Samuel was a great leader of God’s people. When the nation of Israel called for a king, it was the beginning of the end for this nation. The kings lead God’s people into idolatry, and ultimately, complete destruction.
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Lesson One: The Birth of Samuel
The birth of Samuel is a reminder of God’s grace. Samuel was an answered prayer for God’s people and for Samuel’s mother. Never think that your prayers don’t matter. If it matters to you, it matters to God.
Lesson One: The Birth of Samuel
Lesson Two: The Dedication of Samuel
Our God keeps his promises. Hannah Spirit wrought response breaks out hearts and makes us proud. This leads us to wonder how her song of praise influenced saint for generations to come.
Lesson Two: The Dedication of Samuel
Lesson Three: The House of Eli
Our God is serious about worship. The House of Eli had become a disgrace in the eyes of God’s people. Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked.
Lesson Three: The House of Eli
Lesson Four: Speak, O Lord
“Speak, O Lord, for you servant is listening.” With these words the church has submitted to the Word of the Lord for thousands of years. This week we listen to our God with young Samuel.
Lesson Five: The Glory Has Departed
It’s hard to watch, but God is starting to keep his dreadful promise against the house of Eli. How bad was the disaster? Is the Ark of the Covenant a lucky rabbit’s foot? We’ll find out in this lesson.
Lesson Five: The Glory Has Departed
Lesson Six: Raiders of the Lost Ark
It was a sign of just how far Israel had sunk when God’s people used the Ark of the Covenant as a good luck charm. That doesn’t mean God can’t use this as an opportunity to punish his enemies.
Lesson Six: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Lesson Seven: Samuel the Judge
What did an Old Testament Judge do? How did a Judge lead God’s people? You have a great example in Samuel in these verses. The Judge didn’t need to be a military leader, just God fearing.
Lesson Seven: Samuel the Judge
Lesson Eight: Israel Asks for a King
Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. When Samuel’s sons become corrupt Israel decides that they are ready for a change. They want a king.
Lesson Eight: Israel Asks for a King
Lesson Nine: Samuel Anoints Saul
Saul was anointed as the first king of Israel. What could go wrong? We’ll find out this morning as we dig into 1 Samuel 9.
Lesson Nine: Samuel Anoints Saul
Lesson Ten: Saul Made King
Saul is officially the first King of Israel. So why is he hiding in the baggage? Why did he think he could hide if he was a head taller than everyone else? In this lesson we’ll see how Israel responds to their first king.
Lesson Eleven: Saul Rescues His People
We have a hostage situation in Israel. It’s looking grim for God’s people. Who are you goona call? How about the new king? Will heads roll in the end?
Lesson Eleven: Saul Rescues His People
Lesson Twelve: Farewell Samuel
Goodbyes can be hard. Samuel knew that he was the last judge to rule God’s people. I think he also knew that Israel being ruled by a king would end in tears.
Lesson Twelve: Farewell Samuel
Lesson Thirteen: Samuel Rebukes Saul
Sometimes it’s hard to find a good weapon. It’s almost impossible when all the blacksmiths are gone. We’ll see that waiting – for King Saul – is the hardest part.
Lesson Thirteen: Samuel Rebukes Saul
Lesson Fourteen: Israel Strike Back
When things look grim, that’s right when our God likes to step in. That was true when Saul was king a thousand years ago and true now.
Lesson Fourteen: Israel Strikes Back
Lesson Fifteen: Bittersweet Battle
Have you ever said something that sounded good in your head, but after it crossed your lips, you realized how foolish it sounded? That’s what we find today in our bittersweet story.
Lesson Fifteen: Bittersweet Battle
Lesson Sixteen: Rejected by God
No one likes being rejected, but being rejected by God is literally soul crushing. We’ll look at the reasons behind this. Did Saul deserve this judgement? Could this ever happen to us?
Lesson Sixteen: Rejected by God
Lesson Seventeen: David Anointed
This was not a peaceful time in Israel. Tensions were on edge as the prophet walked into Bethlehem. Was he here for peace? Would Saul’s representatives be right behind him to cause more trouble? Trouble would come, but today we meet the new king.
