1 Samuel is a Book of Transition

1:1-28, 13:14, 15:22 (Pastor Heo)

The Birth of Samuel

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD.

4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Elkanah her husband would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” 9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple. 10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.” 15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” 17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

21 When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.” 23 “Do what seems best to you,” Elkanah her husband told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 25 When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.

…

14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”

…

22 But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

This is a book of transition – from Judges to Kings.

There are three prominent characters:

1. Samuel,
2. Saul,
3. David

This shows the transition:

1. from Samuel (the last judge)
2. to Saul (the first king)
3. to David (the greatest king).

Samuel is a “king-maker” – he anointed Saul and David – the first two kings and also renewed the Law of the Lord in Israel.

These two books (1,2 Samuel) are ONE book in the original Bible, but it was divided into 2 books through translated Bibles.

• “Septusion” = the oldest Greek version
• “Bolgate” = Latin version of the whole Bible

In these translations, this ONE book is divided into two parts.

Actually, the writer is anonymous (can’t be Samuel totally – he dies in chp. 25). He may have written SOME of the book, but also Nathan and Gad are said to have written some of this.

1 Samuel = 31 chapters and covers almost 100 years – from birth of Samuel – death of Saul.

The THEME: faithfulness to God = success, blessing, peace; disobedience = disaster, final distruction

This is stated clearly to Eli in chp 2:30 “I will honor those who honor me, but treat with contempt those who despise me.”

Story:

Late in the turbulent time of Judges when Elijah was priest/judge. There was a man named Elkanah from Ephraim – and he had two (rival) wives.

Peninnah made Hannah cry (often) because she had no children, so Hannah cried out to God for a son and he opened her womb.

She had a son and sent him to Eli for training (who himself was not a good priest – his own 2 sons were totally wicked).

One night, God called Samuel, so he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am.” Up to three times this happened, but Eli did not call him. Then, at that time, Eli realized that God was calling the boy – “if he calls again, say, ‘speak, your servant is listening.’”

On the fourth time, Samuel answered God and God told him that he would destroy Eli and his family because of their wickedness. Later, in the battle against the Philistines, the 2 sons were killed, the Ark of the Covenant was captured, and the Israelites lost. Eli heard this, fell from his chair, and snapped his neck (died).

Samuel became judge then, and later Israel defeated the Philistines, and all was renewed and restored and they had peace.

Samuel later appointed his 2 sons as judge, but the people rejected this idea (they were not like him). The people said, “give us a king like all the other nations around us!”

God and Samuel were not happy, but God said, “fine, let them have it. They have not rejected you, but me as king. Tell them what will happen to them under the rule of a king (they’ll be slaves).”

People said, “we don’t care.”

So… Samuel anointed the first king Saul as king over Israel (he was tall, dark, and handsome, – also he began in meekness and humility – but soon he became a bad dude).

Ex:

He presumed the right of priest – one time, in a battle, the people were scattered, but Samuel did not arrive quickly – so Saul impatiently offered a burnt offering to the LORD as a priest himself. Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul made excuses, “no, no, no, it’s like this, you see. You’re to blame actually.”

Samuel said, “You fool! You haven’t kept the commands of God. Your kingdom will not stand forever. It will end soon.”

KEY VERSE: 1 Samuel 13:14

This was the first (major) fault of Saul.

Later, they fought the Amalekites (also Exodus 17:16 – they fought these people immediately after they left Egypt) – spiritually, the Amalekites represent Satan, his demons, and their works – “God will fight them from generation to generation.”

So, the Israelites were told to DESTROY THEM ALL – yet, Saul disobeyed. He spared the best, richest, most wonderful. Samuel arrived and Saul said, “Mission Accomplished.” and Samuel said, “Oh, really? So, what is that bleating sound I hear?” Saul, “Oh, nothing, just a little present for YOUR God (not my God).”

KEY VERSE 15:22 “To obey is better than sacrifice.”

Samuel said to Saul, “because you rejected the command of God, God rejected you.” And he mourned for Saul – and they never met again until they died. God also grieved and was sad he made Saul king.

Next, Samuel anointed David king over Israel (while Saul is still king – bad news).

