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Treehouse Homegroup Meeting – 1 Samuel 5-7

Chapter 5

Spurgeon’s Sermon on 1 Samuel 5:2-4 – ”Dagon’s Ups and Downs”
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols22-24/chs1342.pdf
The Ark was safe when protected by priests. It was captured when it was protected by an army. Then when in enemy’s hands, it was safe. In relation to God’s word, it is strong on it’s own.

”[God] will not be indebted to the might of flesh but will defend His own Glory by His own mysterious power.”

Mark – Goliath was a young man or boy at this time. You wonder what he thought, what he learned from this? Shows Philistines’ depravity. No repentance mentioned even after seeing the miracles and power of God. Worse than the Egyptians, where some repented and went out in the exodus with the Israelites.

Dagon was a fish god, Picture of Dagon: http://www.bible-history.com/past/dagon.html

Chapter 6

Mom – 1 Samuel 6:12
”12And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.”
Every desire in those cows would go against what they were supposed to do – leaving their nursing calves behind, never been bridled before … it’s why they were lowering all the way. But they still did as God bid – went straight ahead – emotionally painful for them (instinctively painful).
Psalms – Don’t be like the horse or mule, unless they have a bit or bridal they won’t come near you.
Stay the course. It might be hard and there might be lowing all the way, but go straight ahead and turn neither to the right or the left.

Karina – Similar to Christ – bearing a yoke and traveling on the path, then sacrificed in the end.

Why did they low all the way?
- indicating they wanted to go back to their calves
- because they were yoked, not used to it, first time, heavy burden

1 Sam 6:19 – God struck the men for looking at the ark – 70 or 50,000.
Numbers in Hebrew are tricky – numbers may be inflated by 10 because of the copy, etc.?
ESV Study Bible – looking indicated staring and perhaps gloating – maybe gloating over the Philistines, indicated irreverence.
What was currently in the Ark – the 10 commandments tablets, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the jar of manna.
Is there a New Testament equivalent? Taking communion irrelevantly? Unrepentant sin.
Is the ark just a box? Or is there something special about it? Something special about communion?

Ezekiel 16 – Israelites more wicked than the surrounding nations. Ezekiel 16:52 – ”Your sins are more vile than theirs, they are more righteous than you.”
Can Christians be more wicked than unbelievers?

1 Sam 6:20 – ”Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?”

Chapter 7

Spurgeon’s Sermon on 1 Samuel 7:2-5 – ”Three Decisive Steps”
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2220.htm
Two things that were oppressing Israel
1) Philistines
2) The Israelites’ worship of idols – Baal and Ashterah
1 Sam 7:2 – In those some 20 years, Samuel may have been traveling around and telling the people to repent, throw out their idols. Spurgeon said Samuel was plowing but plowing a stone and it was a long and arduous time for Samuel.
Spurgeon encourages us to keep up the good work – keep plowing and faithfully praying. Persist. The Israelites eventually listened to Samuel.

Mark – Ebenezer setting up monuments for victory God has done in our lives. Israelites had been battling the Philistines for decades – it was a big deal when finally they were beaten back (not completely defeated until David’s time)!
Vows after long trials and struggles. Ex: finances, marriage

Treehouse Homegroup Meeting – 1 Samuel 4

Samson, Jephthah and Eli possibly ruled at the same time. (v. 9 supports this because the Philistines treated the Israelites as slaves.)

Spurgeon Sermons:
The Form and Spirit of Religion 1 Samuel 4:3
Is God in the Camp? 1 Samuel 4:7

Hannah: ”The Form and Spirit of Religion” 1 Samuel 4:3
The Israelites were trusting in the ark which was a physical thing – ”the form”, what they really needed was the LORD in their midst – ”the Spirit”.
Both forms and Spirit are important in religion.
Forms in our religion today – Baptism and Communion
”The form of religion must never be altered.”
4000 men died before they had the ark, 30,000 !!!!!! men died when they had the ark!
Spurgeon used the word ”superstition” to describe how the Israelites used the ark thinking that it would magically make them win.
Communion – ”He who drinks the wine unworthily drinks damnation … unrepentant sin – a form of religion we need to practice
1 Corinthians 11:27-29: 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Talked against the Puseyites, Pharisees, clergymen of England, etc. – doing the motions, outward signs, and not trusting in God.
Easier to follow the form than the spirit of religion ex: hinduism
More humbling to believe and live than denying ourselves of all these things, walking with spikes in your shoes, etc.
”Human nature does not mind what you tell it to do as long as you don’t tell it to believe.”
Mom: John 6:29 – story in the gospel of people asking Jesus what they must do to do the work of God and Jesus says ”Just believe.” The work of God is to believe in the One who sent Me.

