to the king of Moab, who fought against them.

(this is a partial list of enemies)

¹⁰ “Then they cried to the Lord again and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from the Lord and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth.

1 Samuel 7:3-4 NLT
³ Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.

The cycle of Apostasy.

• In the book of Judges, the Israelites repeated the cycle of apostasy (turning to idols), oppression (being placed into slavery), repentance, and restoration at least seven times. 

But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’ 

• God deserves obedience and worship because He is God, not because of favors He can perform.

Isaiah 43:7 NLT
⁷ Bring all who claim me as their God,
for I have made them for my glory.
It was I who created them.’”

Psalm 99:5 NLT
⁵ Exalt the Lord our God!
Bow low before his feet, for he is holy! 

1 Chronicles 16:29 NLT
²⁹ Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. 

¹¹ Then the Lord sent Gideon, Bedan (this name is only found here. Possibly it is another form of the name Abdon or Barak), Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety.

The Lord

“It was the Lord,” verse 6

• The Lord repeatedly used judges or prophets to deliver Israel from her enemies during the time they had no king.

Repeated deliverance (restoration). 

Without me you can do nothing.

John 15:5 NLT
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 

 

Samuel’s farewell address is continued in the next lesson.

 

 

 

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

1 Samuel 10:27-11:15 NLT
²⁷ …
[Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been grievously oppressing the people of Gad and Reuben who lived east of the Jordan River. He gouged out the right eye of each of the Israelites living there, and he didn’t allow anyone to come and rescue them. In fact, of all the Israelites east of the Jordan, there wasn’t a single one whose right eye Nahash had not gouged out. But there were 7,000 men who had escaped from the Ammonites, and they had settled in Jabesh-gilead.]
Saul Defeats the Ammonites
^11:1 About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead. But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.
² “All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!”
³ “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”
⁴ When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears. ⁵ Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh.
⁶ Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. ⁷ He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. ⁸ When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.
⁹ So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!
¹⁰ The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” ¹¹ But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.
¹² Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
¹³ But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”
¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” ¹⁵ So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy.

Examine the Scriptures

Saul Defeats the Ammonites
1 Samuel 10:27-11:15 NLT
²⁷ … [Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been grievously oppressing the people of Gad and Reuben who lived east of the Jordan River. He gouged out the right eye of each of the Israelites living there, and he didn’t allow anyone to come and rescue them. In fact, of all the Israelites east of the Jordan, there wasn’t a single one whose right eye Nahash had not gouged out. But there were 7,000 men who had escaped from the Ammonites, and they had settled in Jabesh-gilead.]

This paragraph, which is not included in the Masoretic Text, is found in Dead Sea Scroll 4QSam^a.

The Masoretic Text refers to the authoritative Hebrew manuscript of the Old Testament.

Whether it is part of the original text is uncertain.

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

^11:1  About a month later, 

In chapter 10 Samuel anoints Saul as king and Saul is acclaimed king by the people. 

King Nahash of Ammon

The Ammonites were a nomadic race descended from Lot’s youngest daughter.

At this point in history, the Ammonites were a constant threat from the east to Israel, while the Philistines were a treat to Israel from the west.

(King Nahash) led his army against the Israelite town of Jabesh-gilead.

 (The location of Jabesh-gilead) were located east of the Jordan River.

The Ammonites were nomads living east of Gad, Ruben, and Manasseh.

You may want to refer to a map. 

But all the citizens of Jabesh asked for peace. “Make a treaty with us, and we will be your servants,” they pleaded.

² “All right,” Nahash said, “but only on one condition. I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you as a disgrace to all Israel!”

Mutilation of captured soldiers was a common practice in the ancient Near East at this point in time.

These disfigured soldiers would have lost all depth perception and would be rendered useless in battle.

The people of Jabesh had to choose between mutilation if they surrendered or death if they refused to surrender. 

³ “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout Israel!” replied the elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to save us, we will agree to your terms.”

⁴ When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul

Probably a two day’s journey.

Saul’s hometown, belonging to the tribe of Benjamin. (Remember its history of violence and perversion.) 

and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears. 

Why would the people of Gibeah care about the people of Jabesh?

It was highly likely that there were close family ties between Jabesh-gilead and the tribe of Benjamin, which would have prompted the inhabitants of Jabesh to seek help from the tribe of Benjamin.

Read Judges 19-21.

Judges 21:12-14 NLT
¹² Among the residents of Jabesh-gilead they found 400 young virgins who had never slept with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
¹³ The Israelite assembly sent a peace delegation to the remaining people of Benjamin who were living at the rock of Rimmon. ¹⁴ Then the men of Benjamin returned to their homes, and the 400 women of Jabesh-gilead who had been spared were given to them as wives. But there were not enough women for all of them. 

The people of Gibeah would be closely related to the people of Jabesh. 

⁵ Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen,

Saul was working as a farmer, not yet fulfilling his role as king of Israel. 

 and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh.

⁶ Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry. 

The Spirit of God had come on Saul previously. See 1 Samuel 10:10

1 Samuel 10:10 NLT
¹⁰ When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy.

Saul cared about the people from Jabesh. 

⁷ He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one. 

Anyone not participating would be rejecting Saul as king and Samuel as prophet. 

⁸ When Saul mobilized them at Bezek,

West of the Jordan River, in striking distance of Jabesh-gilead.

Refer to a map.

he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.

The book was written after 931 B.C. when the kingdom had been divided. (?)

⁹ So Saul sent the messengers back to Jabesh-gilead to say, “We will rescue you by noontime tomorrow!” There was great joy throughout the town when that message arrived!

¹⁰ The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.” 

A setup for a surprise attack? 

¹¹ But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments.

Good thinking on Saul’s part. 

He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.

¹² Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”

 Saul’s military victory made him look good to the people. 

¹³ But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”

This was a time for celebration, not revenge.

Saul recognized that the Lord has rescued Israel 

¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” 

Israel was now going to be ruled by a king.

But

Samuel most likely saw this as the appropriate time for the people to renew their allegiance to the Lord and to restore the covenant relationship between God and His people. 

¹⁵ So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy.

Refer to a map.

The peace offerings were a form of celebration.

A recognition of God’s role in this event.

Saul is recognized as God’s chosen king and formally assumes the privileges and responsibilities of this office.

Saul’s kingship was confirmed through a military victory, the very reason the people wanted a king.

1 Samuel 8:20 NLT
²⁰ “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” 

 

---

Introduction

Isaiah 55:8 NLT
⁸ “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

 Samuel 10 NLT
Samuel Anoints Saul as King

10 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession. ² When you leave me today, you will see two men beside Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, on the border of Benjamin. They will tell you that the donkeys have been found and that your father has stopped worrying about them and is now worried about you. He is asking, ‘Have you seen my son?’
³ “When you get to the oak of Tabor, you will see three men coming toward you who are on their way to worship God at Bethel. One will be bringing three young goats, another will have three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a wineskin full of wine. ⁴ They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept.
⁵ “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying. ⁶ At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. ⁷ After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you. ⁸ Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”

Samuel’s Signs Are Fulfilled
⁹ As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. ¹⁰ When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy. ¹¹ When those who knew Saul heard about it, they exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet? How did the son of Kish become a prophet?”
¹² And one of those standing there said, “Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?”  So that is the origin of the saying “Is even Saul a prophet?”
¹³ When Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the place of worship. ¹⁴ “Where have you been?” Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant.
“We were looking for the donkeys,” Saul replied, “but we couldn’t find them. So we went to Samuel to ask him where they were.”
¹⁵ “Oh? And what did he say?” his uncle asked.
¹⁶ “He told us that the donkeys had already been found,” Saul replied. But Saul didn’t tell his uncle what Samuel said about the kingdom.

Saul Is Acclaimed King
¹⁷ Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah. ¹⁸ And he said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. ¹⁹ But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.”
²⁰ So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. ²¹ Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! ²² So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?”
And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” ²³ So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.
²⁴ Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”
And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
²⁵ Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were. He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent the people home again.
²⁶ When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a group of men whose hearts God had touched went with him. ²⁷ But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?” And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them.

Examine the Scriptures

 

1 Samuel 10 NLT

Samuel Anoints Saul as King 

^10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. 

Samuel anoints Saul in a private ceremony.

Signifying a setting aside for God’s choice for God’s service.

He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his  (The Lord’s) special possession.

Note: The people of Israel belong to God, not to Saul.

Deuteronomy 4:20 NLT
²⁰ Remember that the Lord rescued you (Israel) from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today.

The King of Israel is to act as a manager, not an owner.

• God appointed Saul to be ruler over Israel.

• Israel was God’s special possession.

² When you leave me today,

• Saul was told that he would experience three signs.

The first sign:

you will see two men beside Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, on the border of Benjamin.

Saul is told what will happen and where this will take place.

The precise location is unknown to us.

They will tell you that the donkeys have been found and that your father has stopped worrying about them and is now worried about you. He is asking, ‘Have you seen my son?’

The second sign:

³ “When you get to the oak of Tabor, you will see three men coming toward you who are on their way to worship God at Bethel. One will be bringing three young goats, another will have three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a wineskin full of wine. 

