1 Samuel 28; 31 In these chapters we see the final days of Saul and his sons. The entire Philistine army has come against Saul’s army leaving Saul unsure of what to do. He tries to get a word from the Lord but is unsuccessful in all his attempts. In a last ditch effort, he …
Psalm 22; 1 Samuel 24-25:1 First we have Psalm 22 where David is crying out to the Lord for help. He feels abandoned and knows that he has enemies seeking him out. Halfway through the psalm the tone changes. Now, David is praising the Lord for hearing his cries and encourages others to do the …
1 Samuel 21-22 In his haste to flee to safety, David makes some rash decisions. He acts like a madman and even lives in a cave. Yet, the most impactful decision he makes is lying to the priest, Ahimelech. He said he was on a mission for Saul, instead of honestly stating he was fleeing …
1 Samuel 19-20 Saul is intent on killing David. For Saul, David is a threat to his kingship and the continued reign of his family, even though he knows the kingdom has been taken away from him. For David, he is only trying to serve the king as best he can. During these many attempts, …
1 Samuel 17-18 Some time after David is anointed by Samuel, Israel is once again at war with the Philistines. This time they are at a standoff with Goliath, a giant, wanting someone to fight, in a winner take all battle. David is sent to the frontlines to see how his brothers are doing. He …
1 Samuel 15-16 The Lord, through Samuel, sent Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites. Samuel instructed Saul to not take any plunder. Instead, Saul does just that and then tries to justify his actions before the man of God. At this, God tells Saul that the kingship will be taken away from him & given …
1 Samuel 13-14 In these chapters we are given a glimpse of Saul’s kingship, as well as his character. During this time Israel is in constant conflict with the Philistines and Saul is trying to free Israel from their rule. While out to battle, we see Saul making rash and unwise decisions. First he is …
1 Samuel 9-10 At this point in the narrative, Saul enters the picture. He is searching for donkeys that have run away. During his search he encounters Samuel, the prophet. God tells Samuel that Saul is to be king of Israel. Samuel gives Saul many signs to confirm this message as he returns home. A …
1 Samuel 3; 8 In a day when prophets were rare, God raises up Samuel to be his voice before the people of Israel. God calls out to Samuel, and Samuel learns who the Lord is and begins to have a more intimate relationship with him. Samuel would then grow as a prophet among the …
1 Samuel 1-2 There are two very different things happening in the beginning of 1 Samuel. First, we see Hannah, in her anguish, asking God for a son. She even promises to dedicate and give this son back to the Lord. The Lord answers this prayer and she births Samuel. In turn, Hannah keeps her …
Ruth 3-4 Seeing that Boaz is a reputable man, Naomi devises a plan for Boaz to redeem and marry Ruth. When Ruth makes her request known to Boaz, he quickly obliges. He says he will do whatever he can to make it happen. He redeems and marries her. As a result, the Lord blesses them …
Ruth 1-2 Naomi’s family journeyed to Moab during a famine in Israel. While there, her sons married Moabite women. While there, Naomi’s husband and sons all died. So, she decided to return to her home in Bethlehem, after hearing the famine was over. After urging the women to return to their homes, Ruth insists on …