According to the Sourceview intro of 1&2 Samuel the author is anonymous. However, in 10:25 it says that Samuel "…wrote them down on a scroll…" and in 2 Sam. 8:16 it mentions Jehoshaphat, a royal historian. These are two bits of insight suggesting that multiple people wrote Samuel.
A repeated idea is definitely the contrast between Saul and David; the people's king versus God's king. David is humble and Saul is prideful. In 24:6, David says, "The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the Lord's anointed one…" and in 18:8 Saul says, "…Next they'll be making him their king!" He then becomes jealous and goes on to hatch plans to kill him.
A main theme is obedience versus disobedience and in 1 Sam. 24:9-18 obedience is evident in David's life. (Also in 16:9-11) He doesn't harm the "anointed one" even though he is often within reach because he knows that God has chosen him and in time David will ascend to the throne. In chapter 13, Saul offers a burnt offering without Samuel because he becomes worried about the battle. Then Samuel says to him, "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you…But now your kingdom must end…" (v13&14) His disobedience costs him the kingdom. 1&2 Samuel in one sentence is about a kingdom being established for Israel and the consequences of disobeying God and succumbing to the worlds way of politics.
I think 1 Sam. 12:17 perfectly sums up the primary reason that this book was written. It says, "Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!" and in verse 19 the Israelites say, "For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king." The Samuels show how Saul is so intent on keeping his throne that he is driven to madness and turns murderous. David is very contrasted with Saul because of his faithful and just approach to the throne but in the end still falls prey to temptations and failures. No matter how good the intentions or the beginnings may be the kings of this book still don't rule well overall. Israel is shown how the Lord doesn't want anyone else to 'lord over them.' It is not what He intended for His chosen ones. (1Sam.8:11-18)
God shows how mighty and awesome He is in the beginning of 1 Samuel when the Philistines capture the Ark of God and place it beside Dagon. It says, "Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord, " then the next day he had fallen again but, "his head and hands had broken off." (5:3,4) I LOVE this picture! It wasn't the result of a prophecy or someone praying to God for it to happen, it was God alone acting out in His awesome power! I definitely see God's favour in 2 Samuel 7:5-16, when God is relaying a word through Nathan to tell to David about His plans for David's life. He says, "Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever."
God's redemptive plan for mankind is seen and spelled out beautifully, i think, in 2 Samuel 14:14 when a woman says to David, "But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him." For me, it creates this picture of God the Father, longing to be reunited with his children and up all night in his study thinking of ways to be with us again. Jesus was the answer that came to Him in the night.
For me, 1 Samuel 16:7 still gets to me, God says, "The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." It is so easy to judge someone by their appearance; by how they dress or act. God says that about us, that we judge "by the outward appearance." He is so right but I know that we can overcome that reputation with His strength and His love inside of us. I pray that my eyes won't jump to the clothes or the level of cleanliness but that I would look at the heart, just as God does. We were all created in His image and He is love and He is beautiful, so we should value and love the way He does.
Idols are everywhere today and they are deceptive and subtle. In 1 Sam. 12:20-22 it says, "…but make sure that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don't turn your back on him. Don't go back to worshipping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you." There is a song called "Clear the Stage" and it goes, "Clear the stage and set the sounds and lights ablaze if that's the measure you must take to crush the idols…" It talks about how the "show" surrounding worship can become an idol. I think it is a very real issue in churches today. When we come into a place of worship we must not idolize the one leading or gush about them or the cool set design (not that those things and people aren't amazing and gifted by God to create a beautiful space for the Spirit to come) but there is a line that is crossed often. Those things and people are there to lead us but then they must disappear from our minds and our attention should go to the only One worthy of our praise.
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| "You can sing all you want to and still get it wrong. Worship is more than a song." |
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