Most likely the items they were bring were intended for the sacrificial meal.

⁴ They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept.

Giving a portion of this food to Saul symbolizes a recognition of Saul’s divine appointment as king.

Again, Saul is told what will happen and where this will take place.

The third sign:

⁵ “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located,
you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying. 

Again, Saul is told what will happen and where this will take place.

Praising God.

Declaring the Word of the Lord.

⁶ At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. 

Saul will be changed into a different person.

God can change lives.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

See verse 9

Saul was being equipped to carry out a new role.

• For each of the three signs, Saul was told what would happen and where this event would take place.

• These three signs were to convince Saul that he in fact had been chosen to be Israel’s king.

Again, God’s sovereignty is clearly seen throughout this story.

FYI (some interesting details about Gibeah)

Gibeah:

Gibeah “of God” (this city belongs to God even if it is occupied by the Philistines.)

Also called: Gibeah, Gibeah of Benjamin, Gibeah of Saul.

Gibeah is located in the land given to the tribe of Benjamin.

Gibeah was Saul’s birthplace and continued to be his residence until he became king.

Gibeah had a history of being a perverted and lawless city according to Judges 19-21.

A man, his concubine, and his servant decided to spend the night in Gibeah.

Judges 19:22 NLT
²² While they were enjoying themselves, a crowd of troublemakers from the town surrounded the house. They began beating at the door and shouting to the old man, “Bring out the man who is staying with you so we can have sex with him.” 

Unbelievable perversion and violence takers place.

The story ends with:
Judges 20:48 NLT
⁴⁸ And the Israelites returned and slaughtered every living thing in all the towns—the people, the livestock, and everything they found. They also burned down all the towns they came to.

Later in the narrative Saul’s sons and grandsons were executed by the Gibeonites.

2 Samuel 21:6 NLT
⁶ So let seven of Saul’s sons be handed over to us, and we will execute them before the Lord at Gibeon, on the mountain of the Lord.”

Gibeah was occupied by the Philistines. 

⁷ After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you. 

This is directed to Saul but is also a message for each of us.

Take the appropriate action.  God’s presence in your life will enable you to do the right thing.

Isaiah 41:10 NLT
¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Philippians 4:13 NLT
¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

⁸ Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. 

You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”

Samuel’s Signs Are Fulfilled
⁹ As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 

As prophesied in verse 6:

⁶ At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. 

God changes hearts.

1 Samuel 16:13 NLT
¹³ So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

All of Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 

• God gave Saul a new heart 

¹⁰ When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. 

Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy. 

A big change was taking place in Saul. 

¹¹ When those who knew Saul heard about it, they exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet? How did the son of Kish become a prophet?”

The people were surprised to see Saul acting like a prophet.

¹² And one of those standing there said, “Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?”  So that is the origin of the saying “Is even Saul a prophet?”

Just a reminder:

Jeremiah 32:17 NLT
¹⁷ “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!

• Nothing is too hard for God!

¹³ When Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the place of worship. ¹⁴ “Where have you been?” Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant.
“We were looking for the donkeys,” Saul replied, “but we couldn’t find them. So we went to Samuel to ask him where they were.”
¹⁵ “Oh? And what did he say?” his uncle asked.
¹⁶ “He told us that the donkeys had already been found,” Saul replied. But Saul didn’t tell his uncle what Samuel said about the kingdom.

Saul Is Publicly Acclaimed King

¹⁷ Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah. 

Previously at Mizpah

Judges 21:1 NLT
^21:1 The Israelites had vowed at Mizpah, “We will never give our daughters in marriage to a man from the tribe of Benjamin.” 

¹⁸ And he said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. ¹⁹ But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’

Israel was rejecting God’s ability to protect and save them. 

Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.” 

²⁰ So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 

²¹ Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them.

In spite of this process of casting lots, we know that Saul was chosen by God.  God simply used the process of casting lots to fulfill his will.

(Not all translations say “by lot”.)

But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! ²² So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?”
And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” ²³ So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.
²⁴ Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”

• Samuel tells the people that the Lord has chosen Saul to be their king. 

And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

Here the people are accepting Saul as their king.

However, in the eyes of God Saul was disqualified.  Remember the passages from our previous lesson:

Genesis 49:10 NLT
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor. 

A long line of kings from Judah would retain the scepter. 

1 Chronicles 5:2 NLT
² The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation,

²⁵ Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were.

• Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were.

The people had a wrong understanding of what the king’s role and function should be.

Israel’s king would not be like the kings of the other nations.

He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the Lord.

Presumably in the Tabernacle.

