1 Samuel Overview Part 1 - Lessons of 4 Gospelizations and 5 Miracles to Raise a King after God’s Heart

Prelude

When are we victorious? When do the mountains move? These do not happen when our whole family believes in Jesus or when our problems go away. Our praises should not come from these. They shall come every time! This happens when we understand that we should die and the Lord should live in us.

From the start of my morning until this evening, do I see that God is with me? Am I walking with him? Have I seen His perfect will always? As I walk, I find that God is not only our Father, but He is our Teacher as well. The Holy Spirit is also called “Counselor”, but a better translation to bring out the real meaning is “Teacher”. Every time, He guides us, teaches us, and gives us lessons…

1) Lessons

God wants to exalt David. Similarly, God wants to exalt us. From believers, deacons, and to preachers, this is in His heart. Therefore He gives lessons. I discover that God who loves me the most shall give the most lessons. Regardless of whether God gives us difficulties, sorrows or discipline, God gives for the purpose of coaching us. This is so that He can rightfully use us.

After every great and perfect Sunday service in the Lord, I continue to meet with people and things and hear a lot of words from the mouths and hearts of men. About 70% of these make me happy and 30% of these make me sad or be in frustration momentarily. It may be already very blessed if we are able to see 55% as things to be happy about. (Of course, we need blessed perspectives to see the good things too. Some people say that 99% of what they encounter are all disasters even when some of them are not really bad. But here, I am referring to the things that cause me to be instantly happy about, and the things that cause me to be suddenly sad or frustrated about.) Additionally, during the span of a whole week, I hear news about some brothers and sisters backsliding or succumbing to temptations, quarreled with their families, met with difficulties at work, or have financial difficulties. These are the things that will immediately trigger me to go into deep thoughts. However, I discover that all these are the lessons given by our Holy Spirit Counselor. I discover that these cannot be avoided because God loves us.

Moreover, I discover that when it happened that things or people that come to me and caused me to be in joyful spirits, about one month later, these same things or people would make me go into the most frustration. In less than a month, my emotions swing from being happy to sad. And vice versa, in less than a month, the things or people that seemed to look bad then become my greatest joy. Why is it that I cannot look over my emotions but instead be led by them often? I have confirmed hundreds of times. One day, I made a resolution. I do not want to rise and fall. I must get God's absolute answer to live.

If the lessons I receive are happiness in my life, they must not become my reliance on things or people so that I am comforted, but they must become my thanks and praise. If the lessons are that I go through are weaknesses in my life, I do not need to dwell on them but I only just need to expect, hope and love God. If I encounter discipline in my life, the first thing that I think about is how God loves me greatly, which therefore He disciplines me, and finally, I only need to submit to God.

In my purpose of life, I slowly get a direction on how to live…

2) To live centering our lives on learning: What is His perfect will, His intentions, His heart …

Why is David able to overcome everything that befalls him and not be proud when he meets with successes? This is because he desires to learn from all things at all times according to God’s perfect will, His real intentions, and what is really in God’s heart. He is really someone who is worthy to be called one who is after the heart of God. Let us be like David whose heart is exactly like that of God’s, where every thing that flows from within is correct.

Some people are unable to look over their sorrows and they continue to be in a sorry state whenever they encounter things that are not positive. This is because they do not live their lives by learning. The measure of my blessedness today is not because of my skills. It is not a matter of better leading this church or whether more people listen to me. Very frankly, this is not the case at all too. As I lead the church, problems just emerge from nowhere. People and events I never expected came to me. I find that I must add having the heart to learn in my purpose of living. Unless we live our lives based on this, we will surely be pressurized by our problems.

Some people think that there are difficulties which are too difficult for them to overcome. Therefore, they skip over what they deemed as impossible and find peace and rest in enduring hardships in other areas that they think they can advance. However, the truth is that if we just skip and hope for something else by forgoing that learning, we will never improve. Everything has a purpose for God to exalt us.

For all the things that come to me, happiness gives me assurance, my weaknesses become my reliance on God, and the discipline I receive from God becomes my renewal. God continues to find such a person today. If we do not base our lives on this, we will cry when we are sad, and laugh only when we are happy. Do we want to continue to be busy in crying and in laughing? Do we want to continue to see the people that we can and must bless go away? Do we understand why believers are so slow in being sensitive to God?

