The Life and Times of Saul

1 Samuel 8-15

Steve Rowe

April 1, 2006

I.&n= bsp; = ; Samuel=

a.&n= bsp; The last of= the judges

b.&n= bsp; His sons we= re dishonest. Took bribes and we= re unjust.

II.&= nbsp; &nbs= p; Asking for = a King

a.&n= bsp; Israel= asked him for a king (1 Sam 8:4-5).

b.&n= bsp; God is disp= leased (1 Sam 8:7-9).

c.&n= bsp; God instruc= ts Samuel to give them a king anyway. <= /span>

d.&n= bsp; God warns t= he people of the costs (1 Sam 8:11-18):

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Take sons f= or army

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Take daught= ers for cooks and bakers

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Take fields= and vineyards

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; Take a tent= h of possessions

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; v. &nb= sp; Take servan= ts for his own

e.&n= bsp; Why would G= od give Israel what it wanted?

f.&n= bsp; The people = want a king despite God’s warnings

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Wanted to b= e like other nations

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Wanted some= thing they could touch and feel

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Lack of fai= th

III.= &nb= sp; The Rise of= Saul

a.&n= bsp; Handsome an= d tall

b.&n= bsp; Went lookin= g for his father’s donkeys

c.&n= bsp; Came to Sam= uel to ask his advice

d.&n= bsp; God warned = Samuel that Saul was coming

e.&n= bsp; Samuel anoi= nted him

f.&n= bsp; All of Israel = gathered and Saul was chosen by lot from among them

g.&n= bsp; Interesting points:

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Saul hid am= ong the baggage during selection

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Saul was not upset at those who didn’t bring him presents

IV.&= nbsp; &nbs= p; Conquest

a.&n= bsp; God touched= the hearts of valiant men

b.&n= bsp; Nahash, the Ammonite, attacked Ja= besh-Gilead

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; People want= ed to surrender

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Nahash would only accept if they gouged out their righ= t eyes

c.&n= bsp; Saul respon= ds

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; God came up= on him (1 Sam 11:6)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; 330,000 cam= e to war with him

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Saul wins t= he fight (1 Sam 11:11)

d.&n= bsp; Saul offici= ally becomes king following this (1 Sam 11:15)

V.&n= bsp; = ; Samuel̵= 7;s warning

a.&n= bsp; Samuel remi= nds Israel = that God has led them

b.&n= bsp; The judges didn’t demand support from Israel

c.&n= bsp; Samuel warn= s that they need to follow God under their king (1 Sam 12:14-15)=

d.&n= bsp; God punishe= s Israel = by destroying their wheat harvest with thunder and rain.

e.&n= bsp; The people = feared the Lord because of this

f.&n= bsp; Warning: Fear God or be swept away (1 Sam 1= 2:25)

VI.&= nbsp; &nbs= p; Fighting the Philistines

a.&n= bsp; Jonathan at= tacks a Philistine garrison

b.&n= bsp; The Philist= ines assembled “people like the sand which is on the seashore” to fi= ght back.

c.&n= bsp; The Hebrews= were fearful

d.&n= bsp; Saul offers= a sacrifice

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; He waited 7= days for Samuel to appear

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Samuel was = late

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Saul offere= d the sacrifice himself

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; Samuel arri= ved immediately afterward

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; v. &nb= sp; Saul’s response: you forced me to do it (1 Sam 13:11-12)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; vi. &n= bsp; Samuel̵= 7;s response: Saul loses his king= dom (1 Sam 13:13-14)

e.&n= bsp; Saul gather= ed 600 men. No sword or spears.=

f.&n= bsp; Jonathan= 217;s attack

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Jonathan an= d his bodyguard go to attack the Philistines

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; “The = Lord is not restrained to save by many or by few.”

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; God gave th= em victory and the Philistines melted.

g.&n= bsp; Saul’= s Rash oath

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Saul makes = an oath before the Ark that “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening.”

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Saul wins a= great victory

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Jonathan doesn’t know and eats

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; The people = don’t and are weary

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; v. &nb= sp; The people = ate the spoils because they were hungry

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; vi. &n= bsp; Saul says t= he person who ate should die

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; vii. &= nbsp; Jonathan is selected by lot

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; viii. = Saul spares= him at the peoples’ behest

h.&n= bsp; Saul fights= many other groups including Moab, Ammon, Edom, and= Zobah.

VII.= Saul vs. th= e Amalekites

a.&n= bsp; See Ex. 17:= 8-16 for background

b.&n= bsp; God sent Sa= ul to go destroy the Amalekites

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; Samuel inst= ructed Saul to kill everything

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; All men, wo= men, children, infants, oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, etc.

c.&n= bsp; Saul gather= s an army of 210,000 men

d.&n= bsp; Saul fails = to completely obey

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; All people = killed

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; King Agag left alive

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; Best animal= s kept too

e.&n= bsp; Samuel arri= ves

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; i. &nb= sp; “What= is this bleating of sheep in my ears?”

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; ii. &n= bsp; Saul defend= s his actions (1 Sam 15:20-21)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iii. &= nbsp; God rejects= Saul (1 Sam 15:22-23)

<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; iv. &n= bsp; Saul asks forgiveness but God refuses (1 Sam 15:28)