Bible Readings 2024, Week 16; Apr. 15-21
April 15; 1 Sa 17-19. (Bonus reading Ps. 106)
1. 1 Sam. 17:1-4; "Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span."
Who was Goliath? How did the story of David and Goliath point to the battle between Christ and Satan?
2. 1 Sam. 18:1; "As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."
How do you understand Jonathan's friendship with David? Where in the book of 2 Samuel do we read that David appreciated Jonathan's friendship with his son, Mephibosheth?
3. 1 Sam. 19:23-24; "hen he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" And one said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah." And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
Was King Saul a prophet? How do you understand that Saul prophesied?
April 16; 1 Sa 20; Ps 11, 59. (Bonus reading Ps. 107)
1. 1 Sam. 20:1; "Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"
Why did David run away from Saul? Where did David go?
2. Ps. 11
Why do we think David wrote Ps.11 during 1 Sam. 20?
3. P.s 59
What is the relationship between Ps. 59 and 1 Sam 20?
April 17; 1 Sa 21-23. (Bonus reading Ps. 108)
1. 1 Sam. 21:1; "Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no one with you?"
Who was Ahimelech?
2. 1 Sam. 22:18-22; "Then the king said to Doeg, "You turn and strike the priests." And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword. But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. And David said to Abiathar, "I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house."
Who killed the priests of Israel? Why did they kill the priests?
3. 1 Sam. 23:15-18; "David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this." And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home."
Johnathan predicted that David would be the king over Israel and he, Jonathan, would be next. Did Johnathan's prediction come to pass?
April 18; 1 Sa 24; Ps 7, 27, 31, 34, 52(. Bonus reading Ps. 109)
1. 1 Sam. 24: 5-6; "And afterward David's heart struck him because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed."
What did David mean by "the LORD's anointed?"
2. Ps. 7;
How is Ps. 7 related to 1 Sam. 24
3. Ps. 27, 31, 34, 52;
Please compare 1 Sam. 24 with Psalms 27, 31, 34, and 52. What is the common theme in these Psalms? Why do we read these four Psalms along with 1 Sam 24?
April 19; Ps 56, 120, 140-142; 1 Sa 25. (Bonus reading Ps. 110)
1. 1 Sam. 25:18-22; "Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. And she said to her young men, "Go on before me; behold, I come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him."
Who was Abigail? How did Abigail save both David and her husband? Please refer to 1 Sam. 25: 23-31. Was Abigail who saved David and her husband, or was God? Please refer to 1 Sam. 25:32-33. said to Abigail, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and working salvation with my hand!
2. Ps. 56, 120,
What is the common theme between 1 Sam. 25 and Psalms 56 &120?
3. Ps. 140-142;
Psalms 140-142 reflect David's life as it was written in 1 Sam. 25. How do you understand that?
April 20; 1 Sa 26-27; Ps 17, 35. (Bonus reading Ps. 111)
1. 1 Sam. 27:5; "Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?"
Who was Achish? Why did David visit him?
2. Ps. 17;
What is the relationship between 1 Sam. 26 and Ps. 17?
3. Ps. 35;
Is there a relationship between 1 Sam. 26 and Ps. 35?
April 21; Ps 54, 63; 1 Sa 28-29. (Bonus reading Ps. 112)
1. 1 Sam. 28:6; "He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
What was the Urim? Please refer to Ex. 28:30 and Lev. 8:8.
2. 1 Sam. 28:11-20; "Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" "Bring up Samuel," he said. When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul! The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" The woman said, "I see a ghostly figure coming up out of the earth." "What does he look like?" he asked. "An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do." Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines." Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night."
How do you understand this passage? Does the Bible encourage us to seek help from a medium at En-dor?
3. Ps. 54, ps. 63;
How do you understand Ps. 54 and Ps. 63 in the light of 1 Sam? 28-29?