Bible study course
An advanced, collegiate, eight-lesson academic study of the Book of 1 Samuel, examining the historical and theological transition from the judges era to the United Monarchy, Hannah desperate prayer and prophetic song of divine reversal, Eli corrupt sons and the nocturnal call of Samuel, the capture of the Ark at Aphek, the humiliation of Dagon in Ashdod, the return of the Ark to Kiriath-jearim, the national repentance at Mizpah and the Ebenezer victory stone, Israel demand for a king and Samuel warning regarding the rights of the king, the secret anointing of Saul and the heroic rescue of Jabesh-gilead, Samuel covenant farewell address, Saul unlawful sacrifice at Gilgal, Jonathan daring faith at Michmash, the failure of the Amalekite herem and Samuel prophetic indictment ("To obey is better than sacrifice"), David secret anointing at Bethlehem where Yahweh looks on the heart, David therapeutic lyre at Saul court, the epic defeat of Goliath in the Valley of Elah, Jonathan covenant friendship, Saul homicidal jealousy and javelin assaults, Michal deception and the prophetic ecstasy at Naioth in Ramah, the covenant of chesed and the arrow signal at Ezel, David receiving the holy Bread of the Presence at Nob, gathering four hundred outcasts at the Cave of Adullam, Doeg brutal slaughter of eighty-five priests, the rescue of Keilah, David radical restraint in sparing Saul at En-gedi and Ziph, Nabal folly and Abigail peacemaking wisdom at Carmel, Saul terrified consultation of the medium at En-dor, and the tragic death of Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa honored by the valiant men of Jabesh-gilead.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 1:1 to 3:21, examining the transition from the chaotic judges era to the prophetic dawn of the monarchy. The study explores the barrenness and distressed vow of Hannah at the Shiloh tabernacle, her prophetic prayer of praise in 1 Samuel 2 proclaiming the reversal of human pride and the exaltation of Yahweh anointed, the severe moral and cultic corruption of Eli sons Hophni and Phinehas, the anonymous prophet oracle of doom upon the house of Eli, and the nocturnal call of the boy Samuel in the sanctuary, establishing him as Yahweh authenticated prophet from Dan to Beer-sheba.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 4:1 to 7:17, examining the Ark Narrative (1 Samuel 4 to 6) and the national revival at Mizpah. The lesson traces Israel superstitious manipulation of the Ark of the Covenant as a war talisman against the Philistines, the catastrophic defeat at Aphek with thirty thousand casualties, the sudden deaths of Hophni, Phinehas, and Eli, the birth of Ichabod ("The glory has departed"), the theological humiliation of Dagon in his own temple at Ashdod, the plagues of tumors and mice across the Philistine pentapolis, the return of the Ark on a driverless cart pulled by milk cows to Beth-shemesh, its twenty-year sanctification at Kiriath-jearim, and Samuel leadership in national repentance at Mizpah culminating in the victory stone Ebenezer.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 8:1 to 12:25, analyzing the pivotal sociopolitical transition from tribal theocracy to the monarchy. The study examines the failure of Samuel sons at Beer-sheba, Israel elders demanding a king "like all the nations," God interpretation of their request as a direct rejection of His kingship, Samuel prophetic warning regarding the rights of the king, the providential search for lost donkeys leading Saul to Samuel, the secret anointing with oil, the public lot-casting at Mizpah where Saul hides among the baggage, Nahash the Ammonite brutal siege of Jabesh-gilead, the Spirit of God empowering Saul to mobilize Israel for a stunning military rescue, and Samuel covenant farewell address accompanied by a harvest thunderstorm.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 13:1 to 15:35, examining the progressive spiritual and moral failure of King Saul leading to his irreversible rejection by Yahweh. The lesson analyzes Saul unlawful usurpation of the priestly office at Gilgal when faced with Philistine encirclement, the Philistine technological monopoly on blacksmithing, Jonathan daring faith and supernatural assault at the pass of Michmash, Saul foolish vow forbidding food and nearly executing his own son, the divine command to execute the holy ban (herem) upon the Amalekites, Saul disobedience in sparing King Agag and the best of the livestock, Samuel iconic prophetic indictment ("To obey is better than sacrifice"), the tearing of Saul robe symbolizing the torn kingdom, and Samuel execution of Agag at Gilgal.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 16:1 to 17:58, marking the canonical entrance of David, the shepherd king of Israel. The lesson examines Samuel grief over Saul, God commission to Bethlehem with a sacrifice, the foundational theological principle that "man looks on the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks on the heart," the anointing of the youngest son of Jesse and the rushing of the Holy Spirit upon him, the departure of the Spirit from Saul and his torment by a harmful spirit, David providential appointment as royal armor-bearer and therapeutic lyre musician, the Philistine challenge in the Valley of Elah, Goliath blasphemous defiance, David covenant indignation and refusal of Saul bronze armor, his declaration of divine holy war, the lethal sling strike sinking into the giant forehead, and the routing of the Philistines to Gath and Ekron.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 18:1 to 20:42, exploring the dramatic intersection of covenant loyalty and demonic paranoia. The lesson analyzes the covenant friendship forged between Jonathan and David, the celebratory women song attributing ten thousands to David, the ignition of Saul obsessive jealousy, his repeated attempts to spear David at court, the sinister schemes to kill David through Philistine dowries and Michal marriage, Michal daring deception using household idols (teraphim) to facilitate David escape, the prophetic ecstasy that disarmed Saul assassins and Saul himself at Naioth in Ramah, and the tearful covenant renewal between Jonathan and David sealed by the arrow signal in the field of Ezel.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 21:1 to 23:29, chronicling David fugitive wilderness wanderings as an outlaw. The study explores David desperate flight to the sanctuary at Nob, receiving the holy Bread of the Presence and Goliath sword from Ahimelech the high priest, the ominous presence of Doeg the Edomite, David feigned madness at Gath before King Achish, the gathering of four hundred distressed and indebted outcasts at the Cave of Adullam, securing asylum for his parents in Moab, Saul tyrannical rage under the tamarisk tree in Gibeah, Doeg horrific slaughter of eighty-five priests and the annihilation of the priestly city of Nob, Abiathar escape with the ephod, David heroic rescue of Keilah from Philistine threshing floor bandits, consulting the Urim and Thummim, and Jonathan final encouragement of David at Horesh before the narrow escape at the Rock of Division.
An academic study of 1 Samuel 24:1 to 31:13, culminating the first book of Samuel with the contrasting destines of David and Saul. The lesson analyzes David radical restraint in sparing Saul life in the dark cave of En-gedi and cutting only the hem of his robe, the death of Samuel, the narrative interlude of Nabal churlish folly and Abigail prophetic wisdom at Carmel, David second sparing of sleeping Saul in the wilderness of Ziph taking only his spear and water jug, David strategic exile in Philistine Ziklag, Saul terrifying isolation consulting the medium (witch) at En-dor, Samuel spectral summons from Sheol announcing Saul death, and the catastrophic defeat at Mount Gilboa where Saul and Jonathan fall, concluding with the brave night march of the men of Jabesh-gilead to rescue and honor the royal corpses.