Bible Studies
Samuel, God’s Leader (1 Sam. 7:3)
Series: Studies in First SamuelIntroduction:
1. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, is one of the first individuals we are introduced to in the book of First Samuel.a. Her perspective on life is shaped by her understanding that God rules in the affairs of men’s lives and so she asked God to grant her a son.
b. But her perspective was not limited to God ruling in the affairs of her personal life. She understood the Lord to reign over the affairs of all mankind. In chapter 2:2 she said, “The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.”
c. And so she saw herself, her son, and all others as servants of the great purpose of God.
2. Samuel, in the text we have just read, is trying to lead others to see things from this perspective and thus integrate their lives into harmony with the purpose of God. 3. That is what all of us should be doing—seeing ourselves as an integral part of the purpose of God and thus bringing our lives into harmony with His purpose so that we serve Him as King.Discussion:
I. Hannah and Samuel stand in stark contrast to Eli, Hophni and Phinehas and to the nation of Israel.A. Hophni and Phinehas were supposed to be serving as priests to the Lord instead they served themselves.
1. When the people came to sacrifice to the Lord Hophni and Phinehas greedily took the meat for themselves. “Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men despised the offering of the Lord” (2:17).
2. In addition, “they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting” (2:22).
3. When Eli confronted them they would not listen to him. Instead they dishonored and even despised the Lord (2:30).
4. God said that their sin would not be atoned for.
a. Hophni and Phineas would die on the same day.
b. The consequence of their sin would have an intergenerational effect. Their descendants would not live long. There would be no old men in their house, but they would die in the prime of life. Grief would penetrate their souls and their eyes would fail from weeping.
c. Grief is the result when we abandon the Lord and serve ourselves.
B. Throughout the Book of Judges there is a repeating pattern and now the same pattern presents itself here.
1. The people abandon the Lord for idols, God raises up an oppressor, the people cry to the Lord, God grants deliverance, they serve the Lord for one generation and then give themselves over to serving idols again.
2. And now the Philistines rise up again to destroy Israel.
a. Four thousand fell in Israel in the battle.
b. Israel took the Ark of Covenant into battle thinking that God would be with them.
c. Thirty thousand in Israel fell, Hophni and Phinehas were killed, and the Ark was taken captive.
d. When Eli (now old and heavy) heard what had happened he fell from his seat and broke his neck.
e. Phinehas’s wife, now pregnant, went into labor and gave birth. She named her son Ichabod, meaning “no glory,” for she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken” (4:21-22).
f. The writer urges us to think about whose glory has departed. Is it Israel’s or God’s?
1) Has the glory of God departed from us?
2) Has the glory of God departed from you? Your family?
3) Would you know what it looked like if it did?
II. God’s opposition to the Philistines and their false religion is evident in chapters 5 and 6.A. They placed the Ark of God in the house of Dagon at Ashdod.
1. Dagon was supposedly the father of Baal. Like Baal, Dagon was associated with the fertility of crops and agricultural production.
2. The practice of capturing an enemy’s gods was common in warfare in the ancient Near East. It was understood that a people whose gods were in enemy hands were completely conquered. Placing the ark in the house of Dagon was supposed to mean that God had come under complete control of Dagon (Tsumura, NICOT, p. 203).
3. This is especially interesting in light of the fact that in the Middle Euphrates region Dagan (=Dagon) bore the epithet “King of the Land” (Hoffner, ZPEB, 2:2).
B. Dagon was found fallen on his face the next morning.
1. As if to do homage before the Ark of God?
2. They set him up again.
3. The next morning he had fallen on his face again with his head and hands broken off.
C. The Ashdodites were smitten with tumors so they sent the Ark to Gath and they were smitten with tumors. They sent the Ark to Ekron. They did not want it.
1. It was returned to Israel on a cart pulled by two milk cows.
2. At Bethshemesh some men looked into the Ark and the Lord struck down 50,070 men.
3. It was taken to Kiriath-jearim and stayed there 20 years.
D. These episodes raise the question of whether health issues are a result of people disrespecting the Lord.
1. In this instance they were.
2. And yet there are instances where they were not. E.g. Job, Christ’s crucifixion, Paul, etc.
3. Sometimes bad things happen because we are disrespecting the Lord. Sometimes bad things happen as a result of our respecting the Lord.
4. Samuel has the answer (7:3).
III. Samuel stands in contrast to Hophni and Phinehas. He stands in contrast to the Philistines. He stands in contrast to the idol worshipers in Israel. Like his mother, he sees himself and all Israel as under the kingship of God, designed to serve His purpose and so he calls on the nation to submit themselves to God.A. Has the glory of the Lord departed from you? Then this is the prescription for your deliverance.
1. Samuel calls for repentance.
2. He commands three things.
a. Turn from idolatry. There can be no compromise.
b. Direct your heart to the Lord. Your devotion must be genuine.
c. Serve Him alone. Your commitment must be single.
3. The promise—He will deliver you.
B. The Philistines attacked Israel.
1. Israel worshiped God and prayed.
2. They fought against the Philistines.
3. Samuel set up a reminder that the Lord had delivered them.
a. Set up a stone that he named “Ebenezer.”
b. “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
c. This image is used in the song “O Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (420).
C. The one memorial that the Lord has set up in the church—The Lord’s Supper—reminds us of the provision that God has made for our deliverance. It reminds us of His Kingship and His operation in the affairs of mankind. In this memorial we celebrate His activity in our lives and state, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” But this memorial looks forward and proclaims His coming. He continues to help us.
Conclusion:
1. There is no greater deliverance than that provided by the Lord. 2. He is the King who rules in the affairs of men. 3. Would you turn from your idols, direct your heart to the Lord and serve Him alone?
