When a king did more harm than good: God had greater things in store for Israel – but not until Saul’s reign was over!

1 Samuel 8:1-9:10 Israel's demand for a king did not arise from love for God. It was motivated by human pride (8:5,20). Having 'rejected' the Lord as King, the people made their choice. They did not choose for God! They 'chose for themselves' (8:7,18). God allowed them to have their king but He did not …

More than a story about David and Goliath

1 Samuel 17:1-58 David defeats Goliath. This is not only a story about David and Goliath. It is about the Israelites and the Philistines. It is about 'God' and the 'gods' (43,46). Victory comes from the Lord. It is given by grace. It is received by faith (47). Notice the contrast between the attitude of …

Great Words Of Faith And Victory

"David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the Name of the Lord  Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut …

Help us, Lord, to keep on choosing Your way.

1 Samuel 2:1-36 Lord, there are two ways of living. There's the way of holiness and joy, the way of living in the strength of Your Spirit. There's the way of living to please ourselves, living without the joy that comes from You, living in the weakness of the flesh. Help us, Lord, to keep …

The glory belongs to the Lord, not to anyone else!

1 Samuel 18:1-30 'Loved' by 'all Israel and Judah' (16,28), David was hated by only one man, the most powerful man in the land - Saul (29). Saul was full of envy (7-8), suspicion (9) and violence (10-11). Saul had been proved wrong (17:33,50), and he didn't like it! David had more success with the …

The Lord’s presence among His people

The ark of the Lord signified the Lord’s presence among His people. Even the Philistines, Israel’s enemies, recognized the presence of God among His people - “the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. And the Philistines were afraid , for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe …

May the Lord help us to be “His faithful ones”, who walk with Him.

1 Samuel 2:1-36 What a contrast there is between the son of Hannah and the sons of Eli - 'the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord...in the favour of the Lord', 'the sons of Eli were worthless men; they had no regard for the Lord (21,26,12). This is the difference between 'the …

Give all the glory to God.

1 Samuel 19:1-24 Saul was planning to kill David (1). Jonathan warns David and tries to talk some sense into Saul (2,4-5). Saul took Jonathan's advice - but not for long (6,10)! Thank God that the 'like father, like son' rule didn't apply here! How much more difficult life would have been for David if …

Sometimes, when we pray for a change in our circumstances, God says to us, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

1 Samuel 1:1-28 Hannah 'wept'. Hannah 'was no longer sad' (7,18). What made the difference? No child had been born. She had not even conceived. These things did not happen until later (21). Why was there such a change in Hannah? She believed. God's Word had been spoken (17). Hannah believed His Word. She rejoiced …

Jesus’ death was a triumph – not a tragedy.

1 Samuel 29:1-31:13; John 19:28-20:9; Psalm 68:28-35 The contrast between the death of Saul, the first king of the Jews, and Jesus, the true King of the Jews, is striking. Saul’s death was a tragedy. Jesus’ death was a triumph. The contrast is the difference between a man who said, “it is enough” (Saul had had enough …

God is leading us on to greater blessing.

Saul sinned against the Lord (1 Samuel 28). God’s judgment came upon Saul (1 Samuel 31). While Saul is still king, in these final chapters of 1 Samuel, the chief emphasis is placed on David. God’s work is moving on. It doesn’t stand still. God is looking to the future. Saul was yesterday’s man. David …

A great contrast between David and Saul

There’s a great contrast between David and Saul. It is summed up in 1 Samuel 18:12 - “The Lord was with David but had left Saul”. The sadness of this situation is summed up in 1 Samuel 18:29 - “Saul became David’s constant enemy”. The seriousness of this situation is summed up in 1 Samuel …

Success as a military leader, failure as a spiritual leader

Saul enjoyed success as a military leader: “Wherever he turned, he was victorious” (1 Samuel 14:47). He was a failure as a spiritual leader: “Then the Lord spoke to Samuel, “I regret that I made Saul king. He turned away from Me and did not carry out My instructions” (1 Samuel 15:10-11). God’s Word of …

The story of Goliath is still with us – and God is still with us!

