contents · the spirit goes, and a spirit comes ... david and goliath: the setting ... god uses...

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Contents

How to Use this Guide ..........................................................3Overview of 1 Samuel (May 31) .............................................4Deeply Distressed (June 1) ....................................................4Hannah’s Song (June 2) ........................................................6Answered! (June 6) ................................................................7The Sin of Eli’s Sons (June 7) ................................................8Called to be a Prophet (June 8) .............................................9The Glory Has Departed Israel (June 9) ..............................10Called (June 13) ...................................................................11God is Not a Trophy to Be Won (June 14) ...........................11God Commands Respect (June 15) ....................................12Who Can Stand Against Us? (June 16) ...............................13Worthy! (June 20) .................................................................14Be Careful What You Wish For! (June 21) ...........................15God’s Choice (June 22) .......................................................16A Good Beginning (June 23) ...............................................17King? (June 27) ....................................................................18Leadership Is Hard (June 28) ..............................................19The Beginning of the End (June 29) ....................................20Only God (June 30) ..............................................................21Trust and Obey (July 4) ........................................................22Saul’s Piety, Jonathan’s Faith, and God’s Victory (July 5) ...23Saul’s Foolish Order (July 6) ................................................24Saul’s Disobedience and Rebuke (July 7) ...........................25Judged (July 11) ..................................................................26Anointed as King (July 12) ...................................................27The Spirit Goes, and a Spirit Comes (July 13) ....................28David’s Calming Presence (July 14) ....................................29Anointed! (July 18) ...............................................................30David and Goliath: The Setting (July 19) .............................31David and Goliath: The Characters (July 20) .......................32

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David and Goliath: The Victory (July 21) .............................33Delivered (July 25) ...............................................................34David’s Stone Sends Saul’s Spear! (July 26) .......................34Saul’s Subsequent Scheme (July 27) ..................................35His Will Be Done (July 28) ...................................................36Faithful (August 1) ................................................................37Friends Forever (August 2) ..................................................38David on the Run (August 3) ................................................39God’s Guidance (August 4) .................................................40Blinded (August 8) ...............................................................41A Choice Between Revenge or Mercy (August 9) ...............42Evil for Evil Interrupted (August 10) .....................................43Grace, Strategy, and Sovereignty (August 11) ....................44Protected (August 15) ..........................................................45The Opposite of Fear Is Not Courage, It’s Faith (Aug. 16) ..46David’s Perplexing Dilemma (August 17) ............................47Saul’s Tragic End (August 18) ..............................................48

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How to Use this GuideThese guides are scheduled to be read four times a week beginning May 31. If you stay faithful to these readings, you will read all of 1 Samuel during our small group study.

As you can see by the dates assigned to the readings, there are guides for Monday through Thursday of each week (except for the first week, which begins on a Tuesday). Monday’s guide will always be a review of the lesson from Sunday morning, while Tuesday, Wednes-day and Thursday guides will help you study in preparation for the upcoming lesson.

Our prayer is that these study guides help you:

• understand these absolutely critical chapters of Scripture even better than you normally would.• engage Scripture more deeply in your small group meeting on Sunday.• make a habit of the daily study of God’s Word.

We are praying “that the Word would dwell in you richly.”

— Creek Small Group Leaders

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Overview of 1 Samuel (May 31)While 1 Samuel is rooted in the history of Old Testament Israel, it is also a book remarkably contemporary in its scope and application. The stories in this book revolve around three main characters, all of whom are leaders of Israel and in many instances are very different from one another.

Over the course of the next three months, we will be introduced to the patient, dedicated prophet and judge named Samuel. His life brings the era of the judges in Israel to a close, and it is Samuel who will anoint Israel’s first and second monarchs. We will learn about Saul, a gifted but troubled king whose heart is filled with more doubt than trust. And finally we will meet David, the faithful young man whose name will become forever linked with the messianic promises of Al-mighty God.

The stories in 1 Samuel have this in common: They portray a loving God whose every move is for the ultimate good of his people, even when those very people do not realize it. Sometimes in these pages God will discipline, and sometimes he will comfort. The plan of God as it is revealed in 1 Samuel does not move at man’s pace, but at God’s pace, and David (especially) will learn patience as he waits for the fulfillment of promises. We, too, as the readers of this wonderful text and heirs of the promises, can learn perseverance from what we read.

Further, we can learn what godly leadership does and does not look like in any area of our lives. As we see Samuel’s stubborn dedication to God’s Word, Saul’s careless disregard for God’s commands, and David’s embrace of God’s heart, we will learn about ourselves and our own responsibilities as children of God.

If you have a study Bible, open it and read the introduction to 1 Samuel, familiarizing yourself with the background and context of the book. If you don’t have a study Bible, consider availing yourself of the tools at blueletterbible.org or mystudybible.com.

Written by Pastor Jason Hall

Deeply Distressed (June 1)

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-20

It is difficult to underestimate the emotional pain and social stigma

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associated with infertility in ancient culture. The book of 1 Samuel opens with such a story. Hannah is a devout Jewish woman from the hill country of Ephraim, just north of what would one day be called Je-rusalem. She is one of two wives married to Elkanah, but the only wife who is childless. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, ridicules Hannah year after year to the point that Hannah weeps and loses all appetite for food. Why would Peninnah bring this up each year when they went to the house of the Lord? Perhaps she thought Hannah was barren because she had sinned. Or maybe she thought that God, who is sov-ereign over the womb, did not love Hannah, and that Hannah should give up petitioning the Lord. Like critics in Jesus’ day who assumed God was against the man born blind because of someone’s sin (John 9:2), Peninnah did not see that Hannah’s barrenness was allowed so that the glory of God might be displayed. She only saw a worthless woman.

Hannah’s distress is unmistakable. Her husband’s love cannot as-suage her pain. The author describes her as “deeply distressed.” She weeps “bitterly” and asks God to look on her “affliction.” When Eli, the priest, mistakes her distress for drunkenness, Hannah explains that she is “troubled in spirit,” a woman with “anxiety and vexation” who is “pouring out (her) soul before the Lord.” From man’s perspec-tive this bumbling priest seems to add insult to injury, but God uses this encounter for good. Amazingly, Eli’s words comfort Hannah’s heart, resulting in a changed countenance and healthy appetite. Hannah is at peace, not because she holds a child in her arms, but because, by faith, she believes God has heard her. Indeed, God has heard her, and she later gives birth to a son, Samuel (which sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God).

God often highlights when he is about to do something new with miracles such as this. Those who knew Hannah’s story no doubt kept a close watch on what God might do with this child. Samuel’s life did not disappoint. Samuel witnessed the end of a line of judges and the beginning of a dynasty of kings in Israel. He anointed King David, and from David would come the King of Kings, the One who brings an end to all suffering for God’s people for all time.

Questions to Consider

• Have you known the kind of pain that Hannah experienced? Paul says in Romans that “the whole creation has been groaning” and even now we ourselves “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8:22-23).

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But this suffering is nothing compared to the glory that is coming. Read Romans 8:18-39 to be encouraged.• When is the last time you “poured out your soul before the Lord?” He is the God of all comfort and waits to comfort you today. • How might God use your pain for his glory? What part might you play in the salvation history of God?

Written by Robin Hall

Hannah’s Song (June 2)

Read 1 Samuel 1:21-2:11

Hannah, fulfilling her commitment to the Lord, dedicates Samuel, her only son, to serve at the tabernacle for life. After these events are recorded, the reader comes to Hannah’s song, or prayer.

There are a number of songs interspersed throughout the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) which help give structure to the narratives and theological insight (see, for example, Exodus 15 and Deuter-onomy 32). The same is true for the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. Like book ends, the Song of Hannah and the Song of David (2 Samuel 22) magnify the power, sovereignty, and salvation of God. The themes of Hannah’s song can also be found throughout Job and the Psalms (especially Psalm 113), but are most notably repeated in Mary’s Mag-nificat (Luke 1:46-56).

When we read through this beautiful prayer, we notice that the lan-guage is exalted beyond the scope of the story of Hannah and her rival, Peninnah. Hannah’s miraculous experience is a springboard for her praise of God and derision of his enemies. Hannah’s God is holy, strong, and incomparable. In his perfect wisdom he confounds the affairs of men, causing the mighty to be brought down and the weak to be exalted. He satisfies the empty and empties the satiated. His sovereignty knows no limit. We see him taking and giving life, setting the foundations of the earth, and thundering from heaven against his enemies.

Perhaps the most important thing we see about this God, however, is that he will “give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed” (verse 10). What king? This is during the time of the judg-es, after all. Amazingly enough, God uses Hannah’s powerful prayer to point forward to the reign of Israel’s kings and the coming of the

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King of Kings. This is the first use in Scripture of the title “anointed” or “Messiah.” How like our God that this title for Christ would first be spoken from the lips of a once-barren, seemingly insignificant woman! And Hannah’s son, Samuel, would one day anoint the first kings of Israel.


• God continues to use the weak things of this world to shame the strong. Why? Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.• What do you learn about God from this prayer? What do you learn about man?• For further study, you can read Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:46-56 and about where Jesus identifies himself as the Anointed One in Luke 4:16-21.

Written by Robin Hall

Answered! (June 6)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that God answers the prayers of those who humbly seek him.

Why do you pray? Are you praying because someone told you it was a good idea? Because it’s a commonly accepted religious ritual? Or are you praying because you truly believe that God will move in your life if you seek him in prayer? Hannah believed that prayer mattered, or she would not have gone back to the Lord’s house, year by year, to beg God for a child. When she received the blessing of a child, she remembered to praise him for the all-powerful, faithful God that he is to his people.

God works through the prayers of his people to bring about his will in the world. Do you want to be a part of what God is doing? Then pray!

