Success Outside the Box

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Study Group meeting June 27 to study 1 Samuel 7.  This is an excellent contrast to the preceding three chapters.  It also flies in the face of assertions made in the "Bible" episode we saw last Sunday.  It is interesting for what it includes, and for what it doesn't.

Read through the chapter several times (even if you have already - you can never read it too much).  Look for details of sequence of the events.  Consider the timing of each element.  Remember that timing was not such a huge deal to Hebrew thought of this period (of writing, not of the events), but dramatic placement of those elements was most important.  Also look at a map for where these things take place.  How close or far from each other are they?  Then jot down your observations, questions, and comments you like from study Bibles or other commentary you find.

After reading through several times, consider the questions below:

• Verses 1 and 2 probably go with Chapter 6, but still, what do you see that might be odd about what is done with the Ark?
• Samuel's call in verse 3 is much like the call of the judges before him.  When you think about the previous battle (go back and read 4 if you need to) what do you think was missing then, because it certainly wasn't fixed by the Ark?  What are ways we try and substitute devotion to Jesus?  How well does that work?
• What connection between verse 2 and verse 4 do you see?
• Mizpah means "the watchtower" in Hebrew.  Why might that be meaningful?  How might that explain the Philistines response?
• Why might a "drink" or water offering show devotion to God? Why would they fast, and what might that mean?
• What might be significant about Samuel judging Israel at Mizpah?
• Why would the Philistines come to fight the Israelites when they gathered?  How fast would they be able to make that happen?
• Now Samuel offers a different offering/sacrifice, how long might that take?
• As the sacrifice is happening, the Philistines attack, so what do you think the people of Israel are doing as their enemies begin to attack?
• Consider what it looks like as the battle begins, then what did the thunder have to sound like to have the effect it did?
• Beth-Car means "House of the Sun" so who might this city belong to or be associated with?
• Why do you think it was important to set up the stone? 
• So why do you think the Philistines were never able to get over Israel during Samuel's judging Israel?
• What do you think it means for Israel that they recovered the cities of the Philistines?

That's plenty to work with at the moment.  Keep going over it because other things will occur to you as you do.  Be sure to right them down and bring them to the group.

See you in a week!