Podcasts about samuel god

Patrick explores a lively debate around in vitro fertilization (IVF), sparked by a recent executive order supporting it. He addresses moral objections from a Catholic viewpoint, focusing on ethical concerns over embryo selection and discarding. Callers share personal experiences, from dealing with infertility to lessons learned through faith, highlighting the weight of ethical decisions. Lee (email) – I voted for Trump but I disagree with his stance on IVF (04:20) Richard – Trump said he has been chosen by God. (04:49) Nancy - I am 65 and did in-vitro in 1984. I had no idea this was sin. I just confessed this and am back in the Church. (11:05) Jennifer (email) - In adoption, couples are highly vetted before they are allowed to parent a child. With IVF, we open the doors for people to "purchase" a baby. There is no vetting of "parents". (18:18) Sam - My daughter ended up using IVF. Her husband was treated because of condition found out because of IVF. Trump loves children. We are not producing enough children. (19:35) Chris – We should look to the Catholics surrounding Trump. Those are the people that we should correct, not the President. (21:54) Robert – I’m reading the St. Ignatius Study Bible. Is Uzzah’s death in 2nd Samuel God's way of warning us to respect Mary? (24:19) Theresa – Those who oppose abortion will not speak up about IVF because so many family members are involved. (27:27) Cyrus shares emails that have come in over the last hour about IVF (33:16) Maria - I struggle with infertility. People always bring up my example as why to use IVF, but I disagree. (41:32) Mary Anne - Life is precious. Mary - NAPRO Technology is more successful than IVF. (48:04)

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 23:1-14 We see in this story of David's flight from Saul an interesting and very significant dynamic.  David was doing everything humanly possible to elude King Saul, who was bent on putting an end to David's life.  He hid in the wilderness and in the hills (1 Sam 23:14) . . . he received information from Saul's son, Jonathan (1 Sam 23:16,17) . . . his men were carefully monitoring Saul's movements (1 Sam 23:24,25).  The human means for David's safety are clearly displayed in this story.  But above these human means there was an invisible hand that ensured David's security . . . the hand of a sovereign God.  The last sentence in 1 Samuel 23:14 draws back the curtain shrouding God's movement in this circumstance, so we can see what is going on beyond the characters in the story.  “And Saul sought him [David] every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.”  The Bible reveals a mysterious interaction between human actions and divine sovereignty.  Men are responsible for their lives and the decisions they make and God governs His universe for His purposes.  “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” (Prov 16:9).  “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD, it will stand” (Prov 19:21).  “. . . work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:12,13).  Let us pray and plan and work diligently in our lives, all the while seeking the Lord . . . knowing that our Father is the One who works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11). 

Samuel, God, and You (1 Samuel 11–12) - Dr. Bill Cook

Today we discuss the second half of the Psalm in Samuel: God knocks the arrogant down a few pegs because he cares about them Studies show that self-centeredness is associated with depression and other negative behaviors God trains us for war God ultimately defeats evil, but sometimes He uses us to do it David points to Jesus at the end of his Psalm   I know you need more: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

1. God is in control; therefore, I rejoice 2. God humbles and exalts; therefore, do not be arrogant or discouraged Pursuing Holy Spirit enabled, Jesus centered humility: Whose sin am I focused on? Where do I find my comfort, joy, peace, and security? Who is the first to be served? 3. God gave us the Gospel through Jesus the King; therefore, we worship

January 28, 2024 1 Samuel

In the book of Samuel, God makes a promise to David that generated hope for the people of Israel and points us toward Jesus, the fulfillment of that promise.

What does God want in a king? The book of Samuel lays out the characteristics of God's ideal king and shows how Saul falls short and how David succeeds.

In this episode, we look at God's presence throughout Samuel and the consequences of not taking it seriously.

1 Samuel is an ancient book that will help us deal with a contemporary problem - the problem of leadership! Who leads the way in your life? In your family's life? In the life of our nation? In our church family? In a world where our own leadership and the leadership of others falters and fails we will see in 1 Samuel God's gloriously good plan to provide the leadership we need. We will see his plan to install our forever king!

1 Samuel: God hears Hanna's prayers, Samuel is born and dedicated to the Lord's service under Eli. Eli's sons sin and die. Samuel receives a Prophetic call. Luke: The second coming is foretold by Jesus.

A new MP3 sermon from Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: A Helper Amid the Flood Subtitle: 2 Samuel: God's Forever King Speaker: Jim Curtis Broadcaster: Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday - PM Date: 12/11/2022 Bible: 2 Samuel 22 Length: 42 min.

Samuel God @ work series DR. Stephen Rather Sunday, January 30th, 2022

August 22, 2021 :: Samuel - God Will Give You What You Need (Brad Bellomy) by Brad Bellomy

Great Bible Truths Podcast Episode 141 Lessons from their lives: Talk 7 Samuel - God's response to the state of the nation   Welcome to talk 7 in our series Lessons from their lives. Today we are looking at Samuel. I think that those of us who love the word of God are increasingly concerned at the way in which modern society pays little attention to the things that God has clearly declared in his word.  And the situation is not helped by church leaders who fail to take a stand for biblical truth, apparently afraid to call sin sin, but who rather prefer to interpret the Scriptures to conform to the current trends of worldly thinking. It's as if we're living in the days prophesied by Amos when he said:   ‘The days are coming,' declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘when I will send a famine through the land – not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Amos 8:11   It was just the same in the days of Eli the priest when Samuel was called by God to denounce the sins of the people. In 1 Samuel 3:1 we read:   In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.   Does this mean that God was communicating less because the people simply were not listening?   Before we look at 1 Samuel 3 which describes the call of Samuel, let's first examine the context in which the chapter is set. I am going to suggest that there were four main factors that illustrate the state of the nation and which may be contributing factors to the state of our nation today.   The state of the nation   There was very little earnest pleading with God.   1 Samuel 1:12-15 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.' ‘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. Hannah had no children, so she was pouring out her soul before the Lord. This was so unusual that the priest thought she was drunk. In that godless generation that was more likely!       The priesthood had become professionalised and had no regard for the Lord.   1 Samuel 2:12 Eli's sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord.   As a result, God's sacrificial offering was being despised   1 Samuel 2:17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord's sight, for they were treating the Lord's offering with contempt.   Their sin is described here in verses 13-16. When making an offering, the worshipper had to give the priest the fat, the breast and the shoulder. The fat was then burnt to the Lord. Hophni and Phineas were taking by force what belonged to the offerer and insulted God by demanding their portion before his was burnt on the altar. In other words they used what was intended as a sacrifice for the sins of the people as a source of profit for themselves.   There was sexual immorality among the priesthood.   1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.   In other words, the whole nation was being affected by the failure of those who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders.   God's answer to the need   Thank God he had an answer – a woman called Hannah. I see Hannah as a picture of the Lord's people, pleading for blessing. She is unfruitful - she has no children - but earnestly seeks God who answers her prayer and Samuel is born.   Now, if you can, please have your Bible open at 1 Samuel 3. You will notice that, by the end of the chapter, things have changed very much for the better. I'm going to suggest that, if Hannah is a picture of God's people pleading for blessing, Samuel may be seen as a picture of a renewed and revived church which hears what God is saying and declares it fearlessly to the nation.   Samuel was the product of the prayers of God's people as a result of their unfruitfulness. Cf. the Pentecostal Movement/Charismatic Renewal.   Samuel lived in the presence of the Lord   1 Samuel 2:26 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favour with the Lord and with people.   Samuel was called at a time when the vision of the established priesthood was dim.   One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.   Note: the lamp of God had not yet gone out (3)   Samuel heard and obeyed the voice of God.   Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.' And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.' But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.' So he went and lay down. Again the Lord called, ‘Samuel!' And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.' ‘My son,' Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.' Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. A third time the Lord called, ‘Samuel!' And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.' Then Eli realised that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ' So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!' Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.'   Note: Samuel was available. Here I am… Samuel learned to recognise God's voice v 7. Samuel listened to God v 10     Samuel was willing to declare an unpopular message And the Lord said to Samuel: ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family – from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family for ever because of the sin he knew about; his sons uttered blasphemies against God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, “The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.” ' Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, but Eli called him and said, ‘Samuel, my son.' Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.' ‘ What was it he said to you?' Eli asked. ‘Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.' So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.'   God upheld Samuel's prophetic words   The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground.   G . Samuel was destined to be God's instrument for the restoration of blessing to the nation.   And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognised that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through the word of the Lord. 4:1 And Samuel's word came to all Israel.   Finally, it was Samuel who brought in the kingdom of David   Could we be the generation that sees the arrival of the kingdom of great David's greater Son?

