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Destination: 1 Samuel 1-15
1 Samuel 1-15
Skip Heitzig

1 Samuel 1 (NKJV™)
1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2 And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
4 And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD had closed her womb.
6 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.
7 So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.
8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
9 So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the LORD.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.
11 Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."
12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.
13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!"
15 And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
16 "Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now."
17 Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him."
18 And she said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19 Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.
20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked for him from the LORD."
21 Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the LORD and remain there forever."
23 And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the LORD establish His word." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24 Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young.
25 Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli.
26 And she said, "O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.
27 "For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.
28 "Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD." So they worshiped the LORD there.
1 Samuel 2 (NKJV™)
1 And Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 "No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
3 "Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
4 "The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.
6 "The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.
7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.
8 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. "For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, And He has set the world upon them.
9 He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. "For by strength no man shall prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed."
11 Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.
13 And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.
14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.
15 Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, "Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw."
16 And if the man said to him, "They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires," he would then answer him, "No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force."
17 Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.
19 Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, "The LORD give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the LORD." Then they would go to their own home.
21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
23 So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.
24 "No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the LORD'S people transgress.
25 "If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.
26 And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men.
27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
28 'Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
29 'Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?'
30 "Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
31 'Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
32 'And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever.
33 'But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age.
34 'Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them.
35 'Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.
36 'And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, "Please, put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread."'"
1 Samuel 3 (NKJV™)
1 Then the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.
2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,
3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,
4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, "Here I am!"
5 So he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." And he said, "I did not call; lie down again." And he went and lay down.
6 Then the LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. Then he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy.
9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."
11 Then the LORD said to Samuel: "Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.
12 "In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.
13 "For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.
14 "And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever."
15 So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son!" And he answered, "Here I am."
17 And he said, "What is the word that the Lord spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you."
18 Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him."
19 So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD.
21 Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
1 Samuel 4 (NKJV™)
1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2 Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.
3 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies."
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.
6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.
7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp!" And they said, "Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before.
8 "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 "Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!"
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12 Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
13 Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out.
14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, "What does the sound of this tumult mean?" And the man came quickly and told Eli.
15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see.
16 Then the man said to Eli, "I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line." And he said, "What happened, my son?"
17 So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured."
18 Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her.
20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, "Do not fear, for you have borne a son." But she did not answer, nor did she regard it.
21 Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."
1 Samuel 5 (NKJV™)
1 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon.
3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again.
4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon's torso was left of it.
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, "The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god."
8 Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" And they answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath." So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.
9 So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.
10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!"
11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
12 And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
1 Samuel 6 (NKJV™)
1 Now the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it to its place."
3 So they said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you."
4 Then they said, "What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?" They answered, "Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of you and on your lords.
5 "Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your gods, and from your land.
6 "Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart?
7 "Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them.
8 "Then take the ark of the LORD and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go.
9 "And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us--it happened to us by chance."
10 Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.
11 And they set the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors.
12 Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
14 Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
15 The Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the chest that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone. Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to the LORD.
16 So when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned as a trespass offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;
18 and the golden rats, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and country villages, even as far as the large stone of Abel on which they set the ark of the LORD, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
19 Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter.
20 And the men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall it go up from us?"
21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD; come down and take it up with you."
1 Samuel 7 (NKJV™)
1 Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
2 So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."
4 So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
5 And Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you."
6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
7 Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel, "Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines."
9 And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."
13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places.
17 But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the LORD.
1 Samuel 8 (NKJV™)
1 Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.
3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5 and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."
6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
8 "According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day--with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods--so they are doing to you also.
9 "Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them."
10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king.
11 And he said, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.
12 "He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13 "He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14 "And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.
15 "He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.
16 "And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 "He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.
18 "And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day."
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No, but we will have a king over us,
20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.
22 So the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."
1 Samuel 9 (NKJV™)
1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, "Please, take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys."
4 So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the donkeys and become worried about us."
6 And he said to him, "Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go."
7 Then Saul said to his servant, "But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"
8 And the servant answered Saul again and said, "Look, I have here at hand one fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way."
9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus: "Come, let us go to the seer"; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)
10 Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said; come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out to draw water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?"
12 And they answered them and said, "Yes, there he is, just ahead of you. Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place.
13 "As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about this time you will find him."
14 So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.
15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying,
16 "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to me."
17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, "There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people."
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Please tell me, where is the seer's house?"
19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 "But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?"
21 And Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?"
22 Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited; there were about thirty persons.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, 'Set it apart.'"
24 So the cook took up the thigh with its upper part and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Here it is, what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat; for until this time it has been kept for you, since I said I invited the people." So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the top of the house.
26 They arose early; and it was about the dawning of the day that Samuel called to Saul on the top of the house, saying, "Get up, that I may send you on your way." And Saul arose, and both of them went outside, he and Samuel.
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us." And he went on. "But you stand here awhile, that I may announce to you the word of God."
1 Samuel 10 (NKJV™)
1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: "Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance?
2 "When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, 'The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?"'
3 "Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.
4 "And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.
5 "After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.
6 "Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
7 "And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you.
8 "You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do."
9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.
10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, "What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"
12 Then a man from there answered and said, "But who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
14 Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" So he said, "To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel."
15 And Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you."
16 So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.
17 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah,
18 and said to the children of Israel, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.'
19 "But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, 'No, set a king over us!' Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans."
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found.
22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, "Has the man come here yet?" And the LORD answered, "There he is, hidden among the equipment."
23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
24 And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?" So all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!"
25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched.
27 But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
1 Samuel 11 (NKJV™)
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel."
3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you."
4 So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept.
5 Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, "What troubles the people, that they weep?" And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.
7 So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
8 When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.'" Then the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you."
11 So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12 Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, that we may put them to death."
13 But Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished salvation in Israel."
14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there."
15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
1 Samuel 12 (NKJV™)
1 Now Samuel said to all Israel: "Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2 "And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day.
3 "Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you."
4 And they said, "You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man's hand."
5 Then he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they answered, "He is witness."
6 Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.
7 "Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers:
8 "When Jacob had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.
9 "And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10 "Then they cried out to the LORD, and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.'
11 "And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety.
12 "And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king.
13 "Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you.
14 "If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God.
15 "However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 "Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes:
17 "Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves."
18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
19 And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves."
20 Then Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 "And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.
22 "For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.
23 "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
24 "Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
25 "But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."
1 Samuel 13 (NKJV™)
1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.
3 And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!"
4 Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.
5 Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits.
7 And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 So Saul said, "Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me." And he offered the burnt offering.
10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
11 And Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash,
12 "then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering."
13 And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done 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.
14 "But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."
15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men.
16 Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned to the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual,
18 another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears."
20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man's plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle;
21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads.
22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.
23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
1 Samuel 14 (NKJV™)
1 Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he did not tell his father.
2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men.
3 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few."
7 So his armorbearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart."
8 Then Jonathan said, "Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them.
9 "If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them.
10 "But if they say thus, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up. For the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us."
11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, "Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden."
12 Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." Jonathan said to his armorbearer, "Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel."
13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them.
14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land.
15 And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling.
16 Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there.
17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Now call the roll and see who has gone from us." And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.
18 And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here" (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel).
19 Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."
20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man's sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion.
21 Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23 So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.
24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food.
25 Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground.
26 And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened.
28 Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats food this day.'" And the people were faint.
29 But Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 "How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"
31 Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint.
32 And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.
33 Then they told Saul, saying, "Look, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood!" So he said, "You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day."
34 And Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, 'Bring me here every man's ox and every man's sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.'" So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered it there.
35 Then Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD.
36 Now Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here."
37 So Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him that day.
38 And Saul said, "Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today.
39 "For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But not a man among all the people answered him.
40 Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side." And the people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."
41 Therefore Saul said to the LORD God of Israel, "Give a perfect lot." So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.
42 And Saul said, "Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me." So Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, and said, "I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!"
44 And Saul answered, "God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan."
45 But the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
46 Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
47 So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he harassed them.
48 And he gathered an army and attacked the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.
49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Jishui and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.
50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.
1 Samuel 15 (NKJV™)
1 Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD.
2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt.
3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"
4 So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.
6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
8 He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
10 Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
11 "I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.
12 So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal."
13 Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD."
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"
15 And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed."
16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak on."
17 So Samuel said, "When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel?
18 "Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.'
19 "Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?"
20 And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21 "But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal."
22 Then Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great 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.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king."
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
25 "Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD."
26 But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."
27 And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.
28 So Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.
29 "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent."
30 Then he said, "I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD your God."
31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32 Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me." So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."
33 But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Bible from 30,000 Feet, The

The fifteenth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us on journey through 1 Samuel chapters 1-15. Join our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig for this exciting tour on which we'll meet a man who would be become King. This man's good looks, physical size and success in war made him an obvious choice from a human perspective, but the book of 1 Samuel highlights his tragic flaw - he disobeyed God's commands. From the ashes of Saul's tragedy God raises up another man who would become King, a man after His own heart, King David. The key chapters to review are 1-3, 8-10 and 15.

Have you ever wanted to learn how The Bible fits together? The Bible from 30,000 Feet is an overview study through the entire Bible, hitting the highlights of its people, places, events and themes in about a year. This series will give you a coherent understanding of the holy word of God.



