Archive for the ‘Samuel’ tag
November 11, 2012: Saul Becomes King
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 8–10; 11:12–15.
Key Point
- Though God lets us have our own way at times, His is the way of forgiving and saving, which He did for His people of old and does for us today.
- Law: I desire all the wrong things, I crave that which will ultimately kill me, and I suffer the consequences of sin.
- Gospel: God the Father forgives my faults and sustains my hopes, for in Christ, I am His child, beloved beyond words.
Discussion Points
- When have you felt rejected? How did you respond? How did that affect your relationship with the person who refused you?
- Read 1 Samuel 8:1–10. Why does Israel want a king? Why is Samuel opposed to this?
- Read 1 Samuel 8:19–9:16. What kind of man is Saul? What office will Samuel anoint him to fill?
- Read 1 Samuel 9:27–10:9. How does God assure Saul that Samuel’s words to him are true? What does God do to prepare Saul for becoming king?
- Read 1 Samuel 10:17–27. How does Samuel demonstrate to the people that Saul is God’s choice for king, not just Samuel’s? How does Saul react to his calling?
- Read 1 Samuel 11:1–15. How does Saul earn the respect of his subjects? Whom does he credit with the victory?
- In 1 Samuel 10:19, the prophet plainly announced that in their desire for a king, Israel had rejected God. How did God react to this rejection? How does this illustrate 2 Timothy 2:11–13? How does this truth comfort us?
- How does Saul’s reaction to the people in 1 Samuel 11:12–13 echo the Lord’s love for His people? Where is this love most apparent?
September 6, 2009: David Becomes King
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 16:1–13; 2 Samuel 5:1–10.
Key Points
- Just as David reigned over Israel, so the God-man, Jesus, our David, reigns over the kingdom of grace, of which we are citizens.
- Law: My sinful foolishness blinds me to the wise ways of my heavenly Father.
- Gospel: God truly sees and knows what I need; He does what is good, right, and salutary for me through His Son.
Context
For the Israelites, the grass was always greener on the other side of the political fence. Not content with having God alone as their King, they wanted a man to wear the crown, like their peer nations had. (See 1 Samuel 8:19–20.) So God gave them Saul. But God also forewarned them: green grass is deceptive, as the Israelites soon discovered for themselves. Saul’s reign began well but then went downhill. Angered by Saul’s acts of insubordination, the Lord through Samuel told Saul that because he had rejected God’s Word, God had rejected him from being king over Israel (1 Samuel 15:26). The Lord would give the kingship to a neighbor of Saul’s, someone better than he (1 Samuel 15:28). As the ensuing story tells us, David was that neighbor.
November 16, 2008: Saul Becomes King
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 8:1—10:27; 11:12–15.
Key Points
- Though God lets us have our own way at times, His is the way of forgiving and saving, which He did for His people of old and for us today.
- Law: “Be careful what you wish for,” we’re often told. This is very good advice for sinners, since we wish—indeed, we crave—the very things that lead to our undoing. We “Israels” clamor for our own “Sauls,” no matter how much God warns us that we are like thirsty travelers begging for salty water.
- Gospel: The Lord knows what we need, both in terms of discipline and in terms of grace. As a loving Father, He upholds us, even when we bear the painful consequences of our own choices. He forgives us our faults and sustains our hopes. For in Christ, we are His children, beloved beyond words.
November 9, 2008: Samuel
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 1:1—3:21.
Key Points
- For the sake of Christ, God, who is ever eager to forgive us and grant us His grace, calls all to repentance through preachers such as Samuel.
- Law: The Lord’s holy people often appear to out-sin the most ungodly pack of sinners imaginable. There is more than a little of Eli and his sons in all of us. Time and again, selfishness suffocates sanctity.
- Gospel: The Lord’s people are holy because they are the Lord’s. Holiness is not an achievement but an endowment. He calls all to repentance through preachers such as Samuel, ever eager to forgive for the sake of Christ, who was born of a woman very much like singing Hannah of old.
