Questions

Scriptural Reflection
1 Samuel 10:9–27

This week we will continue the study of the entire Book of 1 Samuel in the Old Testament.

(1) Before God changed Saul’s heart, what might be his attitude toward this sudden calling and anointing to be the king of God’s people?

(2) Why was it necessary for this would-be king of God’s people to be come upon by the Spirit of God and to prophesy? How important was it that the people recognized this would-be king as among the prophets? (v. 12)

(3) Why did Saul hide the matter of kingship from his uncle at this point? Was it a case of faithlessness, or prudence (in that he understood that such an important matter should more appropriately be announced by God through Samuel to the public)?

(4) While the appointment of Saul as king was a certainty, why did Samuel still choose to rebuke the people before introducing Saul to them?

(5) Since God had already made clear His choice to Samuel, and in fact had him anoint Saul in private, why did Samuel still use the process of (mostly likely) lot-drawing to come up with Saul? What if he announced God’s choice of Saul outright? What might be the difference?

(6) Since God had changed his heart already, why did Saul still choose to hide it?

(7) Even Samuel seemed to approve of God’s choice based on man’s standard. What do you think? (v. 24)

(8) While the Bible does not explain the regulations concerning this new kingship, see if you can think of three main regulations that would safeguard a kingship that submits to the law of God?

(9) Read 8:10ff to see the potential abuse of the kingship, and Deuteronomy 17:14-20 to see what Moses has already laid down in the law in this respect.

(10) How did God affirm His choice of Saul in v. 26?

(11) How did Saul handle his first opposition as a king? Why?

(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
1 Samuel 11:1–15

(1) Why would the Ammonites agree to give the people of Jabesh Gilead time to find help?

a. Were they overconfident? Or

b. Could they avoid unnecessary casualties of their own?

c. How does it reflect the pitiful image of Israel in the eyes of the surrounding nations during the time of the judges?

(2) Irrespective of their reason, how did Saul react to the news?

(3) From what he did, what “change” had he gone through? (10:6)

(4) His call to battle was marked by these words, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel” (v. 7):

a. Why didn’t he threaten to cut apart those who would refuse to follow him, instead of threatening only their oxen?

b. Why did he include the name of Samuel in this call?

(5) What was the outcome of the battle?

(6) What did Saul, the people and Samuel learn respectively from the result of this battle?

(7) How did Saul treat those who initially opposed him? What does this tell us about the character of king Saul?

(8) Why did Samuel choose to re-affirm the kingship of Saul right after this event?

(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
1 Samuel 12:1–25

After the final affirmation of Saul as the king of Israel upon the defeat of the Ammonites, Samuel gave a heart-felt parting speech to the people, officially ending the era of the Judges:

(1) Vv. 1-5: Samuel began his speech with a call to witness his integrity as their judge:

a. Why did he have to do this. Was it for his own sake or for the people’s?

b. Using the language of I Timothy 3, we can say that the life of Samuel was above reproach (3:2). Is it still an essential quality of today’s leaders, especially in the church? Why or why not?

(2) Vv. 6-11: Samuel gave a synopsis of their past trouble and failures, and God’s faithfulness from their time in Egypt to the time of the Judges:

a. In this brief recount, what were the marks of their past?

b. Why did Samuel have to bring them up at this time?

(3) Vv. 12-15: The unchanging principle

a. According to Samuel, what prompted them to ask for a king?

b. What then was their desire behind such a request?

c. Would the appointment of a king over them necessarily secure victories for them? Why or why not?

d. What, then, is the reality that will never change concerning the fate of their nation?

(4) Vv. 16-19: The occurrence of thunder and rain during the wheat harvest (see Note below) was certainly both a miracle and a stern warning. Why didn’t Samuel choose to perform such a miracle to stop the people from asking for a king in the first place? Why did he wait until now?

(5) Vv. 20-25: A true shepherd of the flock

a. According to Samuel, what was the purpose of this thunderous warning?

b. Why would the Lord not give up on them, after all the evil they had done?

c. What did Samuel see as his role, even towards this final chapter of his life?

d. What should you learn from him?

e. What was his final warning? Did Israel and its king take heed? (See 2 Chr. 36:15)

(6) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?

