Reading the Bible Together for May – 1st Samuel

Purpose: To explain that David’s dynasty remained Israel’s hope for the future in spite of the curses that David and his house had brought on the nation

Key Truths:
• God wanted his people to have the king he would choose.
• God carefully prepared the way for the king of his choice.
• God chose the house of David as the royal family forever.
• Despite the weakness of David’s kingdom, the hope for God’s people still remained in his family.

Purpose and Distinctives:
It was during the latter half of the eleventh century B.C., a time when the empires of the ancient Near East were not at full strength, that God transformed Israel from a loosely knit tribal confederacy into a united monarchy. Although the institution of the monarchy marked a significant political and religious development, it was not a new idea in Israel. A fundamental tenet of Israelite faith was that the Lord himself was Israel’s sovereign. Nevertheless, the opening books of the Bible contain various indications that Israel, in accordance with the divine will, would one day have a human monarch, Moses anticipated a time when Israel would be settled in the land of promise and would desire a king, and he gave instructions to regulate kingship at such time as the monarchy would be instituted. This time period is the subject of the book of Samuel.

The RBT community group question sheet and also a full copy of David’s outline for 1st Samuel can be found on the downloads page.