Richard: Is God in the Camp?
This teaching focuses on verse 7.
In the first half, Spurgeon explains how superstitious the Israelites are, and the second half he explains the truth that the Philistines did have cause to be afraid–if God really is with us, people better watch out!

They forgot the main matter to seek to do God’s will. Their mistakes included:
1. They mistook the visible for the invisible. By nature, man is both an atheist and an idolater.
2. They preferred office to character. They went to Eli’s sons because they were the officers, but they didn’t consider how evil those guys were. If the leader of the church doesn’t follow God, where will he lead you?
3. They confused enthusiasm with faith. (Israelites making noise, but not really worshiping)
4.The Philistines & Israelites both focused on something ”new,” much to their detriment.

2 Samuel 5 & 1 Chronicles 14–the story of David and the angels in the trees

Live a life of worship–your style of worship doesn’t matter. What does it matter how you garnish your offering?
Everything brought to God must be alive (example: fish are never offered).

Kristin: the Israelites sought one another instead of seeking God. They asked each other why they had been defeated instead of asking God.

Lessons from this story:
The necessity of the divine spirit.
We should do all we can to obtain the presence of God in the camp: Make straight a highway for our God. We must confess our helplessness without God. We must have a desire for the presence of God–all of us must desire it! We must not become an unholy church. There must be unbroken union–the Spirit of God does not like fighting. We must also have a childlike confidence. Believe in God up to the hilt or not believe at all.
Then, retain His presence: praise Him, believe Him, etc…

Dad/Mark: ESV study Bible (and his own thoughts)
One word to describe this chapter: LOSS
Loss of:
4000 men
30,000 men
the high priest
priest’s 2 sons
daughter-in-law
most significantly, the loss of the ark

Typically we think of loss as really bad. But in reality, it was really good! Got rid of the bad priest to make way for Samuel, and eventually David. All this loss was critical for good to happen.

Discussion about the presence of God between the cherubim – Was it really the presence of God there, or just a saying or description … just a symbol, pieces of wood, God is everywhere, omnipresent, etc. When God’s presence is with someone, it usually means that they will do something special, or to judge them. ”Special” presence of God

The Ark and later the temple are both old covenant things in which God dwells in. The New Testament correlation is our bodies.

Phinehas’s wife
She was overcome by her labor pain. So sad. Died from the pain – physical and emotional.
But Spurgeon praises her – Amazing that she believed in the religion at all with all the wickedness of her husband. She did name her son, and she understood that the most significant reason for sorrow was that the ark of the Lord was captured, not because her husband or father-in-law died.
Named her son Ichabod – ”no glory” – even though a sad name, still a significant and honorable one, good things will come from his life and descendants because of the loss (like Jeremiah) because they are experiencing the loss and pain and discipline of God.

Karina – Eli’s weight contributed to his death, but Eli still honored God in the end – he fell over at the news of God’s ark being taken – more important than his sons

Application
Hannah – Takes the most humility to just believe. The root of all sin is not believing in Christ and believing in myself and my own works. Having better standards than God. Nothing that you do has enough merit.
Dad – Loss is good. Celebrate loss.
Karina – Weight loss is good (for some of us).
Rabbit trail – advertisement for weight pills on radio comes with free appetizer suppressant!!!!!! Bonus!!!!!!!!
Mom – They also make appetite stimulants – Maybe iron is natural way.
Taco Bell meat is 89% real beef.
Richard – I don’t really do that. I just let things soak in.
Mom – verse 3 – They ask a question to each other and then just went ahead and did something instead of asking God. I want to direct my questions to God first.
Karina – Turn to God immediately. Don’t run away or hide. End of Spurgeon’s sermon ”Is God in the Camp” – living sacrifices – completely give yourself over to God.
Richard – studying the Bible together – choose scripture to read ahead of time and then when visiting discuss it all together!
David – related to Keirkagaard, trusting in God continues to pop up as a theme
Heidi – enthusiasm for the presence of the LORD.

