Bwebbservant
Sunday Evening Bible Study
June 24, 2001
I. Introduction
a. Goals of this study
i. Study 1 and 2 Samuel in their entirety as a single message
ii. Better understand the line of Messiah through types and prophecy
iii. Analyze the Shift from stoic to epicurean in society
iv. Examine Life and Times of the people 1000 years before Christ
b. How we will do this
i. Use maps, charts and graphs to understand relationships in certain areas
ii. Consider 1 & 2 Samuel as one book as the Hebrews did
iii. Evaluate civil, secular and religious life in 1000 year old terms from ancient literature
II. Previous Study
a. King Preparation Phase One: Seek God First
i. Salvationary Process:
1. Conviction
2. Repentance
3. Reparation
4. Testing
5. Deliverance
6. Abiding
III. King Preparation Phase Two: Our Way, Right Away
a. [8:1-8:3] A Word on Judges
i. In the book of judges we have recorded 12 in a cyclical pattern
1. 12 Judges
a. Othniel
b. Ehud
c. Shamger
d. Deborah & Barak
e. Gideon
f. Tola
g. Jair
h. Jephthah
i. Ibzan
j. Elon
k. Abdon
l. Samson
2. Cycle of the Judges
a. Israel serves the Lord
b. Israel falls into sin and idolatry
c. Israel is enslaved
d. Israel cries out to the Lord
e. God Raises up a Judge
f. Israel is delivered
g. Israel serves the Lord
3. The Four Judges of 1 Samuel
a. Eli 4:18
b. Samuel 7:17
c. Joel 8:2
d. Abijah 8:2
ii. Samuel Has Two Sons
1. Joel
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a. His name means, “the Lord is God”
b. According to 1 Chronicles 6:33 Joel had a son who was a singer named Heman or faithful.
2. Abijah
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a. His name means, “Yah is my Father”
b. This was a unisex name and is given to six men in the Bible as well as two women
iii. Notice that the Bible states very clearly that Samuel appointed them, probably had trained them himself, but they were not called by God as Samuel had been. There is an importance that should be placed on God’s calling before going to any office that is based upon skill, character and desire. Without God’s call perversion has fertile landscape to take over.
iv. How Joel and Abijah perverted justice
1. What does the Bible say?
a. Exodus 23:8
“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.”
b. Deuteronomy 16:19
“You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
2. What did they do wrong?
a. Did not follow their father’s instruction
b. Turned aside to dishonest gain
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i. Natah means to stretch out and is sometimes translated deprive
ii. Achar means behind or after in the sense of physical proximity
iii. Betas is the gain made by violent means. Oddly enough this is also the word for interest.
c. Took bribes
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i. Laqach means to take or accept
ii. Shochad means a present or a bribe
d. Perverted Justice
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i. Natah means to stretch out and is sometimes translated deprive. This is the same word as above here translated perverted rather than turn aside.
ii.Mishaphat means judgment, justice, custom, manner, norm.
Factoid:
It is interesting to me that when the evil priests Hopni and Phinehas took sacrificial meat, which should have been God’s, a cry went up to Eli from the people to correct the problem but they did not request an level of social upheaval. However, just let them boys of Samuel start taking bribes and affecting other parts of society like finances and legal matters other than just “God’s” stuff and children of Israel get ready for a different system and fast.
With God, sin is sin. It must all be dealt with according to righteousness through the salvific routine we saw last week. The truly spiritual people will be more affronted when God is wronged than when they are wronged. This may be an additional reason why the request for a king was odious to God. Isn’t is sad when people are not concerned at what makes God sad…
b. [8:4-8:6] The Request for a King & Samuel’s 1st Prayer
i. Is it wrong to want a King? According to Scripture, those who looked ahead (the redeemed) were to expect a King. See:
1. Genesis 49:10
2. Numbers 24:17
3. Deuteronomy 17:14-20
ii. So if it is not wrong, why the problem?
1. Lets look for a moment at God’s wills
a.
Perfect Will
i. Exactly what God wants to accomplish and how he wants it done
ii. Satan stands uniquely in the way of God’s Perfect Will and will be crushed by it.
b.
