1 Samuel 9:16: "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him leader over my people Israel; he will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people, for their cry has reached me."
This is a story about a guy who's a head taller than the rest of the Israelites. And one day, donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish wandered off. These donkeys were very important to Kish, so he sent his son to go find these donkeys and bring them back. Stupid donkeys. Don't know where they are in life. Don't know enough to stay in a place prepared for them.
Anyway, Kish sends Saul with a servant to find them, but they just couldn't. Finally, enough was enough, and Saul decided to turn back to avoid worrying his father. The servant realizes that a nearby town has a seer (Samuel), which is what they called the prophets, who can tell them the way to take. To take back home or to take to find the donkeys, I'm not sure.
Anyway, God had gone ahead and told Samuel who to expect. Which I find amazing. Can you imagine someone telling you something that was going to happen, and then tomorrow it happens? Ah, that still gives my chills. What an amazing thing that could happen.
It turns out to be Saul, and he dines with Samuel.
One note in particular is how God deals with this anointing of a king. God, rejected by his people, selects someone from those people, has compassion on their cries. More interesting is how God says this person will deliver God's people from the hand of the Philistines. Of course, I could only expect that it would be God pulling the strings, but its interesting here that he implies this king would deliver his people. God is giving in here.
Showing posts with label Samuel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samuel. Show all posts
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
1 Sa. 8: King Me
1 Samuel 8:20 "Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
Samuel...good leader, probably. Good dad? I'm leaning no, as his sons Joel and Abijah were listed as not walking his ways, and perverting justice after they were installed by Samuel as judges. The misbehavior by Samuel's sons led to Israel's elders getting together and coming up with a good idea. And we've seen that when Israel's elders get together, only good things happen. OK, just kidding. It's usually tragic and short-sighted.
Anyway, they saw other nations with their kings, and they decided they wanted their own. Joel and Abijah were not working out, and Samuel was an old man. Samuel, as you can imagine, was offended by this. Israel didn't like him or his sons. But God came on the scene and settled him down, saying "they're not rejecting you. They're rejecting me." Which I guess is true. Israel had God. If they had tuned their hearts to God's ways, they wouldn't need a king. Israel was set up not to have a king. God's covenant with Israel's patriarchs made no provisions for kings. Not even judges. It was supposed to be all happy and nice, and descendants like the stars in the sky. Israel has had a history since the beginning to reject God.
So having this king came with its pros ("fighting our wars for us" according to the Israelites, apparently not realizing who it was all those times they utterly destroyed bigger, more well trained armies) and cons...such as having to give up control of all kinds of civil liberties, property and person. So...you give, and you take. And Samuel warned them about all the stuff they'd have to give up, but Israel was like, "It don't matta," and they demanded a king anyway. Would God give them what they wanted?
Samuel...good leader, probably. Good dad? I'm leaning no, as his sons Joel and Abijah were listed as not walking his ways, and perverting justice after they were installed by Samuel as judges. The misbehavior by Samuel's sons led to Israel's elders getting together and coming up with a good idea. And we've seen that when Israel's elders get together, only good things happen. OK, just kidding. It's usually tragic and short-sighted.
Anyway, they saw other nations with their kings, and they decided they wanted their own. Joel and Abijah were not working out, and Samuel was an old man. Samuel, as you can imagine, was offended by this. Israel didn't like him or his sons. But God came on the scene and settled him down, saying "they're not rejecting you. They're rejecting me." Which I guess is true. Israel had God. If they had tuned their hearts to God's ways, they wouldn't need a king. Israel was set up not to have a king. God's covenant with Israel's patriarchs made no provisions for kings. Not even judges. It was supposed to be all happy and nice, and descendants like the stars in the sky. Israel has had a history since the beginning to reject God.
So having this king came with its pros ("fighting our wars for us" according to the Israelites, apparently not realizing who it was all those times they utterly destroyed bigger, more well trained armies) and cons...such as having to give up control of all kinds of civil liberties, property and person. So...you give, and you take. And Samuel warned them about all the stuff they'd have to give up, but Israel was like, "It don't matta," and they demanded a king anyway. Would God give them what they wanted?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
1 Sa. 3: "Samuel! Samuel!"
1 Samuel 3:7 "Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him."
Apparently in the time of Samuel, the LORD was silent for the most part. Not many visions occured, and following that, the LORD was probably not using a mouthpiece to the nation of Israel as he had with Moses and Joshua and stuff. Maybe as a result, Eli wasn't the most ideal priest when it came to sticking with convictions. Eli may not have listened enough. The Bible doesn't say, so I can only infer.
