1 & 2 Samuel and Psalms
Posted
Thursday, March 29, 2007
by
Charlie Trimm
Categories:
Old Testament
I have joined Psalms to 1 & 2 Samuel for obvious reasons, although it does cut down considerably on how much time I can spend on Psalms. I have arranged the survey to proceed chronologically, so that is the main reason I have stuck in the poetic and prophetic books at the appropriate time slots. I see Samuel as divided into three main sections with three main points. The first main point has to do with the power of YHWH as opposed to other Gods. This is seen in such things as the Ark narrative and the breaking of Dagon and the answered fertility praryer from Hannah to YHWH and not to Baal. Then the next major section is a defense of David's kingship. He did not kill his way to the throne, but he was actually almost killed by the king. And when the king died, David was as far away as possible. The third major section has to do with David's rotten fathering and a challenge to future kings to train their boys in a godly manner rather than the style demonstrated by David. All three of these have good applications for us today, I think.
1) 1 and 2 Samuel, Psalms
a) Plot
i) 1 Samuel 1-3 Shiloh (Eli, Hannah, and Samuel)
ii) 1 Samuel 4-7 Ark of the Covenant
iii) 1 Samuel 8-14 Saul as king
iv) 1 Samuel 15-31 Saul tries to kill David
v) 2 Samuel 1-10 David as king
vi) 2 Samuel 11-24 David as rotten father
b) Theological Themes
i) YHWH is sovereign (Shiloh, Ark)
ii) Do not be like the nations (like Saul)
iii) Follow God’s rightful leaders (such as David, who did not kill his way to the throne)
iv) Pass on the knowledge of God to the next generation (not like David)
v) Davidic Covenant
vi) How to respond to one’s own sin
vii) Emotion and Passion can be very good
viii)Need to focus upon God
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