Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 8 Samuel spent most of his years in the usual work of his office. He traveled throughout Israel as a judge to the people. He taught them the law of the LORD and to continually trust in the LORD. The revival at Beth-shemesh was not an everyday occurrence. Yet Samuel continued with his work as God’s servant to His people (7:15-16). Ever…
Call to Worship May 2 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 7 After disobedience, chastisement, and frowning providence, “Israel lamented after the LORD” (1 Samuel 7:2). They lost the Ark, which represented the loss of God’s presence. They lost favor with YAHWEH in defeat to the Philistines according to their sin. They lost recognition of their singular reliance in all of heaven and earth. So many years were spent in idolatry and all…
Call to Worship April 25 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 6:13-7:1 The Israelites were frightened because the glory of God had departed from Israel (4:13). Yet they had not fully understood the awfulness of their sin against God. They walked in thoughtless opposition to the LORD’s commandments and precepts (6:19). When the Ark of God was returned they did offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, but they did not carefully consider all…
Call to Worship April 18, 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 5 & 6:1-12 After the Israelites lost their battle to the Philistines in Ch. 4, and those Gentiles captured the Ark of God, it would be natural to think that the next chapter will consider the plan of the Israelites to retrieve the Ark of God. Yet, the scripture reveals that God made known His presence, power, and dominion over all situations,…
Call to Worship April 11 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 4:1b-22 The time for battle was fast approaching as Israel camped near Ebenezer. The Philistines were camped near Aphek and they were prepared for the encounter. As they attacked and moved forward, Israel was defeated. The leaders of Israel could not understand the defeat and asked why the LORD had done it. Instead of thinking about the Lord’s word, they invoked His…
Call to Worship April 4, 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 3 thru 4:1a The people of Israel lived in difficult times and not just economically or politically. The word of the LORD was rare in the days of Eli. Israel spent time worshipping false gods with little consideration of their idolatry and hypocrisy. Samuel would be the one to call them to repentance (1 Samuel 7:3-4). Before Samuel would rise to this…
Call to Worship March 28 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 2:11-36 These passages reveal the justice and faithfulness of God amid all the circumstances of life. Also, they contrast the ideas of trust, obedience, and blessing with unbelief, disobedience, and judgement. Furthermore these verses tell of the consequences of sin in an immediate and future context. Eli’s sons were thoughtless unbelieving men (vs. 12), and even worse, they sowed their seeds of…
Call to Worship March 21 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 1:20-2:10 Hannah gave birth to a son and this gift from God reminds us of His power and grace. After Hannah weaned her son she returned to Shiloh to offer sacrificial worship unto the LORD. Her son’s name was in reference to Hannah’s prayer. Samuel refers to the idea of asking, or a petition (Davis, pg. 21). She dedicated Samuel to the…
Call to Worship March 14, 2021
Expository Thoughts on 1 Samuel 1:1-18 1 Samuel opens with an introduction of a man with a fair amount of financial means and a lineage from the line of Levi. Elkanah was a devoted man to the Lord in sacrifice and worship, including leading his family to take part in the yearly sacrifice at Shiloh. Yet, his family life is far from perfect. Although he has two…
Call to Worship March 7 2021
In preparation for worship please read the scriptures in the Order of Worship. Also read Matthew 5-7 referred to as The Sermon on the Mount, it takes ten minutes or less to read through it, depending on how many times you pause to think. After you read it, you may note some verses and phrases that you desire to consider with more thought. Hopefully, the preaching over time will…