Samuel & the Four other Godly Judges in Israel
Volume 2, Number 39The witness of Samuel's Faith - Part 5:In our last study the Lord unilaterally destroyed a great number of the idolatrous Philistines in the land of Canaan and rendered the rest helpless because they had captured and demeaned Israel's Ark of the Covenant. He subsequently destroyed a number of Israelites who violated His holiness by looking into the ark after it was returned to them by the Philistines - 1 Samuel 5:1 - 7:1.Now we find the Philistines, after recovering from the plague of hemorrhoids, a continuing threat to Israel's safety and freedom in Canaan. However the actions of the... Continue reading →
God Unilaterally Protects His Ark from the Philistines
Volume 2, Number 38Vol 2 - No 38, August 20, 2007Samuel - Part 4: Jehovah's HolinessIn our last study the Glory departed Israel when the Philistines captured the ark of God. Thirty thousand Israeli soldiers were killed in a battle with the Philistines at Ebenezer, Israel's judge and high priest Eli and his two wicked sons died. Israel remained under Philistine subjection - 1 Samuel 4:10 - 22. Since God's law was revealed through Moses the manifestation of His presence on earth had been in the ark housed in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. It was the focal point of the... Continue reading →
God Speaks to Samuel about the death of Eli & His Sons
Volume 2, Number 37The witness of Samuel's Faith - Part 3:After Hannah placed her young son Samuel to work in the Lord's service at the Tabernacle in Shiloh she brought him a new coat each year when she and her husband came to worship - 1 Samuel 2:19. Eli again blessed she and her husband and she bore three (3) more sons and two (2) daughters - 1 Samuel 2:20 & 21.The Priesthood - Eli was priest and judge of Israel for 40 years, 1 Samuel 4:18b, and it appears he knew right from wrong in God's sight but he allowed his sons... Continue reading →
Samuel Dedicated to The Lord's Work under Eli in the Tabernacle
Volume 2, Number 36Vol 2 - No 36, June 10, 2007The witness of Samuel's Faith - Part 2In Part 1 we examined God's grace and provision to Samuel's mother Hannah who by faith conceived and bore him, I Samuel 1:1 - 19, and the similarity of Samuel's conception with four (4) of his Hebrew predecessors, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Samson. This study will examine the condition of National Israel during Samuel's time and a brief look at God's plan/purpose for his life.Samuel's Background: His father Elkanah was a Levite, I Chronicles 6:23 - 27, the priestly tribe of Israel. The Tabernacle of Moses... Continue reading →
Samuel & Four Others Born to Barren Women
Volume 2, Number 35Vol 2 - No 35, May 13, 2007Samuel, Part 1 - the Roots & Purpose of the Hebrew Nation:David and Samuel are the last of 16 people named in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews borne witness to by their faith - Hebrews 11:32. In this study we will examine another aspect of God's provision for the Hebrew Nation in the similarity of Samuel's conception with that of four (4) previous Hebrews mentioned in that chapter.Samuel's mother was Hannah, one of two (2) wives of Elkanah who lived in Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim. Elkanah loved Hannah but his other wife Peninnah... Continue reading →
Samson Dies, Killing His enemy the Philistines
Volume 2, Number 34Vol 2 - No 34 April 17, 2007The Faith of Samson - Part 6:Our last study examined how Samson, in spite of having been blessed with great physical strength, personifies the natural man and the impossibility for anyone to met God's standard of righteousness as set forth in the law given to Moses. Contrasted to Samson and all mankind the Word of God came sinless into the world in the person of Jesus who kept the law to the letter and then died to pay for the sins of all who believe in Him. So it is that Samson's witness... Continue reading →
Samson & Delilah
Volume 2, Number 33Vol 2 - No 33, April 4, 2007The Faith of Samson - Part 5:After killing 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass and slaking his thirst with water miraculously provided by God from that jawbone Samson judged Israel for 20 years - Judges 15:20. However, those 20 years were during the "days of the Philistine." In other words, Samson mediated/judged matters between those in Israel while acting as a buffer between Israel and the Philistines who would have given him a lot of leeway in light of the fact he had single handedly trounced them a number of times.... Continue reading →
Samson Tied & Delivered by His Own, But He Destroys Enemy
Volume 2, Number 32The Faith of Samson - Part 4:Our last study left off with Samson burning the Philistine's crops in retaliation for his wife being given to another man. The Philistines then killed his wife and father for causing their crop loss, which resulted in Samson killing a great many of them in retaliation, after which he went to stay in the top of the rock Etam, a place in or near an area inhabited by the Israeli tribe of Judah - Judges 15:1 - 8. The Philistines then gathered a great army and camped out informing the men from Judah they... Continue reading →
Samson Marries a Philistine Girl who is burnt to death
Volume 2, Number 31The Faith of Samson - Part 3:In our last study we found Samson infatuated by a Philistine girl for she "pleased him well," Judges 14:3 & 7. As was the custom he asked his parents to arrange marriage and they did so (even though they pointed out to him that he should have chosen an Israelite) so Samson was betrothed to her. According to a Jewish Encyclopedia found at the web site: (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=995&letter=B) betrothal in Bible times meant the couple was as good as married at the time they were betrothed. However the "house taking" did not occur until one... Continue reading →
Samson Loves a Philistine Girl & Kills a Lion Barehanded
Volume 2, Number 30The Faith of Samson - Part 2:When the Nation of Israel entered the Land of Canaan under Joshua's leadership God told them it was theirs to possess and they were to be ruled by no one except Him. But their blessings and invincibility were contingent upon strict obedience to His law given through Moses - Joshua 1:2 - 9. Time and again they violated God's law by worshiping the idols of the Canaanites and thus were given over to be oppressed by them - Judges 4:3. When the oppression became unbearable Israel recognized their sin and repented. God responded by... Continue reading →