Failure Not Final, But Fatal

Introduction

[This is a study of the entire books of 1 and 2 Samuel. Wagers does a superb job in breaking down the historical and spiritual nature of the people and times found in 1 and 2 Samuel. This is far more than a sermon - it is a "flash" commentary on two wonderful books from the Old Testament.]

1 and 2 Samuel

God raised up a great Christian leader 140 years ago to lead us out of this human scourge. His biography reads like the profile of a "failure" ... He had a difficult childhood ... Less than one year of formal schooling ... Failed in business in '31... Defeated for the legislature in '32 ... Failed again in business in '33 ... Elected to the legislature in '34 ... Fiancé died in '35 ... Defeated in an effort to be Speaker in '38 ... Defeated for elector in '40 ... Married in '42 ... Only one of his four sons lived past age 18 ... Defeated for Congress in '43 ... Elected to Congress in '46 ... Defeated for Congress in '48 ... Defeated for U.S. Senate in '55 ... Defeated for Vice President in '56 ... Defeated again for U.S. Senate in '58. This profile of a "failure" is also the story of a man who never stopped trying, even though his failures were many and his successes were few.

He took literally the principle found in Proverbs 24:16 "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.”

This "failure" kept right on trying... one more time. In 1860, he was elected the 16th President of the United States and became one of the greatest Americans who ever lived... Abraham Lincoln.

1-2 Samuel chronicle the stories of failure, but not many conclude with an ending like Lincoln. Failure is everywhere in the book, but in most cases, failure does turn into success.

Central Theme

The period of the judges is over, and the period of the Kings of Israel begins. A period lasting approximately from 1050-586 B. C.

Central Truth [1 Samuel]

“And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (8: 7)

[2 Samuel]

“The thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” (11: 27)

Central Thrust

1-2 Samuel chronicles the circumstances of taking one’s eyes off of the Lord. Whenever a person, or a people, desire their way more than God’s will, tragedy is always the painful consequence.

Genesis: The Book of Ruin Exodus: The Book of Redemption Leviticus: The Book of Regulations Numbers: The Book of Readiness

Deuteronomy: The Book of Remembrance Joshua: The Book of Realization

Judges: The Book of Regret Ruth: The Book of Romance

1-2 Samuel: The Book(s) of Royalty

1 Samuel is the record of the people’s popular choice for their first king. 2 Samuel is the record of the proper choice for their finest king. The 31 chapters of 1 Samuel record such things as desperation, restoration, imitation, coronation, and reprobation. We see forsaking, faith, and failure.

A clear picture is painted of the self-will of Saul and the self-sacrifice of David. Throughout the high drama of 1 Samuel we see Samuel brought back from the dead, David as he fled, and Saul lose his head.

1 Samuel is made of 24 chapters which are exclusive to the life and reign of Israel’s finest king, David. The “man after God’s own heart” is a saga from fame in his royalty, a flaw in his integrity, to failure in his family.

The late Adrian Rogers once said, “Failure need not be final.” While that is most certainly true, 1-2 Samuel prove that while failure is not final, it is most definitely fatal.

I. The Popular Choice For Their First King

Royal history now begins for the nation of Israel. The long period of the judges rule ends, and the new 500+ year reign of the kings begins.

1 Samuel covers approximately 115 years from the childhood of Samuel through the turbulent life of Saul to the beginning of the reign of David.

The major characters of 1 Samuel are Hannah, Eli, Samuel, Saul and David. Each one contributing certain, yet different quality to the beginning of the era of Israel’s first kings.

A. Hannah’s Powerful Prayer

1 Samuel opens with one of the greatest women praying one of the most powerful prayers in all of Scripture. It is a portion of scripture that is often used in the dedication service of a new baby. It is powerful because of her:

1. Personal Burden

[1: 10-11] “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. [11]And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head..”

Hannah had a two-fold problem; she was barren, and she was belittled. She was not able to have children, and she had an adversary named Peninnah who “provoked her…year by year.” (1: 7)

Hannah was a woman who turned lemons into lemonade. She was barren and belittled; but, rather than become bitter she became burdened and took her burden to the Lord in prayer.