In this old yet classic hymn, we see the faithfulness of both God and Samuel - God's prophet - in 1 Samuel 7. What a blessing it is for God to be our “Stone of help.” May we call on him regularly as we seek faithfulness in our lives. I hope ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing' becomes even richer and deeper in meaning for you as you see the Lord's goodness to us. Devotionable #178 - 1 Samuel 7:12 Songs of the Church - Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing Follow NAOBC Worship Ministry on Spotify at naobc.org/spotify.

Life is not a series of disconnected events. God is sovereign, and works everything together for the good of those who love him according to his master plan.

Life is not a series of disconnected events. God is sovereign, and works everything together for the good of those who love him according to his master plan.

Life is not a series of disconnected events. God is sovereign, and works everything together for the good of those who love him according to his master plan.

It's not that it's a bad idea but it may not be the right time ask God to tell you the right time and for him to put the right people around you that will help you to build that you can plant at the right time God shows us in is word that he is a God of timing woman thought they couldnot have children but God gave them children at the right time Hannah prayed at the right time and she save brith to Samuel God's prophet for that season in the Bible Ecclesiastes chapter3verse 1to8 tells us for everything there is a season know your time and season then start planting and God will water what he has told you to plant

Schrijver en journalist Mounir Samuel (31) wil geen uitweg zoeken in alcohol of drugs, likes of Netflix, maar onverdoofd leven, met het geloof als leidraad. ‘Een écht gesprek, daarin zit God.’See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

God calls out to all Christ followers – not just to professional church workers and pastors – and we want to be ready to listen. In this sermon, Pastor Johann helps us learn these things from the story of young Samuel: God wants to speak to us; we don’t always hear very well; God speaks to us through His Word and through Jesus; and God is patient with us. We pray that, with Samuel, we would respond, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 

“God Said He Would Do It” 2 Samuel 8 January 17, 2021 — Reverend Chris Harper I. What it says 1. Conflict & victory (1-6, 13-14) 2. Wealth secured (7-12) 3. Order established (15-18) II. What it means 1. Not... 2. But... III. What difference it makes for us 1. We must expect spiritual warfare (2 Tim 3:12; Jn 15:20; 16:33) 2. We must never lose hope (Jn 16:33; Rom 8:18, 35-39) 3. We must serve as Jesus’ ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20; 1 Peter 2:9; Rev 1:6)

“God’s Faithfulness to His Covenant Promises” 2 Samuel 7:1-17 January 3, 2021 — Reverend Chris Harper I. Upside-down plan of the human heart (1-5) 1. David & Nathan’s plan (1-3) 2. God’s response (4-5, 11b) II. God’s plan of steadfast love and grace (6-16) 1. God’s presence with his people (6-11a) 2. God’s provision for his people (11b-16) (A) Immediately in Solomon (B) Ultimately in Jesus 3. God’s faithfulness to his promises (9b-16) III. Proper response of God’s people 1. Relying on God’s Word and not just human wisdom (4-5a, 17) 2. Never getting comfortable with God’s blessings (1-3) 3. Giving all glory to God for his faithfulness to his covenant promises (9-16)

Beautiful story and something we can all relate to. Saul is anointed by Samuel and is going to be king. Before he leaves for home, Samuel gives him a sign to look for. Multiple signs, in fact. Ludicrously specific signs. All happen and Saul has a new heart. But, the transplant seems to be taking its time in taking hold, at least according to Saul's coming actions. The big moment comes, and Saul, in a weird move plays hide and seek - with God. Saul loses. Saul is going to need help with the whole king gig. In the end, we see that God provides a group of men whose hearts are for God, mighty men.