Our family memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 2:1. As you memorize this verse, remember that all your strength comes from the Lord.


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The Sin of Eli’s Sons (June 7)


Up to this point, the primary focus has been on Elkanah and his family (1:1-2:211). Now the narrative shifts to Eli and his family (2:12-3:21). Throughout this section we see a deliberate contrast between Samuel and the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas. Their sin was “very great be-fore the Lord” and they “despised the offering of the Lord” (2:17), but Samuel “was ministering before the Lord” (2:18). We are told from the beginning that the sons of Eli were “worthless men” (sons of Belial, KJV) who “did not know the Lord” (2:12). They committed evil deeds at the tabernacle and invited the judgment of God, but Samuel “min-istered” at the tabernacle and “grew in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men” (2:26). The Lord was about to bring judgment to the house of Eli, but blessings to the house of Elkanah and Han-nah, giving her three sons and two daughters (2:21).

It wasn’t until Eli heard the reports of his sons’ evil deeds circulating among the people that he finally rebuked them, but it was too little, too late. The Lord had already determined to “put them to death” (2:25). Like Israel centuries earlier (Deut. 32:15), the house of Eli had “kicked at” (scorned) the Lord’s offering, gorging themselves on the best parts of the sacrifices brought by the people (13-17). By condon-ing the sins of his sons, Eli demonstrated that he loved them more than he loved God, making himself no longer worthy of the Lord’s blessing (see Matt. 10:37).

The Lord’s rebuke against Eli was as hard as Eli’s rebuke to his sons was soft. An unnamed “man of God” came to Eli and proclaimed God’s judgment on Eli and his family. God had given the priesthood to Aaron and his descendants forever (Exod. 29:9; 40:15; Num. 18:7). But, God’s servants can’t live any way they please and expect the Lord to honor them: “For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed” (2:30).


• Eli was a man devoted to God and his service. In spite of Eli’s goodness and devotion, his two sons chose not to follow his ex-ample. How could this be? How did Eli fail to honor God? Was Eli responsible for the sins of his sons?• In what ways did Elkanah and Hannah honor the Lord? How did the Lord reward them?

Written by Jamie O’Brien

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Called to be a Prophet (June 8)


When God’s call came to Samuel he was faithfully serving in the tabernacle at Shiloh under the tutelage of Eli. Samuel was probably about twelve years old when the Lord spoke to him. The Bible tells us that “the word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were infre-quent” (3:1). Verses 1-3 picture Israel’s moral condition. The lamp was a symbol of God’s light given to the world through God’s people Is-rael. Indeed, the light of God’s Word was burning dimly in those days and God’s high priest was barely able to see. The Ark of the Covenant was there containing God’s law, but the law was not honored by the people.

The Lord called Samuel four times; the first three times he thought it was Eli calling him. But then Eli realized that it was the Lord calling Samuel. The old priest instructed Samuel to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (3:9).

Because Samuel was obedient to God and to Eli, he heard the mes-sage from the Lord and learned what God was planning to do. Sam-uel was unaware of the message the unnamed “man of God” (2:27) had delivered to Eli, but the message God gave to him confirmed it. The Lord was about to judge the house of Eli because Eli’s “sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them” (3:13). Though Eli and his sons were priests they could not atone for their sins by sacrifice or offering (3:14; see Num. 15:30). The Lord had been patient with Eli and his sons, but no longer. They refused to repent and now it was too late.

Through the years, as God continued to speak to Samuel, the Lord’s Word would so captivate him that it would be virtually indistinguish-able from Samuel’s word (4:1). Samuel, the priest, God’s minister, would become Samuel the prophet (The Expositor’s Bible Commen-tary, 591).


• What had prepared Samuel to be able to receive God’s call?• In what ways have you prepared yourself to receive God’s call? • How is Samuel’s story, and how he learned to recognize God’s call, an important lesson for all believers?


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The Glory Has Departed Israel (June 9)

1 Samuel 4:1-22

Chapters 4-7 follow the ark of the covenant as it travels into and out of enemy territory. God would defend his honor in the midst of the Philistines (1 Samuel 5), but he would not defend the Israelites when he was in their midst because they had ceased to honor him (2:30). When they went out to meet the Philistines in battle at Ebenezer, they were defeated and they lost about four thousand men. How could a nation of idol-worshipping pagans defeat God’s people? Trying to turn the tide of battle, they had the ark of the covenant brought from Shi-loh into their camp. They were not seeking the will of God, nor were they walking by faith, and they certainly were not trying to glorify God.

Even worse, Eli’s two wicked sons were carrying the holy ark of God (4:4). How could God bless these two sinful men whom he had al-ready determined to judge? The Hebrews rejoiced greatly when they saw the ark, and the Philistines feared greatly because they knew the reputation of the God of Israel. But all it did was motivate the Philis-tines to fight harder. They soundly defeated Israel and slaughtered 30,000 Jewish soldiers. The ark of God was taken and the two sons of Eli were killed (4:11).

When a messenger told Eli the devastating news that Israel was de-feated amidst a great slaughter, Hophni and Phineas were both killed, and the ark of God was captured, Eli fell off his seat backward, broke his neck and he died (4:12-18). When Phineas’ wife, who was about to give birth, heard the news that the ark was taken and that Eli and Phineas had both died, she gave birth to a son; and as she died she named him Ichabod, saying, “the glory has departed Israel” (4:21-22).


After God’s long silence (3:1), why do you think that just as God be-gan to speak to Israel through Samuel (4:1), he brought judgment to Israel and to the house of Eli?

How did bringing the ark of the covenant from Shiloh into their camp dishonor God (see Deuteronomy 20)?

How do we see God honoring his covenant promises in this narrative (see Lev. 26:39; Deut. 28:25)?


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Called (June 13)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that God delivers his message through faithful followers.

Do you have a smart phone that has the voice recognition feature? Do you find it incredible that your phone recognizes you when you say, “Hey Siri,” “Hey Google,” or “Hey Cortana”? Or do you find it amus-ing when the results of this interaction are a garbled mess, not at all resembling what you really said?

Eli’s sons were not a good conduit through which for God to commu-nicate to his people, because they disregarded the Lord’s commands and had no respect for his holiness. In many ways, they were a product of Israelite culture at the end of the time of the judges, when almost everyone, it seemed, disrespected the Lord. Samuel, however, was different. He was available. He was listening. And even though he had to deliver a harsh message to Eli, Samuel was faithful.

God has communicated to us in his Word, and he wants to use us to be a conduit for his message to a lost world. Will we listen? Will we be faithful?

This week’s family memory verse is 1 Samuel 3:10. Pray that as the Lord speaks, you will listen and obey.


God is Not a Trophy to Be Won (June 14)


The Ark of the Covenant was a symbol of God’s presence with Israel. When Israel’s longtime enemies, the Philistines, captured it, Israel ap-peared defeated and the Philistines appeared victorious. The Ark was placed in a pagan temple alongside the Philistine god Dagon, who the Philistines believed had given them victory – this made the Ark a tro-phy of sorts. Appearances can be deceiving, however, for God used this Philistine victory to prove to whom the victory truly belonged. The victory did not belong to Israel or the Philistines, but to God alone – and he proved that in a way only he could.

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Not only did our God have the statue of Dagon “fall down” and wor-ship him, he wreaked havoc on various cities throughout the Philistine region for many months, causing illnesses, infestations, confusion, and deaths (reminiscent of the plagues in Egypt hundreds of years before). Finally, the desperate, terrified leaders of the Philistines had no choice but to admit that their victory was truly a defeat. This defeat was not at the hand of the Israelites, but to the God of Israel, from whom their god Dagan could not protect them.

The Philistines saw the Ark of the Covenant as a “trophy” to be dis-played, in front of their god, Dagon. The Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant as the only way they could have God with them, the only way he could protect them, their “trophy” of faith. God is not a trophy to be won, nor is his presence limited to certain places and times. Our God is an infinite and holy being in which our trust should rest. Our trust ought not to be in ourselves, in our morality (Israelites) or our accomplishments (Philistines); but rather, our trust ought to be in the only One who has fought and won all battles, past, present, and future, that have been laid before him.


• Have you limited the power of God by trusting in your accom-plishments?• Do you accept and trust in God’s sovereign grace or your own morality when triumphs and defeats come?

Written by Stef Dowd

God Commands Respect (June 15)


As long as the Philistines had the Ark of the Covenant, the Lord’s hand was strong against them. After seven months of suffering, the religious leaders of Philistia were summoned and asked what should be done with the Ark of the Covenant. When reminded of the great plagues of Egypt, the leaders were quick to send it off, acknowledg-ing their sin and defeat. The leaders devised a very respectful way of returning the Ark, including a specific kind of cow, a specific location, and a guilt offering. A guilt offering? These were pagan people who had fought against the Israelites, and against their God, for many decades. Because of this, they knew they were not guilty before the

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Israelites, but the God of Israel. God accepted the Philistines’ offering and the Israelites rejoiced, for the Ark of the Covenant was in their possession once again!

Yet, some Israelites did not treat the Ark with the amount of respect that their enemies had and those were struck down or slain by God. The Ark was a representation of God’s presence with his people, and as such it was to be treated with great respect – even fear. No one was to stare at the Ark arrogantly as if their “trophy” had been re-turned. They were to be humbly joyous that God had brought it back to them. They were to remember who had commanded the respect of the Philistines, causing them to send the “trophy” they had won back from where they had won it. These were acts of God for which he should have been respected and honored by all of Israel.

In the midst of this sorrow, the Israelites lamented over their sin and began to seek after God. This kind of confession, brokenness over sin, and seeking after God, is what led the nation of Israel to repen-tance and the same should be true for each Christian today. Our God commands respect from all people, and Christians should be the first offer that respect and honor. When we remember what God has done on our behalf, this respect overflows with joy in our heart, spilling over into our daily lives.


