Showing results for "1 Samuel" in Ministry & Evangelism

In 1 Samuel we continue our narrative. Samuel is the last of the judges, and with his end approaching the people demand a king “so we can be like all the other nations.” As God tells Samuel, “it is not you they have rejected, they have rejected me as their king.” And indeed they have. The people choose a king, Saul of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul will rule Israel for an entire generation, but although he looks like a king, he does not have the heart of a king, and the weight of kingship crushes him.

This survey of the book of 1 Samuel touches on all the major events surrounding the inception of Israel's monarchy, including its three biggest figures: Saul, the prophet Samuel, and David. Pastor Skip Heitzig takes us through Samuel's calling, Saul's failed kingship, David's anointing, and more.

As David’s star rises, Saul becomes ever more paranoid, sinking into a morass of delusion and despair, finally ordering David’s assassination. Informed of Saul’s plan, David runs, becoming a wanted felon and an outlaw. For ten years David works as a mercenary for Israel’s enemies, the Philistines, gathering around him a band of very tough characters that becomes his inner circle. The action culminates at Mt. Gilboa, where Saul and his sons are killed and the Philistines thunderously defeat Israel.

As Saul crumbles under the weight of kingship, a young man rises to take his place: David. As Jonathan Kirsch observes in King David: The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel (New York: Ballantine Books, 2000), the story of David is “a work of genius that anticipates the romantic lyricism and tragic grandeur of Shakespeare, the political wile of Machiavelli, and the modern psychological insight of Freud." David is one of the greatest characters in world literature; he is also my favorite character in the Bible.

At the end of Judges (c. 1000-1050 B.C.) we read: “In those days Israel had no king, and everyone did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21: 25). It was a time of moral, political and economic chaos. As we move into 1 Samuel, things get worse. Although Samuel strives mightily to bring the Israelites back to God, the priesthood and the people continue their downward spiral.

With Samuel an old man and his sons corrupt, the people demand a king to lead them, like all the other nations have. God tells Samuel, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (1 Samuel 8: 7). So the people choose Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin to be their king (1050-1010 B.C.). Although Saul looks like a king, he lacks the heart of a king, and very quickly the weight of kingship begins to crush him.

In this topical study, Pastor Skip Heitzig takes a bird's-eye look at the events of 1 Samuel, tracing the monarchy of Israel from its beginnings to Saul's fall from grace to the anointing of David and beyond.

Teaching God's Word

Join Watermark Church in West Michigan as we explore the rich and powerful stories in the book of 1 Samuel. Over the next ten weeks, immerse yourself in daily audio devotionals featuring members of our community reading passages from this pivotal book and sharing thoughtful reflections to deepen our understanding and faith. Whether you're looking to grow spiritually, learn more about Scripture, or connect with a community seeking to hear from God through His Word, this podcast is for you. Learn more about Watermark Church at sentonmission.com.

This series is the beginning of Pastor Calvin Reed's set of sermon series that cover the rise and fall of kingdoms of Israel and Judah, as recorded in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel through 1 and 2 Kings. This book chronicles the ministry of Samuel, a prophet who was used by God to anoint a king, and the reign of King Saul. Pastor Reed highlights how the conflict between these men (and a young shepherd-turned-soldier) hold important applications for our own walk with God. Recorded at Lebanon Bible Fellowship Church in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA.

Forgiveness of sin does not cancel the consequences of sin. And in 2 Samuel 12 the consequences envelop David. David’s eldest son and heir to the throne, Amnon, rapes his half-sister, Tamar. Absalom, Tamar’s brother and David’s favorite son, murders Amnon in revenge, and then Absalom flees into exile.

We’ve all heard the story of David and Bathsheba, but never like this: There is no great love affair between David and Bathsheba; adultery is not David’s great sin; and although God forgives David for what he does, there are far reaching consequences that shake the kingdom and bring David to his knees. This is one of the greatest stories in all of world literature, dazzling in its brilliance, stunning in its nuance and profound in its understanding of human nature.

With good intentions David’s commanding general, Joab, engineers Absalom’s return from exile to an uneasy peace between father and son. All the while, Absalom chafes under David’s refusal to reinstate him as his eldest surviving son and heir to the throne, and as time passes, Absalom gains support, raises an army, and marches against his father. If David stays in Jerusalem and defends the city, he knows he will ultimately face his own son in battle, and when he does, David will kill him.

With Saul and his sons dead, the door opens for David to become king (1010-970 B.C.). But it’s not easy. Kingship rests with the tribe of Benjamin, while David is from the tribe of Judah; Saul still has a surviving son and grandchildren; Saul’s commanding general, Abner, has rallied ten of the twelve tribes to the house of Saul; and David has been an outlaw for a decade, working for Israel’s enemies, the Philistines. Although we read that God gave the kingship to David, it is another matter entirely to convince the people that David should be king.

Digging deep into 1 Samuel

A weekly exegetical study through the Book of 1 Samuel found in the Bible.

A Survey of the Old Testament

1 Samuel ushers in the monarchy as Samuel appoints Israel’s first king. Samuel was a prophet and judge over Israel. This book vividly brings forth the Sovereignty of Yahweh over all nations. This book focuses on the Davidic Covenant which points to Christ the true King of Israel.

This is an in-depth study on the books of 1 & 2 Samuel, which tells the story of the beginning of Israel's monarchy, stretching from the miraculous birth of Samuel to the end of David's reign, before the throne was transferred to his son, Solomon.

The book of 1 Samuel outlines the fall of King Saul and David's rise to the throne as a humble servant of God. God raises up two kings, one proud and the other humble. The book of 2 Samuel covers the history of David and continues the history of the Israelites.