Lesson 7 – The Old Testament Books BOOKS OF THE LAW – Genesis: God of Promise Theme: Beginnings
 Jesus is: the Promised Seed of a Woman Exodus: God of Power Theme: Deliverance 
 Jesus is: The Passover Lamb Leviticus: God of Purity Theme: Instruction
 Jesus is: The Great High Priest Numbers: God of Perseverance Theme: Journeys
 Jesus is: The Cloud and The Fire Deuteronomy: God of Preparation Theme: Obedience
 Jesus is: The Prophet like unto Moses 
 BOOKS OF HISTORY Joshua: God of the Land Theme: Conquest Jesus is: The Commander of the Lord's Army Judges: God of the Rebels Theme: Deterioration and Deliverance
 Jesus is: Our Judge and Lawgiver Ruth: God of Redemption Theme: Redemption Jesus is: Our Kinsman Redeemer 1 Samuel: God of the Heart Theme: Transition Jesus is: The Prophet, Priest, and King 2 Samuel: God of the Throne Theme: Unification 
 Jesus is: The Seed of David 1 Kings: God of Israel Theme: Disruption
 Jesus is: A Ruler Greater Than Solomon 2 Kings: God of Israel Theme: Dispersion Jesus is: The Powerful Prophet 1 Chronicles: God of Judah Theme: Israel's Spiritual History 
 Jesus is: The Son of David who is Coming to Rule 2 Chronicles: God of Judah Theme: Israel's Spiritual Heritage Jesus is: The King who reigns eternally Ezra: God of the Temple Theme: Restoration
 Jesus is: The Priest proclaiming freedom Nehemiah: God of the Wall Theme: Reconstruction
 Jesus is: The Rebuilder of the broken Esther: God of the Gallows Theme: Preservation
 Jesus is: The Protector of His people BOOKS OF POETRY Job: God of Pain Theme: Blessings Through Sufferings
 Jesus is: Mediator between God and man Psalms: God of Praise Theme: Praise
 Jesus is: Our Song in the morning and night Proverbs: God of Prudence Theme: Practical Wisdom 
 Jesus is: Wisdom Ecclesiastes: God of Purpose Theme: All is Vanity Apart from God
 Jesus is: Our meaning for life Song of Solomon: God of Passion Theme: Love and Marriage
 Jesus is: The Loving Bridegroom Lamentations: God of Faithfulness Theme: Lament
 Jesus is: The One who takes God's wrath for us BOOKS OF PROPHECY Major Prophets Isaiah: God of Glory Theme: Salvation
 Jesus is: Our Prince of Peace Jeremiah: God of Weeping Theme: Judgment 
 Jesus is: Our Weeping Prophet Ezekiel: God of Visions Theme: The Glory of the Lord
 Jesus is: The Glorious Lord Daniel: God of History Theme: The Sovereignty of God
 Jesus is: The Stranger in the fire with us Minor Prophets Hosea: God of the Unfaithful Theme: Unfaithfulness
 Jesus is: The Faithful Husband Joel: God of the Locusts Theme: The Day of the Lord
 Jesus is: The Outpourer of the Holy Spirit Amos: God of the Oppressed Theme: Judgment 
 Jesus is: Our Burden-bearer Obadiah: God of the Mountain Theme: Righteous Judgement
 Jesus is: The Judge and Savior Jonah: God of Compassion Theme: God's Grace to All People
 Jesus is: The Greatest Missionary Micah: God of Justice Theme: Divine Judgment
 Jesus is: The Ruler of the world from Bethlehem Nahum: God of Wrath Theme: Consolation 
 Jesus is: Our Stronghold Habakkuk: God of Sovereignty Theme: Trusting a Sovereign God
 Jesus is: Our Watchman Zephaniah: God of Judgment Theme: The “Great Day of the Lord”
 Jesus is: Warrior who saves Haggai: God of Renewal Theme: Rebuilding the Temple
 Jesus is: The Restorer Zechariah: God of Restoration Theme: God's Deliverance
 Jesus is: The Branch of David and the One pierced for us Malachi: God of Worship Theme: Formalism Rebuked
 Jesus is: The Sun of Righteousness

God's providence extends beyond ministry and church. In fact, God is at work in every aspect of our lives even when we can't see his hand, it is there. We often say that God is sovereign, but we struggle to see the interwoven moments of His Providence in the mundane daily routines of life. Whether we are chasing donkeys over the countryside, folding laundry for the hundredth time or working in a thankless job, God is moving. The question is are we fighting Him or moving with Him?

There is only one true God, and He will not share His glory with our idols. The Bible says it's a terrible thing to fall into His hands, so how can anyone escape? Chapters 5 & 6 contain the story of the lost ark and its return to Israel. This is one of the lowest points in Israel's history. The “glory has departed” and their very survival is on the line. But while the Philistines possess and parade the stolen ark, their idols are broken and they're terrorized by deadly plagues. Believing that it's possibly caused by the heavy hand of the God of Israel, they concoct a plan to return it with a guilt offering to stop their affliction. The plan works and the ark is returned to God's people. But instead of turning to the one true God, they return to their land and their own idol worship. Israel rejoices on the other hand, but in the process even 70 Israelites are struck down because they looked upon the ark, causing them to ask “who is able to stand before the Lord?” The answer of course, is no one. No one can escape God's heavy hand. Sin always results in pain because of God's justice and holiness, and we are all sinners. Only God can save us from God, and that through Jesus Christ. Service, sacrifice, and guilt offerings only return us to empty religion and idolatry.

Sermon July 5, 2020 Matthew Wilks How can you be a person after God's own heart?

Renfrew Baptist Church Sermon David and Samuel: God Looks at the Heart Psalm 19:14, Psalm 42:1-2, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Acts 13:22 July 5, 2020 Matthew Wilks How can you be a person after God's own heart?

1 Samuel: God Brings Good Out of Bad

When the storms in life strike, as they inevitably do, it feels as though we're caught in a small bout out on a stormy ocean. At that point, what we really need is some solid ground beneath our feet. And fortunately, God knows that only too well.   Dealt a Cruel Blow You know you can always tell when we are starting a new series – I am excited. I love to get onto a new series in God's Word and that's what we are doing today. We are starting a series called “On Solid Ground” to listen to what God has to say into one of the central dilemmas of our lives and that dilemma is this: dealing with the storms of life. I remember when I was a young boy – I was about four or five years old. My mother and my sister and I sailed in a ship from Australia to Europe. Now that was a four week sail through the Suez Canal and back again. It's a long way and I remember, even to this day, there were some huge storms along the way. I remember they had ropes in the corridors on the ship to hang onto. I have never forgotten those storms and remember, this was a large cruise ship and yet it seemed to get tossed around in those storms. I was sea sick; I was very afraid as a young kid, even though I was on this big cruise liner. I remember going out onto the deck and seeing the huge waves and the winds and the ship was pitching around in this fearsome ocean and for me, there is nothing as frightening as an angry sea and a violent storm – the ground as it were, moving under your feet. For some people life seems to be a constant storm. The ground under their feet is never solid – there is always some fear and some uncertainty and they can never quite figure out why. What is going on – why is my life always like this? Now many of these people believe in God and yet life seems to be one endless storm. What we really want to have is solid ground under our feet. When you are in a storm the question is – how? That's what we are going to be exploring in this series called “On Solid Ground” starting right here and right now. Now if you have a Bible, I'd like you to grab it because we are going to be spending most of our time in the first eight chapters in a Book called First Samuel, in the Old Testament. We are going to discover the truth that we kind of know or we should know and yet it gets lost in the world that we live in. See this is a ‘me' centred world where so often we find ourselves going to God asking Him for things for me, for me, for me and little by little, instead of God being God we expect Him to start being like a performing dog – to do tricks on our command. It may seem harsh but you get God the wrong way around and it spells dog. Am I expecting God to start dancing to my tune or am I dancing to His? It's a good question. That's what we are going to be exploring in this story and it begins in the storm. It's a story about a woman called Hannah and it turns out that she is going through some incredibly tough times in her life but she has the Creator/creature relationship the right was up. Open you Bible – let's go to First Samuel – it's the ninth book of the Old Testament. It's kind of just over a third; between a third and a half way in. We are going to start at the first verse of the first chapter of First Samuel. 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. He had two wives; one was called Hannah, the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children but Hannah had none. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh where Hophni and Phinehas the two sons of Eli, were the priests of the Lord. 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 but to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her and the Lord had closed her womb. And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year – whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord her rival provoked her until she wept and wouldn't eat. Elkanah, her husband would say “Hannah why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you down hearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" Pretty tough! Anybody who has ever gone childless or had someone in their family who has gone childless will know the incredible pain of a couple who would like to have a child and yet they can't conceive. Can you imagine this going on year after year after year and in between these annual trips, as well? And of course, there were two wives – now the Bible doesn't talk about the fact that there were two wives – obviously the author doesn't feel a need to comment – praise God that has gone away. But never the less, poor old Hannah had a pretty tough time – a real storm, year after year, the pain of being childless and she had lots of choices in that space. She could have been angry; she could have lashed out; she could have withdrawn. And her husband is pretty useless; typical male – "What's the matter, why are you crying? You've got me!" So what does Hannah do? Let's look at First Samuel chapter 1, beginning at verse 9: Once they had finished eating and drinking at Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the door post of the Lord's temple. In the bitterness of her soul, Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord and she made a vow saying “O Lord Almighty, if You will only look upon Your servants misery and remember me and don't 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." As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.” “Not so my lord” Hannah replied, “I'm a woman whose deeply troubled. I haven't been drinking wine or beer. I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Don't take your servant for a weak woman – I have been praying here about the great anguish and grief that I have.” And Eli answered “Go in peace. May God of Israel grant you what you have asked Him.” She said, “May your servant find favour in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something and her face was no longer downcast. Turns out she does have a son, calls him Samuel, gives him over to God as soon as he is weaned and he comes and serves as a priest in this temple under Eli, whom we discover later is one bad dude. He is the priest; he is supposed to be the go between, between God and His people and yet he and his sons have no respect for God. We will look at them later and also we will see Samuel's fate. At the start of the programme I talked about this "me, me, me" thing – always asking God for stuff; kind of turning things the wrong way round, instead of us being made in God's image, we try to remake Him in ours. And yet here is this story – this story that begins in a storm – this story that begins with Hannah in a storm and she is asking God for something. Did you notice she doesn't lash out or whine or complain? She humbles herself before God and asks her sovereign God; pours her heart out to Him. Eli, this scoundrel, with as much spiritual insight as my pet cat, thinks she is drunk and feeds her with platitudes – "May the Lord give you what you ask for." Yet here is a simple woman at the bottom of the heap, pouring her heart out to her God. And notice what it says after she does that, in verse 18 of chapter 1: “Then she went her way and ate something and her face was no longer downcast.” See Hannah's feet were on solid ground – even before her prayer is answered – a seemingly impossible prayer. You know what that tells me? She trusted her God – no matter what His answer would be – she trusted Him; she let it go; she stopped worrying and God answered her prayer. I'm not saying "Let's all be like Hannah" – we are clearly not, our storms are different to hers but what we discover in this story is that when we put God in His rightful place – God – He honours that. We are going to have a look at her understanding of her God again next.   Chalk and Cheese What comes next in this story is Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving. She is in this storm; she asks God for the impossible; she has got the taunts of the other wife and she comes to God in a prayer of humility; pouring out her soul and God answers her with a son and she gives that son back to God for the rest of his life. Now listen to what she prays and how she rejoices. We are now at chapter 2 of First Samuel, beginning at verse 1: Then Hannah prayed and said ‘My heart rejoices in the Lord, in the Lord my horn is lifted high, my mouth boasts over my enemies for I delight in Your deliverance. There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You. There is no rock like our God. Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance for the Lord is a God who knows and by Him deeds are weighed. The bows of warriors are broken but those who stumble are armed with strength.' And this prayer goes on and on ... read it for yourself in First Samuel chapter 2. And you know what it's all about? The power and the sovereignty of God! It's about a Hannah who went to God with this in her heart – God is above all things. Not this attitude of "Let's reform God in my image. Let's turn Him into a performing poodle." You know how I know that? Because when she poured out her heart to God she offered her son back to Him and she honoured that promise when God delivered her son. There is a challenge there for each one of us about how we go to God – how we see Him – as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords or some puppy dog that performs tricks on our command? Come on! And how can we tell the difference? See, this is a very hard thing to discern sometimes. How can we tell the difference between a right and a wrong attitude towards God? Let's go back to His Word and we will see what a wrong attitude looks like when we look at the priest Eli and his sons. Join me is First Samuel chapter 2 verse 11. Remember Eli was the priest that was at the temple when Hannah went to pray. Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord. Now it was the practice of the priests with the people, that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice and while the meat was being boiled, the servant of the priest would come with a three pronged fork in his hand, he would plunge it into the pan or the kettle or the cauldron or the pot and the priest would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. But even before the fat was burned, the servants of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing “Give the priest some meat to roast – he won't accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” If the man said to him “Let the fat be burned up first and then take whatever you want, the servant would answer “No, hand it over now, if you don't I'll take it by force.” So this sin of the young men; the young priests was very great in the Lord's sight for they were treating the Lord's offerings with contempt. You see the way we tell the difference about our heart attitude towards God is through how we behave. Hannah could have complained; Hannah could have fought back; Hannah could have acted up badly; she could have lashed out at her husband; she could have grumbled at the other wife and yet, in her pain, who could have blamed her? She could have shaken her fists at God and instead she went to Him with her mission impossible and poured out her heart to God and trusted Him because He is God and then she had peace. He honoured that! Here's an amazing truth – it's one of those pivotal passages in the Bible that tells us a huge amount about why, when we have a wrong heart toward God, things go badly in our lives. Listen to First Samuel chapter 2, verse 30; this is a verse that's worth writing down. God says: For those who honour Me, I will honour. And those who despise Me shall be treated with contempt. And what we read in the remainder of chapter 2 of First Samuel, starting at verse 27, is that God deals with Eli and his two sons and He sends a prophet to Eli and this is what happens. First Samuel chapter 2, verse 27: Now, a man of God came to Eli and said to him “This is what the Lord says” “Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father's house when they were in Egypt, under Pharaoh? I chose your father out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up to My alter to burn My incense, to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave your father's house all the offerings made with fire by the Israelites. "So why do you scorn My sacrifice and offering that I prescribed from My dwelling? Why do you honour your sons more than Me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by My people Israel?” Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel declares “I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before Me forever,” but now the Lord declares “Far be it from Me; those who honour Me, I will honour but those who despise Me I will disdain. The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your father's house so that there will not be an old man in your family and you will see distress in the dwelling and good will be done to Israel. In your family line there will never be an old man. Every one of you that I do not cut off from My alter, will be spared only to blind your eyes with tears and grieve you heart and all your descendants will die in the prime of their lives. And what happens to your sons Hophni and Phinehas will be a sign to you - they will both die on the same day. And I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will firmly establish his house and he will minister before My anointed one always. Then everyone left in the family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a crust of bread and plead "Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat." The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the Word of the Lord was rare – there were not many visions. There it is – these priests were in a position of power and authority and responsibility and they ... they didn't honour God, in their words and in their deeds, they rejected Him. And God dealt with them. Hannah on the other hand – well, she was like chalk and cheese compared to Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. Hannah was the lowly of the lowly – these priests were on the top of the social religious register but that made no difference to God. “I will honour those who honour Me and those who despise Me shall be treated with contempt.” The priests failed! The Word of the Lord was rare – their job was to tell people what the Word of the Lord was and yet, in those days it was rare. You know, if you can't change the people, sometimes you have to change the people and that's exactly what God does here. Ultimately, young Samuel becomes the priest and the prophet of Israel – he is the one that grows in favour and we are going to look at his story next week.   It's About Honour Let me ask you something. Who was on solid ground, Hannah who honoured God or the priests Eli, Hophni and Phinehas who pleased themselves? See, it's so easy to be like Eli, Hophni and Phinehas but it's hard to be like Hannah. You know why? Because we can't really see God – not like we can see the physical reality that we are in – not like we can see our circumstances – not like we can see the storm and feel the fear. All those things seem so much more real than this notion of a God that we can't see – a God that we have to put our faith in instead of being able to touch and hear physically. And so this present reality takes over and God has to fit into our present reality. Absolutely, it is easy to be like Eli, Hophni and Phinehas! It's easy to relegate God to one of the things that has to fit into our present daily agenda. But God is no less real for the fact that we physically can't see Him. He is no less powerful for the fact that we interact with Him in faith. God is God and solid ground is the place that Hannah knew – she stood before God. I once heard someone say that peace is trusting in the sovereignty of God. Hannah had that peace. For that very reason – in the eye of her perfect storm, in that place of taunts and disappointments and hurts that she couldn't even utter when she poured out her heart to God – Hannah discovered God's peace through a simple, simple act of faith. So many times over these recent years for me, when the storms have blown in – so many times and you know, in a sense - each time I feel so inadequate to deal with those storms. Isn't that the point? When we are on that ship in the ocean, doesn't matter how big the ship is; doesn't matter how strong we are, we are nothing compared to those storms. People come against you – circumstances, finances, things that really hurt, things of real fear, horrible things that people do – and we feel so inadequate just going and praying about them, well, "What good is that?" But you know what that prayer of faith is? That prayer of anguish and pouring out our hearts before the Lord, like Hannah did, it's honouring Him as the sovereign God. It's saying "God I may be smaller than this storm but this storm is nothing more than a pin prick for You. You are above all things, above all powers, above all dominions and circumstances and storms." And listen again to God's Word. First Samuel chapter 2 and verse 30. God says: I will honour those who honour Me and those who despise Me will be treated with contempt. Who had solid ground under their feet – Hannah or Eli, Hophni and Phinehas? Now next week we are going to see how God's contempt was poured out on Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. Remember that prophesy from the man of God, saying to Eli, “Your two sons Hophni and Phinehas are going to die on the same day as a sign to you that there will never be another old man in your line.” We are going to see that happen next week and we are also going to see how God's honour was carried forth for Hannah through Samuel her son. We haven't talked a whole lot about him today but this Book is named after him – First Samuel. We will see that next week on the programme. God blesses Samuel – God sets him up as the priest and the prophet and the judge over the whole of the nation of Israel. This nobody woman, this Hannah, who couldn't have a son, honours her God and God takes that and changes the course of history. God's blessing to Hannah flowed on, down the generations through her son. The question we need to ask ourselves is this: when I look at my life, when you look at your life, do we look like Hannah or Eli? Because that's how I figure out whether I'm someone who honours God as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, as the sovereign of all things. Is this the God I go to, to pour my heart out to? Or do I steal His stuff? Is He the God I rejoice in when He answers me or the God who I try to kind of fit into my schedule when I can be bothered? That God who I manipulate and massage and mould into whatever I want Him to be. Make no mistake – God takes His honour and His glory very, very seriously. He gives them away to no man and to no woman. And as we will find out in the lives of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, it's a matter of life and death.

