Bible in One Year Day 98 (1 Samuel 6 - 8, Psalm 86)

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Day 98:  Israel Asks for  a King 

Agape Bible Study 

1 Samuel 6 -  8 

Chapter 6: The Return of the Ark

1 Samuel 6:1-12 ~ The Philistines devise a Plan to get rid of the Ark of Yahweh

The Philistines and their chiefs of the five cities decide to send the Ark away.
Question: When they consult their priests and diviners, what are they told to do?
Answer: They are told to send the Ark of Yahweh back to the Israelites with a guilt offering of golden images of the tumors and rats.

Soothsaying or divination was characteristic of the Philistines according to Isaiah 2.6 but was forbidden under the Law of the Sinai Covenant and such a person was subject to the death penalty ( Lev 20:27; also see 19:26b; 19:31; 20:6; Dt 18:10-12). To appease Yahweh, the Philistine soothsayers suggest making a "guilt offering" (an offering to make reparations to the god they have offended) which is to accompany the Ark on its return in the form of what has caused their suffering. In making a "guilt offering" the Philistines are confessing that it was wrong of them to deny Yahweh the reverence that was His due by taking the Ark from His people and their Sanctuary (see the law concerning guilt/reparation offerings for Israelites in Lev 5:14-26/5:14-6:7; 7:1-6/6:31-36).

Question: As a mark of reverence for Yahweh, how do they return the Ark?
Answer: The sent the Ark on a new cart and pulled by milk cows that have never be defiled by previous use.

The Philistines did not know the commands concerning the Ark, but it was never to be driven by a cart and was always to be carried by its poles and only by the chief priests or Levites of the clan of Kohath (Num 4:1-20). Milk cows were kept for their milk and not for work or for meat, as the presence of their calves suggests. The Philistines decide to honor Yahweh by only using animals that have never been used for labor previously. That God directed the cows is suggested by the cows' continual lowing at being separated from their calves and their distress at being unable to follow their natural instinctive urge to return to them. God directs the Ark to the nearest Israelite city of Beth-Shemesh. The Ark cannot return to Shiloh because the Sanctuary at Shiloh has been destroyed by the Philistines (Jer 7:12-14; Ps 78:60). Beth-Shemesh ("house/place of the sun") was the closest Israelite town. It was located on the border of Judah and the lands that had originally been allotted to Dan (Josh 15:10). It was also a Levitical city belonging to the clan of Kohathites, which was also the clan of Aaron and his descendants who were the chief priests (Ex 6:18, 20; Josh 15:10; 21:10-19; 1 Chr 6:59).

1 Samuel 6:13-19 ~ The Ark of the Covenant at Beth-Shemesh

The people of Beth-Shemesh saw the cows and the cart approaching as they were harvesting the wheat. This means the incident took place in the mid to late spring in what would be our May/June time frame (see Israel's seasonal and liturgical calendar).

The Levites of the clan of Kohath took possession of the Ark. They were the only Israelites along with the chief priests who would touch the Ark without profaning the Ark and violating the covenant with Yahweh. There was no longer a Sanctuary at Shiloh to offer sacrifice, and so the decision was made that the presence of the Ark allowed them to offer sacrifice to Yahweh there in the fields of Beth-Shemesh.

Question: What did the reparation offerings of the Philistines represent?
Answer: The reparation offerings of the Philistines represented each of the five Philistine city-states and their rulers as well as the satellite villages surrounding the city-states.

1 Samuel 6:20-7:1 ~ The Ark at Kiriath-Jearim

The destruction of the men of Beth-Shemesh ended the rejoicing over the presence of the Ark for the people of Beth-Shemesh. All the people of Beth-Shemesh are afraid of the divine Presence and decide to find another town to take the Ark. The next closest town is Kiriath-Jearim ("city of forests"), also in the territory of Judah and located about eight and a quarter miles north of Jerusalem (Josh 9:17; 15:9, 60; 18:14-15; Judg 18:12). The Ark was taken to the house of Abinadab who took custody of the Ark, and his son Eleazar was consecrated to guard it. The narrative does not mention if these men were chief priests, but it was dangerous for anyone but a chief priest to touch or care for the Ark and then only if he were in a state of grace and free from all sin. The Ark of the Covenant will reside at this location until King David will attempt to move it to Jerusalem (1 Sam 6:20-7:2; 2 Sam 6:1-19; 1 Chr 13:7).

Chapter 7
Samuel: Prophet, Liberator, and Judge

Chapter 7 offers an account of Samuel assuming his responsibilities as Israel's prophet and judge as he initiates Israel's religious reformation. This chapter also acts as a bridge between the Ark narrative in chapters 4-6 and the narrative of the founding of Israel's monarchy that will begin in chapter 8 and continue through the rest of 1^st and 2^nd Samuel and the first two chapters of 1^st Kings.