God continues to tell us not to be a very difficult person. One day, if we are simple in abiding and in learning always, we will discover that we can love and submit to God to quite a measure…

3) Love God, Submit to God

Let us get the most reliance from God. When my life can love God and submit to Him, nothing can overcome me.

It is difficult to submit to people. Even if both parties are friends, it is difficult to just obey whatever that is commanded. However, when my life just wants to submit to our husband Jesus, who is our head and our Lord, even if I cannot balance my words to some others’, I will be willing to let it go or give in to anything. Forgiving people is difficult, and thinking about people will bring up hurts when we reflect on the history of why he did the kind of things that may be unreasonable. This is because we are still living in a fallen body of depravity. However, when we see that the Saviour saves us no matter how depraved we are, it can be done easily. Many times, we proclaim, "We want to love our brothers and sisters”, but truthfully speaking, we do not because there is still bitterness in the heart. Such a person who finds that he is a hypocrite has never really gone through the lessons of the love of God. God speaks very clearly to us. If we are stubborn, there is no more hope. The only problem is that we cannot and do not love God. The reason is that we want to achieve something from our own ambition, to be in our own comfort or that we want to taste the honey of the world, if there is such a thing. Jesus said, “If you want to follow Me, carry your own cross to follow Me.” This is the crux. It is not difficult. When we love and submit to God, we will acquire the most blessings from the one who cause us the most harm.

David met with many enemies in his life. But the crux why God can exalt him up is because in his eyes, he loves and submits to no one or nothing but God.

Þ Conclude…

God uses and exalts a person only, and only (emphasis needed) when his heart is after God's heart. No matter what befalls such a person and affects his heart, his heart turns around and desires to go through lessons, learns, and wants to continue to love God. Let us become such a person today!

Let us start right so that we can acquire the most correct perspective on how to read 1Samuel.

** The plan God has in human history

1) Ultimate purpose: King (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) → People (Born again, crown) → Heavenly kingdom (Spiritual world, fields, new heavens and new earth)

God has an ultimate purpose in the whole history. It is all about His story and His things. He has only things in mind on establishment of the King, acquire His people through Him, and how His kingdom can be expanded outwards. His kingdom is the spiritual world with our background, the present place that we live in as the field, and in our glorious future, the new heavens and new earth. This King is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the whole history, He continually searches and acquires His people. We can therefore also say that the history of mankind is the story of His people. The story of the people is about being born again, being sanctified, and being perfect to serve the King. The kingdom is in your heart no matter where you go. This means there is God with the people you encounter. And finally, through the new heaven and new earth, we eternally do and acquire new things.

2) Main vein:

Adam (Woman’s seed) → Abraham (Isaac, Jacob) → Israel 12 tribes (Moses) → David → Jesus → 12 disciples → Church (Gentiles) → New heavens new earth ⇒ New things of Eternal Seed

Do not be deceived by the many things of the world. In these many events and people, there is a main vein from God. From Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, God continues to fulfill His ultimate purpose. He is the Father of Adam, Noah and Abraham. He is the Father of Kelvin, Cecelia… (our church’s brothers and sisters). He is our Father because this is the main vein pre-destined by God for His ultimate purpose. Thereafter, Moses symbolizes Israel and is saved because of this purpose. In the era of kings, David was born. Jesus Christ is the son of David. Through 12 apostles, they produced the Apostles Creed by putting their belief into one paragraph for the church and us to know. This church then moves to all the Gentiles. In fulfilling His ultimate purpose, He vows by Himself in making complete the number to be saved so as to save His spiritual Israel. The main vein is not the Jews in the physical Israel now. Thereafter, we will enter the new heavens and new earth to live new things.

** Old Testament’s Vein

Today we must get and work out through the 39 books in Old Testament to perfectly reveal and accomplish His will.

1) Books of the Law (Books of Promise) = Great Priest = Jesus Christ ⇒ Israel’s establishment

By the Law, we get the foundation and principle of our life. If our foundation and principle are wrong, everything shall be wrong. This is how we view whether we are truly in success or in failure. If we are in success now, our future will be in success. If people grow to like us more even when we have no foundation in our life, do not be too happy as we will not have a good future. Very soon, curses will come if we still do not understand.