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Interactive Travel Guide

First Samuel recounts King Saul's rise to power and influence and his tragic fall. Saul's good looks, physical size and success in war made him an obvious choice from a human perspective. But the book of First Samuel highlights Saul's tragic flaw - he disobeyed God's commands. From the ashes of Saul's tragedy God raises up another king - King David.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

1380 - 1050 B.C.
Judges rule in Israel
1200 B.C.
Philistines occupy the Mediterranean coast

1100 - 1010 B.C.
Samuel's prophetic career

1050 B.C.
Saul becomes king of Israel

1018 B.C.
Samuel anoints David to be king

1010 B.C.
The conquest of Canaan

1003 B.C.
David's reign acknowledged throughout Israel

970 B.C.
David dies and Solomon becomes king


TRIP PLANNER
The book of First Samuel can be divided into two sections. The first section deals with the rise of Saul as King.

1. The role of Samuel:
a. Samuel called - Chapters 1-2
b. Samuel confirmed - Chapters 3-6
c. Samuel commended - Chapter 7

2. The reign of Saul:
a. Israel rejects God as King - Chapter 8
b. God chooses Saul as king - Chapters 9-12
c. God rejects Saul as king - Chapters 13-15

PLACES OF INTEREST

Ramah - Five miles north of Jerusalem. The town today lies in ruins, but was the hometown of Samuel's parents and Samuel's birthplace. It was in Mt. Ephraim, within accessible distance to Shiloh, were Samuel's parents went up from year to year to worship and to sacrifice (1:3). From Ramah as a center Samuel went on circuit annually, to judge Israel, Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah (1 Sam 7:16).

Ashdod - One of the five chief cities of the Philistines. The name means stronghold or fortress, and its strength may be inferred by the fact that Psammetik, of Egypt, besieged it for many years. It was still independent in the days of Samuel, when, after the defeat of the Israelites, the ark was taken to the house of Dagon in Ashdod (1 Sam 5:1).

Beth Shemesh - A town located about 8 miles east of Ekron and 15 miles west of Jerusalem. It was to Beth Shemesh that the Ark was returned to Israel. The name means "house of the sun" (1 Sam 6:12).

Kiriath Jearim - God killed many people in Beth Shemesh for looking inside the Ark. It was then moved to Kiriath Jearim. It is assumed that the location was about 10 miles west of Jerusalem, but the actual location is disputed (1 Sam. 7:1).

Gibeah - Israel's first king Saul was from Gibeah. Only three miles north of Jerusalem, it was Saul's first capital and was the headquarters for his military campaigns. The city was destroyed by the Roman commander Titus at the same time as the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. No one has lived there since (1 Sam. 1:1).

PEOPLE OF INTEREST
Elkanah - He was from the tribe of Ephraim, the husband of Hannah and the father of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1).

Hannah - A Barren woman who God blessed by opening her womb to bear a child. She became the mother of Samuel whom she had dedicated to the LORD even before his birth (1 Sam 1:27).

Eli - He was the high priest at this time. He had two sons (Hophni and Phinehas) who were wicked. Samuel came to live with Eli as a young boy (1 Sam 1:3).

Hophni - The oldest son of Eli. He was wicked in his priestly duties and was later killed in battle as a divine judgment (1 Sam 4:11).

Phinehas - The younger son of Eli who was equally as wicked as his brother and also killed in battle as a divine judgment. He was the father (born after his death) of the child named Ichabod, meaning "the glory has departed out of Israel."

Samuel - He was the godly son for whom Hannah prayed. He could very well be considered a great religious statesman. He was the last of the Judges and the first of the Prophets. If you follow his travels, he was like a circuit riding preacher in the movies of the wild west (1 Sam 1:20; 7:15-17).

An unnamed man of God - A nameless prophet who warned Eli about his evil sons (1 Sam 2:27).

Phinehas' wife - When she hears the news that her husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law are dead and the Ark has been lost to the enemy, goes into labor and gives birth to a son that she names Ichabod, meaning "the glory has departed out of Israel" (1 Sam 4:19-22).

Dagon - A Philistine god, the harvest god, whose image fell to the ground in the presence of the Ark (1 Sam 5:2).

Abinadab - When the Ark was recaptured by Israel, they took it to the house of Abinadab who cared for it for 20 years (1 Sam 7:1).

FUN FACTS

The Yearly Sacrifice - Samuel's parents traveled to the tabernacle at Shiloh each year to worship God. This celebration was actually the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. All Israelites were to observe this eight-day feast and in many cases they traveled to Shiloh to do so at the Tabernacle (1 Sam 1:3; 21).

The Menorah - This Golden Lampstand in the Tabernacle. Originally carved out of acacia wood, it was covered with 96 pounds of pure gold. The Menorah had a long straight stand and six branches curved out and up from the center, three on each side, The flames were an expression of God's presence (1 Sam 3:3).

Oxcarts - Living along the flat coastal areas, carts and wagons were very useful. The Ark, which had been captured by the Philistines, was returned to Israel on an oxcart. The oxcart had to travel over bumpy, rocky areas on the return trip. When it was going to tip over after hitting a bump, Uzzah reached up to steady the Ark and was struck down by God (1 Sam 6:1-7:2 & 2 Sam 6:7).

Armor Bearer - During David's days, commanders always had an armor bearer who went into battle with them. He was a highly trusted man with great skills and courage. The armor bearer protected and defended the commander. His name comes from his other duties which were to carry any weapons that the commander needed to fight his battle (1 Sam 14:1).

Saul's Family-

a. Saul: The people of Israel demanded a king like the surrounding nations. Saul was chosen to be the first king. He was later rejected by God (1 Sam 9:2).
b. Ahinoam: The daughter of Ahimaaz and Saul's wife.
c. Jonathan: The oldest son of King Saul who becomes David's best friend. Jonathan was a brave, loyal and godly man (1 Sam 14:49).
d. Ishui: Saul's next son (1 Sam 14:49).
e. Melchi-Shua: Saul's third son (1 Sam 14:49).
f. Abinadab: Saul's fourth son (1 Sam 14:49).
g. Merab: The oldest daughter of Saul (1 Sam 14:49).
h. Michal: The younger daughter of Saul and David's first wife (1 Sam 14:49; 18:27).
i. Kish: Saul's father. When Kish had lost his donkeys, he sent Saul out to look for them. Through this event, Saul was anointed king by Samuel (1 Sam 9).
j. Ner: Saul's uncle, probably Kish's brother, and the father of Abner who would become the commander of Saul's army.

