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| David Poet-Warrior King of Judah and Israel Father of Solomon Forbear of Israel's Final David--Jesus |
I Samuel: notes and musings, notably, in connection with the covenant of grace and the Davidic institution.
Author. The author is not identified. The name Samuel is invoked because of his connection and mediation of the royal monarch in Israel, specifically, Israel’s first two kings, Saul and David. Samuel is an old man in 8.1 and has died by 25.1. In fact, he probably died before many narrated events occurred. 1 Chon. 29.29 attaches Samuel’s name with successors, Nathan and Gad, and written portions may have come from Samuel’s speeches and work.
Date and occasion. Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings narrate events contemporaneous to the writer.
The latter half of the 11th century B.C., ancient Near East nations were involved in their own internal matters; in this context, Israel’s monarchy emerges. Israel had been a loosely confederated band of tribes; Mr. (Rev. Dr. Prof.) John Bright frequently uses the term amphichtyonic league. A monarchy was a new stage in Israel’s national, religious and covenantal life. Kingship had been known to Israelites before Saul (Jg. 3.12; 4.2; 8.5). Why had they resisted kingship for so long? Judges 8.23 expresses the sentiment of resistance: “ But Gideon told them, `I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.’” A fundamental tenet of Israel’s theology was Jehovah’s Kingship (8.7; 12.12; Num. 23.21; Ps. 5.2; Mal. 1.14). Yet, the Kingship idea predated Israel’s monarchy (Gen. 49.10; Num. 24.7, 17-19; cf. Gen. 17.6, 16; 35.11). Moses anticipated it also (Dt. 17.14-20). As an aside, Moses decreed that Israel’s future kings were to be men of the “book,” reading from it all the days of their lives.
By the opening of 1 Samuel, the day of the kingship had arrived.
The reigns of David and Saul are worked by backdating from Kings. There is a broad consensus that David consolidated his rule over Judah and Israel by 1000 BC; or, over Judah by 1010 B.C. and Israel by 1003 B.C. David’s life: 1040—970 B.C. Samuel may have been born about 1100 B.C.
Some characteristics and themes.
• Historical emergence of the Israelite monarchy under Saul and David
• Kingship mediated through a Prophet
• Kingship itself is a Prophetic moment
• Saul’s rise and fall in this innovative period for Israel
• At bar: how does Kingship work in the covenantal arrangement between God and His people? Also, what is the relationship of the Davidic kingship and covenant with the gracious covenant with Adam, Abraham and Moses (said to include the Sinaitic covenant)?
• Hannah’s prayer: wonderful themes of God’s sovereignty, holiness, reversal of reverses, deliverance and futility of reliance on human strength. We’ve long pondered this wonderful piece. Did she write it? Did she have an amanuensis? How did Samuel get this piece? Or, the author of 1 Samuel?
• The Ark narrative (4.1—7.1). This may have addressed Israel’s tendency to view the Ark as a talisman, the perennial temptation to control God. But, the Ark makes a tour de force exhibit in a devastating tour through the pagan cities of Philistia. The pagans are all too happy to be done with the Ark.
• Saul the disappointment. Initially, he was impressive; initially, Samuel said Saul would rule Israel in the name of the LORD (9.26—10.1). He led a victory over the Ammonites. But, he failed: (1) to wait for Saul and proceeded to offer an unauthorized sacrifice on his own (13.8-14) and (2) failed to totally annihilate the Amalekites. Rather, again, on his own, he spared the Amalekite king and took animals. Samuel killed the Amalekite king. The kingdom would be transferred to another King (15.28; 28.17).
• The fall of Saul was co-incident with the rise of David. David had his own vices and wickednesses, but God mercifully established the Davidic covenant with him (2 Sam. 7). Jealousy and fear gripped Saul because David was a “taller blade of grass,” the usual signs of a leader with an inferiority complex (e.g. REC’s Laud Leo). Saul falls in a disastrous battle with the pagan Philistines at Gilboa.
2 Samuel: additional musings
• Like 1 Samuel, an anonymous author, but warrantably, with materials from Samuel. 2 Samuel contains events that post-date Samuel’s life (the poor chap who, himself, like Eli, had corrupted sons)
• 1 Samuel conjoined with 2 Samuel. Many suppose, without proof to our satisfaction, that the edition was issued during the Exile
• Saul has died, falling on his sword in a bloody scene at Mt. Gilboa (1 Sam. 31)
• David’s ascendancy to the throne in 2 stages: (1) First, the south, Judah and (2) Second, all of Israel. The first was bloodless while the second involved bloodshed, although David is viewed as guiltless with respect to the deaths of Saul, Jonathan (Saul’s son), Abner (Saul’s General) and Ishboseth (Saul’s surviving son)
• There are political and theological developments. Politically, David captures Jerusalem and roundly defeats the Philistines. Further, he transfers the sign, symbol and seal of the gracious covenant, the ark that is, to Jerusalem. The sign and seal of God’s everlasting promises to his covenant children and their children…as many as the LORD God shall call (Acts 2.38-40). David offers to build His Majesty a Temple; instead, God promises David an everlasting throne, a Lamp or Light in Israel forever; this would be a challenged and troubled promise, but would receive it’s final, formal, official and everlasting fulfillment in the birth of David’s ultimate Offspring, that is, Jesus, Son of David, the Saviour, and Emmanuel. The “Seed-theology” of Gen. 3.15; 12.1ff; 15; 17; 18; 22; Num.23; Dt. 18 through many more prophets, down to Gal. 3.16, inter alia, is given further clarification with the Messianic hope pinned to the house of David.
Psalm 89. 1-4 (among many, many others):
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever:
with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever:
thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen,
I have sworn unto David my servant,
thy seed will I establish for ever,
and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah
• Then, David becomes a scalawag-dawg and scumbag with Bathsheba. Felonious and criminal actions: corrupted heart and mind, formation of the intent to commit adultery, adultery, efforts at a cover-up, conspiracy to commit murder as a principle, homicide 1, theft and false witness. In short, David was an idolater of himself. This wickedness was as the sin of witchcraft and rebellion, to use Samuel’s words for Saul. 2 rebellions occur in the Davidic house: Absalom’s and Sheba. This wicked scalawag-dawg repents, Psalm 51, over the earnest confrontation with a prophet, Nathan. Nevertheless, the Davidic promise will stand although, as promised, chastisements will befall this manifold and wicked sinner. Jesus alone will be the sinless and perfect Davidide establishing the everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7 and 9).
• 2 Samuel 21-24 forms an epilogue of sorts: (1) a wonderful Psalm of praise (22), (2) David’s final words (23.1-7), (3) further developments of Davidic agents who’ll be foundational for Solomon’s accession (23.8-39) and the (4) stopping of a further plague.
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