1 Samuel As a Prophet and Judge. 2 3 4 Samuel... the heaven-instructed child, the incorruptible judge, the founder of Israel’s sacred schools.

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SamuelSamuelAs a Prophet and JudgeAs a Prophet and Judge

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Samuel . . .

• the heaven-instructed child,

• the incorruptible judge,

• the founder of Israel’s sacred schools

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Samuel . . .

• will be in heaven and

• will wave his crown of glory before the throne and gladly acknowledge that the faithful lessons of his mother, through the merits of Christ, have crowned him with immortal glory. (AH 536)

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The Schools of the Prophets

The Schools of the Prophets

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The schools of the prophets were founded by Samuel, [1] to serve as a barrier against

the wide-spread corruption, [2] to provide for the moral and

spiritual welfare of the youth, and [3] to promote the future

prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with men qualified

to act in the fear of God as leaders and counselors.

(CE 61)

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In the accomplishment of this object, Samuel gathered companies of young

men who were pious [sincerely religious], intelligent [the ability to acquire and apply knowledge], and studious [showing great care or

attention]. These were called the sons of the prophets. As they communed with God, and studied his word and his works, wisdom from above was

added to their natural endowments. (CE 61)

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The chief subjects at the school were:

• the law of God (a reflection of the character of God)

• the instructions given to Moses (the great truths set forth by the types and the central object of all that system--the Lamb of God that was to take away the sin of the world)

• sacred history (tracing the footsteps of God)

• sacred music (see next slides)

• poetry

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The grand object was to learn the will of God and man’s duty toward God.

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They were taught:

•the duty of prayer--how to pray, how to approach God, how to exercise faith in him, and how to understand and obey the teachings of his Spirit

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The Bible . . .

• is without rival as an educating power,

• provides subject for the deepest thought and the loftiest aspiration,

• is the most instructive history men possess. It lights up the far-distant past, reveals the power that laid the foundation of the earth and stretched out the heavens, and presents a history unsullied by human prejudice or by human pride.

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The Bible . . .• records the struggles, the defeats and the

victories of the greatest men the world has ever known.

• unfolds the great problems of duty and destiny.

• lifts the curtain that separates the visible from the invisible world.

• reveals the conflict of the opposing forces of good and evil.

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The Bible . . .• unfolds the principles that are the cornerstone

of a nation’s prosperity--principles for the well-being of society and for the safeguard of the family.

• provides an essential preparation for whatever position you may hold in life or for whatever experience you are currently going through.

• when studied and obeyed, gives to the world men of stronger and more active intellect than the closest application to all the subjects that human philosophy embraces can produce.

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The Bible . . .

•makes men of strength and of solidity of character, of keen perception, and of sound judgment.

•makes men who will be an honor to God and a blessing to the world.

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At the schools of the prophets, “sanctified

intellects brought forth from the treasure house of God things new and old, and the Spirit of

God was manifested in prophecy and sacred

song” (PP 593).

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Music . . .• was made to serve a holy purpose,

• was made to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and

• was made to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God.

• forms a part of God’s worship in the courts above.

• Singing, as part of religious service, is as much an act of worship as is prayer. The heart must feel the spirit of the song to give it right expression (PP 594).

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Today, music often

• exalts self.

• It becomes one of the most successful agencies by which Satan allures the mind from duty and from the contemplation of eternal things.

• A love of music leads the unwary to unite with the world lovers in pleasure gatherings where God has forbidden his children to go.

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Samuel had two sons who were judges over

Israel:

• Joel

• Abiah

• But because they were evil judges, the people asked for a king to judge them (1 Samuel 8:1-5).

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They wanted a king for other reasons, too.

1 Samuel 8:20--to be like other nations, to be a

judge, to go out to battle for them.

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God told the people that a king would:

• Take their sons for the chariots, for horsemen, and for runners before his chariots,

• Make captains over thousands to plant his fields, to reap his harvests, and to make instruments of war and of his chariots,

• Take their daughters to be confectionaries, cooks, and bakers,

• Take the best of their fields, vineyards, and oliveyards and give them to his servants

• Take a tenth of their seed and of their sheep,

• Take their menservants and maidservants, their goodliest young men, and their asses for his work.

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Some people would rather live for the fun they can have today instead of waiting for the fun they could have in heaven because they think they would have to wait too

long to get to heaven--all their lives--and that is too

long.

Is this true?

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Think about where you would most like to live in a really nice house--by the

ocean, in a national forest, in the suburb of city, on a ranch, in the mountains of

Switzerland, by a river, near Yellowstone, in the

Canadian Rockies?

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Would you be willing to wait thirty years to live there (in a

nice house), or would you give up your dream for a house

someplace else that had lots of nice things inside--toys, computers, iPods, iPads,

iPhones, plus bikes, nice cars, 4-wheelers, a swimming pool, a trampoline outside, but no

ocean?

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Or what about this? Which offer would you

take--an iPod, iPhone, and iPad right now, or a

MacBook Pro plus these three in five years. Which would you

choose?

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This is about instant gratification versus

longterm benefits, and the Israelites wanted

instant gratification. They were willing to sacrifice

their sons, their daughters, their lands,

and their possessions for a king, and God gave

them a king.

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In our Sabbath School lessons the next few

weeks about Saul, we will cover:

• his anointing,

• what happened at Gilgal,

• what happened with the Amalekites,

• his pursuit and jealousy of David, and

• his death.

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Give Us A King!

1 Samuel 9

Give Us A King!

1 Samuel 9

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To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and

thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people

out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

(1Samuel 9:16)

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Signs for Saul

• 1 Sam 10:2--the asses have been found

• 1 Sam 10:3, 4--loaves of bread

• 1 Sam 10:4--a company of prophets and you shall prophesy and be turned into another man

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Instructions for Saul

• Go to Gilgal and wait seven days and Samuel would come and offer sacrifices (1 Sam 10:8 and 13:7)

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And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD at Mizpeh. (1 Samuel 10:17)

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Let’s be good students of the Bible and make a list, in

order, of what we have learned so far about Saul.

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