1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

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20 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 EditionGod's mouthpieces. Samuel also established a company or school of prophets that hetrained to serve God in this capacity. He did not, of course, train these men to getrevelations from God. God gave new revelations sovereignly. He probably did, however,train his students in the general functions of the prophets that included knowing God'sWord, communicating it effectively, and leading God’s people in worship. Schools of theprophets continued through the tenth century B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 2:3). After that time, wehave no record of their existence. Individual prophets ministered throughout the historyof Israel though some generations saw none, others some, and others more prophets. Thegreat writing prophets who have given us the prophetic books of the Old Testamentbegan their ministry in the ninth century. There were no prophets who gave newrevelation from God in Israel between Malachi and our Lord's days, about 400 years."It seems plausible . . . to attribute to Samuel the development of theprophetic movement in a formal sense. Certainly it was always God whoraised up the true prophet, but the structure itself had its inception withSamuel and was developed further by Elijah." 50The literary structure of chapter 3 focuses on the Lord's sentence of destruction on Eli'shouse. This was very significant for the whole nation of Israel."A. Absence of divine oracles (3:1)B. Eli's fading powers (3:2)C. Three divine calls to Samuel (3:3-9)D. A divine oracle to Samuel (3:10-15)C'. Eli's request for Samuel's report (3:16-18)B'. Samuel's growing stature (3:19a)A'. Return of divine oracles (3:19b—4:1a)" 51Another writer believed that the chiastic structure of chapter 3 focuses emphasis onYahweh."A1 Samuel's career in the shadow of Eli (v. 1)B1 Eli and Samuel in darkness (vv. 2-3)C1 Yahweh breaks through (vv. 4-10)C2 . . . and speaks (vv. 11-14)B2 Samuel and Eli in light (vv. 15-18)A2 Samuel's career as a prophet (vv. 19-21)" 52This chapter also shows that God rewards faithful obedience to His word with furtherministry opportunities. Samuel became the source of God's revelations to Israel. Hecontinued to receive revelations from God and to represent God on earth because heremained faithful. He became the most powerful man in Israel even anointing the nation'sfirst two kings. Like Moses, Samuel became an excellent leader of the Israelites. Hefunctioned as judge, priest, and prophet. Yet he glorified the kings he appointed, who50 Heater, pp. 129-30.51 Youngblood, p. 592.52 Donald Wiebe, "The Structure of 1 Sam. 3: Another View," Biblische Zeitschrift 30:12 (1986):256.
2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 21were the Lord's anointed, above himself. In many respects he foreshadowed the LordJesus Christ.Chapters 1 through 3 prepare us for the rest of 1 and 2 Samuel historically andtheologically. They teach us that God responds to the faith of people, even insignificantpeople. A barren, despised woman became the mother of Israel's most powerful manbecause she trusted and obeyed God. This was a complete reversal of what one wouldnaturally expect. These chapters also show that God blesses with fertility those whocommit to His revealed will contained in His law, but He cuts off those who do not."The birth of Samuel was God's means of dealing with His chosen people.The rest of the narrative deals with a similar theme. The righteous oneswho are chosen by God will prosper while the ones who are chosen by thepeople and oppose God's rule will be cut off. This is true even if thosewho oppose God's rule (i.e., Eli and his sons) are a part of the covenantcommunity." 53Note that there are four conflicts and reversals of fortune in these chapters: Peninnah andHannah (ch. 1), the arrogant and the innocent (2:1-10), Eli's sons and Samuel (2:11-36),and Eli's line of priests and Samuel's line of prophets (3:1—4:1a). God decides who willprosper and who will perish. The basis of His judgment is His faithfulness to what He hassaid He will do when people respond to His will (Deut. 28).II. THE HISTORY OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT 4:1B—7:1Most serious students of 1 Samuel have noted the writer's emphasis on the ark of thecovenant beginning here in the text. Critical scholars have long argued that 4:1b—7:1 and2 Samuel 6 are the only remaining fragments of an older and longer ark narrative, whichwas a source document for the writer here. 54 More recently some scholars have come tobelieve that the old ark narratives were somewhat shorter. Conservative scholarsgenerally believe that the ark narratives were not necessarily independent documents butmay simply reflect the writer's particular emphasis on the ark here. 55A. THE CAPTURE OF THE ARK 4:1B-22A new subject comes to the forefront in this section and continues to be a significantmotif throughout the rest of Samuel. It is the ark of the covenant. The writer drewattention to the ark in this chapter by mentioning it seven times, including a notation atthe end of each text section (vv. 4, 11, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22). Following the reference toSamuel the prophet in 4:1, the writer did not mention him again until 7:3."The purpose of the story in 1 Sam. 4-6 of the ark's imprisonment inPhilistia and its travels to different Philistine cities, as well as to Beth-Shemesh, is to give an historical background for the Philistines' rule over53 John A. Martin, "Studies in 1 and 2 Samuel," Bibliotheca Sacra 141:561 (January-March 1984):32.54 Of the 61 references to the ark in 1 and 2 Samuel, 36 appear in 1 Sam. 4:1b—7:2.55 For a discussion of this rather technical subject, including a bibliography of books and articles dealingwith it, see Youngblood, pp. 593-94.
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1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

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