• Are you seeing the presence of God in your life as a trophy to be stared at or a relationship that is to be honored and respected?• Do you guard yourself from arrogance by remembering what God has done on your behalf through Christ’s death, burial, and resur-rection?

Written by Stef Dowd

Who Can Stand Against Us? (June 16)


In today’s study, we will see how putting God first and making wor-ship our highest priority enables God’s fullest blessings in our lives. As we have read in recent chapters, the ark was returned to Israel and the people returned to him as well, ridding themselves of foreign gods to serve and worship him only. We see the whole of Israel assemble to fast, confess, serve, and offer sacrifice to God. The Philistines also

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assemble, but not to worship. They believe that Israel is in a vulnera-ble position, and plan to overcome them.

Samuel, unshaken, finds courage in God and goes on with the sacri-fice while that the Philistines are drawing near to battle. As he offers the sacrifice and cries out to the Lord for help, God does an amazing thing. In a scene reminiscent from stories in Ezekiel and Judges, God moves in a mighty way against the enemy of his people. He answers Samuel with a thundering voice and that thundering sends the Philis-tine army into a panic. Israel’s army wipes them out as they flee.

The Lord shows us time and again throughout his Word that he is greater than anything and everything that might come against or choose to challenge him. If we were to take the entirety of the uni-verse, all the power that is out there, and ball it up to throw it at him, then he would simply smile, catch it and say, “Nice try.” He is the greatest thing, over all other things. Even an invading army is no match for him. God is fully able to care for his people and to carry out his will and his Word. This is highly important when it comes to salva-tion and eternal life.


• How does this passage inspire hope in you?• Have you ever felt surrounded and helpless and likely to fail?• The question arises, is God greater than any of our issues and problems? Does this passage help you see the answer to that?

Written by Larry Lee

Worthy! (June 20)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that only God is worthy of worship and praise.

It would be easy to dismiss the story of the Ark in chapters 5 and 6 as some product of a bygone era of superstition and paganism. Surely, we think, no one in the 21st century United States would build a little statue and put it in their home to bow down and worship. Well, it is true that most people we meet in our cultural context do not worship in this way (though some do). But that does not mean we are not in

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danger of idolatry; that is, putting something or someone before God in our lives.

We should be sure that God insists on being first in our lives, and if we do not put him first, there will be consequences. We may not see a rash of plagues like the Philistines, but failure to worship God properly in our context will certainly mean broken lives, broken homes, and wrecked relationships. Put God first, and everything will fall into place. Put God last, and nothing will ever be in its proper place.

Our family memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 6:20. Remember that the Lord is all-powerful and is worthy of our utmost worship and respect.


Be Careful What You Wish For! (June 21)


Samuel was perhaps the greatest judge Israel had ever seen. He led Israel through an extended time of relative peace and stability. Now Samuel is getting older and he’s appointed his sons to be judges. Unfortunately, Samuel’s sons are using their authority to enrich them-selves instead of judging with integrity like their father had done.

Israel’s elders tell Samuel that the nation needs a king to effectively organize, protect, and govern Israel. Samuel is displeased, perhaps in part due to feeling rejected by Israel after his many years of faithful service but also because he knows that the motives behind this re-quest are not good. God says that ultimately it is not Samuel’s lead-ership that the people are rejecting, but his own kingship. With God as their king, the people of Israel had to trust him to raise up a human leader in times of crisis to deliver them from threats. Instead of trust-ing God for deliverance, the people preferred to have a king whose power, glory, and permanent army would give them visible comfort and security, just as surrounding nations enjoyed.

Samuel warns Israel of the downside of a powerful human king who will draft their children into service and confiscate property such that one day they will regret having asked for a king (we’ll see much of this come to pass later, beginning with the rule of Solomon). Yet the people are not swayed by Samuel’s warnings, and continue to press for a king.

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Amazingly, this entire drama was predicted hundreds of years earlier at the time of Moses. Deuteronomy 17:14 states that Israel would one day say “I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,” which is precisely what Israel’s elders say to Samuel. God pre-dicts Israel’s kingdom, God permits Israel’s kingdom, and God uses Israel’s kingdom in preparing the way for the righteous king to come, Jesus Christ. However, the fact that God’s sovereign plan allowed for a kingdom does not mean that the leaders and people of Israel will not be held accountable for their wrong motives, and suffer for reject-ing God as their true king.


• In what ways can we as Christians be tempted to be like the world around us in looking to visible sources of comfort and power instead of having to trust God? • Do you desire something with motives that are displeasing to God, even though what you want is not expressly forbidden in Scripture?

Written by Dave Taber

God’s Choice (June 22)

Read 1 Samuel 9:1 – 10:8

When the leaders of Israel came to Samuel earlier, they asked Samuel to choose the king (1 Sam. 8:5). They wanted God to bless their plan and likely they thought that Samuel’s choice of the king would guar-antee that, since Samuel was a man of God. Perhaps some of these leaders may have thought that they themselves would be leading candidates to be selected as king!

What emerges most clearly in this passage is how completely the selection of the king is done by God himself, not by Samuel. We are introduced to Saul, who seems to be unaware of who Samuel is and where he lives – it is Saul’s servant who arranges the visit to help them seek to find missing donkeys. They happen to arrive at just the right instant to catch Samuel on his way to conduct a sacrificial feast. The Lord had told Samuel “I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin,” thus confirming that God’s hand is arranging all the circumstances of selecting the new king.

Saul is puzzled by the special attention he receives at the feast and

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strange words that Samuel speaks to him. His tribe and his family had never been among Israel’s elite leaders. The next day Samuel removes the mystery by explicitly anointing Saul as king in a private ceremony with just the two of them. Saul is anointed prince over the people of the Lord – in other words, Israel’s king was really a stew-ard of God’s authority over his people. The people of Israel wouldn’t belong to the king, they belonged to God.

Saul is not recorded as saying anything at this point (perhaps he was in shock!), but God graciously gives Saul detailed predictions of what was going to happen next. These would be signs to re-assure Saul that God had really chosen him to be king. Most importantly, God would equip Saul to carry out all his responsibilities by turning him into a new man by the power of God’s Spirit (10:6). Saul did not seek to be king, but God sought Saul.


• Some people think humility means recognizing that they are too insignificant to have any prominent ministry role. How can we demonstrate true humility such that we can embrace whatever type of ministry God calls us to?


A Good Beginning (June 23)

Read 1 Samuel 10:9 - 11:15

God gave Saul three signs that would confirm his selection as king and all of them came to pass. Some people observed the remarkable sight of Saul prophesying along with the prophets but had no idea of its significance. Saul kept the secret of his anointing, even from his family, until Samuel gathers the people of Israel to assemble before the Lord.

Rather than simply proclaiming Saul to be king, Samuel first re-iter-ates that asking for a king was a rejection of God, who had faithfully delivered God’s people from their enemies. Next, Samuel casts lots to select the king - allowing all Israel to see that the God himself has selected Saul. Even though Saul had been “given a new heart” by the Lord, he was evidently still overwhelmed, as he had to be fetched from where he was hiding among the baggage! Despite Samuel’s dis-pleasure at Israel’s request for a king he is faithful to carry out God’s

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commission, teaching and recording all the rights and the responsibil-ities of the king in Israel.

Although most in Israel accepted the new king (encouraged by his impressive height!), a minority looked down on Saul. These people not only rejected God as their king, they also rejected God’s choice for king! Such grumbling was soon put to rest, however. The city of Jabesh was in a desperate situation, about to be enslaved by the Ammonites. They sent messengers throughout Israel to beg for help. Many people wept at the plight of Jabesh but it was Saul, filled with the Spirit’s power, who took action. He demanded that the people join him in delivering their brothers. The armies of Israel, under Saul’s leadership, decimated the Ammonites and won a great victory.

Some demanded execution for those who had opposed Saul, but in-stead of seeking vengeance Saul glorified God for the victory. Samuel called the people together at Gilgal to offer sacrifices to the Lord and renew allegiance to their new king. The knowledge of what happens later in Saul’s life gives this wonderful beginning a bittersweet flavor as we consider the lost opportunities of what Saul’s kingdom might have been.


• Since God is displeased with the people’s motives for asking for a king, why do we not see discipline against the nation at this point instead of a great victory by the new king?• What are some reasons why great beginnings in faith and ministry sometimes get derailed? How can we be people who not only start well but finish well in our faith?


King? (June 27)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that only God is worthy of being looked to as the ruler of his people and of his creation.

Motivation is everything. It seems that in chapter 8, the Israelite leaders were being motivated by fear and jealousy. Their fear of being

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invaded and subjugated, as had happened so often in their recent history, led them to want a stronger earthly leader. Their jealousy of the peoples surrounding them led them to want a king, so they could “be like everyone else.” They let their fear and jealousy lead them away from God, rather than running toward him in faith.

Samuel warned them of the consequences of being ruled by their emotions in this way, but the Israelite leaders persisted. How often do we make decisions out of emotion, rather than patient trust in God? Our call is to be led by God alone, and not by our own wisdom.

Our family memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 8:7. Let us take care not to reject God as our king as we live from day to day.


Leadership Is Hard (June 28)


In ministry, leaders long for the spiritual best of those they lead. Sometimes it doesn’t happen. Nevertheless, leaders plead, pray, weep and warn. Such is the case of Samuel in chapter 12.

Samuel is old and gray now (v. 2) and in v. 1-5 we see him finish strong with exemplary integrity. Israel’s leadership is transitioning from Samuel the judge to Saul the king. At this juncture Samuel reminds the people of God’s faithfulness, confronts them about their sin, and warns them about fidelity to God. Samuel makes it clear the condi-tional nature of God’s protection and blessing for Israel hinge upon obedience to God’s commands. A grand display of God’s power over creation confirms that which is already obvious—God is King, despite the people’s refusal to embrace it.