Permissive Will
i. Exactly what God wants to accomplish regardless of how it gets done
ii. This is the realm we cooperate with and rebel against. Functions as a safety bound for humanity.
c. What Ryrie calls His Perceptive Will
i. Exactly what needs to be done with regard on how to He will bring it about
ii. God wants to do these things, will do these things yet are those things which will cross humanities will at certain points
For Example:
1. I can be in God’s perfect will be being and being saved
2. I can be in God’s permissive will by choosing some career
I can be out of God’s permissive will by not choosing some career
3. I can be in God’s perceptive will by becoming a Pastor
I can be out of God’s perceptive will by denying my call (timing)
I can be out of God’s perceptive will by going before or after I was called (motives).
iii. Israel is out of God’s timing, by my humble estimation by 40 years and a few days. I think that David was to be the first King but Israel asked for a king out of season and out of the wrong motivations
iv. Ryrie adds, “God in His sovereignty allows even the evil deeds of men to accomplish His purposes (Gen 50:20 and Acts 2:23). With respect to sin and evil, God wills to permit it, but not to effect it, for He cannot commit evil.”
c. [8:7-8:9] God Encourages Samuel
i. I see a depth of relationship that is not near as apparent when Samuel is first called.
ii. Samuel prays and the content of that prayer is not recorded, yet in God’s response seems to be directed in a certain concerns Samuel must have had:
1. “Should I listen to the People?”
2. “What have I done to them but good?”
3. “What do I do next?”
iii. I think God is also saying:
1. “Listen to the intent of their request.”
2. “Samuel, I know all about rejection and I am in this thing with you bearing the worst part.”
3. “Make sure they know what they are asking for.”
d. [8:10-8:18] Samuel Confronts the People
i. If I am ever made king, this is how I will do it. We are going to see an extended version of this copied and given to Saul upon coronation (10:25). This is whats funny about it. When done correctly, these things make a good king. When Saul does them, just the opposite thing will happen.
ii. The Procedure (or Problems) of the (a) King:
1. He will reign over you
2. He will take and place your sons:
a. In Chariots
b. As Horsemen
c. As Runners
3. He will appoint over you:
a. Military Divisions
b. Plowmen
c. Reapers
d. Blacksmiths
4. He will take and place your daughters:
a. As perfumers
b. As cooks
c. As bakers
5. He will also take and redistribute to his servants:
a. The best of your fields
b. The best of your vineyards
c. The best of your olive groves
6. He will require from you for his officers and servants (levy or tax):
a. 10th of your seed
b. 10th of your vineyards
7. He will see and take from his subjects for his work (exaction or seizure):
a. Male Servants
b. Female Servants
c. Best Young Men
d. Donkeys
8. He will see and take for himself (levy or tax):
a. 10th of your flock
b. Your time in caring for his 10th
9. This is a point of no return, it is irrevocable
e. [8:19-8:22] The People Reject God & Samuel’s 2nd Prayer
i. When good council is rejected, judgment is sure to come
ii. The reason they give that they think will impress Samuel. All of these are direct insult to God:
1. We want a King
2. We want to be like the other nations
3. We want a king to judge us
4. We want a king to lead us out
5. We want a king to fight our battles
iii. Saul is not only going to fail in these very areas, but he will refuse to do some of them
iv. Samuel still represented the people before God
v. God tells Samuel how to proceed step by step, accepting what the nation did not want and being blessed for it.
vi. God is going to make their first King a joke and in violation of everything they asked for.
1. We want to be like the other nations
a. Though possessing physical beauty, strength and stubbornness Saul sleeps to late in the morning, lacks couth and poise.
b. David, however, will be a first rate diplomat and warrior as the need arises properly for each
2. We want a king to judge us
a. Saul had a real problem in telling right from wrong
b. David will be called a man after God’s own heart (13:14). Although he will be a sinner, for the most David seeks righteousness and justice.
3. We want a king to lead us out
a. Over and over we will see that Saul sends out and stays to the back, even when he hates David, he lets him lead.
b. David is a natural leader and does so even when he does not go out himself. David also seems to be a good judge of character where Saul has no clue.
4. We want a king to fight our battles
a. Saul, the tallest man in the nation, is a coward who will not fight Goliath.
b. David, the smallest of his house, is not afraid to fight anything that opposes the will of God.
IV. Conclusion
a. This week we have seen:
i. The Problems with a King
ii. Samuel’s Consolation and Refuge
iii. The People’s Demand
b. Next week we will see:
i. Read 1 Samuel 8:1-22
ii.
“King Preparation Phase Three: He’s out Where?”
Any Questions? Contact the Webbservant at… stephen.mack.howard@juno.com