...The First Three Kings of Israel God heard the people of Israel when they cried out for a king. Saul was the “people’s choice.” He was tall and handsome, but he didn’t have what it took to be a great king. David was known as the “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14, NKJV). He was a much better king than Saul. Solomon was one of the wisest people in entire Bible, yet sin crept in and brought the downfall of Israel. God answered His people’s prayers for a king but none could have been more different from one another than Israel’s first three kings: Saul, David, and Solomon. The desire for a king was not new to the people of Israel. The Israelite people had cried out for a king in the past. Judges 8:22 says, “The Israelites said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, you, your son and your grandson, because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.’” Gideon had just wiped out the army of Midian. When his people asked him to be king, he wanted nothing to do with it, saying, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you” (Judges 8:23, NKJV). Their desire for a king was not necessarily wrong either. It had been foretold numerous times in the past that a king would rise up. In Genesis 17:6, God told Abraham that kings will come from him. Numbers 24:17 says, “I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel. I will crush the foreheads of Moab, ...
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...to be like the other nations that had a King to lead them into battle and give them rules to follow. Samuel went around looking for the candidate that the Lord was looking for eventually he found Saul. At the time when Samuel was searching a man named Saul was out searching for his father’s donkeys with his servant. During this time Saul and his servant saw Samuel out and they talked with him for a while once Saul’s servant left Samuel got word from the Lord saying that Saul was the chosen King Israel. “Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?...” in 1 Sam 10:1 Samuel anointed Saul as king of Israel and after that Saul went and prophesized to the people of Israel about what he would do as their king. As time passed Saul went into many battles against other tribes but in one battle in particular God gave Saul specific instructions about what he was to do in battle that day“….Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare the; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys” (1 Sam 15: 3) When Saul went into battle he killed many but spared King Agag and kept the fat animals. Since he didn’t follow the Lords instructions Samuel went to Saul and said that the Lord has rejected you as King (1 Sam 15:23). Saul was afraid of his men so he wanted to make sure they wouldn’t get mad with him if he...
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...while they wandered through the desert. Time and time again the Israelites had chosen to go their own way instead of following the orders God gave. This cycle occurred again during the time of Samuel. During this time the people said, “Give us a king to judge us.” (Samuel 8:6) Even after Samuel had advised the people against having a king appointed, they decided that their way ultimately better than God’s way. God did not fight them, even though He knew the destruction that it would bring, instead He did what they asked. God had a plan for Israel, but the people had decided that God’s way was not efficient enough and that they knew how to govern themselves more efficiently. Saul was everything the Israelites could have wanted in a king; he was tall, good looking, and would triumph in many battles. When Saul first became king he followed God’s...
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...Israel and its Kings Introduction Israel demands a king. * An aged leader was one of the reasons for demanding new leadership (1 Samuel 8:1). Samuel had grown old, and apparently his age was beginning to affect his ability to lead the nation. It appeared he would not live much longer and the people feared that the nation might slip back into the lawless days. A corrupt leadership and judicial system was a reason for demanding a new system of government (1 Samuel 8:2-3). Because of his age, Samuel had appointed his two sons to succeed him: Joel, which means "the Lord is God," and Abijah, which means "my father is the Lord." With Samuel as their father, they had received a godly upbringing. But they lived hypocritical lives: they did not follow in the steps of their father. They turned away from God and became greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. In determining controversial cases, they accepted bribes and ruled in favor of the oppressor or guilty party. This wickedness reminded the people of Eli's two sons, and they feared returning to the lawless, corrupt days of the judges. Thus, a desire arose within the people for new leadership, the leadership of a king. A desire to be like the surrounding nations was another reason the Israelites requested a king (1 Samuel 8:4-5). Note that the tribal leaders of Israel gathered together and traveled to Ramah. In conference with Samuel, they laid out their three reasons for desiring a king: Samuel was old...
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...human king to rule over them.1 God desired for the nation of Israel to be set apart and for He, Himself, to be their King (Leviticus 20:26). At the people’s insistence, God relented, stepped outside of His will, and allowed them a human king.2 Desiring a king outside of God’s will and the covenant disobedience of those kings would come at a price for both Israel and her kings of the United Monarchy Period. Near the end of his life, the aging prophet, priest, and judge, Samuel, appointed his sons, Joel and Abijah, to be judges (1 Samuel 8:1). They were corrupt and unjust (1 Samuel 8:3). The people of Israel, wanting to be like her neighbors, thought having a king to rule over them would be better than having corrupt judges.3 Israel also wanted a king to lead them in battle. Good looking, tall, with even a regal air, Saul possessed many kingly traits and appeared to be the embodiment of what a nation would want in a king. He was from a wealthy family, with a good name, from the tribe of Benjamin, and he showed strong military leadership. For these reasons he was the people of Israel’s choice as king. God knew Saul’s appearances, however, hid many character flaws.2 With Israel pressing for a king even after Samuel gave them God’s warning, God relented, stepped outside of His divine will, and allowed Israel to have Saul as their first king. Saul’s poor ability to lead quickly became evident when, before battle, usurping Samuel’s priestly authority, Saul himself performed...
