Sam’s 1st Epic 28 – Troubled Saul

When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? (1 Samuel 28:5‭, ‬16 NIV) Philistines vs Israel. Battles between the two appeared to be as regular as day following night. King Saul, […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 19 – Saul vs David: Is Saul Among the Prophets?

So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 16 – Man with the Spirit

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. (1 […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 15 – That’s Torn It

Why did you not obey the Lord ? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord ?” (1 Samuel 15:19 NIV) This episode in the life of Saul and the initial run of human monarchy in Israel is among the most tragic. It’s not as though Saul […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 13 – Forgetting Your Place

“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 12 – Samuel’s Warning

But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.” (1 Samuel 12:24‭-‬25 NIV) It must have been a very emotional occasion. Samuel wasn’t dying. One of the […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 10 – The Appointment of Saul

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” (1 Samuel 10:24 NIV) Chapters 9-11 form a neat trilogy of the rise of the king. Chapter 10 is the truly transformative […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 09 – When Samuel Met Saul

When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.” (1 Samuel 9:17) “We want a king, just like our neighbours!” the people demanded, so God let them have it. In letting them have it, that was not to […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 08 – Rejecting the King

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 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 NIV) Samuel took it personally. After years of his wise […]

Sam’s 1st Epic 07 – Ebenezer

Yeah, when I read the word I could only remember A Christmas Carol and Ebenezer Scrooge. (In fact there was also a house tune that had a line that said ‘He’s a scrooge, He’s a scrooge, He’s Ebenezer Scrooge.’ Not that I was into house music much in the past, but a good friend of mine […]