INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES
Were you ever a part of a rescue? Either on the rescuing side or the one being rescued?
Leader note: Try to stay away from faith-type rescues – guide your group to actual rescuing someone or something. Example – saving someone from the ocean, or being saved from the ocean. Saving an animal that was in trouble.
OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES
What do you learn about the Philistines? The Israelites?
Leader note: The Israelites had begun worshiping false Gods – Ashtoreth and Baal – materialism and sexuality. They had removed God from the first priority in their lives.
Leader note: Take this passage little by little and answer the question as you go through it.
Commentary:
Philistines-
Sent their army to meet the Israelites attack
Defeated the Israelites, killing 4,000 men
Heard the Israelites shouting – wondered what was up
Feared the fact that the God of the Israelites was now in their presence
Said they were doomed
Identified God as mighty, knew of how He struck the Egyptians.
Encouraged each other with be strong, be men
Fought and won in a basic massacre. 30,000 Israelites were killed
Killed Eli’s two sons
They captured the ark of God (where the presence of God was)
The Israelites
Attacked the Philistines (did not have the ark of the covenant of God – where God’s presence dwelt)
Lost 3000 men in the first battle
Decided to “take God to the battle with them” to improve the results, – along with Eli’s two sons
Celebrated the fact that the ark of the covenant was in the camp – so much the ground shook
Were defeated, lost over 7x as many men as the first time.
Lost the ark of the covenant and the lives of Eli’s son
Eli died when he heard the ark was lost, and his daughter in law named her child, Ichabod – The Glory has departed from Israel
What do you learn about God?
He won’t be manipulated
He can’t be used or controlled
He allows struggles and defeat
Expects surrendered hearts, dependent solely on Him, not as a last resort
His presence ended up with those who feared Him
Read 1 Samuel 7:2-4, 9. What do you learn about the Israelites?
Commentary:
They were without the Lord for 20 years
They turned to the Lord with all their hearts
They got rid of the gods of materialism and sexuality
They committed themselves to the Lord
They served the Lord only
The Lord heard and answered Samuel’s prayer on Israel’s behalf
UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES
Where do you see people trusting in things other than God?
Leader note: People trust in the same things now as they did back in Samuel’s day – money and pleasure. Have your group talk about those situations and what their trust in those things does to their lives.
What are people’s expectations when they bring God into their life/circumstances? What are the results?
Commentary:
A lot of people think if they go to church, or put money “in the offering plate” they can get God on their side
Kind of bargain with God – “If I do this God, you should do that…”
Think that because they are Christians life will be easy, or they won’t have problems
Expect God to behave a certain way – make God small and manipulative
They get disappointed in God when He doesn’t do what they want
They question God and His power, instead of their motivation and heart
APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES
Where are you putting other things before God in your life?
Leader note: Have your group consider things that you talked about in the last question – bank accounts, jobs, family, relationships, pleasure,
What expectations of God do you have when you bring Him into your life or circumstances? What have been the results?
Leader note: Have you been disappointed by God? Ask your group if they’ve really searched their hearts in their situations and if they brought God in to rescue them when they couldn’t do it on their own, or with whatever they trusted in before?
Leader note: For those who think they are doing the right things, the God things, they usually expect God to act a certain way – keep them from harm, protect them, that they won’t suffer unemployment, or illnesses or set-backs. And when they have that point of view, when they do suffer failures, let downs, etc – they think God has let them down. With this point of view we make God small and manageable, able to fail us, we know better and He didn’t come through.
What does God really want?
Commentary: (some of the answers you may come up with in your group.)
A humbled heart
Serving only Him, not money, pleasure, etc.
Putting Him first, not to be used
Worshipping at all times
That’s the important question isn’t it? Know what God wants and align with Him.
Leader note: This discussion may get messy because in chapter 7 it ends with God answering the Israelite’s prayer as they asked when they humbled themselves, ride themselves of false God’s etc., people may think that if they just do certain things then God will do what they want. Let people struggle with this thought – if you need to, go to Psalm 34:17-18 and discuss how it applies. God promises to be with us, but sin exists, evil exists, trials exist – so how does this play out? This will not necessarily be a discussion that leads to a neat, settled ending, so just be prepared to encourage your group to seek out in Scripture other passages and verses which answer their lingering questions.
PRAY
As you end your time together take a silent time of confession to talk to God about those areas you have tried to control him, trusted in other things first or instead of Him, making deals with Him. Then pray with your group to surrender, rest in the presence of the Lord, seek His will and align your heart and actions with Him.
LIVE IT OUT
Who do you know putting trust in things other than God, or trying to manipulate God? How can you share with them what God really wants?