Lesson 12 - the Philistine Menace

Lesson 12 - the Philistine Menace

LESSON12-THEPHILISTINEMENACE

Introduction:

WecomenowtothebookofSamuelandtheestablishmentofaking. Samuelisatransitionalfigure:

  • Heisthelastjudge
  • Hewasaprophet
  • Hedidnotwant to be king, nor to anoint another as king,buthemadetheruleofakingpossible,becausehebroughtthetribestogetherinaunifiednationoverwhichakingcouldmore easilyrule.
  1. Characteristics of the BookofSamuel:

1.IandIISamuelwas originallyonebook;IandIIKingswasonebook.

  • TranslationoftheSeptuagint (LXX– the Latin translation from the original languages),consideredthewholethingtobeonebook divided into segments,callingISam.the1stBookoftheKingdom, IISam.the2ndBookoftheKingdom, etc.
  • TranslationoftheKJVfollowedthesameJewishpattern,onebookcoveringtheestablishment of the Monarchy(1050B.C.)toits fall(597B.C.)

2.ThetwoBooksofSamuelcoverthetransitionbetweentheperiodofthejudges,whenIsraelwasnotunified,andtheperiodofthekings,whenIsraelwasunified.

Themaincharacters:

  • Samuel(Lastjudge)ruled1075-1035B.C.
  • Saul(firstking)ruled1045-1010B.C.
  • David(bestking)ruled1010-970B.C.

Noattemptsaremadetoglossoverthedefects,andsinsofthesemaincharacters,ortomakethemappearholy.Allhavebothhighpointsandlowpoints,andtheBibleis filled with real people who served God and who failed him.

3. Inthefirst12chaptersofISamuelwefindtwocompetingtraditions,orlinesthought:

  • Weneedaking.Thejudgescan'tholdthisthingtogether.ThePhilistinesaregoingtooverwhelm us ifwedon'tgetaking.Weneedakingtosaveus. MaybeGodwillblessthismeansofunifyingordefendingourpromisedland.
  • Don'tputyourfaithinaking.PutyourfaithinGod,andHimalone.Hewillsaveus.

God’s response: I will give them a king if they insist. (ISam.8:6-7)Thisdecisionwaspressedupon Samuel, andmademoreurgentbythethreat of the Philistines.

  1. Background:DuringthetimeoftheJudges(1200-1050B.C.):

1.Israelwasaconfederacy(anallianceofindependenttribalstates)

2.Israelwasruledfirstbyonejudge,thenanother. Similar to the European Union: led by various prime ministers and presidents for a year at a time, but no single ruler. It is difficult to set strategic plan or strategy for the continent.

3.Israel'senemieswerealsotribalstates,minorpowers oftheimmediatearea.Itwassmalltimewarfare,while the super powers of the day, EgyptandAssyria,lookedonwithrelativedisinterest.

  1. Transitionto Monarchy(1100-1050B.C.) -severalthingschanged:

WhileIsraelwasalooseconfederacysometimesignoring each other, sometimesfighting each other,othernations(primarily Philistia)gotorganized.Israel decided to unifyandasked for aking.

  1. IsraelhadfoughtthePhilistinesbefore: Under the leadership of Shamgar(Jud3:31),and Samson(Jud15:120). Butnowsomethingwasdifferent.Theyhadakingand theywerewellorganized.
  2. ThePhilistineshadbecomemastersatworkingwithiron.Israelunderstoodandusedbronze,butbronzeissoftcomparedtoiron.It'slikefightingswordswithsticks,ortankswithstones.Togetapictureoftheadvantageironwas,read1Sam13:19-22. Spearswerelikethecruisemissilesofthatday.
  3. Israellostthebattleagainstiron(inspiteoftheArk of the Covenant,thesymbolofGod'spresence. Read 1Sam4:1-10). WhydidtheIsraeliteslose?Becausetheyhadnoiron? Noking?Nocentralorganization?Did they lose becauseGodwasnotpresentorpowerful?No! (1 Sam5:1-12). Theylostbecauseoftheirapostasy(theabandonmentofone'sfaith). Theyhadabandoned theirfaith andrebelled against God.Theirspiritualleaderswerecorrupt (1Sam.2:12-17,22-25;3:1).
  4. Samuel was able to lead them in a season of repentance in the midst of their defeat, God’s rebuke.He uses historical events as discipline, and to turn our hearts back to him.