Two Spurgeon Sermons on 1 Samuel 4 can be found at the following places:

1Sa 4:3 Form and Spirit of Religion, The 186 1858 169
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0186.htm OR
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols4-6/chs186.pdf

1Sa 4:7 Is God in the Camp? 2239 1892 25
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2239.htm OR
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols37-39/chs2239.pdf

Treehouse Homegroup Meeting 2 – 1 Samuel 2

Hannah’s Prayer
Karina: It seems that verse 5 is referring to Eli’s sons – ”Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.”
Dad: ESV study Bible – don’t agree with everything, says it is not talking about Peninnah
Hannah: Some people have said that it may have been written later … used as a common prayer among the Israelites. But verse 1 says, ”And Hannah prayed and said …”
The word ”king” shows that it is kind of a prophesy as well – because there were no kings yet in Israel!
Mom: Amazing how Hannah was able to rejoice so greatly in her sacrifice – giving up her son! She praises God right after giving up her son forever going from end of chapter one, then 1 Sam 2:1 is ”My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD.”

Hannah: From Spurgeon’s sermon, ”THE KING’S WEIGHINGS” http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols28-30/chs1736.pdf
- Hannah’s immediate response is to go to God … we often run to friends, etc. first.
- She rejoices in God being HOLY.
- One of his main points: God weighing man’s deed, judgment of God
- the word ”knows” – God knows everything, AND He weighs our deeds, so He knows how bad our deeds really are to the full extent, has the knowledge there, perfectly accurate knowledge of our deeds … quote: ”The great and glorious God does not forgive sin because He does not know of it, or does not remember how sinful it is—but this is the wonder of His mercy—He blots out the sins of His people with the fullest knowledge of their foulness!”
- compares how men weigh actions compared to how God weighs them – we more count them, bad things are outweighed by lots and lots of good deeds – goldsmith story – not quantity but the weight of the deeds
- present tense – and by Him deeds are weighed – currently being weighed
- maybe Spurgeon went a little too far … we are bad, bad, bad … even if we do all these good things, if our motives are bad then it’s all bad.
- But he brings it back to the gospel … those who are lowly God brings them up – ”He is the God who delights in reversing the order of things. He throws down those who are high and sets up those that are down. “He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent away empty.”

Karina: Spurgeon’s sermon, ”HONOR FOR HONOR” http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols49-51/chs2906.pdf
1 Sam 2:30 ”Those who honor Me I will honor and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.”
- summary: Honoring God is a plain DUTY, and the fact that He honors us in return is a very generous reward.
- He goes through different examples of how we honor God, then examples of how God honors us.
- one way that we can honor God is by worshiping the Triune – praying to all three persons of God, don’t wait until we can understand how God is a trinity
- another way we honor God is by confessing our sin and thereby glorifying His justice – we are worthy of death and terribleness
- We honor God by confessing the dominion of God – do not quarrel with the requirements of God’s commands but rather ask the Holy Spirit to help us comply with them.
- We honor God by trusting Him at all times.
- When times are good, honor God by great joy! ”If we don’t have particular troubles … have great joy!”
- Honor God in all we do. Don’t be like Hophni and Phinehas – they were being selfish in their service of the LORD. Example: In ministry, we are working not to get more numbers, more peoples, etc., but with the motive of honoring God.

Derek: Spurgeon’s sermon, “HERE I AM!” 1 Sam 3:4 http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols52-54/chs3082.pdf
What did Samuel’s response show and what did it fortell of Samuel?
First part – Samuel’s response
1. That Samuel had a hearing ear – God speaks to all of us in some way but we aren’t always in the right place spiritually to hear God speak to us … Samuel had a hearing ear.
2. He had a responsive heart. ”Here I am” – offering himself to God for whatever He was calling him.
3. A teachable spirit – ready to hear what You have to say to me, what You have to say to me is enough, I am ready for You to teach me, I will your willing servant and disciple, ready to be instructed
4. Samuel was in the right position – in bed at bedtime, perhaps Christians would be more willing to hear and respond to God if they were in the right place/position (real convicting for Heidi!)
Second Part – Fortelling of Samuel’s future
1. That Samuel would have further communication from God, Samuel’s responsiveness, God will continue to call you as long as He has messages to give you. Those who answer God’s call shall hear His voice again.
2. That Samuel would have prevalence in prayer … often God will not hear us because we will not hear Him (perhaps something in our lives -sin- is preventing us from hearing God)
3. That Samuel would have happier calls afterwards – not always going to be prophesying doom