MAPS

1 Samuel

Transcript

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Father we invite You now in a very special way to be our guest of honor. Part of our worship is a careful, close and a holy attention to Your Word. Part of Your growth is to teach us that we might be transformed by the renewing of our minds. So we pray Father that as You speak through Your Word, our minds and our thinking would be renewed. I pray Lord that we would pay close attention to what Your Spirit might be speaking to us individually. We think of young Samuel whose words we're about to read when he said, "Speak Lord, Your servant hears." We say that corporately. "Speak Lord, Your for your servants gathered hear are listening." In Jesus' Name. Amen.
We will be looking at 1 Samuel chapters 1 - 15 and at the role of a prophet and the rule of a politician. The prophet of course is Samuel. The politician is the first king of Israel, King Saul. We are going to look at the role of Samuel the prophet and the rule of Saul the politician. We call this series the Bible from 30,000 feet and we soar rapidly over a whole bunch of Scriptures in one setting. Speaking of 30,000 feet, imagine being in an airplane at cruising altitude and suddenly you hear this over the airplane intercom, "Now there is no cause for alarm but we felt that you should know that for the last three hours we have been flying without the benefit of radio, compass, radar or navigational beam due to the breakdown of key components. That means that we are, in the broad sense of the word, lost and we're not quite sure in which direction we are heading. On the brighter side of the picture, however, I'm sure you'll be glad to know, that we are making excellent time." How would you feel? Not very good! You're going somewhere, you don't know where, but you are right on time. That is the situation that the nation of Israel is facing at this period of time. We've just come through the period of Judges and the nation is on a course to nowhere. They are actually on a course to captivity. In 586 BC they will be taken captive. They have gotten off course and they are straying away from the Lord. Now we come to a series of books that deal with leadership. We read in the book of Judges, "There was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in his own eyes." Over the next several weeks we are going to look at first and second Samuel, first and second Kings and first and second Chronicles. The theme of those books is leadership and we're going to see many examples of good and bad leadership. Somebody once said that there are three kinds of people: those who make things happen; those who watch things happen and those who have no idea what's happening. All three of them will be found in the pages of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. A major mega-theme of these books is influence and what we're going to see in 1 Samuel are some notable characters. Eli, who's a priest; Samuel, who's a prophet; Saul is a politician and a good one; and David who is a poet. So we're going to look at a priest, a prophet, a politician, and a poet. You can even divide the book of Samuel and outline it based upon those figures. But as I said, the mega-theme is influence.
Look backward for just a moment in your mind's eye and think about people who have influenced you and that made an impact on you. It could be a parent, a grandparent, a coach, a teacher, a mentor or a cartoon character; you know who influenced you. Then after looking back and thinking of those people look around you now and where you are in your life and ask yourself, what kind of footprints are you leaving for other people. You are making an impact somewhere and influencing people somehow. What kind of footprints are you leaving for your family, your friends, your neighbors, your church or people in your small group to follow? 
Well the story of leadership and the story of Godliness isn't just the group of men that I mentioned. The story opens with a notable woman. Elkanah is the guy's name who's married to a woman named Hannah and a woman named Peninnah; that's right he has two wives. Now that doesn't mean that the Bible condones that; the Bible is just honest and tells us what is going on. Here's a man who is married to two women and one of them Hannah can't have children and she is very frustrated so she does a very wise thing - she brings it before God. Chapter 1, verse 2: "And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah," (her name means grace), "and the name of the other Peninnah," (which means ruby), "Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children." It was always the burning desire of every Hebrew couple to have as many children as they possibly could because the idea was that you live and you keep living through your children and grandchildren. There's even a great Psalm, number 127 that says, "Children are a heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." A quiver was a pouch where you put arrows. So the analogy is like having a quiver full of arrows, i.e., children, and the more the merrier. If you have a quiver full of children and you're saying, "Boy, it's sort of tough; they are making me quiver," the Bible calls you blessed and hopefully one day you'll see it all pay off. Well, Hannah can't have children so as I mentioned, she prays and God answers. Verse 20: "So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel," (Sehmual), "saying, 'Because I have asked for him from the Lord.'" What does Samuel mean? It could mean the name of the Lord; it could mean his name is the Lord; it could mean answered by the Lord; or it could mean called on the Lord. All of those meanings are wrapped up in the name Samuel. Now, a word about the book of Samuel. In the original Hebrew texts, first and second Samuel were one book and not two; the book of Samuel. Then later on it became divided and first and second Samuel was called first and second Kings; and first and second Kings were called third and fourth Kings. So there were four books of Kings, two that we call Samuel and two that we call Kings; but things have changed and we just call it first and second Samuel. Who wrote it? We think Samuel. It's a Talmudic tradition that Samuel wrote it but we really don't know and obvious he didn't write it all because he dies in chapter 25. So a couple of other guys like Nathan and Gad perhaps wrote after him and finish the story where he left off. In Verse 27 Hannah is speaking: "'For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.'" I want you to make note of something. The book of Samuel opens with prayer and closes with prayer and prayer is mentioned or seen thirty times in between the opening and the closing of the book. It's really a book of prayer and it's what people do in distress in calling upon the Lord.
There is a period of about 94 years between the birth of Samuel the prophet and the death of King Saul. That 94 year period is a shoulder period, or a transitional period, where Israel gets a king. Verse 28: "'Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord;'" (interesting wording), "'as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.' So they worshiped the Lord there." What does it mean to lend a child to the Lord? It's not like, "Well here Lord, You can have it for a while but I'm taking it back later on." That's not the idea and in fact this really isn't a good translation. The word here, "lent him to the Lord," means an irrevocable, permanent giving of something. That's the idea here. "I've given my child to the Lord." This is what I want you to pick up on. The greatest desire of Elkanah and Hannah for their son Samuel wasn't that he be the richest and the smartest and go to the best universities as much as that he would serve the Lord. "We want this kid to love God and to serve the Lord." They had just come to a period of bad leadership with Judges and, "We'd love it if your son was fully and totally dedicated to the Lord; nothing else matters; I'm giving him to God." Somebody once said, "The earthly possessions you take to heaven are your children." That means that when he was just a little kid they brought him to the Tabernacle and dropped him off and said to the High Priests, "Here, you raise him to serve the Lord with you"; and that's what happened. Maybe between 3 and 5 years of age is when the child finished his weaning process and then as a young child he was dropped off at the Tabernacle.
Chapter 2 is Hannah's response after God blesses her with this child and she dedicates him in prayer. We are not going to go through any of these chapters in any great depth because of lack of time, but one thing I want to point out is that if you were to take 1 Samuel chapter 2 and the Gospel of Luke chapter 1 and compare them you would find some similarities. Mary the mother of Jesus utters a beautiful hymn of worship when she is told that she is going to birth the Messiah. She evidently was familiar with this song of Hannah because the wording is very similar and there are in fact, some direct quotes out of this chapter; so she has been studying this beautiful prayer of Hannah and she utters it at least in part in Luke chapter 1. Verse 11: "Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest." We don't know how old he was when he started ministering to the Lord but most people think he was a teenager. Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, believes that he was 12 years of age when he started in the ministry. Think about that for a moment. Here is a twelve year old kid learning ministry. God is in the business of youth movements; he's always looking for anybody at any age to serve him but it seems like God just loves it when he can get young people turned on to the things of God. I think of Jeremiah. God chose him to be a spokesperson; he wasn't seasoned and Jeremiah even protested and said, "I'm just a kid," and God said, "Quit saying that; I want to use you." Timothy was a young man and Paul said, "Let no man despise your youth," or "don't let anybody look down on you because you're young." Now that is not to say that God exclusively looks for young people. Moses was 80 years old when he started being used by God; and Caleb was 85 when the ministry really took off for him. The point is that God's calling can come at any age. However, a young person is open, more open than we older folks and they are starting to ask questions like, "What is the purpose of life, why am I here and how can I make my life count for something?" Most decisions for Christ come at a young age. That's statistically proven. One organization said this, "At 25 years of age there is a 1 in 5,000 chance that a person will be converted; at 35 it's a 1 in 25,000 chance; at 45 it's a 1 in 60,000 chance; at age 55 it's a 1 in 125,000 chance. Then they say that conversion at age 75 is just a pure miracle; but of course God is a God of miracles. Dwight Lyman Moody, the evangelist, came home one night after a service. His wife had not attended the service and she asked her husband, "Well, how many came forward and were saved at the altar call tonight?" Dwight L. Moody was one of the first purveyors of the altar call and he said, "Two and one half people got saved tonight." She said, "Two and one half? You mean two adults and one child?" He said, "No, two children and one adult; that adult wasted half of his life already but these kids have their whole life ahead of them." So God calls this kid who is twelve years of age or a young teenager to serve at the Tabernacle.
Verse 12: "Now the sons of Eli were corrupt;" If you have an Old King James version it says, "They were sons of Belial." That's like saying they are the devil's kids. "They did not know the Lord." These guys were PK's - priests' kids; they worked in the Tabernacle and yet though they worked in the Tabernacle and they were sons of priests, they weren't saved. Some people think that just by going to church they are automatically saved. In fact some people almost take their cues from seeing the church building or driving into the church parking lot. For example a man can yell at his wife and say rotten things to her and then he turns into the church parking lot and gets out and it's, "Hi brother, God bless you!" Where's the consistency here? My point is that even though you are in a place where Godly things happen, it doesn't make you a Godly person. When you think of the upper room with Jesus and His disciples and you could say, "Oh, yeah, wouldn't it have been great to have been in that upper room?" It was probably the most dangerous place in Jerusalem that night; that's where the devil was, though uninvited. It was in that upper room that Satan entered Judas. Sometimes churches can be the most dangerous places to be. A lot of spiritual warfare can happen. So here they were at the Tabernacle and yet they were unsaved and immoral.
In chapter 3 we look at the life of Samuel who is a contrast to the priests' sons. Here was a young leader who loved God and we have the calling of this prophet. Verse 1: "Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation." This is a very sad verse. God wasn't speaking much back then and you may ask, "Why is that?" Probably because people weren't listening much at that time. You know, God really has nothing to say to people who don't want to listen to Him. If people are in the habit of tuning God out, there will come a time where God says, "I'm done now." Even in the book of Genesis God said, "My Spirit will not always strive with man." So here we read that there was no widespread revelation and that the Word was rare in those days. The Knox translation puts it this way, "In those days a message from God was a rare treasure." It's sad but I have to say that in many churches around the world it could also be said that the Word of God is rare. People, churches, and leaders often feel like, "We've got to get away from the Bible; people don't want to hear the Bible; they just want sugar coated happy feeling sounding messages devoid from the Word of God." Paul said to young Timothy, "Timothy make sure you preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season." Some years ago there was a poll taken of people in America who had been to church and then they just left the church and stopped going and they wanted to find out why. In this poll, 49 percent (almost half) said, "The church is not efficient in helping people find meaning in life." Wait a minute! That's why we exist! To help people find meaning in life. Let's probe a little bit deeper. Fifty six percent said, "We feel the church is too concerned with organizational issues and not Spiritual issues." So here you have the world, basically, telling the church, "You're not preaching the Gospel!" People come to church expecting the church to do church. They don't have to hide it and be cool and be hipper than thou and, "We better not mention the blood of Christ, because it offends people; we better not read the Bible but let's give them just a bunch of fluff." People don't want that. They want meaning in life and they want Spiritual truth and the church should oblige that need and preach the Word.
Well, the Word of God was rare in those days but there was one kid who was listening and his name was Samuel. In one night God comes to Samuel and calls his name three times. "Samuel, Samuel." He is sleeping and wakes up. "I heard somebody call my name," and he thinks that Eli the priest is calling for him. So you can imagine this little guy walking into Eli's room and asking, "What do you want Eli?" "What do you mean what do I want?" "Well you called me." "I didn't call you, go back to bed." He goes back to bed and hears, "Samuel, Samuel." God didn't say anything but just called his name and I think He's having a little fun with this. Samuel wakes up and goes back into Eli's room, "What do you want?" This happens a few times so Eli says, "Look Samuel, it would appear as though God is speaking to you, so next time you hear your name being called, don't wake me up; just say these words, 'Speak, Lord, Your servant hears.'" Verse 9: "Therefore Eli said to Samuel, 'Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, then you must say, 'Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.'" You think he went back to sleep? I mean after a few times, I wouldn't; I'd be wide awake waiting to see if that voice comes back. "Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!' And Samuel answered, 'Speak, for Your servant hears.'" At that point God gave him a revelation. Speak Lord your servant hears is "Ebed shama" in Hebrew; which means I'm ready to do whatever You want and I'm going to pay careful close attention; I'm at the edge of my seat waiting for further instruction. That's what it all means. It's interesting to me that God spoke to him three times but did not give him a full revelation until the boy said, "Speak Lord, I'm ready to do whatever You want; Your servant hears." There's a principal here my friends - there are a lot of people who say, "I really want to do what God wants me to do; I'm all about God's will and I'm all about doing what He wants; but I kind of want to know what He wants of me first. So Lord, speak, tell me what you want first and then I'll decide if I really want to do what You want me to do. I mean, you might say to go to Africa or on a mission trip and I don't want to do that. Or marry that person and I don't want to do that." Here's a guy who says, "Speak Lord Your servant hears," and then God gave him a revelation. What did He reveal? Sadly He revealed that Eli's household with Hophni and Phinehas, his corrupt boys, would come to an end; that God was displeased with them and that ministry was over because this priest Eli indulged those two kids and never corrected them. He tells this to young Samuel and Samuel is too afraid to tell but eventually he does. Verse 19: "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord." Now since we're doing the Bible from 30,000 feet and seeing how it all fits together, some people see in Samuel a type of Christ. Samuel the prophet speaking forth Christ's words clearly and plainly; growing up; and doing the will of God. It was the same with Jesus Christ. Also, and this is what you ought to know, the very first appearance of the word Messiah, Mashiyach, is in this book. Back in chapter 2, verse 10 Hannah says, "God will exalt the horn of His anointed." The word anointed in that verse is Mashiyach and it's where we get our term Messiah or Christ. So the prediction of Messiah comes first in 1 Samuel chapter 2. Verse 21: "Then the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord."
We are going to take an overview of chapters 4 through 7 and I'll give you the background. There is a domestic crisis afoot. The Philistines, the biggest enemy of Israel at that time,is pushing their way toward the interior of the land. The people of Israel are frightened and they cry out for a leadership change. "We don't want the priesthood anymore; we don't want Eli and his corrupt kids; we want a king like other nations." Who were the Philistines? The Philistines were a group of sea-faring trades people from the Aegean Islands. They migrated southwards and tried to go down to Egypt and were kicked out of Egypt and landed down in the Southern Mediterranean coast in Israel. For a long time they settled in five principle cities and you read a lot about them: Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath, Gaza and Ekron. They are the enemies of Israel until finally David deals with them once and for all. You've probably have heard the term, Palestine or Palestinian. It comes from the word Philistine. Palestine literally is from the words ur philistea or land of the Philistines. There are no more philistines today but the term Palestine still persists; why is that? Even one hundred years ago in Christian literature you say the word Palestine rather than Israel. That's because, and this is important, in AD 135 a Roman emperor by the name of Hadrian resurrected the word ur philistea, or Palestine because he wanted the people of Israel, the Jews, to lose their identity. He took over and he changed Jerusalem to an idol worshiping capital. He didn't want the terms Judea or Israel so he resurrected the term Palestinian or Palestine after the philistines but there really are no philistines; there really is no Palestine any more than for us to say the Soviet Union. There is no Soviet Union. There are a bunch of different countries and they are all individualized. Or if you were to say, "I'm going to take a trip to Canaan"; well Canaan doesn't exist and the Canaanites don't exist. Or let's go to East Berlin; it's not east and west Berlin anymore. All that stuff is past history. This Roman emperor tried to keep that term in order to slur the people of Judah.
Chapters 4 through 7 speak about these Philistines and they capture the Ark of the Covenant of God, they take it to one of their temples in Ashdod the temple of Dagon, and they kill the two sons of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas. Now in this chapter Eli the priest is 85 years old and is blind. He's an old guy and has put on a lot of weight and he's sitting down and somebody tells him, "Both of your sons have been murdered by the philistines and the Ark of the Covenant of God has been captured." When he heard that, he was so brokenhearted that he fell over backwards, broke his neck and died. It's horrible way to end your life. Also, on the same day, and at the same time, the wife of Phinehas who has been pregnant with a son, hears what happened and goes into sudden labor because her husband has died and she gives birth.
Chapter 4, verse 21: "Then she named the child Ichabod." You don't want to name your son that if you are looking for a Biblical name. It means, "'The glory has departed from Israel!' because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. And she said, 'The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.'" Ichabod means "where is the glory" or no glory. What does, "The glory has departed" mean? The word departed means gone into captivity. Understand this, to the Jews at that time, the capturing of the Ark of the Covenant was like God going into captivity, and here is why. The Ark of the Covenant wasn't just a box or just a symbol or an icon, it was the only place where atonement for sin could be taken care of. Once a year on Yom Kippur the high priest would sprinkle blood on the top of the mercy seat. The only way to approach God and the only place sins could be forgiven at that time was through the Ark of the Covenant. How were they going to approach and have their sins forgiven now? So for the Ark to go away meant that God had left and gone into captivity - the glory has departed.
In chapters 5 and 6 God judges the Philistines. They take the Ark and put it in that temple of Dagon who is a fish god. When they go in there the next morning the statue has fallen forward as if worshiping the God of Israel via the Ark of the Covenant. The false priests see this and think, "Oh no, somebody must have pushed it over," and they put it back up and guard it. The next day when they come in the statue has fallen forward again but this time it's broken into pieces. Then all sorts of bad things happen to them and finally they say, "Let's get rid of the Ark," and they send it back to Israel to a place called Beth Shemesh and then from there it goes to Kirjath Jearim. By the way, these are all places you can visit in Israel; they are still there.
Chapter 8 marks a transition in Israel's history. This is now where we get the first king. We come now to the United Kingdom and I'm not speaking about England but about the monarchy of Israel; King Saul, King David and King Solomon. This is where the united monarch begins and it lasts 120 years. It begins here in chapter 8 with a guy named Saul. Hosea chapter 13, verse 11 says: "I gave you a king in my anger and I took him away in my wrath." You could write that verse over the rest of this book because that is the theme of the rest of the book of 1 Samuel. King Saul in the Old Testament is like an Old Testament equivalent of a carnal Christian in the New Testament. He's on a roller coaster his whole life and you see promises of his walk with God in his early years and he starts out great but he ends very poorly because he makes some bad choices.
Chapter 8, verse 4: "Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, 'Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.' But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' So Samuel prayed to the Lord." Samuel took this very personally. He feels like they are rejecting him. He is God's prophet and he's the guy who hears from God and speaks for God and he's the representative of the Lord. It's like, "This is my job, and now I'm out of a job?" He feels personally rejected. Verse 7: "And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day--with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods--so they are doing to you also.'" Now here is the big question - was a king the will of God? We understand even from Genesis that it was always God's plan that someday God would reign through a king. In Genesis 49 there is a prediction: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes." The scepter is an ornamental staff and the symbol of authority of a king. In Deuteronomy 17, God says, "When you get into the land be sure to appoint over you a king whom the Lord your God chooses." So was a king God's will? Yes. Was this king God's will? Well he wasn't a man after God's own heart. So though God said that he would eventually put a king in this place and it was His plan, everything was wrong in the choice for a king now. Number one, it was the wrong timing. They are about ten years to soon. David is the guy called a man after God's own heart, not Saul. Number two, it was the wrong tribe. Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin. David would be of the tribe of Judah and that's the prophecy in Genesis 49. God selected Judah and the house of David as the kingly tribe not the house of Saul. And number three, this guy has the wrong temperament. He's all about looks; he's not about a spiritual walk. He doesn't have his priorities right. One of the key verses is in chapter 13, verse 14 where the prophet says to Saul: "'But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart.'" So they asked for a king and God says give them what they want. "I gave them a king in my anger and I took him away in my wrath."