"I come to you in the name of the Lord" (1 Samuel 17:45). These words were spoken by David. They were spoken to Goliath. It seemed like David didn't have any a chance against Goliath. The odds were stacked against David. Everything pointed to a Goliath victory - everything except this: "I come to you …

God’s call to holiness and His promise of blessing

1 Samuel 6:17-7:17 God is 'holy' (20). He calls His people to be holy. With His call to holiness, there is His promise of blessing (3). Committed to serving the Lord only and calling on the Lord for His help, Israel wins a great victory over the Philistines (4-11). God's people give thanks to Him …

When the Lord comes to us, we “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

1 Samuel 5:1-6:16 In 5:3-4, we read of God's superiority over Dagon - 'The Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King' (Jeremiah 10:10). 'The hand of the Lord was heavy' on those who set themselves against Him (5:6-7,9,11). Let 'the Lord alone be exalted'. He is our only …

Two very different attitudes to life – trusting the Lord and taking things into our own hands

The story of David and Saul is a story of two very different men. David recognized that the Lord was in control. Saul, on the other hand, was trying to keep himself in control. There are two very different attitudes to life - trusting the Lord and taking things into our own hands. We see …

Never to be forgotten

In 1996, Willie McDonald died at the age of ninety. I had only known him for a short time. I will always remember him as a man who loved the Lord deeply. He was small of stature, but he was a man of “strength”: real, spiritual strength (Psalm 90:10). He was “strong in the Lord”, …

The glory of God among His people: we must not lose this!

1 Samuel 3:1-4:22 The call of Samuel is a vivid example of what God can do in the lives of children. Samuel's early response to God set in motion a whole process of events leading Samuel to become 'a prophet of the Lord' through whom 'the Word of the Lord...came to all Israel' (3:10,19-4:1). Let …

God calls His people to return to Him wholeheartedly.

God calls His people to return to Him wholeheartedly. They are to make a commitment to the Lord, and serve only Him (1 Samuel 7:3). When we dedicate our lives to the Lord, we are not left to go it alone. The Lord is with us. He is our Helper - “Until now the Lord …

He was just a boy – at the start of something big!

1 Samuel These thoughts are based on 1 Samuel 3. He was just a boy – At the start of something big! God had great things planned for Samuel. Where did these great things begin? A simple prayer – “I’m listening, Lord.”

Out of small beginnings

1 Samuel "The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ And the Lord said to Samuel: ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle ... The Lord was with Samuel as he grew …

God hears …

The name, “Samuel”, tells the story, leading up to his birth. His name means “God hears.” Samuel was given this name to indicate that he was God’s answer to Hannah’s prayer: “I asked the Lord for him” (1 Samuel 1:20). She gave her son back to the Lord - “I prayed for this child, and …

A man of God, empowered by the Spirit of God

The Lord had His hand on the boy Samuel, and he grew to be a man of God, empowered by the Spirit of God. The ministry of Samuel was a mighty demonstration of the power of the Spirit of God (1 Samuel 3:19-21). God was with him - in power. God was sending His blessing …

The voice of the Lord

Three times, Samuel said to Eli: "Here I am; you called me" (1 Samuel 3:5,6,8). The next time, Samuel, with the help of Eli (1 Samuel 3:8-9), knew that it was the Lord calling him, and he prayed, "Speak, for your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3:10). The Word of God is preached to us, …

More than a mysterious presence – the good news of God’s love

We look at the world around us, and we feel like we are near to God. Where does this feeling of God's nearness take us? Does it take us to Jesus Christ, our Saviour? or Are we left with something less than faith in Christ? When we feel that God is speaking to us through …

We all make mistakes.

1 Samuel 14:24-52 Making mistakes: it's part of life for all of us: 'We all make mistakes. If any one makes no mistakes... he is a perfect man' (James 3:2). What are we to make of the 'mistakes' made by Saul and Jonathan? Saul's 'mistake' was an error of judgment which 'troubled the land' (24,29). …

Who are we listening to?

"A cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”" (Mark 9:7). Who are we listening to? So many people have so much to say. What are we to make of it all? There is so much that fills us with anxiety. The more we hear, …

Calling upon the Lord, responding to him …

At the heart of our life of faith, there is speaking to God, listening to him and making our response to what he says to us. We pray to him - "Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3: 10). We read the Word of God. God speaks to us. As we listen to …

When everything seemed to be so promising

1 Samuel 10:17-11:15 Everyone was so happy - 'Long live the king! (24). Everything seemed to be so promising - 'The Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul' (6). God's people were victorious (11). God's people 'rejoiced greatly' (15). This is not, however, the whole story. Things were to get worse, much worse - 'You …

We must not get too big for our boots.

