1 Samuel 16: God’s ways are not our ways
Outline Samuel’s mourning David’s anointing Saul’s demon Introduction The overarching truth that we can write over this next chapter is, ‘God’s ways are not our ways.’ At several points we find ourselves confronted with a God who does things very differently to us. We come to the chapter of David’s anointing. We have been drawing out the end of Saul’s reign and finally come to the one God promised to choose. We will look at the three main characters and how God works in their lives, at Samuel’s mourning; David’s anointing and Saul’s demon.
Read More
1 Samuel 15:29: The Impassibility of God
Outline Definition of impassibility Apparatus of impassibility Application of impassibility Introduction As a Christian I have had to undergo some continental shifts in my thinking about God. From an absence of belief in God to faith upon conversion; from a anthropocentric God to a self-defining God in leaving the Charismatic Church; from a small and reactionary God to a Sovereign God in coming to understand the doctrines of the Reformation. The last major shift has come in recognising the incomprehensible God, the Creator–creature distinction, and the abyss that really exists between God and ourselves. Last week we began looking...
Read More
1 Samuel 15: Saul rejected
Outline Saul’s obedience Saul’s rejection Saul’s repentance Introduction Let me begin with a question. Why does chapter 14 end with a summary of Saul’s reign and then the story of Saul continue? If you were a literary critic this sort of thing would really get on your nerves, what is the purpose in this structure? Because Saul’s story has come to an end and the focus is moving off from him to David. Saul is no longer the central character to the plot but merely background for the rise of David. This chapter this comes in order to show...
Read More
1 Samuel 14: The Faith of Saul and Jonathan
Outline Genuine faith Religious faith Introduction These last few chapters have been summarising the reign of Saul. If we merely read the last verses of this chapter v47-52, you could imagine an historian speaking of the golden era of Saul’s reign, how he fought enemies on every side, how he fought valiantly and hard. But the purpose of the biblical narrative is not merely to report on political successes but to interpret the various actions in light of covenant faithfulness. The last event we looked at was chapter 13 where Jonathan again overcame a Philistine garrison but the great...
Read More
1 Samuel 13: Saul Sins Away the Kingdom
Outline Jonathan Saul Samuel Introduction Which is worse to lose all your earthly possessions, lose your health, your reputation and all things earthly, or to sin against God? One of the repetitive features of the OT narratives is that no matter how serious the problems were the characters of the Bible were facing, you will find that God sees sin as more serious than any other catastrophe that can happen to us. Sin is what brings the judgement of God upon us, sin is what makes God our enemy who is stronger than any earthly trouble we could face....
Read More
1 Samuel 12: Addressing Sin
Outline The remembrance of sin The exposure of sin The forgiveness of sin Introduction We all know what a party-pooper is, a kill joy, a wet-blanket. In the portion that we have before us Saul has just had his first victory and the nation is finally united under their new king. It is in the midst of this victory that Samuel stands up and ruins the mood. As unwelcome as an evangelistic sermon at a wedding or a funeral Samuel fulfilling his role as prophet speaks about the sins of the people and leads them in a covenant renewal....
Read More
1 Samuel 11: Saul Established as King
Outline Kingdom threatened Kingdom delivered Kingdom renewed Introduction As we begin chapter 11 we need to appreciate that Saul was in a very similar position to Donald Trump today. Donald Trump has only been the president elect for a few days, and is untested and untrusted. We see at the end of the last chapter that Saul was in a similar position, v27, ‘But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.’ It appears as if the whole point of chapter 12 is...
Read More
1 Samuel 10: King Saul
Outline Saul is given three signs Saul is given the Spirit Saul is given the Kingdom Introduction Don’t judge a book by its cover is the key lesson of Saul’s life. His good looks, His height, that fact of his apparent humility and even the fact that he appears to have the Spirit all warn us a king, a leader, a fighter, a follower of God is more and must be more than just these things. God is giving Israel the king they want and the king they deserve. God will use this king despite himself to accomplish His...
Read More
1 Samuel 9: The Providence of God
Outline A handsome man A sovereign God Introduction Living by sight and not by faith is the perennial challenge for the Christian. We often live as if God as revealed in the Scriptures is not real. Living by sight will look different depending on when and where you live. If you are a tribal person living in animistic Africa before the age of modern science and medicine, living by sight means looks like forsaking trusting in God for health and fertility and turning to the witch doctor and your ancestors for blessing. You interpret the world not through the...
Read More