Chapters 9 through 15 are about the sad leadership of King Saul. He started well, he could have ended well, but he didn’t. At the end of his life, maybe in a moment of weakness or in a moment of being vulnerable and uttering something, he said in chapter 26, verse 21: "Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly" -nine words that form his autobiography. This was a tragic admission and a banner you could place over his life. In fact, that's a banner statement that you could put over lots of lives; they start well; there's so much potential and so much giftedness but for some reason the person squanders what God has entrusted and given and what God wanted to do through that person. But through whatever reason they would have to say, "I've played the fool and I have erred exceedingly." Unfortunately I have known too many like that. Chapter 9, verse 1: "There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power." Kish is Saul's dad so we understand that Saul has a good heritage; he comes from the tribe of Benjamin who is the favored son of Jacob by his favorite wife, Rachel. It says that Kish was a mighty man of power or an important guy. Verse 2: "And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people." This guy had good looks; he was handsome, he was tall and in the ancient Middle East stature or height was admired. They would look at him and say, "Now that guy looks like a king and we want him." If we understand who the principle enemy is at that time, we can sort of understand their infinity toward height. Remember that the Philistines were their big enemy and we know that the Philistines had a few tall people on their side, like Goliath, so they see Saul and say, "Here's a tall one and he's good looking too!" Of course he turns out to be a chicken but he looks good - he's a good looking chicken! He had a good heritage and he had good looks. He starts out very humble and I can't prove why he changed but maybe it was because he so often heard, "Man, you're so tall! Man, you're so good looking; you're like the best looking dude in the country." He listened to his own press and he got that crown and maybe he put it on one too many times as he stood in front of the mirror. It's like guys in the gym; there are always mirrors in gyms and I watch as people work out, (when I used to go to gyms), that people like looking at themselves when they are lifting weights. I think Saul probably liked looking at himself with that crown on. The prophet Samuel finds him and anoints him as the next king. Verse 21: "And Saul answered and said, 'Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?'" Now mark well his beginning, he's a humble man, but it won't last.
We skip down to his coronation day in chapter 10, verse 20; the day that he gets the crown: "And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found." "Okay, where's the king? Where's the guy we're going to put this crown on? We can't find him!" "Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, 'Has the man come here yet?' And the Lord answered, 'There he is, hidden among the equipment.'" This guy had an incredible sense of inadequacy. He was not secure at all; he was embarrassed; he thought he shouldn't be the king. It's amazing that you have a guy start out very humble like this, "I can't do this job; I can't be king," and turn out like he turned out. He started well. It's not a bad thing to say, "Look, I'm not worthy of the honor of leading God's people." Paul the Apostle said, "I am less than least of all the saints." When Gideon was chosen as a judge he said, "Who am I to lead God's people. I come from a small tribe and my family is the least in my tribe." Many people started this way and so did this king. But what happened and how did he play the fool and end up like he ended up?
Chapters 13, 14, and 15, which we will briefly look at, give us the answer. He played the fool by number one, arrogance; number two, by indifference; and number three by disobedience. Chapter 13, verse 1: "Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent. And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, 'Let the Hebrews hear!'" Did you get what this is saying? Jonathan attacked and Saul blew the trumpet. I call this military plagiarism. He took the credit for what Jonathan had done. Why? Arrogance and pride. "I'm going to blow my trumpet because I'm the king." "Yes, but you didn't do anything." At least give attribution and give credit and say, "My son did this." Saul didn't do that; he's a very prideful person and pride destroys whatever God builds. Pride destroys families, friendships, and ministries. I had lunch with Jim Baker as soon as he got out of prison a few years back; he was such a broken and humble man. He looked me right in the eye and he said. "You know what caused the downfall of my ministry with Tammy Faye and me? My own pride."
In chapter 14 Saul plays the fool by indifference. Let me explain what's happening here. The army of Israel is reduced in number to only 600 men. King Saul is sitting under a tree waiting for things to happen. His son Jonathan is not a sitter, he's a fighter, so he gets up and says to his armor bearer, "Hey, it may be that the Lord will work for us, let's go to the Philistine's garrison, just you and me, just the two of us and maybe the Lord will deliver the entire army of the Philistines into our hands. It could be that the Lord will be with us for he said, 'What restrains the Lord in saving with many or with few.'" So the armor bearer says, "Cool, I'm game, let's go for it. This sounds like a cool adventure." So the Lord gives the entire army of the Philistines into the hands of these two men - they are all defeated. In the mean time, King Saul has given a stupid order to his army. "Nobody is going to eat anything at all until I am avenged of my enemies. You can't have a single meal today." Which means everybody is so tired and famished and they have no energy and have to fight all day. He says, "Whoever eats anything will get the death penalty." When he gave that order, his son Jonathan and his armor bearer weren't there. They are off fighting a battle and they see honey in the road and they eat it and get energized (like a snickers bar). Watch what happens. Chapter 14, verse 43: "Then Saul said to Jonathan, 'Tell me what you have done.'" This was so stupid. "I'll tell you what I have done - I've won the battle for you dad!" "And Jonathan told him, and said, 'I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!' Saul answered, 'God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.' But the people said to Saul, 'Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.' So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die." Saul would have killed his own son out of jealousy. He hated to see others honored.
He played the fool by arrogance, he played the fool by indifference and in chapter 15, and he played the fool by disobedience. Chapter 15 is the key chapter. Verse 1: "Samuel also said to Saul, 'The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt.'" People read this and think, "Man, God is really bummed out that day and He's really harsh. Why is He punishing the Amalekites?" For this reason: When Moses lead the Children of Israel through the desert into the promise land, the Amalekites came in the rear and got the old, weak and sick people and killed them; ambushed them. Because they were known for their brutality and they were still living in the land, the way you deal with an aggressive cancer in a body is aggressively. Sometimes, the doctor will say, "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to amputate your leg." "You're a mean doctor!" "No, actually if I cut your leg off you'll live; if I don't you'll die. I know it's painful and it's aggressive but aggressive cancer needs aggressive surgery." "Therefore, Saul, go kill the Amalekites." It was a just war. If you don't believe me wait until we get to the book of Esther and we'll read about what happens when God's people disobey and there's a guy in that book named Haman who almost kills all of the Jews. He was an Amalekite. God knew exactly what He was doing when He said, "Get rid of them." Verse 9: "But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed." Now God Himself speaks to Samuel. Verse 11: "'I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.' And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night." What a Godly man. "So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, 'Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.' Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, 'Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.'" Here is a guy who has the right talk and right speech, "God bless you prophet man. I've done everything God told me to do. Praise the Lord! Halleluiah! He had all the talk down but it was covering up his disobedience. "But Samuel said, 'What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'" If you've obeyed everything God told you to do, why do I still hear animals and they are not all dead? "And Saul said, 'They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.'" Again, he sounds very spiritual. "We want to sacrifice to God." It's not spiritual when you disobey. "Then Samuel said to Saul, 'Be quiet!'" (I like this guy - zip it!) '"And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.' And he said to him, 'Speak on.' So Samuel said, 'When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel.'" He gives more excuses. Verse 21: "'But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.'" So Samuel said: 'Has the Lord as great 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 witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.'" Here's a warning to people who say, "I love the Lord; God is like my best friend," and that's a wonderful thing to say but Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do whatever I command you." You can't be disobeying God and yet be living a lifestyle of disobedience claiming God is your best buddy and best friend and you really love Him. "If you love Me you will keep My commandments." He played the fool by arrogance, by indifference and here by disobedience. God never separates the worship from the worshiper. Cain brought a worship sacrifice to the Lord, an offering, and God looked at both the offering and the one who offered it and said to him, "If you do right you'll be accepted. If you live right, I'll accept it; but I don't separate what you give and who you are." Verse 35: "And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel." Now Saul will still be in power as the king but God will not be with him and God will replace him.
Understand this as we close, it didn't have to go that way. It didn't have to end that way. It could have ended, "And they lived happily ever after." It didn't and it was because of disobedience. F.B. Myer gives us these words, "This is the bitterest of all, to know that suffering need not have been, that it has resulted from indiscretion and inconsistency; that it is the harvest of one's own sowing; that the vulture which feeds on the vitals is a nestling of one's own rearing, awe me, this is pain." No wonder Samuel mourned for Saul the rest of his life.
As we close in prayer, maybe you can think of someone who was walking closely with the Lord and you're thinking, "They've walked away." Let's pray for them and God's mercy as we close.
Heavenly Father, You've been so gracious; none of us are worthy of Your mercies but You lavish Your grace upon us. You're so patient with us and though we have a long way to grow and a lot to learn, like a patient father or mother, You direct our steps and You forgive us and You pick us back up. You wipe the dust off and You get us back on our feet. We pray Lord for those who have erred and who aren't walking in obedience anymore to You. We can't judge their hearts and we can try to wrestle with it theologically but more than that we want to spend our energy praying for them. That one person or two or three that come to our minds, we pray Lord that You'd restore them back to effective service, back to fellowship with You and right relationship with us. Thank You Lord that we've learned what we've learned and we've read what we've read and we pray that Your Spirit will continue to do Your work in us. We bless Your name. Amen.

Additional Messages in this Series

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7/11/2007
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Destination: Genesis 1-11
Genesis 1-11
Skip Heitzig
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We begin The Bible from 30,000 Feet with a tour of Genesis Chapters 1-11. On this flight we'll travel all the way back to the very beginning - The Creation. We'll meet the first man and woman and their deceiver - the Serpent. We'll fly over God's new creation and meet a man named Noah, who God saved from His judgment - the Flood. We'll also take a look at "beginnings," the first time things are mentioned in the Bible a special significance should be given to them. The word Genesis itself is a Greek word that means "origin," the book describes the origins of creation.
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7/18/2007
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Destination: Genesis 12-50
Genesis 12-50
Skip Heitzig
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This week's flight is going to take us over the second section of Genesis, which is biographical in nature and focuses on the lives of four key people. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. We'll travel through the time era known as the Age of the Patriarchs. If you look at your window, we'll be passing over Canaan and Egypt, Canaan is modern day Israel.
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7/25/2007
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Destination: Exodus 1-18
Exodus 1-18
Skip Heitzig
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In our third tour, we'll be visiting the book of Exodus chapters 1-18. We'll get an overview of the central historical event contained in the book, the redemption of God's people from the bondage of Egypt. The setting for our journey is the nation of Egypt and Israel's wanderings through the wilderness. For this flight the key chapters to review in advance are: Exodus: 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12 and 14.
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8/1/2007
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Destination: Exodus 19-40
Exodus 19-40
Skip Heitzig
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In our fourth tour, we'll again visit the book of Exodus, visiting chapters 19-40. The setting for this week's journey is the Sinai Peninsula where God reveals the Ten Commandments to the nation of Israel and gives specific instructions on how He is to be worshiped. For this flight the key chapters to review in advance are: Exodus: 20, 25, 26, 27, 29 and 32.
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8/8/2007
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Destination: Leviticus 1-17
Leviticus 1-17
Skip Heitzig
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In our fifth flight from 30,000 Feet, we fly over the first seventeen chapters of the book of Leviticus. This is a book on worship and describes the worship life of the nation of Israel. In this first tour of Leviticus, we'll see how the first part of the book focuses on the way to God through sacrifice and lays down the law - literally - on how man was designed to live and how man can be atoned for his sins. The key chapters to review in advance are: Leviticus: 1-5, 10, 16, 17.
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8/15/2007
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Destination: Leviticus 18-27
Leviticus 18-27
Skip Heitzig
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This week's study will take us through Leviticus chapters 18-27. The theme of Leviticus could be summed up in one word - holiness. The second section of Leviticus focuses on our walk with God through sanctification. Sanctification is the process by which we become holy or set apart for God's purposes. The key chapters to review in advance are: Leviticus 18-20, 22, 23, and 25.
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8/22/2007
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Destination: Numbers 1-14
Numbers 1-14
Skip Heitzig
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Our seventh flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us through Numbers chapters 1-14. Numbers is the fourth of the Pentateuch. In the Hebrew it is called ba-midbar, "in the wilderness." In the Septuagint version it is called Arithmoi or "numbers," and this name is now the usual title of the book. It is so called because it contains a record of the numbering of the people in the wilderness of Sinai (1-4), and of their numbering afterwards on the plain of Moab (26). The key chapters to review in advance are: Numbers 3, 6, 9, 11, 13 & 14.
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8/29/2007
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Destination: Numbers 15-36
Numbers 15-36
Skip Heitzig
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In our eighth flight over the Bible from 30,000 feet Pastor Skip will give us a tour of Numbers chapters 15-36. We'll see that the second section of Numbers covers the failure of one generation to enter the Promised Land and the reorganization of a new generation that enters into the Promised Land. Key chapters for this flight are: 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, and 27.
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9/5/2007
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Destination: Deuteronomy 1-34
Deuteronomy 1-34
Skip Heitzig
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In our ninth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip Heitzig will take us on a tour through the entire book of Deuteronomy. The Hebrews called it "Elleh Haddevarim," "These are the Words," or "Devarim," (words). Deuteronomy can be organized around three messages given by Moses while the Israelites were on the plains east of the Jordan River. It occurs after the 40 years of wandering and the Israelites are now ready to enter the Promised Land. The key word of this book is covenant and speaks of the special relationship that God has established with His people. Key chapters for this flight are: 6, 7, 31, 32, 33 and 34.
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9/12/2007
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Destination: Joshua 1-12
Joshua 1-12
Skip Heitzig
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Pastor Skip Heitzig will be our tour guide during our tenth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. This week's journey will take us through Joshua 1-12. We'll get to know Joshua, son of Nun, who shared in all the events of the Exodus, and held the place of commander of the host of the Israelites. The book of Joshua describes Israel's conquest of Canaan and the first section describe how Joshua conquered the land. Key chapters for this flight are: Joshua 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10.
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9/26/2007
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Destination: Joshua 13-24
Joshua 13-24
Skip Heitzig
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In our eleventh flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip Heitzig will give us a tour of the Promised Land. We will see how Joshua divides the land "as an inheritance to Israel," and we'll see different tribes and where they settle, both in and out of the Promised Land. Key chapters for this flight are: Joshua 13 and 20-24.
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10/3/2007
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Destination: Judges 1-10
Judges 1-10
Skip Heitzig
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In our twelfth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip Heitzig will once again be our tour guide as we take our first look at the book of Judges. We'll see on this tour how the nation of Israel is caught in the cycle of sin and how each cycle results in ever worsening conditions for them. We'll meet some of the characters that God divinely appointed to the office of Judge. The key chapters to review for this flight are Judges 1–3 and 6–8.
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10/10/2007
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Destination: Judges 11-21
Judges 11-21
Skip Heitzig
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Flight thirteen over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us over Judges chapters 11-21. Pastor Skip Heitzig will guide us as we complete this overview of Judges. We will see that the second part of Judges shows the fragile nature of these Judges and a people who, "did what was right in their own eyes," that kept them in their sin cycle.
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10/24/2007
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Destination: Ruth 1-4
Ruth 1-4
Skip Heitzig
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In our fourteenth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip Heitzig will give us a tour of the little romantic book of Ruth. We'll see how the book of Ruth shows the godly courage and love of two very different women from very different backgrounds. We'll meet some amazing characters on this flight who become key people in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
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11/14/2007
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Destination: 1 Samuel 16-31
1 Samuel 16-31
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight sixteen over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. This week our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig, will complete our tour of the book of 1 Samuel, covering chapters 16-31. On this flight we'll meet the man who God calls, "a man after my own heart (Acts 13:22)," David son of Jesse. We'll see David as a young shepherd boy who defeats Goliath and rises to national prominence overnight. His instant popularity arouses the jealousy of King Saul and forces David into hiding.
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11/21/2007
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Destination: 2 Samuel 1-10
2 Samuel 1-10
Skip Heitzig
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Flight Seventeen over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us over 2 Samuel chapters 1-10. Our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig, will show us David's triumphs as King over Israel, after the death of Saul. Join us as we see how David's faith in God leads him to be victorious politically and militarily as one by one he defeats his enemies. We will also see how David's obedience leads to a new promise from God. The key chapters to review for this flight are 1-3, 5, 7 and 9.
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12/5/2007
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Destination: 2 Samuel 11-24
2 Samuel 11-24
Skip Heitzig
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Message Summary
In our eighteenth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig will take us to our next destination, 2 Samuel 11-24. On this flight we'll see David's transgressions and the troubles that resulted from them. By presenting both the strengths and weaknesses of David, we see a complete picture of a very real person who was described as being "a man after God's own heart." The key chapters to review are 2 Samuel 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 23, and 24.
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1/9/2008
completed
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Destination: 1 Kings 1-22
1 Kings 1-22
Skip Heitzig
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Message Summary
Get your travel planner out for flight nineteen over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, as we soar over 1 Kings 1-22. On this flight we will see the transition that Israel undertakes as it moves from the rule of King David to the rule of his son King Solomon after his death. After Solomon turns from the Lord, we will see how Israel is divided and moved in and out of the power of many kings such as Ahab, Jehoshaphat, and Ahaziah. These chapters will reveal a story of true loyalty and disobedience to God. The key chapters to review are 1 Kings 1-3, 6, 8, 11, 12, 18, and 19.
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1/16/2008
completed
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Destination: 2 Kings 1-25
2 Kings 1-25
Skip Heitzig
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Flight twenty over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us over the entire book of 2 Kings. Our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig, will continue to lead us through the history of the divided nation of Israel, and how in spite of the many kings who took control of the land, we will still see a nation without true leadership. As we soar over this book, we will see first how Israel comes into captivity by Assyria, and then the triumph of Babylon over Judah. The key chapters to review are 2 Kings 1-4, and 18-21.
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1/23/2008
completed
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Destination: 1 Chronicles 1-29
1 Chronicles 1-29
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight twenty-one over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, as we soar over the book of 1 Chronicles. On this flight we look back once again at God's promise that He would establish His reign on earth through King David. Chapters 1-9 of 1 Chronicles will look in-depth at the the royal line of David and then we will see again the reign of David in chapters 10-29. Join us as we fly at an altitude of 30,000 feet and see how God fulfilled His promises to David and how that presents a witness of His faithfulness to us as well. The key chapters to review are 1 Chronicles 17-18, 21-22, 25, and 28-29
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1/30/2008
completed
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Destination: 2 Chronicles 1-36
2 Chronicles 1-36
Skip Heitzig
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Get ready for our twenty-second departure for the Bible from 30,000 Feet. On this flight, Pastor Skip Heitzig will take us soaring over the entire book of 2 Chronicles to see the beginning of the reign of King Solomon all the way to the spiritual roller coaster after Solomon's death and the separation of the kingdoms. From the building of the temple (2 Chronicles 1-9), to the decline of the temple (2 Chronicles 10-36:16), to the destruction of the temple (2 Chronicles 36:17-23), we see a parallel to 1 and 2 Kings from a spiritual viewpoint. The key chapters to review are 2 Chronicles 17-20, and 29-32.
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2/6/2008
completed
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Destination: Ezra 1-10
Ezra 1-10
Skip Heitzig
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Flight twenty-three over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us over the entire book of Ezra. Our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig, will point out two very important sections of this book; the restoration of the temple (chapters 1-6), and the reformation of the people (chapters 7-10). This book will continue the narrative of 2 Chronicles by showing God's faithfulness to keep His promises by returning His people to their homeland. The key chapters to review are Ezra 1-10.
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2/13/2008
completed
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Destination: Nehemiah 1-13
Nehemiah 1-13
Skip Heitzig
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Get ready for our twenty-fourth departure for the Bible from 30,000 Feet. We will fly at cruising altitude over the entire book of Nehemiah with our pilot, Pastor Skip Heitzig. In this book, Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer, is given permission to lead third and final return to Jerusalem to repair and rebuild the city's walls. This book will show us a political construction (chapters 1-7), and a spiritual instruction (chapters 8-13). Join us as we see how Nehemiah gathers his spiritual strength from God during a time of great opposition.
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2/27/2008
completed
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Destination: Esther 1-10
Esther 1-10
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight twenty-five over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, as we soar over the book of Esther. The flight will be divided into two highly important sections: the threat to the Jews (chapters 1-4), in which we will see Haman's attempt to completely eradicate the Jewish people from Persia, and the triumph of the Jews (chapters 5-10), where we will see a young girl's godly strength and fight to save her people. This flight will show us a whole new set of villains, heroes, and ultimately the ever abounding faithfulness of God towards those who follow Him. The key chapters to review are Esther 1-10.
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3/5/2008
completed
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Destination: Job 1-42
Job 1-42
Skip Heitzig
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Our twenty-sixth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet takes us over the entire book of Job, the first book in the section of poetical books. This is a powerful story of a man who has everything taken from him; his health, wealth, and even his beloved family. Yet as we see God allowing Satan to test Job, God's faithfulness to those he loves is clear and Job's steadfast faith prevails. Join us this week as we see Job's dilemma (ch.1-2), the debate with his four friends (ch. 3-37), and his final deliverance (ch. 38-42). The key chapters to review are Job1-4, 8,11-12, and 29.
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3/12/2008
completed
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Destination: Psalms 1-72
Psalms 1-72
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight twenty-seven over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, as we soar over Psalms 1-72. On this flight, Pastor Skip will take us through the first seventy-two chapters of Psalms, which is divided into five books of songs, prayers, and poetry. Join us as we look at the deepest thoughts and emotions on the love and power of God. The key chapters to review are Psalms 1, 14, 23, 40, and 63.
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3/19/2008
completed
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Destination: Psalms 73-150
Psalms 73-150
Skip Heitzig
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Get ready for our twenty-eighth departure of the Bible from 30,000 Feet. We will fly at cruising altitude over the last three books in Psalms as we read through chapters 73-150. We will see beautiful writings of gladness and grief, pleading and prayers, and reverence and worship. Join us as we look at the deepest thoughts and emotions on the love and power of God. The key chapters to review are Psalms 119, and 146-150.
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3/26/2008
completed
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Destination: Proverbs 1-31
Proverbs 1-31
Skip Heitzig
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Flight twenty-nine over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us over the entire book of Proverbs. Known for the wisdom it contains, Proverbs reveals to us how to deal with every day situations; be it love and lust, life and death, friends and enemies, and what our God loves and hates. On this flight, Pastor Skip will point out some of the most noted chapters and verses of one of the most read books of the Old Testament. The key chapters to review are Proverbs 1-2, 5, 14, 22, and 31.
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4/23/2008
completed
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Destination: Ecclesiastes 1-12
Ecclesiastes 1-12
Skip Heitzig
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Join us as we continue The Bible From 30,000 Feet, taking our thirtieth flight high above the book of Ecclesiastes. This book reveals some startling truths about how King Solomon felt about finding meaning and fulfillment in life through the things of this world, and ultimately his conclusion that "all is vanity" in a life lived without God. The key chapters to review are 1-3, 5, 8, and 12.
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4/30/2008
completed
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Destination: Song of Solomon 1-8
Song_of_Solomon 1-8
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight thirty-one over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, as we soar over Song of Solomon. This poetic book gives us a glimpse into the true love that Solomon has for a shepherdess, and the love and fulfillment they share in a marriage relationship. At an altitude of 30,000 feet we will be able to see the strong tie into the fulfillment and joy seen in the love of God for His people. The key chapters to review are Song of Solomon 1-8.
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5/7/2008
completed
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Destination: Isaiah 1-39
Isaiah 1-39
Skip Heitzig
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Our thirty-second flight over the Bible from 30,000 feet will take us soaring over the entire book of Isaiah. Thought to be the greatest of all the Prophets of the Old Testament, Isaiah's ministry lasted around fifty years, and his prophecies are quoted in the New Testament more often than any other Prophet. This book shows us a mix of both prophecies of condemnation (chapters 1-39), as well as prophecies of comfort (chapters 40-66). The key chapters to review are Isaiah 1-2, 6, 40, 52-53, and 55.
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5/14/2008
completed
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Destination: Isaiah 40-66
Isaiah 40-66
Skip Heitzig
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In our thirty-third flight over the Bible from 30,000 feet, Pastor Skip will take us on a flight high above the Bible to look at the second half of Isaiah. As we look through chapters 40-66, we will see the continued work of Isaiah, and how God used his gift of prophecy, both comforting and condemning, to generate change in the individuals he encountered. The key chapters to review are Isaiah 40, 52-53, and 55.
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5/21/2008
completed
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Destination: Jeremiah 1-52
Jeremiah 1-52
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight thirty-four over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, as we soar over the entire book of Jeremiah. On this flight, Pastor Skip will take us at an altitude of 30,000 feet to see the three writings of the book of Jeremiah. From the warning of judgment, to the promise of restoration, and finally the protective hand of God over those He loves, we will catch a glimpse of a man who openly allowed God to speak through him in unusual and sometimes bizarre ways to open the eyes of the people of Israel. The key chapters to review are Jeremiah 13, 18-20, 25, 31, and 52.
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6/11/2008
completed
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Destination: Lamentations 1-5
Lamentations 1-5
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight thirty-five over the Bible From 30,000 Feet. On this departure, we will look once again at Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations. We will learn why Jeremiah is referred to as "the weeping prophet," as we see him lament over the destruction of Jerusalem. This poetic book begins by revealing a man who is distressed for a nation under the consequences of its own sin, and ends with a prayer for the restoration of the nation from captivity. The key chapters to review are Lamentations 1-5.
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6/18/2008
completed
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Destination: Ezekiel 1-48
Ezekiel 1-48
Skip Heitzig
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In our thirty-sixth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip will take us on a flight high above the Bible to look at the book of Ezekiel. We will witness prophecies we've seen in past books being fulfilled as we see Jerusalem at the time of the Second Babylonian Deportation. As Ezekiel the Priest is deported alongside his people, we see God continue to offer promises of restoration through him, bringing the people a sense of hope in spite of their current tribulations. The key chapters to review are Ezekiel 1-3, 7, 33-34, and 38-39.
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6/25/2008
completed
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Destination: Daniel 1-6
Daniel 1-6
Skip Heitzig
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Flight thirty-seven over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us on a tour of Daniel 1-6. In these chapters, we will see the first of the deportations of the Israelites to Babylon, and witness both the prophetic history of the book, as well as the four prophetic visions of Daniel. Ultimately, the powerful stories in Daniel reveal a man of God; unwilling to compromise and full of faith. The key chapters to review are Daniel 1-2.
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7/2/2008
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Destination: Daniel 7-12
Daniel 7-12
Skip Heitzig
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Our thirty-eighth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us through the second part of Daniel. As we look at chapters 7-12, we will see the four prophetic visions of Daniel, and observe how his faith in God's fulfillment of prophecies led him to fervent prayer for the people of Israel. The key chapters to review are Daniel 9-12.
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7/9/2008
completed
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Destination: Hosea 1-14
Hosea 1-14
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out and place your heart in the upright position for our thirty-ninth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. On this flight, Pastor Skip will take us on a tour over the entire book of Hosea, a man called to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Jeroboam. As Hosea addresses the sins of the nation, we will see how God used the graphic parallel between his adulterous wife and the unfaithfulness of Israel. The key chapters to review are Hosea 1-4, 6, 9, and 11.
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7/16/2008
completed
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Destination: Joel; Amos; Obadiah
Joel 1-3; Amos 1-9; Obadiah
Skip Heitzig
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Get ready for flight forty over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. On this flight, our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig, will take us soaring over Joel, Amos, and Obadiah. In these three books, we take a look at the strong warnings that God gives His people against greed, injustice, false worship, and self-righteousness. We'll see God's use of these ordinary men to give extraordinary messages; we'll witness His patience, and at the end, we'll see how He stands ready to forgive and restore all who turn away from their sin. The key chapters to review are Joel 1-3, Amos 1, 3 and 7, and Obadiah 1.
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7/23/2008
completed
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Destination: Jonah 1-4
Jonah 1-4
Skip Heitzig
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Our forty-first flight over the Bible from 30,000 feet will take us to the well known book of Jonah. In this book, we will see what God can do in the life of a prophet, even one who is blatantly disobedient. Despite Jonah's defiance, God strongly redirects his path and brings him to repentance through a very unique situation. By the end of the book, we will see Jonah right back where he started and bringing God glory by doing exactly what He had originally asked of him. The key chapters to review are Jonah 1-4.
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8/6/2008
completed
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Destination: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk
Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out and place your heart in the upright position for our forty-second flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. On this flight, Pastor Skip will take us on a tour over the books of Micah, Nahum, and Habakkuk, three prophets used by God to criticize, comfort, and encourage the people of Judah. Through these prophets, God's people confess their sins and are confident in the salvation of God's mighty acts. The key chapters to review are Micah 1-7, Nahum 1-3, and Habakkuk 1-3.
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8/13/2008
completed
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Destination: Zephaniah & Haggai
Zephaniah; Haggai
Skip Heitzig
