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. -1 Samuel 9:19 Samuel called himself a seer. A seer was an ancient word for a prophet, someone who was given wisdom regarding future events. These were sometimes prophetic in nature; at other times, a discerning mind of wisdom.... Read more
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” -1 Samuel 8:19-20 God led Israel. Other nations had kings. Israel had the best situation possible as God’s chosen people and those to whom God had spoken, yet they wanted to have what others had. As the rest... Read more
15 Samuel continued as Israel’s leader all the days of his life. 16 From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. 17 But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord. -1 Samuel 7:15-17 Many serve God for a season, but few last a lifetime. Samuel is an example of one... Read more
And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?” -1 Samuel 6:20 God is perfect; we’re not. But sometimes people forget. Those in 1 Samuel 6 experienced a stark reminder that God was boss and they were not. Some wonder why God allows evil to take place in our world or why suffering exists. There is more than one reason, but... Read more
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! -1 Samuel 5:1-3 The Philistines quickly learned that owning the ark without honoring its God was a major problem. The day after they had placed... Read more
10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. -1 Samuel 4:10-11 As the Israelites prepared to battle the Philistines, they took the ark of God. In their minds, the ark was their insurance policy. With it, they could not be defeated. They were wrong. The ark was... Read more
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” -1 Samuel 3:10 As a young man, Samuel heard God’s voice but failed to recognize it. Three times he awoke Eli instead. How did he discover the voice was from God? It wasn’t prayer, but from the advice of a godly person. Eli recognized God was the one speaking. He then advised Samuel to answer to the... Read more
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” -1 Samuel 2:2 After God answer Hannah’s prayer for a son, she responded with another prayer–a response of praise: “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” Hannah’s heart reflected an attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude. She acknowledged God’s uniqueness, his power, and his love. When... Read more
So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” -1 Samuel 1:20 Infertility is tough to talk about. It’s tougher to live with. When you or someone you know desires to have a child and cannot, there is a certain struggle unique to no other situation. Hannah is one of the Bible’s classic stories of a woman who endures the inability to... Read more
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. -Ruth 4:16-17 The end of the story in Ruth is not about Ruth as much as it is about Naomi. The woman who had lost everything now had a descendant. The woman with no hope now held hope in her arms. Her family line... Read more
Holy Writ
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In