Samuel

Major Theme #1: THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

C. Election

It has been said that “perhaps God’s major act in 1 and 2 Samuel is his electing or choosing” (John A. Martin, 309).
(see 1 Samuel 3)

• [Saul] 1 Sa 9:15–21 - Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: [16] “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” [17] When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.” [18] Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?” [19] Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. [20] As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?” [21] Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
• 1 Sa 10:20–24 - Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. [21] He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. [22] So they inquired again of the LORD, “Is there a man still to come?” and the LORD said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” [23] Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. [24] And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
• [David] 1 Sa 13:13–14 - And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. [14] But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
• 2 Sa 6:21 - And David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD—and I will celebrate before the LORD.
• 2 Sa 7:8 - Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.
• 1 Sa 16:1–13 - The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” [2] And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ [3] And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” [4] Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” [5] And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. [6] When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” [7] But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” [8] Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” [9] Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” [10] And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” [11] Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” [12] And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” [13] Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

D. Providential Guidance

God, not fate, guides your life. The sovereignty of God is demonstrated through His providential guidance. He is the Lord of history, the Potentate of providence. His sovereign rule is seen in and through the normal, everyday life, as repeated evidenced in the Book of Samuel.

1) Hardship (Hannah)

[Chap 1]

2) Occupational Duties (Saul)

• 1 Sa 9:3 - Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”
• 1 Sa 9:6 - But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”

3) Service (David)

• 1 Sa 17:17–18 - And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. [18] Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.”

In ordinary life, God is at work.

Salvation:

• 2 Sa 7:5 - “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in?
• 2 Sa 7:16 - And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”
• Mt 1:1 - The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
• Lk 1:32–33 - He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
• Lk 1:68–69 - “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people [69] and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

E. God's Hand is Against the Proud and Aids the Humble

God demonstrates His kingship through His sovereign rule over the proud and disobedient, and His gracious aid of the humble and obedient. It is most fitting that the introduction of Israel’s monarchy was through Hannah’s song:

• 1 Sa 2:3 - Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
• 1 Sa 2:6–10 - The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. [7] The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. [8] He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and on them he has set the world. [9] “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. [10] The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
• 1 Sa 9:20–21 - As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?” [21] Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
  • 1 Sa 15:24 - Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
  • 1 Sa 15:30 - Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel…
• 1 Sa 17:28 - Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”

 

This theme is summed up in David’s song:

2 Sa 22:28 - You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

The Sovereign Will of God

We must be careful to avoid logical fallacies when discerning what God has revealed regarding His will. We must be careful to avoid oversimplifying the reality of God’s sovereign purposes. We must also be careful not to systematize God. The reality of His will (He plans) cannot be comprehended in a formula or constrained by human categories of thought.

For instance, there are conditions in this experience of life on a fallen and cursed earth wherein God’s will may appear to be at odds with itself.

• Eze 18:23 - Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
• Eze 18:32 - For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”
• Eze 33:11 - Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

And now consider:

• 1 Sa 2:22–25 - Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. [23] And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. [24] No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. [25] If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.

The text says, “they would not listen,” because by their not listening, God was judging and preparing judgment. Think about the implications of these means: they did not listen to what? What God commanded (what God wills). So in an oversimplified manner, one may say it was the will of God that they not heed the will of God.

Remember: God wills justice and God wills grace; while justice and grace are both an expression of His character, justice is deserved and grace cannot be; justice is not optional, and grace withheld is no injustice. If we may be allowed to put it this way, God—by His very nature—is obligated to respond to evil with justice and is free to satisfy justice with grace where and how He chooses.

Remember: God may will punitive justice through providence; He is not constrained to act in miracles alone.

• 2 Sa 17:14 - And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom.
• 2 Sa 7:8 - Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.
• 2 Sa 7:1 - Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies