Even though 1 Samuel is just behind Ruth in our Bible, we should study this book with the understanding that it’s occurring as the time of Judges is ending. In Judges, it tells us several times, that “...in the absence of a king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” The cycle of sin, deliverance, peace, and then sin again prepares us to see why the events of 1 Samuel mark a turning point, as God begins to move His people toward kingship. Through the lives of Saul and David, we see the difference between leaders who are self-centered and leaders who have a heart shaped by faith in God. Saul provides to us a warning of what happens when a leader’s heart drifts from the Lord. In David, we see a man formed by his faith in God and see that he truly is “...a man after God’s own heart.”
Group Leader Resources
Week 0 | Introduction to Inductive Bible Study and the Book of 1 Samuel
Week 1 | An Arrogant Petition | Genesis 17:5–6, 17; 35:11; Numbers 24:7–9, 17–19; Matthew 2:2; Deuteronomy 17:14–20; & 1 Samuel 8-9
Week 2 | The Crown Is Given - BUT Questions Remain | 1 Samuel 10-12
Week 3 | The Failure of Israel’s “King” | 1 Samuel 13-15
Week 4 | A King After God’s Own Heart | 1 Samuel 16-17; Psalm 8; Psalm 23:5-6; Psalm 78:70-71
Week 5 | The Depravity of Israel’s “King” & Covenant Loyalty | 1 Samuel 18-20; Psalm 59
Week 6 | The Jealous Pursuit [Part 1] | 1 Samuel 21-23
Week 7 | The Jealous Pursuit [Part 2] | 1 Samuel 24-26; Psalm 57
Week 8 | The Death of Israel’s “King” | 1 Samuel 27-31
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide