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    Be Successful (1 Samuel): Attaining Wealth That Money Can't Buy
    Be Successful (1 Samuel): Attaining Wealth That Money Can't Buy
    Be Successful (1 Samuel): Attaining Wealth That Money Can't Buy
    Ebook234 pages4 hours

    Be Successful (1 Samuel): Attaining Wealth That Money Can't Buy

    By Warren W. Wiersbe

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    Find true success through a life of integrity and character. We all long to succeed in every area of life, in our careers, our relationships, and our finances. But in the daily pursuit of our dreams, we can forget to examine just how we measure success. The book of 1 Samuel offers striking contrasts between succeeding God’s way and trying to achieve goals by any means necessary. This guide examines the life of King David, and shares how we can find true success through our character, conduct, and lifestyle. Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s best-selling “BE” commentary series, BE Satisfied has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh. A respected pastor and Bible teacher, Dr. Wiersbe journeys through the book of 1 Samuel to uncover how God defines success. You will be inspired to pursue your goals, and encouraged to make the race just as important as the finish line.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDavid C Cook
    Release dateAug 1, 2010
    ISBN9781434702463
    Be Successful (1 Samuel): Attaining Wealth That Money Can't Buy
    Author

    Warren W. Wiersbe

    Warren W. Wiersbe, former pastor of the Moody Church and general director of Back to the Bible, has traveled widely as a Bible teacher and conference speaker. Because of his encouragement to those in ministry, Dr. Wiersbe is often referred to as "the pastor’s pastor." He has ministered in churches and conferences throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Central and South America, and Europe. Dr. Wiersbe has written over 150 books, including the popular BE series of commentaries on every book of the Bible, which has sold more than four million copies. At the 2002 Christian Booksellers Convention, he was awarded the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement Award by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Dr. Wiersbe and his wife, Betty, live in Lincoln, Nebraska.

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      Book preview

      Be Successful (1 Samuel) - Warren W. Wiersbe

      BE SUCCESSFUL

      Published by David C. Cook

      4050 Lee Vance View

      Colorado Springs, CO 80918 U.S.A.

      David C. Cook Distribution Canada

      55 Woodslee Avenue, Paris, Ontario, Canada N3L 3E5

      David C. Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

      Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England

      David C. Cook and the graphic circle C logo

      are registered trademarks of Cook Communications Ministries.

      All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes,

      no part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form

      without written permission from the publisher.

      Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain.) Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved; NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved; and NLT are taken from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

      LCCN 2010927438

      ISBN 978-1-4347-6500-0

      eISBN 978-1-4347-0246-3

      © 2001 Warren W. Wiersbe

      First edition of Be Successful published by Victor Books® in 2001 © Warren W. Wiersbe, ISBN 978-1-56476-705-9

      The Team: Karen Lee-Thorp, Amy Kiechlin, Sarah Schultz, Jack Campbell, and Karen Athen

      Series Cover Design: John Hamilton Design

      Cover Photo: Shutterstock

      Second Edition 2010

      CONTENTS

      The Big Idea: An Introduction to Be Successful by Ken Baugh

      A Word from the Author

      1. The Lord of Hosts Is with Us(1 Samuel 1—3)

      2. Israel’s Defeat—God’s Victory(1 Samuel 4—6)

      3. The Call for a King (1 Samuel 7—11)

      4. Reviewing and Rebuking (1 Samuel 12—13)

      5. A Foolish Vow and a Lame Excuse (1 Samuel 14—15)

      6. God Chooses a King (1 Samuel 16—17)

      7. A Jealous King (1 Samuel 18—19)

      8. David in Exile (1 Samuel 20—22)

      9. David the Deliverer (1 Samuel 23—24)

      10. A Wise Woman and a Foolish King (1 Samuel 25—26)

      11. Living with the Enemy (1 Samuel 27:1—28:2; 29—30)

      12. The King Is Dead! (1 Samuel 28:3–25; 31; 1 Chronicles 10)

      13. Four Successes and Two Failures (Review of 1 Samuel)

      Notes

      The Big Idea

      An Introduction to Be Successful

      by Ken Baugh

      Over the years I have had the privilege of working with a number of young pastors. One thing I always tell them is that God has a leadership test they must pass in their early years in order to be successful in the ministry long term. If they pass this test, God will often expand the scope of their leadership and influence. But if they do not pass this test, they will be hindered in their progress until they do.

      What is this leadership test? It’s a test of submission, and it revolves around one question: Will I submit to authority? Why is this test so critical? Because the willingness to submit to authority reveals a person’s true character, and I believe that successful spiritual leadership is all about character. Godly character counts, and this is the Big Idea that runs throughout the book of 1 Samuel. Let’s look at Saul and David as two case studies of the type of character that counts before God.

      King Saul’s story immediately reveals cracks in his character at Gilgal (1 Sam. 13:7–14). He took matters into his own hands by offering sacrifices to the Lord in an attempt to gain victory over the Philistines. This was an act of grave disobedience to the Lord, because only Samuel the priest was allowed to offer sacrifices. Samuel said to Saul: You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure (1 Sam. 13:13–14 NIV). Saul did not submit to the Lord’s command, and this control problem led to his ultimate failure as king.

      Later, when Saul defeated the Amalekites in battle, took King Agag prisoner, and kept the best of the plunder for himself (1 Sam. 15:7–9), Saul again failed to submit to the Lord. The Lord had told him, Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out (v. 18 NIV). Instead of submitting to the Lord, Saul did what was right in his own eyes. His actions revealed a rebellious spirit and a heart full of pride, which the Lord despises (vv. 22–23). Saul may have had some raw leadership skills and personal charisma, but he did not demonstrate godly character, and this flaw led to his downfall.

      By contrast, David was a man after God’s heart (1 Sam. 13:14). He had godly character starkly different from Saul’s. Samuel anointed David to be king in place of Saul while he was still a teenager, yet David did not take the throne for another thirteen years. During this time, David’s godly character was revealed. As the years went by, David’s mounting victories over the Philistines made him a rock star in the eyes of the people of Israel. David defeated Goliath and the enemies of God at Socoh, and from that point on, David succeeded in every assignment that Saul gave him. The people praised David and sang, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands (1 Sam. 18:7 NIV).

      And as you might suspect, as David’s fame increased, Saul’s character defects flared up in insane jealousy that drove Saul to try to kill David. David fled, but Saul hunted him like an animal. David’s character was severely tested. The first test came at En Gedi, where he was given the opportunity to take matters into his own hands and kill Saul in the back of a cave as he relieved himself:

      David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD. With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. (1 Sam. 24:4–7 NIV)

      David did not take matters into his own hands. Instead, he submitted himself to the Lord and His timing. David knew that God would deal with Saul, and he needed to just wait on the Lord.

      The second test of David’s character came in the desert of Ziph as Saul continued seeking to take David’s life. This time, Saul was sleeping, and David and Abishai sneaked into the camp at night. Abishai volunteered to kill Saul. David had the ideal opportunity here to stop Saul’s persecution, and he didn’t even have to do the job himself. Abishai said, Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won’t strike him twice (1 Sam. 26:8 NIV). David could have easily allowed Abishai to kill Saul and then rationalize that he didn’t do it so he wasn’t guilty. But David was a man of godly character who did not take matters into his own hands. Instead, he submitted to the Lord. He said, Who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed (1 Sam. 26:9–11 NIV). Even under immense pressure and given an ideal situation to end Saul’s rampage, David showed the godly character of a spiritual leader: the character of a king.

      God tested David to see if he really understood who was in control and if David would do what God commanded. And David passed each test with flying colors. Saul was clearly the weaker man of character; he did not trust the Lord nor submit to the Lord’s authority. Instead, Saul took matters into his own hands time and time again. This led to his personal failure and untimely death. David, on the other hand, was a man of godly character, a man after God’s own heart who trusted the Lord and submitted to His will. David understood that God alone was in control of his life. And God honored David’s character with great success.

      Character counts, and it is the only way to Be Successful in the eyes of the Lord.

