7 v.2 - Kirjath Jearim was the resting place for the ark for the remainder of the time of Samuel and all of the reign of Saul and the first seven years of the reign of David for this is the place from whence David brought the ark and set it in the house that he had built for it. [2Samuel 6:2] Therefore the 20 years mentioned cannot be the whole of that period because we know that Saul reigned for 40 years. [Acts 13:21] And David reigned seven and a half years in Hebron before he took Jebus. [2 Samuel 5:5 1 Kings 2:11]
7 v.12 - Samuel, by calling the people to Mizpeh and bringing about a spiritual revival, and the subsequent actions of Yahweh and the raising of the stone which he called Ebenezer marks to Israel that their behaviour in taking the ark to battle [1Samuel 4:4] and it being taken from Ebenezer by the Philistines [1 Samuel 5:1] is now reversed. Hence anyone who saw that stone from this time forward would be able to contrast the behaviour in the days of Eli and the death of Eli and his sons with the deliverance that had just taken place because of the faithfulness of Samuel. Notice that it was just as Samuel was offering the sacrifice [1Samuel 7:10] that the Philistines came against Israel. At a time when they were 'distracted' by serving their God He intervened on their behalf, by contrast to the situation when the ark was taken into the camp.

8 v.1 - Maybe there is an indication of what the Lord thought of Samuel's sons in the fact that there seem to be only two mentions of them in the whole of Scripture. [1Samuel 8:1 1Chronicles 6:28]
8 v.11 - Moses had already shown Israel that Yahweh knew that they would desire a king. [Deuteronomy 17:14 - 20] legislates for the selection of a king and how he should behave. Saul and many others who followed him clearly did not take heed to the admonition of Moses, nor the warning of Samuel.

7:3 The call to 'put away the strange gods fro among you' echoes the call of Jacob to his family (Genesis 35:2). On this occasion Jacob's two sons Simeon and Levi had executed cruel retribution on the men of Shechem.

8:1 That Samuel made his two sons 'judges' and the fact that 'Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life (7:15) and the call of the people, recorded (Acts 13:20) 'judges unto the tie of Samuel the prophet' will help us to realise that we are in, during the life of Samuel, transition period between the time of the Judges and the time of the kings.

7:6-12 Oh that Israel could remember that God would always deliver His people if they were faithful. They were serving Him and going to Mizpeh was a risk. They must have left their flocks and their fields unguarded. God had told them that when they went to worship him their enemies would not take their lands.

8:4 The words of the elders might have appeared to be well intentioned. It might have been thought that they just wanted to make sure that after Samuel's death there would be men as faithful as he had been ruling over them. However it was a pretext to enable them to ask for a king., They were more concerned with being like the nations round about than in ensuring that God'' laws were kept.

8:11 The warning that Samuel gives about the kings appointing their sons to run before his chariot was copied exactly by both Absalom (1 Samuel 15:1) and Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5) - so we might conclude what kind of kings they would have been if they had been successful in their uprisings.

7:15 Whilst Samuel judged 'all Israel' his circuit covered a very small area in the centre of Israel near to Jerusalem.

8:14 The warning that the king would 'take you fields and your vineyards' was exactly what Ahab did (1Kin 21:2)

7:6  Pouring out water before Yahweh symbolized the Israelites utter powerlessness in the face of their enemy.  Only awareness of this condition, contrition of heart, and a faithful appeal to Yahweh could bring deliverance.   David expresses the same idea in speaking of our Lord on the cross (Psa 22:14).

8:3 We saw how Eli's sons abused their office, and now we see Samuel's sons doing the same thing.  Samuel is accounted as one of the faithful (Heb 11:32).  However, even with a faithful servant of Yahweh, there is no guarantee that his children will turn out well.  Perhaps this can be of some consolation to those in the ecclesia whose children have decided not to follow the path of Christ.

How sad it must have been for Samuel to see that both his sons would not accept God, as he had done
(1Sam 8:1-5). He had made them judges, but they were dishonest We cannot control or manipulate our grown up children, but we must wonder if we have done wrong, and failed them in their formulative years, when we see what Samuel saw.  Let's thank the Lord, and pray for our young people.

7:9-10               We should try to visualise the scene. Israel are gathered together in or near the city of Mizpeh. The Philistines are visible in the distance, approaching the city. Israel had only recently lost a battle with the Philistines. Samuel is carefully organising the sacrifice and the people watch, with one eye on Samuel and the other on the Philistines who are still approaching.  The tension mounts as the Philistines approach and yet Israel have to remain still, watching Samuel  with their minds focussed on the sacrifice.

1Sam 7:5,6,9 - we have Israel repenting - perhaps this reminds us of the neglected Day of Atonement (Lev 16:24,28,29,30). Some of this is gleaned from Samuel, Saul & David by Harry A. Whittaker, p.30.

8:3-7 - in v6 what upsets Samuel the most is not his sons reported bad behavior but that the elders of Israel want a king, to be like the other nations, versus looking to God.

8:2 Beersheba was a long way from Shiloh. We might think ‘out of sight out of mind’. His sons were evil and consequently should not even have been in the position of Judges, let alone miles away form the influence of their father.

7:8      ‘cease not to cry unto the Lord’ is rather like the later ‘pray without ceasing’ 11Thess 5:17

7:1  Abinadab lived in Gibeah (2Sam 6:3,4).  However, this can be misleading.  Gibeah means hill.  It is more likely that Abniadab lived on a hill in or near Kirjath-jearim.  It is puzzling why the ark was not taken directly to Shiloh.

7:2 Saul reigned for forty years.  And so, it seems that the ark only rested with Abinadab for half of Saul’s reign before being brought out.  But, it was David who brought out the ark later (2Sam 6:2-4).  And so, the twenty years is a puzzling phrase.

7:5-7,16  Mizpeh (KJV), more correctly Mizpah (ESV), was one of the three towns on Samuel’s circuit, the other two being Bethel and Gilgal.  As a circuit judge, Samuel would visit these towns in turn, as Yahweh’s representative, and dispense justice.

This town of Mizpah was in the tribal allotment of Benjamin (there were towns of the same name elsewhere).  Mizpah became a gathering point for the nation when there was an issue of national importance to be resolved.  Mizpah means watchtower.

7:12 Shen means crag.  This was probably not a town, but a well-known rock near Mizpah.  In Modern Hebrew, shen means tooth.

8:2,3 Samuel’s sons were crooked judges. If they had been like Samuel, then the people would not have wanted a king (8:4,5). 

8:7 Judges were acceptable to Yahweh, as they represented Him in judgement.  However, Yahweh was the only king over Israel.

8:19,22 After refusing Samuel’s counsel, Yahweh instructed Samuel to make Israel a king (Prov 26:5). 

V.14  We are well reminded of the horrible death that the Lord Jesus willingly suffered for us. Bleeding and disfigured through scourging and beating, he was nailed to a stake.  He endured suffering without murmuring and with forgiveness on his lips.  We owe a debt which we cannot pay.  Let us resolve to be more faithful that we may be with Him in His glory (2Pet 3:18).

52:1  And so again we hear Israel called upon to ‘awake’ – but now to glory – there is to come a time when they will have turned away from their idolatry.

