be both an outward kingdom and an inward rule of FAITH FULLY FIT faith in the people’s hearts. Answers The years of the judges had been years of spiritual Weekly Spiritual decline for Israel. The book of Judges closes with Thursday My Spiritual Fitness Goals for this week: these telling words: “In those days Israel had no  Certainly and had many earthly king; everyone did as he saw fit” (21:25). In other things in common. Yet the heart of their friendship words, there was little regard for God and even less was the Lord and his gracious promise. Jonathan Fitness Plan appreciation for his Word. The nation was on a knew the Lord had chosen David as the next king. He long, slow drift from God. Complicating this was had everything to lose and nothing to gain by being the growing infiltration of Canaanite Baal worship David’s friend, yet he was God’s friend first, and be- into the homes of the nation. cause the Lord had chosen David, Jonathan was ea- ger to see David prosper. David knew that someday When Samuel was old, a delegation of elders came would be punished. He was eager to spare Jona- to him at Ramah, requesting that he appoint for than’s family any part in that punishment. Each felt them a king to rule the nation. Samuel was broken- this way about the other because they knew God’s Introduction & Background hearted when he heard their demands, but God friendship and wanted nothing other than God’s will told him to give the people what they wanted, a to be done. to this week’s readings: king of their own, even though they would live to  David’s family members knew their lives were in danger. Saul might have tried to use them as hos- Introduction to the Book of 1 Samuel regret it. tages to force David to return. So they joined him in The word kingdom is an important term for every hiding. David knew his parents and family would not be able to run with him, so he found them safe and Bible student to understand. This should be obvious Monday: 1 Samuel 16 from its frequent use in Scripture. The words king- comfortable lodging with the king of Moab. 16:1-3 “I have come to sacrifice.” Samuel was actu- dom of God and kingdom of heaven occur no less ally afraid of Saul, which gives us a good idea of the Friday than 119 times in the New Testament. When John depth of Saul’s spiritual depravity. So the Lord told  Doeg made it sound as if had been in- the Baptist proclaimed “Repent, for the kingdom of volved in the plot all along. He just speaks about the Samuel to arrange for a sacrifice as a reason for his heaven is near,” he was understood by his contem- external things Ahimelech did for David and does not visit to Bethlehem. take into consideration their conversation. poraries to say, and he certainly intended to say, that the Messiah was coming and that his kingdom 16:4 “The elders of the town trembled.” No doubt Saturday was soon to be ushered in. John’s listeners under- the elders had heard of Samuel’s rebuke of Saul  God is directly involved in every detail of the lives of Week 25 - 1 Samuel 16-23 stood correctly that God establishes his kingdom and of how Samuel had killed Agag. They also knew his people. He sends good into our lives, and he through the Messiah. that Samuel and Saul had parted ways. Under other sends evil when we need fatherly chastisement. In all situations we can turn to him and ask for his protec- It was always God’s intention to reign as king in the conditions, they may have been happy to see Sam- tion and guidance. hearts and lives of the Israelites. A government uel. But now they were afraid that somehow they ordered by God in which its citizens look to God for might be caught in this struggle or that they had their laws, for guidance, and for protection against done something to anger Samuel. those who threaten the state is called a theocracy (“rule of God”). In time God intended to give his  What was Samuel’s response when he saw people an earthly representative of his rule—a king Jesse’s eldest son? who would work to preserve the unity of God’s chosen people. The rule of one king is called a mon- archy (“rule of one”). God’s desire, however, was to  What do we begin to learn about David’s atti- Most of the questions and answers on the “Weekly Spiritual Fitness Plan” combine the two, so that the Israelites, his people, tude toward Saul? (verses 21-23) come from “The Whole Bible Project” Bible studies. Background and would be governed by a theocratic monarchy. In Introduction information come from “The People’s Bible” commentary series and from “Book of Books,” both published by NPH. other words, God wanted the kingdom of Israel to Tuesday: 1 Samuel 17 Wednesday: 1 Samuel 18-19 (continued) Friday: 1 Samuel 22 Saturday: 1 Samuel 23 (continued)

