1 & 2 Samuel

by The Navigators (Created by)

Overview

Over 3 million LifeChange studies sold

God Begins Something New
Israel wants a king. They want to be a kingdom. For decades God’s people had been stuck in cycles of sin and repentance—oppressed by rulers from outside and by sins from within. In 1 & 2 Samuel, God begins to do something new. Starting with Samuel’s miraculous birth, continuing with Saul’s insecure leadership, and culminating with David’s consolidated kingdom, the stories of 1 & 2 Samuel illuminate how God uses even our missteps so He can lead us into His best ways.

LifeChange
LifeChange Bible studies will help you grow in Christlikeness through a life-changing encounter with God’s Word. Filled with a wealth of ideas for going deeper so you can return to this study again and again.

Features

• Cover the books of 1 & 2 Samuel in 10 lessons
• Equip yourself to lead a Bible study
• Imagine the Bible’s historical world
• Study word origins and definitions
• Explore thoughtful questions on key themes
• Go deeper with optional projects
• Add your notes with extra space and wide margins
• Find the flexibility to fit the time you have

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615217342
Publisher:	The Navigators
Publication date:	01/09/2018
Series:	LifeChange , #42
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

The Navigators is an interdenominational, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people "know Christ and make Him known” as they look to Him and His Word to chart their lives.

Navigators have invested their lives in people for more than seventy-five years, coming alongside them life on life to study the Bible, develop a deepening prayer life, and memorize and apply Scripture, The ultimate goal is to equip Christ followers to fulfill 2 Timothy 2:2—to teach what they have learned to others.

Today, tens of thousands of people worldwide are coming to know and grow in Jesus Christ through the various ministries of The Navigators. Internationally, more than 4,600 Navigator staff of 70 nationalities serve in more than 100 countries.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Lesson One

1 SAMUEL 1–7

Samuel's Rise

1. For getting the most from 1 and 2 Samuel, one of the best guidelines is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, words Paul wrote with the Old Testament first in view. He said that all Scripture is of great benefit to (a) teach us, (b) rebuke us, (c) correct us, and (d) train us in righteousness. Paul added that these Scriptures completely equip the person of God "for every good work." As you think seriously about those guidelines, in which of these areas do you especially want to experience the usefulness of 1 Samuel? Express your desire in a written prayer to God. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

2. Glance ahead through the pages of 1 Samuel, and look for a recurring theme or thought in each of the following verses: 3:19; 10:7; 16:18; 17:37; 18:12; 20:13 (see also 2 Samuel 5:10; 7:3,9). What is that theme? Why is it important to God, and why is it important for all of God's people in all ages? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

3. In one sitting if possible, read through the first seven chapters of 1 Samuel. What two or three things stand out most to you from your reading? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Hannah and Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1–2:12)

4. How would you describe Hannah's plight, as we see it in 1:1-7? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

5. a. In 1:9-11 and 1:15-16, what attitudes does Hannah show toward her situation? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

b. In those same verses, what attitudes toward the Lord does Hannah demonstrate? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Ramathaim (1:1). Perhaps another name for Ramah (see 1:19; 2:11). It is probably the Ramah in Benjamin about five miles north of Jerusalem.

Ephraimite (1:1). Since his son became a priest, Elkanah was probably a Levite whose family belonged to the clans that had been allotted towns in Ephraim (see Joshua 21:20-21).

Two wives (1:2). Having more than one wife at once was never the rule in the ancient world, and only kings had large harems. Yet several Old Testament figures, such as Abraham and Jacob, had more than one wife. The reasons for polygamy were more cultural and economic than erotic. When organized government was weak or nonexistent and each family had to care for itself, a large number of children was often considered a necessity. Thus when one wife failed to bear children for her husband, he might take another also (see Genesis 16:1-4; 25:1-4). Even in the case of monarchs, marriages were often more a means of sealing an alliance than anything else (see 1 Kings 3:1). So polygamy, while never God's purpose for the human race, should not be regarded in itself as a sign of immorality.

Year after year (1:3). Every Israelite male was required to attend festivals at the central sanctuary three times a year (see Deuteronomy 16:16-17). Elkanah probably brought his wives to the Feast of Tabernacles, when the nation celebrated God's blessing on the year's fertility of crops and herds (see Deuteronomy 16:13-15). This would have been an especially sad time for a barren woman.

The Lord Almighty (1:3). "The Lord of hosts" in KJV and NASB. "Hosts" are armies of men or angels (the word is also used of the sun, moon, and stars). The books of Samuel emphasize that the Lord is the commander of both the armies of Israel and the armies of heaven.

Lord's House (1:9). Solomon did not build a permanent structure for the Lord's worship until about a century later (see 1 Kings 6:1). Before this, the tabernacle — an elaborate royal tent — served as the nation's sanctuary. After Israel settled in Canaan, the tabernacle was apparently erected at Shiloh more or less permanently until the time of David. In these circumstances, it may have become "part of a larger, more permanent building complex to which the term 'temple' could legitimately be applied." (Notice the mention of sleeping quarters and doors in 3:2,15.)

No razor (1:11). In dedicating her future son to the Lord, Hannah placed him under a Nazirite vow (like Samson in Judges 13:2-5). This vow was a way of expressing one's devotion or gratitude to the Lord, but it normally involved only a limited period of time rather than one's whole life (see Numbers 6:1-21; Acts 21:20-26).

Weaned (1:22). It was normal to nurse children for three years or more, since animal's milk could not be refrigerated for children to drink.

6. What are the most important truths about God that Hannah declares in her prayer in 2:1-10? What are the most important truths about mankind that she declares in this prayer? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

7. How would you describe Hannah's character and personality as revealed in chapters 1 and 2? What were her deepest desires? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

8. Summarize the major events of Samuel's childhood as narrated in 1:21-28, 2:11, and 3:1-19. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Eli and Samuel (1 Samuel 2:12–3:21)

9. a. What are the most important facts revealed about Eli and his sons in 2:12-36? What is revealed about God in this passage? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

b. To what degree might Eli have been responsible for his sons' conduct (see 2:22-25; 3:13)? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Practice of the priests (2:13). It was right to have a way to get a fair portion of fellowship offerings for the priests (see Leviticus 7:28-36), but 1 Samuel 2:15-16 shows an abuse of a fair practice. The Law specified boiled meat for the priests (see Numbers 6:19-20). Roasting was not forbidden, but it was unreasonable for Eli's sons to refuse boiled meat (see 1 Samuel 2:15). Furthermore, the Law required that the Lord's portion be burned first before the priests got their share, but Eli's sons wanted theirs first (see 1 Samuel 2:15-16). Finally, they were threatening force (see 1 Samuel 2:16), but the gift to them was supposed to be voluntary.

10. Why do you think the story of how kingship in Israel was established begins with the birth and dedication of Samuel and the curse upon Eli's house? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Man of God (2:27). A way of referring to a prophet.

Ancestor's family (2:27). The descendants of Aaron.

I will raise up for myself a faithful priest (2:35). "While the statement in 3:20 that Samuel was 'established' as a prophet of the Lord suggests Samuel may have been the fulfillment of this prediction, the clearer fulfillment comes in the person of Zadok, who served as high priest alongside Abiathar under David (2 Samuel 8:17) and came to later preeminence under Solomon (1 Kings 2:35)."

11. In 2:27-36, how would you summarize the message of the man of God to Eli? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

12. Consider the night and following morning described in 3:1-18, and summarize and outline what Eli and Samuel experienced. What is revealed about God in this passage? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

The lamp of God (3:3). This golden lampstand stood in the Holy Place of the tabernacle. The priests were to never let the lamp go out before morning (see Leviticus 24:1-4).

13. How is Samuel's spiritual character and growth described in 3:1-21? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

14. Samuel "did not yet know the Lord" (3:7). To "know" someone in Hebrew signified intimate, direct relationship. After his experiences in chapter 3, in what sense did Samuel "know" the Lord in a way that he hadn't before? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

15. How does God's revelation to Samuel in 3:11-14 compare to what He had already revealed to Eli through the man of God in 2:27-36? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

From Dan to Beersheba (3:20). A way of referring to the whole land of Israel and its people. Dan was in the far north and Beersheba in the far south.

16. What is most significant in the statements made about Samuel in 3:19-21? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord (3:20). Samuel the prophet became "the person God used to establish kingship in Israel. Samuel not only anointed both Saul and David, Israel's first two kings, but he also gave definition to the new order of God's rule over Israel that began with the incorporation of kingship into its structure. Samuel's importance as God's representative in this period of Israel's history is close to that of Moses (see Psalm 99:6; Jeremiah 15:1) since he, more than any other person, provided for covenant continuity in the transition from the rule of the judges to that of the monarchy."

The Ark — Captured, Then Returned

(1 Samuel 4–6)

17. a. In 1 Samuel 4:1-11, what made it possible for the Philistines to capture the ark of God, and how did they do it? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

b. What explanation can be found in Deuteronomy 28:15,25 for Israel's defeat by the Philistines in 4:2?

Philistines (4:1). These traditional enemies of Israel are thought to have settled on the southern coastal plain of the Promised Land between 1500 and 1200 BC. Their five major cities (Ashdod, Gaza, Gath, Ashkelon, and Ekron) formed a strong political-military coalition. They were also technologically superior to Israel (see 1 Samuel 13:19-22). Their political, military, and technological strength made them a continuing threat to the Hebrew tribes.

The ark of the Lord's covenant (4:3). A box or chest, on the top of which were the figures of two angels (see Exodus 25:10-22). The ark contained the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed, along with certain other objects from the time of Israel's wilderness wanderings. It was considered the most sacred of all of the tabernacle's furnishings and symbolized God's presence in the midst of His people. The use of the ark in the overthrow of Jericho (see Joshua 6:2-21) may have encouraged Israel to try to employ it against the Philistines. The Israelites' decision to carry the ark into battle reflected a pagan belief that a god was identified with the symbol of his presence, and that his help could automatically be secured by manipulating his symbol.