V.13-15 - these three verses actually belong with the next chapter which prophesies the sacrifice of Christ, the purpose of his death, his resurrection, essentially the gospel (good news) but in the Old Testament; v13  prudently [Heb. "sakal" (7919) means "to cause to act wisely, to be circumspect, intelligent, instruct, have good success, prosper, teach, (have, make to) understand (-ing), wisdom, (deal) prudent (-ly), consider, expert, (give) skill (-ful), (be, behave self, consider, make) wise (-ly), guide wittingly"]; v13 these words collectively perhaps suggest Christ being elevated in the sense of honor and an accepted lifted up sacrifice also we have the mention of burn (as in a burnt offering) in the definition for "extolled"... exalted [Heb. "ruwm" (7311) means "to rise or raise up (in various applications), exalt, offer (up)", etc.], extolled [Heb. "nasa" (5375) means "to be lifted up, to lift (in a great variety of applications), exalt, extol, to bear, burn, forgive, high, hold up, pardon, raise (up), yield, spare, receive, accept", etc.], very [Heb. "meod" (3966) means "very, wholly, speedily, vehemence, vehemently, might (-ily,-y), well, utterly", etc.], high [Heb. "gabahh" (1361) means "to soar, be lofty, to be haughty, exalt, be haughty, be (make) high (-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward"]; v15 sprinkle [Heb. "nazah" (5137) means "to spirt, besprinkle (especially in expiation), sprinkle"] is the same Hebrew word that is used to "sprinkle" the mercy seat (i.e. Christ covering our sins) and altar in association with the day of atonement Lev 16:14,15,19 and thus we have Christ "sprinkling" many nations both Jew and Gentile and a later understanding Rom 15:18-22.

God uses the men and women, places and events of history to paint us a lucid picture of future events. In this chapter we have the joy of Jerusalem at its deliverance from the armies of Assyria which threatened to utterly destroy it. The people had been hauled up in that city for months, frightened, starving, and awaiting their doom. Then God had delivered them suddenly by the faith of their king.

God teaches us on many levels by the scenes of this play. Salvation by faith in Christ, our king, for our immediate lives. Salvation of Jerusalem in the future when these events will repeat themselves, and Jerusalem will again be encompassed by armies (Eze 38:23, Zech 12:2-10). How the gentile nations will come to trust in God because of His mighty acts of war (v10) just as they came to revere God and Hezekiah after these events (37:20, 2Chron 32:22-23). Most of all they set the scene for the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah (v7, 13-15) who would suffer as Hezekiah had, but would overcome the power of the grave by faith in God.

52:5 The use of this verse by Paul (Rom 2:24) confirms that it is Israel who caused God’s name to be blasphemed. We probably would have said that was so from a reading of Isa 52 but Paul’s use in Romans confirms this.

52:1 The ‘holy city’ – used in Rev 21:21 enable us to see that this area of Isaiah is speaking of the tie of the kingdom.

52:10 The "arm" which the Lord made bare is the one who is manifest as the "arm of the Lord" Isa 53:1

Vs.1-6 The dismal state of Jerusalem in bondage has been outlined (51:17-20).  Now, Jerusalem is urged to shake off the dust and get ready for a magnificent renewal (which will eventually come when Jesus returns to earth).

V.7 See Nah 1:15. Jesus was the Son of promise who would bring salvation to the world (Luke 2:10,11,14). The good news that Jesus brought was the gospel of the kingdom (Matt 24:14). True and lasting peace will only happen when Jesus returns to earth to reign His kingdom (Luke 1:31-33). When the Lord Jesus’ feet stand on the Mount of Olives, great changes will be made and peace will ensue (Zech 14:4).

A large number of Israel and Judah had been taken captive into Assyria (2Kin 15:29, 18:10-12). Most of the cities of Israel and Judah had been captured (2Kin 17:5, 18:13). Only Jerusalem remained as a beacon of hope and despair. The captives in Assyria would hear of their capital. Their captors would deride them, claiming their last hope was about to be swallowed up in Assyrian might; blaspheming the power of their God (v5). The Taylor Prism which has been found in Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, says of this time "(Hezekiah) himself like a caged bird I shut up within Jerusalem".

In this context enters the messenger in v7. He brings good tidings of salvation. Jerusalem has been saved from the invader, and Hezekiah is re-establishing his rule from Jerusalem over the desolate cities (v7-9). The call to return to their land comes in v11-12, an Exodus likened to that of Egypt in v4. Hezekiah's fame spread throughout the lands of Assyrian domination (v10,13) and wherever that news went, the dispersed Isrealites heard the call to come home (11:9-12, 62:10-12):

"They (Assyria) shall not hurt or destroy in all My Holy mountain (Jerusalem), For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse (Hezekiah), who shall stand as a banner to the people... and will assemble the outcasts of Israel... from the four corners of the earth"

52:3 being redeemed ‘without money’ will be developed – Isa 55:11– to show the redemption requires that those wishing to benefit have to take food into themselves. That food is the word of God.