Deuteronomy 17:16-20 NLT
Guidelines for a King
¹⁵ … be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.
¹⁶ “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ ¹⁷ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.
¹⁸ “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. ²⁰ This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel. 

Then Samuel sent the people home again.

²⁶ When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a group of men whose hearts God had touched went with him. 

God changes hearts.

²⁷ But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?”

They wrongly believed that their national security would come from a human being.

 And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts.

These men were scoundrels because they scorned God’s chosen king.

But Saul ignored them. 

• Many of the people accepted Saul as their king, some did not.

 

Introduction:

Don’t miss the subtleties in this passage. *

Once again, notice God’s sovereignty.

1 Samuel 9 NLT
Saul Meets Samuel
^9:1 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
³ One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” ⁴ So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.
⁵ Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”
⁶ But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
⁷ “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”
⁸ “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” ⁹ (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)
¹⁰ “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.
¹¹ As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”
¹² “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. ¹³ Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”
¹⁴ So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.
¹⁵ Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”
¹⁸ Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
¹⁹ “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. ²⁰ And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”
²¹ Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”
²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. ²³ Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. ²⁴ So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
²⁵ When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. ²⁶ At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. ²⁷ When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.”

Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 9 NLT

Saul Meets Samuel

^9:1 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin.

• Kish, Saul’s father, was a wealthy influential man from the Tribe of Benjamin.*

The first subtlety.

Genesis 49:10 NLT
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor. 

• A long line of kings from Judah would retain the scepter. 

1 Chronicles 5:2 NLT
² The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation,

Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin.

The promised Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah. 

He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land. 

The second subtlety.

• Saul’s qualifications listed here in the scriptures: (all external appearance)*

Handsome
Tall

Compared to David’s qualifications.

1 Samuel 16:18 NLT
¹⁸ One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the Lord is with him.”

A talented harp player.
A brave warrior.
A man of war.
He has good judgment.
Also, He a fine-looking young man.
The Lord is with him. 

³ One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” ⁴ So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.

• Saul was sent on a mission to find some lost donkeys belonging to his father.

Lost donkeys meant lost wealth.  Saul was chosen to oversee the task of finding these lost donkeys.

Lost donkeys straying from home.  Perhaps symbolizing the Israelites straying from God.*

Saul looking for his dad’s lost donkeys.

David, a shepherd, caring for his fathers’ sheep.

⁵ Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!” 

⁶ But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true.

In the O.T. a messenger of God was referred to as “a man of God”.  This phrase is use over 70 times in the O.T.  This title would be used for a prophet of God.

To be a true prophet means “everything he says comes true”. 

• When they were Unable to find the donkeys, Saul’s servant suggested that they get some help from a prophet of God.

Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”

This suggestion came from Saul’s servant, not from Saul. *

Saul’s servant appears to be more perceptive than Saul. 

⁷ “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.” 

It was a common practice to give a gift to a prophet for his service.

Saul must have been under the impression that the prophet (Samuel) would not help them if they didn’t give him something.

Saul may have been thinking that advice from a prophet of God could be purchased. 

⁸ “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” ⁹ (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)

• Saul’s servant was seeking guidance from God. *

¹⁰ “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived. 

¹¹ As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”

¹² “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. ¹³ Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”

The role of the prophet (bless the sacrificial meal). *

¹⁴ So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.

The worship of the Lord at “high places” was acceptable at this point in time. 

¹⁵ Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”

God’s sovereignty.

• God instructed Samuel to anoint Saul to be the leader of His people, Israel.

God is going to give the people what they are asking for. *

Remember: Be careful what you ask for.

¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.” 

• The Lord revealed to Samuel that Saul was the divine choice for king of Israel.

¹⁸ Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

¹⁹ “I am the seer!” Samuel replied.

God’s sovereignty.

“Go up to the place of worship ahead of me.

For “a public sacrifice up at the place of worship” (verse 12). 

We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way.  

• Saul met Samuel and Samuel invited Saul to eat with him at the place of worship. 

²⁰ And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” 

Not particularly a good thing. 

1 Samuel 8:19-20 NLT
¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. ²⁰ “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” 

• The hope of Israel was that someone would rescue them from the Philistines. *

He will rescue them from the Philistines. (Verse 15)

²¹ Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”

At this point in the story Saul is being humble. 

²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. ²³ Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. 

This took place at the place of worship where public sacrifices were offered.  (verses 12, 19, 25)

This piece of meat was frequently intended to be used as an offering and would have been eaten by the priest. (Samuel?) *

This indicates a distinct honor and the sacredness of Saul’s kingship.

Exodus 29:27 NLT
²⁷ “Set aside the portions of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons. This includes the breast and the thigh that were lifted up before the Lord as a special offering.