1 Samuel 9:11-10:16 The Lord is King: We must never forget this. A human king is no substitute for the divine King (8:7). God was not pleased with His people. They wanted to be 'like all the nations' (8:5). God refused to abandon His people. They wanted a king. He gave them their king (15-17). …

Human kings come and go. The Lord, our King, continues forever.

1 Samuel 12:1-13:15a To the king as well as the people, God speaks in promise and warning: 'If both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well... If you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord... then the hand of the Lord will …

Make me a channel of Your peace.

Kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents - what are we to say about them? Some say, "This one's good - and that one's not so good." Others say, "No! It's the other way round." No -one seems to be agree about what makes a good king, a good queen, a good prime minister, a …

Responding to God’s Word (9): O love that will not let me go / A new commandment I give unto you that you love one for another, as I have loved you.

David was greatly distressed... But David found strength in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6). David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1). Growing strong in the Lord is more than knowing about his love. It's, also, showing his love to …

Some Simple Thoughts From The Scriptures

Genesis When I was writing these words, I was thinking of some of the stories in the book of Genesis (the book of beginnings). I was thinking about Adam, Abraham and Joseph - and I was thinking about Jesus!___________________________________________ It was the genesis of my life.Things were looking so good.Then, it all went badly wrong.What …

Rejoice in the Lord, and grow in him.

Hannah’s prayer begins with the words, “My heart finds joy in the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:1). Her son, Samuel, was going the Lord’s way. This was something which made Hannah rejoice in the Lord. We read about Samuel’s spiritual growth (1 Samuel 2:18,21). “The boy Samuel grew up in front of the Lord” (1 Samuel …

What we do for God can never compare with what He has done for us.

"Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you" (1 Samuel 12:24). What we do for God cannot even begin to compare with what He has done for us.  Anything that we do - fearing the Lord and serving Him faithfully …

The greatest joy

"My heart rejoices in the Lord!" (1 Samuel 2:1). Hannah had been blessed by the Lord - and she rejoiced in him. We have been blessed by the Lord - and we rejoice in him. The joy that comes to us from the Lord - this is the greatest joy of all. The joy of the …

In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

1 Samuel 17:38-18:30; John 16:5-17:5; Psalm 68:1-6 At the heart of David’s triumph over Goliath, there is this great testimony: “it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47). When we face ‘Goliaths’ in our own …

Names – with a meaning and a message!

"She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”" (1 Samuel 4:21). "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”" (1 Samuel 7:12) Ichabod - a word of warning: The glory had departed - We …

Famine in the land

"There was a famine in the land" (Ruth 1:1). The situation seemed hopeless. We wonder, “Where will hope come from?” In Amos 8:11, we read about a different kind of famine: “not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.” How do we find hope …

King Jesus – so much greater than king David

1 Samuel 21:1-23:29; John 18:1-24; Proverbs 13:10-19 David was delivered from his pursuer, Saul. David became the king of Israel. Jesus was delivered into the hands of His enemies. Following His resurrection, Jesus was declared to be the King of kings. “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares …

Don’t Forget God!

"Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified" (1 Samuel 17:10-11). The Philistine needed to know that he was facing more than the armies of Israel, more …

When there seemed to be no hope

1 Samuel 13:15b-14:23 Humanly speaking, Israel seemed to be 'no hopers' (13:22). There was, however, something else. The Lord was with His people and He would give them the victory (14:6,19,12,23). There is a very important lesson for us here: 'The weapons of our warfare are not worldly'. We are to 'put on the whole …

Saul replaced, Saul transformed

Two men with the same name - Saul, the first king of Israel, and Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of Christ and His servants. In both stories, we read of a new man. * In the case of Saul, the first king of Israel, David was the new man. Saul was rejected. He was replaced. …