Study Notes bible.cod Ed Underwood King David: Flawed, but loyal to God! “Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent” (God to David, 2 Samuel 7:16). The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. . These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). By the end of the chaotic period of the judges, God’s people are crying for a king. Samuel, the last judge and first great prophet in Israel, anoints the people’s choice for their first king—Saul. Though Saul’s political credentials are impressive, his indifferent heart attitude toward God causes him to lose his kingdom to the young king-elect—David. But David, whose heart is dedicated to God, must wait for his kingdom. Saul rebels against God’s will, becoming insanely jealous of the young king to be. David flees for his life and learns many lessons of faith. Finally, Saul and his sons meet death on Mount Gilboa, setting the stage for 2 Samuel and the prosperity of Israel under righteous King David. The books of Samuel provide an account of Israel from the end of the 12 to the beginning of the 10 centuries before Christ. Picking up the story of Israel from Judges 16:31, they give a prophetically oriented history of Israel’s early monarchy. First Samuel traces the transition of leadership from judges to kings, from a theocracy to a monarchy. Samuel was the kingmaker who anointed the first two rulers. Saul quickly disobeyed God and became a tyrant. David became the first real theocratic king—he allowed God to rule through him. Soon after the death of Saul, God’s choice David becomes king, first over Judah (where he reigns from Hebron for seven and one-half years) and finally over all Israel (where he makes Jerusalem his capital and reigns for thirty-three years. The first half of David’s reign is marked by success and victory. But following his sin with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, David’s life and his kingdom suffer due to the consequences of his sin. Still, David remains “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22) because of his repentant attitude and wholehearted devotion to God: Second Samuel traces the ascension of David to the throne, his climactic sins of adultery and murder, and the shattering consequences of those sins upon his family and the nation. The book follows the three phases of David’s life: his triumphs (1-10), his transgressions (11), and his troubles (12-24). The lesson for God’s people is at once encouraging and sobering: God is not hindered by our weaknesses, but He never ignores our sin. He will use us, but sin mars potential. I. DAVID’S TRIUMPH’S: After mourning the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, David assumes the throne as king over Judah and then all of Israel. His successes bring the nation to the very zenith of its power. (1-10) A. DAVID, KING OF JUDAH: David takes the throne of Judah, but Saul’s dynasty does not go down without a fight. Saul’s son claims the throne and civil war erupts. David wins. (1-4) Messiah: David is one of the most important types of Christ in the Old Testament. A just, wise, courageous, and compassionate monarch, he reigns from Jerusalem and sits upon the throne of Melchizedek, the “righteous king.” He becomes the standard by which all subsequent kings will be measured. B. DAVID, KING OF ISRAEL: David’s victory unites the nation under his righteous rule. He immediately relocates the capital of the nation from Hebron to Jerusalem. His lifelong dream to build a house for God will be left to his son, Solomon. But God will build a house for David: a throne, a family, and a kingdom that will stand forever. (5-7) 2 Samuel: God will use you in spite of your failures— if your heart is wholly devoted to Him. Messiah: The Davidic Covenant. David foreshadows the coming Messianic King in this significant covenant from God (7:4-17). God promises King David an eternal kingdom, a throne, and an everlasting seed. These same three promises are given to Christ (Luke 1:32-33). C. DAVID’S GROWING KINGDOM: David’s devotion to God leads to great national blessing. “The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people” (8:14-15). (8-10) II. DAVID’S TRANSGRESSION: David’s crimes of adultery and murder mark the pivotal point of the book. His sin changes everything. Victories and successes are replaced by personal, family, and national turmoil. (11) III. DAVID’S TROUBLES: The disobedience of the king produces chastisement and confusion at every level. David’s glory and fame fade, never to be the same again. (12-24) DAVID’S DOWNFALL: Though David’s sin is great, his response to the uncovering of that sin is exemplary: “I have sinned against the Lord” (12:13). But his repentance cannot erase the consequences of his terrible sin. His own son Absalom rebels against the king. Though David wins the battle, he loses his son, leaving him a broken man. (12-18) DAVID’S RETURN TO THE THRONE: Civil war and anguish persist. But David again defeats his enemies and consolidates his power. The closing chapters are a commentary on King David’s life. (19-24) IV. 2 Samuel is one of the most practical books in Scripture. From this text we receive some of our most important insights into the spiritual life and how God uses frail humans to accomplish His purposes. It is also a fascinating study on leadership. A. Failure does not mean it’s over—get on with your life! WeallfailGod.It’snotaquestionofwhenwefailHimbuthowweovercomefailure.David,the man after God’s own heart is our example. Three steps for failing saints: a. Listen to God’s rebuke through community (12:1-14). b.Confess(disclose)yoursintoGodandothers(12:13;Psalm51;1John1:9). c. Repent, turn to God in abandoned trust (12:14-25). B.Sin has consequences. It usually diminishes our borders and hurts those we love! 1. Though we all sin, we should never take sin lightly (Romans6:14). 2.But no sin is beyond God’s grace. Meditate on Jesus’ parable of the prodigal in Luke 15:11-32.