The books of the Law give the principle, and are what establishes the nation of Israel. We must not think that it is just some group of people getting together and reproducing so that they become Israel. The meaning of the nation of Israel is they are built up to their size by this principle. To us, if we are built up in our lives and living from the time we are born into the world till the present times, even to the future, we are Israel.

(1) 4 Gospelizations

Genesis (the promise blessedly received by Abraham and descendants) = 4 Gospelizations (Individual, Family, Regional, World Gospelizations)

Israel is established by the 4 gospelizations. Do not be dusty in your ears. Do not go to other messages. This is the principle of creation and the purpose of regeneration. Abraham was called because of this purpose. This is the purpose for our earthly wedding and marriage living. From the time we believed, no matter whether it is just recently or from our elementary school days, this is the motive of God. This can also be called the 4 great promises that are accomplished until now. Alternately, these can also be referred as the 4 great visions. They are the same thing. We are to live our lives on the principle of receiving the 4 gospelizations, 4 promises and 4 directions in our lives. If we cannot receive this, we would have failed like Israel who lost all blessings. It is not that we must go in search and attain these 4 gospelizations so that they become ours. These 4 gospelizations are ours. Therefore, we must live as one with the 4 gospelizations. Only then, can we receive His perfect will. Jesus Christ tells us to learn through the 4 gospelizations that are in us -

(i) Individual gospelization: Do not live by centering my life on comfort but by centering my lives on learning.

(ii) Family gospelization: In my living days, I continue to bless and pray for my family.

(iii) Regional gospelization: Today, I bless my church to bless my region. We must be clear on what is regional gospelization. In our region, there are a lot of important people. But it is the local church that opens up these doors. The local church is like a shop in the region. When needed, people will come in and buy. The local church has God's perfect will. When we continue to expound the 4 gospelizations, days will pass and people will entrust the local area to the local church. Is it a miracle when one day a lot of people come to our church? No. The miracle is because we meet together today. When we pray now, we become the leaders tomorrow to lead this church. If the principle is incorrect, why do we pray so much in asking God to bless us in this and that? If we do so, we are no different from Gentiles.

(iv) World Gospelization: Probably until the year 2060, we should still be around on earth. Therefore, this era is mine. In our church now, let us use this vision to bless others. As days go by, we will find that we are in the egg yolk of the world. But for now, we must have this correct vision. If we have no vision, how can God bless us?

=> We must continue to repeat this perhaps ten of thousands times. If this is not preached correctly, everything will go haywire. If our principle and foundation are wrong (wrong books of the law), in the whole history of our lives, we will only hope in being successful (wrong books of history), the future things that must be accomplished will just be a daydream of ours (wrong books on prophets), and our testimonies are only that of successes and nimble in earning money (wrong books of Songs).

(2) 5 Mysteries

Exodus - Joshua (The 5 Mysteries possessed by Israel) = Exodus (Born Again), Cross Red Sea (Victory), Tabernacle (Prayer), Wilderness (Walk with), Conquest (Evangelism)

The 4 gospelizations is the door. Find it correctly. But the key is the 5 mysteries. If we have the door correct, then the key can open. If we live with the aim of being happy and comfortable, then the key has no use. This emphasis is from Exodus to Joshua.

(i) Born Again

We use the regenerated life to accomplish. Why can we be joyful and have hope today in all things? Why can we be happy in the worst problems? This is because there is nothing greater than the love of being born again. Though my wife, children and parents love me, their love is not greater than the love of being born again. Therefore, even if there come to be a time that they betray me, I will not be moved. How much value do you place in regeneration? Sometimes things happen which should make me happy e.g my child initiatively hugged me. However, I am not happy due to this action but am happy because this comes from God. To accomplish the 4 gospelizations, it is not the glib of the tongue but how much we treasure this born again life.

(ii) Cross Red Sea (Victory, Set apart, Submit): Many people are happy when they receive money, and are heart-broken when they lose money. However, many times when I lost money, I received a lot of wisdom and messages from the Lord - victory. When people receive money, they smile and laugh, but for me, I become more watchful in using it. My life continues to be set apart from people. Then this causes me to only want to submit by being quiet, and to test and approve the works of God. And this is the very method that causes each and every of my sorrows and fears to flee from my very life!