As long as leadership is godly there is hope the people will be faithful to God. But

Samuel’s sons, God’s representatives were corrupt, so the people looked for a worldly solution (1Sam.8:5): "Nowappointforusakingtogovernuslikealltheothernations."

Samuelresponded:1Sam.8:6-22. “We want to be like the nations around us” – is always the battle within that we must resist.

Question: What do you think might have happened if Israel’s spiritual leadership had remained faithful to God? Was a monarchy inevitable?

D. The Era of the Monarchy (1050-597BC)

  1. ThepeopleofIsraeltransferredtheirtrustfromYahwehtoaking. ThiswouldneverhavehappenedhadIsraelbeenobedientandconquered the entirePromisedLandduringtheconquest.They had left the Philistines along the coast, they stopped short of the goal, and theconsequencewasasituationwheretheywerefurthertested. Israelcompromisedagain,andchosethewayoftheworld (ahuman king)andlostfurtherground.

Thepointistobefully obedient. Disobedience is progressive.

Howdoesonebecomeabankrobber?Firststealsadime,then$10fromhismother'spurse. Howdoesonebecomeanadulterer?Firstrovingeyes,pornographicmaterial,fantasy.

We can resisttemptationbybeingobedientatthestartwhentheissuesaresmall.

2.Israelcouldhavecontinuedwithoutaking. 1Sam.7:3-4,10-14.

Question: DidGodopposetheappointmentofaking?IsGodagainstgovernment?

Martin Luther'sperspective:"ThechurchistherighthandofthewayGodrules.Thegovernmentisthelefthand."Imagine24hourswithoutgovernment. Consider what has taken place in Somalia, a failed state without government - rioting,looting,rape,murder,lawlessness, no infrastructure – no postal service, etc.Godinstitutedgovernmentbecauseintheabsenceofit,ourfallenandrebelliousculturecouldnotsurvive (Rom 13:1-7).

Ruth

Aquiettaleofordinarylifeduringthe period of the Judges in oneofthelullsbetweentimesofwar (Ruth1:1), “tells of a kind and loyal woman and of the hidden providence of God, who makes all things work together for the good of those who love him (Rom 8:28). This story is part of the history of Israel that leads to the Messiah himself.” (NLT Study Bible, p 459)

Author:unknown

Date: 1100BC- Boazwas thegreat-grandfatherofDavid,andDavidbegan toreignabout1010BC,so1100 BCistheprobabledate.

Story: Elimelech(Melehmeans "king",Elmeans "God" ="GodisKing") takeshisfamilyfromBethlehem(homeofbread)toMoab.Heandhissonsdie,leavingthreewidowedwives.RuththeMoabite (descendentsofLot -theMoabitesdidnotshareIsrael'sfaithinGod)returnstoBethlehemwithNaomi,meetsBoaz(adistantrelative),whoisimpressedwithherfaithandcharacter,and wantstomarryher. However,thereisanearerrelative,andbyIsraelitelawhehasprecedence.ButwhenhelearnshemustnotonlybuyElimelech'slandinordertomarryRuth,butalsogiveittoherchildreninsteadofkeepingitforhimself,hedefers toBoaz."Ican'taffordtheland;youmarryRuth."Boazdoes,andtheylivehappilyeverafter.

Theology:

  1. EachofthemaincharactershasadeeppersonalfaithinGod.“Yahweh”occurs18timesin4shortchapters;also“Elohim”(1:16,2:12);“ElShaddai” meaning Godissufficient(1:20-21)
  2. Redemption:there are20occurrencesoftheverb"gaal" meaning toredeem,tobuyback.Boazisthekinsman/redeemerwhobuysRuthback from widowhood, the shame of having no husband, no children, no provision for the future,justasJesus,our“kinsman(brother,sonofman) redeemer”(saviour,sonofGod) whobuysusbackfromsinanddeath.

Boaz is a ‘type’ of saviour, pointing ahead to Jesus.

  1. “Hesed”meanscovenantloyalty,lovingkindness.Godhasintimateconcernforthehumbleaffairsofordinarypeople,thedetailsandneedsofeverydaylife.Thosewhoexperience"hesed"shouldbetransformedbyit.

It’s a simple but profound story.

Top View