Lesson Seventeen: David Anointed
Lesson Eighteen: David and Goliath
It has become a metaphor for an underdog. You hear it brought up in sports, politics, and even business. Anytime someone smaller and weaker goes against someone bigger and stronger, the phrase David and Goliath can be mentioned. This story was even included straight from Scripture in my public school English text book as a child. In this story God saves his people. One of the themes of Scripture is how God uses the weak to accomplish his goals.
Lesson Eighteen: David and Goliath
Lesson Nineteen: Saul’s Jealousy
You might think that Saul would be happy for David. He was enjoying success. And that meant Saul was enjoying success too! David was making Saul look good before God and God’s people. So why was Saul jealous?
Lesson Nineteen: Saul’s Jealousy
Lesson Twenty: Saul’s Jealousy II
Here we being the long and depressing account of King David running for his life. He is not king yet, so the fact that God had chosen him to be the next king of Israel may not be all that helpful. Watch as God’s plan works itself out.
Lesson Twenty: Saul’s Jealousy II
Lesson Twenty-One: David and Jonathan
No one could ignore Saul’s behavior towards David. He had to flee for his life. That meant leaving behind family and friends. This doesn’t sound like the fairytale one might think about for the next anointed king of Israel. Even so, God still works out his plan.
Lesson Twenty-One: David and Jonathan
Lesson Twenty-Two: David on the run
David flees for his life. There is nowhere safe in Israel. Sadly others get pulled into his feud with Saul. This chapter in David’s life could have been a source for some of the Psalms that he penned.
Lesson Twenty-Two: David on the Run
Lesson Twenty-Three: Saul Kills the Priests
Eighty-five priests lose their lives because a mad man is king of Israel. To make things worse, a whole town would suffer the same fate. May God always bless us with faithful rulers.
Lesson Twenty-Three: Saul Kills the Priests
Lesson Twenty-Four: David Saves Keilah
A town is threatened by an enemy, but David is on the run for his life, what can he do? God allows him to save the town and STILL get away with his life as he’s chased by a mad man for a king.
Lesson Twenty-Four: David Saves Keilah
Lesson Twenty-Five: David Spares Saul’s Life
If someone was trying to kill you AND you were the next anointed king over Israel, wouldn’t that give you the right to kill the person who is trying to take your life? It’s self-defense, after all. That’s not how David saw it.
Lesson Twenty-Five: David Spares Saul’s Life
Lesson Twenty-Six: David and the Fool
There are difficult people in every area of life. How do you deal with them? David has a hard time with his temper. We’ll see how the people around David save him from doing something he’ll later regret.
Lesson Twenty-Six: David and the Fool
Lesson Twenty-Seven: David Spares Saul’s Life AGAIN
How many times would David have a chance to stop this madness of running? It looks like more than once. David does not harm the Lord’s anointed ruler of Israel. God will have to take care of that himself.
Lesson Twenty-Seven: David Spares Saul’s Life AGAIN
Lesson Twenty-Eight: David Among the Philistines
David is on the run. Things are getting too hot in Israel so it’s time to head to the land of the Philistines again. Last time David acted like a mad man. How will he be able to hide out in enemy territory?
Lesson Twenty-Eight: David Among the Philistines
Lesson Twenty-Nine: Saul and The Witch of Endor
The nation is crumbling around you, God has left you years ago because of your sin, and David will take your place. What’s left for you to do? Reach out to a medium! This section raises more question than it answers and begins the dark end of Saul’s reign.
Lesson Twenty-Nine: Saul and The Witch of Endor
Lesson Thirty: David Gets Fired
David is about to be an a very awkward position – in battle against Israel on the side of the Philistines?! Just before that happens his situation changes dramatically. The Lord works in mysterious ways.
Lesson Thirty: David Gets Fired
Lesson Thirty-One: The End of King Saul
King Saul goes into battle one last time; he won’t come out alive. But King Saul isn’t the only one who will die in battle that day. There is another good friend of David’s who will also be called out of this world. It is a messy ending to 1 Samuel.
Lesson Thirty-One: The End of King Saul