(iii) Tabernacle (Prayer): The 4 gospelizations are opened through discovering, and submitting to His perfect will. Some preachers like to preach more than pray. This is already a failure. Do not be such a small group leader. Pray and discover His perfect will.

(iv) Walk with God: The covenant is to become my fixed perspective. By walking based on this, I will see accomplishments every day as God leads me. Israel does not just come to a place and reproduce. This is sociology. Israel is established by this promise. If we set up our family by this promise, this family is Israel.

(v) Evangelism: For my whole life, I live by preaching the gospel.

* The 4 Gospelizations and 5 Miracles are to become the foundation of the life and living of Israel (Saints). (Let us use 4G for 4 Gospelizations and 5M for 5 Mysteries from now on.) At the end of the books of law, there is an emphasis of this very foundation of our life and living - the Prophecy of Blessings/Curses and Covenant <Dt 28:1-68, Jos 23:1-24:28>. If we lose this, we will lose everything. Let us be definitely sure of this.

2) History Books = Great King Jesus Christ ⇒ The successes and failures of Israel

The past is narrated so as to tell us that this foundation and principle can go through fire at the present time. The bible is consistent. We cannot read half of it and base everything on that. The history tells us about success and failure. Some people read the bible and think the bible tells them to be a good man. However, if this goodness is not according to the teachings of the bible, his goodness is going to curse him. If we start correctly, God will make good His promise. David committed adultery but because he had the correct root, he wrote the best psalms out of the best repentance.

There is an emphasis. When we get the promise (4G), we succeed. If we lose the promise (4G), we fail. When are we in success? It is when we put into our hearts the 5M. We fail when the 5M in us fail. When I am in the state that is no different from the time before I believed, I am in Egypt. Even if I rise up to be an official, I am in the fate of failure. We can definitely confirm tonight whether my heart is in success or failure so that we may know if our future is going to be success or failure.

(1) Joshua = The fulfillment God bestowed on Abraham, Moses / Promise, Evidence, Conquest, Division of Land

At the end of the book of Joshua, Joshua, the leader of Israel then concluded with Israel very important things about this 4G 5M. “We have all seen how through 4G 5M (the promise that Abraham till Moses have received, and the evidences of 5M or 5 miracles), we have conquered Canaan and divided this land. If you want to leave and serve other gods, you will be cursed. But as for me and my household, I will hold on to 4G 5M.”

(2) Judges = The reason of Israel’s repeated failures (lose promise, mystery of Emmanuel)

What is the reason that Israel fails? This is because they lost 4G 5M. Therefore, no matter how serious they attend Sunday Service or Prayer Meeting, there is no use. How do the people of Israel lose the 4G in the era of Judges? Look at the Levites. They leave their area of ministry, left Bethlehem, and left Judah. They left and do other complicated things in much zealousness rather than fulfilling their roles on leading the remembrance on 4G. They lose the promise and therefore Israel failed! How do the people of Israel lose the 5M in the era of Judges? “There was no king in those days. Therefore they just do as they see fit. They eat, drink and live just as they felt, liked and saw fit.” This means that they do not have the King with them (Emmanuel), and this is the 5M, the mystery of Emmanuel.

(3) Ruth = The grandmother of the Messiah to come (genealogy)

Ruth is a Gentile. No matter what, God must accomplish the 4G. Ruth’s story is all on how God fulfills the 4G through Ruth’s submission by the 5M.

(4) 1, 2 Samuel = King David’s whole life

1 Samuel and 2 Samuel are not talking about the character of Samuel but of David. Samuel is endorsed and approved by God because of David. Samuel’s role is to anoint and teach David. 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel are all talking about the story of king David. In those days, Israel asked for king. Though the Lord did not agree to it at first, He asked Samuel to temporarily set up the king Saul. King Saul was whom God abandoned. God used the failure of Saul to talk about why He had chosen David.

** Outline of this book **

There are 3 outlines in the book of 1 Samuel, and we will take this chance to explore it. (We will explore in more details in the following sessions on “1 Samuel Overview”.