17:4-11 “Goliath”—Goliath was a fighting machine  What made Saul angry with David? 22:20 “”—Abiathar was the last person to Some have speculated that the Urim and Thummim for the Philistine army. He was nine feet tall, and survive in ’s family. He escaped Nob with the represented yes or no, and God’s yes or no answer the point of his spear weighed as much as a bowl- and so was able to inquire of God on David’s depended on which one the priest pulled out of the ing ball. behalf as Ahimelech had done. He became David’s breastplate. (However, the Urim and Thummim  How did Jonathan help David after Saul made high priest. may not have been in the ephod. Saul tried to use 17:55 “Abner, whose son is that young man?” It is it public that he wanted David dead? the Urim to seek advice from the Lord. See 1 Sam- a bit puzzling why Saul asked about David’s family. 22:22 “I am responsible.” David claimed responsibil- uel 28:6.) After all, he knew David well, as David had been ity for the slaughter of the priests at Nob. In hind- playing the harp for him. In 16:18, we heard Saul’s sight, David thinks, he should not have gone to Nob.  In verse 14 we read, “Day after day Saul servant identify David as the son of Jesse. It may be But it was not David’s fault that Doeg was there or searched for him, but God did not give David that Saul was now interested in learning more Thursday: 1 Samuel 20-21 that Doeg lied to Saul about Ahimelech’s supposed into his hands.” What does this tell us about about David’s family because of his promise to support of David. David had lied to Ahimelech, but God’s involvement in the lives of his people? richly reward the man (and the family of the man) 20:5 “The New Moon festival”—Each Jewish only to protect him. As we look into the future, we who killed Goliath. month began with the day of the new moon. This see that the Lord used Doeg’s wickedness to carry day was a religious holiday. It seems as if Saul ob- out his against the house of Eli served these holidays by having special meals on  What brought David to the front lines of the (1 Samuel 2:30-36). In time, another priest, , the day of the new moon and the day after. The Israelite army? would rise to prominence under David. For a time, same requirements of ceremonial cleanliness were both Abiathar and Zadok served as high priests. attached to these days as to any other religious When David died, only Zadok remained faithful to Answers festival. It would have been very impolite for some-  Saul had promised wealth and honor to any- Solomon. In this way the Lord fulfilled his prophecy one to miss these two meals, and if Saul was angry one who would defeat Goliath. However, what to destroy Eli’s family and put a faithful priest in his Monday with someone, his anger would surface during prompted David to fight with Goliath? (verses place (1 Kings 2:26-27). Zadok was a type of Christ.  He was positive that Eliab was going to be God’s these days. So, although David took responsibility for the deaths 26,36) choice as the next king. 21:1 “Nob”—The had been moved from of priests at Nob, it was only indirect responsibility.  He was always willing to serve his king in whatever Shiloh to Nob, and Nob was where the priests, the We can say that the Lord put Doeg there that day to ways he could. We will see this attitude displayed in family of Eli, were living. The begin to fulfill his prophecy about the house of Eli. many different ways in the coming chapters. Wednesday: 1 Samuel 18-19 was not inside the tabernacle at this time. The ark had been taken to Kiriath Jearim and was there  Compare Doeg’s description of what happened Tuesday 18:10 “Prophesying”—Not in God’s name but until David took it into . (See 6:21–7:1.) at Nob with what really happened.  David’s righteous anger was aroused when he saw through an evil spirit. He was evidently being car- Goliath defying the living God of Israel. ried along by this evil spirit to say things that were 21:4 “Some consecrated bread”—This bread was  His father, Jesse, loved his sons, Eliab, Abinadab, and clearly devilish. put fresh each week on the table in the tabernacle. Shammah, who were fighting with Saul, and he According to the law, only the priest could eat it. wanted to know how they were doing. Jesse sent 19:1 All pretense was now gone. Saul made his Jesus defended what Ahimelech and David did David with food for his brothers and for their com- desire to kill David public. Saturday: 1 Samuel 23 mander. (Matthew 12:3). Jesus’ point was that preserving someone’s life was more important than keeping Wednesday 19:13 “Michal took an idol.” Saul’s wickedness 23:6 “The ephod”—The ephod was a robe worn by the letter of the law.  The external occasion was the fact that David had forced his daughter Michal to deceive him. Yet the the high priest. Over the ephod was a breastplate greater victories than Saul, and the women were fact that Michal still had a Canaanite deity in her and within the breastplate were two rather mysteri-  Describe David and Jonathan’s friendship. praising David more than Saul. The bigger picture house does not speak well about her spiritual ma- ous objects, the Urim and Thummim. Abiathar had turity. We cannot say why David did not get rid of was that God had left Saul and was blessing David, taken the ephod with him when he fled from Nob. and Saul knew this. this idol. Its significance and real value for David at this time  Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul, reminding Saul  How did David show love and concern for his lay in the fact that he could use the ephod to inquire of all the good things David had done for him. Saul 19:18 “Naioth”—Possibly a name for the dwelling family? place of the prophets. of the Lord. Notice how David makes requests. They relented and took another oath that David would are questions that can take a yes or no answer. not be killed (which he would break, of course).