Looking for Samuel

[JLG]

192) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- And Samuel had the opportunity to communicate with God through dreams!


- And it was at a time when God had not communicated with men for a long time because of the Israelites’ misconduct!


- And God tells Samuel his judgment against Eli and his sons!


- They will die!


- Thus he will learn that God is right but when you misbehave you must pay the price which can mean death!


- It often happened to the Israelites!


- They could have even been annihilated many times!


- And they never understood!

 

[JLG]

193) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- Eli and his sons are dead!


- The ark has been captured by the Philistines!


- The Israelites have been defeated by the Philistines!


- God strikes the Philistines till they send the ark back to Israel!


- The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley plain. When they raised their eyes and saw the ark, they were overjoyed at seeing it… So they chopped up the wood of the wagon, and they offered the cows as a burnt offering to God… The men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices on that day to God.


- Everything seems to be alright!


- Do you think so?


- Well, in fact, it’s the contrary, everything goes wrong!


- But God struck down the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked upon the Ark of God. He struck down 50,070 among the people, and the people began mourning because God had struck them down with a great slaughter.


- The Israelites did something which was wrong and they paid a high price as usual!


- And you call them a chosen people!


- And they never behave properly and they are struck all the time by God!


- Think about today!


- They definitely needed a man like SAMUEL to help them to follow God’s will and not man’s will!

 

[JLG]

194) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


A long time elapsed, 20 years in all, from the day of the Ark’s coming to Kiriath-jearim, and all the house of Israel began to seek after God. Samuel then said to all the house of Israel: “If you are returning to God with all your heart, put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth images from among you, and direct your heart unswervingly to God and serve only him, and he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”At that the Israelites got rid of the Baals and the Ashtoreth images and served only God.


- Always the same story!


- The Israelites always go after foreign gods!


- And they always get into trouble!


- And you call them a chosen people!


- Good luck!


- Maybe we don’t read the same Bible!


- And Samuel has to tell them what to do as if they didn’t know it!


- Come on!

- It’s ridiculous!


- They never learn!


- Even children could do better!

 

[JLG]

195) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- Then Samuel prays for Israel!


- And Samuel becomes a judge over Israel!


When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. So the Israelites said to Samuel: “Do not stop calling to God our God to help us and to save us from the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to God; and Samuel called to God for help in behalf of Israel, and God answered him. As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines advanced for battle against Israel. God now caused it to thunder loudly on that day against the Philistines, and He threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. At that the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down as far as south of Beth-car. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Jeshanah and named it Ebenezer, for he said: “Until now God has helped us.”Thus the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come again into the territory of Israel; and the hand of God continued against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.


- SAMUEL makes a sacrifice to God!


- SAMUEL calls to God for help!


- Then God defeats the Philistines!


- Then SAMUEL takes a stone as a memorial!


- And the hand of God continued against the philistines ALL THE DAYS OF SAMUEL!


- SAMUEL IS DEFINITELY THE CHOSEN ONE!

 

[JLG]

196) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


Also, the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. Samuel kept on judging Israel throughout his life. Each year he traveled in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. But he would return to Ramah, because his house was there, and there he also judged Israel. He built an altar there to God.


- Samuel was a real leader!


- And he would keep being a leader all the days of his life!


- Without SAMUEL Israel was nothing!


- They were completely unable to communicate with God!


- A CHOSEN MAN, NOT A CHOSEN PEOPLE!

 

[JLG]

197) God and Samuel / Samuel and God

When Samuel had grown old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they were inclined to pursue dishonest profit, they accepted bribes, and they perverted justice.


- When Samuel used to judge Israel, things were going well in Israel!


- In fact, we get a summary!


- We don’t know everything in detail!


- Things started to go wrong when he stopped judging Israel!


- His two sons replaced him as judges!


- But they didn’t follow their father’s path!


- We don’t have any information about how they were educated!


- We can be sure that Samuel’s job was a full-time job!

- He used to judge Israel all the time!


- And they were difficult people and a hard one to manage!


- It is strange to think that he could see what happened to Eli and his sons!


- And apparently, Samuel’s sons were extremely corrupted!


- Of course, we are responsible for our children!


- But when they become adults, they can decide which way they want to take!


- Bad company can play a negative part in educating children!


- unfortunately, we don’t have the information!

 

[JLG]

198) God and Samuel / Samuel and God

In time all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him: “Look! You have grown old, but your sons are not walking in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the other nations.” But it displeased Samuel when they said: “Give us a king to judge us.” Then Samuel prayed to God, and God said to Samuel: “Listen to everything the people say to you; for it is not you whom they have rejected, but it is I whom they have rejected as their king. They are doing just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day; they keep forsaking me and serving other gods, and that is what they are doing to you. Now listen to them. However, you should solemnly warn them; tell them what the king who rules over them will have the right to demand.”


- Samuel doesn’t say anything about his children!


- God doesn’t say anything about Samuel’s children!


- But Samuel’s sons are the cause of the Israelites asking for a human king!


- The most important thing is that the Israelites have rejected God as usual!


- God is clear about it: “They are doing just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day; they keep forsaking me and serving other gods, and that is what they are doing to you.”


- And you call that a chosen people? Not at all! No way!

- In fact, they have never served God with all their hearts!


- Only when they were in big trouble!


- But after a while they would go back as usual!


- It is a joke!


- Remember what God said to Daniel about Jerusalem: it was going to be rebuilt and destroyed again!


- Samuel was an exception!


- And as usual Samuel does according to God’s will!

 

[JLG]

199) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- The day will come when you will cry out because of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but God will not answer you on that day.”


- And you call that a chosen people !


- A people who never listens to his God and as a consequence God never answers them !


- If it wasn’t for faithful men like SAMUEL, God could have destroyed Israel so many times, so hearing people saying that Israel is still God’s chosen people, I have no words to express the shame they should have !


- But to be ashamed, you need to know what is shame !


- And when you read the Bible, you understand why they are not ashamed !


- And they are not alone !


- Many people are in their case !


- But that’s human history !


- You can’t change a world of losers !


- You can only change it and clean it !


- But there is so much work to do !

 

[JLG]

200) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


However, the people refused to listen to what Samuel told them, and they said: “No, we are determined to have a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, and our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles.” After Samuel heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the hearing of God. God said to Samuel: “Listen to them, and appoint a king to reign over them.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel: “Each of you should return to his city.”


- Stubborn they are, stubborn they stay!


- Even here they are wrong because they won’t be like all the other nations, they have always been!


- And they will stay a nation of losers defeated by their enemies except when God fights for them but not because of them!


- And SAMUEL tells the Israelites according to God’s will!


- But he was angry at them!

 

[JLG]

201) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


The day before Saul came, God had told Samuel: “Tomorrow about this time, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. You must anoint him as leader over my people Israel, and he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen the affliction of my people, and their outcry has reached me.” When Samuel saw Saul, God told him: “Here is the man of whom I said to you, ‘This is the one who will govern my people.’”


- Yes, and Saul was handsome and the tallest man in Israel !


- But he disobeyed God after a short while !


- And Samuel would get away from him because God rejected him !


- And he would be killed by the Philistines !


- And God chose David to replace him !

 

[JLG]

202) God and Samuel / Samuel and God




“This is what God the God of Israel says: ‘It was I who brought Israel up out of Egypt and who rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you. But today you have rejected your God who was your Savior out of all your evils and distresses, and you said: “No, you should appoint a king over us.” Now take your stand before God by your tribes and by your thousands.’”


- And God and Samuel used to speak with the same voice and the same mind !


- Except that Samuel expresses his anger all at once !


- With God, it takes time, but when the time has arrived, then his anger is multiplied to such an extent that it may be difficult to understand!


- Then you need to analyze the context!


- Revenge is a dish best served cold !


- Anger accumulates and accumulates !


- And men don’t understand that !


- They like it cold but then it’s burning !

 

[JLG]

203) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- Samuel beat the Ammonites!


- Then Samuel gives his last will to Israel!


Finally Samuel said to all Israel: “Here I have done all that you asked of me, and I appointed a king to reign over you. Now here is the king who is leading you!As for me, I have grown old and gray, and my sons are here with you, and I have led you from my youth until this day. Here I am. Testify against me before God and before his anointed one: Whose bull or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded or crushed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me look the other way? If I have, I will restore it to you.”To this they said: “You have not defrauded us or crushed us or accepted anything at all from anyone’s hand.” So he said to them: “God is a witness against you, and his anointed one is a witness this day that you have found nothing to accuse me of.” To this they said: “He is a witness.”


- Remember this expression: God is a witness against you!


- I would say God is a witness about Samuel’s faithfulness to him!


So Samuel said to the people: “God, who used Moses and Aaron and who brought your forefathers up out of the land of Egypt, is a witness. And now take your positions, and I will judge you before God in view of all the righteous acts that God has done for you and for your forefathers. “As soon as Jacob had come into Egypt and your forefathers began calling to God for help, God sent Moses and Aaron to lead your forefathers out of Egypt and to cause them to dwell in this place. But they forgot God their God, and he sold them into the hand of Sisʹe·ra the chief of the army of Haʹzor and into the hand of the Phi·lisʹtines and into the hand of the king of Moʹab, and they fought against them.


- Yes, they were in a hurry to forget God and they paid the price again and again and he would strike them again and again!


And they called to God for help and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have left God to serve the Baʹals and the Ashʹto·reth images; now rescue us out of the hand of our enemies so that we may serve you.’