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...11/13/2015 King David Introduction King David is one of the most popular leaders of Israel in the Old Testament. Also, King David was a skillful warrior who killed Goliath the most feared fighter on the Philistine side. At the age of thirty David ruled the great nation of Israel for forty years between the years 1010 and 970 BC. King David revolutionized leadership, worship as well as the lifestyle of the Israelites. His wisdom was admirable, and it is disputed that he got it from reading various books in the Old Testament including 1st Samuel, 1st Kings and Chronicles (Wolpe, 2014). These books were written by the prophets that lived before him. King David was the last born to his family, and his father Jesse was from the tribe of Judah. Leadership was in his blood as he came from Ruth's lineage who was a Moabite. The Lord chose him to be king after he was anointed by Prophet Samuel. This paper gives a comprehensive evaluation of some of the key events in King David's life chronologically. Background King David's ascent to power was difficult as he faced major challenges for the first part of his life running away from King Saul. This being said, his faith in God was strong and saw him conquer all the difficulties he faced. His life struggles made him one of the most liked opeople in Israel way before he was chosen as king. When he was sixteen, he killed Goliath in the war against the Philistines. This made him popular with the masses as it was believed that it was his...
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...The nation of Israel, or God’s chosen people, had every opportunity to set themselves apart from other nations. Israel had a covenant relationship with God, which means Israelites only had to live holy lives to receive God’s blessings. The book of Judges describes the cycle of the Israelites forsaking God and then Him raising up judges to bring them to repentance. After this time of uprising, and sorrow, the cycle would begin again. Just like the situation of Israel, Christians have the opportunity to set themselves apart from others. In my opinion, it is of utmost importance to look to God for leadership, and to learn from the lives of others, like Saul, David, and Solomon. It is common, in the human experience, to look for leadership. This was the case of the Israelites during the time of the prophet Samuel, who lived during the time of the Judges. In the fifth verse of the book of 1 Samuel chapter eight, the people of Israel said to Samuel , “….Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have” (Holman Christian Standard Bible). God’s chosen people, in this verse, made it known that they desired to be like everyone else. God gave the nation of Israel what they desired and told Samuel, “Appoint a king for them” (1 Sam 8:22). The reasoning behind why peoples may choose their leader is not infallible. For example, sometimes a leader may be chosen because his physical appearance is more appealing than his competitor. This was proven during the...
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...observed in one man that would represent Israel. Samuel tried to warn them of what a King would do to their lives, and told them that God was their King, but it was ignored. Samuel took their request and repeated it to the Lord. God answered, “Listen to them, and give them a king.” (I Samuel 8:22, NIV). Instead of being set apart as a nation for God, they coveted what other nations had. They rejected God. Samuel was now searching for a man that God chose and would send to him. When Samuel caught sight of Saul the Lord said, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people” (I Samuel 9:17, NIV). Unaware that God made the choice, Israel was elated when Samuel presented Saul as their King. They were impressed with him physically, yet knew nothing of his heart. The Bible describes Saul as, “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites – a head taller than any of the others” (I Samuel 9:2, NIV). The events surrounding the selection of Saul for King demonstrate that he was the...
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...| Caleb Johnson | Old Testament Personality – David: A Man after God’s Own Heart | CSBS 1311-08 Old Testament StudyDr. Paul StriplingUniversity of Mary Hardin-Baylor | | Every sense the creation of the world, God has called specific men and women to lead and rule over land and people. For centuries people have been intrigued and captivated by the stories of powerful leaders throughout the history of the world. Powerful leaders such as The Great Pharaohs of Egypt and Chinese emperor Qín Shǐ Huáng continue to capture our attention. Even mystical stories or legends about great kings, such as the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, still have an incredibly firm grasp on our curiosity. One of the most popular and powerful kings ruled over 3,000 years ago. The story of the great ruler of Israel, King David, has continuously been a measuring stick by which leaders are measured and compared to. King David’s impact was not only present during his time period but is still evident now, in our very lives. What about David makes his life so interesting? What made him such a great leader that people still study his life in order to learn more about affective leadership? These are just a couple of the questions people ask to try to understand the cause of the impact that King David made then, and is still making today. One of the very important aspects of King David, that is typically overlooked, is that of his Spiritual gift. Spiritual gifts...
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...observed in one man that would represent Israel. Samuel tried to warn them of what a King would do to their lives, and told them that God was their King, but it was ignored. Samuel took their request and repeated it to the Lord. God answered, “Listen to them, and give them a king.” (I Samuel 8:22, NIV). Instead of being set apart as a nation for God, they coveted what other nations had. They rejected God. Samuel was now searching for a man that God chose and would send to him. When Samuel caught sight of Saul the Lord said, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people” (I Samuel 9:17, NIV). Unaware that God made the choice, Israel was elated when Samuel presented Saul as their King. They were impressed with him physically, yet knew nothing of his heart. The Bible describes Saul as, “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites – a head taller than any of the others” (I Samuel 9:2, NIV). The events surrounding the selection of Saul for King demonstrate that he was the...
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... The following will explore three kings of the Bible: Saul, rejected by God for his disobedience; David, and the greatness of his reign; and finally Solomon, whose sin eventually split the kingdom. In the time of Samuel, the Israelites desired a king and said, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have” (1 Sam. 8:5 [NIV]). In 1 Samuel 8, Samuel warns the Israelites of the consequences of their request. Still they refused to listen to him and demanded a king. “‘No!’ they said. ‘We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles’” (1Sam. 8:19-20 [NIV]). Israel demanded a king because of their lack of faith in God as their King; wanting to be like the other nations and have a physical human king to rule the nation, therefore rejecting the one and only King. The Bible gives clear direction, “Ask and it will be given to you…” (Matt. 7:7 [NIV]). The people of Israel wanted to select a king; God heard their plea and gave them what they requested. Saul was chosen by God because He heard their cry (1 Sam. 9:16 [NIV]). Furthermore, Saul was confirmed by the people simply because of his physical stature. The decision was solidified when Saul was victorious in defeating Nahash, who threatened the people of Jabesh Gilead. Samuel again warned the people and Saul that if they obey the Lord, that is good; but if not the...
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...David can be considered by many as one of the greater kings of Israel. There are numerous reasons for his success but most of all he was a man of God, he was chosen by God from an early age, and he was humble. Saul lost favor from God because he began to ignore God’s requests because of own selfish gains. He deliberately disobeyed God’s demand to destroy all Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:18). Because he no longer acted within God’s limits as king, he was stripped of favor. Saul’s disobedience required Samuel to deliver God’s message to the person that would replace Saul as king. The prophet Samuel delivered God’s message to David that he would one day be king and rule over God’s people while Saul was still ruling the kingdom (1 Samuel 16:1-13). I believe David had such a prosperous reign as king because he was truly a man of God. David was not a man of great stature and many would look at him as if he had no worth. Regardless of how man felt about David’s ability, God chose him to do great things. Unlike man, God is not concerned with outward appearances as much as he is concerned about the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Even when times were hard for David and he could not see God’s plan, he did not turn to the Lord and question his life but rather constantly sought council and gave praises. David was truly chosen by Christ from an early age and gained favor from him. God never let David falter even when it may seem like David lost favor in the beginning. David’s many years of being a...
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...Biblical Worldview on: During the time of Samuel In the times of Samuel there were many events that occurred. I will be covering: Israel desiring a king, Saul being chosen as King and then getting rejected by God, David displaying attributes of a better king, Solomon choosing to continue in sin that led to the division of Israel after his death. Israel’s desire for a king was a turning point in their history. Although their desire for a king existed well before the time of Samuel. In Judges 8:22 which states “The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son and your grandson – because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” (NIV) New circumstances arose when greater order and unity was a result of Samuels labors’. The misconduct of his sons and the surrounding nations threatening Israel. Thus causing them to become stronger and more general. The elders came together and simply expressed what the heart of the people had been set upon. “So all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah.” (1 Samuel 8:4 NIV) The object of their desire wasn’t essentially wrong for it had been foretold that kings should rise in Israel. The fundamental principle of the theocracy was “God was their King” it wasn’t intended to supersede the Divine authority of God. The transition was in one aspect from a higher order of things to that much lower. Intending to set God in the background. The sinfulness of their hearts desire consisted in the king they...
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...Through Samuel, God told the Israelites that he pretty much had other plans. Although, like most humans, they didn’t understand why God was doing what he was doing. Why didn’t God just give them a king like all the other nations? The Israelites didn’t think God was a good enough king for them and wanted someone else to be appointed as king. Proverbs 16:9 says “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” I think this verse displace what happens perfectly. Eventually God decided to give the Israelites what they wanted but God still had a plan. Saul was the perfect king, or so the Israelites thought. He was a strong, attractive man and a brave warrior but Saul and the Israelites did not want to listen to God. The Essence of the Old Testament page 166 state “Saul’s disobedience in the following divine command of exterminating Amalekites cause Yahweh to reject him as king.” Saul was disobedient! Saul did not listen or trust God. 1 Samuel 13:8-14 says “he broke his commandment with the Lord by offering the burt offering instead of waiting for...
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...Zebulan Dula First Year Book Report 2 11/07/12 Reflections On The Bait of Satan In Luke 17:1, Jesus says, “It is impossible that no offenses should come.” The bait of Satan is basically offense. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 says, “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” This scripture makes it clear that when we bit the bait, there is only one outcome, and that is that we are doing the will of Satan. Offense takes many different forms, so here are some common offense causing situations: Someone says or does something against our sense of justice, then We feel we are owed something as a result. Something good happens to someone else, and we feel the need to justify ourselves, perhaps finding something good that we’ve done or experienced as well, completely missing the opportunity to rejoice with our friend. Someone overlooks something you did, and you feel you deserve recognition. It is important to recognize that offense can be either real or perceived, but either way it is just as powerful in its hold upon our hearts. In The Bait Of Satan John Bevere makes its clear that we must recognize is that offense is always a choice. In the same way that two people can be in the same situation...
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