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Prepare yourself for our forty-third flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. This flight will take us soaring over the entirety of both Zephaniah and Haggai. The two books cover five chapters which speak of the coming Day of the Lord, His wrath upon Judah and her neighbors, and an encouragement after their return from exile to rejoice and rebuild the Temple. The key chapters to review are Zephaniah 1-3 and Haggai 1-2.
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8/20/2008
completed
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Destination: Zechariah and Malachi
Zechariah; Malachi
Skip Heitzig
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We are about to take our forty-forth flight over the Bible from 30,000 feet, journeying over the final two books of the Old Testament. In ending the Minor Prophets, we'll first look at the expanded message of rebuilding the temple as Zechariah encourages the people to look to the future reign of the Messiah. We will then speed forward 100 years after the temple was rebuilt to the book of Malachi, where God's chosen people had once again slid back into their sinful practices. After 400 years of prophetic silence, Malachi brings a message of exhortation to the people who had resettled in Jerusalem. The key chapters to review are Zechariah 9-14 and Malachi 1-4.
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9/3/2008
completed
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Destination: Matthew, Mark, and Luke
Matthew, Mark; Luke
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for our opening tour of the New Testament and flight forty-five of the Bible from 30,000 Feet! This flight will take us on a sky-high tour over the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke. These three synoptic gospels give us our first glimpses of Jesus' life and death here on earth. We'll see the service, sermons, sacrifices, and sovereignty of our King as we witness the fulfillment of many of the Old Testament prophecies we have previously studied. The key chapters to review are Matthew 1-5 and 17, Mark, and Luke.
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9/10/2008
completed
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Destination: John
John
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for our forty-sixth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. On this flight, Pastor Skip will take us on a tour through the book of John, written by the Apostle John from Ephesus between A.D. 80-90. The spiritual depth of this book and its presentation of the incarnation through the God-man Jesus Christ sets it apart from the other gospels.
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9/17/2008
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Destination: Acts
Acts
Skip Heitzig
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On our forty-seventh flight over the Bible from 30,000 feet Pastor Skip will give a tour of the entire book of Acts. Acts is the history of how Christianity was founded and organized and solved its problems. The gospel writer Luke tells the story of how the community of believers began by faith in the risen Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit, the promised Counselor and Guide, who enabled them to witness, to love, and to serve.
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9/24/2008
completed
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Destination: Romans
Romans
Skip Heitzig
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We are about to take our forty-eighth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. Join us as we soar over the entire book of Romans, Paul's letter to the church in Rome. This letter primarily focuses on the basic gospel message along with God's plan of salvation and righteousness for all humankind, Jew and Gentile alike. In our broad overview, we'll take a look at Paul's strong emphasis of Christian doctrine and his concern for Israel. The key chapters to review are 1, 3, 4, and 9-11.
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10/8/2008
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Destination: 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for our forty-ninth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet! As we look at 1 Corinthians, we'll see Paul's letters to the church at Corinth. His letters to the influential church confront their "religious" and arrogant mindsets and defend his ability to be an apostle of Christ. Through God's grace and use of Paul, he is later able to rejoice over the turnaround and acceptance of his God-given authority. The key chapters to review are 1 Corinthians 2-3 & 12-13.
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10/15/2008
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Destination: 2 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Skip Heitzig
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Our fiftieth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet takes us on a flight over the second of Paul's letters to the church at Corinth. Between 1 & 2 Corinthians, the congregation was influenced by false teachers who spread opposition to Paul. Through God's grace and use of Paul, he is later able to rejoice over the repentance of the people to God and acceptance of his God-given authority. The key chapters to review are 2 Corinthians 4 & 12.
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10/22/2008
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Destination: Galatians
Galatians
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for our fifty-first flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. On this flight, Pastor Skip will take us on a tour through the book of Galatians, a clear letter to the church in Galatia about the importance of remembering grace through faith and not the law. Paul's forceful letter addresses issues of legalism in the church and the false gospel of works. The key chapters to review are Galatians 1-6.
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11/5/2008
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Destination: Ephesians
Ephesians
Skip Heitzig
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Who are we in Christ? Grab your travel planner for flight fifty-two as we look at the book of Ephesians, Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. In this book, Paul explains how we are the bride of Christ, a temple, and a soldier for the gospel. The unity that Paul emphasizes is described as a body working together for a common goal. The key chapters to review are Ephesians 1-6.
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11/19/2008
completed
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Destination: Philippians
Philippians
Skip Heitzig
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In our fifty-third flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip will take us through the book of Philippians, another of Paul's letters to the church. Referred to as "the epistle of joy," the message contained in these pages is one of long suffering and joy in the midst of Paul's time in prison. Despite his trials, we will see Paul rejoice over the church in Philippi and encourage them in unity, humility, and prayer. The key chapters to review are Philippians 1-4.
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1/7/2009
completed
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Destination: Colossians
Colossians
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for our fifty-fourth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet! On this flight, we will take a look at the young church in Colosse, and how they became the target of a heretical attack. The main theme in the book of Colossians is the complete adequacy of Christ as contrasted with the emptiness of mere human philosophy. The key chapters to review are Colossians 1-4.
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1/14/2009
completed
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Destination: 1 and 2 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 1-5;2 Thessalonians 1-3:18
Skip Heitzig
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In our fifty-fifth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip will take us on a tour over the books of 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Both books are written as an encouragement to the church in Thessalonica, exhorting them in the word, warning them against pagan immorality, and urging them to remain steadfast in the truth of the Lord. The key chapters to review are 1 Thessalonians 1-5 and 2 Thessalonians 1-3.
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1/21/2009
completed
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Destination: 1 and 2 Timothy
1 Timothy 1-6;2 Timothy 1-4:22
Skip Heitzig
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Join us on a tour over the books of 1 & 2 Timothy as we take our fifty-sixth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. These loving letters to Timothy, a young pastor in Ephesus, reveal Paul's true love for his brother in Christ and desire to encourage him in the Word and warn against false teachings. In these letters, Paul exhorts Timothy to stand strong and "preach the word" (2 Timothy 4:2). The key chapters to review are 1 Timothy 1-6 and 2 Timothy 1-4.
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1/28/2009
completed
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Destination: Titus and Philemon
Titus 1-3:15;Philemon 1:1-25
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight fifty-seven of the Bible from 30,000 Feet. On this flight, our tour guide Pastor Skip will take us through the books of Titus and Philemon. While the letter to Titus focuses on the importance of sound doctrine and the elements of the church order, Philemon takes a more personal approach and speaks on the application of the great principles of Christian brotherhood to social life. The key chapters to review are Titus 1-3 and Philemon 1.
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2/4/2009
completed
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Destination: Hebrews
Hebrews
Skip Heitzig
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In our fifty-eighth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, Pastor Skip will take us on a tour over the book of Hebrews. Although the author of the book is not fully known, this well written letter reveals a man with a great desire to encourage Jewish believers to continue in the grace of Jesus Christ, instead of trying to escape persecution by bowing to the rites and rituals of Judaism. The key chapters to review are Hebrews 1-2, 6, 11, and 13.
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2/11/2009
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Destination: James
James
Skip Heitzig
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Our fifty-ninth flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet will take us over the distinctive book of James. Although grace through faith in the cross was vital for Jewish believer to understand, James addresses the issue of faith without a consistent lifestyle. This epistle adamantly declares that, "Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead, also." (James 2:26) The key chapters to review are James 1-5.
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2/18/2009
completed
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Destination: 1 and 2 Peter
1 Peter 1-5; 2 Peter 1-3
Skip Heitzig
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Get your travel planner out for flight sixty over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. Our tour guide, Pastor Skip Heitzig, will take us on a tour of the books of 1 & 2 Peter. Peter's first letter to the church exhorts Christians to remain steadfast in their faith when under persecution, and his second letter tackles the issue of false teachers and a need for discernment against the spreading apostasy. Both books contain a level of warmth in Peter's expressions, making them a great source of encouragement. The key chapters to review are 1 Peter 1-5 and 2 Peter 1-3.
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2/25/2009
completed
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Destination: 1 John
1 John
Skip Heitzig
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In our sixty-first flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet, our tour guide Pastor Skip will take us through the book of 1 John. John writes to define and defend the nature of the person of Christ against heretical teachings affecting the early church. As John addresses the heretical teachings of the time, he also addresses the preeminence of God's love for us, and our duty to love others in return. The key chapters to review are 1 John 1-5.
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4/1/2009
completed
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Destination: Revelation 1-11
Revelation 1-11
Skip Heitzig
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With only two more flights to go, we welcome you to get your travel planner ready for the first half of the book of Revelation and flight sixty-three over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. Considered to be one of the most powerful books in Scripture, Revelation is a direct vision from God, to John, which he was asked to record for future generations. Revelation 1:19, "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later." As the final warning to the world of the tribulation to come, it also serves as a source of hope for the Church. The key chapters to review are 1-4, 7, and 11.
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4/8/2009
completed
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Destination: Revelation 12-22
Revelation 12-22
Skip Heitzig
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Flight sixty-four brings us to the end of the scriptures and the second and final part of the book of Revelation. Chapters 12-22 lead us into some of the most thrilling text in the entire Bible, giving us a glimpse into the seven bowl judgments, the Beast, and the future tribulation, but also bringing us great hope for God's Church. The key chapters to review are Revelation 12-14, 18, and 20-22.
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4/15/2009
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Bible from 30k Final Q&A
Skip Heitzig
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We have landed our flight over the Bible from 30,000 Feet. As we touch down and head to pick up the final baggage from our 65 flight series, our last sky-high view of the scriptures will includes this final Q&A Celebration. Pastor Skip and others answer questions from the last year, as well as on the spot questions from the audience.

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There are 63 additional messages in this series.
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