When he had finished praying, Solomon rose up and blessed the congregation. Solomon concluded his prayer with a brief exhortation that the people continue to demonstrate the piety and loyalty to God as they had during the building of the temple. 2 Chronicles 7:1 recounts how fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
Solomon indicated that he intended to work toward accomplishing the dream of his father by building a house for the name of Lord. The construction of the temple in Jerusalem would be one of the great achievements during Solomon's reign. Using plans designed by David, and the expertise of Phoenician craftsmen, Solomon went to work on this tremendous ancient work.
When would the evidence of God's divine endowment make itself manifest? It was not long before a case would come to Solomon that would require great wisdom. The case of two prostitutes, both claiming to be the mother of a baby, demonstrated the judicial wisdom that had been given to Solomon.
He was unsure of how to conduct himself as the new king. He also acknowledged that the nation had prospered to the point that the governance of it would be a major challenge even for an experienced leader. In light of these circumstances, Solomon asked God to give him a discerning heart that would qualify him to rule the people and to know the difference between what was true and false.
David encourages Solomon to be strong and follow after God by obeying his commands. If Solomon were to prosper, it would come about through faithful adherence to the law of Moses. David exhorted the young man to walk before God in truth with all his heart in order to experience the fulfillment of God’s promise of everlasting possession of the throne.
Then came the devastating pronouncement, “You are the man.” God had anointed David as king and delivered him from the hand of Saul. God had given Saul’s house, including his wives into the care of David along with both Judah and Israel and he would have given him many more blessings had he not despised the word of God and committing terrible evil.
David's army may have been fighting successfully on foreign soil, but David was losing a battle with temptation at home. After an afternoon nap, David was walking on the roof of his palace when from that height he spotted a beautiful woman bathing, probably in the courtyard of a house at a lower elevation. David inquired about the woman and learned that she was the wife of one of his officers, Uriah the Hittite. Undeterred by her marital status, David sent messengers to summon this woman.
God would establish the kingdom for one of David’s direct descendants, and it would be this future ruler that would build a house for God’s name. The throne of his kingdom would endure forever, and this ruler would occupy the position of a son in relationship to God. Because of this, he would be corrected with the disciplinary rod of divine judgment, but the covenant faithfulness of God would not depart from him. The house, kingdom, and throne of David would endure forever.
Once the city was secure, David took up residence in the stronghold, and because the place had been conquered by David’s men and David resided there, the place was called, “the city of David.” Jerusalem’s fortifications were repaired and extended and after establishing his new capital David became greater and greater because God was with him.
In the face of the Philistine invasion, he needed divine counsel but God had departed from him. Samuel raised another question and asked, “Why then do you ask me since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy?” (1 Samuel 28:16, ESV) Samuel then spoke ominous prophetic words to the king as he announced that by the coming battle the kingdom would be torn from Saul’s hand and given to David.
Saul was moved to tears by the words of David and acknowledged that David had been more righteous than he. Saul recognized for the moment that David must not have considered him as an enemy, else he would have slain him in the cave. Saul prayed God's blessing on David since he had refrained from killing the king.
David continued to advance toward Goliath. The giant had probably never faced such bravado before. David explained that he was coming in the name of the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. David went on to boast that he would decapitate Goliath and give the bodies of the Philistines to the birds and beasts.
Apparently after the sacrifice, Samuel retired to the house of Jesse to partake in the sacrificial meal. As each of Jesse’s sons entered the room, Samuel evaluated them, and when he saw Jesse’s firstborn, Eliab, he believed that he was “the LORD's anointed.” God directed the prophet not to look on the outward appearance because God looks on the heart.
Samuel forcefully rejected Saul’s contention that religious intention justifies selective obedience. “To obey is better than sacrifice.” No amount of religious practice can substitute for doing what God commands, and external religious observance must reflect internal faith and piety.
However, when they looked for Saul, they could not find him. When they sought the Lord, it was revealed that Saul was hiding by the baggage. The people hastened to bring Saul from his hiding place and when Saul stood among the people he was head and shoulders taller than any of his countrymen. Physically, Saul was definitely qualified to be the kind of king Israel wanted.
What would Israel’s first king be like? Saul was from a prominent family, and he was handsome and tall. The elders wanted a king like all the nations and Saul would be the King they so desperately wanted. God prepared Samuel for his meeting with Saul.
You would think that a list like this would result in withdrawing the request because ultimately all Israelites would be servants of the crown. Samuel even warned the people that they would cry to God for relief because of the king that they were now demanding and in that day the Lord would not respond to their prayer. In spite of the very negative portrayal of kingship, the people insisted that a king should rule over them as they did in the surrounding nations.
Three times in the darkness Samuel heard the voice of God but mistook it for the voice of Eli. The narrator excuses this mistake by saying that Samuel did not yet know God nor did he have any experience receiving a word from God. Three times he hurried to the side of the old man. Finally, Eli recognized that God was calling the boy. He instructed his protege to respond to any further calls by saying, "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears."
She approached God reverently as can be seen in her threefold reference to herself as a handmaid of the Lord. Hannah vowed that if the Lord gave her a son, she would dedicate him all the days of his life as a Nazarite. While she was praying before the Lord, Eli, the high priest observed her from a distance.
It can be difficult to believe that God is always working, especially in suffering and loss. This concluding genealogy indicates the purpose and meaning of the entire Book of Ruth. The author aims to demonstrate that David came from solid Israelite stock even though he had Moabite blood in his veins.