Faithful To God And Fruitful for Him

Praying through God's Word: 1 Samuel 24:1-22 Help us, Lord, never to imagine that we can ever hope to be fruitful for You if we are not committed to being faithful to You. Help us, Lord, to be more than people who serve You. Help us to be people who love You. May we serve …

Praying Through God’s Word: 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1:1-28 We come to You, Lord, with sadness. You give us gladness. How does this gladness come to us? It comes to us when we stand upon Your Word, when we believe Your promises. Our life is not controlled by our feelings – the feelings that drag us down, the feelings that pull …

Links to Rev James Philip’s notes on 1 and 2 Samuel

1 Samuel 2 Samuel

Fourth Sunday of Lent: 1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

Don't settle for second best... ‘Samuel did what the Lord commanded’ (1 Samuel 16:4). Real obedience comes from ‘the heart’. It is more than just ‘keeping up appearances’(1 Samuel 16:7). ‘The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart’ – This is something we must never forget!’. ‘It’s the presence of Your Spirit, …

A baby was born – and everything was about to change!

1 SAMUEL  1:1-28 -  Hannah ‘wept’. Hannah ‘was no longer sad’ (7,18). What made the difference? No child had been born. She had not even conceived. These things did not happen until later (21). Why was there such a change in Hannah? She believed. God’s Word had been spoken (17). Hannah believed His Word. She …

The light of the righteous shines brightly.

1 Samuel 14:24-15:35; John 14:1-31; Proverbs 12:28-13:9 “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). “Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me … Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching” (John 14:21,23). “In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality” (Proverbs 12:28). …

Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.

God speaks to us. We listen to him. This is the message that comes to us from 1 Samuel 3, verses 9 and 10. What can we learn from this prayer, "Speak Lord. Your servant is listening"? __ Here are five lessons we can learn from this prayer. (1) True prayer is more than mere …

A heartfelt prayer that was heard and answered (Part Two)

Thinking about Hannah's story (1 Samuel 1-2) makes us think about our own story. What kind of people are we? What kind of people are we becoming? As we think about the past that lies behind us and the future that lies ahead of us, we must ask ourselves an important question, "Where do we …

A heartfelt prayer that was heard and answered (Part One)

1 Samuel, chapters 1 and 2 History is full of stories about people. They are people from whom we can learn lessons for our our life in today's world. In 1 Samuel, we read about Hannah, Samuel, Saul, Jonathan and David. History tells us about God. It is His Story. This is important. We will …

Speak, for Your servant is listening.

1 Samuel 1:1-2:26; John 10:22-42; Psalm 63:1-11 “Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:13). They “sinned against the Lord” – “they did not listen to their father’s rebuke” (1 Samuel 2:25). God is calling us back from this way of living. He is showing us the better …

Words – spoken by God, spoken to God, spoken for God

In 1 Samuel 3 and Isaiah 6, we read about words that were spoken by God, words that were spoken to God and words that were spoken for God. In 1 Samuel 3, we begin with a young boy. He hears the Word of the Lord. The Lord is calling out to Samuel. Samuel did …

Spiritual Growth

Samuel’s spiritual  growth was in stark contrast to the disobedience and downfall of Eli’s sons. This is the context within which we must grow spiritually. We are surrounded by disobedience. We must look away from all of this disobedience. We must keep our eyes on the Lord. We must ask the Lord to give us …

Listening to God and speaking for him (Travelling Through God’s Word: 1 and 2 Samuel)

1 and 2 Samuel In 1 Samuel 3, we read about the boy, Samuel, responding to the call of God: "Speak, for your servant is listening." Towards the end of 2 Samuel,, we read these words of David, "The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me; His word is on my tongue." If we are …

Learning From 1 Samuel

The name, “Samuel”, tells the story, leading up to his birth. His name means “God hears”. Samuel was given this name to indicate that he was God’s answer to Hannah’s prayer: “I asked the Lord for him” (1 Samuel 1:20). She gave her son back to the Lord - “I prayed for this child, and …

Samuel and Saul were very different.

Samuel and Saul were very different. Samuel loved the Lord. Saul “didn’t follow the command of the Lord” (1 Samuel 13:14). Today’s Church needs men like Samuel in its leadership. He was committed to the priorities of prayer and God’s Word - “It would be unthinkable for me to sin against the Lord by failing …