Bible

In today’s visit to the Bible room, we continue reading the summary of 1 Samuel; this is Part 2, chapters 11 through 20.

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1 Samuel – Part 2

Chapter 11. Confirmation

Though not yet accepted by all, Saul has his first challenge:

• The Ammonite army orders Gilead to surrender;
• They go to Saul at Gibeah, ask for his help;
• Saul threatens Israel to show up for military action;
• 300,000 Israelites respond to Saul’s requirement;
• They defeat, rout the Ammonites;
• Saul is confirmed as king, gains everyone’s approval.

Chapter 12. Sermon

Samuel, the preacher, delivers a blistering sermon to Israel:

• At Saul’s installation ceremony, Samuel speaks plainly;
• He reminds Israel of their history with God’s leadership;
• How they have survived for centuries without a king;
• But now they have their first king;
• God will not forsake them, they are still His people;
• But wickedness will destroy both them and their new king.

Chapter 13. Disobedience

Another threat by the Philistines leads Saul into disobedience:

• From age thirty, Saul is king for forty-two years;
• Soon after his inauguration Saul faces the Philistines;
• Confident, he takes 3,000 soldiers, sends the rest home;
• In disobedience, Saul offers his own sacrifice;
• Samuel tells him he acted foolishly, gave up a great future;
• Condemned, Saul will be punished, his reign cut short;
• God has already anointed someone to take his place;
• Saul’s army with him that day is down to six hundred men;
• The Philistines have taken all the Israelite blacksmiths;
• There are no sharp or pointed weapons in Israel’s army;
• Only Saul and Jonathon have swords and spears.

Chapter 14. Hostilities

Saul’s life is spent dealing with hostilities:

• He battles Israel’s enemies on all sides in Canaan;
• The Philistines regularly challenge Saul;
• His son, Jonathon, leads an attack on a Philistine outpost;
• The Lord sends thunder, confusing the enemy;
• They start killing each other, running away;
• Saul’s family:  wife, Ahinoam, three sons, two daughters.

Chapter 15. Rejected

Samuel to Saul: You have rejected God. He now rejects you.

• The Amalekites of Canaan are enemies of Israel;
• Through Samuel, the Lord directs Saul to punish them;
• He is to kill every living thing among the Amalekites;
• Disobedient, Saul saves King Agag and the best animals;
• The Lord is grieved, Samuel regrets making Saul king;
• Saul confesses his sin to Samuel;
• Saul says he will offer the captured animals as sacrifices;
• Samuel tells Saul obedience is better than sacrifice;
• Agag is brought to Samuel who executes him with a sword;
• From this day, Samuel never sees Saul again in his lifetime.

Chapter 16. Anointed

At Bethlehem, Samuel will find Saul’s replacement as king:

• The Lord tells Samuel to look at Jesse’s impressive sons;
• He looks at seven of them, does not find God’s choice;
• God says:  Man looks at the outside, God looks at the heart;
• The youngest is brought in from the field, from his sheep;
• Anointed by Samuel, David is filled with God’s power;
• Saul does not yet know that David is to be the new king;
• The Spirit of God has left Saul, a troubled individual;
• He asks for someone to come and play music for him;
• A servant tells him of a young man named David;
• David is known for his musical ability, Saul wants him;
• With Jesse’s permission David goes to play music for Saul;
• David, a shepherd, becomes Saul’s armor bearer, music maker.

Chapter 17. Confidence

Confidence in the Lord Almighty defeats a giant:

• The Philistines array against Israel at the Valley of Elah;
• Goliath is a Philistine giant over nine feet tall;
• For forty days he has been challenging Israel’s army;
• Two of Jesse’s sons are members of Israel’s army;
• David is sent with food for his brothers and their commander;
• Hearing Goliath’s challenge, David volunteers to fight him;
• Saul has doubts:  David is too young, too small;
• David tells how he killed a lion and a bear with his hands;
• Saul puts his armor on David–it is much too big;
• In confidence, David takes five stones and a sling shot;
• Ridiculed by Goliath, David says he comes in God’s name;
• David slings one fatal stone to Goliath’s forehead, kills him;
• With the giant’s own sword, David removes Goliath’s head.

Chapter 18. Hatred

With battle successes, David’s popularity grows among the people:

• “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousand.”
• Saul develops a deep-seated hatred for David;
• The Lord is with David, has left Saul;
• Saul sends David into many conflicts with the Philistines;
• The intention of Saul is to get David killed;
• Saul convinces David to marry Michal, his older daughter;
• Saul’s son, Jonathon, loves David as his own brother.

Chapter 19. Stalking

Saul begins stalking David, intends to murder him:

• David sees he is in danger, goes into hiding;
• Jonathon protects David from his father’s intentions;
• Persuades his father to welcome David back into the family;
• But an evil spirit drives Saul again to stalk David to kill him;
• David eludes a thrown spear, flees to his house;
• Michal helps him escape, he goes to see Samuel at Ramah;

Chapter 20. Devotion

Jonathon’s devoted friendship saves David’s life:

• At a festival gathering, Saul plots David’s death;
• The best friends concoct a plan to signal David of danger;
• With a bow and arrows Jonathon sends a warning to David;
• Saul is enraged at Jonathon for his friendship with David;
• So angry that he throws a spear at his own son;
• David and Jonathon are best friends for life.

END OF 1 SAMUEL – Part 2