The greatest evidence of the LORD's silence, and Eli's lax attitude toward the priesthood is verse 7, where it says "Samuel did not yet know the LORD." This seems pretty important. Here was Samuel, who had been serving in the temple, for a few years at the very least, serving someone he did not yet know. What was Eli doing this whole time? What was he teaching, if anything? Maybe he tried, and anyone who has tried to be a leader in a youth group knows they don't exactly have rapt attention. Anyway, I find that somewhat troubling. The priesthood itself was not in good hands, and was ready to be handed off to incapable hands.
The second part of verse 7 speaks about revelation. How was Samuel supposed to have any sort of propriety or passion about what he was doing, if he didn't really know why he was doing it? The LORD had not yet revealed himself to Samuel. Even when Samuel was in the temple...the most holy place...essentially the doorstep of God, he had no knowledge of God. I'm sure he was taught the answers, and the sacrifices, and the rules and regs, and he probably memorized some scripture here and there. But God had not taken hold of him. God had not reached out to Samuel. This implies that a person cannot truly know the LORD until God reveals himself to that person. How God reveals himself is the variable.
Anyway, one night, God calls out to Samuel. Samuel at first thinks its Eli calling him, so he goes to Eli and says, "Here I am."
"I didn't call you, boy. Back to bed."
"Oh."
...
"Samuel."
"Here I am, Eli."
"Now, Samuel, I didn't call you. Go lay down before I throw you into the Holy of Holies."
...
"Samuel!"
"Eli, you called?"
"Hmm...it must be God. If he calls you again, tell him you are listening."
"Uhh...kay. Good night."
...
"Samuel?"
"Speak, for your servant is listening."
God tells Samuel what He is going to do. As promised, God tells Samuel about what He is going to do to Eli's house. And this is not exactly the happiest introduction from God to the uninitiated. Imagine if your first interaction with God is a curse on the person who took you in and taught you everything you knew about God? Also interesting that God would tell Samuel (inexperienced, youthful Samuel) about the curse on Eli instead of Eli himself.
Because of Eli's unwillingness or inability to restrain his loutish sons, God would bring severe judgment on his house. Sacrifice and offering wouldn't even atone for it. Theoretically, would repentence? God seemed pretty set on what he was going to do.
Because of Samuel and Eli's relationship, of course you could expect Samuel to be hesitant to tell Eli the bad news. Bad news Eli probably expected was coming. But Eli threatened Samuel into telling him what God said, whether that was the right course of action is irrelevant, because Samuel reacted with concession, saying that God is God, and will do what is good in his eyes.
Samuel soon became widely recognized as Israel's prophet from the LORD. Did they have any previously? Like, real prophets? I don't know yet.
Apparently in the time of Samuel, the LORD was silent for the most part. Not many visions occured, and following that, the LORD was probably not using a mouthpiece to the nation of Israel as he had with Moses and Joshua and stuff. Maybe as a result, Eli wasn't the most ideal priest when it came to sticking with convictions. Eli may not have listened enough. The Bible doesn't say, so I can only infer.
The greatest evidence of the LORD's silence, and Eli's lax attitude toward the priesthood is verse 7, where it says "Samuel did not yet know the LORD." This seems pretty important. Here was Samuel, who had been serving in the temple, for a few years at the very least, serving someone he did not yet know. What was Eli doing this whole time? What was he teaching, if anything? Maybe he tried, and anyone who has tried to be a leader in a youth group knows they don't exactly have rapt attention. Anyway, I find that somewhat troubling. The priesthood itself was not in good hands, and was ready to be handed off to incapable hands.
The second part of verse 7 speaks about revelation. How was Samuel supposed to have any sort of propriety or passion about what he was doing, if he didn't really know why he was doing it? The LORD had not yet revealed himself to Samuel. Even when Samuel was in the temple...the most holy place...essentially the doorstep of God, he had no knowledge of God. I'm sure he was taught the answers, and the sacrifices, and the rules and regs, and he probably memorized some scripture here and there. But God had not taken hold of him. God had not reached out to Samuel. This implies that a person cannot truly know the LORD until God reveals himself to that person. How God reveals himself is the variable.
Anyway, one night, God calls out to Samuel. Samuel at first thinks its Eli calling him, so he goes to Eli and says, "Here I am."
"I didn't call you, boy. Back to bed."
"Oh."
...
"Samuel."
"Here I am, Eli."
"Now, Samuel, I didn't call you. Go lay down before I throw you into the Holy of Holies."
...
"Samuel!"
"Eli, you called?"
"Hmm...it must be God. If he calls you again, tell him you are listening."
"Uhh...kay. Good night."
...
"Samuel?"
"Speak, for your servant is listening."
God tells Samuel what He is going to do. As promised, God tells Samuel about what He is going to do to Eli's house. And this is not exactly the happiest introduction from God to the uninitiated. Imagine if your first interaction with God is a curse on the person who took you in and taught you everything you knew about God? Also interesting that God would tell Samuel (inexperienced, youthful Samuel) about the curse on Eli instead of Eli himself.
