So here we find Israel as a nation. We finished our study last week with Israel in Canaan led by a series of judges as depicted in the Old Testament book of Judges. God has fulfilled his promises to Abraham to give him many descendants; He has made his name great. He blessed Abraham. Now, He has brought Israel into the land of Canaan. Yet, we have not seen how all the nations of the earth will be blessed through Abraham or his seed. The vague promise given in God's curse of the serpent in Genesis 3, "he [the seed of the woman] will crush your head" has not been fulfilled. When, where, and how these will take place is not yet evident in the text. The promise still hangs in the air.

During the period of judges, Israel went back and forth in their following God and keeping their covenant with Him. Israel would do well for a while and then turn to worship the gods of the nations around them. God would allow those nations to oppress Israel. Eventually, Israel would turn back to God calling out to Him and he would allow provide them a judge to lead them (see Judges 2:11-33). The book of judges concludes with a sad observation, "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." (Judges 21:25, NIV).

The last of the judges was Samuel. His story of becoming a judge is told in 1 Samuel 1-3. While Samuel himself was a trustworthy and godly leader, his sons were not. Because of this Israel asked for a king.
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." 6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." 10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 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." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." (1 Samuel 8-22, NIV)

 

As we read this passage what other reason does Israel give for wanting a King? Was their desire for a king limited to the corruption of Samuel's sons? Look again at verse 19, is the motivation of Israel at least partly a desire to be like other nations? As we look at this text, what do we learn about who God is? How would you describe God's patience with Israel? Did He immediately annihilate Israel for abandoning their relationship, or did He continue to give them opportunities to come around? You might ask yourself, 'has God given me an opportunity to come around?'.

Before we move on, its also important to notice how this passage relates to God's promises to Abraham and his sons. Do you recall God's promise to Jacob, "And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." (Genesis 35:11-12, NIV). Is there a promise or prophecy fulfilled?

In chapters 9 and 10, we are introduced to a man named Saul whom God will ask Samuel to anoint as King. He is the son of a man named Kish; very tall and handsome (9:2). Samuel first anoints him in chapter 10:1. Samuel then tells Saul to meet him leader for the public induction into service, (10:8): "Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do."
Saul is publicly chosen as king and has some success against Israel's enemies as told in chapters 11 and 12. But in chapter 13, his fear and distrust led him to violate Samuel's instructions. This would cause Saul to lose his kingdom.

When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. 9 So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 "What have you done?" asked Samuel.
Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, 12 I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering." 13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command." (1 Samuel 13:6-13, NIV).

One of the things that may appear puzzling is why this would happen to Saul. Why would he be given a kingdom only to be told it would last only one generation? What was it that Samuel was going to do for Saul (10:8)? Was Samuel not going to offer sacrifices? The Law required that sacrifices be made by a priest and by one who was clean. Saul was a not priest and he was not clean (he had been in battle and would be considered unclean for touching a dead body). It was not his place to offer sacrifices. On the one hand, did his desire to sacrifice to God not seem like a good thing? If going into battle, would you not want to seek God's protection?

What can we learn from Saul's behavior? What was at the root of his desire to sacrifice to God? It was his fear of losing his troops, was it not? His fear prompted him to do something outside of the order God had established. What was the consequence for Saul (13:13-16)? He would lose his kingdom. What quality of individual would be the next king?

 

Unfortunately, Saul's mistakes do not end here. He is a successful military leader, but his faithfulness to God is questionable. A little later we read, "Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'" (1 Samuel 15:1-3, NIV).

This passage certainly seems bloody to us as modern readers. Keep in mind that God is using Israel to punish the Amalekites for their past sins against God. This is not a war over territory or resources. Nevertheless, what is the command God gives Saul? How much of this nation of Amalek was to be left? How clear were the instructions? Notice Saul's actions.

Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs — everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroycompletely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. 10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. 12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, "Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal." 13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord's instructions."
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?" 15 Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."
16 "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night."
"Tell me," Saul replied. 17 Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.' 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?" 20 "But I did obey the Lord," Saul said. "I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal." 22 But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,he has rejected you as king. Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the Lord's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. 25 Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord."
26 But Samuel said to him, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!" 27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors — to one better than you. 29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind." (1 Samuel 15:7-24, NIV).

What is it that Saul actually did, how closely did he follow God's instructions? Look at verse 13, what did Saul claim about his following God's commands? Look at verse 12, besides not following God's command what had he done? Does this action appear to be the deed of a man humbly trusting God? Compare the excuse Saul gives in verses 15 and 21 with what is described in verse 9. Before his confrontation with Samuel, is anything said by Saul about sacrificing some of the animals to God? Is Saul's excuse much like a 4 year old's when he or she is caught with a hand in the cookie jar? "I was getting it for you?"

