I SAMUEL---PRIESTHOOD TO PROPHET
INTRODUCTION
1. Samuel. This book begins the 500-year period of Israel’s kings. (1095-586 B.C.)
2. The book briefly gives the history of God’s chosen people from Eli to David’s ascension to the throne.
3. Up to this point the priest has been prominent. Beginning with Samuel the prominence is placed on the prophet. Through the priest the people drew nigh unto God. Through the prophet God drew 1. Kingdom history begins with the book of Samuel. The long period of the Judges ends with nigh unto the people. Samuel was the first of the prophets. (Acts 3:24)
A. The founding of the first school of prophets (probably by Samuel) is noted in the book. (10:5; 19:20)
B. The original name by which the prophets were known was “seer”. This name suggests their gifts of perception and discernment, as well as a vision of God. (9:9)
C. First Samuel is a book of transition. It marks the change-over from theocracy to monarchy. Such a change came through the insistence of the people themselves. (8:4,5)
1) Dr. Kitto says, “The demand was not the outcry of an ignorant and deluded rabble, but the grave and deliberate application of the elders of Israel - of those whose years or high standing in the nation gave to them the utmost weight and influence. It was not made from the mere impulse of the moment, but was the result of previous deliberation and conference; for the elders repaired to Ramah for the purpose of proposing the matter to the prophet; and beyond all doubt they had met together and considered the matter well before they took a step so decided.”
2) “They were considerate and deliberate; but WRONG! Such a request had never been born in prayer. They held a committee meeting instead of a prayer meeting!--and now they were determined to take on a retrograde step instead of going on with God. How often is unbelief thus dressed up as the corporate wisdom of committees!” --J. Sidlow Baxter
3) It was God’s intention to give Israel a king, but in His own time. (Gen. 49:10) The great sin of Israel was that of anticipating the purposes of God and insisting on the king of their choice instead of waiting for God’s king.
4) It marks clearly the sin of impatience with God and prayerlessness.
5) There is a note of failure in I Samuel.
a. The office of the priest sank to its lowest in the era of Eli and his wicked sons.
b. Saul and David, both kings failed. One through disobedience the other through outlawry.
c. Samuel, the prophet exercised great authority in the land. The appearance of a prophet in Bible times always signified failure.
AUTHOR
1. Samuel himself probably wrote the bulk of it.
2. Some suggest that Nathan and Gad, both prophets, completed it. (See: I Chron. 29:29; II Samuel 7:2; 24:11)
DATE OF COVERAGE - about 80 years - from the birth of Samuel to the death of Saul (approximately 1140-1060 B.C.) (1:20; 31:6)
MESSAGE
1. The danger of refusing God’s best for God’s second best (8:6-9)
2. The danger of impatience with God’s purpose (8:5)
3. The danger of self will as opposed to God’s will as seen in:
A. Eli (3:12-13)
B. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phineas (2:12,15-17, 22)
C. Samuel (8:1)
D. Samuel’s two sons (8:3)
E. The people (6:19; 8:5-7, 19, 20)
F. Saul (13:8-9; 15:8, 23)
CIRCUMSTANCES
1. To record the transition from theocracy to kingdom (8:5-7; 10:24, 25)
2. To record the rejection of Saul and the call of David (13:13, 14; 15:22, 23; 16:12, 13)
3. To show the self-will of man (2:24, 25; 3:13; 9:1; 13:8-10)
OUTLINE OF THE BOOK Revolving around the four leading principals in the narrative.
I. THE FAILURE OF THE PRIESTLY OFFICE - Eli
A. Eli’s failure as a priest (1:9,13; 2:27-36)
B. Eli’s failure as a parent (2:12-17, 22-25)
II. THE FORMING OF THE PROPHETIC OFFICE - Samuel
A. Samuel as person
1. His birth (1:1-8, 10-28; 2:1-10)
2. His boyhood (2:11, 18-21, 26; 3:1-24)
B. Samuel as a prophet
1. Teaching the people (4:1-7:14)
a. To wait (4-6)
b. To war (7:1-14)
2. Reaching the people (7:15-17)
III. THE FOUNDING OF THE PRINCELY OFFICE - Saul
A. The finding of Saul (8-10)
B. The fitness of Saul (11-12)
C. The failure of Saul (13-15)
IV. THE FAME OF THE PRINCELY OFFICE - David
A. As a lover of God - his years as a shepherd (16-17)
B. As a lord over self - his years as a courtier (18-20)
C. As a leader of men - his years as an outlaw (21-31)