Author: Alfonso Maldonado

1Samuel 8, We have no KING!

1Sa 8:5, … “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. NOW MAKE US A KING TO JUDGE US LIKE ALL THE NATIONS.”

Samuel was displeased that Israel wanted a human king rather than a heavenly KING!

1Sa 8:7, And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; FOR THEY HAVE NOT REJECTED YOU, BUT THEY HAVE REJECTED ME, THAT I SHOULD NOT REIGN OVER THEM. 

Joh 19:15, … “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR!” 

Israel rejected God as their KING and again rejected their Messiah (JESUS) as KING!

Rev 19:16, And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Samuel warns the people 10-18, the king will TAKE, TAKE, TAKE … AND YOU WILL BE his servants! 6 times it says HE WILL TAKE! BUT JESUS, BEING THE KING OF kings AND LORD OF lords, HE CAME AND GAVE ALL THAT HE HAD FOR HIS PEOPLE

Mat 20:28, JUST AS THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY.” 

I HAVE NO KING BUT JESUS; MY COMING REDEEMER! IN HIM I SHALL PLACE MY TRUST!

1Samuel 7, Israel Repents!

1Sa 7:3, Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “IF YOU RETURN TO THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEARTS, then PUT AWAY THE FOREIGN gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and SERVE HIM ONLY; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 

Samuel called for a nation-wide repentance. It had to start from within (YOUR HEARTS), then outward repentance! (PUT AWAY THE IDOLS)

1Sa 7:6, So they gathered together at Mizpah, DREW WATER, AND POURED IT OUT BEFORE THE LORD. AND THEY FASTED THAT DAY, AND SAID THERE, “WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE LORD.” …

Lam 2:19, “Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord…

1Jn 1:9, IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

ISRAEL DIDN’T STOP WORSHIPING THE LORD, THEY ADDED IDOLS TO THEIR WORSHIP WHICH IS COMPLETELY WRONG! YOU CAN’T SERVE TWO MASTERS. THERE IS ONLY 1 GOD AND HE DESERVES OUR WORSHIP! HE IS THE LORD CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH OF ALL SEEN AND UNSEEN! HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED AND GLORIFIED! SERVE ONLY HIM!

Mat 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON. 

1Samuel 6, The Ark Returns!

1Sa 6:1, Now the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines SEVEN MONTHS.

The Philistines wanted to keep their trophy but, the hand of the LORD was hard on them!

1Sa 6:6, Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, …

So many people harden their hearts and I can see this in me when talking about my family!

Hos 10:12 NLT, I said, ‘PLANT THE GOOD SEEDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND YOU WILL HARVEST A CROP OF LOVE. PLOW UP THE HARD GROUND OF YOUR HEARTS, FOR NOW IS THE TIME TO SEEK THE LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ 

The Ark of God came back home But!

1Sa 6:19, Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, BECAUSE THEY HAD LOOKED INTO THE ARK OF THE LORD.

They removed the mercy seat, and looked directly at tablets of the Law of God! EVERYONE IS GUILTY ACCORDING TO THE LAW; ALL HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD!  IN CHRIST WE HAVE BEEN SHOWN MERCY, YET WITHOUT HIM ALL WE HAVE IS DEATH BECAUSE OF OUR SIN! 

Job 9:4, GOD IS WISE IN HEART AND MIGHTY IN STRENGTH. WHO HAS HARDENED HIMSELF AGAINST HIM AND PROSPERED? 

LORD SOFTEN MY HEART THAT I MAY SERVE YOU WELL!

1Samuel 5, the work of mans hands!

The philistines took the Ark of God from Israel and placed it in front of Dagon god!

1Sa 5:4, … THERE WAS DAGON, FALLEN ON ITS FACE TO THE GROUND BEFORE THE ARK OF THE LORD. THE HEAD OF DAGON AND BOTH THE PALMS OF ITS HANDS WERE BROKEN OFF… 

The head (wisom) and the hands (strength) were broken off from dagon! THERE IS NO WISDOM NOR STRENGTH FOLLOWING THEIR SO-CALLED god CREATED BY MEN!

Jer 10:8, BUT THEY ARE ALTOGETHER DULL-HEARTED AND FOOLISH; A WOODEN IDOL IS A WORTHLESS DOCTRINE.

1Sa 5:10, Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” 

THE GLORY OF GOD DID NOT DEPART FROM ISRAEL, BUT ISRAEL DEPARTED FROM THE LORD! THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO REJECT THE OBVIOUS TO BELEIVE A LIE

Psa 19:1-3, … THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD; AND THE FIRMAMENT SHOWS HIS HANDIWORK. DAY UNTO DAY UTTERS SPEECH, AND NIGHT UNTO NIGHT REVEALS KNOWLEDGE. THERE IS NO SPEECH NOR LANGUAGE WHERE THEIR VOICE IS NOT HEARD.

JUST LOOK UP AND SEE THE HIS DESIGN! FOR WHERE THERES A DESIGN THERE IS A DESIGNER! THE FATHER OF LIGHTS CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, MAN AND BEAST!

1Samuel 4, Israel defeated by their sin!

In the late 1970’s, a five-line inscription was found on a grain silo in the ruins of Izbet Sarteh. When deciphered, it was found to contain a Philistine account of this battle

1Sa 4:3, …”WHY HAS THE LORD DEFEATED US TODAY BEFORE THE PHILISTINES? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” 

Because of their continue sin against the LORD they were defeated in battle! Now they plan to take the Ark of the Covenant in battle?

1Sa 4:5, And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 

They should have repented & humbled themselves before the LORD rather than try using the Ark as a good luck charm! SHOUTS OF JOY AT CHURCH MEAN NOTHING WITHOUT THE WORD OF GOD! NO FOUNDATION!

1Sa 4:10-11, SO THE PHILISTINES FOUGHT, AND ISRAEL WAS DEFEATED, …ALSO THE ARK OF GOD WAS CAPTURED; AND THE TWO SONS OF ELI, HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS, DIED.

Eze 18:21-23, “BUT IF A WICKED MAN TURNS FROM ALL HIS SINS WHICH HE HAS COMMITTED, KEEPS ALL MY STATUTES, AND DOES WHAT IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT, HE SHALL SURELY LIVE; HE SHALL NOT DIE. NONE OF THE TRANSGRESSIONS WHICH HE HAS COMMITTED SHALL BE REMEMBERED AGAINST HIM; … Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “AND NOT THAT HE SHOULD TURN FROM HIS WAYS AND LIVE?

THE GLORY DEPARTED ISRAEL BECAUSE OF THEIR SINS. THEY DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES! SEEK HIM AND LIVE!

1Samuel 3, Truly knowing the LORD!

1Sa 3:7, Now Samuel DID NOT YET KNOW THE LORD, NOR WAS THE WORD OF THE LORD YET REVEALED TO HIM. 

1Sa 3:8-9, And the LORD called Samuel again the third time…. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, THAT YOU MUST SAY, ‘SPEAK, LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS.’ …

Samuel was young and serving & ministering before the LORD 1Sa 2:18. YET, he did not know HIM! THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN THE CHURCH, ESPECIALLY YOUNG KIDS, WHO SIMPLY THINK “THIS IS WHAT WE DO BY TRADITION”. THEY SAY THEY BELIEVE IN GOD YET DON’T KNOW GOD AS LORD! ONCE OUR EYES ARE OPEN THEN WE CAN TRULY SEE!

Jer 9:24, But let him who glories glory in this, THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME,

1Sa 3:10, Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “SPEAK, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS.” 

Eli, told him to say SPEAK LORD, Yet Samuel just said SPEAK!  YOUNG SAMUEL THEN UNDERSTOOD THAT HE IS AND IT’S NOT MERE TRADITION BUT IN FACT IT IS TRULY SERVING A LIVING AND PRESENT GOD!  HE IS!!

Heb 11:6, But without faith it is impossible to please Him, FOR HE WHO COMES TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

1Samuel 2, Hannah’s prayer!

Hannah on the day she feared the most only praised the KING OF GLORY!

1Sa 2:1-2, And Hannah prayed and said: “MY HEART REJOICES IN THE LORD; MY HORN IS EXALTED IN THE LORD. I smile at my enemies, BECAUSE I REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION. “NO ONE IS HOLY LIKE THE LORD, FOR THERE IS NONE BESIDES YOU, NOR IS THERE ANY ROCK LIKE OUR GOD.

This is the day she would leave her son Samuel in the house of the LORD who will never come to live with her again! YET, her heart rejoices in the LORD! She had lent the LORD her son!

1Sa 1:28, Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” SO THEY WORSHIPED THE LORD THERE. 

SHE LENT HER SON TO GOD, YET THE LORD GAVE HER MUCH MORE THAN SHE IMAGINED!