As we read verses 22-23, what does God say obeying His word? Would God rather us obey Him or just make sacrifices? What is it that God wants? How fair would it be to say God wants us to follow Him with a whole heart? How does God compare rebellion and insubordination? Based on both incidents with Saul, how closely would you say God expects us to follow His will in worship or sacrifice? What is the consequence of this action in Saul's life?

It is at this time that we are introduced to David. It is interesting how things progress from here. David must wait years to become king but in so doing shows a great difference between himself and Saul. 1 Samuel 16:1 states, "The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king."

While Samuel meets several of Jesse's sons, these were not to be king. Instead, David a young man, how old we can't be sure, is attending this father's sheep. He is the youngest of Jesse's sons,"So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives." 12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah. 14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. (1 Samuel 16:11-14, NIV).

Was anything interesting to you in these verses? What do you make of verses 13 and 14? Before God anointed David, did Saul have the "Spirit of the Lord?" Very few places in the Old Testament mention the Holy Spirit, it seems God allowed the Holy Spirit to be with the kings. How much control did the Holy Spirit play in Saul's decision making? Did the Holy Spirit cause, prompt, or nudge Saul to choose to disobey God? What about David? Over the next several chapters David makes some horrifying decisions - sin - against God. Yet, he had God's spirit. What does that say about how the Holy Spirit might influence the decisions you make? Are your free to make your own decisions, good or bad?

Let's look at just four more passages briefly. As we flip through the rest of 1st Samuel, we see a one-sided struggle between David and Saul. Saul grows more violent suspicious of David. He tries to kill him, David patiently waits for the day God will deliver on the promise to make him king. 2nd Samuel opens at the death of Saul over a period of years the kingdom is divided into two with David reigning at first over the southern kingdom of Judah. Eventually the nation unites behind David and Israel is one. The kingdom prospers.

In 2 Samuel 7, David has a desire to build a temple for God. However, God does not allow David to build it. Instead he says one of his heirs will build it. Read the covenant God makes with David:

"Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.
"'The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.'"
(2 Samuel 7:8-16, NIV)

As you read this passage are any of these promises similar to the ones God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? God tells both Abraham and David, "I will make your name great." He promised them land. He promised them protection. But for David he makes a new promise, "[I - God] will establish a house for you..." [your son]..."will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom forever."
What comes to mind when you hear of a "kingdom forever?" Is that an everlasting kingdom?

As we flip through the pages of 2nd Samuel we run past some the huge blunders of David's life. He dies shortly after the opening of 1st Kings, and his son Solomon becomes king in his place. Just as God made a covenant with David, he makes a covenant with Solomon.

When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. 4 "As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, 5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' 6 "But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 8 And though this temple is now imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff and say, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' 9 People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them — that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them.'" (1 Kings 9:1-9, NIV).

What are the promises God makes to Solomon; are they conditional? What are the conditions God places on this covenant? What is the warning God poses to Solomon in verses 6-9? If Solomon follows God with a whole heart, would God establish his throne and kingdom forever? But look what happens just two chapters later.

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter — Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. 7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.
9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord's command. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen." (1st Kings 11:1-13, NIV)
What happened with Solomon; how faithful to God was he? How does God follow through on the warning He gave Solomon earlier? Yet, what is the two things does God hold out for the benefit of David's name? Right; Solomon would not lose the unified kingdom, his son would. And, part of the kingdom would remain for David's name sake. This happens.

Following Solomon's death the kingdom plunges into civil war. The northern kingdom is comprised of 10 tribes and is known as Israel. The southern kingdom is comprised mostly of the tribe of Judah but also Benjamin and fugitives from the other 10 tribes. It is known as the kingdom of Judah. During this period known as the "Divided Kingdom" the prophets speak to kings from both Israel and Judah. They often speak of the coming son who will sit on David's throne over a united kingdom. Isaiah says:

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,the Spirit of counsel and of power,the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord — 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear,their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea." (Isaiah 11:1-10, NIV)

It is in this passage that we begin to see the big picture. At last we are able to tie together the promises God made to Eve, Abraham and David. The funnel is coming to a final point. In this passage who is standing as a rallying point for the peoples? Who was a "root" of Jesse? That's right King David. This "root" of Jesse will reign in such a way as to usher in true justice and peace. He will do this for "peoples" and "nations will rally to him." Does this sound like the promise to Abraham, "and through your seed, all the nations of the earth will be blessed."?

The final promise is beginning to take shape. But at this point in the text, do are we told who, when, where, or how this will take place? Other than this seed being a descendant of David, the details are still foggy. Next week, the fog will be lifted.