1 Samuel 8: Samuel’s sons take bribes and pervert judgment—The Israelites seek for a king to rule over them—Samuel rehearses the nature and evils of kingly rule—The Lord consents to give them a king.
In order to receive the Lord’s help, we must place our faith in Him and obey His commandments.
If we choose to follow the world instead of the Lord, then we will experience sorrow and regret as a result.
President Ezra Taft Benson explained why the Lord granted the Israelites’ request: “Sometimes [God] temporarily grants to men their unwise requests in order that they might learn from their own sad experience. … Samuel gave them the warning. But they still insisted on their king. So God gave them a king and let them suffer. They learned the hard way. God wanted it to be otherwise, but within certain bounds He grants unto men according to their desires. Bad experiences are an expensive school that only fools keep going to” (“Jesus Christ—Gifts and Expectations,” New Era, May 1975, 17–18).
1 Samuel 9: Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, is a choice and goodly person—He is sent to seek his father’s asses—The Lord reveals to Samuel the seer that Saul is to be king—Saul goes to Samuel and is entertained by him.
One principle we can identify from Saul’s experience is that if we seek the Lord’s direction through His prophets and seers, they will show us the way we should go.
1 Samuel 10: Samuel anoints Saul to be captain over the Lord’s inheritance—Samuel manifests the gift of seership—Saul prophesies among the prophets, and the Lord gives him a new heart—He is chosen king at Mizpeh.
From this experience we learn that God will be with those He calls to serve Him as they act in righteousness.
From Saul’s example we learn that when we experience success, we should acknowledge the hand of the Lord.
1 Samuel 13: Saul offers a burnt offering—The Lord rejects him and chooses another captain over His people.
One principle that we can identify from 1 Samuel 13:10–14 is that even though we may try to justify our disobedience to the Lord’s commandments, He will hold us accountable.
Elder Bruce A. Carlson of the Seventy on reasons people may give to try and justify disobedience to the Lord’s commandments. “At times we may rationalize that the Lord will understand our disobedience because our special circumstances make adherence to His laws difficult, embarrassing, or even painful. However, faithful obedience, regardless of the apparent size of the task, will bring the Lord’s guidance, assistance, and peace” (“When the Lord Commands,”Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 39).
1 Samuel 15: Saul is commanded to smite and destroy the Amalekites and all that they have—He saves some animals to sacrifice—Saul is rejected as king and told that to obey is better than sacrifice—Samuel destroys Agag.
The following principles can be identified from 1 Samuel 15:7–24: The greatest offering we can give to the Lord is our complete obedience to Him. Seeking to please others rather than the Lord can lead us to disobey His commandments.
1 Samuel 16: The Lord chooses David of Bethlehem as king—He is anointed by Samuel—Saul chooses David as his companion and armor bearer.
One truth we can identify from 1 Samuel 16:7 is that God judges us by our hearts rather than our outward appearance.
1 Samuel 17: Israel and the Philistines engage in war—Goliath of Gath, a giant, defies Israel and challenges any Israelite to personal combat—David goes against him in the name of the Lord—David slays Goliath with a sling and a stone—Israel defeats the Philistines.
From David’s example in 1 Samuel 17:34–37, we can learn that remembering how the Lord has helped us in the past will strengthen our faith to endure or overcome our present challenges.
From the account of David slaying Goliath, we can learn that as we exercise faith in the Lord, He will help us with our challenges.
1 Samuel 18: Jonathan loves David—Saul sets David over his armies—David is honored by the people, and Saul becomes jealous—David marries Michal, a daughter of Saul.
From 1 Samuel 18:10–11 we can learn that when we are jealous and angry, we allow the influence of the adversary into our lives.
From 1 Samuel 24:8–15 we can learn that because the Lord is a perfect judge, we do not need to seek revenge against those who have hurt us.
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