Sermon #91 Through The Bible Series
Title: 1
Samuel
Christ Our Great Savior and King
Text: 1
Samuel 9:27
Subject: Lessons
From 1 Samuel
Introduction:
(1
Samuel 9:27) "Stand thou
still a while, that I may show thee the word of God."
The children of Israel had been under the direct government of God
himself throughout their history. The Lord God himself was their King. For
almost 300 years the Lord God had administered his rule as King in Israel
through the judges he raised up to deliver them.
But all the nations around them had kings in royal attire, sitting
on splendorous thrones. When Samuel was an old man, after faithfully serving
the nation as God’s prophet and their judge, the men of Israel came to him and
said, We want to be like these other nations. “Give us a king to judge
us…Make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” Samuel was, of course,
heart broken, after faithfully serving their souls his entire life, they turned
on him and rejected him. That’s enough to break any man’s heart. But, they had
in fact turned on God and rejected him. Therefore the Lord said to Samuel…
(1
Samuel 8:7-10) "And the LORD said
unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto
thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should
not reign over them. (8) According to all the works which they have done
since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith
they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. (9)
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto
them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. (10) And
Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a
king."
And
Samuel told them exactly the kind of man their king would be, self-serving,
cruel, abusive, and destructive.
(1
Samuel 8:19-20) "Nevertheless the
people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will
have a king over us; (20) 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."
How often have you wanted something, or wanted something to
happen, so bad you could taste it, so bad that you just felt you had to have it?
You prayed for it, prayed for it, and prayed for it. Then the Lord gave it to
you; and you wished you had never heard of it. God often gives us what we
think we want, and then makes us live with the consequences for a long, long
time. The fact is, we never know what is best for us, and never know
how to pray as we ought (Rom. 8:26).
Many years ago, William Evans, a Presbyterian
preacher told a story about his daughter. His little girl, who was about eight
years old, came home from school and said, "Daddy, I want to get some ball
bearing skates. All the other children have ball bearing skates and that is
what I want." He said, "But dear, you have a pair of skates."
She replied, "Yes, I know Daddy, but they are not ball bearing skates.
They are roller bearing skates. They won't go as fast as the others will.”
Mr. Evans was a preacher. His income was limited. So he said,
"Well, my dear, I'm afraid you will have to make do with the roller
bearing skates. We simply can't afford to buy any others right now." But
she wouldn't let him be. The next night when he came home from his work, there
was a little note at his place on the table. It said. "Dear Daddy, I still
want the ball bearing skates." When he went to bed that night there was
another note pinned to his pillow. It said, "Daddy, would you buy me some
ball bearing skates?"
Well, he did the same thing you or I might have done. He scraped
up the money and got those ball bearing skates for . When he gave them to her,
she was elated with excitement. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged
him and kissed him and thanked him. Then she put on those great, new ball
bearing skates like all the other children had and took off, out the gate, down
the sidewalk, and around the corner. That was the last time they ever saw her
alive and well. As she went around the corner, the skates were too much for her
to handle. She slipped and fell down, hitting her head against the sidewalk.
They brought her home in a coma. She died at the hospital before the night was
out. "Since then," Dr. Evans said, "when I want something of God
and it seems as though he is not willing that I should have it but I keep
crying out for it, the Spirit of God reminds me, ‘Are you asking for ball
bearing skates?'"
God often gives us what we want, and then makes us live with the
consequences for a long, long time. This is what happened in Israel. How often
we have experienced it in our own lives. Have I got your attention?
How often have you wanted something, or wanted something to
happen, so bad you could taste it, so bad that you just felt you had to have
it? You prayed for it, prayed for it, and prayed for it. Then the Lord gave it
to you; and you wished you had never heard of it. God often gives us what
we think we want, and then makes us live with the consequences for a long, long
time. The fact is, we never know what is best for us, and never know
how to pray as we ought (Rom. 8:26).
Many years ago, William Evans, a Presbyterian
preacher told a story about his daughter. His little girl, who was about eight
years old, came home from school and said, "Daddy, I want to get some ball
bearing skates. All the other children have ball bearing skates and that is
what I want." He said, "But dear, you have a pair of skates."
She replied, "Yes, I know Daddy, but they are not ball bearing skates.
They are roller bearing skates. They won't go as fast as the others will.”