1. The last judge “Samuel” <1:1-7-7:17>: The birth and background of the growth of Samuel, and the restoration of the Mizpah word movement.

2. King Saul who failed <8:1-15:35>: Saul rose and fell quickly. 1Samuel narrates why Saul fails. The reason Saul fell is because of David. God wants to find one who is after His Own heart.

3. The rise of David and the decline of Saul <16:1-31:13>: The higher David rose , the greater was Saul’s fall.

After the above 3 contents, the book of 1Samuel ended.

There are 4 people who came to appear in 1Samuel.

Eli versus Samuel

Saul versus David

Samuel: When Samuel found Saul, he was a head higher than all men. Saul was very handsome too. When the people saw Saul, they saw a king. However, Saul was stubborn in his ways and thus God abandoned him. In the search of a king, God continually told Samuel not to look at things other than the heart, but to find a king after His Own heart. Among the sons of Jesse, Eliab and others were handsome and sturdy. Only David looked like a piece of wood then.

Saul vs David: When we look at the book of 1Samuel, we will find that David’s heart was so gentle and David loved so much to pray. In weaknesses, he prayed, in joy he prayed, and in discipline he also prayed. To me, I think David knows more about the gospel than Moses. He can even go and eat the bread of Presence in the temple. David’s life is one that only wants to submit to God. He is totally different from all rulers, be they our Prime Minister, President of America, or anyone in the world or history. There were chances where David can kill Saul. His official wanted to kill Saul for David, but David immediately said, “No. Saul is anointed by God.” In 2 chances given, even when he is in danger, he rejected the idea of killing off his enemy. From these 2 chances, he acquired the best followers. For the sake of God, he would not lift his finger on Saul. He has the heart of a servant and lets people see this noble thing. What I want to get are not co-workers, but people with the heart of a servant. If we are servants of each other, we can definitely walk our whole life together. Through many hardships, David then rose to become the rightful king.

The story of 1Samuel must connect to our difficulties and our lives. Who is the one God wants to entrust and exalt? Why does God want us to suffer? If there are no lessons, how can He exalt us up to be like David? When I am discouraged, I open up the bible to see David’s Psalm and life story and I immediately know what to do with my life.

Eli was God's high priest. However, he simply heard nothing. He totally lost 4G 5M.

But only Samuel and David grasp this.

Therefore when does Israel fall and when does she rise? Why can Ruth be exalted? This is because of 4G 5M.

Let us look at our family and our career now. When do they succeed? What is the standard of their success? This is by 4G 5M. No matter how difficult your job is or whether you are promoted in your company, we base on 4G 5M. If we do not know this correctly, we will read the entire bible wrongly. Some people see joy, but I see that they will very quickly get discipline.

One day, a person said, “I am going to be blessed by God." “Why do you say so?” asked the pastor. "This is because I continue to get promoted, and the people around me like me more and more." However, what the pastor saw was that because he was more valued in the company, he became less and less concerned on the things of God as a result. How can he then say that he is entrusted more by God when he looks to the 4G 5M with less importance? Therefore, in the pastor’s eyes, he knew this was not a blessing. The company that valued him told him to go further into wrong and worldly things. Therefore he became lukewarm towards God. The career is actually a curse to him!

Some people want to follow God even though they may lose half the value of their job. Sometimes we need to follow God and take care of our members in our small group. In doing so, we may lose some time in the society and company. In the eyes of the boss, he may have never considered us for promotion because we never work from 9am to 9pm (including overtime). We must then be joyful! This is because we lost a small thing to acquire the greatest! We must be joyful! Why can't many believers put this into their hearts? Sometimes I offer to God as a result of my heart of thanks. However, when I see the deficit in my bank account, I asked, “Lord, why do You not bless my bank account?” God asked me back, “Do you really offer? Do you offer to get the unlimited or do you just want to get a bigger number in your bank?” God continually asks believers regarding this. I serve God with my life, but look at the blessedness of my family. If you live by 4G 5M, how blessed you are! We must explain correctly. Many times we are like this, “Where is God's perfect will?” God responds by asking us another, “4G 5M.” This is the grave but vital content of our Belief! The “deadly” crux is on “Do you really believe?”

