1-2 Samuel — The Anástasis Center

God’s Search for Leaders

Bible Studies, Messages, Papers on the Book of Samuel

Photograph: The prophet Samuel anoints David to be king over Israel, from a painting on the wall of a Jewish synagogue in Dura Europos, Syria, in the 3rd century AD. Photo credit: Yale Gilman Collection, reworked by Marsyas | Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons.

Below are messages, small group leader notes, and exegetical notes on the Book of Samuel.

Messages on 1 and 2 Samuel

1 Samuel 15:10 - 23 Hope for Leadership (Neighborhood Church of Dorchester, Jan 10, 2021) message given in the aftermath of the terrorist insurrection incited by President Trump on January 6, 2021. This message reflects on God taking the kingship away from King Saul as something God intended for Saul’s own good, and why hoping for Christ-like character qualities in our leaders is still a good thing. Video available on Facebook, message starts at the 21:40 mark.

Small Group Leader Notes on 1 and 2 Samuel

1 Samuel 16 Anointing Doesn't Mean Instant Authority

1 Samuel 17 Standing Up and Standing In

1 Samuel 18 - 19 Learning About Mediation By Benefiting From It

1 Samuel 20 No Divided Loyalties

1 Samuel 21 - 22 When the Mantle Passes to You

1 Samuel 23 - 24 Peace at Last?

1 Samuel 25 A Woman to Match the King

2 Samuel 1 The Bittersweet Victory

2 Samuel 5 - 6 David's Mistake #1: Pride and Restoration

Psalms & Samuel Life and Psalms of David

Notes and Essays on 1 and 2 Samuel

The Troubling Acts of God: Did God or Satan Make David Sin? (2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21)

A paper comparing Tolkien’s view of Melkor (Satan) vs. R.C. Sproul’s view. This is a “free will” view of Satan and David vs. the “divine meticulous sovereignty” view typical of Calvinists.

A Who Will Intercede? The Book of Samuel as Reversal of the Book of Genesis and Cautionary Tale About Politics, Institutions, and Control

A paper written for Dr. Eugen Pentiuc, for his class Old Testament Exegesis: The Prophets, at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary, Fall 2018. This is an example of how book-level macro structures can be perceived, and interpreted. Samuel reverses many themes in Genesis because of how Israel as a people was undermining the lessons God taught the chosen family in Genesis.

A Literary-Thematic Analysis: Praying with the Linen Ephod (TBD)

A Literary-Thematic Analysis: The Three Best Looking Men of Their Generations (TBD)

Helpful Resources on 1 and 2 Samuel:

Sean McDowell and Carmen Joy Imes, A Big Debate Behind David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). Sean McDowell, Dec 13, 2024. Dr. Imes argues that David being “a man after God’s own heart” does not mean he was morally perfect, or that readers and interpreters of the Bible need to defend him as such. Dr. Imes on David-Bathsheba: "I think both terms, either calling it adultery or calling it rape, are misleading in certain ways to certain audiences." "I would say, yes, all of David's wives are in a position where consent is not a category that's very meaningful."