Today we begin a new series, on 1 and 2 Samuel, especially looking at David. From shepherd boy to King. A King after God’s own heart.
For the last 4 years we have done a series focusing on one big book of the Old Testament, so today we will have a little catch up on the story so far. For the bible is one big story book.
We began in Genesis when God created the world and it was good, he created human beings, and it was very good. However, the humans chose to disobey God and by chapter 3 of the bible we read of what has become known as “the fall”. God gave humans freedom to follow him or not. As they chose to follow their own desires and be led astray by the devil, the perfect relationship with God was broken. The rest of the Old Testament documents how God was forever desiring to restore the relationship, for humans to turn to and follow him alone, while the humans continually rebelled against God.
In the early days there were periods of absolute chaos and debauchery, and so God sent a flood to cover the whole earth, choosing Noah and his family to in a sense begin again. But this did not work. Sin and evil continue.
Later he called a man called Abram and his wife Sarai to be his chosen people, to make a nation that would follow him and be a blessing to the other nations.
Luke is going to share about the special covenant God made with Abram…
(Luke’s kids talk followed with song “Father Abraham”)
What a huge promise God made to Abraham and Sarah who were barren. They had to put their trust in him. Eventually Isaac is born…then he has twins Jacob and Esau. Jacob has 12 sons who become the heads of the tribes of Israel. Hopefully you remember the story of Joseph and how the family end up in Egypt, which was good for a while until the Israelites become too numerous and a new Pharoah feels threatened and turns them into slaves.
The following year we studied Exodus and the story of Moses and how God raised him up to lead the Israelites out of slavery to the promised land. We noted how this story pointed to Jesus who would come to free all people from slavery to sin.
The Israelites were stubborn people, who continually grumbled and disobeyed God and ended up wandering around the desert for 40 years!
The next year we read Joshua who God raised up as Moses successor to finally lead his people into the promised land. There are good moments, but they still fail to fully obey God and are continually tempted by the idols and culture of other nations.
Last year we read the rather difficult, and sometime amusing stories of Judges. When God raised up Judges to deliver his people from their enemies. You might remember the pattern that was evident throughout this book. The Israelites would sin and do evil in the sight of the Lord, they would be captured and ruled over by their enemies, then they would call out to the Lord and he would raise up a judge to rescue them, there would be a period of peace, then they would fall back to their sinful ways, be captured by their enemies, call out to God and so on…
(During the time of Judges there is a lovely story in the little book of my namesake Ruth, where we read that there were good and kind people, faithful to God- even in the dark times there is light.)
At the end of the book of Judges we read this final verse, In those days Israel had no King and everyone did as he saw fit.
This brings us to the books of Samuel. Initially it was just one book. I encourage you to be reading along over the next 8 weeks as we will not be covering every chapter. It is a story to be read as a whole.
The books are named after Samuel, the person God used to establish the Kingship in Israel.
The first couple of chapters we read of the birth of Samuel – his origins have a familiar theme – his mother had been unable to conceive, and God answered her prayer. Hannah devotes Samuel to the Lord’s service, and she sings a song of praise to God. This song is like Mary’s song after the visitation of the angel Gabriel telling her she would bear God’s son.
Samuel is like the final judge and deliverer of Israel and is the divinely ordained leader to anoint Israels first 2 Kings chosen by God.
We will now hear our reading from 1st Samuel chapter 8 and chapter 11, where the Israelites ask Samuel for a King…
Despite their rejection of God as their King, God gives them their request. However, their King is to be different from the King’s of other nations. Their King is to sit under the Kingship of God and be his agent. If you read the beginning of chapter 11, you will see that Saul’s inauguration as King is in the context of repentance and a renewal of their allegiance to the Lord. It is in the context of covenant.
The King and the Israelites were to recognize the Lord as their ultimate sovereign and remain obedient to him. (Song: As the Deer Pants)
Saul starts off well but fails to completely obey and follow the Lord. The Lord then raises David as king, one after his own heart.
We will read over the coming weeks that David was not perfect either. But his Kingship points forward to the one who is perfect, one who came to earth, born of David’s line, as the servant King, to give his life that all who believe in him will be free from slavery to sin, and experience abundant and eternal life. He is the one that Samuels mother Hannah points to as to do the prophets throughout the Old Testament. Jesus is the answer to restore God’s people from a broken to a whole relationship with him as he desired and created way back in the beginning of Genesis.
The Israelites sought a King like the other nations, an earthly King to lead them in battles against their enemies. Many years later the Israelites were still looking for their chosen King to defeat their enemies, the Romans. As we’ll hear now from the gospel of John chapter 12…
The story of the entry into Jerusalem, illustrates Jesus as a humble King riding on a donkey. The people were disappointed.
But we know the end of the story. How Jesus died and rose again and is seated at the right hand of God. King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The question for us today and always is- will we follow King Jesus? Will we invite him to rule in our hearts and lives?
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus, we acknowledge you as our Sovereign King. May we put our trust completely in you. May you speak to us and challenge us through your word in the books of Samuel over these coming weeks. In your name Amen.