9_1&2 Samuel

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1 and 2 Samuel Looking for a Covenant-Keeping King

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s date and authorship?

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What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content?

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How do 1 and 2 Samuel point us to Jesus and the NT?

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s date and authorship? •

Originally, 1 and 2 Samuel were a single book; they were divided in the Septuagint with the death of Saul in 1 Sam 31 to signal the break between the Saulide and Davidic kingdoms.

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Even though these books were named for Samuel, we do not believe that it is because he wrote them. After all, he dies in 1 Sam 25. •

They are likely named for Samuel because he is a key figure in the transition from Judges to Kings.

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s date and authorship? •

The books themselves are anonymous; the bulk of the material must have been composed after David’s reign was completed, but before 925 BC: •

1 Samuel 27:6: “Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.” However, Ziklag was conquered by the Egyptian Pharaoh Shishak in 925 BC. Hence, the book was likely written between 970 and 925 BC.

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s date and authorship? •

It was likely written for (at least) two purposes: •

To establish the principle of Davidic royal succession, presumably through Solomon (2 Sam 12:24-25), over against Saulide claims

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To establish the promise of the Davidic royal family building the temple on the land that David bought for that purpose.

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

There are, of course, other themes: central to Samuel’s narrative are the themes of covenant and kingship.

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From the time of the Exodus, God has been the true King of Israel: •

He came down and visited his people to deliver them (Exodus)

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He established his covenant with the first exodus generation; when they broke it, he brought judgment upon them and reestablished his covenant with the second generation (Exodus-Deuteronomy)

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He led his people Israel into the Promised Land and settled them in their inheritance, blessing them when they obeyed, judging and delivering when they disobeyed (Joshua-Judges)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

But with Israel’s defeat by the Philistines (1 Sam 4), there is a desire for a “king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Sam 8:19-20). •

This request for a king was not wrong in itself, but it showed the wrong priorities and it involved an implied criticism and rejection of God the King (1 Sam 8:7-8).

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God would agree to the request, but through Samuel attempt to establish a covenantal model of kingship.

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Israel’s kings would be blessed and successful as they obeyed the demands of the covenant, set forth in Deuteronomy; they would be judged, and unsuccessful if they broke the covenant.

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The great examples of this pattern would be Saul and David: Saul stands as the example of the covenantbreaking king; David the example of the covenantkeeping king.

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

This emphasis, then, sets the structure for the book (see outline).

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Before turning to the content, there are a four other patterns to notice: •

The relationship between Eli-Samuel (unfaithful/faithful priests), Saul-David (unfaithful/faithful kings)

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The songs: the book is framed by two major songs •

The Song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10)

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The Songs of David’s Deliverance and Last Words (2 Samuel 22-23:7)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Before turning to the content, there are four other patterns to notice: •

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The difference between Saul and David: •

Saul’s disobedience indicated a heart that despised the Lord and his Word— his failure to repent (13:13; 15:10-11, 17-26)

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David’s disobedience was met by immediate repentance, showing a heart that was sensitive the the Lord and his Word (2 Samuel 12:13)

The significance of the ark of the covenant •

Disobedient Israel loses the holy city, the place of worship, and the ark (1 Sam 4-7; but see 14:18)

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Obedient Israel gains a Holy City, a place of worship, and the ark (2 Sam 5-6)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Preparing for the Covenant-Keeping King (1 Sam 1-12) •

The miracle birth (1; Genesis 21, Luke 1-2)

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Hannah’s song (2:1-10; Luke 1:46ff)

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Samuel’s call (3)—Samuel and David’s qualifications come from an attendance upon God’s Word.

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Preparing for the Covenant-Keeping King (1 Sam 1-12) •

Irony: the desire for the king comes because Samuel’s sons are as bad as Eli’s (1 Sam 8:1-3)

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Alerts about the calling of the King (9-11):

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the King that is chosen is from Benjamin, not Judah; a false lead to prepare the people for the true King (9:1, 10:26)

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The King is chosen because he is handsome and tall (9:2; 10:24)

What the King should be: the Covenant-Keeping King (12:13-15)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Rejecting the Covenant-Breaking King (13-15) •

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Saul’s three failures (illustrative of his heart): •

Unlawful sacrifice (13:8-15)

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Rash vow (14:24-30; cf. Jephthah in Judges 11)

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Disobedient to God’s Word (15:3-10)

Saul is rejected; he will be replaced by a “man after God’s own heart” (13:13-14, 15:26-28).

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Raising up the Covenant-Keeping King (1 Samuel 16-2 Samuel 5:5) •

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Reassurances about David: •

From Judah (16:1)

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A man after God’s own heart (16:7)

Approved by a range of people and events (16-18)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Raising up the Covenant-Keeping King (1 Samuel 16-2 Samuel 5:5) •

Saul’s attempts to destroy David are rebuffed (ulimately by God himself) and Saul and Jonathan die.

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David becomes king and consolidates his reign over Israel (2 Samuel 2-5)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Ruling as the Covenant-Keeping King •

Central to 1 & 2 Samuel is the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7) •

The renewal of Abraham (and Adam’s) promises

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The promise of a forever Davidic King and Kingdom

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The promise of a temple where God will place his name (cf. 1 Chron 17:12)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

What was 1 and 2 Samuel’s structure and content? •

Judgment and mercy upon the Covenant-Keeping King (2 Sam 10-20) •

David is not the forever king—not just because of the bloodshed, but also because of his failure with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah (2 Sam 11)

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God’s judgment and mercy comes through confrontation and repentance—but there are still consequences: •

The loss of four children (the baby, Amnon, Tamar, Absalom).

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Rebellion against his rule—twice (Absalom, Sheba)

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Confusion about succession (which will carry over into Kings)

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

How do 1 and 2 Samuel point us to Jesus and the NT? •

Jesus fulfills God’s promise of a perfect CovenantKeeping King •

He is the Davidic King, in the direct line (Matt 1:1-17)

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He is the miracle child, born to a woman looking for God’s anointed one, the horn of salvation (Luke 1:46ff)

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Like Samuel, he combines prophet-priest; like David, he combines prophet-king.

Approaching 1 and 2 Samuel •

How do 1 and 2 Samuel point us to Jesus and the NT? •

Jesus fulfills God’s promise of a perfect Covenant-Keeping King •

He is the anointed one (Messiah), who has received the fullness of the Spirit for the purpose of rule (Matt 3:16; Luke 4:16-21)

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He fully keeps the demands of the Deuteronomic law

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He is the beloved Son who rules on David’s throne (2 Samuel 12:24-25; Matt 3:17)

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He lives forever, raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father.