Nov. 02, 2025

Saints & Sinners

Samuel – Prophet, Priest & Judge

Primary Text: 1 Samuel 8:6-9, 18-22    

1) Return to the Lord

1 Samuel 7:2-6:  It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord.  And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”  So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths and served the Lord only.  Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the Lord for you.”  When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord.  On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”  And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah.

DQ 1) What does it mean to genuinely “return to the Lord”?

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2) Philistine Route

1 Samuel 7:7-13:  When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them.  And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.  They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.”  Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the Lord.  He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.  While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle.  But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites….  So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again.  Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 

DQ 2) What was Samuel’s primary leadership role in Israel?

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3)  Judge Over Israel 

1 Samuel 7:15-17:  Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life.  From year to year, he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.  But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel.  And he built an altar there to the Lord.

DQ 3) How important to a functional society is the rule of law and fairly meted justice?

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4) Sons of Samuel 

1 Samuel 8:1-5:  When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel.  The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.  But his sons did not walk in his ways.  They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.  So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.  They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

DQ 4) How did the sons of Samuel fail their father and their nation?

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5) King Saul

1 Samuel 8:6-9, 18-22:  But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.  And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.  As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.  Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.” … When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day.  But the people refused to listen to Samuel.  “No!” they said.  “We want a king over us.  Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”  When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord.  The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” 

DQ 5) What did it mean that the Israelites rejected the Lord as their king?

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