E-pistle for August 21, 2015
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E-pistle
FreeWay Foundation August 21, 2015
a good son and two wicked sons
(I Samuel 2:1-36)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Hannah prayed and sang a song of joyous praise on the day she
presented Samuel to Eli; she came regularly to visit her son at
Shiloh, where she worshipped God and received the high
priest's blessings; she bore her husband Elkanah three sons,
and two daughters, vv. 1-10, 19-21.
2. Eli's sons (Hophni and Phinehas, I Samuel 1:3) were corrupt priests
who did not know, fear, or obey the Lord; they took the sacrificial
meat before the people even offered it to God, and they engaged
in immoral sexual relations with the women who assisted with the
tabernacle rituals; Eli rebuked their evil deeds, but his sons ignored
him, vv. 12-17, 22-25.
3. Meanwhile, in contrast to Eli's sons, Samuel ministered faithfully
before the Lord and grew physically and spiritually, vv.11,18,21,26.
4. An unnamed prophet of the Lord told Eli that the priesthood would
be removed from his family because of the sins of his sons, both
of whom would die on one day and be replaced by a faithful priest,
vv. 27-36.
II. Meditation: on some key verses in this chapter
1. "The Lord is the God of knowledge; by Him actions are weighed,"
v. 3.
2. "He will give strength to His king, and exalt the horn (strength) of
His Anointed," v. 10.
3. "The child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord
and men," v. 26.
4. "I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according
to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure
house, and he shall walk before My Anointed forever," v. 35.
III. Revelation: on the spiritual truths seen in these verses
1. The Lord knows and judges the thoughts and deeds of every person.
2. This verse is the first time in the Old Testament where the Hebrew
Messiah ("Anointed One") is associated with the office of a king.
3. Samuel is an Old Testament "type" of Jesus Christ; note the similarity
in the descriptions of their lives as young boys:
I Samuel 2:26 & Luke 2:52.
4. Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies in
this chapter; He is God's faithful High Priest, and He is God's Anointed
King forever.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Obey the Lord, serve Him faithfully, and worship Him in spirit and truth.
2. Acknowledge Christ the King's lordship continually over my life; seek
Christ the High Priest's anointing daily upon my life.
3. Seek to grow and mature spiritually "to the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ, Ephesians 4:13.
4. Rejoice in my spiritual heritage, for the Lord has "made us kings and
priests to our God," Revelation 5:10.
perilous times
(II Timothy 3:1-17)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the signs of "perilous times"
1. Men will be involved in continuing, expanding gross sins, vv. 2-4:
(1) Lovers of self (7) Unthankful (13) Brutal
(2) Lovers of money (8) Unholy (14) Despisers of good
(3) Boasters (9) Unloving (15) Traitors
(4) Proud (10) Unforgiving (16) Headstrong
(5) Blasphemers (11) Slanderers (17) Haughty
(6) Disobedient (12) Without (18) Lovers of
to parents self-control pleasure
2. Men will have a form of godliness, but deny God's power today, v. 5.
3. Men continually will be studying, but never able to come to the knowledge of
the truth, v. 7.
4. Evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving others and even
being deceived themselves, v. 13.
II. Meditation: on following Paul's example
1. Teach clear doctrine, based on the Scripture, v. 10.
2. Copy lifestyle of faithfulness and integrity, v. 10.
3. Perceive God's specific purpose (destiny), v. 10.
4. Endure persecution (which all Christians will encounter), vv. 11-12.
III. Revelation: on Paul's challenge to Timothy
1. Continue with assurance in the things which you have learned, v. 14.
2. Have confidence in the Holy Scriptures and in those believers who taught
them to you, vv. 14-15.
3. Use the divinely inspired Scriptures to teach salvation, doctrine, reproof,
correction, and instruction in righteousness, vv. 15-16.
4. Grow into spiritual maturity, fully equipped to perform every good work
assigned to you by God, v. 17.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Avoid, through the power and grace of God, the gross sins listed above.
2. Experience the power of God in my life . . . not having merely "the form of
godliness."
3. Study (meditate on; listen to) God's word, and allow Him to bring me to
the "knowledge of the truth."
4. Have spiritual perception to enable me to reject false teachers and teachings,
and to embrace true teachers and teachings of God's word.
"You can be greater than anything that can happen to you."
--Norman Vincent Peale
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