Please read through my study questions for I Samuel and then through I Samuel itself. Which of the many episodes in this book do you find the most tragic? What is the lesson to be learned from this story? Alternatively, choose an episode/incident you find uplifting, and explain why you like this particular passage.Please note that we are just a bit behind the syllabus schedule. My plan is to finish Judges next time and get through as much of I Samuel as possible. We will probably finish I Samuel and Start II Samuel on Tuesday next week, then finish II Samuel on Thursday. We'll then be right on track with the syllabus schedule.
The most uplifting passage would be David and Goliath because it shows that even the smallest person can be useful in defeating the enemy when you trust in GOD above all things. David just uses a sling shot to defeat a Philestine that is three times his size.
ReplyDeleteThe saddest parts have to be Sauls hatred of David. His hatred of David put his life at risk everytime he got close to Saul. Saul tries to kill David on many different occasions but if David saw that Saul life was in danger by his men; David spared Saul life.
I find the fact that the Israelites ask for a king to be quite tragic. After all of the times the Lord has delivered them from rulers they still look to obey a king and not God. In the end they learn to fear him and ask for forgiveness, but it is only after they add "asking for a king" to their long list of sins.
ReplyDeleteAn uplifting story is the one in which David spares Saul's life even though Saul has been trying to kill him for quite some time. It just shows what kind of a man David is to forgive an "enemy" for his wrongdoings.
Without question the most uplifting story in my mind is the one of David and Goliath. It shows hope and courage and that anyone can accomplish his or her goals no matter how difficult they may seem. It shows that the smallest of people can overcome the biggest obstacles. Very inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI thought a pretty tragic story was when the Philistines defeated the Israelites and captured the covenant of the ark. They killed about 30,000 Israelites and stole one of their most holy and prized possessions, not to mention they also killed Eli's sons. Pretty tragic story in my opinion.
R. Casey Oberle
Tyler Munson
ReplyDeleteIt seems tragic that this book concentrated mostly on how the Israelites' lives were being defined by conflict. They had to keep fighting in order to survive and have been doing so their entire history. It is uplifting that they found an eventual leader in David This gave them hope and the layed cornerstone for what would become the kingdom of Israel.
I think that throughout this book, the slow downfall of Saul is a tragic story, and I feel that chapter 22 is a good example of how tragic it really is. Saul had become extremely jealous of David for a number of reasons and had tried to kill him several times. In this case, however, it isn't just David that suffers from Saul's evil actions. When he found out that David had been given shelter in Nob he ordered all the priests of the city slaughtered. I think that this shows just how far Saul had fallen, and gives you a sense at how tragic his life had become.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I think the story of David and Jonathan is a very uplifting story. Jonathan was Saul's son, and had every right to hate David who had claimed the throne that should have gone to Jonathan. Instead of hating David, however, Jonathan befriends him and realizes that it was God's will that it should be this way. As a result he aided David in fleeing from Saul. This story is uplifting because it shows the strength of friendship.
John Rawerts
I find one of the tragic stories to be the one of how Israel asked for a king. It just seems heartbreaking to God, because Samuel thinks they are rejecting Samuel, but God says no... They're rejecting me as their ruler. I know it is a common theme, God saving them, Israel turning away, Israel repenting, Israel turning away, Israel repenting. But when they specifically ask for a king to be like the other nations, it seems like the salt on a wound already inflicted. Their hearts have turned away (wound), but then they even ask for a different ruler (salt). Seems rather tragic to me...
ReplyDeleteIn the book of Samuel the most uplifting story of all of these is really the most memorable. The story of David and Goliath(17:1), is one that no one can forget but the reason no one can forget it is because it is such an uplifting and good hearted story. David a shepherd picked by God due to his good heart is given the powers to defeat any enemy as God allows, takes on a giant of a man Goliath of Gath. David's own men do not believe he can defeat this beast of a man and with God's help David slays Goliath with one shot of his sling shot.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an uplifting story in a book in which one of the main characters is slowly depleting, coming in the form of Saul. Following Saul throughout Samuel is a hard story to read and extremely tragic, but on the other hand you get this fantastic story of little David slaying the mighty Goliath. It shows really the two options a person can lead, a good life in the eyes of God or a bad life in the eyes of God. Samuel shows this to us with the endeavors of Saul and David and is also a note to the Israelites at the time who were watching Saul and David themselves, that God is merciful if obeyed and if obeyed will grant you spectacular things.
The story of Hannah was uplifting to me because she was unable to have children until she prayed for children to God and God gave her Samuel and this is uplifting because God hears you and answers prayers, and that children are a gift from God.
ReplyDeleteThe Tragic story to me was the Johnathan story with David and Saul, Johnathan's father Saul wanting to kill David over jealousy and Johnathan not letting that happened because he was a good friend with David, and loved him as he loved himself (Johnathan)and picking friendship or family, and shows Loyalty to a friend as he is your family and show courage through that and saying that friendships can be costly.