Mr. Evans was a preacher. His income was limited. So he said,
"Well, my dear, I'm afraid you will have to make do with the roller
bearing skates. We simply can't afford to buy any others right now." But
she wouldn't let him be. The next night when he came home from his work, there
was a little note at his place on the table. It said. "Dear Daddy, I still
want the ball bearing skates." When he went to bed that night there was
another note pinned to his pillow. It said, "Daddy, would you buy me some
ball bearing skates?"
Well, he did the same thing you or I might have done. He scraped
up the money and got those ball bearing skates for . When he gave them to her,
she was elated with excitement. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged
him and kissed him and thanked him. Then she put on those great, new ball
bearing skates like all the other children had and took off, out the gate, down
the sidewalk, and around the corner. That was the last time they ever saw her
alive and well. As she went around the corner, the skates were too much for her
to handle. She slipped and fell down, hitting her head against the sidewalk.
They brought her home in a coma. She died at the hospital before the night was
out. "Since then," Dr. Evans said, "when I want something of God
and it seems as though he is not willing that I should have it but I keep
crying out for it, the Spirit of God reminds me, ‘Are you asking for ball
bearing skates?'"
God often gives us what we want, and then makes us live with the
consequences for a long, long time. This is what happened in Israel. How often
we have experienced it in our own lives. Have I got your attention?
(1
Samuel 9:27) "Stand thou
still a while, that I may show thee the word of God."
The Book of 1 Samuel covers
a period of about 115 years. It takes us from the birth of Samuel, the last of
the judges to the death of their first king, Saul.
Three
Principle Characters
There are three principle
characters in this Book, Samuel, Saul and David.
Samuel—This piece of Israel’s
history begins with the birth of Samuel and gives us a pretty detailed
description of his life and ministry (1:1-10:27). He was born in a house where
God was honored. He was a gift of God to his mother, Hannah, who dedicated him
to the Lord before he was born. As soon as he was weaned, Hannah brought her
boy to the house of God and gave him to the Lord. Soon, the Lord revealed
himself to Samuel and made him a prophet. A faithful prophet he was to the day
of his death.
Saul—Chapters 11-31 describe the
sad, sad life and rule of Saul, Israel’s first king. Saul was the gift of God’s
judgment to Israel. They wanted to be like all the other nations. They demanded
a king. So God gave them Saul.
David—David comes on the scene in
chapter 16. His noble character and his greatness is set before us and runs
parallel with Saul’s life from chapter 16-31. David was the man after God’s own
heart, whom he chose to replace Saul as king over Israel.
Those facts are easily
traced through this first of the historical books. But what does the Holy
Spirit intend for us to learn from the historic facts recorded in these
thirty-one chapters? Obviously, I cannot (and will not try to) give you
everything our God would have us learn from these chapters. I make no pretense
of knowing myself. But there are some very important spiritual lessons to be
gleaned from 1 Samuel, lessons that will help you and me as we endeavor to live
in this world for the glory of our God, serving the interests of his kingdom.
Let’s go through these thirty-one chapters together, gleaning the “handfuls
of purpose” left here for us by our God.
Worship
I. 1 Samuel begins with a man
by the name of Elkanah, who teaches us something about the worship of our God (1:1-4).
(1
Samuel 1:1-4) "Now there was a
certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah,
the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an
Ephrathite: (2) And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah,
and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had
no children. (3) And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship
and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. (4) And
when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to
all her sons and her daughters, portions."
This man’s name, Elkanah,
means “possession of God.” Learn this first. Worship is, at its core, the
acknowledgement that we are God’s possession. I cannot say this often
enough. Faith in Christ involves giving up ourselves to the rule and dominion
of Christ our God, acknowledging him as our Lord.
(Mark
8:34-35) "And when he had called
the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me. (35) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but
whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save
it."
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20) "What? know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye
are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
That person who is possessed of God possesses God! What a swap we make, when we give up ourselves for Christ and to Christ!
·
I give up my death for his life!
·
I give up my emptiness for his fulness!
·
I give up my sin for his righteousness!
·
I give up my guilt for his atonement!
·
I give up my way of cursedness for his way of blessedness!
When Elkanah went up to
worship God, he brought a sacrifice.
·
If we would worship God, we must come to him with the sacrifice he
requires – Christ the Lamb of God, our sin-atoning Substitute.
·
Elkanah brought a sacrifice involving personal cost. Worship always
involves sacrifice.
Prayer
II. Elkanah’s wife, Hannah,
gives us instruction in the matter of prayer (1:9-2:11).
I do not pretend to know much about prayer. I am always embarrassed when people come to me seeking help about prayer and ask me about how to pray. I know this: You will not find richer, more spiritual instruction about prayer than you will read in these first two chapters of 1 Samuel. Listen to this saintly lady, and learn what prayer is.
·
As Hannah was driven to the throne of grace by the persecution of her
adversary, Pininnah, we are often sluggish in prayer until the Lord graciously
puts us in desperation. Hannah’s prayer arose from her “bitterness of soul,”
which caused her to weep sore before the Lord (1:10).
·
Prayer is the cry of a child in need to be remembered by our heavenly
Father – “Remember me!” (v. 11).
·
Prayer is a matter of the heart, not the lip. – “She spake in her
heart…I have poured out my soul before the Lord” (1:13, 15).
·
Prayer obtains God’s blessing (1:17-20).
Hannah came to the throne of
grace in time of need, cast her burden on the Lord and left it there, having
obtained the mercy she needed.
(1
Samuel 1:17-20) "Then Eli answered
and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition
that thou hast asked of him. (18) And she said, Let thine handmaid
find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her
countenance was no more sad. (19) And they rose up in the
morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to
their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD
remembered her. (20) Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was
come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name
Samuel (Samuel means “heard of God.”), saying, Because
I have asked him of the LORD."
·
Prayer gives thanks, praise, adoration, honor and glory to the Lord God
alone (2:1-10).
(Hebrews
4:16) "Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need."
The Lord God always honors
those who honor him (2:30).
(1 Samuel 2:30) "Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith,
I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk
before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that
honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly
esteemed."
Consecration
III. Eli stands out, at least to
me, as a marvelous example of and lesson about a believer’s consecration to God (chapters 3 and 4).
Eli was the priest in Israel; and he was a man of remarkable faith in and consecration to God. Yes, he had his faults. He did not restrain his wicked sons, but indulged them in their ungodly behavior. For that he was chastened of the Lord. But he was a remarkable man. He did reprove them; but he did not restrain them. And they refused to hear his reproof (2:24-25).
(1
Samuel 2:24-25) "Nay, my sons; for it
is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress.
(25) If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a
man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they
hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay
them."
·
When Samuel told him that the Lord was determined to kill his sons and
take the priesthood from his house forever, he responded to God’s Word and his
will with exemplary faith.—“It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good”
(3:18).
·
When the ark of God was taken and his sons were killed by the
Philistines, “his heart trembled for the ark of God” (4:13-18).—Eli was
more concerned for the cause of Christ and the glory of God than he was for
himself, his name, his sons, or his house.
God’s
Prophet
IV.Samuel exemplifies what it
is to be God’s prophet.
There are many, many examples of faithful prophets in the Word of God—Moses—Elijah—John the Baptist. But none outshine Samuel. He, too, like Eli had two sons that were sons of Belial; but he, too, was a faithful man throughout his life.
·
Samuel faithfully declared God’s Word (To Eli—To Israel—To Saul).
·
Being a prophet, he was but the voice by whom God revealed himself, his
Word, and his will to Israel. When Israel rejected him, they were not rejecting
him, but God (1 Sam. 8:7; 2 Cor. 5:18-21).
(2
Corinthians 5:18-21) "And all
things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (19) To wit, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
(20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you
by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
(21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him."
·
Though the children of Israel rejected him and rejected his message,
Samuel was faithful still to their souls and to God (1 Sam. 12:20-24).
(1
Samuel 12:20-24) "And Samuel said
unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside
from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; (21) And
turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which
cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. (22) For the LORD
will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased
the LORD to make you his people. (23) Moreover as for me, God forbid
that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach
you the good and the right way: (24) Only fear the LORD, and serve him
in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done
for you."
Our
Flesh
V. Saul stands before us as a
very sobering lesson, a lesson we must constantly learn.—When we indulge
the lusts of our flesh, we bring misery to ourselves (8:1-22).
Saul was the product of the
flesh. He was exactly what Israel wanted, or thought they wanted. But he proved
to be a source of unceasing pain and misery as long as he lived. Oh, how bitter
the experience of this is; but it is a lesson that we must learn. Our flesh is
our greatest enemy.