- Do you see the difference with Job?


- Rescue us and we will serve you!


- What do you say? A chosen people? Not at all!

 

[JLG]

204) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


Then God sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel and rescued you from the hand of the enemies all around you, so that you could live in security. When you saw that Naʹhash, the king of the Ammonites, had come against you, you kept saying to me, ‘No, we are determined to have a king over us!’ even though God your God is your King. Now here is the king whom you have chosen, the one you asked for. Look! God has appointed a king over you. If you fear God and serve him and obey his voice and you do not rebel against the order of God, and both you and the king who reigns over you follow God your God, fine.


- What? Fear and serve and obey and not rebel and follow?


- It is always possible to dream!


- But for Israel it is impossible! They just do it when they are in big trouble and when they struggle for survival! But it never lasts!

 

[JLG]

205) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


But if you do not obey the voice of God and you rebel against the order of God, the hand of God will be against you and your fathers.


- That’s the problem!


- But in fact it’s not a problem when it is usual!


- Everybody must bear the consequences of one’s actions!


- It is fair enough!


- When someone dies because of his irresponsibility, you can’t expect anything else!


- Many people act in a bad way for their health, they don’t care, then they get into trouble, even death, they can’t complain afterwards!


- When it’s not your responsibility, that’s another story!


- God and Samuel have been warning Israel!


- And others before them!


- So that’s perfectly right!


- You can’t complain!

 

[JLG]

206) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


Now take your positions and see this great thing that God is doing before your eyes. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on God to make it thunder and rain; then know and understand what an evil thing you have done in the eyes of God in asking for a king for yourselves.”At that Samuel called to God, and God made it thunder and rain on that day, so that all the people were greatly in fear of God and of Samuel.


- Yes, God and Samuel show the same mind and spirit!


- Both according to God’s will!


- Discussion is impossible in front of facts!


- But it’s not the same with Israel!


And all the people said to Samuel: “Pray to God your God for your servants, as we do not want to die, for we have added to all our sins another evil by asking for a king.”


- Yes, it seems that God is Samuel’s God and not Israel’s God!


- Even the people say it!


- They need Samuel to pray for them not to die!


- What a chosen people!


- It’s not another sin, it’s a complete condemnation!

 

[JLG]

207) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


So Samuel said to the people: “Do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil. Only do not turn away from following God, and serve God with all your heart. Do not turn away to follow the empty things, which are of no benefit and cannot rescue, because they are empty.


- It seems to be that Samuel is saying: look at what you are going to do because you never listen, you are completely stubborn!


- They only know evil!


- They are only looking for empty things because they are empty!

 

[JLG]

208) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


For the sake of his great name, God will not abandon his people, for God has taken it upon himself to make you his people. As for me, it is unthinkable for me to sin against God by ceasing to pray in your behalf, and I will continue to instruct you in the good and right way. Only fear God, and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for see what great things he has done for you. But if you flagrantly do what is bad, you will be swept away, both you and your king.”


- Samuel keeps praying for Israel in spite of their bad deeds!


- Because it is God’s will!


- With all their heart!


- Well, they have no idea what it means!


- They don’t care at all!


- And God will sweep them away, both Israel and its king!

 

[JLG]

209) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- The philistines are hard-pressing the Israelites!


- Saul has been waiting for Samuel for seven days!


- It was a test!


- And Saul disobeyed God by offering a sacrifice to God whereas Samuel had to do it because he was the high priest!


- Saul has just offered his sacrifice when Samuel arrives!


- And Samuel tells Saul that he has acted foolishly!


- He has disobeyed God’s commandment!


- Thus God has rejected Saul!


- The first human king has just been chosen, then he is rejected by God!


- It means a lot of trouble for Israel!


- But they are used to it!


- They can’t avoid it!


- It’s in their blood!

 

[JLG]

210) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- Jonathan attacks the Philistines and later the Philistines kill each other!


- God gives the philistines in the hand of Israel!


- But Saul had told the Israelites not to eat!


- And Jonathan didn’t know it!


- So he eats some honey!


- Then the people keep striking the Philistines!


- And they get tired!


- And they kill animals with the blood!


- Thus they sin against God!


- So Saul stops them and he builds an altar!


- But it’s their usual way!


- The answer will come soon!

 

[JLG]

211) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- Saul wants to go after the Philistines!


- So he asks if he has God’s favor!


- But God doesn’t answer!


- Then Saul wants to kill his son Jonathan because he ate some honey!


- But the people refuse because he has started fighting against the Philistines and he is the initiator of their victory against the Philistines!


- So Saul stops pursuing the Philistines!


- Then Saul secures his kingship over Israel and fights against all his enemies!


- He spends all his days fighting against the Philistines!


- But the time has not come for him to die yet!