1 Samuel 7:2-4 ~ Samuel brings about Religious Reform in Israel

Question: How many years have passed since Yahweh's Sanctuary was destroyed, since the Philistines have dominated Israel as a vassal people, and since the Ark has continued to reside at Kiriath-Jearim?
Answer: Twenty years.

Samuel is now an adult and is taking up his leadership role as the successor of Eli as God's prophet, priest and judge. He is probably thirty years old, the age at which a priest/prophet or a Levite assumed his duties as God's representative (Num 4:3, 23, 30, 35, 39, 40, 43, 47; Lk 3:23). Therefore he would have been ten years old when he had his first vision of Yaweh in the Sanctuary and accepted his divine calling. Samuel begins his career by calling the Israelites to repentance and a renewal of fellowship with Yahweh.

Question: What does Samuel ask the Israelites to do as a sign of genuine repentance?
Answer: He asks them to destroy their images of pagan gods in their homes and in their villages.

The Hebrew text reads Ashtaroth (plural). The Ashtaroth were images of Ashtoreth, the main Canaanite goddess of fertility and love. Baalim (plural) were the images of the god Baal who was the god of heaven and earth and the chief deity of the Canaanite pantheon. The necessary removal of pagan images is commanded in the first of the Ten Commandments. The banishment of idols was commanded prior to the Sinai Covenant as well as after. The temptation to worship the gods of the pagan peoples of Canaan was a problem for the Israelites (Gen 35:2-4; Josh 24:23; Judg 2:13; 10:6).

1 Samuel 7:5-6 ~ Samuel calls for an Assembly of the Tribes of Israel

Mizpah is probably modern Tel en-Nasbeh located 7.5 miles northwest of Jerusalem in the tribal territory of Judah. It was a sacred duty for the tribes to answer the call to a national Assembly. All the twelve tribes of Israel assembled on the plain at Mizpah, as they had in the past and as they will do in the future (Judg 20:3; 21:5, 8; 1 Sam 10:17). Samuel, as God's representative, offered intercessory prayer for the Israelites.

Question: What three things did the people do to humble themselves before Yahweh?
Answer:

1. The people fasted.
2. They confessed and repented their sins.
3. They ritually purified themselves with water as a sign of their spiritual cleansing.

Question: In the New Covenant Sacrament of Baptism, Christians are also washed with the visible sign of water. What is the difference between the use of water as a sign of repentance in the Old Covenant and the Sacrament of Christian baptism? See Mt 3:11; Jn 1:33; 3:3-5; CCC 265, 523, 720, 950-51, 1023, 1213-15, 1227-28, 1239, 1262-1266, 1267-74, 1280, 2068, 2813.

Answer: In the Old Covenant, ritual water purification was a public sign of repentance. The action of being bathed in water demonstration that repentance and God's forgiveness had purified the heart of the person who was once again in fellowship with God. In the Sacrament of Christian Baptism, the Christian receives not just an outward sign but the internal, life altering, and supernatural effects of a sacrament given us by Jesus Christ. The effects are:

1. The removal of all sin (original and personal).
2. Removal of all punishment due to sin (temporal and eternal).
3. Infusion of sanctifying grace along with the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
4. Incorporation into the life of Christ by dying to sin and being raised to new life in the Holy Spirit whereby the baptized becomes a child of God, a co-heir with Christ, and participant in the life of the Most Holy Trinity.
5. Entrance into the Mystical Body, which is the Catholic Church.
6. The permanent imprinting of the baptismal character that enables a person to receive the other sacraments.
7. The right to participate in the priesthood of Christ through the sacred liturgy and to grow in the likeness of Christ through personal sanctification.
8. Baptism in Christ is necessary for one's final salvation.

For the first time Samuel is called Israel's "Judge" (also see verse 15). Once a year he will ride a circuit in central Israel from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah to hear civil cases and render verdicts (7:16). Years later, Samuel will anoint Saul as Israel's first king at Mizpah (10:17).

1 Samuel 7:7-12 ~ The Philistines go to War with Israel

Question: How did the Philistines misinterpret the spiritual assembly at Mizpah?
Answer: They thought it was a military muster and that the Israelites were preparing to wage war against them.

When the Israelites heard that the Philistines were coming they were fearful. Samuel, however, offered a "suckling lamb" as a sacrificial whole burnt offering. The lamb had to be more than eight days old according to the Law (Ex 22:29; Lev 22:27). The lamb was not a communal sin sacrifice since, according to the Law, a communal sin sacrifice had to be a bull (Lev 4:13-15). The only single lamb whole burnt offering was the daily Tamid sacrifice, a whole burnt offering for the atonement and sanctification of the covenant people offered as a perpetual sacrifice (Ex 29:38-42; Num 28:3-8). This is likely the sacrifice Samuel was offering.

