Bible 911 – 1 Samuel

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1 Samuel 9:11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? (KJV)

This verse segways from a donkey hunt to the anointing of a king. Chapters 9 and 10 should not be just a Sunday School story, but a lantern lighting our minds to the power and glory of Father God. There is a lot of geography, customs, and additional characters in this story. So, please do not impose modern paradigms on the ancient peoples in this tale that is proclaiming God’s sovereignty.

The Main Participants  

  • Servant – I did a post on Saul’s unnamed servant because he is the clear-minded God-aware light early in this story. He is used by God to get Saul into position for his anointing.
  • Saul – He was a complex person. In his introduction, we see him as an obedient son who accepts God’s plan for his life. The end of his story is another thing altogether. Saul | The amazing name Saul: meaning and etymology (abarim-publications.com)   One form of the Hebrew word for Saul means grave, that is just extra:)
  • Samuel – The last Judge of Israel was also a seer/prophet. He had many great accomplishments in his long life.

Seer – This is the gem I found in this Bible 911 study. Verse 9 gives a cultural change in Israel. Seer or ro’eh is part of the word for a shepherd. The prophet or navi carries the idea as “a source” of God’s words. If Samuel is a transition figure, we can see him leading and caring for the people and he starts to write the story of Israel. (It makes you think who compiled the Book of Judges?) I found these sites to help with the study, I do not always use Christian sites and I have no connection with any of these. They are just informative.

IsraelBiblicalStudies.com

Ro’eh – Shepherd – En-Gedi Resource Center (engediresourcecenter.com)

Ra’ah: The LORD is my SHEPHERD – Hebrew Word Lessons

What Is the Meaning of Navi? – The Jewish Link

The Tribe of Benjamin

The progenitor of this tribe is the second-born son of Rachel and the thirteen child of Jacob. He is the only son who was born in the Land of Promise. He also had his name changed, which in the Bible is important. Benjamin, the Tribe, stays with Judah after Rehoboam divides Israel in 1 Kings 12. Esther is a member of the Tribe that was deported out of Israel, she is also a granddaughter of Saul.

The last event in the Book of Judges plays a part in the life of Saul and his children. Lo Debar is in the region where some of the wives for Benjamin came from, which may explain why Jonathan had Mephibosheth sent there. The story of Barzillai (2 Samuel 17:27) is a part of this connection with Jonathan and David. I can not prove this, but I think Barzillai was related to Mephibosheth through his mother’s side of the family.

Many cities and sites in Samuel are located in the territory of Benjamin. Jerusalem is in this area of inheritance and the Prophet Jeremiah’s hometown is a city allotted to the priest in the land of Benjamin. 

The City

Please use these as points of study.

  • “Drinking Water” – In this story the girls were out of the town going to draw water for the day. Why might wells or springs be outside of the city walls? Key words here will be springs, wells, and cisterns; these may change with your favorite translation.
  • City on a Hill – Major towns may have had walls, but they were also on top of hills. Can you find other towns or cities that were on a hill?
  • High Places – These definitely have a pagan connection; groves are another term associated with pagan worship. Since Samuel was sacrificing here it seems not all were pagan. At the time of this story, there was no Temple, but Shiloh was where the Ark was. Abraham, Elijah, and Solomon, and others have stories set around hilltop sites. In your study, please note that God found many of these places a snare to His people, why?
  • A Roof – This is in 9:25. Find the times that roofs were part of the action for people in the Bible.

Born Again, Born Anew, Born from Above

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This post, Born Again, Born Anew, Born from Above was an “Easter Present” from Father God. The phrase “born again” in Greek is gennao anothen and may be better translated born from above.

John 3:3 is the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus where Jesus said, “No can see the kingdom of God unless you are born again” (NIV). Anothen, G 509, is the word that has been translated as “again”. In the other places, John uses this word in 3:31, 19:11, and 23, it is rendered “from above or from the top”.

  • 3:31 – one who comes from above
  • 19:11 – Jesus tells Pilate he would have no authority unless it came from above
  • 19:23 – Jesus’s robe was woven from the top down

 ἄνωθεν | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com

John uses the word palin in the places where we expect to see the “again”. (Strong’s G3825)

My non-Greek scholarly observation of the different translations of again comes from Nicodemus’ answer. He ignores Jesus’ “from above” and focuses on going into the womb for a SECOND TIME or again. It would not surprise me if Jesus had pointed upward when He said it.

Born Again, Born Anew, or Born from Above reflects John 1:13 where when we believe and become children of God, we are born of God. It may be time to change terminology.

John 3:3 Greek Text Analysis (biblehub.com)  born from above

Gennao is the Greek word for born. It is Strong’s G1080.

The OJB has a reference note in John 3:3 where the born-again phrase is viewed as a circumcised heart. I think that is a good thought.

Saturday of Holy Week – A Day of Rest

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For years I have thought and written about what Jesus did between the Cross and the stone being rolled away. Here are the verses I have used in the past in my post of Saturday, Easter 2015, Jesus Preached, and Dark to Light – Jesus in the Tomb.

  • Psalm 68:18
  • Matthew 27:62 – 66
  • Ephesians 4: 7-10
  • 1 Peter 3:19

I often limit my thinking and forget to look at the really big picture of what happened on this Passover. I have heard it and said it, and have written it, but today being still before God I saw His GREATEST act of love and mercy in a different light.

Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law and opened the curtain so we could go to the Father through Him. There were legal issues that had to be addressed as He got the Keys back. He set examples for us to follow so His Kingdom would come.

