1 Samuel 6-8

1. 1 Samuel 6-8 “Do what they want and give them a king.” (1 Samuel 8:22)

2. “In those days, when the boy Samuel was serving the LORD under the direction of Eli, there were very few messages from the LORD, and visions from him were quite rare.” (1 Samuel 3:1)

3. “At that time the Philistines gathered to go to war against Israel, so the Israelites set out to fight them...The Philistines attacked, and after fierce fighting they defeated the Israelites and killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. When the survivors came back to camp, the leaders of Israel said, ‘Why did the LORD let the Philistines defeat us today? Let’s go and bring the LORD’s Covenant Box from Shiloh, so that he will go with us and save us from our enemies.’

4. “So they sent messengers to Shiloh and got the Covenant Box of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned above the winged creatures. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, came along with the Covenant Box. When the Covenant Box arrived, the Israelites gave such a loud shout of joy that the earth shook.”

5. “The Philistines heard the shouting and said, ‘Listen to all that shouting in the Hebrew camp! What does it mean?’ When they found out that the LORD's Covenant Box had arrived in the Hebrew camp, they were afraid, and said, ‘A god has come into their camp! We’re lost! Nothing like this has ever happened to us before! Who can save us from those powerful gods? They are the gods who slaughtered the Egyptians in the desert!’”

6. “Be brave, Philistines! Fight like men, or we will become slaves to the Hebrews, just as they were our slaves. So fight like men!’ The Philistines fought hard and defeated the Israelites, who went running to their homes. There was a great slaughter: thirty thousand Israelite soldiers were killed.” (1 Samuel 4:1-10 – GN)

7. “The messenger answered, ‘Israel ran away from the Philistines; it was a terrible defeat for us! Besides that, your sons Hophni and Phinehas were killed, and God’s Covenant Box was captured!’ When the man mentioned the Covenant Box, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He was so old and fat that the fall broke his neck, and he died. He had been a leader in Israel for forty years.” (1 Samuel 4:17-18 – GN)

8. “After the Philistines captured the Covenant Box, they…took it into the temple of their god Dagon, and set it up beside his statue. • Early the next morning the people of Ashdod saw that the statue of Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground in front of the LORD’s Covenant Box. So they lifted it up and put it back in its place. Early the following morning they saw that the statue had again fallen down in front of the Covenant Box. This time its head and both its arms were broken off and were lying in the doorway; only the body was left. (That is why even today the priests of Dagon and all his worshipers in Ashdod step over that place and do not walk on it.) (1 Samuel 5:1-5 – GN)

9. Dagon "only the form of a fish was left"

10. Jonah • “What better heralding, as a divinely sent messenger to Nineveh, could Jonah have had, than to be thrown up out of the mouth of a great fish, in the presence of witnesses, say on the coast of Phoenicia, where the fish-god was a favorite object of worship?” (H. Clay Trumbull, “Jonah in Nineveh.” Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 2, No.1, 1892, p. 56)

11. “The LORD punished the people of Ashdod severely and terrified them. He punished them and the people in the surrounding territory by causing them to have tumors. When they saw what was happening, they said, ‘The God of Israel is punishing us and our god Dagon. We can’t let the Covenant Box stay here any longer.’ So they sent messengers and called together all five of the Philistine kings and asked them, ‘What shall we do with the Covenant Box of the God of Israel?’ ‘Take it over to Gath,’ they answered; so they took it to Gath, another Philistine city. But after it arrived there, the LORD punished that city too and caused a great panic.”

12. “He punished them with tumors which developed in all the people of the city, young and old alike. So they sent the Covenant Box to Ekron, another Philistine city; but when it arrived there, the people cried out, ‘They have brought the Covenant Box of the God of Israel here, in order to kill us all!’ So again they sent for all the Philistine kings and said, ‘Send the Covenant Box of Israel back to its own place, so that it won't kill us and our families.’ There was panic throughout the city because God was punishing them so severely. Even those who did not die developed tumors and the people cried out to their gods for help.” (1 Samuel 5:6-12 – GN)

13. The advice of the priests and magicians: • “You must make these models of the tumors and of the mice that are ravaging your country, and you must give honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will stop punishing you, your gods, and your land. Why should you be stubborn, as the king of Egypt and the Egyptians were? Don’t forget how God made fools of them until they let the Israelites leave Egypt. So prepare a new wagon and two cows that have never been yoked; hitch them to the wagon and drive their calves back to the barn.” (1 Samuel 6:5-7 – GN)

14. The plagues of Egypt • Blood – Hapi, the god of the Nile who was thought to bring water and life to Egypt • Frogs – Heka, the ‘toad goddess’, a symbol of resurrection • Gnats – Geb, the god of earth and vegetation • Flies – Khepri, the god of insects • Death of the animals – Apis, the god of cattle • Boils – Thoth, the god of medicine and wisdom.

