Rise Of The Kings The Books of I & II Samuel

I Samuel 28:3-31:13

“The Death of Saul”

Announcements

I and II SamuelWeek Date Topic

1 07 Mar 12 Samuel’s Call: 1 Samuel 1:1-4:1a

2 14 Mar 12 The Ark Narratives: 1 Samuel 4:1b-7:17

3 21 Mar 12 Israel Demands a King: 1 Samuel 8-12

4 28 Mar 12 The Decline of Saul: 1 Samuel 13-15

5 04 Apr 12 David – God’s Anointed: 1 Samuel 16-19

6 11 Apr 12 Saul’s Rejection of David: 1 Samuel 20:1-28:2

7 18 Apr 12 The Death of Saul: 1 Samuel 28:3-31:13

8 25 Apr 12 David Becomes King: II Samuel 1-6

9 02 May 12 The Davidic Covenant: II Samuel 7-10

10 09 May 12 Senior Blessing

11 16 May 12 David’s Moral Failure: II Samuel 11-14

12 23 May 12 Absalom’s Rebellion: II Samuel 15:1-19:8a

13 30 May 12 David Returns to Jerusalem: II Samuel 19:8b-24

Today’s Objectives• Review last week’s lesson, historical background,

and timeline for the books of I and II Samuel

• Review historical maps of Israel and the region

• Read chapter I Samuel 28:3-25, review 29-30, read 31

• See how Saul received disappointing news through a medium

• Consider how the consequences of Saul’s disobedience finally caught up with him

• Renew our commitment to know and follow the will of God

Historical Background• Samuel named as the primary author

– Samuel was the 13th (or 15th) judge of Israel– Nathan of Gad wrote about David’s life (1 Chron 29:29)– Abiathar, high priest, may have wrote later chapters

• Existed as one book until translated into Greek around 300-200 B.C.

• Written between 931 B.C. and 722 B.C. and covered the period from 1080-950 B.C. or 130 years

• Imperialistic void– Hittite and Egyptian empires had fallen more than a century

earlier

– Smaller kingdoms like the Ugarit had disintegrated as well

Historical Background• Transition period in Israel’s history

– Conclusion of a great famine in the land (see Ruth 1:1)– After the exodus, end of the period of the judges, and

beginning of the monarchy – Israel had disintegrated morally, spiritually, politically

• Chapter 29-31 Key Events– Saul, disguised, visits a medium at Endor– Asks her to pull invoke the spirit Samuel– Samuel appears and delivers news of Saul and his sons

death– Philistines attack and defeat Israel– Saul and three of his sons die

Palestine in Palestine in Saul’s TimeSaul’s Time

Saul Visits the Medium at Endor (28:3-14)

• Philistines preparing to attack Israel again– Philistines camped in the Valley of Jezreel– Israeli army camped in Gilboa (28:4-5)– Saul sensed the imminent attack– Saul would normally have turned to Samuel (28:3)

• Saul decides to try to contact Samuel through a medium– Saul had expelled all mediums (28:3)– Already tried to inquire of God by several means (28:6)– Saul learns of a medium working in Endor– Decides to put on ordinary clothes and consult with the

medium (28:7-8)

• Saul consults with the medium at Endor– The medium does not know it is Saul– Saul asks her to call up a spirit, that of Samuel (28:8-11)– She fears that it may be a trap– The medium calls for Samuel

• God permits the spirit of Samuel to appear– Medium knew immediately that it was Saul (28:12)– Saul bows down to honor Samuel (28:13-14)– Perhaps God allowed Saul one last audience with Samuel

Saul Visits the Medium at Endor (28:3-14)

Samuel Pronounces Judgment UponSaul (28:15-25)

• Samuel speaks to Saul– Samuel rebukes Saul– Samuel was not pleased to be disturbed (28:15)– Broken his fellowship with Saul because of disobedience– Similar to Jesus’ parable about the rich man and Lazarus

• Saul complains to Samuel– Philistines will be attacking and God has turned away– God is doing what he had predicted (28:17 and 15:28)– Saul’s failure to do as instructed (28:18 and 15:7-26)– Saul and his sons would die (28:19)– Israel would belong to the Philistines

I Samuel 29-30 In Brief• David joins the Philistine army to fight the Israelites

– At the same time, Philistine commanders feared David and his men would turn on them

– Achish, the Philistine king, expressed support for David– Achish listened to his advisors and sent David and his

men back to Ziklag

• David arrives back at Ziklag– City was plundered and all families were gone– Taken by the Amalekites (who should have been

destroyed by Saul)– David and his men pursue and defeat the Amalekites– Families return to Ziklag– David honors the elders of Judah with gifts (30:26)

Battles of Gilboa

• Battle of Kishon– Deborah and Barak defeat Sisera (Judges 4-5)

• Battle of Jezreel– Gideon’s 300 defeat the Midian army (Judges 7)

• Battle of Mount Gilboa (I Sam 31:1-7)– Philistines defeat Israel– Saul and three sons are killed

• Battle of Megiddo (II Kings 23:29)– Pharaoh Necho defeats Israel– King Josiah is killed

Saul Takes His Own Life (31:1-13)• Philistines attack Israel

– Valley of Jezreel– Israel easily defeated in vicinity of Mount Gilboa (31:1)– Three of Saul’s four sons are killed (31:2, 6)– Only Ish-Bosheth remained (critical historical note)

• Saul wounded and then kills himself– He did not want to be captured by the Philistines– Kills himself by falling on his sword (31:3-5)– Israelites flee – Philistines display Saul’s body for all to see (31:7-10)– Men of Jabesh Gilead remove the bodies, cremated the

remains, and buried the bones that remained (31:11-13)

Review• Reviewed last week’s lesson, historical background,

and timeline for the books of I and II Samuel

• Reviewed historical maps of Israel and the region

• Read chapter I Samuel 28:3-25, review 29-30, read 31

• Saw how Saul received disappointing news through a medium

• Considered how the consequences of Saul’s disobedience finally caught up with him

• Renewed our commitment to know and follow the will of God