Chp 17, David vs. Goliath “Ralley in the Valley”

Philistine champion Goliath came out and shouted “Yo! Fight me boys! You look like children!~ Come on out! Your God must be a baby like you too!” He shouted like this for 40 days every morning and evening.

David’s elder brothers were all there, and many soldiers, trembling with fear.

Goliath was 9ft tall (almost as tall as an NBA basketball hoop).

Jesse sent David with some bread to see how his brothers were doing. David arrived and saw and heard this abomination. He couldn’t control himself and he said, “Yo! Let me at ‘im!”

He took a stick and stones (and sling) to fight the giant. Goliath said, “Am I a dog? Wanna play fetch?” David said, “You’re such a BIG guy, but I come with a much BIGGER guy at my back! My LORD will give you to me! And I will cut off your head and I will give your body to the birds and beasts – so the WHOLE WORLD will know the name of the TRUE GOD.” He won.

Because of this, David became a high ranking officer in Saul’s army – and WHATEVER Saul sent him to do, he did successfully. So…. the ladies loved him and sang songs, “Saul killed 1,000s, David killed 10,000s!” – uh oh David is 10x cooler than Saul? Angry face.

From then Saul kept his jealous face on David – and tried several times to kill him. Even when David was playing harp for Saul (to calm his internal demons), Saul tried to throw a spear at him and KILL him.

Saul’s daughter Mical wanted to marry David so badly, so Saul said, “OK, cool. Wedding gift for me: kill 1,000 Philistines and bring me their foreskins.” He won.

Even later, Saul ordered his son Jonathan (David’s BFF) to kill David.

Finally, David just escaped until Saul died – but until his death, he continuously did his best to kill David.

You know… David had numerous times to repay Saul evil-for-evil, but he didn’t. He chased him with 3,000 men, and entered a cave for rest (David and his men were far back in the SAME cave).

• David’s men said, “Wow! God’s provision has delivered your enemy into your hands! Let’s kill him!”
• Yet, David only came out and cut off a portion of his robe.
• Then, his conscience got the best of him and he yelled back, “My lord! I have a piece of your robe! Please stop trying to kill me! I could have killed you!”
• Yet, Saul continued trying to kill him.

Later, in the last chapter, in a battle, all the members around Saul were killed, and he as well. This is the end of 1 Samuel.

What can we learn from this terrible story? Esp from Saul:

#1: The START is important, the END is more important

Yes, Saul STARTED well – but he FINISHED terribly.

Yes, the FIRST day is very important – but remember that the LAST day is even MORE important. (Job, career, relationship, money, house, possessions, marriage, family, etc)

Paul confessed “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. So now, there is in store for me the crown of righteousness.”

We must CONTINUE to fight the GOOD fight with humility and faithfulness to God.

#2: To Avenge is not MY job, but God’s

Do you have enemies? You may – but look at Saul and David. David did not think Saul was his enemy but Saul thought so.

1 Cor 12:19 “Do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s vengeance. For it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge.’ If he his thirsty, give him something to drink, for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head. Repay evil with good.”

1 Peter “To this, we were called, because Jesus left us an example to follow. There was no deceit in his mouth, when he suffered he did not make threats, instead he fully entrusted himself to the God who judges justly.” Jesus bore our sins on the tree so that we might live for righteousness.

“By his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53?)

Two types of Jesus Christ here:

1. Samuel
2. David

• Samuel = (first) prophet, priest, (last) judge – he was highly respected and brought in a NEW AGE to the people of God.
• Jesus = prophet, priest, judge – brings a NEW AGE to the people of God. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come.”

We receive a new spirit, new heart in Christ.

• David = a primary, prominent portrayal of the person of Christ – anointed king, he became the forerunner of the Messianic king – he was the greatest king in Israel’s history. – born in Bethlehem, worked as a shepherd
• Jesus = king, born in Bethlehem, IS our shepherd “I lay down my life for my sheep. I know my sheep and they know my voice.” David = “The Lord is my shepherd…” (Ps. 23)

New Testament (Matthew 1:1 “A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of DAVID, son of Abraham…”)

2 Samuel = David’s kingly reign (compare to Jesus’ kingdom) – later

Another theme of 1 Samuel =

UNCHANGEABLE LESSON:

1. Faithfulness and obedience to God brings blessing, success, peace;
2. FaithLESSness = disaster, destruction

Let’s pray.