15. Hail – Nut, the ‘sky goddess’ of harvest • Locusts – Anubis, the god of the fields • Darkness – Ra, the ‘sun god’ believed to the physical father of all pharaohs • Passover – “On that night I will go through the land…punishing all the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12 - GN)

16. The Philistines • “The LORD says, ‘People of Israel, I think as much of the people of Ethiopia as I do of you. I brought the Philistines from Crete and the Syrians from Kir, just as I brought you from Egypt.” (Amos 9:7 – GN)

17. We are all God’s children • Rahab and Ruth • Naaman • Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus • Roman officer • “I tell you, I have never found anyone in Israel with faith like this. I assure you that many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of heaven. But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.” (Matthew 8:10-12 – GN) • Canaanite woman • “You are a woman of great faith!” (Matthew 15:28 – GN)

18. “The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping wheat in the valley, when suddenly they looked up and saw the Covenant Box. They were overjoyed at the sight.” (1 Samuel 6:13 – GN)

20. “The LORD killed seventy of the men of Beth Shemesh because they looked inside the Covenant Box. And the people mourned because the LORD had caused such a great slaughter among them. So the men of Beth Shemesh said, ‘Who can stand before the LORD, this holy God? Where can we send him to get him away from us?’ They sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim to say, ‘The Philistines have returned the LORD's Covenant Box. Come down and get it.’” (1 Samuel 6:19-21 – GN)

21. The covenant box • “Now, O my God, look on us and listen to the prayers offered in this place. Rise up now, LORD God, and with the Covenant Box, the symbol of your power, enter the Temple and stay here forever…When King Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifices that had been offered, and the dazzling light of the LORD’s presence filled the Temple.” (2 Chronicles 6:40-42; 7:1 – GN)

22. Why so much display of power associated with the covenant box? • “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:7 – GOD’S WORD) • “To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the LORD.” (Proverbs 1:7 – GN) • They were on the brink of disaster

23. “So the people of Kiriath Jearim got the LORD's Covenant Box and took it to the house of a man named Abinadab, who lived on a hill. They consecrated his son Eleazar to be in charge of it. The Covenant Box of the LORD stayed in Kiriath Jearim a long time, some twenty years. During this time all the Israelites cried to the LORD for help. Samuel said to the people of Israel, ‘If you are going to turn to the LORD with all your hearts, you must get rid of all the foreign gods...Dedicate yourselves completely to the LORD and worship only him, and he will rescue you from the power of the Philistines.’” (1Samuel 7:1-3)

24. SAUL

25. “When Samuel grew old, he made his sons judges in Israel…But they did not follow their father’s example; they were interested only in making money, so they accepted bribes and did not decide cases honestly.” (1Samuel 8:1-3)

26. “Then all the leaders of Israel met together, went to Samuel in Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are getting old and your sons don’t follow your example. So then, appoint a king to rule over us, so that we will have a king, as other countries have.’” (1Samuel 8:4-5)

27. “Samuel was displeased with their request for a king; so he prayed to the LORD, and the LORD said, ‘Listen to everything the people say to you. You are not the one they have rejected; I am the one they have rejected as their king. Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have turned away from me and worshiped other gods; and now they are doing to you what they have always done to me. So then, listen to them, but give them strict warnings and explain how their kings will treat them.’

28. “This is how your king will treat you: • He will make soldiers of your sons… • Your sons will have to plow his fields, harvest his crops, and make his weapons and the equipment for his chariots. • Your daughters will have to make perfumes for him and work as his cooks and his bakers. • He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his officials. • He will take a tenth of your grain and of your grapes for his court officers and other officials. • He will take your servants and your best cattle and donkeys, and make them work for him. • He will take a tenth of your flocks. And you yourselves will become his slaves.

