We will be looking at the characters and events in the period traditionally known as the transition from the time of the shoftim (judges/liberators) to the initial starts-and-fits of the Israelite monarchy under Saul and eventually introduce the hero/anti-hero all-in-one of 1 and 2 Samuel: David.
Reminder: For those who are new, please click on this link to our introduction to the Vineyard Bible Study and blog guidance. It has guidance for how we are entering into these studies and guidelines for interaction among ourselves here in this space. OK, before we jump into the text of our second series, let's pause again and review something important: context.
Section One: Context
Today's session should take about 30 minutes. Take a few minutes to relax. Make sure you are ready to learn. Minimize your distractions. Get comfortable. Ready? Let's begin.I'd like us to take a deeper look at the issues of context as we begin this second study series. I think Henry Neufeld of the Participatory Bible Study blog has a great intoprduction concerning the issues of context, so let's dive in:
"You're discussing a Bible verse with a friend, and suddenly he says, "You're taking that verse out of context!" You didn't think you were taking it out of context, but how do you know?
Quite frequently the "out of context" claim is used to stop arguments, often with no basis in fact. Yet many times Bible texts are taken out of context, and made to mean things which their authors never intended them to mean. How do you respond to this argument? How do you make sure that you are not the one guilty? What is context anyhow?
Types of Context
People usually think of context as a single thing. But each text has a number of different contexts, and different types of literature need to be considered differently. Let's look first at a number of types of context.
- Syntactic Context - This is simply the linguistic structure of the verse, and how various elements of it fit together. It means you need to get various clauses and phrases attached to the right element of the sentence.
- Literary Context - Where does this element fit in the broader structure of the passage I'm reading. In part, this involves understanding what type of literature you are reading.
- Historical Context - When in history was this passage written? What were the circumstances? What elements of the history contribute to the nature of the material written.
- Cultural Context - This overlaps with historical context, but goes beyond it. How did the people who wrote and/or heard the piece of literature you are studying understand the world, and written texts? What concepts were available in their world?
- Canonical Context - Where does this passage fit in the overall canon of scripture. For those who are reading the Bible as part of the literature of their faith, this is particularly important. There are reasons why these texts were chosen and put together into the larger book we call the Bible. How does your passage fit into this broader picture?
- Spiritual Context - Where does this passage fit in spirituality generally?
- Experiential Context - What is the nature of the religious or spiritual experience of the people who wrote and read or heard the passage you are studying? "
Let's seek to keep these context issues in mind as we move forward in our study of 1 and 2 Samuel. If we do, we just might find our experience of study and our spirituality to be enriched.
Section Two: Themes
Along with some of the traditional themes that we recognize in 1 Samuel, such as covenant and kingship, as Christians, we want to be aware of the prophetic echoes that point to Jesus, the Messiah, since Jesus did say that all scripture witnesses to Him. We also want to keep looking for the themes we talked about in our first study: relationship and connection to God/prayer; upside-down dynamic of the Reign of God; fatherhood; rivalry and jealousy.
These themes will emerge again and again as we work through the material of 1 and 2 Samuel, but there are are a few additional themes that we can pick up on in our present series, and I want let you know about them, so we can keep an eye out for them. The first is more of an unspoken question running throughout the narrative: "Where do we find security?" As you might guess, this is where we get our title for this eries: National (In)security. We'll return to this several times throughout our study. Some of the other themes we will focus on will be: serving and discipleship.
For more on discipleship, click on the following two links Scott Knight recently had some good insights on being a disciple and also on what it takes to be a disciple.
One of the other issues that begins to be teased out in 1 and 2 Samuel and really solidifies in 1 and 2 Kings will be the roles people undertake. By this, I mean, as Israel takes up governance through monarchy, we will of course, see the role of the king emerge. Let's really seek to put aside our predispositions concerning what we think we know about monarchy, because I bet we find something interesting in how kingship and monarchy emerges in ancient Israel.
Also we see the priestly role continue, but we find the roles of prophet, sage and warrior emerging as their own peculiar role or being re-worked from what has come before. As you might guess, since Jesus fulfills scripture, we can find everything in Him: anointed King, righteous Warrior, insightful Sage, holy Priest and passionate Prophet. I just wanted to get those themes and issues on your internal radar as we proceed, so we can recognize them as we make our way through the material.
Section Three: Perspectives
Remember in our first series, I mentioned the connections between what we read in Samuel and Western-genre movies? Let's review that again: Westerns often portray how primitive and obsolete ways of life confronted modern technological or social changes. This may be depicted by showing conflict between natives and settlers or U.S. Cavalry, or by showing ranchers being threatened by the onset of the Industrial Revolution. American Westerns of the 1940s and 1950s emphasize the values of honor and sacrifice. Westerns from the 1960s and 1970s often have more pessimistic view, glorifying a rebellious anti-hero and highlighting the cynicism, brutality and inequality of the American West. The underlying events and themes of 1 Samuel highlight honor and sacrifice as well as having its own rebel anti-hero: David; it also weaves the sometimes tragic, sometimes brutal, sometimes heartfelt story of social, political and economic changes from the primitive and messy period of the shoftim (judges/liberators) and the theocratic society having YHWH-Elohim as King to the establishment of the monarchy of David and its succession through Solomon and beyond.
Well, the movie connections continue in 1 Kings, as it begins with David's bedside wisdom to his son Solomon before David dies. It reads more like a scene from The Godfather series, though. The aging patriarch of a dynastic family transfers power to his son. David's parting shot at the wise son Solomon is worthy of a mafia cheiftain: Be a wiseguy, kill your rivals and exact my revenge on my cousin and henchman Joab. Like I've said before, Hollywood couldn't make a better movie than to take scripture at facevalue. Anyway, scripture reveals the faithfulness of God to His people, even though they are increasingly unfaithful to Him. The sin adds up, and the horror and dread of exile is on the horizon as 2 Kings rushes toward its finish, with just the barest glimpse of hope left. But God's people learn that He is with them in exile just as He was with them in glorious Jerusalem. The story of God's purposes continue and are highlighted through the various prophets that God raises up...eventually their prophetic home is found as the seed of hope blossoms in the person of Jesus. Jesus the Messiah. Jesus the Holy One of God. Jesus the Incarnate Son of the Living God. Jesus the descendant/son of David. Jesus our Redeemer and Saviour. Jesus the Kingdom Catalyst.
Section Four: Assignments
- Commit this verse to memory: "Young Samuel meanwhile grew up in the service of the LORD." - 1 Samuel 2:21
- Take some time this week to be alone with God. In a journal or notebook write this question, "What is the context of my own life?" Spend some time reflecting and asking God about how you follow Him in your present context. Then ask, "What is one change I can change to live differently...to seek His Kingdom first, right now in my life?" It doesn't have to be something really big, but see what comes to your mind and take a risk that maybe God is trying to show you something.
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