Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Bible in one year 5/29/2022 1 Samuel Chapter 25-31 Saul's death By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible in one year 5/29/2022 1 Samuel Chapter 25-31

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries : Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

 

1 Samuel Chapter 25 David and Abigail

            Now Samuel died, and David moved down into the Desert of Maon. A desert area eight miles S. of Hebron. Nabal’s place of business was in Carmel (not the Mt. Carmel near Galilee, but a place seven miles S. of Hebron), though his home was actually in Maon, a mile farther S. Nabal means “ fool” and his manner of conducting himself indicates that the name was appropriate. A festive time, a day of prosperity and celebration at shearing time. David and his men had been protecting the flocks and possessions of Nabal (25:15-16,21) in return for provisions and payday had finally arrived. Nabal not only refused to pay, but pretended not to know of David or of their agreement.(v.11). One of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “ David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.” (v.14). Nabal perhas, yelled or screamed at them. So Abigail immediately took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain…and  told her servants, “go on ahead, I will follow,” but she didn’t tell her husband Nabal. (vv.18-19). Abigail argued that the needless shedding of blood at this time would not be in David’s best interests. The figure is taken from the custom of binding valuables in a bundle to protect them from injury. God cares of His own as a man does his treasure.(vv.29-13). David accepted the provisions. Nabal apparently suffered a stroke and was paralyzed. After Nabal died, David took Abigail as wife.

1 Samuel 26 In the desert of Ziph, David spares Saul again

            The incidents related in Chapers24 and 26 are similar, but the differences are sufficient to establish that the events are in fact separate. David hided on the hill of Hakilah, Desert of Ziph. Saul went with his three thousand chosen men of Israel to search there for David. Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived. Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. (vv.1-5).David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with hie spear stuck in the ground near his head. David said to Abishai, “ Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? The Lord himself will strike him; either his time will come go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed, now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”(vv.9-10). David recognized God’s sovereignty over the life of Saul and believed that God would remove him from office in His own perfect time. David would be willing to offer an atoning sacrifice to God if there were any offense on his own part. But if other men were the cause of Saul’s hostility toward him, they should be judged. Go, serve other gods. David believed that his exile from the land, the inheritance from God, was equivalent to forcing him to abandon the worship of the Lord, for there were no sanctuaries of the Lord outside Israelite territory. David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hills some distance away, and said to Saul, “ Why my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done and what wrong am I guilty of? Now let my lord the kng listen to his servant’s words. If the lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! they have now driven me from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said,” Go, serve other gods.” Now do not let my blood fall to the g round far from the presence of the Lord. ..:(vv.19-20).  Saul repented, “ I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly.”  David replied, “ The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.” (vv.23-24)  Finally, Saul blessed David, “ May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph. So David went his way, and Saul returned home. (v.25).

1 Samuel Chapter 27 The refuge of David in Philistine Territory; David become a Philistine servant

            David, placing no confidence in Saul’s blessing (26:25), sought refuge from Saul outside Israelite territory. David returned to Achish, king of Gath (21:10-15), who welcomed him, no doubt having heard of the split between David and Saul and desirous of strengthening his army with David’s six hundred fighting men. Ziklag (v.6). A city located about twelve miles N. of Beersheba. The move was probably motivated by David’s desire to be free from Philistine surveillance and to avoid pagan influence. David used Ziklag as a base for his raids on the northern Sinai desert tribes, which were enemies of Judah, while he pretended to serve the interests of Achish. (vv.8-10). Negev. The geographical region S. of the hill country of Judah, the center of which is Beersheba.(v.10).

1 Samuel 28 Saul consults the medium at Endor

            David’s response to Achish’s summons to join in war against the Israelites was ambiguous. He dared not refuse; yet to accede would have pitted him against his own people. This aspect of the story resumes in 29:1. In obedience to the law, Saul  had removed those who practiced spiritism (Deut.18:10-11). Saul was in panic because the Philistines were poised at Shunem (seven miles E. of Megiddo), ready to battle the Israelites in the plain of Jezreel, where their sophisticated weapons could be used more advantageously to crush the Israelites. (vv.4-5). Urim(v.6). Saul may have set up under Zadok a rival priesthood to Abiathar’s and so could get no guidance from God. A woman who is a medium (v.7), one who practices necromancy, consulting the dead to determine the future, strictly forbidden by the law (Lev.19:31). At Endor(v.7), between Mount Tabor and the Hill of Moreh, lived a medium who had escaped Saul’s purge. The medium shrieked with fear when Samuel himself actually appeared, rather than some spirit that would impersonate him. On this occasion God miraculously permitted the actual spirit of Samuel to speak and announce Saul’s imminent death(v.19). A spirit (v.13), a superhuman figure or spirit of the dead (Samuel). The spirit of Samuel came up to announce Saul’s death and The Lord will hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines. Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. (vv.16-20).

1 Samuel Chapter 29 David dismissed by the Philistines

The Philistine rulers (v.2) Civil rulers of the Philistine cities (of whom Achish was one). The Lord used the suspicion of the Philistines to deliver David from the distressing predicament of fighting Israel or being killed by Achish for disloyalty.

1 Samuel Chapter 30 David destroys the Amalekites

            The Amalekites, whom Saul failed to destroy completely (15:2-3,10-19), continued to be a curse to the Israelites. They intended to make their captives slaves. The brook Besor is the major wade (a usually dry river bed) that drains the Negev and empties into the Mediterranean just S. of Gaza.(v.9). David used his plunder as presents for his friends in Judah.(vv.26-31). David reestablished contact with the citizens of Judah who were later to name him king(2Sam.2:1-4). All the cities mentioned were in the territory of Judah and Simeon. Bethel (v.27).

1Samuel 31 The Philistines and the death of Saul

            Mount Gilboa is 1,696 feet high, located in the Valley of Jezreel. This “Waterloo” (v.2) of Saul and his sons fulfilled Samuel’s prophecy (28:19). The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and malkishua. Uncircumcised…abuse me(v.4). Remembering how the Philistines abused and tormented Samson, Saul wished to prevent such from happening to him, especially since he was the Lord’s anointed. Saul took his own sword and fell on it. (vv.2-5). They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and feastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. The house of the Ashtoreths was the temple of Ashtarte, the Canaanite fertility goddess and counterpart of Baal, and was located in the strategic city of Beth Shan (at the junction of the Jezreel an Jordan valleys). The bodies of the fallen warriors were hung on the wall along the open square of the city (2Sam.21:12). The bodies were recovered and buried by the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had not forgotten how Saul had once rescued them (11:1-11). Cremation was not the general Hebrew practice except in the case of criminals (Josh.7:25). The bodies may have been burned because they had been badly rutilated; even so, the bones were preserved and buried. The week of fasting (v.13) was a sign of public mourning for the king of Israel. Saul’s great failure as king was his disobedience, which eventually disqualified him for holding the office. Had Saul been obedient to God, perhaps his life would have ended in great glory rather than in darkm tragic defeat. (John14:15). 

 

 Bibliography,

 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986

 

 

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