Numbers 18:8 NLT
⁸ The Lord gave these further instructions to Aaron: “I myself have put you in charge of all the holy offerings that are brought to me by the people of Israel. I have given all these consecrated offerings to you and your sons as your permanent share.

²⁴ So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 

• Saul was given the finest cut of meat that had been set aside for the guest of honor.

 ²⁵ When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. 

Saul spent the night at Samuel’s house.

²⁶ At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. ²⁷ When they reached the edge of town, 

Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.”

Special revelation from God, given to Samuel and intended for Saul.

At this point in time, revelations from God were rare.

• Samuel received a special message from God for Saul. (Next lesson)

 

 

Introduction:

Israel Requests a King.

Israel’s transition to a monarchy.

From Judgeship to Kingship.

1 Samuel 8:1-22 NLT
Israel Requests a King
^8:1 As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. ² Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. ³ But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
⁴ Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. ⁵ “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”
⁶ Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. ⁷ “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. ⁸ Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. ⁹ Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

Samuel Warns against a Kingdom
¹⁰ So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹ “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. ¹² Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. ¹³ The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. ¹⁴ He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. ¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. ¹⁶ He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. ¹⁷ He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.”
¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. ²⁰ “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.”
²¹ So Samuel repeated to the Lord what the people had said, ²² and the Lord replied, “Do as they say, and give them a king.” Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 8:1-22 NLT

Israel Requests a King 

^8:1 As Samuel grew old,

• In this passage Samuel is growing old.

When Samuel was 65-70 years old. (Bible Knowledge Commentary)
60 years of age (Mac Arthur)
65 years old (NIV study Bible)

he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. ² Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba.

Samuel’s two oldest sons functioned as judges in Beersheba.

Beersheba is 57 miles south of Ramah.

 ³ But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.

• Samuel’s sons were a lot like Eli’s sons.

They accepted bribes and perverted justice.

Scripture addresses these issues.

Exodus 23:8 NLT
⁸ “Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth. 

Deuteronomy 16:19 NLT
¹⁹ You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.

Proverbs 17:23 NLT
²³ The wicked take secret bribes
to pervert the course of justice.

• Scripture strictly forbids Samuel’s sons’ actions. 

⁴ Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. ⁵ “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you.

• The elders of Israel used Samuel’s age and the corruption of Samuel’s sons as reasons to ask for a king to rule the nation.

Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

Even though the elders of Israel used Samuel’s age and the corruption of Samuel’s sons as reasons to ask for a king to rule the nation, the primary reason for their request was a desire to be like the surrounding nations. (verse 20)

• The primary reason for their request was a desire to be like the surrounding nations. (verse 20)

They wanted to be like everyone else.

The nations surrounding Israel had kings.

Kings, as national leaders, were more capable of uniting a whole nation. Judges tended to be local leaders.

Having a king is not evil in itself.  The people’s reasons for wanting a king were wrong.

Israel was rejecting God as their king. They wanted to exchange their unique position as the people of God to be like all the nations.

Scripture anticipates kings ruling the people of Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 NLT
Guidelines for a King
¹⁴ “You are about to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ ¹⁵ If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.
¹⁶ “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ ¹⁷ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.
¹⁸ “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. ²⁰ This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.

• David served the Lord well as king.

Acts 13:22 NLT
²² But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

1 Chronicles 18:14 NLT
¹⁴ So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.

⁶ Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. 

CEB    It seemed very bad to Samuel
CEV    Samuel was upset to hear the leaders say
ERV    Samuel thought this was a bad idea,
EHV    But in Samuel’s eyes, their request to receive a king to judge them looked evil,
TLB     Samuel was terribly upset
MEV   But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel,
NOG   But Samuel considered it wrong

Most likely, Samuel felt that the people were rejecting him.

Verse seven: … “they are rejecting me, not you.” 

• Samuel was displeased with the people’s request.

• The rejection of Judgeship was a rejection of God’s rule and sovereignty.

⁷ “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied,

Be careful what you ask for.

See Numbers 11 

¹³ They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 

¹⁸ “And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, “Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it. ¹⁹ And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty. ²⁰ You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’” 

³¹ Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. ³² So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. ³³ But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 

The Psalmist talks about this in:
Psalm 106:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ In the wilderness their (the Israelites) desires ran wild,
testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland.
¹⁵ So he gave them what they asked for,
    but he sent a plague along with it.

• Be careful what you ask for. You might get what you ask for along with some negative consequences. 

(⁷ “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied,) repeated
“for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 

Rejecting God for a human king is clearly a form of idolatry.

An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God.

This was not God’s timing for giving Israel a king. 

⁸ Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. 

