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Hey Reading Community,
Hopefully you are still with us after witnessing Israel’s slow descent into madness in the book of Judges. Ruth, at least, gave us some reprieve with a glimmer of hope for a Messiah who can truly deliver Israel from its enemies and the sin spiral it seems to be caught in. This week, you move on to 1 and 2 Samuel, which might be more accurately called "1 and 2 David." This is because the whole purpose of the book is to introduce you to King David, who becomes the first king over all the tribes of Israel.
The story begins with the rise of Samuel, the prophet who will establish Israel’s monarchy and appoint their first king, Saul. Saul’s life is a tragic one. His entire story is a character study on someone you never want to be like. This week’s blog touches on the topic of Saul, specifically the self-deception he had fallen into, and the same danger that is ever-present in our own lives. Saul’s story is not to be taken lightly, and is an opportunity for us to learn.
1 Samuel tells of Saul’s slow demise and how that coincides with the rise of David. But first, we’re introduced to the touching and beautiful tale of Hannah. Her story, and especially her song, introduces the key themes that will be explored in greater depth in the story to follow.
Onwards!
Jon, Tim, & The Bible Project Crew
P.S. Want to dive deeper? Start with our blog on Biblical Theology. This week we explore Saul & Self-Deception. |
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Chapter 7
Rise & Fall of Israel's Kingdom |
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Week 12
Summary |
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1 Samuel begins with two historical events that coincide with one another and set the stage for what will be the backdrop of the first half of this book: the Philistines’ rise to power as Israel’s arch enemy, and Samuel’s rise as the leading prophet in the tenuously connected “kingdom” of Israel.
The people of Israel demand a king, which is not in and of itself a bad request. However, God knows the true motivations of the heart, and at the center of this request is a desire to “be like all the other nations.” And this is what gets them into trouble, because it’s a sign they’ve stopped acknowledging God as their true king. Nonetheless, Yahweh honors this request and gives them a leader, Saul. We quickly discover that he has deep character flaws, providing a contrast to David, who is the first embodiment of what a humble and obedient king should be (see 1 Sam 16-17).
The rest of 1 Samuel tracks Saul’s slow descent into selfish insanity as he eventually reaches a point of no return. 1 Samuel concludes with the death of Saul and sets the stage for David’s enthronement and reign in 2 Samuel. |
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