In the Soul of Prayer, P. T. Forsyth writes, "Cast yourself into His arms not to be caressed but to wrestle with Him. He loves that holy war. He may...lift you from your feet. But, it will be to lift you from earth and set you in the Heavenly places which are theirs who fight the food fight and lay old of God as their eternal life."

Hannah not only prays, but she makes a promise, or a “vow unto the Lord.” Her promise if she receives a child, she will take that child as a gift from God only to trust that child a gift to God. She kept her promise.

2. National Blessing

God’s gift to Hannah was a son named Samuel which means, “His Name is God.” Samuel is one of the few bright spots in the book of Samuel. Hannah prayed for a son whom God could use, and Samuel, who was the last of the judges, was God’s answer to this prayer.

(2: 18) “But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child.”

(2: 26) “And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.”

(3: 19-21) “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. [20]And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. [21]And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.”

Thou art coming to a King,

Large petitions with thee bring, For His grace and pow’r are such; None can ever ask too much!

Hannah asked for much and God answered with much. As we will see, Samuel went on to become one of God’s choicest servants in a dark, dark time.

B. Eli’s Parental Problems

Samuel’s birth came a low time in the nation of Israel. The priesthood was occupied by a feeble man named Eli. Eli may have been a wonderful priest, but he was a horrible parent. His two sons, Hophni and Phineas became involved in one of the worst scandals in Israel’s history.

Israel went into battle against the Philistines and suffered a great defeat. They went back to their camp and brought out the Ark of the Covenant, which they looked upon as a superstitious “rabbits foot.”

The Philistines heard the “shout “of Israel and knew that the Ark of the Covenant represented God being in their midst. They go back into battle against Israel and 2 things happen.

1. The Fury Of God Revealed

Because of the Israel put their trust in the Ark of God rather than the God of the Ark, God allowed the Philistines to defeat them. As a result, the Philistines came into possession of the Ark and took it out of Israel’s camp.

(4: 11) “And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.” When the news got back to Eli, it was more than he could take.

(4: 18) “And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.”

The Ark of the Covenant represented the manifest presence of God among His people; however, the Ark of God was not a substitute for the God of the Ark. They substituted a symbol for the Sovereign, and God’s fury was revealed.

Still today, many people think that by wearing religious symbols, or performing religious rituals, or giving money to religious causes that God will be appeased, and they will be safe.

But, God will not accept any strange fire in worship, nor will He accept any substitute forms of worship.

2. The Glory Of God Is Removed

Phineas’ wife was pregnant with child. When Eli heard the news, he died; but, when Phineas wife heard the news, something within her died as well. The glory of God died.

(4: 21) “And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken.”

The name Ichabod is a most unusual name. The names means, “No glory.” It was a fitting name to describe a fearful time in Israel. The nation that had once seen the glory of revealed, now watched the glory of God removed.

Is there any chance of God removing His glory today? Yes and No! God’s glory will always be evidenced because of the finished work of the cross. The Holy Spirit exists for the purpose of bringing God glory in this age.

However, woe to any place, person, or people who allows anything to take the rightful place of God in a home, a nation, a life, or a church. God will not be minimized, He will not be mistreated, and He will not be mocked.

There may come a time when a place, person, people, or church gives birth to a time called “Ichabod,” and God’s glory will be removed. If/when that happens, nothing of eternal value will happen.

There will be no miracles, only memories. There will be no converts, only carnality. There will be no revelation, only regret. May we never experience that time.

C. Samuel’s Prophetic Preeminence

As I said earlier, Samuel came on the scene at a dark time in Israel. The moral, political, judicial, and spiritual climate was at an all time low. However, Samuel was God’s answer to the prayer of a godly mother.

Samuel grew up to become one of the few bright spots in the earlier era of the kings. Two words sum up his prophetic preeminence: leadership and Lordship.

1. Leadership

Under the leadership of Samuel, the Philistine terror over the Israelites came to an end. He established a school for the prophets in Ramah, which was the beginning of the prophetic office of the “seers.”

Samuel’s greatest ministry was the organization of the kingdom. It was through Samuel the prophet that God fulfilled the prophecy of Jacob, in Genesis 49, to establish a king, and a kingdom in Israel.

The people were ready for a king, and voiced their desire to Samuel. The independent 12 tribes of Israel were going to be formed into One nation.