      ***

      Dr. Wiersbe’s commentaries have been a source of guidance and strength to me over the many years that I have been a pastor. His unique style is not overly academic, but theologically sound. He explains the deep truths of Scripture in a way that everyone can understand and apply. Whether you’re a Bible scholar or a brand-new believer in Christ, you will benefit, as I have, from Warren’s insights. With your Bible in one hand and Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary in the other, you will be able to accurately unpack the deep truths of God’s Word and learn how to apply them to your life.

      Drink deeply, my friend, of the truths of God’s Word, for in them you will find Jesus Christ, and there is freedom, peace, assurance, and joy.

      —Ken Baugh

      Pastor of Coast Hills Community Church

      Aliso Viejo, California

      A Word from the Author

      What is success? Some say it’s simply achieving your goals, but how do we know those goals were worth achieving? Are you a success if you reach contemptible goals by dishonorable means? Some spell success with dollar signs—$UCCE$$—but if money is the measure of success, then Jesus was a dismal failure. Adolph Hitler had a frightening definition of success: the sole and earthly judge of right and wrong. In short, might makes right.

      First Samuel is a book about success and failure, both in individuals and in a nation. The nation of Israel failed. Eli and his sons were failures. King Saul started out a success but soon became a failure. David was a success in his character, conduct, and service. He was a man after God’s own heart.

      Actually, success is a by-product. Try not to become a man of success, wrote Albert Einstein, but rather try to become a man of value. Values involve character, which is why Theodore Roosevelt said, The chief factor in any man’s success or failure must be his own character. Eli, the priest, and Saul, the king, both had reputations; but David had character. His character and skills were developed in private before they were demonstrated in public.

      Until individuals, churches, and nations start emphasizing character and obedience, there can never be true success. Only through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His will can we have godly character and the kind of success that will survive the fires of God’s judgment. What was true of King Uzziah can be also true of us: As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success (2 Chron. 26:5 NIV).

      —Warren W. Wiersbe

      A SUGGESTED OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF 1 SAMUEL

      Theme: The establishment of a king in Israel

      Key verse: 1 Samuel 12:22

      I. The failure of the priesthood (1 Samuel 1—7)

      A. The birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1—2:11)

      B. The failure of Eli (1 Samuel 2:12–36)

      C. The call of Samuel (1 Samuel 3)

      D. The rescue of the ark (1 Samuel 4—6)

      E. The new spiritual beginning (1 Samuel 7)

      II. The failure of the first king (1 Samuel 8—15)

      A. Israel requests a king (1 Samuel 8)

      B. Saul is made king (1 Samuel 9—10)

      C. Saul’s first victories (1 Samuel 11)

      D. The nation renews the covenant (1 Samuel 12)

      E. Saul loses the throne (1 Samuel 13—15)

      III. The training of the new king (1 Samuel 16—31)

      A. David is anointed (1 Samuel 16:1–13)

      B. David serves Saul (1 Samuel 16:14–23)

      C. David kills Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

      D. Saul becomes jealous of David (1 Samuel 18—19)

      E. The love of David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20)

      F. David driven into exile (1 Samuel 21—27; 29—30)

      G. Saul’s defeat and death (1 Samuel 28; 31)

      A SUGGESTED TIMELINE

      1105 BC Birth of Samuel

      1080 BC Birth of Saul

      1050 BC Saul anointed king

      1040 BC Birth of David

      1025 BC David anointed king

      1010 BC Death of Saul

      1010–1003 BC David reigns in Hebron

      1003–970 BC David reigns over all Israel

      Chapter One

      The Lord of Hosts Is with Us

      (1 Samuel 1—3)

      One of the awesome titles of our great God is Lord of Hosts or Lord of the armies. This title is used nearly 300 times in Scripture and is found for the first time in 1 Samuel 1:3. Lord of hosts describes God as the sovereign Lord of the host of the stars (Isa. 40:26), the angelic host (Ps. 103:20–21), and the armies of Israel (Ex. 12:41; Ps. 46:7, 11). In the Authorized Version, hosts is transliterated Sabaoth in Romans 9:29 and James 5:4. In his hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Martin Luther rightly applied this title to Jesus Christ:

      Did we in our own strength confide,

      Our striving would be losing,

      Were not the right Man on our side,

      The Man of God’s own choosing:

      Dost ask who that may be?