One can only imagine how Samuel felt during this transition. He despised the people’s request for a king and rightly so. It wasn’t so much that the people wanted a king; it was why they wanted it that was so disappointing. The earthly kingship they so vehemently lobbied for was viewed as the means to victory while the heavenly kingship, undeniably in plain view, was rejected. Israel did not have a leadership problem; they had a trust problem. Samuel knew the determining factor of their victories or losses was not dependent on human kingship but rather in trust and obedience to God.

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Although God had given them countless demonstrations of his faithfulness, they had given God countless demonstrations of their faithlessness. Nevertheless, Samuel pleads with them in verses 20-21, and promises to pray for them in v. 23: Samuel saw the nation of Israel as more than just a job to endure. God’s people were his people and as such he committed himself to the task of leading them in “the good and right way” despite their sin.

Leadership is hard. Yet, Samuel’s worship of God through his faith-ful work as prophet is a wonderful reminder to all of us to complete the work that God has laid before us—even amidst disappointment, heartbreak and failure.


• Leadership doesn’t always come with a fancy title. Many people are leaders in subtle yet impactful ways. Who do you teach, lead, guide or influence? Commit to pray for those you lead. Resolve to spend time in God’s word regularly to grow and mature in the knowledge of God so you can lead faithfully all whom God has placed in your life. • In God’s economy, trust and obedience are non-negotiable. Make a list of what you are trusting in to bring peace, security and com-fort. Read and meditate on Psalm 103, specifically verses 15-19.

Written by Claudine Snyder

The Beginning of the End (June 29)


1 Samuel 12 concluded with Samuel cautioning the people of Israel and their new king to obey God, but as chapter 13 opens neither are heeding that warning. King Saul now has an army, but Israel’s ene-mies are still knocking at the door. Jonathan, Saul’s son, attacks a Philistine garrison, provoking the Philistines to gather an army greater and stronger against Israel. In the face of their foe, the Israelites prove their lack of faith in God by hiding and fleeing. The king they asked for was not the solution to their problems, after all.

Panicked by the imminent threat of attack and an army that is quickly deserting him, Saul makes a grave error. Samuel had told him to wait for him to come to Saul to offer a sacrifice to God before going into battle. As the days dragged on with no sign of Samuel or God, Saul

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takes matters into his own hands. The last moments of waiting are the most difficult and the temptation to sin is great. Saul disobeys the word of God by offering a sacrifice to God before Samuel arrives. This is a violation of God’s law, as Saul is not a priest and has no business offering sacrifices. Saul performs religious rituals to try to win God’s favor. He, like the Israelites who have fled in terror, does not trust God. In the heat of crisis, Saul’s lack of faith is evident as he grows impatient and tries to force God’s hand.

When Samuel does show up, he confronts Saul. Instead of confessing and repenting, Saul offers excuses and shifts the blame. Samuel then declares God’s judgment. Saul will not have a kingdom that lasts. This is the beginning of the end for Saul. God has already chosen Saul’s replacement, David, whose family lineage will lead to the ultimate king, King Jesus.


• Is there a situation in your life in which you are growing restless for God to work? Pray for God to give you patience and trust.• Have you missed out on God’s blessings because you have been impatient and proud? Confess this before God and humbly submit to his sovereignty.• Do you trust in religious ritual instead of trusting in God? Examine your heart and ask him to reveal where your trust lies.

Written by Keri Bosch

Only God (June 30)


Saul, king of Israel, failed to trust God in the face of a looming attack from the Philistines. Samuel has pronounced God’s judgment on Saul for disobeying God and has left Saul to face the battle alone. Saul’s army deserted him in fear, decreasing from 3,000 to only 600 men. Because the Philistines outnumbered the Israelites, they begin to raid the Israelites at will. The situation was desperate and just when things seemed they could not get worse, they do. The Israelite army does not have the weapons they needed to fight. The Philistines had monopolized the production of weapons and strategically kept the Israelites from gaining access to them. The Philistines secured domination over the Israelites not only by restricting their access to

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metalworking for weaponry but also for tools necessary for farming and other trades. Only royalty could be properly outfitted for battle. All other troops were forced to fight with whatever they could find. Imagine facing an enemy that greatly outnumbered you, with more advance weapons. The Israelites couldn’t even begin to compare! Underdog would be an understatement.

It looked as if the defeat of the Israelites was imminent. Israel had not trusted God to defeat their enemies. God repeatedly puts his people in situations where there is no hope apart from him. There was no other option for the Israelites but to turn to God. There are times in our lives when the situation looks grim and we allow fear and despair to take over. These trials should remind us we serve a God that is mighty to save, who will fight our battles and slay our fears. Would the Israelites ultimately trust in him? Do you?


• Who or what are you trusting in to help you when things look hopeless? • Confess to God if you are not trusting him completely and ask for help to put your confidence in him in all things. Remind yourself of all he has done for you in the past and thank God for his faithful-ness.• Meditate on the attributes of Christ. Spend more time in prayer praising him than in petition.

Written by Keri Bosch

Trust and Obey (July 4)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that God’s character and power are evident in what he has done for us, so we can trust and revere him.

Samuel has spent his lifetime leading the people of Israel, and he has done so with steadfast integrity. Now, as he stands before the people a final time as their judge, he reminds them of three things. First, he reminds them of where they have come from, recounting especially the faithfulness of God in delivering Israel from Egypt. Second, he re-

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minds them of their own unfaithfulness in seeking after an earthly king rather than a heavenly Father. And third, he reminds them that God loves them despite their sin, and if they will obey there is yet hope for them. The people respond by acknowledging their sin.

Why is God so patient and kind? Why is he so faithful? Verse 22 pro-vides the answer: The Lord is passionate for his own glory, and chose Israel because it pleased him to do so. We, too, find our worth not in ourselves, but in God. Christ died for us not because we were worth it, but so that we could be trophies of God’s infinite grace.

Our family memory verse for this week is 1 Samuel 12:20. Remember to serve the Lord with all your heart.


Saul’s Piety, Jonathan’s Faith, and God’s Victory (July 5)


Saul had been at war with the Philistines and other surrounding peo-ples since before his confirmation as king of Israel. However, Israel’s successes on the battlefield were due to God’s blessing in spite of Saul’s leadership. His impatience for God’s blessing to go to war has led Saul into assuming the role of high priest, displeasing God and resulting in the loss of dynastic succession of the throne to Jonathan (1 Samuel 13:13-14). Saul’s piety now gives way to paralysis and a complete lack of movement against the Philistine enemy.

Jonathan decides to take action and with his young armor bearer launches an assault on a Philistine outpost guarding an important mountain pass. Meanwhile, Saul is encamped at Gibeah with 600 men, his advisors, and Ahijah the priest of the Lord. Although out-numbered, and with the enemy holding the high ground, Jonathan tells his armor bearer that they will show themselves to the Philistines and if the enemy tells them to halt, they will turn back. If they are taunted and challenged to come forward, then it is a sign from God that the enemy will be defeated and they will attack.

The Philistines invite Jonathan and his armor bearer to come to them and they comply, killing about 20 armed guards in the small area of the guard post. Word of Jonathan’s attack spreads to the larger

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Philistine camp, accompanied by an earthquake causing widespread panic. Israelites that had joined forces with the Philistines now turn against them and attack. Other Israelites hiding in the nearby coun-tryside hear of the battle and join forces with their countrymen. The Philistine army is in complete disarray and retreat.

Saul’s lookouts see the Philistine army in panic and notify the king. Saul orders a quick count of his forces revealing that Jonathan and his armor bearer are missing. Saul orders the priest to bring the ark of God to the camp and to consult the Urim and Thummim of the priest’s ephod on God’s will. Saul and his assembly join in the battle and the Philistines flee in defeat.


• When faced with adversity, are you like Jonathan, actively seeking the will of God? Or are you more like Saul staying back and waiting for a sign?• What do the boldness of Jonathan and his young armor bearer tell us about the people God uses?

Written by Pastor Brian Merritt

Saul’s Foolish Order (July 6)


There is an old adage, “An army travels on its stomach.” Apparently this never occurred to Saul. Thinking like a priest, not a king, Saul commanded his army not to eat on the day that they joined Jonathan in his attack on the Philistines. This not only caused them to struggle to fight well but put Saul at odds with his son, Jonathan, who was unaware of his father’s order.

At some point during the day, presumably near the end or shortly after the battle, the Israelites entered a forested area where came across some honey. Fearing the oath they had made to Saul, nobody dared even taste the honey. But Jonathan, who had not heard his father’s command, ate some of the honey and was nourished and strength-ened. When told of the oath the others had made to his father not to eat, Jonathan ridicules the order and claims that it has prevented Israel from inflicting an even greater defeat upon their enemy.

Saul’s order also caused the Israelites to sin against God. The people

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were weary and hungry after a day of fighting so they greedily killed and ate the sheep and cattle that were part of the spoils of their vic-tory without slaughtering the animals according to the law (Leviticus 17:10-14). Saul learns of the people’s sin and orders them to stop and bring the spoil of the battle to the camp. He then builds an altar to the Lord and a sacrifice is made. He also swears that whoever caused the people to sin would be put to death.

The king then decides to continue pursuing the Philistines at night and recover whatever valuables remained. Before departing camp, Saul inquires of God if they should do as planned but God does not give Saul an immediate answer.

Determined to find out how sin entered into the people, he asks his officers to seek out whoever may have led the people astray. When the culprit is not identified, Saul renews his oath to kill the instigator, even if it should be his son, and casts lots which fall to Jonathan. He confesses to the breaking of the oath against eating and states that he is ready to die as the king has commanded. But the troops inter-vene and demand that the king not kill his son who is responsible for the great victory over the Philistines.


• What do you think motivated Saul’s zealous and rash decisions?• How could Saul have honored God instead?


Saul’s Disobedience and Rebuke (July 7)


The prophet Samuel, who had anointed Saul as king of Israel, issues a very specific command from the Lord that Saul and his army attack and utterly destroy the Amalekites. The Amalekites attacked and harmed Israel as they were departing from Egypt many years before, making them enemies of God and his people. Judgment time had come for the Amalekites and the Lord was going to use Saul to do it.

Saul gathers an army of 210,000 men and plans an ambush outside the city of the Amalekites. He warns the Kenites, who lived among the Amalekites, of the impending attack and they departed. Saul and his army defeated their enemy but not as the Lord had commanded.

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They were to kill every man, woman, and child, as well as all the live-stock. Instead, they captured the king, Agag, alive and they rounded up the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle.

That night the Lord spoke to Samuel saying, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not car-ried out My commands.” This caused Samuel a great deal of grief. In the morning Samuel confronted Saul about what he had done and not following God’s direct order. Saul argues that he intends to offer the livestock as a sacrifice to the Lord, to which Samuel replied, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.”

Saul realizes that he has sought to win the approval of men rather than obey God. He seeks forgiveness for his disobedience and begs Samuel to return to Gibeah with him so he can worship the Lord. Samuel refuses and informs Saul that the Lord has rejected him as king. As Samuel turns to leave, Saul grabs the edge of his robe and it tears. Samuel replies, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today…” Saul again pleads with Samuel to honor him before the elders and the people and return together. Samuel returns with Saul.

Samuel asks for Agag, king of the Amalekites to be brought to him. Agag feels confident that he will be treated with mercy but Samuel proclaims God’s judgment upon him and hacks Agag to pieces with a sword. Saul and Samuel part ways and do not see each other again until the day of Samuel’s death.


• Saul’s problem is a greater fear of men than of God, resulting in decisions and actions intended to make him look good in the eyes of men rather than obeying God. Are you swayed more by the de-sire to be liked by others or to obey God? What if God asks you to do something outside your comfort zone?• What was wrong with Saul’s decision to keep the sheep, goats, and cattle to offer them as a sacrifice to God?


Judged (July 11)


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Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that judgment awaits those who reject God’s instruction.

One of the most basic premises of Scripture is that God is Lord over all, and so the Word of God assumes that when God commands, his command will be carried out. Except that in this story, Saul decides he knows better than the Lord. When Saul rejects God’s will by spar-ing the Amalekite king and the best of the animals, he couches it in religious terms meant to impress Samuel (verse 13). God, though, is unimpressed, and through Samuel makes one of the most important statements in all of Scripture: “to obey is better than sacrifice” (verse 22). God is less interested in religious ritual than he is heart and mo-tive. It is not possible to do God’s will in our own way; we must obey him in the ways that he has revealed to us.

Our family memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 15:22. Examine your heart to make sure your motives are pure, and that you are honoring God in accordance with his word.


Anointed as King (July 12)


Saul has been rejected as king, and so we as readers are confronted with a question: What will become of the Israelite monarchy? One of the primary themes of 1 Samuel is God’s gracious provision for his people, and the story of David stands in Scripture as illustrative of that theme.

As the chapter opens, God is ready to move on from Saul. He sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint the man he has chosen as king, and the scene becomes almost comical as each of the sons of Jesse is brought before the prophet, and rejected in turn. Who could God’s anointed be? Surely not the youngest, the shepherd?

Two points in these paragraphs deserve our careful attention. The statement God makes to Samuel in verse 7 is paradigmatic, not just for this story but in the whole of Scripture. As God moves in men and women to accomplish his will, his primary concern lies not with their physical size or strength, but with their heart. The reference to heart in this case, and most often in Scripture, refers to a person’s moral

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and spiritual life. David was more qualified to be king, in God’s eyes, because of his character rather than his stature.

Notice also the narrator’s reference in verse 13, once David had been anointed: “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.” The Spirit of the Lord did not move, in the Old Testament, like he does today. Believers today are filled with the Spirit at the moment of conversion, empowering them for obedience and faithful-ness. At the time of the Old Testament, though, the Spirit of the Lord only filled men and women in specific times, for specific purposes, to fulfill God’s will. But notice that David is filled with the Spirit “from this time forward,” meaning that whatever David will accomplish in his life – both before and after he becomes king – will be as a man filled with the Spirit of God. That Spirit will not keep him fully from sin in his life, but God’s Spirit will guide him to be a man after God’s heart.


• When you consider yourself or others, do you look first at the outside – readily apparent talents and abilities – or do you look at spiritual and moral qualities as most important?• Are you thankful that as a believer, you are filled with the Holy Spirit?


The Spirit Goes, and a Spirit Comes (July 13)


The anointing of David is a turning point in the narrative of 1 Samuel, in that it is the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, of Saul’s reign as king. Saul will still hold the title and power of king for several more years, but in God’s eyes the future of Israel is David, not Saul.

Nowhere is this more apparent in the story than in verse 14, where we are told that God’s Spirit leaves Saul. This statement is not relevant to the Spirit’s role in bringing believers to salvation in our day; rather, it is a statement about God’s empowerment of Israel’s king at this time. From this point forward, Saul’s attempts to govern well will be futile; David will ascend, while Saul descends into madness. Instead of the Spirit of the Lord, a “harmful spirit” from the Lord comes on Saul. It’s best to see such a turn as judgment for Saul’s continued disobedience and rejection of God’s will. Because Saul was not filled

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with a passion for God, he was empty and vulnerable to this harmful spirit, which had the effect of tormenting him. The remedy? Peaceful and calming music from the lyre of David, which places God’s newly anointed choice as king right where God wants him.

The quiet but insistent tone in 1 Samuel is that events that seem to be coincidence, happenstance, or blind fate are actually the hand of God orchestrating all things for his glory. The departure of God’s Spirit, the coming of a harmful spirit, and the placement of David in Saul’s court are all small but significant examples of the sovereignty of God.


• Are you submitting to God’s will in every area of your life? Is there an area in which you are resisting God’s call to obedience?• Do you look upon the events of your life as circumstance, pur-poseless and driven by nothing? Or do you see them as carefully orchestrated by the will of a gracious and all-wise God who loves you and has your best interests in mind?


David’s Calming Presence (July 14)


Why in the world, we might ask, would Saul want the future king – the one God has chosen to replace him as king – to be close to him, even in his service? Well, he probably wouldn’t, but Saul does not actually know that David has been anointed king. At this point, the only people who know that are Samuel, David, and David’s family. So we see that David enters Saul’s service as an armor-bearer as well as musician.

What purposes could God have for moving in such a way that David is now in the court of the king? Such things are ultimately in the mind of God, but there are a few points we may surmise based on later events in 1 Samuel. It puts David in a better position to ascend in mil-itary stature and fame, especially in light of the events of chapter 17. These military victories and fame provide the earthly context for Da-vid’s ascension after Saul’s death. Being among Saul’s court also puts David closer to Jonathan, Saul’s son, and the two will become very close friends. But perhaps most apparently it puts David in a close relationship with the man he will replace as king. It will allow David not only to see Saul’s madness, but also to appreciate the fact that Saul

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was, at one time, God’s chosen man to lead Israel. This realization will be important in later chapters as David has the chance to kill Saul not once, but twice.

Perhaps we may also note God’s wisdom and grace, in that David made Saul’s life more bearable. David’s skilled musicianship calmed Saul and refreshed him. Saul may not have deserved such grace, but God was good to provide it nonetheless.


• Are you frustrated with where you are in life? Have you considered that God is sovereign, and he may have you where you are for a reason?• Are you looking for every opportunity to witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever you are?


Anointed! (July 18)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that God desires people who seek him to follow him with all their hearts.

What do learn about God from this story? We know that God not only sees into our hearts and motives, but he desires us to have hearts and motives that seek him. We know that he is able to place his servants where he wants them, for his glory. We learn once that his wisdom and knowledge are infinite, and his plans cannot be thwarted.

Just like David was a man who sought God’s will after a humble be-ginning, Jesus came to show us what a heart for God truly looks like. David is certainly an important man in God’s overall plan, but he is meant to also point the way to the greatest man, Jesus. Isaiah 53 tells us that Jesus was not a man of stunning outward appearance, and yet his heart pounded for God’s glory. The Spirit of the Lord guided David, just as Jesus was completely filled with the Spirit even as a young man. Everything about David’s story reminds us that a greater king is coming.

Our family memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 16:7. As you read it,

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remember that through Christ you can have a heart that seeks God.


David and Goliath: The Setting (July 19)


For the next three days, we’ll be looking at the account of David and Goliath. This story, which was a real-life historical event, is an account with which you have probably been familiar since childhood. Yet, the narrative portions of the Old Testament are sometimes hard to apply to the Christian life. The way this story is often applied to modern Christians is along these lines: Goliath represents some great trial or other insurmountable problem in the life of a believer. David rep-resents a follower of Christ. By way of application, then, Christians are told that if we will trust in the Lord—like David—in the face of life’s difficulties, with God’s help, we’ll be able to overcome the metaphori-cal “Goliaths” in our lives. In support of such an interpretation we can note that this application is in accord with the content of other biblical passages such as Ps. 37:5–6; Prov. 3:5–6, among others.

While there is biblical truth in the application of this narrative as de-scribed above, I’d like to suggest that the point of the David and Go-liath narrative is not primarily to exhort believers to trust in the Lord in order to overcome trials. Rather, I believe that this historical account is primarily a gospel narrative. In other words, I’m suggesting that this real-life account is recorded in the Old Testament in order to point to Jesus, the promised Messiah. By way of application of this narrative, I suggest that Goliath is meant to picture our greatest challenge—that is, our sin and alienation from God. The helpless, gathered masses of Israel are meant to represent us—that is, God’s people or those who would become God’s people. And David, as he always does in Scripture, represents Christ. With these identifications, then, the stage is then set for a gospel event to take place. We’ll look further at the characters in this story in tomorrow’s reading.


• What are some differences between the ways that we should read and apply narratives in the Bible, as compared with how we apply commands or teachings in the letters?• How have you understood the story of David and Goliath to apply

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to the Christian life? How have you heard this narrative taught in the past?

Written by David W. Jones

David and Goliath: The Characters (July 20)

1 Samuel 17:17-40

In yesterday’s reading, I suggested that the story of David and Goliath is actually a gospel narrative, meant to point toward the promised Messiah, whom we know was Jesus, the Greater David. Let’s consid-er further the characters in this account.

First, there is the giant Goliath. He is described as being “six cubits and a span” with a coat of mail weighing “five thousand shekels” and a javelin and spearhead that weighed “six hundred shekels” (1 Sam. 17:4–70). This means that Goliath was at least 9 feet 9 inches tall, with armor weighing over 125 pounds and a spear weighing 15 pounds. Further, Goliath is described in the text as being a champion of the Philistines. It is clear that Goliath, like sin itself, could not be overcome by natural man. Second, there are the relatively helpless, gathered armies of Israel. Understandably, we are told more than once in this passage that the Israelites were “dreadfully afraid” of Goliath (see 1 Sam. 17:11, 24). Indeed, this is the proper reaction of natural man to sin, for we are “dead in trespasses and sin” (Eph. 2:18; 4:17–19). Left to our own abilities, we cannot overcome sin. Third, there is David, whom we know was a man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22). The author is careful to tell us that David was sent by his father to aid the gathered people. Although he was an Israelite, David was unlike the gathered army, for he was not afraid. Indeed, David believed there was a cause for battle and was confident in his abili-ty to overcome Goliath (1 Sam. 17:29). Despite the facts that David was misunderstood and persecuted by his own brother (see 1 Sam. 17:28), and the leaders did not know who he was or where he was from (see 1 Sam. 17:55–56), David still willingly volunteered to inter-cede on behalf of the people.


• Can you find other parallels between the David and Goliath narra-tive and Jesus’ incarnation and death on the cross?• Do you fully realize your helpless estate in view of your sin prob-

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lem? Have you cast yourself completely on Jesus for salvation and for Christian living?


David and Goliath: The Victory (July 21)

1 Samuel 17:41-58

The battle is set. David and Goliath are ready to engage in mortal combat. The fate of God’s people hangs in the balance. As we’ve been exploring for the past two days, this narrative is more than just a real-life, historical account. It is a divine object lesson, designed to point the readers of Scripture to the promised Messiah, who is Jesus Christ.

Note the way that David, the Christ figure, approached Goliath, who represents sin and death. David did not use the armor and weapons of men, but rather approached the giant with a simple sling and a bag of stones (see 2 Cor. 10:4). The author reports that Goliath asked why David was approaching him with a wooden stick. Of course, we know that the Greater David would later overcome sin with a large wood-en stick as he nailed our sins to the cross and overcame death (see Col. 2:14). In 1 Sam. 17:44 Goliath claimed, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” This statement is quite accurate, for the Lord had earlier said that the wag-es of sin are death (see Gen. 2:17). David’s response to Goliath must have confused the giant as David said, “The Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:47). As we know, David proceeded to win the battle by slinging just one stone, which coming from David’s hand was enough to overcome the giant.

As it turns out, the battle was not much of a battle at all. The outcome was never in doubt. Of course, we know that the way to overcome sin is not with our own effort, but by placing our faith in Christ, who won the victory for us on Calvary.


• What kinds of past challenges have caused you to doubt God’s sovereignty and his promise of all things working together for good?• Why are we so easily tempted to place more confidence in our own resources—such as money, friends, experience, etc.—than in God?

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Delivered (July 25)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that God uses faithful servants to deliver his people.

The story of David and Goliath is a stunning reminder of God’s ability to deliver his people. David, as the text makes clear, was a vessel used by God to defeat the enemy. The means of deliverance, a small stone, was miraculous and unexpected in itself. The story is meant to highlight the fact that God can and does deliver in miraculous ways, all in service of his greatest agenda: To save the world.

As we learned in our study guides last week, David versus Goliath is but a shadow of the ultimate battle, Jesus versus death. And like David, despite earthly appearances, the battle belonged to the Lord. Rejoice that we have been delivered by God’s faithful servant, Jesus.

Our family memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 17:46. Do know, mo-ment to moment, that God reigns on the earth?


David’s Stone Sends Saul’s Spear! (July 26)


David acted with great humility as he accepted his appointment as Israel’s next king, but no such spirit was found in Saul as he tried to protect his throne. After David steps forward in faith to defeat Goliath and the Philistines, the Israelite women sing a song in celebration of this victory. Saul’s jealousy leads to numerous attempts to put David to death. Everyone else is celebrating, joyful at the victory God brings about through David. Everyone, that is, except Saul, and from this moment on, he looks upon David as a major threat.

Think about this: God causes David’s one stone to hit Goliath be-tween the eyes, but he causes Saul to miss David with his spear in two tries. Because the Lord is with David, he cannot be killed before

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his time; because the Lord has left Saul, he cannot do anything right.

Saul offers his daughter Merab to David as his wife, and all David needs to do is “earn” her. David is a truly humble man who considers his station in life unworthy of such a gift, and so he declines.

God’s Word is absolutely certain and sure. God warns Saul of disci-pline to come if he does not repent, and Saul most certainly does not repent. God sees to it that Saul’s kingdom will be removed, in spite of Saul’s fervent efforts to prevent it. On the other hand, God has prom-ised David a kingdom, and our text assures us that nothing short of the complete fulfillment of God’s promise should be expected. God keeps his promises, whether for blessing or for judgment.

Jonathan is an example to us of how we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We see self-sacrifice as Jonathan willingly gives up his kingdom to David (not to mention his robe and his armor). Jonathan is a loyal and faithful friend, and he will risk his own life to save David’s life.

Like Saul, we can seek to prolong our own reign and resist the inev-itable reign of God’s King, or we can relinquish any thought of reign-ing and submit to God’s King, the Lord Jesus Christ. The only right choice is to submit to him alone who is qualified to reign.


• To resist Christ’s reign is to bring judgment upon ourselves. To submit to him is to enter into life eternal. • Which will you choose? Who will you be like – Saul or Jonathan?

Written by Bill Lewis

Saul’s Subsequent Scheme (July 27)


Saul was happy when he heard that his other daughter, Michal, loved David. So he approached David a second time with a proposal that he marry her. The devious king saw in David’s reply a great opportunity to attack his enemies and get rid of David at the same time.

Although the proposal seemed attractive to David, he thought about not having anything to contribute for a dowry. So, Saul hatched a new

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scheme that he thought would cause David to be killed. He required him to kill 100 Philistines in order to make an acceptable dowry. To Saul’s dismay, David safely returned having killed 200 of the enemy. Saul then, reluctantly, gave Michal to David to be his wife.

Saul’s problem intensified once his plan backfired. Now David had the king’s daughter who loves him, and David will be partial heir to his things! On top of that his son, Jonathan, was now David’s best friend. Saul’s fear, like most fears, were all imagined. Saul was right that he would lose his throne as God had said, but very wrong when he judged David’s motives. David had no ill will toward Saul, and he was not trying to take over the throne.

Although the focus here is on Saul’s murderous scheming caused by his jealousy, David was going through some terrible struggles him-self. God was preparing David for serving him. He was “in training for reigning”, and the training was tough. David could not focus on the victory of the past or the present. He certainly paid close attention to what God was doing in him and for him, and no doubt the remem-brance of these events encouraged him during the difficult days of his exile.

In all of this, David was victorious physically, spiritually, and emotion-ally. He focused on doing the will of God, persevering to do what was right even when things looked so wrong.


• David rides through these tough times by God’s grace rather than having a wrong spirit about wrong things. How will you handle it when you are misjudged by others? • Are you paying attention to what God is doing when he allows difficult times in your life?• Do you focus on doing the Lord’s will in spite of your circumstanc-es?

Written by Bill Lewis

His Will Be Done (July 28)


When deception runs deep and truth cannot be found, there is one place we can go and one person we can trust: Jesus, who will nev-

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er leave us or deceive us. In this chapter, we see deception on both sides of Saul’s family. The first is by Saul himself, as he lies to his son and tries to kill David. Then we will see deception by Saul’s daughter, David’s wife, as she seeks to keep David safe from Saul.

When we are not in tune with God and following his Spirit we open ourselves up to attack by the evil one. This is evident with Saul, who would struggle for the rest of his life with evil spirits entering him and driving him mad. It is no wonder that deception and lies run deep with Saul since he was filled with evil spirits opposed to the will of God. The chapter takes on an amusing tone as God shows whose will is to be accomplished. Saul sends men three times to capture David for destruction, only to have them end up filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesying. Saul goes to do the job himself to end up also prophe-sying, being filled with the Holy Spirit for the moment. This is in great similarity to the story of Balaam, the prophet-for-hire who was hired to curse the Israelites only to end up blessing them three times instead. God does have a sense of humor but also shows us that he can and will accomplish what he says he will do. It is so comforting to have a Father who, when he makes a promise, is able to fully accomplish what he says he will do. No one and no thing else can do that. He promised a Savior to Adam and Eve and he sent his Son, Jesus. He has promised salvation and eternal life to anyone who will believe on his Son Jesus and we can rest assured that he will complete that promise as well.


