1 Samuel 4 | Glory Has Departed From Israel
Pastor Derek Fekkes
The story shifts from the temple to the battlefield. Israel is in a losing effort against their enemies and so they call out for the ark to be brought to the battlefield. The reason that they do this is that all through their great victories in the desert and entering Canaan, the ark had gone […]
1 Samuel 3 | Here I am
Pastor Jim Fikkert
Ever since Joshua, the people of Israel have lived under the leadership of priests and judges. The last chapter of Judges (and the first few chapters of 1 Samuel) make it clear that the priests no longer honored God. As for the judges, they were raised up to quell a specific threat (by the grace […]
1 Samuel 2.11-36 | I will raise up a faithful priest
Pastor Jim Fikkert
The story of Eli’s sons comes as a contrast to the faithfulness of Hannah (and her son Samuel). As the high priest, Eli appointed his sons, Hophni and Phineas, as priests. They inherited their positions and thus got the job even through they didn’t meet the qualifications. Instead of upholding their duties as mediators between […]
1 Samuel 2:1-10 | I rejoice in your salvation
Pastor Jim Fikkert
Many pastors choose to lump Hannah’s prayer in with her story, as her prayer does not move the narrative along. It does, however, get us into the heart of this woman, showing us what an appreciation for God and His work does to the perspective of His people. While God has answered her prayer, her […]
1 Samuel 1 | He is lent to the Lord.
Pastor Jim Fikkert
The book of 1 Samuel opens up with a problem we see repeated in the Bible: a barren woman who shares a husband with a fertile wife. As Hannah suffers under the torment of the situation, as well as a loud-mouthed rival, she finds solace in her prayers. She pleads passionately with God to take […]
Introduction | How God leads
Pastor Jim Fikkert
Whenever we read the Old Testament, but especially when we delve into its narrative portions, it begs the question: why is this important? Why did God feel the need to leave 5,000 year old historical details about a rather insignificant nation? The NT Gentiles had the same questions and the answer that they got was: […]
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