A. True Strength (horn) is the Lord 1-2

B. Fake strength (human/arrogant boast) 3

C. Strength and weakness fluctuate in people 4-5

D. True strength (from God) 6-7

C'. The Lord's power helps the weak 8-9a

B'. Fake strength 9b-10a

A'. True Strength (horn) is the king 10b

v. 12 "wicked men, with not regard for the Lord"

shown in disrespect for the offerings and God's ritual

shown in greed and bullying people

shown in sleeping with the serving women

v. 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."

v. 18 "But Samuel was ministering before the Lord"

mother provided for him

God blessed his family/mother with more children

v. 21"Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord"

Eli heard of their bad conduct

Rebuked them

v. 25 "If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?"

his sons didn't listen, "for it was the Lord's will to put them to death"

v. 26 "the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men."

offerings given to take care of priests, but priests took advantage, for selfish gain

beware ministry and ministers using position for selfish gain and nepotism

getting away from purpose of them being ministers

ministry can never just be the means for a paycheck, rather should be a means to serve God and people and change the world

what a rebuke - cared for his sons more than he cared for God

even though Eli had tried to rebuke his sons, evidently he had not done enough and was responsible for what his sons had become

cf. 3:13 "For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible (or blasphemed God), and he failed to restrain them"

minister before me forever

still true

but clarified/modified

v. 30 "Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained."

this does not automatically go to the next one in line if they are not worthy - also based on faithfulness- conditional/unconditional

both sons will die on the same day

family will not prosper

v. 35 "I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always.

fulfilled partly in Samuel, who will take leadership/judgeship/prophet in Israel

fulfilled partly in Zadok, descendent of Eliazar, descendent of Aaron, who will carry on faithful priesthood

the Word of the Lord was rare, there were no visions

Eli could barely see

The lamp of God had not yet gone out (but was fading)

The Lord was with him

None of his words fell to the ground (failed)

The Lord revealed Himself to Samuel through His word

Israel was losing

Did not seek the Lord, like in Joshua

Instead used God's furniture like a lucky charm - like pagan worship trying to manipulate God

Don't try to use God for your purposes, but be used by God for His purposes

Don't ask God to be a part of what you are doing, but ask to be a part of what God is doing

using cows that had just given birth and had never pulled a cart

there is no way that these cows would have pulled a cart away from their calves - unless miraculous

so that the Philistines would prove the plague was from God and not just a fluke chance

The cows went straight up on the correct road to Israel - God proved Himself

notice the interplay between the word "king" (melek) and "leader" (nagiyd)

Ask the question - "Is the monarchy a good thing?"

not an easy yes/no answer

not a question of "Does God want there to be a king?' but a question of "What kind of king does God want?"

Fee & Stewart II "Key to this is whether the king will both be faithful to Yahweh and display Yahweh's character, since whatever else is true about Israel's king, he is to be the earthly representative of Yahweh's own kingship over Israel." p. 84

The Israelite leaders approach Samuel asking for a king

v. 5 "appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have"

v. 7-9 God to Samuel - "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

Samuel warns the people that the king like other nations will take advantage of the people for the kings selfish purposes

The people will cry out to God for help from the oppression of their own Kings that they asked for! and God will not answer them on that day! cf. Jotham's parable about Abimelek

The people refused to listen to Samuel's/God's warning

Waltke - "the people sin in thier reason for desiring a king: their lack fo faith in I AM's ability to lead them successfully...They want a king like other nations and they ironically get one; his excessive taxes and mistreatment of his people described in 8:11-17 have analogies among Israel's Canaanite neighbors...Deliverers from within Israel could save them from foreign oppressors, but who can save them from their own ruthless kings?" pp. 686-7

Samuel prayed

They Lord said to give them a king.

Samuel sent them away

son of a man of standing - high social status, money and influence

the kind of person that the pagan nations would choose as their king

the name Saul is related to the Hebrew word "ask" - They asked for a king and got one named "you asked for it"

ends up in the town where Samuel was

servant suggests they consult Samuel

they go to the town and meet Samuel

God forewarned Samuel that he would meet a man from Benjamin that God had sent to be anointed leader (nagiyd) over Israel to deliver them from the Philistines

v. 16 "I have looked upon my people, for their cry has reached me." cf. Exodus

Samuel tells Saul about the donkeys and adds "To whom is all the desire of Irael turned, if not you...?"

Saul responds with humility that he is the least from the least clan - cf. Judges

Saul responds with what may be arrogant rejection - "Why do you say such a thing to me?"

Samuel honors Saul at the liturgical feast

The next day, Samuel arranges to speak with Saul in private

news that the donkeys were found

food from traveling pilgrims

At Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost, will meet prophets, encounter the Spirit of the Lord, and prophesy

command to do what your hand finds - i.e. attack the Philistine stronghold at Gibeah, i.e. pick a fight with the Philistines, cf. Samson

Israelite

Submitted to God's law

Does not consider himself above the other Israelites, etc.

