1 Samuel7-8 Lesson 4 A King Like the Nations Part 1

A King Like the Nations

1 Samuel 7-8  Lesson 4 

Part 1

1. Twenty years have passed since the ark was taken to Eleazar. The nation of Israel has spent those years in lament after the Lord (7:1-2). Samuel presents them with an “if /then” statement.  Fill in the blanks from 7:3

                 “If you _____turn____________ to the ______Lord________ with ___all___  __your___ __heart___, 

                   then…”

                  List every action Samuel calls the people of Israel to take in 7:3-5:

* Return to the Lord with whole heart

* Get rid of foreign gods

* Prepare your hearts for the Lord

* Serve God only

2. Next to each name below fill in what took place ( or what they did or what happened ) :7:13-17

God   Took care of the enemies of Israel

Samuel  By the hand of the Lord, restores order - Judges Israel rightly

Israel Had peace with the Amorites. Also, all the land that the Philistines took was Israel's once again.

         Note: This was the way things should be and could be. What else could Israel need? They have everything they asked for. Everything 

         they need. This is God's scenario of the way things should and could be for Israel without an earthly king.

3. What action does Samuel take in 8:1

  Makes his sons judges over Israel

    What is the outcome (8:3)

They were corrupt. (remind you of anyone else? Eli and his sons?)

4. What reasons do the elders of Israel give to Samuel to explain their desire for a king (8:4-5)?

  A king to judges like al the other nations

      How does Samuel respond (8:6)?

 Prays

    

      Paraphrase how God responds in 8:7-9 in one sentence.: answers may vary

" Just give it to them" 

5. Do you think it was wrong for Israel to request a king? Why or why not?

Answers may vary

It wasn’t necessarily Wrong but their reason for wanting a king (motive) was wrong. They already had everything they had wanted 1. peace from their enemies 2. God to fight for them 3. a good judge etc... They wanted to be like everyone else. But here is where they missed the whole point: They weren’t like everyone else. They were God’s chosen people set apart. 

6. Underline all the times the word “take” appears in 8:11-18. How many times? _____6. ( number of man...he's just a human king

7. What desire is revealed in 8:20 underlying Israel’s request for an earthly king? 

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.

Extra notes: 

7:2 This is finally what Israel should have been doing: repentance before the Lord

7:3-4: A question I have is why do they have these Idols in the first place? Is it because they are forgetful? or just down-right disobedient ? Or maybe it is what often we tend to do with the Lord….worship Him in one hand and also hold up our own idols in the other hand. 

7:12 Ebenezer means “The Stone of help”. Last week in 4:21 we had Ichabod whose name means “The glory has departed” 

8:9-15 This part reminds me of that kid in the checkout line that wants the candy and you tell them no… but they kept persisting and you finally give in. (vs 9)

This to me seems like a really good or just way of dealing with a wayward child: God sets an expectation for Israel. If they do this, this is what will happen.God tells them “ok, you want a king like the nations? Then this is what it will be like for you : he will take, he will take, he will take….. “  then in verse 17 “…and you shall be his servants”  this would have been a trigger word for the Israelites..it would have reminded them of the time in Egypt as slaves…

Last lesson, we saw God’s holiness and justice on display as both His enemies and His covenant people attempted to use hIm for their own means. The Israelites entered into a familiar cycle of disobedience, affliction, repentance and rescue. Amidst their losses, God graciously preserved his prophet Samuel, the last judge of Israel. This lesson, we will see what happens in the hearts of those who return to the Lord and the victory found through trusting Him. Yet, for Israel, even miraculous victories against their enemies cannot overcome their forgetfulness. Israel rejects God as King and looks for an earthly king to take His place, so they may be like the nations. 

Summary of Chapter 

7:

8: