We review the past several months of our tour through I Samuel

2. INTRODUCTION – LAST MAY
Samuel is a “Bridge” figure – between time of the Judges
and Kings
He is born in a time of disorder in answer to a barren
mother’s prayers.
The Sovereign God is at work. Things are going to change!
A nation badly in need of direction will get its first king.
Nevertheless, this king – without God’s prophet – will fall
into a terrible state.
But, even so, God is moving a new kind of leader into
position behind the scenes -- with the occasional
glimpse!

3. YOUNG SAMUEL - JUNE
God like “breaking the rules” by promoting unlikely people into
positions of spiritual and moral influence.
Samuel’s environment was a mix of good mentoring and
compromise. Nevertheless, he learned how to “minister to the
Lord” and hear from God.
In a Culture of Honor, the Lord is respected, the people are served,
leadership is effective and a witness to God’s kingdom
maintained.
In a Culture of Honor “The Fear of the Lord” intersects with
freedom! The time of Eli and his sons is about to give way.
Samuel will soon rise to prominence as a spiritual leader.

4. ROUGH ENDINGS, NEW BEGINNINGS - JUNE
From “Ichabod” (the Glory has Departed) to Ebenezer (a
stone of remembrance) – the ups and downs of transition
continue!
The Hebrews had a practice of marking life points and times
by naming people and places with those things in mind.
Though “the glory had departed” (name of Eli’s grandson),
the “place where the Lord helped us” was also never
meant to be forgotten.
We might review our own spiritual journey and identify some
of the significant lows and undeniable high points!

5. THE SEER AND THE KING – LATE JUNE
The people wanted a King! Samuel was disappointed but
God encouraged him to play things out.
Samuel warned the people what a King would cost them.
Samuel and Saul begin their relationship on a high note.
Saul: Like a ship’s captain
Samuel: Like a ship’s navigator – working together!
However, over time, Saul would throw out the navigation and
guide the ship of state from a place of fear, jealousy,
reactivity
Reminder: we need God’s word and God’s power!

6. A GREAT START ! - JULY
Saul starts off great – his ability to rally an
army and defeat the Ammonites will turn
out to be the peak of his success before
a long, slow downhill descent.
But it is not only how we begin that tells
the story of our lives, but how we finish!

7. THE RISE OF JONATHAN - JULY
We meet the Philistines, again – the people group that will
eventually defeat Saul and Jonathan and among whom
the fleeing David will hide for a time.
We also meet Jonathan – a King’s son and Rising Star!
He is: courageous, independent, full of faith, committed,
loyal, and inspiring!
He will be David’s key ally.
How does God use our challenges (enemies) and advocates
(God-sent friends) to shape our destiny?

8. DAVID ON THE RUN! - AUGUST
David and his 600 men begin a long effort
to avoid confrontation with Saul by
hiding out in the wilderness.
David’s character is being formed and
molded by his trials.
His preparation for rulership is so different
from Saul’s!

9. A WISE WOMAN INTERVENES - SEPTEMBER
Samuel has died and all Israel is in mourning
David has a chance encounter with Abagail’s husband who,
contrary to all codes of hospitality, shuns David and his men.
David is ready to pounce – until a wise woman shows the power of
honor and saves her husband and household (temporarily) and
spares David from his angry reactivity.
Abagail saw David not only as he was but in light of his destiny.
How would we honor each other more if we saw each other as
the Lord sees us?

10. THE WISDOM OF MERCY - SEPTEMBER
David spares Saul’s life a second time.
Abashai wants to finish off the injustice with a
spear through Saul’s head.
David calls for restraint to honor the Lord and give
room for God’s justice and timing
His restraint once again brings Saul to a point of
regret for how he has been treating David
Mercy triumphs over justice!

11. SAUL HITS THE WALL - SEPTEMBER
Saul employs a spiritist medium to recall Samuel.
Everything is upside down and Saul’s reign is about to
collapse – which will also (sadly) take down Jonathan!
What would have been different for David if Saul would have
turned and sought the Lord from his heart (as at least one
other errant King of Judah did much later)?
We mustn’t go into the spiritual world without the fear of the
Lord. And yet, God’s hand is moving even while the
chaos is unwinding!

12. DAVID’S VICTORY, SAUL’S DEMISE - SEPTEMBER
The Amalekites plunder Ziklag while David and his men are away – they
lose everythin, g inclnudig their families!
David and his men get back what had been taken from them.
Meanwhile, Saul is utterly defeated by the Philistines and David must began
to take his rightful place from a position of disadvantage.
Even through all this, God is committed to raising up David – though he will
have to contend for the throne!
Sometimes we have to fight for what God wants for us – not everything “of
the Lord” is handed to us without a struggle.