Those who are not defiled are like the living creatures of Ezekiel 1 in the way that they follow the lamb. So those who are not defiled will eventually be a manifestation of the glory of God in the earth.

14:1 The "lamb" on mount Zion is the same lamb that had been slain and the 144,000 with the father's name in their forehead are like those (Eze 9:4) who sighed and cried for the abominations done in Jerusalem.

Vs.14-20 There will be a great slaughter of those who oppose Christ when He comes.  Among the casualties will be the apostate system of worship presently centered in Rome (v.8).

14:1  Clearly the 144,000 are representative of the redeemed from each of the 12 tribes of Israel and answer to those spoken of in Rev 7. We are not to presume that, therefore, they are natural Israel. They are spiritual Israel whoa re taken out of all nations.

14:2 Having harps echoes Rev 5:8 where the redeemed are seen praising God.

V.8 can be connected to Isa 51:11,12 and Rev 18:4 (see my note on Is. 51, for June 26).

14:10   The recompense of Zion will take place when |Babylon’s smoke arises – See Isa 34:8-10

14:1 The ‘lamb’ who stood on ‘Mount Sion’ is Jesus whose feet with stand on the mount of Olives – Acts 1:11

V.1 The 144,000 is a representative number of the total number of immortalized saints.  It is a multiple of twelve which is considered a complete number.  The description of the New Jerusalem is also based on this fact (Rev 21:10-16).

Vs.2,3 The redeemed multitude will sing a new song (Psa 33:1-5 etc.). Only it will understand this song because the nature of the redeemed will have been changed from mortal to immortal.

Vs.4,5 The term not defiled with women means not being associated or influenced by the false system of worship, which is characterized as a woman of loose morals (Rev 17:3-5).  They are virgins applies to those who stayed faithful to Jesus and, thus, remained undefiled by the false system of worship.  They were without guile, like Jesus Himself (John 1:47).

Vs.6,7 In the kingdom, the immortalized saints will be responsible for teaching the mortal nations the ways of Yahweh.  These redeemed are depicted in this verse by the angel (messenger).

V.8 Babylon, the origin of the Mystery Religion, signifies Rome, the seat of Catholicism, which adopted Babylon’s Mystery Religion.  Rome’s intoxicating force converted nations to commit spiritual fornication (Rev 18:3).  Yahweh’s wrath will destroy Rome (Rev 18:21,22). 

V.9 After Rome is destroyed, Catholiscism will survive (for a time).  The third angel will make an appeal to Catholics to leave that church and turn to Yahweh.

V.10 Mixed wine is wine to which something has been added to numb pain.  Jesus, on the cross, was offered wine mixed with myrrh to counter pain (Mark 15:23).  Here, the mixed wine represents the soothing (divine) solution to the intoxicating wine of Rome.  Catholics can come out and be saved. If they do not, then they will be subject to fire and brimstone (destruction aimed, particularly, at Europe which will have come under Catholic influence).  Jesus and His redeemed will administer relentless punishment (v.11).

Vs.12-20 These verses speak of Jesus and His redeemed brethren administering punishing justice on those who refuse to submit to the offer to leave the apostasy for true worship. 

Consider 1600 furlongs (stadia) in v.20. This comprises a square of 40 X 40.  The numeral 40 is indicative of trial. Squaring a number is punctuating its importance, like underlining a word. And so, the destruction of the ungodly will undergo a definite period of trial leading either to their submission or to their death.

14:14 The one ‘like the son of man’ catches the sentiments of Dan 7:13where clearly we have a picture of Jesus’ return and the judgement of the nations.