The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. . These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). By the end of the chaotic period of the judges, God’s people are crying for a king. Samuel, the last judge and first great prophet in Israel, anoints the people’s choice for their first king—Saul. Though Saul’s political credentials are impressive, his indifferent heart attitude toward God causes him to lose his kingdom to the young king-elect—David. But David, whose heart is dedicated to God, must wait for his kingdom. Saul rebels against God’s will, becoming insanely jealous of the young king to be. David flees for his life and learns many lessons of faith. Finally, Saul and his sons meet death on Mount Gilboa, setting the stage for 2 Samuel and the prosperity of Israel under righteous King David. The books of Samuel provide an account of Israel from the end of the 12 to the beginning of the 10 centuries before Christ. Picking up the story of Israel from Judges 16:31, they give a prophetically oriented history of Israel’s early monarchy. First Samuel traces the transition of leadership from judges to kings, from a theocracy to a monarchy. Samuel was the kingmaker who anointed the first two rulers. Saul quickly disobeyed God and became a tyrant. David became the first real theocratic king—he allowed God to rule through him. God had intended to give Israel a king (see Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 17:14-20), but the people demanded the king of their choice instead of waiting for God’s king. True to their actions during the period of the judges when they rejected God as their King, they now demand an earthly king like the pagan nations they admired. Still, God used even their rebellious spirit to accomplish His purposes. Only God sovereignly establishes and removes kings. The Lord brought Saul down and established the Davidic dynasty because of David’s obedience, wisdom, and dependence on God. 1 Samuel demonstrates God’s sovereign control of history. National and individual strength do not rest with human leaders but with the wise and sovereign God of Israel. This book contrasts the consequences of the characters’ response to God’s grace. When individuals, families, or nations respond to God’s grace with trusting obedience, God blesses: First Samuel records the crucial transition from the theocracy under judges to the monarchy under the kings. The book is built around three key men: Samuel (1-7), Saul (8-31), and David (16-31). I. SAMUEL AND SAUL—FROM JUDGES TO KINGS: Samuel’s story begins late in the turbulent times of the judges when Eli is the judge priest of Israel. The nation’s sin had caused the theocracy to sputter and falter. Only through the mercy of God had the nation survived the period of the judges. Any honest reader would be wondering how God could possibly continue working with a people who reject Him. (1-15) A. SAMUEL’S BIRTH AND CALL: Just when it seemed that the nation would cave in on its own sin, God responds to godly Hannah’s prayers giving Samuel to her and the nation. (1-3) Messiah: The word occurs the first time in 1 Samuel 2:10. It means anointed. B. SAMUEL REBUILDS THE NATION: Samuel’s strong leadership as judge, prophet, and priest navigates Israel out of the darkness toward the light. Samuel trusts and obeys, and under Yahweh’s direction and power he delivers the nation. (4-8) 1 Samuel: Trust God in spite of the circumstances of life! Messiah: A Type of Christ—Samuel. Samuel is a prophet, priest and judge. The people loved him and followed him as he delivered them from their darkness and ushered in a new age. C. SAUL—THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE: From a human perspective Saul would make the perfect king. In their impatient demand for a king, Israel chooses less than God’s best. (9-12) Messiah: A Type Of Christ—David. David is one of the primary pictures of Christ in the Old Testament. He was born in Bethlehem, works as a shepherd, and rules as king of Israel. He becomes the forerunner of the Messianic King and even writes songs from the coming King’s perspective (Psalm 22). The New Testament presents Christ as the “seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3) and “the Root an Offspring of David” (Revelation 22:16). D. THE REIGN OF KING SAUL: Saul begins well, but his lack of character and his inability to trust God soon unravels his desperate efforts to rule well. Sinful sacrifices, sinful selfishness, and sinful disobedience leave the nation without direction and without hope. (13-15) II. SAUL AND DAVID—FROM SHEPHERD TO SOVEREIGN: When God rejects Saul, He commissions Samuel to anoint David as Israel’s next king. God’s king-elect serves at court as a musician, slays Goliath, befriends the king’s son, Jonathan, and flees from Saul’s wrath. God in His grace separates one whose heart is drawn to Him, and in the process develops faith and patience in His king. (16-31) DAVID—GOD’S CHOICE: Contrasted to Saul, David is a very unlikely option. But hidden from human view is a courageous heart full of faith. Saul’s fearful heart lacks faith, and his kingdom deteriorates. David’s brilliant career begins as the anointed king of Israel, but Saul refuses to step down. (16-19) DAVID’S LIFE THREATENED: Saul’s open rebellion against God manifests in his attempt to murder God’s anointed. Jonathan’s friendship protects David as the future king flees from Saul’s insane pursuit. (20-23) DAVID’S FAITH GROWS: David trusts and obeys God, sparing Saul’s life on two occasions when he had the opportunity to take it. Saul foolishly consults a demonic medium at Endor to hear the deceased Samuel’s advice. The Lord used the circumstance to rebuke Saul and pronounce his doom. Saul and his sons are killed by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. (24-31) III. It’s not about what you feel God has given you in life; it’s about what you do with what God’s given you in life. Samuel was the answer to a barren woman’s prayer for a baby during the darkest days in Israel! Samuel was a contemporary of Samson. God uses his strong leadership as a judge, prophet, and priest to rescue Israel from the darkness of the period of the judges. “Just when it seemed that the nation would cave in on its own rottenness, God intervened and in response to godly Hannah’s prayers gave young Samuel to her and the nation.” (Merrill, Bible Knowledge Commentary, p 431) Saul was the people’s choice for king due to his charm and good looks, but his refusal to trust in God drove him to insanity. David was God’s choice for king due to his deep trust in God, but even the prophet Samuel was surprised at God’s preference for this young shepherd.