      Christ Jesus, it is He;

      Lord Sabaoth, His name,

      From age to age the same,

      And He must win the battle.

      The story of the people of Israel recorded in the Bible is a living demonstration of the fact that the Lord does win the battle, that He is sovereign in all things. People and events recorded in Scripture are part of what theologians call salvation history, God’s gracious plan to send the Savior into the world to die for sinners. The book of Ruth ends with the name of David (Ruth 4:22), and 1 Samuel tells the story of David’s successful preparation for reigning on the throne of Israel. It was from David’s family that Jesus Christ, the son of David, was born. The books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles record many sins and failures on the part of God’s people, but they also remind us that God is on the throne, and when He isn’t allowed to rule, He overrules. He is the Lord of Hosts, and His purposes will be accomplished.

      GOD DIRECTS HISTORY

      What are all histories but God manifesting Himself, said Oliver Cromwell over three centuries ago, but not everybody agrees with him. The British historian Edward Gibbon, who wrote The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, called history little more than the register of crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind, and Lord Chesterfield, his contemporary, called history a confused heap of facts. But Dr. A. T. Pierson, preacher and missionary statesman of the last century, said it best when he wrote, History is His story. This is particularly true of the history recorded in the Bible, for there we have the inspired account of the hand of God at work in the affairs of mankind to bring the Savior into the world.

      The book of Judges is the book of no king and describes a nation in which anarchy was the norm. In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Judg. 17:6; and see 18:1; 19:1; and 21:25). Israel wasn’t a united people, as during the days of Joshua, but it was a loose confederation of tribes with God-appointed judges ruling in widely separated areas. There was no standing army nor were there permanent military leaders. Men from the different tribes volunteered to defend the land when they were summoned to battle.

      But during those dark days of the Judges, a love story took place that’s recorded in the book of Ruth. Boaz married Ruth the Moabitess, and from their union came Obed, the father of Jesse, who became the father of David the king. There was no king in Israel, but God was already at work preparing the way for His chosen servant (Ps. 78:56–72). If Judges is the book of no king, then 1 Samuel is the book of man’s king. The people of Israel asked for a king and God gave them Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, who turned out to be a tragic failure. But the Lord had prepared David for the throne, and 2 Samuel is the book of God’s king.

      You cannot read the records of the past without seeing the hand of the Lord of Hosts at work in the events of what we call history. The Lord is mentioned over sixty times in 1 Samuel 1—3, for He is the chief actor in this drama. Men and women are free to make their decisions, good or bad, but it is Jehovah, the Lord of history, who ultimately accomplishes His purposes in and through the nations (Acts 14:15–17; 17:24–26; Dan. 4:25, 32). Indeed, history is His story, a truth that is a great encouragement to God’s people who suffer for their faith. But this truth is also a warning to unbelievers who ignore or oppose the will of God, because the Lord of Hosts will ultimately triumph.

      Samuel was God’s bridge builder at a critical time in Jewish history when the weak confederation of tribes desperately needed direction. He was the last of the judges (1 Sam. 7:15–17; Acts 13:20) and the first of a new line of prophets after Moses (3:24). He established a school of the prophets, and he anointed two kings—Saul who failed and David who succeeded. At a time when the ages were colliding and everything seemed to be shaking, Samuel gave spiritual leadership to the nation of Israel and helped to move them toward national unification and spiritual rededication.

      In human history, it may appear to us that truth is forever on the scaffold and wrong is forever on the throne, but that isn’t heaven’s point of view. As you study 1 Samuel, you will see clearly that God is always in control. While He is long-suffering and merciful and answers the prayers of His people, He is also holy and just and punishes sin. We live today in a time of radical worldwide change, and the church needs leaders like Samuel who will help God’s people understand where they’ve been, who they are, and what they are called to do.

      GOD ANSWERS PRAYER (1:1–28)

      During the period of the judges, the Israelites were in dire straits because they lacked godly leadership. The priesthood was defiled, there was no sustained prophetic message from the Lord (3:1), and the law of Moses was being ignored

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