29. “When that time comes, you will complain bitterly because of your king, whom you yourselves chose, but the LORD will not listen to your complaints.’ The people paid no attention to Samuel, but said, ‘No! We want a king, so that we will be like other nations, with our own king to rule us and to lead us out to war and to fight our battles.’” (1 Samuel 8:11-20)

30. “Samuel listened to everything they said and then went and told it to the LORD. The LORD answered… • ‘Do what they want and give them a king.’ Then Samuel told all the men of Israel to go back home.” (1 Samuel 8:1-22 – GN)

31. “After you have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is going to give you and have settled there, then you will decide you need a king like all the nations around you. Be sure that the man you choose to be king is the one whom the LORD has chosen…The king is not to have a large number of horses for his army, and he is not to send people to Egypt to buy horses…The king is not to have many wives, because this would make him turn away from the LORD; and he is not to make himself rich with silver and gold.

32. When he becomes king, he is to have a copy of the book of God's laws and teachings made from the original copy kept by the levitical priests. He is to keep this book near him and read from it all his life, so that he will learn to honor the LORD and to obey faithfully everything that is commanded in it. This will keep him from thinking that he is better than other Israelites and from disobeying the LORD’s commands in any way.”(Deuteronomy 17:14-20)

33. God “gives in”

34. Polygamy • “If a man takes a second wife, he must continue to give his first wife the same amount of food and clothing and the same rights that she had before.” (Exodus 21:10 GNB)

35. Manna – list of clean and unclean meats • Private Vengeance – Cities of Refuge • Slavery • Women • Fighting • Eye for an eye…

36. God – the patient missionary

37. “Some Pharisees came and tried to trap Him with this question: ‘Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?’ ‘Haven’t you read the Scriptures?’ Jesus replied. ‘They record that from the beginning 'God made them male and female.' And He said, 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.’ ‘Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?’ they asked.

38. “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.” (Matthew 19:3-8 NLT)

39. “When that time comes, you will complain bitterly because of your king, whom you yourselves chose, but the LORD will not listen to your complaints.’ The people paid no attention to Samuel, but said, ‘No! We want a king, so that we will be like other nations, with our own king to rule us and to lead us out to war and to fight our battles.’” (1 Samuel 8:11-20)

40. “Happy are those who are humble… • “Happy are those who are merciful to others… • “Happy are those who work for peace… • “Happy are those who are persecuted…

41. “And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles.” (Matthew 5:41 – GN) • “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. • If anyone hits you on one cheek, let him hit the other one too; • if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well. • Give to everyone who asks you for something, and when someone takes what is yours, do not ask for it back. • Do for others just what you want them to do for you. • Love your enemies and do good to them

42. Lend and expect nothing back. • Do not judge others…. • do not condemn others…. • forgive others…” (Luke 6:27-37 – GN)

43. Until 313 AD – “the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church” - Tertullian • 312 AD, Constantine legalized Christianity: “By this sign you shall conquer” • The first time anyone ever associated the Christian faith with violence • 380 AD the official religion of the Roman empire – a crime not to be a Christian.

46. “…I happened to visit a July Fourth worship service at a certain megachurch. At center stage in this auditorium stood a large cross next to an equally large American flag. The congregation sang some praise choruses mixed with such patriotic hymns as “God Bless America.” The climax of the service centered on a video of a well-known Christian military general giving a patriotic speech about how God had blessed America and blessed its military troops…

47. “Triumphant military music played in the background as he spoke. The video closed with a scene of a silhouette of three crosses on a hill with an American flag waving in the background. Majestic, patriotic music now thundered. Suddenly, four fighter jets appeared on the horizon, flew over the crosses, and then split apart. As they roared over the camera, the words, “God Bless America” appeared on the screen in front of the crosses. The congregation responded with roaring applause, catcalls, and

48. A standing ovation. I saw several people wiping tears from their eyes. Indeed, as I remained frozen in my seat, I grew teary-eyed as well – but for entirely different reasons. I was struck with horrified grief. Thoughts raced through my mind: How could the cross and the sword have been so thoroughly fused without anyone seeming to notice? How could Calvary be associated with bombs and missiles...How could the kingdom of God be reduced to this sort of violent, nationalistic tribalism? Has the church progressed at all since the Crusades?” – The Myth of a Christian Nation, Greg Boyd