Richard: Spurgeon sermon “SPEAK, LORD!” 1 Sam 3:10

Mom brought up the difference between what Eli told Samuel to say and what Samuel actually said:
Eli – ”Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”
Samuel – leaves out the word LORD – YAHWAH – ”Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Mom’s idea: Perhaps because he didn’t yet have a personal relationship with God yet (this was the first time he has heard from the Lord) that’s why he didn’t use His name, first time to talk with Him …
Spurgeon from Richard’s sermon – Revered the name of the Lord and did not want to overuse it – a holy word! realized his insignificant

More from Richard’s sermon – our desire to be spoken to by God – our heart NEEDS Him to speak, it longs for Him to speak … ”We cannot endure a dumb God.”

Eli – did not restrain his sons from blaspheming the LORD
Mom: thinks that was not his only sin – maybe he was doing the same thing the other priests were doing – now it was the practice of the priests

Discussion: What exactly did the priests do wrong? just burning the fat or also sticking the meat with the three-pronged fork and taking the meat, as well as burning the fat????
Let’s go back to the Leviticus laws … chapters 3, 4, 7 .. Numbers 6:19-20 … hmm not so helpful. Where are the verses that talk about what the priests can and cannot eat?
Eli seemed like such a good guy, but he got such a great punishment … he was responsible for so many people – priests, his sons, who sinned greatly
But, what is interesting is that he still speaks the words of the Lord – tells Hannah she will have children

Dad thinks the big issue is the fat issue, it does seem like it was harsh about plunging the fork into it … but the main thing is that they were not at all precise in the work of the Lord – should have learned from their ancestors Aron’s sons who offered strange fire – this was big! Like blaspheming the Holy Spirit, cannot be forgiven. This was really bad and Eli knew it. He was a ”nice” person, but nice people can be very wicked. Nice is based on personality.

Mom: What was the sin really and why was it so bad – Hello, they are sleeping with these women!!!!! (that was her first thought when reading it this time) BUT on second thought – verse 17 – they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. ”This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight.” Who is the Lord’s offering? JESUS! They were treating Jesus with contempt! Then he says to Eli (gives more weight that Eli was probably involved in it as well) – ”Why do you (plural) scorn My sacrifice and offering?” (Even if he wasn’t doing it himself, he was still responsible.) But scorning the sacrifice of Christ – that’s the issue – and the sleeping with the women, and taking the meat – those are just symptoms.
Hannah – It’s easy to judge people by what they DO, but really those things are just coming from the inner heart – their rebellion against God (ok I basically added that part but it’s prob what Hannah meant!).

Richard – going back to what Mark said about blaspheming the Holy Spirit – I wonder if there are any other examples in the OT that would be along these lines? (I don’t think anyone could think of one …)

Dad: Genealogies – The lines, judgment against Eli – Do you know who was in Eli’s line? a famous person – JEREMIAH!!!! The weeping prophet. And how did his life go? sad sad sad (but significant!)
Mom – example: Sons of Korah – ancestors fell into ground, but descendants wrote beautiful and awesome Psalms

Then a side discussion about smoking cigars and sperm health.

Mom: contrast between Eli’s sons and Samuel
1 Sam 2:18 – ”But” Samuel was ministering before
Mom’s 2 Questions
1 Sam 1: 21 Elkhanah’s vow – what was His vow?
Richard: A general vow that the Israelites have with God, to sacrifice
Heidi: Seems to be the same thing that he did at the beginning of chapter 1.
2. 1 Sam 1:23 – And what was the word

Mom – Hannah didn’t drink alcohol during her pregnancy.
Mom – ESV said the Lord visited Hannah – and at that time she conceived! So personal and cool – God opens the womb (Heidi – and inserts the soul at the moment of conception!) Karina – God came and stood there Dad – it says with Paul that the Lord stood at his side.
Mom – the coolest thing all night – ”The Lord brings death and life/He brings them from the grave” in Hannah’s Song –
1 Sam 2:20 Eli’s prophesy – may the Lord give you descendants – NKJV says to take the place of the LOAN that was given by the Lord. – Like Marshall, he was just on loan to us – God has a purpose in life and death, biggest promise God has given me that God will use it to bring a lot of worshipers into the kingdom.