If you have fully grasp the whole thing on this, you do not need to work anymore. God will use you. There are many good messages in the churches on how to love family spouse. I never see people using this framework to talk, and they continue to talk about how to work, how to get numbers, how to get leaders. I hear and I cannot feel anything on this. I cannot feel that all these are after the heart of God.

1Samuel expounds the establishment of king David.

2Samuel expounds king David’s rise and fall. David’s fall is not about him succumbing to adultery, but that he has lost the eyes of Jehovah - the eyes of 4G 5M. In his heart, he thought, "I am the king, therefore I acquire other people's wife." Prophet Nathan rebuked him. David quickly repented and he wrote the Psalms. In Ps 6:6, “I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” God removed his child born of Bathsheba. Through repentance, he is blessed. He turns to God so fast, and is so sensitive to God. David fasted to God, “Do not kill my son” for 7 days. However, when God made good His word to remove his newborn son, David rose up and began eating with joy. His followers saw him and thought that he had gone crazy. But David answered, “When my child has not yet died, perhaps God will be merciful. But since it is God's perfect will, I will just submit.” Look at every word of king David and you will see that why it is said that he is after God's heart.

(5) 1, 2 Kings = Kings after King David

All the kings failed except for king Hezekiah. This is again because of 4G 5M. When Israel failed, Assyria attacked. When Israel succeeded, the Queen of Sheba came to king Solomon, and envoys from Babylon came and brought gifts to king Hezekiah.

(6) 1, 2 Chronicles = Review afresh of past history after repatriating to Jerusalem

These 2 books are different from the 2 books of Kings. This is the story reminded after Israel came back from exile. Again, the reasons for why Israel failed and why they succeeded are revealed.

(7) Nehemiah, Ezra, Esther = Israel returning to Israel, process of restoration movement of Belief

When Israel was repatriated from Persia, the restoration of belief began in Jerusalem. They offered the sacrifice of blood, and submitted to God. Today, we just need to confirm, “Is Christ our Lord? Is He our Lord in our hearts?” When I prepare this message, I discover that Ezra and Nehemiah repented for Israel because the people that God looked highest upon were rejected. We must confirm this.

3) Major and minor Prophets = Great Prophet Jesus Christ ⇒ Israel’s future = Messiah’s coming and accomplishment, Israel’s future and conclusion (prophecy before becoming captives and prophecy after repatriation) exile

As a result of I submitting to God today, I have hope. If I do not submit, disaster will befall me.

Some people worry about their future, wife, and children. This is because they do not have 4G 5M. It is simple. They just need to submit by having all their life converted to the purpose and method of 4G 5M. It is not that he has no problems, but he has no vision of this and thus fear and no assurance befalls. Israel will surely be blessed, but there are 2 channels of receiving these blessings. These 2 channels are either through discipline or through rewards. If we receive rewards, when we come in or go out, we will receive blessings. We must not lose 4G 5M! I just need to be successful today.

4) Books of Songs = In Praise of Great Priest, Great King, Great Prophet ⇒ Israel’s Testimony

Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Songs = In Praise of Messiah and Israel’s Testimony and wisdom (salvation, victory, inheritance)

The books of Songs contain Israel’s testimony, praise, wisdom and perfect will to tell us how to live and be successful.

If only my foundation and principle of life are correct (books of law), my living is associated with the crux of 4G 5M (books of history), and then bearing a hope of vision (books of prophets), I will then joyfully, naturally rejoice.

** Important Message of “1 Samuel”

1) Samuel’s restoration movement of belief

<3:1> In those days, the word of Jehovah was rare → <7:5-17> Mizpah’s repentance gathering, restoration movement of Emmanuel

Eli was a pastor whose eyes did not have God. There was only greed and adultery in his eyes. Many leaders in the churches of this age are like this. Was it only that Eli did not know how to teach his children so that they were evil priests? How was he different from Samuel? Samuel could hear the practical words of 4G 5M. Eli did not have this. When he was a pastor, he did not know God's perfect will. Many pastors can narrate God’s word. However, they are not able to explain how to see God's will in the family and living. To them, living is another thing. In those days, God’s people are so weak. However, Eli’s heart was only on his own things and had no compassion for them. Hannah had no child and wanted to totally put her eyes on God. Eli saw her and only scolded her. He could not discern what the people of God really needed! Many pastors just like to scold and do not consider the spiritual state of believers. However, to Samuel, God said, "Come, I want to talk to you!"