·
The flesh prefers the authority of men to the authority of God. – Give
us a king.
·
The flesh craves the approval of flesh. – A king like the nations.
·
The flesh seeks to govern the kingdom of God by the opinions of men
rather than the Word of God.
·
The flesh consults with and follows the flesh, rather than the
revelation of God.
·
The indulgence of the flesh always disturbs the peace of God’s kingdom.
Election
VI.David teaches us who God’s
elect are—Those
we least suspect (1 Sam. 16:12). – “This is he!”
Prevenient
Grace
VII.
Abigal, Nabal’s wife shows us a lesson about God’s prevenient grace (25:1-39).
How I adore the wonder of
God’s providence. Israel’s choice of a king was used by our God to accomplish
his purpose. He graciously and wisely overruled their evil choice, their
rebellion, and their sin to accomplish his own wise purpose for their good.
(Romans
8:28-30) "And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified:
and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
(Romans
11:33-36) "O the depth of the
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways past finding out! (34) For who hath known the
mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (35) Or who hath first
given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (36) For of
him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory
for ever. Amen."
Prevenient grace is another of the mysteries of God’s providence, for which we have great reason to praise him with thankful, humbled hearts. Prevenient grace is grace that goes before grace and keeps the objects of grace from much evil, even from the evil we would commit, if the Lord would let us.
(1
Samuel 25:32-33) "And David said to
Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to
meet me: (33) And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou,
which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging
myself with mine own hand."
(1
Samuel 25:39) "And when David heard
that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the
cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from
evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And
David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife."
The whole Book of 1 Samuel
is a marvelous display of divine sovereignty. God was in control of everything;
and he still is. Blessed be his holy name! Nothing done by Israel, the
Philistines, Saul, or anyone else could in any way hinder God’s work or thwart
his purpose!
Types
of Christ
VIII. Throughout this Book,
indeed, throughout the Bible, David stands before us as a great type of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Long ago, John Gill stated that the Old Testament presents us with three categories of types, by which our Lord Jesus and God’s great salvation in him were prefigured:—Institutional Types (The Ceremonies of the Law)—Providential Types (The Deliverances of Israel)—Personal Types (Individuals). David was one of the greatest of these personal types.
A. David was a shepherd in Israel. The Lord Jesus Christ is our good and great Shepherd. David hazarded his life for his sheep; but Christ gave his life for his sheep.
B. Jonathan made a covenant of love with David for the salvation of his house. The Lord God made a covenant of love with Christ for the salvation of his house.
C. David was anointed and established of God as the king of Israel. Christ is the Lord’s anointed King of Zion, established upon his throne forever.
D. David slew Goliath with the most unlikely of weapons (a shepherd’s sling), and cut off his head with the very sword by which Goliath planned to slay him and all of Israel. Our great Savior defeated sin, Satan, death and hell, and saved all Israel by his death upon the cross.
E. All the schemes, plans, and devices by which Saul tried to thwart God’s purpose and keep David from the throne only served to establish him and his kingdom. And all the schemes of hell to thwart our Savior and keep him from saving his people and reigning upon the throne of universal monarchy only served to accomplish God’s gracious purpose.
F. As David recovered all from the Amalekites and rescued his wives from their hands, so the Lord Jesus has recovered all for us and rescued his bride from all harm.
G. As David made a law concerning the sharing of the spoils, so that every man had the same rich reward, so our Lord Jesus has given all his people all his wealth as the God-man our Savior (John 17:5, 22).
(John
17:5) "And now, O Father, glorify
thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the
world was."
(John 17:22) "And the glory which thou gavest me I
have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:"
Let us pray and praise our
God with Hannah.
(1
Samuel 2:1-10) "And Hannah prayed,
and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my
mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. (2)
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither
is there any rock like our God. (3) Talk no more so exceeding
proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a
God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. (4) The bows of the
mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
(5) They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they
that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that
hath many children is waxed feeble. (6) The LORD killeth, and maketh
alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. (7) The LORD
maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. (8) He
raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the
dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne
of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set
the world upon them. (9) He will keep the feet of his saints, and the
wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
(10) The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven
shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he
shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."
1 Date: Tuesday Evening—March 25, 2003—Wichita Falls, TX (03/09/03)
Tape # X-50b
Readings: Bob Duff and Larry Criss—Psalm 2