• Who or what do you want to put your trust in?• Does this story give you hope in the light of great deception by our world’s governments, including our own?• To whom shall we look for our salvation: the next president, some charismatic leader, or God?

Written by Larry Lee

Faithful (August 1)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that God’s will leads the faithful, but those who are jealous and bitter stray

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far from him.

The contrast between David and Saul cannot be greater in the after-math of the battle with the Philistines. Saul is immediately jealous of David’s newfound fame, instead of praising God for his deliverance. This jealousy leads Saul to plot against David, trying three times to kill him openly, and then using his daughters as pawns in his schemes against his younger rival. In each instance, David escapes.

While God does not always deliver his people from the danger facing them, he is always with them. God has much for David to accomplish, and so he makes sure Saul’s plotting comes to nothing. Saul, unfortu-nately, does not seem to realize that he is fighting against God’s plan all along.

Our family memory verse is 1 Samuel 18:3. Think about the god-ly friendships with which God has blessed us, and pray that those friendships will help guide us into God’s will.


Friends Forever (August 2)


David is still on the run after four attempts on his life. He now flees from Naioth to Gibeah to be with Jonathan — his best and most trust-ed friend. He wants to know why Saul wants to kill him. What sin has he committed to warrant such pursuit and punishment?

Jonathan, however, rejects David’s claims because he feels very close to his father. Surely, Jonathan reasons, my father would not do some-thing like this without telling me. But David, who was blessed with such great wisdom to “discern good and evil” (2 Sam. 14:17-20) saw what Jonathan could not. Saul is fully committed to kill David.

Jonathan, showing the true character of a friend, offers to do whatev-er David would like him to do in order to protect him. And he shows his commitment by taking an oath. In spite of being the king’s son (and therefore next in succession), Jonathan recognizes that David is the Lord’s anointed king. He prays for God to be with him like he had been with his father, Saul. We see in Jonathan an example of a man who is walking with the Lord. He knows God’s will regarding the next king. Jonathan chooses to obey God even at the risk of his own life.

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Through the new festival, it becomes very clear to Jonathan that Saul intends to eliminate David. As long as David is alive, Saul reasons, Jonathan stands no chance to succeed him. Please note the contrast between Saul and Jonathan. Unlike Jonathan, Saul chooses to fight the Lord’s will despite the fact that he knows clearly that God has chosen David as the next king.

Our passage today ends on an emotional note. The two friends meet in the fields just as Jonathan had promised. He confirms what David had earlier communicated. David bows more than once to acknowl-edge Jonathan’s superior station. The two embrace and weep togeth-er before saying their farewells. Apart from one more brief meeting, this is the last time the two friends see each other.


• Are you walking with the Lord? What proof is there of your obedi-ence?• Like Jonathan, are you choosing the Lord’s will for your life — even if it means giving up something you cherish so much?

Written by Pastor John Nyota

David on the Run (August 3)


David is now in Nob, which became the priestly city. He deceives Ahimelech, the priest, by telling him that he had been sent by the king on an official trip. The Bible does not shy from recording the flaws of the characters in the narratives. This is a reminder that the only hero in the Bible is God, who chooses to carry out his plans through flawed people.

David asks for bread and Ahimelech lets him know that they don’t have common bread—which could be eaten by anyone—but only holy bread. This was given as a special offering to the Lord and was supposed to be eaten only by the priests. Ahimelech bends the rule and gives David the holy bread. In doing this, he is breaking the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. The Pharisees challenged Je-sus about breaking the Law when his disciples picked heads of grain to eat on Sabbath day (Mark 2:23-28). Jesus refuted them by referring to this incident. He infers that human needs take priority over ceremo-nial laws.

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David departs from Nob and goes to Gath and hopes to remain anon-ymous. But the people quickly recognized him as the hero who killed Goliath. David realizes his life is in danger in Gath, so he changes tac-tics and feigns madness. Achish makes it clear that he wants nothing more to do with this mad Israelite. And thus God continues to protect David. Note the contrast between David and Saul. David took upon himself the trappings of insanity to hide his sanity; Saul surrounded himself with the trappings of sanity to cloak his insanity.

We cannot help but wander what David must have been feeling through all these experiences. We find some of his responses in the Psalms (34 & 56) he wrote during these tough times. Psalm 34 ex-presses thanksgiving to God for his protection. David sought the Lord and he delivered him from all his fears (V.4). He prayed to God and he answered him. He acknowledges that the righteous will face many afflictions but the Lord delivers — his grace is always sufficient no matter what we face in life. The Lord was preparing David through the school of life experiences.


• How do you respond to life experiences that God allows into your life? Do they make you bitter or better?• Do you see God in total control of all things including the hard-ships that you may be facing?


God’s Guidance (August 4)

1 Samuel 22:6-23:28

Saul is so desperate to find David that he now sees almost everyone conspiring against him — including Jonathan, his own son. It seems he had given all the top royal positions to his fellow tribesmen of Ben-jamin. Therefore, he makes the case to them that they had much to lose if David, from the tribe of Judah, becomes the king. He tells them that they had not been supportive of his effort to get rid of David.

It is in that moment that Doeg the Edomite, a foreigner, comes forth with some information regarding David’s visit to Nob where he met Ahimelech, the priest. Saul sees the entire priesthood as conspiring against him. He sends for all the priests and orders their execution. But his guards refuse to raise a hand against the priests of the Lord.

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They know that the priests had in no way conspired against the king. Saul turns to a non-Israelite, Doeg, and orders him to carry out the execution. However, Abiathar, one of Ahimelech’s sons, providentially escapes and joins David at Keilah.

David is told that the Philistines are attacking Keilah, a city in Judah. Notice that the first thing that David does is inquire of the Lord. He wants a confirmation from the Lord that he is going with them and thus give the enemies into their hands. But his men are concerned, with good reason. If they cannot withstand Saul and his army, how are they going to fight an even bigger army with superior weapons? And for a second time, David inquires of the Lord and God gives him the assurance that he is going to give him victory. The promise of God’s help reassures David’s men and they all go and defeat the Philistines.

Word reaches Saul that David is in Keilah. Since this is a walled city, Saul sees a divine hand involved in that he believes David is cor-nered with no escape route. Once David learns that Saul is planning to come to Keilah, he immediately inquires of the Lord. This demon-strates David’s full dependence on God. And God answers and lets him know that he will be handed over if he stays. So David flees with his men into the desert.

Jonathan risks much to reach out to David. He encourages David by reassuring him of the Lord’s protection. Since the Lord was with him, Saul will not lay his hand on him. This was much needed encourage-ment. After renewing their covenant, Jonathan returns to Gibeah.


• How close is your relationship with God such that you can sense his leading on daily basis?• How often do you pray for God’s guidance for decisions that you need to make?


Blinded (August 8)


Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that personal ambition at the expense of others leads to paranoia and

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desperation.

The contrast in the text between David and Saul continues in 1 Sam-uel. As David flees from Saul, we see him concerned with the welfare of others. He is concerned with the strength of his men in chapter 21. At the opening of chapter 22 he is a refuge to those who are in distress and in debt. Further, he is worried about the safety of his par-ents and takes steps to insure they are taken care of should anything happen to him.

Saul, on the other hand, is so blinded by hatred that he willing to kill those who stand in his way, including many innocent priests of God. This vile act is so evil that even his men refuse to take part in the bloodshed, and it is left to a pagan foreigner to carry out Saul’s mur-derous decree.

The Spirit of the Lord in our lives, like in David’s, breeds a care for others. When we are blinded by rage, like Saul, we fail to seek the welfare of others. Our family memory verse this week is Psalm 31:7. Even in our difficulties, God is with us.


A Choice Between Revenge or Mercy (August 9)


Fresh from battle with the Philistines, we find Saul back in pursuit of David. After hearing word of David’s location, Saul gathers five times the men that David has and marches to the location where they may find him. During the march, at some point Saul just so happens to stop to relieve himself in the very cave where David and his troops are hiding. Up until now David has been a man on the run, but he now has a chance to end his fugitive lifestyle and take the life of Saul.

David covertly gets close to Saul and has a choice to make. He can become judge, jury, and executioner. Revenge is his for the taking. However, we see him instead choose to spare Saul’s life. David realiz-es that God is in control and sovereign over all things. God even has control over the fact that Saul is pursuing after David to take his life. Instead of taking matters into his own hands, David chooses to let God be the judge (24:15). It’s interesting that David would later write Psalm 51. In this psalm, God (through David) shows us that when we sin, we sin against God himself.

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What we have in front of us in this chapter is a pardon extended to the unpardonable. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He offers mercy to the unmerciful sinner. He offers grace to the undeserved. If we are honest with ourselves, we all have sinned against a holy and just God (Rom 3:23) and we, like Saul, stand vulnerable and rightly punishable for our sins. By the grace of God, we have forgiveness offered to us through Jesus Christ’s perfect life, ransom death, and resurrection. If we receive such mercy, we should be a people ready to forgive and extend the same.


• Have you found forgiveness from God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If not, what is stopping you from placing your faith in Christ today? • Has the Holy Spirit convicted you through this passage about anyone that you may be holding onto anger against for treating you unjustly? Are you willing to forgive and let God be the judge? Why or why not?

Written by Daniel Brooker

Evil for Evil Interrupted (August 10)


Fresh off the example of mercy and grace extended to Saul, we see the future king of Israel stumble. David encounters a rich local named Nabal (the Hebrew word for “fool”) and sends his men to respectful-ly approach him and request some food. David chooses his timing wisely, as sheep shearing was a festive event that would have caused many to be extra gracious. However, even when his own servants support that David had shown kindness to them (verses 15-16) we see Nabal respond with bitterness.

David reacts with the intent to return evil for evil. Even after choosing to show mercy and kindness to Saul, we find David stumble in his response to Nabal. We can learn much from Scripture, which shows us that previous victories against the enemy never mean we should lower our guard or feel that we have certain sin(s) under our control. Like David, we must rely on God and godly counsel.

Nabal’s discerning wife Abigail gets word of what has happened and immediately steps in to try to come between the two men. In addition

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to providing food, she provides godly correction. In her response to David in verses 23-31 we see her tactfully remind David of some very wise truths:

• David has found favor with God because he has been free from the guilt of bloodshed. (verse 26).• The Lord is fighting David’s battles (verse 28).• If David were to take matters into his own hands, he would regret it later in life (verse 31).

David responds to the correction wisely, takes her advice, and ac-cepts her gift of food. Later when Abigail informs Nabal of his narrow escape from death, Nabal collapses and 10 days later dies.


• Are there sins or temptations in your life that you feel you have under control? Would you pray that God would keep your guard up? • Are there others in your life who are in need of godly counsel? Would you be willing to be used by God to minister to them by speaking the truth in love? • Is there anything in your life that you have a “me, myself, and I” attitude about (like Nabal), or are you quick to share with others in need?

Written by Daniel Brooker

Grace, Strategy, and Sovereignty (August 11)


When I think back to my childhood, I remember playing hide and seek all the time with my cousins and my brother. As I reflect on those games, I remember many times where I was the one seeking and I would intentionally play dumb, like I couldn’t find my youngest cousins, so they could enjoy the game. As we pick up in chapter 26 of 1 Samuel, we are reminded of what we read in 1 Samuel 24 where David spared the life of Saul, but in this chapter it is less like hide and seek and more of a tactical stealth scouting operation. Here in chap-ter 26, David yet again demonstrates grace in sparing Saul, while also modeling for us reverence for the sovereignty of the Lord.

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As we look over 1 Samuel 26 we see a change take place in the intentions of David. At the beginning he had every opportunity to gain knowledge for battle and to inflict harm on Saul and his army while he slept. David could have listened to those around him and killed Saul, but instead we see David defer to the power and sovereignty of God. As we move to the end of the chapter, we see something very inter-esting as Saul take full responsibility for his actions, even stating that he has sinned. David acknowledges that even if Saul were delivered into David’s hands, he would still have done him no harm because his heart and mind were devoted to honoring the Lord.

In chapter 27 and the beginning of chapter 28 we see David flee to the land of the Philistines, a people who were enemies of the Israel-ites – a location that you would not expect to find David and his army residing. The text tells us that David is accepted and given land to reside outside of the city. Why would the king of Gath, Achish, allow David to reside in his land? One commentator pointed out the logic: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” As David and his men reside in Ziklag, they begin to raid surrounding areas, leaving no remnant of people. David upholds the instruction by the Lord given in Deut. 20:16-17. David was obedient according to the Scriptures and the Lord used David in the midst of difficult circumstances to carry out his will.


• When you examine your life, do you take ownership for your wrong doings, like Saul did, or are you quick to shift blame to some-one or something else? • David modeled for us what trusting in God’s sovereignty looks like even when others try to persuade us to do otherwise. When you examine the relationships of those around you and their influence in your decision-making, is godly wisdom evident in your life? Or do you find yourself being driven by the opinions of others?• Are you willing to allow God to use you for his glory in the midst of difficult circumstances?

Written by Cameron Wagner

Protected (August 15)


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Every Monday in this study guide we will pause to review this past weekend’s small group lesson. The main point of our text today is that God guards the honor of his name and the steps of his people.

David, like anyone, is vulnerable to be led by emotion, especially, an-ger, when pushed to the limits. We see in this chapter that David and his men were likely tired and worn from fleeing Saul, and they sought help from those to whom they had been kind. When foolish Nabal repays David’s kindness with disrespect, David is determined to take matters into his own hands.

But God protects David from such foolishness, and God’s provision comes in the form of the wise and beautiful Abigail. God delivers in all kinds of ways. Sometimes it is on the battlefield, and sometimes it is through the words of a faithful friend.

Listen to those around you when faced with a difficult decision. Be careful not to act out of anger or frustration, but seek the Lord’s will. Our family memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 25:32-33. Remember that self-control is a defining fruit of God’s Holy Spirit.


The Opposite of Fear Is Not Courage, It’s Faith (August 16)


Samuel is dead, the Lord is silent and the Philistines are coming! The situation is perilous and Saul is panicked. In desperate need of some warfare advice, and since no word came from the Lord (verse 6), he turns to a “sorceress” who he hopes will contact the dead Samuel. This happens despite the fact that we read in verse 3, “Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land.” With his back to the wall, he once again chooses to disobey God’s command by using the very people he ejected from Israel. He hopes for strategic guid-ance from Samuel that will deliver him from the Philistines. The rest of the story is sad as Samuel informs him not of battle advice but of his tragic future demise. There will be no victories for Saul, or Israel. It seems Saul’s end is beginning.

Admittedly, this account from Saul’s life is a bit bizarre. But step back a bit and note that what has brought him to his present predicament

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is consistent disobedience. Saul has done what he wanted to do, regardless of what God has instructed him to do. Twice Saul has dis-obeyed God out of fear — once in 1 Samuel 15:24 and then again in 28:5 as noted above.

There are many lessons to be learned from Saul, but two are notewor-thy. First, God takes disobedience, otherwise known as sin, seriously. In order for any human king to be acceptable to God, he must obey the commands of God. Secondly, (and I’m quoting here Steve McK-inion, director of the Richland Creek college ministry) “the opposite of fear is not courage, it’s faith.” Saul’s primary problem is that his faith demonstrates a lack of trust and obedience — qualities that are essential to the life of a believer.


• What decisions are you facing? Wisdom comes from learning what Scripture teaches. Be in the Word daily. Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16. Pray before making important decisions and seek wise, Godly counsel from a mature, trusted believer or pastor.• What fears grip you? Jon Bloom writes in his article Can We Real-ly Be Free from Excessive Fears? that “Who or what you believe is most powerful will be master of your thoughts and actions.” Make a list of the things you believe are most powerful and bring them be-fore the Lord in honest prayer. Meditate on Psalm 147.

Written by Claudine Snyder

David’s Perplexing Dilemma (August 17)


How do we deal with the problems that crop up in our daily lives? Je-sus, when asked to sum up God’s commands, did so by loving God and loving others. Relationships are what matter.

The Philistines gathered their forces to Aphek, organized for an attack into Israel. David’s unit was to the rear of the attacking forces. The Philistine commanders were very uncomfortable with a sizable “He-brew” unit to their rear. Achish, however, defended David. In all the time he had been in the land of the Philistines, never had Achish ever had occasion to find fault with David. Yet the commanders angrily insisted that David be sent back to Ziklag. They were afraid that in the heat of battle he would attack the Philistines and thus try to win his

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way back into the good graces of Saul (29:1–5). Achish summoned David and dismissed him, but not without first praising him for his fidelity during his time of service. The text seems to suggest that the king could not overrule the collective will of the Philistine lords. David protested his dismissal, but it is hard to believe that in his heart he did not breathe a silent sigh of relief.

Let’s note two things in the story: First, the pretense of David (29:8) in pretending to be hurt by Achish’s request. Actually, he rejoiced that God had delivered him from such a perplexing dilemma. Second, the providence of God (29:11) in delivering David from a difficult situation.

David’s faith is tested in this story (30:6–8) as David’s troops speak of stoning him, blaming him for the calamity because he had left no men to guard Ziklag. David was greatly distressed, but how did he respond? He strengthened himself in the Lord, turning to God for consolation and wisdom.


• Are you grateful to God all the times he has delivered you from difficult situations that are of your own making?• When you are in a difficult situation, do you trust God or take mat-ters into your own hands?

Written by Willie Parker

Saul’s Tragic End (August 18)


Only hours after Saul’s meeting with the medium at En-dor, Samuel’s haunting words have come to pass. Having been critically wound-ed by the Philistine archers, Saul took his own life. The fact that the bodies of Saul and his sons were still lying on the battlefield the next day suggests the Philistine victory was devastating. None were left to recover the bodies of those who had fallen. Saul’s defeat is contrast-ed with David’s continued victory (1 Sam. 30:16-31). While David was sending gifts to his friends, Saul and his family were being stripped on the battlefield (Wiersbe). The Lord had rejected Saul and was replac-ing him with a king he had provided for himself (1 Sam. 16:1). The Philistines credited this victory to their idols (1 Sam. 31:9), but this was no victory of the gods of the Philistines. As we will see, the God who brought judgment on Saul will soon bring judgment on them by

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the hands of a better king (1 Sam. 15:28).

Saul had not honored God in his life or in his death (Phil. 1:20-21). His final act represents the second of six recorded suicide or as-sisted-suicide attempts in the Bible (Judges 9:52-54; 1 Sam 31:3-5; 1 Sam. 31:6; 2 Sam. 17:23; 1 Kings 16:18; Matt. 27:5; Acts 1:18). Though the Bible does not say explicitly that suicide is wrong, each instance is full of tragic overtones and takes place within a context of shame and defeat. None of the individuals who resorted to this action is portrayed as a role model. Saul’s tragic end reminds us of the disastrous consequences of rejecting the word of the Lord (1 Sam. 15:26).


• In what ways had Saul sinned against God and rejected his word?• What is the significance of the contrast between Saul and David?• What does Hannah’s song (1 Sam. 2:1-10) teach us about God in light of all that has taken place in this book?• For those struggling with sadness, confusion, suffering and defeat to the point of wanting to take their own lives, how do we point them to a better way?

Written by Pastor Alan Bryan

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