As you read 1 & 2 Samuel, you are going to hear about people and stories that you probably have known for a while. We all love the stories of David and Goliath that we heard at Sunday school, the stories of God talking to Samuel, we all laughed in juvenile delight as we were told about the king that was so happy to have the presence of God back in his city that he danced in his underwear.

Who is really in charge? This is something that the Bible poses over and over to those who read it. In Exodus God says he will give certain signs so that ‘they will know that I am God’ (the ‘they’ is both Israel and Egypt depending on the specific verse.

How much are you loving the books of 1 & 2 Samuel? They really are incredible historical narratives of our faith! I mean, who doesn’t love prophets with miraculous births, God taking out the enemy by just the presence of the Ark, wars, good looking kings, jealousy, more wars, kings dancing in their underwear before God, adultery, murder–I mean, seriously, this book is like an episode that could be on Netflix!

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel mark a major transition in the history of Israel. Leading up to this point the people of Israel operated as a theocracy, that is God was their sole authority and in most recent history spoke through the judges (see the book of Judges).

How are you going reading 1 & 2 Samuel – how full on are they? I mean let’s be honest when we read the Bible we expect it to be a little conservative, loving, slightly challenging; this is a holy book, a holy text.

The heart is talked about 29 times in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel.  The word for heart in Hebrew is leb meaning the inner man, indefinite, soul, comprehending mind, affections and will. In a time when God was establishing a human king and his kingdom in Jerusalem, the rise and fall of the kingdom would depend upon this one thing. Their heart, affections and will towards God.