1, 2 Samuel—the Kingdom Established
05.04.22
As we continue in our consideration of the books of the Bible, God’s precious Word, we find that we are still in the books of history. However, we make a transition from the period of the judges to the kings with six books that deal with the history of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. We begin with the books of Samuel.
1 Samuel is primarily about King Saul. Its key verse announces his kingship.: “Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you. (12:13) The people wanted a king and God complied with their request.
2 Samuel is about King David. David is now the king, God’s choice, The key verse declares what is known as the Davidic Covenant. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. (7:16) David’s great Son, Christ, will one day come again and fulfill this promise.
The books were believed to have been written by a combination of the prophets Samuel, Nathan. and Gad. Samuel is the transition figure from the period of the judges to that of the kings. He ties the two books together as he was the one who anointed both Saul and David. Nathan and Gad were prophets during the days of David.
At this point we can be a little more firm on the dates. These books cover the period from 1171-1017 BC.
The major theme for both books is the establishment of the kingdom in Israel. Samuel was the last of the judges. The people wanted to be like the other nations and so desired a king. God granted their request and Saul was anointed by Samuel. But Saul was rejected for his disobedience to God. The LORD wanted to give the people a king, but the nation had run ahead of the LORD’s perfect timing.
God then chose David as king, a man after His own heart. Much of 1 Samuel records the struggles between the demented Saul and the godly David. 2 Samuel records David’s reign. His early years were filled with blessing with the return of the ark. It is in his middle years that David strayed from the LORD in his great sin with Bathsheba. His later years were filled with turmoil as he suffered the consequences of his sin. Yes, the LORD forgave him, and his heart was made white as snow, but sin in this life often brings inescapable tragedies.
Where is Christ seen in these two books? First, Samuel is a picture of the Lord Jesus. He was, unlike any other man, a prophet, a priest, and in a sense a king as a judge over Israel. Only Christ will be able to rightly assume these three offices one day in his earthly rule.
Samuel is also like Christ as he was a man of prayer. He was born in answer to a mother’s prayer. He name means ‘asked of God.’ His life was filled with prayer.
David is a very clear picture of the Savior. Jesus is called the Son of David (Matthew 1:1) and the Root of David (Revelation 5:5). They were both born in Bethlehem. David was a shepherd and Jesus is the Good Shepherd. David’s reign foreshadows Jesus’ reign, for one day Jesus Christ will sit upon the throne of David in a kingdom of peace and righteousness.
Ours is a troubled world in many ways. People are being tossed about with fears and anxieties. Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew. 11:28) He alone is the hope of mankind.