Jesus died because of (our) sin. He came out of that tomb a new creation and with new heavenly powers and abilities. Today, we might call that being born again.

The thought of the silence and stillness of that rock tomb added another dimension to what was going on. Jesus finished His work, just as God did in Genesis 1. So, the right thing to do was to REST. With respect to all of the other posts and the Scriptures I have used; Jesus was resting from His labor. I am so glad He finished the work and took my place, so I can be with Him in His place.

His Easter meetings: the women, the road to Emmaus, and walking through a closed door into a very private dinner party were to show He was victorious and had conquered Sin and Death. He took the next forty days to reteach and prepare His followers for their “personal trip” up “Mount Sinai” and their meeting with the Holy Spirit. His journey from victim to victor came with a day of rest in between them.

Ephesians 1: 18

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This is what the Father and Son wants us to get from the Spirit in 1: 17. I read this and thought of what Adam and Eve gave up in the Garden for some grapes or figs or whatever fruit you think it is.

Verse 18 – The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (KJV)

  • Being enlightened, pephotismenous G5461. To give light is a good thought for this word.
  • Eyes, ophthalmous G3788.
  • Heart, cardias G2588. In the Greek text, understand is the word – cardia or heart. (Why we study.)
  • To know, eidenai G1492. (Interlinear) These two references are saying different words.
  • Comprehend, Oida G1492. (Mounce) ᾔδειν is actually a pluperfect form functioning as an aorist. This is an action that is completed and has no time reference. Yes, this is above my pay grade.  
  • Hope, elpis G1680. Luke (Acts) and Paul use this word many times. See Paul Wrote on Hope.
  • Calling, kleseos G2821.
  • Riches, ploutous G4149.
  • Glory, doxes G1391.
  • Inheritance, kleronomias G2817.
  • Saints, hagiois G40.

This group has several words that are used in the New Testament under thirty times.

Do a word search with “eye heart”. The first several references in the NASB are references to Old Testament passages.  

Use the links below to explore all of the words in the passage in Ephesians.

Ephesians 1 MOUNCE – Paul, an apostle of Christ  Jesus by the – Bible Gateway

Ephesians 1 Interlinear Bible (biblehub.com)

Great Faith

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Great Faith started as a study of the centurion in Matthew 8: 5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. He is still important, but he needs to be contrasted and compared to Little Faith. The 3/12 devotion by Joseph Prince was the seed and it does deserve some time. So, with text analysis, word searches, and foundational thoughts added, here is my study.

A Foundation Stone

Paul in Galatians 3:6-9 quotes Genesis 18:18 and 22:18 as his revelation into the Gospel and his mission from the Lord: non-Jews were to share in the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ main mission was to the Jews but Matthew, by the Holy Spirit, adds two events of great faith by Gentiles. We have decided that Matthew was writing for a Hebrew audience, so these two stories of faith are important.

Great Faith

Analysis of the Greek text reinforced two things for me: STUDY and pray for translators. I expected to find the word megas in Matthew 8: 5-13 and Luke 7:1-10, but I did not. I found “tosauten” faith. The centurion had a faith that Jesus had not seen before in Israel; it was “great” but special. (tosauten G 5118)

This Roman soldier’s faith had synthesized his authority in the natural world to Jesus’ authority in the spiritual world. How few of us today have that same understanding. Had this soldier been present for the Sermon on the Mount? Had he witnessed the healing of the leper? Was he Cornelius in Acts 10? Okay, I have none of those answers, but he saw and knew Jesus walked on the earth and commanded the heavenlies. So, his “like this” faith was beyond even that of the disciples at that time.

Jesus is chiding His listeners in verses 11 +12 to check their faith, especially in light of the Sermon. To use the thoughts of a great thinker: Just because you spend a lot of time in a garage, that does not make you a car. These verses are a powerful part about Kingdom teachings.

Megas faith was found in the Canaanite woman, outside of Israel in Tyre, who knew Jesus could deliver/heal her daughter (Matthew 15:28). Good News can produce great things and it is clear the word about Jesus spread outside of Israel. From the text, you can get the idea that she asked many times and that it was probably loud. There are varied opinions on this conversation, but her faith that had come from hearing about miracles and her knowledge of the descendant of King David got her what she needed and wanted.

A Contrast

Joseph Prince in his 3/12 devotion in Destined to Reign contrasts the faith of the centurion to Jarius (my take on it). Both of these men had faith that Jesus could heal but they had different working levels of faith. Jesus worked with both of them so that His Father would get the glory.

Little Faith

Please note that I said “little faith” NOT “no faith”. The Greek term is oligopistos G 3640. To compare faith is not a Kingdom activity that will have a positive outcome, no matter where you think you stand on the faith chart. The majority of the people who got to ponder this label were the Twelve. I think we can agree they changed so we can too. Here is a summary of the verses in Matthew.

  • 6:30 – Sermon on the Mount about clothing
  • 8:26 – the disciples in a storm
  • 14:31 – Peter and his walk
  • 16:8 – the disciples worried about food after thousands were fed

A Muse Moment from the Holy Spirit

Please add 8: 5-13 and 15: 8 in between those of little faith and get how our Master Teacher was guiding his followers in a series of life lessons. Their great faith came through many lessons.

Matthew 8:10 Greek Text Analysis (biblehub.com)

τοσοῦτος | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com It means “like this”. Just reading through the verses listed was a great study.

μέγας | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com   megas

πίστις | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com  faith