Comments on the book of 1 Samuel

The prophetic office began with Samuel, who was raised up by God due to the failure of the priesthood under Eli and his sons. But Samuel's faithful care for Israel was not appreciated, and they demanded a king. God allowed them their own way and gave them Saul, a type of the religious man, who walks according to "the flesh."

But God then raised up David, "a man after His own heart" and anointed him to be king. David's victory over Goliath is a picture of Christ annulling the power of Satan. David did not immediately take the throne but was persecuted by Saul. In this, he is a type of Christ who suffered rejection and was persecuted by the religious leaders of Israel. 1 Samuel ends with the tragic death of Saul and his sons, a warning to us that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God." May we heed its lesson.