The national repentance of the Israelites has brought about their reconciliation with Yahweh. This couldn't have happened at a better time. Unlike their last battles with the Philistines, this time the Israelites have just participated in a communal reconciliation worship service and are consecrated as holy warriors. On their behalf, God used the forces of nature (the thunder), over which He is sovereign, to throw the Philistines into panic (also see Jug 5:20-21). The Israelites are victorious because of Yahweh's help.

1 Samuel 7:13-17 ~ Yahweh delivers Israel from the Philistines

Israel's victory over the Philistines gave added credibility to Samuel as God's representative to the people. For justification of leadership both divine election and human proof are often required to give the people confidence in God's chosen agent. It is a human condition that God took into consideration in the victory over the Philistines through Samuel's intercession. This is the only narrative of Samuel's military career as a warrior-judge, and his success is summed up in a formulaic pattern that is familiar from the Book of Judges (Judg 3:30; 4:23-24; 8:28; 11:33b).

Notice that the phrase "the hand of Yahweh" is repeated again and refers to Yahweh's control of the Philistines and Israel's destiny. The Israelites regained territory lost to the Philistines and there was also peace with Israel's other enemies, the Amorites. The Amorites were the pre-Israelite population of ancient Canaan and the term is used here in the widest sense, referring to all the different ethnicities of the former inhabitants of Canaan prior to the Conquest as well as the Amorites living on the east side of the Jordan River.

Question: What is the point of the statement in verses 13-14?
Answer: Because of Israel's repentance and return to Yahweh in obedience to their covenant obligations, Israel was experiencing God's blessings by being secure from her enemies both within and outside the borders of Israel, just as God promised (Dt 7:12-19).

Chapter 8: The Israelites ask for a Human King to Rule Them

1 Samuel 8:1-9 ~ The Israelite's make a Petition to Samuel

According to the Law of Israel's covenant-treaty with Yahweh, courts were to be set up in each town (Dt 16:18). Samuel's sons were appointed judges at Beersheba, a town and oasis in the northern Negeb which was in Judean territory. It was the southernmost town in Israel and was located far from Samuel's headquarters in Ramah in the hill country of Benjamin. Samuel's sons abused their authority by accepting bribes and giving unjust verdicts.

Question: What were the commandments of God concerning judges rendering just verdicts? What was the motive of Samuel's sons for perverting justice? 
Answer: Judges were to render their verdicts impartially and were forbidden to take bribes. Samuel's sons were motivated by their love of money.

Question: Why doesn't Samuel fall under the same divine judgment as the priest-judge Eli for his sons' crimes and abuses? Eli was condemned by God for allowing his sons to abuse their positions of leadership and power over the people and God's Sanctuary at Shiloh. 
Answer: Eli was not a good role model for his sons; he was aware of his sons' abuses and did nothing to stop to them. It appears that Samuel was a good role model for his sons and was not aware of their disgraceful behavior; therefore he did not fall under God's judgment for their sins.

Question: What is the problem with Israel wanting a king so they are "like other nations?" 

Answer: It was Israel's vocation to be Yahweh's divinely chosen people and to be set apart from the other nations of the earth. They were not supposed to be like the other nations of the earth. By asking to be like the other nations, Israel is rejecting its true king and its own special vocation.

Question: What does God say to comfort His distressed prophet in verse 7?
Answer: God tells Samuel the people have not rejected him as their prophet but that they have rejected God's divine kingship.

Question: List God's requirements for a limited monarchy found in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

Answer:

1. The candidate for king must be chosen by Yahweh.
2. He must be an Israelite and not a foreigner.
3. He must not acquire many horses.
4. He must not send representatives back to Egypt to secure more horses for a cavalry unit.
5. He must not acquire many wives.
6. He must not acquire vast quantities of silver and gold.
7. He must write a copy of these laws as dictated by a priest and read it every day of his life.
8. He must view himself as a servant of his people and not superior to them.
9. He must fear offending Yahweh and observe these laws every day of his life.

Chariots and war horses were the most technologically advanced weapons of the time. In the initial conquest of the Promised Land, the Canaanites had chariots and the Israelites did not, but God gave the Israelites victory over the fearsome chariots because the Israelites were obedient to Yahweh and His agent, Joshua (Josh 11:4-9; 17:16-18). The Israelites must not rely on their own efforts to defeat their enemies. Instead they must be obedient and faithful to God's commandments and rely on God to destroy their enemies as He did in the Exodus liberation and the conquest of Canaan.