Mizpah’s repentance gathering

In <1Samuel 7:5-17>, God used Samuel to organize a repentance meeting to 4G 5M. It was a restoration movement of Emmanuel. Emmanuel means that we can hear God’s word and receive His perfect will. This movement aimed on impressing Emmanuel onto our hearts. When we do so, we can get His perfect will today. Emmanuel is not about going to church and offering sacrifice superficially. If I lose Emmanuel, the church I lead will become immediately become one having the appearance of the Israel that has failed.

In every era, God wants to restore this Emmanuel movement. However, I tell you, God wants us to restore this Emmanuel movement everyday. In the morning when we wake up, at evening time when we return home from work, a new day after today, when hearing the telephone, etc, we must restore, “What is God's perfect will?”

God continues to restore Emmanuel in the whole church history. Right from Noah’s days, when the people were in great evil, God told him to build an ark for all the days of his life. During the days of the Tower of Babel, where people walked in much humanism ways, Abraham was exalted and called to leave his father's household and the culture, “Go to the place I direct and I will tell you how to walk.” After the exile of Israel, God again told them how to restore by rebuilding Jerusalem. After the book of Malachi, God remained quiet for 400 years. Is God a God of no words and of quietness? When I know the gospel, I find that God is everywhere. When I see a flower, rainbow, or the sun, God is in it. When I see people or events, I can explain God's perfect will. Most people rely on judges and on kings but not on God. Therefore God is tired. “I do not want to give you any more prophets.” God just told Israel to move on but there were no more answers. After 400 years, John the Baptist came. “Repent and wash yourselves, you brood of vipers! The Kingdom of God is near (God is with you), repent!” Sometimes we try to wash ourselves but we are still unclean. Have we washed dried salted fish before? No matter how we wash, it never changes. How can we wash our nature? There is only one way. This is by rebuilding. This means to die and resurrect. This is the message of Jesus Christ. The gospel talks about this. John the Baptist says that we must die. Jesus Christ says, “I give you a new life and new living, and I tell you to be a new creation.” No matter whether we encounter good or bad things, God never leaves us. Let us use our eyes to see this. After this, the apostles teach to restore Emmanuel. Roman Catholic were originally correct. They were the universal and catholic church. However, they fell and worshipped Mary, apostles, etc. They sold the tickets of redemption. Martin Luther restored this. Lutheran is the first reformation church. However, when they fell, the Anglican Church arose. Thereafter, the Presbyterian rose. After this, the Methodist rose. When Methodist became weak again, the Baptist denomination, Brethren denomination rose. After them, a lot of independent (not charismatic) churches rose. God continues in search to restore a denomination. Though this age has a lot of ministries, denominations, and wealthy people as believers, the message that the churches preach, including us, is definitely not enough of the 4G 5M. The state of the church of this age is that the believers complain in the midst of mission trips and evangelism. The believers go to church seemingly clean and fervent, but return home to be another person. We must restore the word of God and search for people like David who are after God’s very heart in this very age.

The churches of this age speak motivational talk, how to succeed and worldly methodology. Just turn on the radio and hear the message. Many of the voices I hear are not the word of God but they are of the ways similar to psychology, sociology and their methods in counseling people.

2) End of era of Judges, coming era of kings <8:1-22>

Abraham is the era of the head of the family. Moses’ era was that of a small group leader. Samuel is in the era of judges. David is in the era of kings. Though God did not agree to a king in the first place, He finally agreed due to the many needs for administration and roles. Therefore, the biggest difference of this era is that God began to separate the roles of kings, prophets and priests so that there was no more overlapping. Actually all these 3 roles symbolize Jesus Christ, the Messiah. No matter how, the king could not offer sacrifices but must go through the priest. No matter how, the king could not hear God but he must hear through the prophets.

Israel is then divided into northern Israel and Judah. Assyria attacked North Israel and cause intermixing of marriage. Thus northern Israel became Samaria. Only Judah continued and it gave rise to the birth to Jesus Christ.