18. a. How did the Philistines react to the news that the ark was coming into battle (see 4:5-9)? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

b. What did they apparently know about the God of Israel? How do you think their victory over Israel affected their opinion about the Lord? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

19. In 4:12-18, how did Eli's death come about? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

20. In the description in 4:19-22, what is the significance of Eli's daughter-in-law's experience? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

21. From chapters 5 and 6, summarize what happened in the Philistines' experience with the ark of God and the circumstances of how they sent it back to Israel. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

22. What parallels do you see between the events involving the ark while it was among the Philistines (in chapter 5) and those that occurred when it was being returned to Israel (see 6:19–7:1)?

Dagon (5:2). Probably the grain god and principle deity of the middle Euphrates region (upriver from Babylon). Dagon's worship spread to Canaan, and he became the chief god of the Philistines (see Judges 16:21,23,26; 1 Chronicles 10:10). In Canaanite mythology, Dagon was the son (or brother) of El and the father of Baal.

To this day (5:5). The time when 1 and 2 Samuel were written.

23. How could the Philistines tell that the ark's return to Israel was sovereignly directed by the Lord (see 6:1-12)? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Beth Shemesh (6:9,12-13). A town of Judah near the Philistine border.

24. From all that happened in relation to the ark both in Philistia and in Israel, what new understanding would the people have gained of what the ark represented? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

"A key theme of the ark narratives (1 Samuel 4–7) is that God refuses to be manipulated. Carrying the ark into battle does not guarantee an Israelite victory (see 4:3-11), placing the ark in a Philistine temple does not ensure divine blessing (see 5:1–6:12), and looking into the ark brings death (see 6:19; see also 2 Samuel 6:6-7)."

Samuel's Leadership (1 Samuel 7) 25. In your own words, how would you describe the spiritual state of Israel as indicated in 7:2 and the reasons for it? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Baals and Ashtoreths (7:4). Baal and Ashtoreth were the most important male and female Canaanite gods. The word baal literally meant "lord," "master," "owner," or "husband," but the term came to be applied to the deity who supposedly presided over thunder and rain, and so determined the fertility of the soil. Ashtoreth (also called Ashtaroth, Astarte, and Ishtar), was the goddess of war, love, and fertility. The worship of both Baal and Ashtoreth included immoral practices such as ritual sex and other magical rites to attain fertility. The Lord's prophets spared no effort to combat worship of these idols. (See, for example, the battle over rain and fire power in 1 Kings 17:1–18:46.) The plural terms "Baals and Ashtoreths" probably referred to the stone pillars and wooden poles used to represent the deities in their shrines.

Mizpah (7:5). A town in Benjamin, about 7.5 miles north of Jerusalem.

26. In 7:6, how did the Israelites show their determination to seek the Lord only? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

27. How would you compare the Israelites' attitude in 7:7-8 with their earlier words in 4:3? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Drew water and poured it out before the Lord (7:6). The meaning of this ceremony is uncertain. In 2 Samuel 23:13-17, it seemed for David to be an offering to the Lord as well as a symbol of the blood of men who had risked their lives to do him a kindness. Here in 7:6, the Israelites may have been expressing sorrow, humility, and repentance for their desperate condition (compare 1 Samuel 1:15; Psalm 62:8; Lamentations 2:19).

Leader (7:6). Traditionally, "judge." This was Israel's highest political office after the time of Joshua and before the inauguration of the monarchy. A judge had judicial and military authority over whole tribes or even the entire nation. Unlike kingship, the office of judge was not hereditary. Rather, each judge was chosen and empowered by God. However, their divine appointment did not normally make them priests or give them the right to serve as spiritual leaders or as mediators between God and His people. Samuel exercised religious as well as judicial authority for these reasons: His mother had consecrated him to God's service; he was probably of a priestly family; he grew up with Eli the priest; and he was gifted as a prophet as well as a judge.

28. How did God convince Israel to accept and appreciate Samuel's leadership (7:7-17)? What do you think the Lord's actions in verse 10 were meant to teach Israel? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "1 & 2 Samuel"
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Table of Contents

How to Use This Guide, 5,
The Books of 1 & 2 Samuel: God's Kingdom Comes, 11,
Part 1: 1 Samuel,
Overview — 1 Samuel: A Kingdom Born, 17,
One — Samuel's Rise (1 Samuel 1–7), 19,
Two — Saul's Rise (1 Samuel 8–15), 35,
Three — David's Rise (1 Samuel 16–18), 55,
Four — Escapes (1 Samuel 19–26), 65,
Five — Further Flight and Battle (1 Samuel 27–31), 79,
Part 2: 2 Samuel,
Overview — 2 Samuel: A Kingdom in Crisis, 89,
Six — The Chosen King Enthroned (2 Samuel 1–5), 91,
Seven — A Covenant Forever (2 Samuel 6–9), 113,
Eight — A Turning Point of Sin (2 Samuel 10–14), 133,
Nine — Rebellions (2 Samuel 15–20), 149,
Ten — Deliverance Remembered (2 Samuel 21–24), 163,
Study Aids, 179,