The Book of 1 Samuel provides the historical account of the transition from the time of the Judges (when God was to be the nation’s king) to the beginning of the kings of Israel. There are three primary characters in the book: 1) Samuel (the last of the Judges and the first prophet after Moses); 2) Saul (the first king of Israel; and 3) David (the “king-elect” who was anointed by Samuel, but not yet publicly recognized as king). The account of David’s ascent to the throne is reserved for 2 Samuel. Samuel is considered by many scholars to be a “type” of Christ primarily because, like Christ, he was a prophet, priest, and king. And like Christ who brought us into the New Covenant age, Samuel brought in a new age for the nation, namely, the age of the kings.

First Samuel covers the ninety-four year period from the birth of Samuel to the death of King Saul (1105 – 1011 B.C.). The author of both books is ascribed, of course, to Samuel. However, because Samuel’s death is recorded in 1 Samuel 25:1, it is clear that other authors were involved, even though it is highly probable that Samuel wrote the first portion of 1 Samuel. You might be interested to know that in the Book of 1 Chronicles (coming soon), reference is made to “the chronicles of Samuel the seer,” “the chronicles of Nathan the prophet,” and “the chronicles of Gad the seer.” It is probable that all three of these mentioned contributed to the historical accounts in the Books of 1 and 2 Samuel, and because of the smooth transitions throughout the book, it is more than likely that a single compiler gathered the material together into what we know as 1 and 2 Samuel.

Some of the events that you might recognize in the book include the “stealing” of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines and its retrieval; Samuel anointing Saul as king after the nation rejects God as their King; David defeating Goliath, the Philistine giant; ongoing conflicts between Saul and David; and the death of King Saul by the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa. There are two primary passages in this book that stand out for us. The first has to do with the assembling of the Philistines for battle and Saul not waiting for Samuel to arrive (as he said he would) in order to offer a burnt offering to the LORD. Remember, only Priests were to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, not kings! Although not our key verse for the book, it is important to understand King Saul’s actions. Let’s pick up the dialogue with King Saul offering his excuse for not waiting,

“…I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD. So, I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.’ And Samuel replied, ‘You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom will not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after God’s own heart, and the LORD has appointed Him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you’” (1 Sam. 13:12-14).

Here we see that Saul knowingly disobeyed the LORD by offering a sacrifice. Offering sacrifices to God are good, but they have to be done in the right manner and through the right person, and they must always be in obedience to the LORD’s command, which Samuel failed to do.

On another occasion, because the Amalekites were continually harassing the Israelites from one generation to the next, God spoke through Samuel who conveyed to Saul that he was to “utterly destroy” them and their city. But Saul spared Agag their king, and the Israelites kept the best of the livestock. Because of this, the LORD spoke to Samuel saying,

“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not carried out My commands” (1 Sam. 15:11).

And then Samuel spoke these words to Saul (and this becomes our key verse for the book),

“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Sam. 15:22-23).

Let’s unpack this passage for a bit. First of all, throughout the Old Testament, God delighted in burnt offerings and sacrifices as long as they were carried out in the prescribed manner and with a humble and repentant heart. Rebellion against God’s commands is like divination, seeking divine guidance from occultic sources. And insubordination is like “idolatry,” again, attempting to seek favor from a false god or idol. In short, God wants obedience to His commandments above all else, and one of those commandments is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength” (Mk. 12:30).

Furthermore, Jesus continually reminded His disciples, “If you love Me, then keep my Commandments” (Jn. 14:15, 21, 23). Loving the Lord is not about continually “saying it,” but “doing it” through keeping His commandments. Jesus wasn’t interested in just “good intentions,” but in having those “good intentions” be followed by actions in keeping with His commandments.

As you examine your life, if you feel that your intentions in following Christ are good but you are lacking in appropriate “follow through,” then bring this issue before Him. The first step is to recognize this as displeasing to God, and then to make it right with God. You know what to do: repent, confess, and begin walking in obedience to Him, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you for the journey. No reason to put it off. You can begin right now. God bless you.