I find the story of the capture of the ark to be quite tragic. With all of the casualties the Philistines created and the fact that they had captured the ark. Then when Eli finds this out he fell back and died. And after that, his daughter-in-law goes into labor only to find that her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law have all died
ReplyDeleteI think the most uplifting is the obvious choice of David and Goliath. It shows that through the power of God, even the smallest of people can accomplish giant feats.
I think that chapter 7 is uplifting. After the Israelites detroyed all their idols and started worshipping God again, he came back to their aid. This is uplifting because it shows that God never truly abandoned them at all, he was still paying attention to them and when they finally worshipped him again, he was right there to help.
ReplyDelete1 Samuel 3
ReplyDeleteThe LORD Calls Samuel
1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
11 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. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
19 The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
I find this passage to be uplifting. It seems at the time this passage is written there is a lot of corruption going around and the people have grown forgetful of their duties to their god. Samuel seems to be an answer directly from God that gives hope in a time of corruption. (Eli's house (corrupt) Example)
I think it's pretty tragic when Eli knows about the sinning that is going with his sins and because he doesn't take disciplinary action the effects on his family are huge. God couldn't allow these things to keep happening so he withdrew his protection from them in battle and they were killed. Eli had chosen to honor his sons over God and their were consequences. Yet again when Samuel is the judge over Israel, his sons also turn away from God. It just reoccurs time and time again with sons being unfaithful to the way of their father and it is the same with the people of Israel and their Father, God. He, as a loving father does, kept giving them warnings but fair results must always come. The lesson here might be there are always consequences to our actions and we have to answer for the things that we allow to happen around us and in our lives.
ReplyDeleteIt's very upsetting to read about Eli's sons. Not only because they're stupid and ignorant to what they're doing to their people. But because you really only see Eli suffering at first. He goes blind because of what his sons are doing. The day his sons die he dies. I don't know what to think of Phineha's Wife having a son and dying on the same day. Is it uplifting that a son was born? Or is it uplifting that he would not have a horrible role model as a father? That might sound terrible, but there can be a silver lining in tragedy.
ReplyDeletefor me the most uplifting story is obviously david and goliath. the story of how david defeated this monster of man with only a slingshot and faith in god, helps to make you believe that you can accomplish anything
ReplyDeletethe most tragic part is about eli and his sons. eli is suffering for the sins of his sons, and his sons dont seem to really care that they are killing there father
jason schumacher
I think the story of Israel asking for a king is tragic. Samuel tries to warn them, telling them of all the downsides of having a king rule over them, and includes all the good things God has done for their people, and now they are rejecting Him. This can be found in Chapter 8.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 9, Saul is introduced, and is described as a good man. Not necessarily "after God's own heart" like David, but it says in 9:2...
"And he had a son, whose name [was] Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and [there was] not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people. "
This doesn't last very long however, when he starts disobeying God's commands, and God tells Samuel in chapter 13 about another who is after God's own heart, and Saul could have ruled over Israel forever if it weren't for his disobedience.
Over time, and moving on to chapter 15, we see Saul disobey a direct order to destroy the Amalekites and everything they have. He spares the king and choice livestock. This time Samuel tells Saul outright that God won't have have him as king.
It's really tragic that when God tells Samuel to go annoint the future king David, that Samuel needs God to devise a ruse for him, lest Saul kill him for annointing another as future king. It's apparent that the trustworthiness and "goodliness" of Saul is turning into a fleeting memory. This is especially apparent in his future attempts to kill David.
I hate to repeat what's already been said multiple times on this blog, but 1 Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath, is by far the most uplifting story. People enjoy the story because it's about beating the odds and persevering. I think we all feel that at one point that we are the underdogs, with the cards stacked against us. This story gives two examples of David having to overcome something that seemed insurmountable with God's help. He recalls the story of the lion coming into the flock (1 Samuel 34-36). I think what is most uplifting about this passage is that David recognizes and freely admits that he isn't able to do these things on his own. Rather, it is with God's help (1 Samuel 37) that enables him to find victory.
ReplyDeleteThe most tragic parts are the attempts Saul makes to take David's life. David has done so much for Saul, and truthfully asked very little in return. It seems that Saul's jealousy for David overshadows all of his accomplishments and contributions. These parts really sadden me, again, because they are relatable. Everyone has put faith in someone they deemed trustworthy, but Saul repeatedly comes after David, even after David promices that once he is king, he won't wipe out Saul's descendants.
One episode which was tragic to me was how the people asked for a king. :-/ Samuel was good to them, but they wanted to be followers and be like the other nations. It's sad how even after Samuel told them what a king would do to them they still wanted one. Samuel was displeased with this and in chapter 8 verse 7 the Lord tells Samuel that Hearken unto to the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that should I not reign over them. I guess the lesson in this story is you get what you ask for.
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