Because of Eli's unwillingness or inability to restrain his loutish sons, God would bring severe judgment on his house. Sacrifice and offering wouldn't even atone for it. Theoretically, would repentence? God seemed pretty set on what he was going to do.
Because of Samuel and Eli's relationship, of course you could expect Samuel to be hesitant to tell Eli the bad news. Bad news Eli probably expected was coming. But Eli threatened Samuel into telling him what God said, whether that was the right course of action is irrelevant, because Samuel reacted with concession, saying that God is God, and will do what is good in his eyes.
Samuel soon became widely recognized as Israel's prophet from the LORD. Did they have any previously? Like, real prophets? I don't know yet.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
1 Sa. 2: Hannah Prays, Eli Prophecied Agin
1 Samuel 2:35 "I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always."
Well, Hannah, like most good people in the Bible to this point, takes time to remember to give God glory when He grants requests. In her thanks, she acknowledges God as creator, as all powerful, all knowing, boastworthy...author of life and death. Giver of status. The great equalizer. And she takes a shot at her wife, Peninnah. It's her wife, too, right? Eh, maybe not. She may have thought that having children would be her only shot at value as a person. Amazing what we come to ascribe as attributes of value for ourselves, and what God has is completely different.
Her son begins to help out around the tabernacle...maybe becoming the world's first altar boy? Sweeping floors, vacuuming, whatnot.
Eli's sons (also priests) Hophni and Phinehas (not that Phinehas) were not exactly exemplary in line for the priesthood. They abused their position, and took advantage of the sacrifices Israel brought. However, this was apparently not worthy of a death sentence. Among the offenses counted against them, boning the chicks that helped out at the temple, and demanding the fatted portion of the sacrifice to the point where they threatened the sacrificer with taking it by force. The best was supposed to belong to God. Specifically. Additionally, anyone eating the fat offered to God was to be cut off from his people. An important punishment.
But were they incinerated like Nadab and Abihu? No. But God did want them dead (v. 25), and His justice just wasn't as swift in this case. And Eli didn't just let this sin go ignored. He made a token effort here and there to talk to them, but this wasn't enough, as it went unheeded...as though Eli was not really a man of much discipline.
Meanwhile, Samuel was given linens to wear...which, if you'll remember, linens were reserved for those who were priests or were in training to be priests. Samuel had an important place in the tabernacle, despite being an Ephraimite.
Eli was visited by a prophet who told him that this behavior by his sons was not acceptable, and would lead to a terrible curse...that no one in his family would ever live a long life. However, there was a promise that there would be a priest who would rise up who would be faithful, and would be so tight with God, that this priest would do everything according to God's heart and mind. Can you imagine that connection? His house will be firmly established, and he will minister always. As if this would be the final priest. And all would come to him asking for favor and sustenance.
Well, Hannah, like most good people in the Bible to this point, takes time to remember to give God glory when He grants requests. In her thanks, she acknowledges God as creator, as all powerful, all knowing, boastworthy...author of life and death. Giver of status. The great equalizer. And she takes a shot at her wife, Peninnah. It's her wife, too, right? Eh, maybe not. She may have thought that having children would be her only shot at value as a person. Amazing what we come to ascribe as attributes of value for ourselves, and what God has is completely different.
Her son begins to help out around the tabernacle...maybe becoming the world's first altar boy? Sweeping floors, vacuuming, whatnot.
Eli's sons (also priests) Hophni and Phinehas (not that Phinehas) were not exactly exemplary in line for the priesthood. They abused their position, and took advantage of the sacrifices Israel brought. However, this was apparently not worthy of a death sentence. Among the offenses counted against them, boning the chicks that helped out at the temple, and demanding the fatted portion of the sacrifice to the point where they threatened the sacrificer with taking it by force. The best was supposed to belong to God. Specifically. Additionally, anyone eating the fat offered to God was to be cut off from his people. An important punishment.
But were they incinerated like Nadab and Abihu? No. But God did want them dead (v. 25), and His justice just wasn't as swift in this case. And Eli didn't just let this sin go ignored. He made a token effort here and there to talk to them, but this wasn't enough, as it went unheeded...as though Eli was not really a man of much discipline.
Meanwhile, Samuel was given linens to wear...which, if you'll remember, linens were reserved for those who were priests or were in training to be priests. Samuel had an important place in the tabernacle, despite being an Ephraimite.
Eli was visited by a prophet who told him that this behavior by his sons was not acceptable, and would lead to a terrible curse...that no one in his family would ever live a long life. However, there was a promise that there would be a priest who would rise up who would be faithful, and would be so tight with God, that this priest would do everything according to God's heart and mind. Can you imagine that connection? His house will be firmly established, and he will minister always. As if this would be the final priest. And all would come to him asking for favor and sustenance.
Monday, June 16, 2008
1 Sa. 1: Hannah's Vow
1 Samuel 1:19 "Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her."
It's a new story. There's a guy named Elkanah, an Ephraimite. But the story isn't so much about him. It's about one of his wives. Like Jacob, Elkanah had two wives, but one he (apparently) truly loved. Like Jacob, he had one wife with children (Peninnah), and one wife who could not conceive (Hannah), at least at first. And Peninnah obviously did not take kindly to this favoritism from Elkanah. Polygamy seems to end up like this. Peninnah did not hesitate to rub it in that she was having children, and this constantly broke Hannah's heart.
It says that every time they went to the tabernacle, Penny would poke and prod until Hannah wept and refused to eat. And then you have Elkanah. I love Elkanah, because he reminds me of me. He has absolutely no idea why his beloved wife is so depressed. "Why do you weep," he asks. And then the mother lode of density, which even I know is the wrong thing to ask, "Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" Yeah. He asked that. No marriage counselor in the world...
One day, "in bitterness of soul," Hannah prays, desperately begging God to send her a son, and she vows to give up her son in service to the LORD. How very descriptive, "bitterness of soul." Have you prayed like that? At the point where you can't breathe, and you cry out out of your despair?
Eli, the priest there, suspects her of being drunk, since her mouth is moving and no sound is coming out. And Hannah, even though she is sort of backed into a corner as far as having to explain herself, she doesn't hide how she feels from Eli. She isn't afraid to be real with him. She admits to being deeply troubled. She puts up no facade, doesn't try to explain it away. How many of us can have this type of interaction with a church leader?
Eli softens and tells Hannah to go in peace, with the blessing that the LORD would grant whatever she was asking. She left with joy in her heart.
In time, Hannah has a son, Samuel. The Bible says that the LORD remembered her. He remembered her request, or He remembered her vow, that's the question. No vow is taken lightly by God, and he has proven this in the case of Jephthah.
She didn't go with Elkanah for the annual sacrifice, because Samuel wasn't weaned. Couldn't handle the travel to Shiloh. Eventually, Hannah does bring Samuel in with a sacrifice. And who is there, but Eli, and Hannah reminds him that it was her who wept so bitterly, and the LORD gave her what she asked for, and she was fulfilling her promise to God by bringing in her son. Wonder what the child care system was like at the temple...
It's a new story. There's a guy named Elkanah, an Ephraimite. But the story isn't so much about him. It's about one of his wives. Like Jacob, Elkanah had two wives, but one he (apparently) truly loved. Like Jacob, he had one wife with children (Peninnah), and one wife who could not conceive (Hannah), at least at first. And Peninnah obviously did not take kindly to this favoritism from Elkanah. Polygamy seems to end up like this. Peninnah did not hesitate to rub it in that she was having children, and this constantly broke Hannah's heart.
It says that every time they went to the tabernacle, Penny would poke and prod until Hannah wept and refused to eat. And then you have Elkanah. I love Elkanah, because he reminds me of me. He has absolutely no idea why his beloved wife is so depressed. "Why do you weep," he asks. And then the mother lode of density, which even I know is the wrong thing to ask, "Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" Yeah. He asked that. No marriage counselor in the world...
One day, "in bitterness of soul," Hannah prays, desperately begging God to send her a son, and she vows to give up her son in service to the LORD. How very descriptive, "bitterness of soul." Have you prayed like that? At the point where you can't breathe, and you cry out out of your despair?
Eli, the priest there, suspects her of being drunk, since her mouth is moving and no sound is coming out. And Hannah, even though she is sort of backed into a corner as far as having to explain herself, she doesn't hide how she feels from Eli. She isn't afraid to be real with him. She admits to being deeply troubled. She puts up no facade, doesn't try to explain it away. How many of us can have this type of interaction with a church leader?
Eli softens and tells Hannah to go in peace, with the blessing that the LORD would grant whatever she was asking. She left with joy in her heart.
In time, Hannah has a son, Samuel. The Bible says that the LORD remembered her. He remembered her request, or He remembered her vow, that's the question. No vow is taken lightly by God, and he has proven this in the case of Jephthah.
She didn't go with Elkanah for the annual sacrifice, because Samuel wasn't weaned. Couldn't handle the travel to Shiloh. Eventually, Hannah does bring Samuel in with a sacrifice. And who is there, but Eli, and Hannah reminds him that it was her who wept so bitterly, and the LORD gave her what she asked for, and she was fulfilling her promise to God by bringing in her son. Wonder what the child care system was like at the temple...
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