TUESDAY NIGHT MEN'S BIBLE STUDY

We are a group of men looking to the Word of God for direction in how to live to His glory.
To understand that glorifying Him surpasses satisfying self.
We examine Scripture, line-by-line, in a conversational setting using Zoom technology.
Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC is our home church and we embrace its Articles of Faith. 

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CURRENT STUDY

1SAMUEL
ZOOM ONLY

SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 - MAY 2027

1Samuel is a witness to how God uses flawed humanity to accomplish His purpose.  We will explore that sovereignty as we visit the familiar stories of Hannah, Samuel, Saul, & David. 

This line-by-line study will explore a back-story that ultimately points to the coming Messiah.  These ancient words reveal divine history while showing us God at work for humanity.

If you would like to join us, please share your interest by completing our registration form below.

COMING UP...

1SAMUEL / CHAPTER 4:12-5:12

We will finish our discussion in chapter 4 with the deaths of Eli and his unidentifed daughter-in-law.  Both deaths are an immediate reaction to the capture of the Ak of the covenant.  The glory of God has departed.

We'll next follow the movement of the Ark in Chapter 5 under Philistine possession.  They soon realize they made a huge error in judgment.

Please read 4:12 to 5:12

(THE SCROLLABLE TRANSLATIONS IN NIV AND ESV ARE PROVIDED BELOW)

1 Samuel 4:12–5:12 (NIV)

12 That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head.

13 When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?” The man hurried over to Eli,

15 who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see.

16 He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.” Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”

17 The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.

19 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains.

20 As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.

21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

1Samuel 5:1

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.

3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.

4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.

5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.

6 The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.

7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.”

8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?” They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.

9 But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.

10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.”

11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it.

12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 4:12–5:12 (ESV)

12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head.

13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out.

14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see.

16 And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?”

17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her.

20 And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.

21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

1 When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon.

3 And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place.

4 But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

5 This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 The hand of the Lord was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.

7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.”

8 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there.

9 But after they had brought it around, the hand of the Lord was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.

10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.”

11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there.

12 The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

THE BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW OF ISAMUEL

TOOLS FOR 1SAMUEL STUDY

SUMMARY OF 1SAMUEL
1SAMUEL FAQ

1SAMUEL AUDIO (NIV)

BLUE LETTER BIBLE

THE 4 MAIN SECTIONS OF 1SAMUEL 

I. The Birth and Early Life of Samuel (1:1–7:17)

The first covers Samuel’s birth and early life, including Hannah’s barrenness and prayer, Samuel’s dedication, and his calling as a prophet with judgment against Eli’s house.

  • Hannah’s barrenness, prayer, and the birth of Samuel (1:1–28)
  • Hannah’s song of thanksgiving (2:1–11)
  • Eli’s family and their wickedness (2:12–36)
  • Samuel’s calling as a prophet and judgment against Eli’s house (3:1–21)
  • The capture and return of the ark of the covenant (4:1–7:1)
  • Israel’s victory over the Philistines under Samuel’s leadership (7:2–17)

II. The Institution of the Monarchy (8:1–12:25)

The second section addresses the institution of monarchy, showing Israel’s desire for a king, Samuel’s anointing of Saul, and the covenant renewal at Gilgal.

  • Israel’s demand for a king (8:1–22)
  • Samuel meets Saul and anoints him king (9:1–10:8)
  • Saul’s confirmation as king through victory over the Ammonites (10:9–11:13)
  • Samuel’s renewal of the covenant at Gilgal (11:14–12:25

 

 

III. The Failure of Saul’s Kingship (13:1–15:35)

The third section traces Saul’s failure as king through his disobedience at Gilgal, his rejection by God, and his conflicts with the Philistines.

  • Saul’s unauthorized sacrifice at Gilgal and the prophecy of his doom (13:1–23)
  • Israel’s victory over the Philistines (14:1–52)
  • Saul’s disobedience regarding the Amalekites and his rejection by God (15:1–35)

 

 

IV.  The Rise of David (16:1–31:13)

The final section documents David’s rise, from his private anointing through his slaying of Goliath, his conflicts with Saul, and ultimately Saul’s death on Mount Gilboa.

  • David’s private anointing as king by Samuel (16:1–23)
  • David’s defeat of Goliath (17:1–58)
  • Saul’s jealousy and attempts to kill David; Jonathan’s loyalty (18:1–20:42)
  • David’s flight and evasion of Saul (21:1–26:25)
  • Saul’s consultation with the medium of Endor (28:1–25)
  • David’s victory over the Amalekites and Saul’s death at Gilboa (29:1–31:13)

1Samuel Chart: NIV Bible Speaks Today

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END TIMES

We live in this age to bring glory to Christ.  We live in this age anticipating the promise of Christ's return.   1 Corinthians 16:22 uses a word that perfectly declares that expectation: "Maranatha" (Our Lord, come!).  Our awareness of End Times yet to come is important.  It impacts how we live. 

Since we often refer to the events shown in the "God's Plan of the Ages" chart, we have included download links for the chart and reference works.

INSPIRATION

Music in worship is ageless.   This area will feature  your favorite hymns and contemporary music.   If you have a God honoring video with a biblical worldview you would like to share here, please CLICK HERE to send it.

This song unfolds as a narrative conversation along a trail. A weary, exhausted traveler stops to rest and is approached by a little girl. She quietly asks if the traveler would like to hear about her God, and proceeds to walk through the grand narrative of Scripture.

Rather than focusing on complex scholarly theology, the song emphasizes how the deep truths of the Christian faith—from creation and the fall to the incarnation, cross, resurrection, and the promise of a renewed creation—are reflected with profound clarity through the simple, trusting faith of a child.

Shared by Stacey Johnson