A king must not acquire many wives, especially foreign wives in making treaties with foreign nations, because these women who worship pagan gods will lead their husband away from God. In addition, God, who is the author of marriage, ordained marriage between one man and one woman (Gen 2:22-24), as Jesus will emphasize in Matthew 19:5-6. Although God allowed plural marriage, which was a common practice in ancient times, it is not sanctioned in the covenant laws nor is it ever presented in a positive light in the Bible.

Question: What was God's promise to an Israelite king who was obedient to these laws under a limited monarchy?
Answer: If the king is obedient in observing the laws of kingship, long will he occupy his throne, he and his sons, in Israel.

1 Samuel 8:10-22 ~ Samuel's criticism of Monarchy

The elders of Israel asked for a king to judge the people with justice (verse 9), but in verse 11 Yahweh instructs Samuel to inform them of the "rights" a king sees as his in governing his people rather than his role as a dispenser of justice.

Question: What does Samuel list as warnings for the abuses of a monarchy?
Answer:

1. Their sons will be forced to serve in the king's army as soldiers and officers.
2. Their sons and daughters will be forced to serve the king's many needs.
3. He will confiscate the best of the land and give it to his courtiers and officials.
4. The people will be forced to pay taxes to support his government.*
5. All the people will become the king's slaves in one way or another.
6. The people will cry out against the abuses of the monarchy they demanded, but God will not listen.

*Literally a tenth of their flocks. The Israelites already pay a tenth of their wealth material to support the priesthood and this tithe would be in addition to that tax.

Question: What warning is there for us in this story where God's grants the people's petition even though it is not the best plan of government for them?

Answer: The warning is that sometimes when we willfully demand what seems right for us instead of submitting ourselves to God's wisdom for our lives that He will give us what we demand even if it is the wrong choice.

However, even when we make the wrong choice, God will always have a "plan B" to restore us to fellowship with Him and to continue to advance His divine plan for mankind's salvation. "Plan B" will be the kingship and dynasty of David of Bethlehem, the ancestor of Jesus of Nazareth (Mt 1:1).

1 Samuel 8:19-22 ~ The People's response to Samuel:

Despite the warnings, the people refuse to listen to God and are determined to fulfill their self-interest to have a king. That they refused to listen to Yahweh demonstrates their distrust of God's leadership and their preference for the leadership of a human king. The granting of the people's request by God is not a positive order; it is a negative concession.

Question: What reason does God give Samuel for granting the people's request and what will be the consequence? 
Answer: They have rejected God who has been their king and to whom they swore their allegiance at Mt. Sinai. Israel's oppression will not come from her enemies as in the time of the Book of Judges, but from her kings.

Question: In response to God's list of negatives concerning rule by a human king delivered through Samuel, what are the three positive political reasons the elders of Israel offer for wanting a king? 
Answer:

1. To be like other nations in the influence and status of having a king.
2. A king to rule/judge and lead them as a central authority establishing order throughout the kingdom.
3. A king to lead the Israelites into battle against their enemies.

These were the three political functions of a king in all ancient societies at that time. After hearing the elders' petition, Samuel sends them all back to their own towns. As the future of the nation of Israel hangs in the balance, a handsome young man from the tribe of Benjamin goes looking for his father's lost donkeys but finds kingship and a kingdom.

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A Daily Defense

DAY 98 “There Be Gods Many”? 

CHALLENGE: “We may only be supposed to worship one God, but the Catholic belief that only one God exists is false. Paul writes, ‘though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there be gods many, and lords many), but to us there is but one God, the Father . . . and one Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Cor. 8:5–6, KJV).”

DEFENSE: This passage refers to pagan deities. Mormonism holds a position known as “henotheism” (Greek, hen, “one,” and theos, “god”), according to which only one god is to be worshipped by a people as its patron deity, though many gods exist. 

They see this position reflected in 1 Corinthians, which they typically quote from the King James Version. 

According to Mormonism, the only god people on earth have dealings with, though, is God the Father. This does not fit what Paul is saying. 

He is writing in the context of the Greco-Roman world, where people worshipped many gods and goddesses (e.g., Zeus, Apollo, Osiris, Isis), though Jews and Christians denied their existence. This is confirmed by multiple points. 

First, Paul refers to those “called” gods—indicating that he does not view them as real gods. More modern translations commonly render this “so-called gods.” 

Second, he identifies some of these alleged deities as being “on earth” (Greek, epi gēs). This is a reference to idols. 

Third, he does not say “but we only worship one God.” Instead, he says, “to us there is but one God”—i.e., Christians only believe one God exists. 

Fourth, the broader context confirms this. The preceding verse states: “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one” (1 Cor. 8:4, KJV; cf. vv. 7–10). 

This shows that Paul is referring to pagan deities when he speaks of there being “gods many, and lords many”—the false gods worshipped by pagans—the truth being that “there is none other God but one.” 

Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist