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Treehouse Homegroup Meeting – 1 Samuel 15-16

Spurgeon’s Sermon on 1 Samuel 15:22: ”Obedience Better Than Sacrifice” (http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols10-12/chs686.pdf)

Hannah:
- It’s good to remember that obedience is better than sacrifice. Even if you’re giving money to missionaries, that’s good, but we are commanded to share the gospel and that is obedience, so that is better.
- Give as God has given to you, but remember to act as God acts – FEED the hungry, CARE for the poor, HEAL the sick, don’t just give money to those things. (Spurgeon speaks strongly.)
- Hannah loves Calvinists. Spurgeon has a good balance of people needing to come to Christ because God commands it and people should come to Christ because it will give them a good life.
Examples – Soldier leaves his command to get flowers for his commanders; taking care of your body but not eating food – you die. If you don’t believe in Jesus – you die.

David – Command is simple – Just need to believe. But some unbelievers find it too simple, there needs to be more. It’s good to remember that the sacrifice is better than obedience.

Dad:
– 7th century warrior – huge factor in war is PLUNDER. Soldiers took the sheep and cattle from the plunder. Money/wealth was major factor.
- This destruction on the Amalekities was all done to people who were being punished because of the actions of their ancestors. God destroyed them based on their ancestors, 400 years ago! Tribal generational sin carried on. Jethro’s descendent’s were Kenites who were spared because of their ancestors. God has the right to punish me because of the sin of our forefathers. We usually deal lightly with God’s attitude towards our past sins or our forefathers past sins. may we gain a greater appreciation of God saving us from His wrath of our own individual sins that we have done, and from the sins of our ancestors.
- Saul disobeyed this command to wipe out completely, but in 1 Samuel 22, Saul did wipe out an entire city – all men, women, and children, sheep, donkeys, everything – in the city of God, the city of Nob, where the priests were

Perhaps they did not destroy all of the people as well – 1 Samuel 30 – David destroys the Amalekites. Also, Haman is descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites. Or perhaps God only meant a specific region, area (from Havilah to Shur).

Karina – question about 1 Samuel 15:29 – says that God does not have regret or change His mind like man does, and yet in verse 35 it says He was grieved/regretted that He has made Saul king.
- Derek – ”regretted” seems to indicate that He wanted to change His mind, while ”grieved” just indicates sadness, etc.
- Mark – It is using strong terms, but we must learn from context and from what we know from the Bible about God’s character, that He didn’t really change His mind, and is sovereign over all things. Similar word to what it says in Genesis right before Noah – God was grieved that He had made man on the earth.
- Karina’s NIV study Bible -referenced Numbers 23, Malachi 3:6, Psalm 110:4, and Jeremiah 4:28

Mark/Dad – Spurgeon’s Sermon on 1 Samuel 16:12 – ”Who Are the Elect?” (http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols10-12/chs638.pdf)
Father Jesse was bringing his sons to Samuel, but he didn’t bring the youngest!
Richard – He did have seven other sons!
Derek – The odds of David being chosen as king out of the other sons are 12.5%.
Even after David is anointed, it doesn’t seem like his father and brothers even seem to get it!
Mom/Kristin – maybe it was more done in secret, because Samuel says ”Saul will kill me if I anoint another king”
Hannah – chronology may not be necessarily as written – David may have been playing for Saul before the anointing by Samuel.
- Spurgeon – One way to find out if they are the elect, is to share the gospel! That’s the test! If they get saved, then they are the elect!
- The elect is someone who will think about God and think on His Word.

Richard – Jesus says, ”My sheep know my voice, and will turn and follow Me.”
Mark/Dad – Read an interview by John Piper of Rick Warren.
Hannah – Calvinists are sensitive. They took offense to The Purpose Driven Life.
Piper grilled Rick Warren and it turns out, Warren is a very strong Calvinist. Dad now has a lot of high respect for Rick Warren.
Richard likes Rick Warren’s tweets – they are very edifying, just tweets scripture
Rick Warren’s great grandfather got saved by Spurgeon and came over to America and became a pastor, and his son was a pastor, and his son, and now Warren.

2 Corinthians 1:22 – anointing – Put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come

The elect are anointed and have God with them always so put the crown on now.

Richard – Thought on the choosing of David – first son was tall but not the one. Saul was tall. Why did God pick Saul? David is a symbol of the King to come, a man after God’s own heart. But even David failed. Only King that will not fail is God Himself. God is basically sharing the gospel with Samuel. God reveals hope and the gospel.

Treehouse Homegroup Meeting – 1 Samuel 13-14

Mom/Kristin – Spurgeon Sermon – ”Samuel: An Example of Intercession” (1 Sam 12:23) http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols25-27/chs1537.pdf
1 Samuel 12:23: ”Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.” (Samuel speaking to the people)
- Many people have come to salvation through someone praying for them
- Job’s turning point was after praying for his friends
- David praying in Psalm 35 but God apparently didn’t answer his prayer, but STILL was of great benefit to David because it changed HIS heart towards his enemies. God uses prayer to change us and grow us.
Point 1 – First dwell upon Samuel’s habit of intersession
- Samuel’s whole existence was bathed in prayer – A woman of sorrowful spirit prayed for him. Named in prayer – means ”asked of God” and carries out his name by beginning life by asking of God continually, so many things nurtured by a woman of prayer at first, then left to dwell in the house of prayer. A waiting and watchful spirit is the very knee of prayer.
- Samuel is singled out in the Bible as being a man devoted to prayer.
- May we learn the art of prayer in our early days to grow up and be proficient in it.
- Spurgeon’s summary phrase for Samuel: ”He cried to the Lord, and the Lord heard.”
- The power of prayer cannot be exaggerated, even the very elements (weather) were controlled through prayer.

Hannah – Samuel’s response is always prayer. When the people asked for a king, he responded by bringing it to the Lord, not scolding the people or responding to the people out of anger.
Point 2 – Second, dwell on Samuel’s perseverance and endurance in prayer

Mom/Kristin – Samuel still tries to help the people do right and make the best of it under a human king, even though they had rejected first God as King. He didn’t give up on them.

Hannah – Point 3 – Samuel’s persevering intersession (very similar to point 2!)

Kristin/Mom – Favorite life changing part – He who prevails with God for man can prevail with man for God. If you can overcome heaven by prayer, you can overcome earth by preaching. If you know the art of speaking to the eternal, you can be assured you can speak to men. All true power over men lies in the power of secret prayer. We have power over people.

Hannah – The last point – Samuel showed his sincerity of prayer by his corresponding actions. After praying for your friends, try as well as you can to answer your own prayers in your means.

Everyone agrees that Jonathan is really cool!!!

Kristin/Mom – 1 Samuel 13:14 – A man after the Lord’s own heart. God already has someone else planned. Contrast between David and Saul, like just compare their prayers – Saul’s prayer – ”Just give me the right answer, God!” contrasted to David’s psalms – so intimate, just pouring out his heart to God.

Hannah – confused about the sinning against the rule that Saul made Was the fact that Jonathan ate the honey really the reason that God didn’t answer Saul?

Richard – whole chapter seems to be about the fact that Jonathan is great and Saul is not so great. A showing comparison. Maybe Saul was doing it on purpose trying to get Jonathan …

Meat and blood in it – Mark – ESV Study Bible – When they slaughtered animals on the ground, it was harder to drain the blood. When they slaughtered it on a stone, the blood would run off. They were just so hungry and eager to eat that they didn’t slaughter it on a stone, thus the instruction by Saul.

Dad/Mark – Trying to make a change in my life to have a chunk of time for intercessory prayer. This section has had a big effect on my life and I wonder if it is supposed to have a big effect on this whole Bible study.

Praying for other people helps make you feel more connected to them, perhaps increases your unconditional love for them (supernaturally!).

Treehouse Homegroup Meeting – 1 Samuel 10-13

Chapter 10
Karina – Spurgeon’s Sermon – ”Hiding Among the Stuff” (http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols58-60/chs3322.pdf)
Spurgeon says – May we not assume wrongdoing on Saul’s part, instead let’s assume it was ”mock modesty.”
Saul’s actions after he became king were wise – made peace with men speaking badly about him instead of killing him
Christians hid away among stuff
First half – addressed sinners
- While Saul was hiding from an earthly crown, sinners hide from a heavenly crown.
- ”Stuff” that sinners hide from is worldliness, opportunities which might led them to be saved (avoid churches, preachers, etc.)
- Challenges Christians to go ”hunt among the stuff” for the unbelievers and bring them out
The second half addresses the Christians – we may not hide ourselves from heavenly crowns, but we may hide from more specific crowns.
- One crown is the crown of the victorious suppliment – a person who prays (Jacob, Martin Luther) – sometimes our prayer is swallowed up in the pressures of business
- Another crown is the crown we receive from feasting and fellowshipping with Christ

Dad/Mark – Thing that struck me the most was ”Do whatever your hand finds to do and God is with you.” (1 Samuel 10:7)
- expresses a lot of freedom in God’s will
- We are made in His image
- Adam and Eve – Can eat from any tree in the garden, with just one boundary
- Colossians 3:23 – ”Whatever you do …” (Paul says to slaves)

Chapter 12
Exposition by Spurgeon – ”Harvest Time” http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols49-51/chs2896.pdf
Hannah – asking the Lord for things and God giving them to you even if it might not be the best thing – Hezekiah example, granted him living longer, but perhaps Manassah would not have been born if Hezekiah had died sooner!!! (not sure if accurate?) So – we don’t need to be afraid of asking the Lord for things in prayer, even if it’s not exactly the right way or the right motives.
Christ came from the kings! So this WAS God’s plan!
Dad – The people asked for a king but didn’t ask in prayer, didn’t ask God
But isn’t going to Samuel like going to God?
Richard – Samuel actually tells the people not to be afraid

Richard – John Piper – ”The Sinful Origin of the Son of David”
- God planned a kingship from the beginning for Israel; and Christ came from the kings – King of King and Lord of Lords
6 points on what we learn from the fact that Christ came from sinful origins:
1. We are a stiff necked, rebellious people – insisting that they want a human king when they had God as king
2. God is faithful to His own Name – 1 Sam 12:22 – The Lord will not forsake His people for His name’s sake
3. The grace that sinners receive flows form God’s supreme allegiance to His own name. Samuel says to the people, ”Do not be afraid. You have done evil.” Shouldn’t it say Be Afraid?! Pure grace right there!
4. Kingship belongs only to God – every king was wicked, even David was wicked! The story of the kings is to show that no man can be king. (Hannah says – Thomas Paine – Common Sense) (Derek says – 1 Samuel 13:13-14 – There IS one king that did all that God commanded – Christ!)
5. A ”God-Man” must be king. A man had to die to pay for our sins
6. A King died for His people. Needed to be a human king. God can’t die. Only man can die. Rightful king of Israel must be God, king must die for people so must be man, therefore must be God-Man.

Mom – The whole line of the Messiah shows how merciful God is! The women included in the geneoligies of the Messiah, Rehab, Tamar, just God’s mercy that led to Jesus being born!

Richard – The people asking for a king, which was bad, actually was a blessing, to bring Christ – God changes our sin to glorify Himself and bring us to Him! To be with Him! So when Samuel ways, ”Do not be afraid,” we really don’t have to be even when we have done evil.

Mom – We can pray with confidence, verbalize to God that this is our desire but that our ultimate desire is for Him to be glorified and for it to be His will.

Richard – the cool ending – In every gospel Jesus is asked, ”Are you the king of the Jews?” And Jesus says, ”It is as you say.” But He is not JUST the king of the Jews, He is the King of all. Revelation – on His robe and thigh He has His name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lord

Hannah – Harvest Time – 1 Samuel 12:17
Wheat harvest takes place in month of May when weather is settled and a thunderstorm would be rare. So wouldn’t a thunderstorm destroy all the crops? A punishment on the people?
Mark/Dad – If it rained during harvest, they couldn’t get the crops. Crops couldn’t get out because of mud, etc. And grain and crops would be wet and ruin the crops, knock down the crops, when wheat is ripe, bends over easily, can bend and break, rot on ground.
Hannah – Rain is like repentance – Phenomeon of nature often empresses God’s power on people (Dad – doesn’t seem to anymore as much)

Mom – 1 Samuel 12 – A theme of the whole chapter is that we should make a conscious effort to consider the great things God has done for us and the wicked things we have done. 1 Samuel 12:7 – Samuel says, ”I will confront you about all the righteous acts before the Lord…” And also verse 16 – ”Now see the great things the Lord is doing before our eyes and see the great thing the Lord is about to do today. … Realize that your wickedness is great.”
Serve the Lord faithfully and consider the great things He has done for you – AMP says, ”Consider how great are the things He has done for you.”

For next time – discussion of 13 and the sermon, and chapter 14 and possibly 15

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?

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.

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!

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.