David, we want you here!

Here are some Spurgeon sermons that go along with 1 Samuel 2-3. There are a lot!

1Sa 2:3 King’s Weighings, The 1736 1883 457
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols28-30/chs1736.pdf

1Sa 2:6 From Death to Life 523 1863 433
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols7-9/chs523.pdf

1Sa 2:8 Beggars Becoming Princes 3256 1911 301
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols55-57/chs3256.pdf

1Sa 2:30 Honour for Honour 2906 1904 505
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols49-51/chs2906.pdf

1Sa 2:30 Road to Honour, The 1811 1884 637
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols28-30/chs1811.pdf

1Sa 3:2 Child Samuel’s Prayer, The 586 1864 473
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols10-12/chs586.pdf

1Sa 3:4 Here Am I 3082 1908 109
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols52-54/chs3082.pdf

1Sa 3:10 Speak Lord! 2526 1897 337
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols43-45/chs2526.pdf

1Sa 3:17 Private Enquiry, A 2184 1891 25
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols37-39/chs2184.pdf OR
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2184.htm

Treehouse Homegroup Meeting 1 – 1 Samuel 1

Amplified says Hannah was grieved and embarrassed from Penninah’s provoking. Spurgeon pointed out that Hannah did not retaliate against Penninah. Good aspects and joy came from Hannah’s sorrowfulness.

Dad’s thoughts – The goal is not to feel better … when going through grief and sorrow. What blessings sprung for Hannah and the whole nation of Israel from Hannah’s hurt and difficult situation!

Hannah’s thoughts – Through the sorrow she learns how to pray, to have faith, to go to God, and that God fulfills her hopes and answers her prayers, and through the process realizes that it is GOD who fills her (not children or circumstances).

Mom’s thoughts – Hannah didn’t have an angel or special sign or anything that God would answer her prayer for a baby … she just believed God heard her prayer.

Discussion about Elkanah’s comment – ”Don’t I mean more to you than 10 sons?”
- Perhaps not connecting with Hannah emotionally – doesn’t he know why she would be sad?!
- Shows Hannah is the one really following God … her husband loved her but doesn’t seem to understand God or connect with Him as much … and he was a polygamist … Hannah connected more with the Lord … other examples in Scripture of woman connecting more than her husband – Samson’s parents, Elizabeth (Zechariah’s wife)

Spurgeon:
” I do not think that Hannah would have been a fit mother for Samuel if she had not, first of all, been of a sorrowful spirit. It is not everybody that can be trusted to educate a young Prophet. Many a fool of a woman has made a fool of her child. He was so much her “duck” that he grew up to be a goose! It needs a wise woman to train up a wise son and, therefore, I regard Samuel’s eminent character and career as largely the fruit of his mother’s sorrow and as a reward for her griefs. Hannah was a thoughtful mother which was something and her thought induced diligence. She had slender space in which to educate her boy, for he left her early to wear the little coat and minister before the Lord. But in that space her work was effectually done, for the child Samuel worshiped the very day she took him up to the Temple.”

Dad – in some ways, Hannah gave up what Abraham was only tested in … extremely sacrificial! Full of faith!
Mom – She gets him back in the end – Samuel would always come back home to Ramah
Mom – Hannah’s faith was not tempered by the faults of the temple culture – drunk people, Eli’s sons, etc. … She still believed God
Reviewing Dad’s sermon from 2009 – God blocks and delays His children’s desires so that it’s not normal, but special! If you want a normal life, don’t follow God!

Thoughts about heaven – If we there is a need and purpose for grief and sorrow on this earth, then what is there in heaven?
Scripture says we will reign with Christ, so it seems we will have a job … just the start of the adventure … but what is an adventure without bad stuff?
physical bodies and physical things in heaven for all eternity … Jesus is physical for all eternity …
1 Corinthians 6 – We will judge angels
Things in this life will prepare us for our life in the eternal.
Events (like tests in school) are a speck in the grand scheme of the eternal.

I found this sermon online by Spurgeon. It is only six pages. Richard and I are planning on reading it before tonight. If you would like to read it as well, you can go to the link:
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols25-27/chs1515.pdf