(The previous post covered the Israelites losing the Ark to the Philistines and the Philistines attempts to give the Ark back to Israel.)
1 Samuel 7
1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah.
2 And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.
(The men of Kiriath-jearim went to Beth-shemsh to get the Ark. It remained in Kiriath-jearim for twenty years. All of Israel lamented (mourned) after God. This twenty year period allowed for Samuel to mature, marry, and have children.)
3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto Jehovah with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
(Samuel told Israel if they returned to God they needed to remove their gods and prepare their hearts for God and serve Him only. If they really wanted to serve God it would be proven by their actions, not just their lamenting. Samuel was acting as Israel's Judge.)
4 Then the children of Israel did put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.
(The Israelites were led by Samuel. They removed their "gods" and served the Lord.)
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto Jehovah.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
(Samuel served as Judge to Israel in Mizpeh.)
7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
(The Philistines were threatened by Israel yet Israel still feared them. How would the Israelites, now a repentant people, handle the Philistines?)
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto Jehovah our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering unto Jehovah: and Samuel cried unto Jehovah for Israel; and Jehovah answered him.
10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Jehovah thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel.
(While Samuel was offering to God, God smote the Philistines. God "thundered with a great thunder." This massive amount of noise and vibration caused confusion and fear in the Philistines.)
11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.
(Eben-ezer meant "stone of help." This stone would have helped Israel remember this great victory that God gave to Israel that day.)
13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel: and the hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
(God led Israel through Samuel.)
16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
17 And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar unto Jehovah.
1 Samuel 8
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
(Samuel set up his sons, Joel and Abijah, as Judges over Israel. However, they did not live as Samuel did. Remember, Eli had a similar problem with his two sons.)
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah;
5 and they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
(The Israelites asked for a king to judge them "like all the nations." The issue was that Samuel's sons were not walking in Samuel's ways. Rather than focus on the issue and go to God for a solution, the people came up with their own solution. The people wanted a king so they could be like the other nations. Being led by a king instead of by God through Judges was a man-made doctrine. In fact, God had already warned Israel what life would be like if they did have a king (Deuteronomy 17).)
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.
(This request displeased Samuel so he prayed to God.)
7 And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
(God referred to Himself as the "king" of Israel. This request for a man to be king was a rejection of God to be their "king" and a rejection of God to work through the Judges.)
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
(God wanted to continue to lead the people through a Judge. God also said that the people treated Samuel the same way the people treated Him.)
(The rest of this chapter can be seen as an insider's view into prayer. God allowed Samuel to act towards the people the same way God acts towards us in prayer...)
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
(Step One: God told Samuel to listen to them. God first listens to us during prayer.)
(Step Two: God told Samuel to protest and show them what they were asking for, to show them what the effects of their prayer would be. Prayer is two way communication with God. Prayer is not only us talking with God. Prayer also involves God speaking back to us. Do we stop to listen to God responding to our requests during our prayers? This is Just of God. It would be God's fault if He did not attempt to help us avoid the negative effects of what we prayed. God is always completely Just. However, if we do not listen to God, then it is our fault.)
10 And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;
(Samuel began telling the people what the effects of having a king would be. Take a close look at what God warned the people about kings. It was not God's Will for the people to be led by a king.)
12 and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
(Women were perfumers, cooks, and bakers: creators.)
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.
(Did you notice how often the word "take" was used to describe how the king would relate to his people? Would the king ever "give" to the people?
Overall, the king would be about his own best interest and not about the people's best interest. He would be a boss, not a leader. The king would facilitate his own purpose and progress at the expense of the people. God had facilitated the purpose and progress of the people.)
19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us,
20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
(The people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. They still wanted a king so they could be like all the nations. The people made a request. Samuel protested. The people made their final request.)
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah.
22 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
(Samuel told God what the people said. God told Samuel to give them a king.)
(Step Three: Grant the request. Remember, Jesus prayed for the cup to pass from Him, nevertheless Thy Will be done (Matthew 26:39). It looked like Jesus made a request, God protested, and Jesus agreed with God's Will. Jesus asked His Disciples why they could not pray for an hour (Matthew 26:40). Was the reason Jesus prayed for at least an hour because He was also taking time to listen to God? If we do not listen for God, then our initial request is our final request. In this case, the people stayed with their original request for a king and God did their will instead of His Will.)
1 Samuel 9
(This chapter introduced Saul, Israel's first king.)
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
(Saul was a Benjamite. Saul was physically better than any of the Israelites.)
3 And the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
(Saul's father sent him to find some lost donkeys. Was God directing these animals?)
4 And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5 When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us.
6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go.
(Saul was having trouble finding the lost donkeys so Saul's servant suggested asking Samuel where to go. This quest to find the donkeys led Saul to Samuel.)
7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
(Saul did not want to go to Samuel without a gift, so his servant offered to give Samuel some silver.)
9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
(Both prophets and seers are given words, visions, dreams, etc. from God to declare something to the people. Pay attention, especially throughout the books of the Prophets, to how often the "word of the Lord" through the Prophets is God trying to make Israel (or another people group) aware, trying to get their attention, trying to help them "see" the path they are on and where it will lead.)
10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place:
13 as soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goeth up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that are bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him.
(These women facilitated Saul's purpose and progress.)
14 And they went up to the city; and as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.
15 Now Jehovah had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
(Before Saul reached Samuel, God told Samuel that He was sending a man from Benjamin to him and that this man would be anointed prince over the Israelites.)
17 And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said unto him, Behold, the man of whom I spake to thee! this same shall have authority over my people.
(When Samuel saw Saul, God told him that Saul would be king. Saul would have authority over the people instead of God leading Israel through a Judge.)
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day: and in the morning I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house?
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?
(It seemed as if Saul was humble.)
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, who were about thirty persons.
(Samuel sat Saul in the "chiefest" place.)
23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24 And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold, that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been kept for thee, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop.
26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.
(Samuel sent Saul's servant away so that he could tell Saul the Word of God.)
(This post covered Samuel becoming Judge, the peoples' request to be led by a king like the other nations, and God granting this request.)
Day 81
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