(8: 22) “And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.”

2. Lordship

Samuel was birthed through prayer, and his life continued in prayer.

He brought victory to the people through prayer (7: 5-10) He prayed unto the Lord regularly (8: 6)

He made intercession a legacy of his ministry (12: 19-23)

(12: 23) “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.”

Samuel influenced the people to put away their false gods, and began to purge the land of idols. He erected an altar and called it “Ebenezar,” “The stone of help,” (7: 12) which is a type of Christ, “The Chief Cornerstone.”

Before God gave the nation a king, Samuel led them to enthrone the King of Kings as the Lord of the land.

D. Saul’s Promising Potential

The people wanted a king, and God gave them a king. However, this king was not God’s choice; he was the people’s popular choice. Nonetheless, he was a man who began with promising potential.

His name was Saul, and he was Israel’s 1st king.

(9: 2) “A choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.”

Although Saul began with great promise, his life was marked by great pity. It was the result of:

1. Disobedience

God gave Saul specific instructions.

(15: 3) “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not.”

What did Saul do?

(15: 9) “But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.”

Saul did not completely disobey, he partially disobeyed; but, nonetheless, he had disobeyed a direct order from God. As it has been well said, “Delayed obedience is always disobedience.”

Samuel confronts Saul over his disobedience, and Saul makes an attempt to please God by presenting an offering, asking God to bless what He had cursed. Then, he blames the people for his own disobedience.

(15: 20-21) “And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord… and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. [21]But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.”

When Someone's Heart Begins To Grow Cold/Callous; They Seek Justification By Blaming It On Others

(15: 22-23) “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. [23]For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” Rebellion=Witchcraft

Whenever We Disobey God, We Are Comitting The Sin That Made The Devil The Devil

2. Disgrace

(16:14) “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him

Saul prayed, but God did not answer. He had committed the sin of rebellion/witchcraft, and continued to commit the sin of witchcraft by seeking the advice of the woman at Endor in 1 Samuel 28.

Saul’s life began with great promise, but because of jealousy, greed, bitterness, and disobedience, his life ended in disgrace.

(31: 4) “Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.”

Henrietta Mears writes, “No man had a greater opportunity than Saul, and no man was ever a greater failure. Think of the difference of the 2 Saul’s; Saul of Tarsus, and Saul the king. One put God first, the other put himself first; and, the rest is history.” [1]

E. David’s Perfect Preparation

God begins to fix-up what the people had messed up. Saul was the people’s choice, but God had someone else in mind. A young shepherd boy by the name of David who was:

1. Appointed

(16: 1) “And the Lord said unto Samuel… I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.”

Of all of the sons of Jesse, David was the most unlikely choice. But, God is a fan of the underdog. Jesse brought 7 of his sons in to be interviewed for the position, but none of them qualified.

(16: 7) “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Eliab was the most impressive to Samuel, but not to God. God had someone else in mind.

2. Annointed

After all 7 of his sons had been interviewed, Samuel asks Jesse if there are any left. Jesse sends for his youngest son, who was tending the sheep, and when he walks in:

(16: 12-13) “He was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. [13]Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.”

Even though Saul was Israel’s popular choice, David was God’s primary choice. Saul was on the throne, but David was the God-appointed, God-anointed King of Israel.

David’s pre-king years are most well known for: His Fight with Goliath (17)

His Friendship with Jonathan (18) His Fame with Israel (18: 6)

(18: 7) “The women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

II. The Proper Choice Of Their Finest King

While 1 Samuel contains a cast of characters, 2 Samuel focuses on just 1 character. It could be said that 2 Samuel is the biography of David. It focuses upon David’s years as king.

1 Samuel: Saul—the Popular Choice 2 Samuel: David—the Proper Choice

A. The First Years Of His Reign

(5: 4-5) “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. [5]In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.”

1 Samuel 1-4: David reigns over Judah—7 ½ Years

2 Samuel 5-24: David reigns over all of Israel—33 years

Upon the death of Saul, David is crowned King by the tribe of Judah. Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, clung to the remnants of his father’s tattered kingdom. Thus, for 7 years there existed a civil war between Judah and Israel.