Study Notes Ed Underwood David Anderson United Kingdom Period 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles “Now our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name! But who am I and who are my people, that we should deserve to be in a position to contribute so much? ” (King David of Israel, 1 Chronicles 29:13-14) The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). Except for the Book of Job, which occurs during the time of Genesis, the Books of Poetry—Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon were written during the United Kingdom era. The writings of David, Solomon, and a few others during this time reflect what was going on in the heart of the people. One of the primary lessons of this era is the impact of the heart of the king on the nation. When the king’s heart was dependent on God and not on his own strengths, the nation prospered. When the king’s heart was far from God, the people followed his lead and the nation suffered: No Heart Saul (1051-1011) “Man after man’s heart” Whole Half Heart David (1011-971) “Man after God’s own heart” Heart Solomon (971-931) “Man after God’s heart then man’s (wives’) heart” God’s strength is cut off by Saul’s self-confidence. God’s strength is made perfect in David’s weakness. God’s strength is forgotten by Solomon’s compromise and abundance. Almost all that happens during these 170 years occurs in the land of Israel. I. The History of the Kings of the United Kingdom: Israel was a loosely connected affiliation of tribes with little unity and even less loyalty when 1 Samuel opens. The judges had led her for 350 years, and many of them were weak, ungodly, and ineffective. Surrounded by enemies, Israel had no influence in her world and struggled militarily, culturally, and economically. By the end of Solomon’s reign, 170 years later, Israel was at the apex of her influence as a united people. But Solomon’s failure to follow the Mosaic Covenant faithfully and devote his heart wholly to God, hinted at a coming civil war that ruled out the possibility of sustaining the Golden Age of Israel. A. Israel Crowns King Saul (1 Samuel): God uses the prophet Samuel to transition Israel from the Judges to the Kings. The nation cries for a king, and God instructs Samuel to anoint Saul. Saul begins his administration well, but due to his refusal to trust God, his personal life and his nation falls apart. Young David becomes God’s king-elect, but the jealous and insane tyrant Saul, pursues David with murderous rage. Finally, in a dramatic conclusion to his life, Saul dies. 1. ThedeclineoftheJudgesandtransitionofleadershiptoSamuel(1-7). 2. ThetransitiontotheKingsbeginningwithSaul,andthenDavid(8-31). B. Israel Led by Her Greatest King (2 Samuel): David’s reign follows Saul’s demise. David reigns seven years over Judah and another thirty-three years over the twelve reunited tribes. God blesses David mightily as he follows the Lord with all his heart. But then his life and kingdom are diminished by his sins of adultery and murder. 1. DavidtriumphsandhiskingdomprospersashefollowsGodwithallhisheart(1-10). 2. Davidsinsterriblybycommittingadulteryandtryingtocoveritupbycommittingmurder(11). 3. GodjudgesDavidandbothisfamilyandhiskingdomarediminishedbyhissin(12-24) C. Solomon Rules During the Golden Age of Israel (1 Kings 1-11): The wisest man in history brings the kingdom to its zenith. Israel experiences its political, social, and economic high point. However, Solomon foolishly indulges in multiple marriages with foreign women. Idol worship pollutes the palace and the kingdom. After Solomon’s death the kingdom is divided when the northern ten tribes rebel and set up their own king. 1. Solomonbecomeskingandinitiallyruleswisely(1-2). 2. Solomon’sinfluencerisesintheworld(3-8). 3. Solomon’skingdomdeclinesashemarriesforeignwomenwhoworshipfalsegods(9-11). D. God’s Editorial on David’s Reign (1 Chronicles): From God’s perspective the most significant person during the United Kingdom Period was David, the one He made a covenant with. Messiah would be a descendant of David. Therefore, 1 Chronicles traces the royal line of David and then reports the spiritual significance of his life and his reign. David was, in spite of his failures and shortcomings, the man after God’s own heart. David’s genealogy (1-9). David’s reign (10-29). Reference Saul I Samuel 13:13-14; 15:22-29 David 2 Samuel 11 Solomon I Kings 11:3 Sin Disobedience Saul did not want to wait for Samuel and thus he offered the sacrifice without him. He also refused to completely destroy the Amalekites. Adultery, Murder Not only did he commit adultery with Bathsheba but David killed her husband Uriah. He also involved many others in his sin and the cover up of the sins. Idolatrous compromise Solomon forsook his royal responsibilities as guardian of the faith and embraced the idolatrous religions of his wives. Results I Sam. 15:26b, “and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” Saul’s sin disqualified him from kingship and marked the beginning of the end for Saul. David suffered significant decline and his sins devastated his family (2 Sam. 12-24). Bathsheba’s son dies (12), Amnon rapes Tamar (13), Absalom kills Amnon (13), Absalom rebels against David (15-18), Adonijah seizes the kingship from Solomon (I Kings 1) and, David loses his spiritual authority, isn’t allowed to build the temple. Solomon’s sin reinitiated cultic idolatry in Israel. His violation of Deut. 17 (gold, silver, and horses) also brought heavy taxation upon Israel that eventually divided the kingdom into two separate kingdoms. Disastrous divine judgment inaugurated the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and successor. II. The Kings of the United Kingdom Period are a study in contrast. In so many ways, Saul, David, & Solomon’s success can be seen in their willingness to be “weak” and “dependent” on God’s gracious strengths. A. B. First, a warning about strengths. In our flesh, we cannot manage our strengths. Left to our devices, our so- called strengths are often disastrous and counterproductive to the mission of Christ. Paul says, they are not only a problem but a hindrance, a liability. They often keep us from the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord (Phi 3:8). Yet don’t disregard your strengths because Christ has made you a new creation and those strengths don’t need to be a liability anymore. The caution is to exercise those strengths in submission to the Lordship of Christ with great humility and in community. Second, it is important that we know that God typically manifests and magnifies Himself through weaknesses. 1 Corinthians 12 declares, His strength is made perfect in weakness! Our weakness is made full by His strength. In that, God shows Himself most powerful in weakness. Christ’s glory is the most spectacular against the backdrop of all of our short-comings, failures, and brokenness. His strength is sufficient and complete.

This week Pastor Les responded to your questions about the Bible and Spirituality. Each service had completely different questions so make sure to check out all 3 from this week!Questions Covered in Part 2:Would you really kick a cat?How can we trust the historicity of the Bible?I've been wrestling with 1 Samuel 16:15. In 1 Samuel God sends evil spirits to torment Saul. If God is good how can he send evil?How do you feel about Christians doing yoga if they meditate on Jesus?What is the difference between Christianity, spirituality, and being religious?How do you know which voice is God speaking or just your own thoughts?I am starting my freshman year of college next week, and I wanted to know what encouraging words the Bible says about standing strong in faith even in changes of life.Were there dinosaurs in the Bible? If so, why did God kill them all?Hebrews 8:7-13 NIV: How do we reconcile this passage and the author calling the Old Covenant obsolete? If we are under a New Covenant with Jesus, what role does the old play in our lives?If God created everything, who created God?How important is it to balance scripture with other sources of theology (tradition, personal experience, divine revelation)? Should scripture take priority over these other sources of theology?How do we balance striving to be like Jesus, and resting in the grace of Jesus?

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. Life without God is a life without hope and is tragic, whilst life with God’s anointed is one of hope and blessing (1 Samuel 27-31).

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. God’s anointed trusts in God’s plan and in his timing (1 Samuel 24-26)

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. God’s anointed one (ie. The Christ) is the one we are to take refuge in (1 Samuel 21-23)

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. What drives you? Saul is driven by fear ... fear of loss, fear of people. David and Jonathan are driven by love. (1 Samuel 18-20)

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. We are to see things the way God sees things because He is the one who’s all powerful and will always win (1 Samuel 16 - 17)

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. Full Obedience to God’s word requires fully trusting who God is (1 Samuel 13 - 15)

We're in the first of six books that make up a the majority of the historical texts. In 1 Samuel, which Michael teaches on today, we witness the transition from the period of the judges to the monarchy. Hannah prays for a son, and the son is Samuel. She prays “if you give me this son, I'll give him back to you.”

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. God is the one to look to for ultimate security (1 Samuel 8-12)

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. Listen to the second Bible Talk in our new series and hear how God is all powerful and is not to be taken lightly (1 Samuel 4-7)

Why is God's timing so different from ours? Why does He work quickly in some situations and slowly in others? Look with us. 1 Samuel 9:1-24

1 Samuel - God of Reversals. Listen to the first Bible Talk in our new series and hear how God cares for us and is the one who is in control of all things (1 Samuel 1-2).

This is the second sermon in our series on 1 Samuel ‘In Search of a King’. Preacher: The Rev’d Dr Daniel Rouhead. Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 4-7

Listen-in as we continue to learn how God allows for the desire of the people of Israel and instructs Samuel to select and raise the first human king. The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us". When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Samuel has is orders, and as much as he is repulsed by what God is going to allow, he obeys. There was a man of the tribe of Benjamin, a man in good standing, who had a son named Saul. Saul was an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites--a head taller than any of the others. We see that Saul had all of the “goods” of a kingly man: tall, dark and handsome. Human nature by default in prone to impart undue favor upon and assume higher intelligence, wisdom and character from those with physical beauty. We know this because we see beauty or other attractiveness used in advertising and propaganda, which seems almost always to work! We know this because even people today select leaders who "look" the part. Samuel locates and anoints Saul as the first king over Israel. Now, the people have what they aggressively demanded. As we see how the period of the monarchy rolls out for the nation, I hope it will instill in us the warning to be very careful to give way to God's will and never to demand anything from Him. He may just teach us a lesson by allowing us to have our way. Realize that you've asked for and will bet set up for trouble - that God just might allow - to teach you a hard lesson, as He had to do to with Israel. God had a point to prove to this people and this is exactly what was going to happen. Here, we'll start to allow the Bible to guide us down this hard, twisting road of pits and holes and traps in the period of the monarchy in the sordid history of Israel. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/biblestudyweekly/message

Lesson Highlight

Join us in this lesson as we learn about an incident that involves the holy Ark Of The Covenant. We learn how God allowed the Philistines to actually defeat Israel AND take the Ark Of The Covenant - for a time, that is... God makes a very strong point to all who were involved and all who learn of this from His Word. So, tune in... "Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. 3 When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why did the LORD bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies." So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. When the ark of the LORD's covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, "What's all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?" When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. "A god has come into the camp," they said. "We're in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!" So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured..." If you think this introduction is intriguing, listen in and learn how this all works out! If you have not studied this incident before, you may be amazed at what God does with the Philistines - and Israel - as He protects the honor of The Ark Of The Covenant. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/biblestudyweekly/message

Many people wish they had a life of purpose. Others wish they would be called by God. But today our church looked at a situation where God used someone in big ways by calling him in small areas. 1 Samuel 3:1-21

The transition of power is underway and Isreal is moving into the era of King David. David (and his kingship), we learn, points forward to Jesus

Sunday, October 14, 2018 | Going Retro: Old Testament, New Tune | Listen as Pastor Michelle continues our series on the books of the Old Testament that have been misunderstood or misinterpreted with a sermon on 1 Samuel 1. The band leads us in "Glorious Day" and "Called Me Higher."

God Has a Plan

God spoke to Samuel, and he speaks to you.

1 Samuel 17: What is the giant in your life? What is the thing in your life challenging your faith and stealing your joy? Trials, challenges and hardships allow for God to work in us and ultimately strengthen our faith.

2016 Newday Tue PM Main Meeting Book Of Samuel God Living Among Us Andrew Wilson by Newday

Old Testament Postcards

04/02/2014 - Bible Briefs - 2 Samuel: God - Dr. Mark Hitchcock

2014_0402 Bible Briefs 2 Samuel MHitchcock FBC wed pm (replaced mp3 with edited version to cut out 1:30 of dead air on recording malfunction)