1Sa 2:21, And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the LORD. 

1Sam 2:3,6,7 …For the LORD is THE GOD OF KNOWLEDGE; And by Him actions are weighed…. The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up… THE LORD MAKES POOR AND MAKES RICH; HE BRINGS LOW AND LIFTS UP.

GLORY BE TO THE LORD FOR HE IS IN FULL CONTROL EVEN IF WE CAN’T SEE IT!

1Samuel 1, the Birth of Samuel!

Samuel the last of the Judges and the first of the prophets from Israel!

1Sa 1:5-6, But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the LORD HAD CLOSED HER WOMB. And HER RIVAL ALSO PROVOKED HER SEVERELY, TO MAKE HER MISERABLE, BECAUSE THE LORD HAD CLOSED HER WOMB.

v.10, Hannah prayed and wept before the LORD because the LORD had closed her womb! The LORD’s understanding and His ways are far beyond our understanding! BUT HE KNOWS WHAT’S BEST FOR OUR LIVES AND HOW TO BRING OUT THE GOOD IN ANY SITUATION!

Isa 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

1Sa 1:19-20, … And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, AND THE LORD REMEMBERED HER. So it came to pass IN THE PROCESS OF TIME THAT HANNAH CONCEIVED AND BORE A SON, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”

She didn’t get pregnant right away but she with faith along with patience she received her petition from the LORD!   

Heb 6:12, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE INHERIT THE PROMISES. 

Ruth 4, Our Redeemer is JESUS

Rth 4:9-10, …”You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, RUTH THE MOABITESS… I HAVE ACQUIRED AS MY WIFE, …

Boaz redeem the property that Naomi lost and the posterity of Elimelech, so his name would not be cut off from Israel! Also Boaz took Ruth as his wife!

Rth 4:14-15, Then the women said to Naomi, “BLESSED BE THE LORD, WHO HAS NOT LEFT YOU THIS DAY WITHOUT A CLOSE RELATIVE; AND MAY HIS NAME BE FAMOUS IN ISRAEL! And may he be to you A RESTORER OF LIFE and A NOURISHER OF YOUR OLD AGE; …

Rth 4:17, Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “THERE IS A SON BORN TO NAOMI.” AND THEY CALLED HIS NAME OBED. HE IS THE FATHER OF JESSE, THE FATHER OF DAVID. 

And from David came the Messiah, Jesus who is our Kinsman-Redeemer! Naomi thought she lost everything, but the LORD blessed her and Ruth abundantly! HE IS THE RESTORER OF LIFE

Isa 54:4-8 “Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; … FOR YOUR MAKER IS YOUR HUSBAND, THE LORD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME; AND YOUR REDEEMER IS THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL; HE IS CALLED THE GOD OF THE WHOLE EARTH. … “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you. … BUT WITH EVERLASTING KINDNESS I WILL HAVE MERCY ON YOU,” SAYS THE LORD, YOUR REDEEMER.

Ruth 3, Protection for Ruth!

Rth 3:1, Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek SECURITY FOR YOU, that it may be well with you? 

Naomi, wanted rest and security for Ruth and she would find it with their Kinsman Redeemer! He was responsible to redeem a relative sold to slavery, to buy back their property (Lev 25:25) and to carry on the family name by marrying a childless widow (Deu 25:5-10)!

Lev 25:48, AFTER HE IS SOLD HE MAY BE REDEEMED AGAIN. ONE OF HIS BROTHERS MAY REDEEM HIM; 

WE WERE REDEEMED BY THE LORD, JESUS, FOR WE WERE SLAVES TO SIN!

Rth 3:9, And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. TAKE YOUR MAIDSERVANT UNDER YOUR WING, for you are a close relative.” 

Eze 16:8  “… SO I SPREAD MY WING OVER YOU AND COVERED YOUR NAKEDNESS. YES, I SWORE AN OATH TO YOU AND ENTERED INTO A COVENANT WITH YOU, AND YOU BECAME MINE,” SAYS THE LORD GOD.

Psa 91:4, He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

THE LORD IS OUR REDEEMER AND HE WANTS TO COVER US WITH HIS LOVE AND SECURITY, YET SOME WERE NOT WILLING (Mat 23:37).  THIS IS A PICTURE OF CHRIST OUR LORD HIS TRUTH IS OUR SHIELD, HIS TRUTH IS OUR STRENGTH!  BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!