I am old and have been your leader (nagiyd) since my youth

The Lord appointed Moses and Aaron and brought you out of Egypt

when you saw that the Amorites were attacking, you said, "we want a king (melek) to rule over us, even though the Lord was your king (melek)

see the inconsistency and stupidity of trying to fire the best king they had ever had or could imagine

Now here is the king (melek) YOU have chosen, the one YOU asked for

see the Lord has set a king (melek) over you

if you and your king (melek) fear and serve and obey and do not rebel against and follow the Lord - good

If you do not obey the Lord, and rebel against His commands, He will punish you, just like He did with your fathers

God's promises always come true - He is faithful, both for blessing and punishment

call upon the Lord for thunder and rain, during wheat harvest

You will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king (melek)

Samuel prayed, God sent thunder and rain

The people were afraid and asked for prayer that they may not die

The people confess, "we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king (melek)"

Don't be afraid, you have done evil, but don't turn away from God

Serve the Lord with all your heart

Dont turn to useless idols, which can do you no good

God will not reject you for the sake of His great Name, because He was pleased to make you His own people

I will not sin by failing to pray for you

I will teach you what is good and right

Fear the Lord and serve him with all your heart

Consider what He has done for you

If you persist in evil, "you and your king (melek) will be swept away."

monarchy is not bad, but the people's motivations are bad

God allows the monarchy, while rebuking their lack of trust

warns that the monarchy depends on covenant faithfulness, not vice versa

Summary chronology of Saul's reign - textually corrupt

Jonathan attacks the Philistine outpost at Gibeah - same place as 10:5 that Saul should have attacked earlier

The nation was summoned to Gilgal to join Saul

The Philistines assembled in great numbers and the Israelites were afraid and hid

Saul waited for Samuel - cf. 10:8 7 days, but Samuel did not come

Saul offered the offering, which was for the priests to do

men were scattering

you did not come

The Philistines are coming

v.12 "I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down AGAINST ME at Gilgal"

so I was compelled to offer the burnt offering

You acted foolishly

If you would have obeyed, the Lord would have established your kingdom (mamlakah) over Israel for all time

but now Your kingdom (mamlakah) will not endure

The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart

The Lord has appointed him leader (nagiyd) of his people

because you have not kept the Lord's command

God wants obedience and following His ways

Saul was self focussed, self-seeking, doing what was right in his own eyes

Saul is doing whatever he wants, thinking the law does not apply to him, just like the pagan kings.

used worship to manipulate God's favor

used worship for selfish benefit

Used worship to build Saul's kingdom

Which is to say that he was not doing worship, but rather idolatry

The two armies

The raiding parties of the Philistines

Therefore Israel was without weapons

Only Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear

2-3 note that Saul was at his home town, with a priest who could have inquired of the Lord - gap

4-5 geographic note - pass between two cliffs

13-14 Jonathan and his armor-bearer defeat 20 men in the outpost

The Philistines panicked - a panic from God

Saul's army saw the enemy fleeing

Inquired to find out who was responsible - Jonathan was not there

Then started to inquire of the Lord via the priest

Saul and the army went to the battle and found the Philistines killing themselves - (common M.O. for God vs. enemies)

The Israelites found courage and defeated the Philistines

The Lord rescued Israel that day.

the people were in distress because of an oath

"Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenges MYSELF on MY ENEMIES"

notice the language, Saul is fighting for himself, like the pagan kings

made trouble for the country

the victory would have been greater without it

It backfired on Saul and hurt Saul's people

someone pointed out to Saul that they were eating food with blood in it

Saul criticized them for breaking faith and set up a Kosher butchering

built his first altar to the Lord

Wanted to attack the Philistines and finish the job

Priest suggested they inquire of the Lord first

They did and God did not answer

assumed that sin was the reason for God's silence

lot falls to Jonathan

Jonathan confesses to tasting honey, but denies that he should die

Saul makes another rash oath that Jonathan would certainly die

I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel

hear now the voice of the message of the Lord

"I will punish the Amelekites"

put them under the ban (cherem), completely destroy them and all their property

don't spare anything

pretty clear instructions

gathered the army and warned the Kenites

Attacked the Amalekites

Took the king Agag alive

Killed all the other people

Saul has turned away and not performed my commands

Samuel was troubled and cried out to God

Saul set up a monument in his own honor!

Samuel found him

I will tell you what the Lord told me

You once were small in your eyes, but you have become the head of Israel

And the Lord anointed you as king (melek) over Israel

He gave you a mission to bring cherem to the Amalekites - finish the conquest!

Why did you not hear/obey the voice of the Lord?

"I did hear/obey the voice of the Lord"

I went on the mission

I completely destroyed the Amalekites

I brought back Agag their king

The soldier took the animals, the chief of the cherem to be sacrificed to God at Gilgal

The Lord does not want offerings and sacrifices as much as he wants hearing/obeying the voice of the Lord

To hear/obey is better than sacrifice

to pay close attention is better than the best parts of offerings

Rebellion/contentious rejection (opposite of hearing, humble obedience) is like the sin of divination (which is abomination)

I have sinned, I violated the Lord's command and your instructions

Forgive my sin

Come with me so I may worship the Lord- using worship for selfish purposes still

I will not go back with you

You have rejected the Word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel

Saul grabbed Samuel's robe and it tore

Samuel said, The Lord has torn the Kingdom of Israel from you

He has given it to one of your neighbors, who is better than you

The Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind

For He is not a man that he should change His mind

I have sinned

Please HONOR ME before the elders of MY PEOPLE and before Israel

Samuel never went to see Saul again

Samuel mourned for Saul

The priest helps David with temple bread and Goliath's sword

one of Saul's servants witnessed this

David fled to foreign country - Gath (Goliath's home town)

had to pretend to be insane to escape

fleeing and hiding from Saul

homeless fugitive

gather's people around him who are discontent or debt in Saul's kingdom

protects/provides for his parents

helped him find his strength in God

"Don't be afraid"

Saul won't lay a hand on you

You will be king over Israel" - remember Jonathan was technically next in line

They made a covenant together