The books of Samuel are historical narratives like many others in the Old Testament. A fun fact is that they are split into two books simply because they are too long to fit onto an ancient scroll. They are intended to be read as one continuous story!
1 Samuel begins as the book of Judges is ending. (Remember Ruth’s story takes place during the time of the judges but is recorded as its own book.) If you’d like a refresher on Judges, you can find a quick summary here: https://mandygunter.com/judges-looking-for-hope-when-the-world-gets-darker/
Judges concludes with a chilling synopsis:
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Judges 21:25
1 Samuel details a lot of history, some of which we will cover together, but I hope you’ll take the time to read the book in its entirety. It opens with the introduction of a character named Hannah. She is married to a man named Elkanah who has two wives- herself and Peninnah. Peninnah has children, but despite Elkanah’s obvious favoritism towards her, Hannah is barren.
Each year her family makes the pilgrimage to Shiloh to sacrifice and worship. One year, Eli the priest finds her praying for a child so fervently he assumes she is drunk. After she explains her situation, he blesses her and she leaves joyfully.
They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.”
1 Samuel 1: 19 & 20
When Samuel is weaned, Hannah brings him to Eli, symbolically and physically giving her son back to God. Much like Abraham with Isaac, she knows God alone is the giver of her most precious gift and trustworthy to care for the child He created. She sets in motion Samuel’s life dedicated to the service of the Most High as a prophet.
Hannah prays again as Samuel is given to the Lord and her song is recorded in chapter 2. Her praise and prophecies closely resemble Mary’s Magnifcat in Luke 1.
We see 3 major themes in her song, all of which become plot points throughout 1 Samuel. She focuses on God’s opposition of the proud and His grace to the humble. She narrows in on mankind’s wickedness and God’s working through those deeds to accomplish His will. During a time where Israel has no king, Hannah points to the future Messiah who will reign as the ultimate King.
Some chapters later, we see the Israelites battling their Philistine enemies. When the battle intensifies and Israel is losing, they plot to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield.
The Ark of the Covenant was fashioned under God’s specific instructions to Moses. Two cherubim flanked either side, creating the Mercy Seat, God’s throne amongst His people. The Ark was sacred and had specific rules regarding its care and transport.
However, the Israelites seem to treat it as a good luck token here, or perhaps they assumed that its presence would go before them in victory as it had done in the desert and conquering the Promised Land. Regardless of their reasoning, God has given them no instructions to bring it to this battle or to use it flippantly. His power rests in His own mighty hand, not a chest fashioned from gold, even a sacred one. The Ark may represent Him in ways, but it is not Him.
A shock to both the Israelites and the Philistines, the Ark of the Covenant is captured, and Israel is defeated. Knowing the significance of the Ark but assuming the God of Israel is like their own gods, the Philistines bring it to the temple of their false god, Dagon. In the ancient world, capturing a nation’s god implied that a people were completely conquered. What the Philistines, and perhaps even the Israelites, did not realize is that the God of the universe is not contained in a box.
To me, this is one of the funniest and most amusing stories in the Bible. I have vivid memories of learning this story in school as a young child and can remember the colorful flashcards depicting these scenes as the teacher read the story.
The Ark of the Covenant is placed in Dagon’s temple. The next morning, the Philistines find the statue of Dagon has fallen face down, prostrate in front of the Ark. They return him to his upright position.
The following morning, Dagon is not only face down on the ground, but his head and arms are cut off and strewn across the threshold.
Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
1 Samuel 5: 4b & 5
History tells us that this superstition continued until a couple hundred years after the life of Jesus!
God’s hand moves against the pagans and He plagues them with tumors. The Ark is moved from city to city in an attempt to outrun His fury, but the plagues follow the presence of His Mercy Seat. Seven months pass before the Philistines tie together two cows and place the Ark, along with golden tumors and mice representing the plagues, onto a cart and send it on its way. They follow from a distance to see where the cows go, deciding if the Ark makes its way back to Israel, they will know it was the Lord who caused their calamity, but if not, their suffering was a mere coincidence.
It is no surprise that God leads His sacred seat directly to Israel.
Israel Wants a King
Years continue to pass until Samuel is an old man. Despite his protests, the people of Israel demand a king.
But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
1 Samuel : 19 & 20
Notice the reasons they desire a king- to be like other nations, to judge them, and to go before them to fight their battles. These are specific actions God has already done for them throughout their history. He intended them to be separate from all other nations, holy unto Him. He judged them with righteousness and mercy. The Lord of Hosts went before them, guiding and fighting for them.
Much like us, the Israelites show their distrust in God despite His repeated faithfulness across all generations.
God appoints Saul to be their king. He is tall and handsome, winning the hearts of people. Despite his outward appearance, his is full of pride and lacks the integrity needed to lead his country according to Yahweh’s laws. The longer he reigns, the further he slips into madness. His dangerous instability displays the people’s need for a greater king. Samuel will anoint David to be king, but it will be many years before he ascends to the throne.
Saul’s murderous paranoia and unrighteous reign are contrasted with David’s integrity and desire to follow Yahweh.
As God writes this story, He is showcasing all of mankind’s need for a greater king to rescue us from the rule of tyranny.
Pay close attention as you read. There are many truths about the human heart to unearth as you see how Saul’s hardening heart leads him further and further from God. This is a warning to all of us.
This story is one of rich history and it should be read in that light, but we can glean insight into our own humanity as we observe the characters. We can learn from their mistakes and triumphs, and rightfully so! However, we should tread cautiously in reading ourselves too much into the story.
We are not Saul or David. These are historical figures who lived real lives. God did supernatural acts during their lives, as He still does in His world, but we are not them.
God uses the stories in 1 Samuel to brightly display His mighty hand moving across time to display His glory, even when people do not.
Saul’s disobedience in a battle leads to God removing his family line from the throne. He was clearly instructed to annihilate the Amalekites, but instead, he leaves King Agag alive. Samuel comes to the scene distraught at Saul’s deliberate disobedience and slaughters Agag himself, telling Saul that the kingdom of Israel will be removed from him. Here, God shows us His requirements for complete obedience, but also His control of all history over all generations. (1 Samuel 15)
Flip forward a few hundred years and we find this:
After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite…
Esther 3:1
emphasis my own
Generations later, the Israelites are taken captive to a foreign land and Esther becomes queen in Persia. Who becomes the villain in the story determined to murder all Jews? None other than Haman, a descendant of the very people Saul battled, and the Israelites warred with in the desert!
Just as God moves through Saul’s disobedience in 1 Samuel, watch what He does with David’s obedience just two chapters later.
In 1 Samuel 17, David is the only Israelite willing to face the giant Goliath. But note, it was not David’s expertise with a slingshot that killed Goliath, although God uses that weapon to illustrate His point. The story is about God displaying His might against the seemingly impossible.
This is why we use caution when reading ourselves into Bible stories. We are quick to associate ourselves with the hero and take on disdain for the wrongdoers. It is good to learn from others’ triumphs and failures. However, it is easy to miss the deeper meaning.
It is God Who provides the victories and uses the failures. When we neglect this truth, we are in danger of robbing God of the glory He rightfully deserves. We condemn characters without seeing our own sin clearly and exalt man without praising the One truly responsible for success.
God is the only One that redeems wickedness for good and raises up mere humans into miraculous victory.
Lessons for Today’s World from 1 Samuel
Think back to Hannah. She opened this book broken-hearted, but she cried out to the Lord. And He remembered her. (1 Samuel 1:19)
Her foreshadowing of the book is applicable to our lives as well. She details pride and humility, God’s sovereignty over wickedness, and the promise of a coming King.
God sees all. He weighs our actions and hearts. He brings low and exalts. (1 Samuel 2:7) As Saul’s pride ultimately leads to his fall, the humble shepherd boy, David, is raised to the throne.
When the true posture of Saul’s heart slowly displays itself in his brazen actions, God is still moving. Despite terrible things happening, God does not relinquish control of the narrative. Saul suffers the consequences of his arrogance and sin, becoming tormented by an evil spirit before ultimately having the kingdom removed from his family.
Yahweh removed Saul’s lineage from the throne, making way for a good king in David. King David did a lot of good things, but he is far from perfect.
As God loves His people, He knows their need for a Perfect King and Priest is great. Like a masterful artist, He is painting the background to bring the Christ to the forefront. The people of Israel cry out for a king to deliver them, and our hearts echo that same desperation all these years later.
In His holy grace, He gives us what we really need: Jesus.
Hannah’s Prayer – 1 Samuel 2:1-10
My heart exults in the LORD;
my horn is exalted in the LORD.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in Your salvation.
There is none holy like the LORD:
for there is none besides You;
there is no rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the LORD is a God of knowledge,
and by Him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The LORD kills and brings to life;
He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
He brings low and He exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s,
and on them He has set the world.
He will guard the feet of His faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;
against them He will thunder in heaven.
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;
He will give strength to His king
and exalt the horn of His anointed.