3) The king “David” after God’s Own heart (Understand the gospel most, enjoy the gospel most)

- David’s being anointing symbolizes “Messiah, Christ (meaning of being anointed)” Jesus <2:10, 16:6-13, 2Sa 2:4,7…>

- One designation of Messiah = Son of David, the coming King

- David calls His Descendant as “my Lord” <Ps 16:8-11, Ac 2:25-31>

David was thick-faced to come before God despite his weaknesses. Prophet Nathan rebuked him and he immediately repented. God continually searches for this type of people who says, “If I cannot believe, I cannot go on!” Such people submit to God. We must not be stubborn. When David met with a man named Nabal who scolded him unreasonably, he wanted to kill him. However, when Abigail, Nabal’s wife, came and entreated for him. David replied, “Yes, I am such a person that is really no good. Thank God for keeping me from bloodshed and avenging myself with my own hands. Therefore I let him off.” Are we stubborn-hearted so that we refuse to forgive people? David has integrity. In the month of September 2006, I meditated much on David’s life for the message on the parts of belief in spiritual, reason, emotional and character.

Passage Reading: Ps 23

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” - I have no lack at all. “He makes me lie down in his green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters.” - Some people are not in rest in their lives. Do we have rest? “He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.” Is God selfish to tell me to walk His ways for His name’s sake? If we understand the gospel, the meaning of this is deep. God is a wonderful God, who makes me able to walk just by relying on the authority of His Name in the righteous path because He guides me! “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,”” - Why? “for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, They comfort me” - The rod/staff is for beating the sheep, for disciplining us. Hebrews 13 says, “Endure hardship as discipline. God is treating you as sons.” We can all see how David has the heart of God, “Lord, Your rod and Your staff are not difficult, for they comfort me and protect me against committing sin in disciplining me.” “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” - I may receive a lot of persecutions even from the ones I love, but they shall all turn to be the greatest anointing for me when I just live to evangelise. “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” even as a watchman than to be a king. When we read his psalms, we know why God tells him to be a king! David is really one who is after God's heart. Psalms 23 has the very complete content of the gospel. One day, we shall explore on this!

4) Comparison between high priest Eli and Samuel, Saul and David = Crux of being blessed or cursed

There are 2 roads, the road of blessings or the road of curses. Since we know this, therefore, we just need to live in expectation and hope. Today, either our hearts and minds are in fear, or our hearts are in the state of being blessed and beloved. Therefore we just check ourselves, “Is my heart in hearing or in hesitation? After we have checked this, then we question, “Why are our hearts in fear and hesitation?” The answer is 4G 5M.

5) The life situation of the leader shall decide the episode of the whole of Israel

Our church has just started less than 4 years ago. I have pastored for just 3 years. Can I make a bet with you? Let us see what will happen after 20 years of pastoring! Today, let us listen well! How are our families today? The crux is to look at the father, the head of the family. For the days before Samuel, the failure is due to Eli, the high priest. The life situation of the pastor shall decide how our church will progress. Therefore, we must pray for the pastor and the preacher.

6) The king of Israel is God Himself

This is the central verse of 1 Samuel: 1Sa 12:12 (ii) “Jehovah your God is your king.”

Since Jehovah God is your king, do not look at the leaders. You must experience yourself. Do not complain against the church, pastor or family. We follow God as our King, not the leaders God placed over us. Let us not be happy only when good things come, and be sad when bad things come. If we do so, we have never seen God. If you do not have the King, your eyes are your kings. After Samuel, kings and prophets rose up to tell us that we are to treat God as our King and Prophet. Therefore, we must acquire this blessing and not to look down on ourselves today. If God is our king, we represent the king’s identity, direction, method and accomplishments. Blessings can come to us. Just see, submit and follow by what God has given to us. 1 Samuel starts with Hannah’s prayer. Hannah is a pitiful woman, but because of her prayer, David was born.

Conclusion

We must acquire practical fruits and know how our lives have changed. Our theme today is that the crux which made king David succeed is 4G 5M. With this, he wrote Psalms and saw the guidance of God, etc. David understood 4G 5M to get God's original reason and His heart. If we can see God Today, we can succeed tomorrow. Lord, give us the successful intentions of the heart! Let us understand what many cannot understand. You are our King. Amen!

Taken from Discipleship Training on 17^th Nov 2006.