Note:

"The wheat harvest occurs in Palestine between the middle of May and the middle of June…And during this time it scarcely rains.” (K&D, 444)

Scriptural Reflection
1 Samuel 13:1–23

(1) Up to this point of the kingship of Saul, can you recount all the good qualities that Saul had exhibited so far?

(2) The political table in Palestine appeared to have been turned: Under the kingship of Saul and the leadership of his son, Israel appeared to have taken the initiative to attack the Philistines. Why then did they quake in fear? (13:7)

(3) From a human standpoint, the action of Saul in v. 9 was understandable, would you agree? Why or why not?

(4) However, it was an extremely serious sin that Saul had committed:

a. What was the blatant sin that he had committed by offering up a sacrifice himself as the king, not the priest? (See Num. 18:7)

b. What other sins and weaknesses were exhibited by his action?

(5) What was the consequence of his sin? Do you think the punishment was too severe? Why or why not?

(6) What important lessons can we learn from his mistake?

(7) Before we read on to the next chapter, with the sin committed by Saul (who did not seem to respond to the rebuke of Samuel) and the disparity in equipment and manpower, consider the following:

a. What would be the likely outcome of the battle?

b. What should Saul do at this point of time?

(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
1 Samuel 14:1–23

(1) As we have just read of the failure of Saul, a glimmer of hope now shone through the introduction of Jonathan, his son, to us:

a. Was Jonathan being presumptuous with his action?

b. Would you describe his action as an act of faith? Why or why not?

c. How would you describe his armor-bearer?

(2) Apart from the smiting of 20 men, how did the result in v. 15 serve to validate his action and, especially what he said back in v. 6?

(3) At the end of yesterday’s reflection, we asked, “What should Saul be doing at this point of time?”

a. According to v. 18, what did Saul intend to do?

b. What does it say about Saul because of this action?

c. What prevented him from making the same mistake the Israelites made at the end of Eli’s reign as a judge? (4:11)

(4) What was the result of the battle?

(5) Why did God choose to fight for them in spite of Saul’s growing decadence in his spirit and his relationship with the Lord?

(6) How can you account for such a rapid decline in Saul’s character as a king?

(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
1 Samuel 14:24–52

(1) What unreasonable decree did Saul issue in v. 24?

(2) From this decree, can you tell what kind of a king Saul had become?

a. Was it for revenge?

b. Was it for “my” enemies?

c. Was it issued when it was more than obvious it was God and God alone who caused the enemies to flee?

d. Did it put undue hardship on the Israelites to the point that they fainted (v. 28)?

e. Why then did he do it?

(3) What was Jonathan’s verdict on his father’s decree? (vv. 29-30)

(4) How different was Jonathan from his father?

(5) What grave consequence was brought on by Saul’s decree according to v. 32?

(6) When Saul charged the people by saying, “You have broken faith” (v. 33): What should he have said?

(7) When Saul enquired of the Lord on whether or not  he should pursue the Philistines, why didn’t God answer him? (v. 37) Did he not build an altar to worship Him? (v. 35)

(8) Saul had the guts to put the blame on others while he was clearly the culprit: How could one describe his heart at this time?

(9) As much as the lot fell on Jonathan, how did the people interpret who actually caused Israel to sin (v. 45)?

(10) At this juncture of the nation, what did the people learn about appointing a king over them?

(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

Scriptural Reflection
1 Samuel 15:1–11

(1) Imagine, if there was not a prophet like Samuel, what would the nation be like under the kingship of Saul?

(2) Read Exodus 17:8-14 to see God’s declaration against the Amalekites during their wilderness journey.

(3) Now, God desired to use Saul to accomplish His works. How then should he view this particular campaign?

(4) How did Saul’s treatment of the Kenites (who were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law) show his knowledge and respect to Israel’s past history?

(5) In spite of Samuel’s clear instruction, why did Saul and his people spare the king of the Amalekites and their best domestic animals?

(6) Should they not be commended for their humane treatment?

(7) Why did God describe His feeling as being grieved instead of angry? In God’s dealing with Saul so far, what kind of a God had the Lord demonstrated Himself to be?

(8) How did Samuel respond to the words of God?

(9) What can we learn from Samuel as a servant of the Lord for His people?

(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?