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Treehouse Homegroup Meeting – 1 Samuel 8-9

Chapter 8

Karina – It jumped to Samuel as an old man. It’s a reminder of how unimportant our lives are sometimes. His life’s work was summed up in a few verses.

Dad/Mark – Seems like his life was filled with disappointment. 20 years on his circuit – and what was the result? They rejected God and want to be back in the world. And his sons! 20 years of preaching – nothing. 20 years of being a dad – nothing.

Richard – God steps in and tells Samuel that it’s really HIM they are rejecting, not Samuel.

Mark – In this example, Samuel took too much of the blame and burden on himself, and God said, ”Wait, this is towards Me.” Just as bad as not taking the responsibility.

Mom/Kristin – Never mentions Samuel’s wife. Weird? Or maybe normal with OT culture?

Karina – The elders wanted someone good ruling over them. They wanted justice. They realized that Samuel was old and had wicked sons and they didn’t want all evil. It seems natural to ask for someone who would rule righteously.

Richard – If they weren’t supposed to ask for a king, what should they have asked for? What did God want them to do instead?

Mark – Judges have limited impact on country, limited power. But a king has so much impact and power, and can sway the whole country.

Hannah – Saul didn’t even know who Samuel was so he obviously had very different status and power than a king would have.

Derek – Saul was probably pretty young when Samuel was making his circuit, so perhaps that is why he didn’t know him or remember him.

Mom – 1 Samuel 8:6 – This displeased Samuel so he prayed to the LORD. Also 1 Samuel 8:21 – Repeated what the people said to the Lord. A good example of bringing our feelings to God. When something big happens, pour it out to the Lord. And the Lord answered both times.
- Israel rejecting Samuel was really them rejecting God. And it fits all into bringing David and bringing the Messiah, and Samuel couldn’t even see that.

Hannah – It was all part of God’s story for Israel, and for Samuel. And God used it for good.

Chapter 9
Spurgeon’s Sermon: ”Looking for One Thing and Finding Another” (http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols52-54/chs3075.pdf)
Heidi – 1. Just like Saul was on the road seeking donkeys and ended up on the road to a crown, sometimes in our lives we are on the road to something seemingly petty but really it is a royal ending.
Hannah – 2. Saul received what he wasn’t even looking for. Many other examples in the Bible – Zaccheous, Paul, etc.
Brings salvation to people who aren’t even looking for it. Freeness of God’s grace.
- What we ought not to say – ”Do nothing and the grace of God will come to me.” But seek the Lord while He still may be found. Why chance it? Do you really want to be under that risk?
- ”Why use means for saving others? Let God do His own work.” We should be doing the work of God. Example: Stephen praying for Saul/Paul – perhaps it was secondary to Paul being saved by God’s grace!!!!!! And Paul brought Christianity to most of us today! Because of Stephen’s prayer! Spurgeon – ”Because God works, are we to be still? NO! We work along with God … so that His purposes may be filled.”
Spurgeon always brings it back to the gospel! LOVE IT! Hannah loves Calvinists!!!!!!!

1 Samuel 9:20 – Different translations translate it differently. Is it that Saul is Iareal’s desire? Or that Saul gets all that is good in Israel?
ESV: And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?”
NIV: And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and all your father’s family?”

Will we see Samuel’s wife in heaven?

Did Saul go to heaven?

Here are some Spurgeon sermons on 1 Samuel 8-9:

Looking for One Thing and Finding Another (1 Sam 9:3, 20)
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols52-54/chs3075.pdf

Samuel and the Young Man Saul (1 Sam 9:27)
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols25-27/chs1547.pdf

See you all tonight!