In First Samuel, chapter eight, verse seven, Israel’s government had been a theocracy: God ruled Israel as their king. He governed through direct guidance, through special revelation and the written word, and through chosen and anointed leaders. When Israel requested a monarchial government, her kings took office under hereditary succession rather than by God’s choice. …
In First Samuel, chapter eight, verse five, kingship was a part of God’s promise in His covenant with Abraham, as in Genesis seventeen, verse six: In Jacob’s blessing of his sons, he assigned the kingship to the tribe of Judah as in Genesis forty-nine, verse ten. Moses foretold of the day when Israel would no …
In First Samuel, chapter eight, verses one through three, Samuel made his sons judges in the southern part of Israel, but they did not follow the father’s good example. The choice belongs to them. However, the Bible does not blame Samuel the way it does Eli. Samuel had not allowed them to function as priests: …
In First Samuel, chapter seven, verse eight, we, as believers throughout our lives, victory over our spiritual adversaries depends on unceasing prayer to God. Prayer brings God into every aspect of our lives: our work, plan, family, problems, and successes. To fail to pray opens us up to Satan’s attack and our defeat. Samuel’s response …
In First Samuel, chapter seven, verse three, Samuel emphasized the Biblical principle that if God’s people hope to receive His protection and deliverance, they must first turn to Him with all their hearts and put away all forms of idolatry and compromise, as in Romans twelve verse two. All those who sincerely desire to please …
In First Samuel, chapter six, verse nineteen, many of the people of Beth-shemesh disregarded the commandment of the Lord not to look or touch the holy objects of the sanctuary as in Numbers four, fifteen, and twenty, respectively. By examining the Ark of the Lord, they demonstrated a total absence of the fear of the …
In First Samuel, chapter Four, verse twenty-one, Ichabod means “no glory.” The Glory of Israel was God and His manifested presence on Earth among His people. Phinehas’ widow was rightly concerned about the departure of God’s glory, as in verses nineteen through twenty-two. Similar to the new covenant, believers must be concerned if the spirit’s …
In First Samuel, chapter Four, verse seventeen, the deaths of Hophni and Phinehas, the capture of the Ark emphasizes that will judge sinful spiritual leaders and remove His glory from those who follow their leaders into spiritual compromise. The survivor unloads all the terrible news at once. The message was brought nearly the length of …
In First Samuel, chapter Four, verse three, the Ark represented God’s presence in Israel as in Exodus twenty-five, ten through twenty-two, and Numbers ten, thirty-three through thirty-six, respectively. The people thought the Ark would unconditionally guarantee God’s favor and power. They failed to understand that the symbol of spiritual things does not assure one of …
In First Samuel, Chapter Four, verse two, Israel had suffered defeat because the priesthood had become corrupt, which under their guidance, caused the people to live in disobedience to God’s commandments. They took the ark of the covenant into battle, thinking it would assure them victory. Instead, they should have repented and corrected their sinful …