The first years of David’s reign were marked by:

1. Supremacy

(3: 1) “Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.”

In spite of the civil unrest caused by Ish-bosheth and Abner, God gave David supremacy to rule over a united nation. As a supreme leader, David accomplished many important and remarkable feats.

2 Samuel 5: 7—Captured Jerusalem, “The City of David” 2 Samuel 6—Brought the Ark back to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 8—Defeated all of Israel’s enemies (Philistines, Moabites, Syrians)

He unified the nation.

He appointed court recorders/scribes to preserve their records. He made preparations for the building of the Temple.

(8:6) “And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.” 2 Samuel 7: The Davidic Covenant

(7:16) “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

Jesus Christ, The Messiah, Would Come Through The “House Of David" One Day, He Will Sit Upon The "Throne Of David" In The "City Of David"

Ray Stedman comments, “Under David’s rule, Israel reached its high water mark. It has been called ‘Israel’s golden age.’ No idol worship and no worldly functions occurred when the sweet singer of Israel, the shepherd boy from Bethlehem, commanded the ship of state.” [2]

2. Sympathy

David was a king with a heart full of compassion. He sought for any relatives of Saul, “that he might show them kindness for Jonathan’s sake.”

2 Samuel 9: Mephiboseth A Crippled Boy

A Captured Boy A Crowned Boy A Contented Boy

B. The Further Years Of His Ruin

2 Samuel 11-20 tell of the great tragedy of David’s life. At the zenith of his power, and at the height of his career, David sinned in a most tragic way. He commits adultery with Bathsheba, and is a co- conspirator to murder of her husband, Uriah.

(11: 1) “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel… But David tarried still at Jerusalem.” David should have been in battle; but, because he failed to go to battle, where he belonged; he ended up in bed. He strolls, he stops, and he stares. He lingers, he looks, he lusts, and he leaps. He was idle; he became inquisitive, and committed iniquity.

(11:27) “But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.”

The “man after” God’s “own heart” had broken God’s heart. Not even David, the man who owned it all, would not be able to pay the awful price of his sin.

C. The Final Years Of His Regret

Approximately a year went by before a man named Nathan confronts David over his sin. David knew “he was the man,” and demonstrated “godly sorrow that worketh repentance.” (2 Cor. 7: 10)

Psalm 51: David’s Confession Statement

Although his sin was forgiven, the consequences were final. Things would never be the same for Israel’s finest king. Most of what David would reap came through his own family.

We often say that our sin is nobody’s business, because it doesn’t affect anybody but us. No Bigger Lie Has Even Come Out Of Hell's Pit! Sin has a domino effect from the top to the bottom.

2 Samuel 12: David/Bathsheba’s son dies 2 Samuel 13: Amnon’s incest with Tamar Amnon is killed by Absalom

2 Samuel 15: Absalom revolts against his father’s throne 2 Samuel 18: Absalom is killed by Joab

2 Samuel 24: David’s mistaken number cost the lives of 70,000 Adultery + Conspiracy + Immorality + Treachery = Misery

David’s sin eventually resulted in his turning back to God, but not without a hefty price tag.

On February 3, 1998, Texas executed Karla Faye Tucker. Tucker was the first woman to be executed in Texas since the Civil War. She was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m., eight minutes after receiving an injection at the State Prison in Huntsville. She had been convicted of killing Jerry Dead, and Deborah Thornton, an overnight guest, during a burglary at his Houston apart with a 3-foot pickax.

Tucker's execution drew nationwide attention even from Christian leaders. After being convicted, Tucker was led to Christ during a prison service. Tucker's final words were, "I love you all very much. I will see you all when you get there. I will wait for you."

Her death reminds us that, while "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin," sin still has its consequences. There is no sin God will not and cannot forgive, including murder; but, we must never forget that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

1-2 Samuel serve as a reminder that when we push God away from the throne of our lives, the picture is never a pretty one. If it can happen to a “man after” God’s “own heart,” then every one of us should never let a moment go by when we do not pray, “Lord, deliver me from evil.”

Failure may not be final, but it is always fatal. Endnotes

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1“What the Bible is All About,” Henrietta Mears, pg. 124.

2“Adventuring through the Bible,” Ray Stedman, pg. 165.