⁹ Do as they ask,

• Be careful what you ask for. You might get what you ask for along with some negative consequences.

but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

Samuel Warns against a Kingdom

¹⁰ So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king.  

• Samuel explained the disadvantages of kingship.

The disadvantages of kingship. 

¹¹ “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. 

¹² Some will be generals and captains in his army, 

The king will draft your sons for military service.

some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. 

The king will take your sons from you to work for him.

¹³ The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. 

The king will take your daughters from you to serve him.

¹⁴ He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. 

The king will take your possessions and give them to his officials. 

¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. 

A tenth of the harvest was already required to support God’s Temple and servants.

Deuteronomy 12:4-6 NLT
⁴ “Do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods. ⁵ Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored. ⁶ There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks.

The king would demand an additional tenth of the people’s harvest. 

¹⁶ He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. ¹⁷ He will demand a tenth of your flocks,

The king will take your possessions for his own use.

and you will be his slaves. 

The Israelites would be subject to any of the king’s wishes. 

¹⁸ When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.”

• Samuel warned the people that they would live to regret their decision for a king and would later cry out for freedom from his rule.

¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. 

• In spite of Samuel’s warning, the people demanded a king.

²⁰ “We want to be like the nations around us.

This motive is definitely contrary to the Lord’s will.

• Israel’s motive for wanting a king was definitely counter to the Lord’s will. 

Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.”

Up to this point the Lord had fought the battles for Israel and had given them victory over their enemies.

Just previous to this time.

1 Samuel 7:10 NLT
¹⁰ Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.

Joshua 10:6-14 NLT
⁶ The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal. “Don’t abandon your servants now!” they pleaded. “Come at once! Save us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have joined forces to attack us.”
⁷ So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon. ⁸ “Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord said to Joshua, “for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.”
⁹ Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise. ¹⁰ The Lord threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹ As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the Lord destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword. 

¹⁴ There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day!

Judges 6-8 NLT The story of Gideon
Judges 6:14
¹⁴ Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

Judges 7:7 NLT
⁷ The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.”

¹⁴ His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”

²² When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. 

²¹ So Samuel repeated to the Lord what the people had said, ²² and the Lord replied, “Do as they say, and give them a king.”

• Israel was replacing God with a human being.

Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.

 

 

 

 

 

Samuel Leads Israel to Victory

1 Samuel 7:3-17 NLT
³ Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.
⁵ Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” ⁶ So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)
⁷ When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. ⁸ “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel. ⁹ So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
¹⁰ Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. ¹¹ The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.
¹² Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”
¹³ So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines. ¹⁴ The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.
¹⁵ Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life. ¹⁶ Each year he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places. ¹⁷ Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.

Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 7:3-17 NLT
Samuel Leads Israel to Victory

Samuel’s first recorded public ministry.

³ Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel,

In the previous lesson the Philistines return the ark to Israel.

After the Ark was at Kiriath Jearim for 20 years Samuel addressed the Israelites.

• The Israelites had been worshipping idols during this 20 year period.

“If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth.

Ashtoreth was the Canaanite God of fertility associated with Baal.

Some commentators believe Ashtoreth and Asherah are the same god.

The worship of Canaanite Gods was an ongoing problem throughout Israel’s history.

Deuteronomy 12:3 NLT (Instructions to the Israelites moving into the Promised Land)
³ Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods!

1 Kings 16:33 NLT
³³ Then he (King Ahab) set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him. 

Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 

• Repent and obey.

Good reminders:

Deuteronomy 5:7-9 NLT
⁷ “You must not have any other god but me.
⁸ “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. ⁹ You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.

Joshua 24:14 NLT
¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 

Joshua 22:5 NLT
⁵ But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” 

• Don’t expect God’s blessing without getting get rid of what is contrary to his will. 

⁴ So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord. 

Two dominant gods of the Canaanites.

Two of God’s Old Testament rivals.

Psalm 95:3 NLT
³ For the Lord is a great God,
a great King above all gods. (small g)

Baal – 126 times in the NLT

Ashtoreth – 9 times in the NLT

The book of Judges records this cycle occurring seven times.

Apostasy, turning away from God
Oppression, punishment, slavery
Repentance, sorrow
Deliverance, restoration 

⁵ Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah,

Most likely located in the northern section of the land given to the tribe of Benjamin.

A place of assembly for Israel. 

and I will pray to the Lord for you.”  

• Samuel served as an intercessor, praying on Israel’s behalf to God. 

⁶ So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord.

A sign of repentance.

This type of ceremony is not mentioned elsewhere on the OT.

Not the same, but similar.

2 Samuel 23:16 NLT
¹⁶ So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. 

They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord.

Fasting and prayer.

True repentance had taken place.

(It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)

Here Samuel is introduced as the Judge of Israel.

Samuel served as the last judge before the first king.

• Samuel is introduced as the Judge of Israel. 

⁷ When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah,

they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. 

⁸ “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel.  

• The Israelites are beginning to realize that “their help comes from the Lord”. 

Psalm 121
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
¹ I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
³ He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

⁹ So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT fits here:

2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT
¹⁴ Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 

¹⁰ Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day,

Hannah’s prayer
1 Samuel 2:10 NLT
¹⁰     Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.” 

and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. 

Actually, God defeated the Philistines when He threw their army into a state of confusion.

God did a similar thing with the Egyptian army.

Exodus 14:24 NLT
²⁴ But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion.

¹¹ The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.

Beth-car.  The location is unknown. 

¹² Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. 

The location of this stone memorial is unknown. (NLT study Bible) 

He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”

• Samuel gave God the credit He deserved for defeating the Philistines.

A symbol of remembrance.

A memorial of the help received from God.

Psalm 103:2 NLT (Used in the previous lesson.)
² Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me. 

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines.  

The Philistines are not out of the picture.

The victory here is described as a decisive turning point, although the Philistines do reappear later.

1 Samuel 10:5 NLT
⁵ “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.

1 Samuel 13:3 NLT
³ Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!”

• The Lord gave Israel victory over the Philistines, discontinuing their threat during Samuel’s judgeship.

¹⁴ The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath (two Philistine cities) that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken.

• The Philistines no longer dominated Israelite territories.

The Philistines resided in the coastal plains.

And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.

The Amorites resided in the hills west of Israel between the Jordan Valley and the coastal plain.

• There was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days. 

¹⁵ Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life. 

Some speculation as to Samuels age when he died.

1070-1012 BC 58 years old (Wikipedia)
1080-1017 BC 63 years old (Unger’s)
1130-1020 BC 110 years old (answers.com)

• Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life.

¹⁶ Each year (annual trip) he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places. ¹⁷ Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too.

And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah. 

Samuel was a man of prayer. 

The story will resume when Samuel is old and Israel is asking for a king.

 

 

 

 

The Philistines Return the Ark

1 Samuel 6:13-7:2 NLT
¹³ The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed! ¹⁴ The cart came into the field of a man named Joshua and stopped beside a large rock. So the people broke up the wood of the cart for a fire and killed the cows and sacrificed them to the Lord as a burnt offering. ¹⁵ Several men of the tribe of Levi lifted the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors from the cart and placed them on the large rock. Many sacrifices and burnt offerings were offered to the Lord that day by the people of Beth-shemesh. ¹⁶ The five Philistine rulers watched all this and then returned to Ekron that same day.
¹⁷ The five gold tumors sent by the Philistines as a guilt offering to the Lord were gifts from the rulers of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. ¹⁸ The five gold rats represented the five Philistine towns and their surrounding villages, which were controlled by the five rulers. The large rock at Beth-shemesh, where they set the Ark of the Lord, still stands in the field of Joshua as a witness to what happened there.
The Ark Moved to Kiriath-Jearim
¹⁹ But the Lord killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord. And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done. ²⁰ “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?” they cried out. “Where can we send the Ark from here?”
²¹ So they sent messengers to the people at Kiriath-jearim and told them, “The Philistines have returned the Ark of the Lord. Come here and get it!”
7 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the Lord. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. ² The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 6:13-7:2 NLT
The Philistines Return the Ark (Part 2) 

¹³ The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley,

Wheat harvest is normally from mid-April until mid-June.

This was a big event.  These harvests were accomplished with the whole city participating.

• Beth-shemesh was a Levite city.

Joshua 21:13-16 NLT
¹³ The following towns with their pasturelands were given to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Libnah, ¹⁴ Jattir, Eshtemoa, ¹⁵ Holon, Debir, and 16 Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh— nine towns from these two tribes. 

and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed!  

The Israelites were overjoyed to see the Ark after seven months of captivity by the Philistines, and the Philistines were glad to see the Ark gone from their country.

• The Israelites were overjoyed to see the Ark coming back to Israel. 

¹⁴ The cart came into the field of a man named Joshua and stopped beside a large rock.

In the Old Testament, people often used stone markers as reminders of their encounters with God. These stones served to remind his people of the great works God accomplished in their midst. They were physical markers of great spiritual revelations from God.

Genesis 28:18 NLT
¹⁸ The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it.

Joshua 4:2-3 NLT
² “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. ³ Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’” 

More about this later in this lesson. 

So the people broke up the wood of the cart for a fire and killed the cows and sacrificed them to the Lord as a burnt offering. 

The cart was used for firewood and the cows were sacrificed to the Lord as a burnt offering. 

¹⁵ Several men of the tribe of Levi lifted the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors from the cart and placed them on the large rock.

Men of the tribe of Levi lifted the Ark of the Lord.

Numbers 4:15 NLT
¹⁵ The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. So these are the things from the Tabernacle that the Kohathites must carry. 

The Kohathites were the Levites who were responsible for assembling, disassembling, and carrying the furniture of the Tabernacle.  

The stone mentioned was used as a pedestal for both the items of gold and the ark.

Many sacrifices and burnt offerings were offered to the Lord that day by the people of Beth-shemesh.  

¹⁶ The five Philistine rulers watched all this and then returned to Ekron that same day.

Their duty completed; the five Philistine rulers returned home. 

¹⁷ The five gold tumors sent by the Philistines as a guilt offering to the Lord were gifts from the rulers of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. ¹⁸ The five gold rats represented the five Philistine towns and their surrounding villages, which were controlled by the five rulers.

• All of the Philistines, both the fortified cities and the unwalled villages, participated in the guilt offerings.

1 Samuel 6:3 NLT (Instructions from the Philistine priests and diviners)
³ “Send the Ark of the God of Israel back with a gift,” they were told. “Send a guilt offering so the plague will stop. Then, if you are healed, you will know it was his hand that caused the plague.” 

This offering was both an acknowledgement of guilt and compensation of their trespass of dishonoring the God of Israel. 

The large rock at Beth-shemesh, where they set the Ark of the Lord, still stands in the field of Joshua as a witness to what happened there.

• The rock in the field of Joshua stands as a monument to this event, a stone of remembrance, a reminder of God’s hand at work.

• It is important to remember the wonders God has performed.

Psalm 103:2 NLT
² Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 105:5 NLT
⁵ Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

1 Samuel 12:24 NLT
²⁴ But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.

• Tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about His power and His mighty wonders.

Psalm 78:4 NLT
⁴ We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.

The Ark Moved to Kiriath-Jearim

¹⁹ But the Lord killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord.

Seventy men from Beth-shemesh desecrated the Ark by opening it up and looking into it.  Perhaps to see if the stone tablets of the Law were still inside.

Numbers 4:20 NLT
²⁰ The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.” 

Those who were killed lacked reverence for God’s holiness.

Later in 2 Samuel we read:

2 Samuel 6:6-7 NLT
⁶ But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. ⁷ Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.

The Israelites suffered when they did not conform to God’s strict requirements. 

And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done.  

²⁰ “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?” they cried out.

• God’s people are not immune from His wrath when His holiness is violated.

• Reverence for God is a key ingredient for righteous living.

God is a Holy God

Isaiah 6:1-4 NLT
Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call
^6:1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. ² Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³ They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
⁴ Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

Revelation 4 NLT
Worship in Heaven
⁸…
 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
^…
11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
and they exist because you created what you pleased.” 

“Where can we send the Ark from here?”

The Israelites echoed the distress of the Philistine pagans.

Why was the ark not returned to the Tabernacle at Shiloh?

Some scholars suggest that Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines after Israel was defeated at Aphek.

Jeremiah 26:9 NLT
⁹ “What right do you have to prophesy in the Lord’s name that this Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh? What do you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?” And all the people threatened him as he stood in front of the Temple.

²¹ So they sent messengers to the people at Kiriath-jearim and told them, “The Philistines have returned the Ark of the Lord. Come here and get it!”

Kiriath-jearim was about 10 miles northeast of Beth-shemesh.

^7:1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the Lord.

The men of  Kiriath-jearim were probably Levites.

Numbers 1:50-51 NLT
⁵⁰ Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant, along with all its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings as you travel, and they must take care of it and camp around it. ⁵¹ Whenever it is time for the Tabernacle to move, the Levites will take it down. And when it is time to stop, they will set it up again. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the Tabernacle must be put to death.

They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. 

It is likely that Eleazar was a descendent of Aaron.

Numbers 1:53 NLT
⁵³ But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle.”

² The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all.

Actually, the ark remained in the custody of the house of Abinadab for about 100 years.

In 2 Samuel 6 David goes to Abinadab’s house to get the ark to return it to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 61-3 NLT
Moving the Ark to Jerusalem
^6:1Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. ² He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. ³ They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. 

The ark was at Kiriath-jearim for 20 years before Samuel undertook his first recorded public ministry.

During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.

Once again, the Israelites equated the presence of the ark with God’s presence.

For twenty years Israel neglected God.

After twenty years Israel returned to the Lord.