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In 1 Samuel 13-14 Saul throws away the Lord’s dynastic blessing by usurping priestly duties (that is, performing an unlawful sacrifice). Saul’s leadership become more erratic as God’s rejection of Saul has begun, this time putting the life of his own son, Jonathan, in jeopardy ..read more

1 Samuel 12 is ostensibly Samuel’s farewell address as he yields power to Saul, Israel’s first king. The content of his address in the chapter is both more subtle and confrontational, though, to have it be a simply farewell. The text makes it clear that God will evaluate the new king (and every king) on the basis of their covenant loyalty, and that will in turn be made clear as to how the king takes heed to Samuel’s advice on being loyal to Yahweh. In the end, the chapter has a sense of foreboding as the monarchy is launched. God promises to remain faithful to Israel and its king but also warn ..read more

1 Samuel 11 explores the inauguration of Saul’s reign as king of Israel. In the previous chapter, the prophet Samuel had given Saul several signs that his anointing was genuine and from the Lord. That validation ended with Samuel’s directive that Saul accompany him to Gilgal to renew the covenant. Saul failed to do this. In this chapter of 1 Samuel, we discover what Saul did instead of going to Gilgal. In one respect, the chapter records Saul’s lone real success as king with a victory over the Ammonites. But in another respect, it again sets the tone for Saul’s unfitness to be king. On a wider ..read more

In 1 Samuel 8 the people of Israel ask Samuel to choose a king to rule them, a king that would be like the kings of other nations (1 Sam 8:5). Samuel opposes the idea, interpreting the request as a rejection of his own leadership. God has an equally negative view of the request, but informs Samuel that the people have actually rejected Himself, not the prophet, in making the request. Nevertheless, God tells Samuel to anoint Saul in response (1 Sam 9, 10). In the previous episode of the podcast, we talked about how Scripture outside 1 Samuel 8-10 articulates a positive view of kingship, even ma ..read more

In 1 Samuel 8 the people of Israel ask Samuel to choose a king for them who would be like the kings of other nations (1 Sam 8:5). Samuel opposes the idea, giving rise to a larger interpretive question: Was Israel wrong in wanting a king? In this episode of the podcast, we explore the wider context of the “king making” section of 1 Samuel 8-10. Specifically, what do the Torah and other passages, specially those prior to 1 Samuel in the biblical storyline, say about kingship? Was the idea looked upon positively or negatively? OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE ..read more

1 Samuel 7 is about Samuel’s emergence as the nation of Israel’s spiritual and military leader (i.e., a judge). The contrast with the house of Eli is again palpable. The main focus of this emergence is a revival in Israel and the subsequent conflict with the Philistine where, after a long absence, God fights for Israel certifying Samuel’s status. This episode comments on these items along with focusing on “the Baals and Ashtaroth” Israel must forsake. Some discussion is also given to the term Asherah (plural: Asherim). OUR SPONSOR: LOGOS.COM/NAKEDBIBLE ..read more

Counterfeit Kingdom with Holly Pivec and R. Douglas Geivett Back in 2017 (Episode 179) apologetics researcher Holly Pivec was our guest to talk about the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement that claims new revelation from God and new apostolic authority that is binding on followers of Jesus everywhere. In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Holly and her co-author, Dr. R. Douglas Geivett, via a discussion of their latest book on the NAR, Counterfeit Kingdom: The Dangers of New Revelation, New Prophets, and New Age Practices in the Church. Currently on sale!! Please click the b ..read more

1 Samuel 5-6 continues the biblical saga of the loss of the ark of the covenant to the Philistines. Specifically, the chapters detail the fallout upon the Philistines as Yahweh chooses to punish them for taking the ark. The episode includes an interesting scene of cosmic geography and spiritual warfare (1 Sam 5:1-5). Most of the content, however, details Yahweh’s judgment of the Philistines, a judgment that involves the Philistines offering a “guilt offering” to Yahweh. This offering included objects or emblems that were designed to cajole Yahweh into relenting, and so the objects in some way ..read more

1 Samuel 4 details the loss of the ark of the covenant to the Philistines and the end of Eli’s priestly lineage. In so doing it is the fulfillment of God’s word to Samuel, the young prophet. In this episode of the podcast we talk about the loss of the ark and the nature of the ark itself, along with several other details of the passage that are less obvious to readers.  ..read more