Chapter 21 - Samuel and Saul

The tribes become a nation. This is pretty global - not just a story of Israel.

A political union rooted in the covenant with YHWH - the beginning of a just and loving God (in my opinion not yet totally there in the Old Testament)

* * How can the fundamental character of an original religious experience be preserved when the conditions which gave birth to that experience are significantly altered? * *

Could the gospel, with its roots in the faith of the Hebrew scriptures, be expressed in the terms of gentile culture without losing its fundamental meaning?

How does a faith in opposition to the state religion become the state religion without losing its essential identity?

* * How can any religious community develop the institutional organization it needs to preserve its identity throughout the passage of time, and still remain open to God's direct inspiration and guidance? * *

Samuel... Saul... Philistines... Jonathan...

Early source: Saul favorable "Saul Source"
Late source: Saul unfavorable "Samuel source"

Saul's imposing an oath of fasting on his troops... what was he thinking? A curse on anyone who breaks the fast?

So what does Jonathan do? No! Jonathan! Don't eat that... oops... too late.

Jonathan, "What was dad thinking? What a stupid thing to order. If the troops don't eat then they can't fight - duh."

Good comparison of Jonathan and Saul.

...may be seen as an example of the thoroughness of later writers in their attempts to discredit Saul. Nice. Wonderful. Holy books, eh?

To obey is better than to sacrifice. To obey is better than religious activities.

Chapter 20 - No King in Israel

(concludes Judges and begins I Samuel)

"It seems to be a recurring feature of religious life that practices which at the outset are characteristic of the entire religious group tend eventually to devolve on a particular "professional" order with in the group."

"It is probably a mistake to label the moments of diffused spontaneity as "good" and those of ordered regularity as "bad." They represent a tension that is inevitable, and each has its merits and its dangers."

Samuel straddles both the period of the judges and the beginning of the monarchy.

Luke's Jesus and Samuel: parallels.

The whole "turning from YHWH to the Baals" is interesting. Don't you think we all tend to do that - consciously or unconsciously?

"...and certainly then as now a religious gathering could easily ignite a political revolution."

"The suffering of the innocent and the success of the unrighteous became problems with which the Israelite theology would wrestle."

constituting a purposeful dialogue of call and response ... without negating the freedom and responsibility of humankind. Not a puppet theater.

God and people respond with 'yea' or 'nay' - hmmm...

Chapter 19 - The Judges

A tribal confederacy...

Israel's faithlessness to the covenant with YHWH produces evil times and disaster.

D was more a theologian using historical events to illustrate a theology than a historian deriving theological insights from the study of history.

Sin > punishment > repentance > deliverance > sin > punishment > repentance > deliverance > ...

I can't help but think about modern Israel and their military and ruthless treatment of the Palestinians as I read the stories of fighting and conquer in this chapter. Does the modern Israelite see himself or herself and waging a war against the Canaanites in the name of YHWH? How wonderful... NOT!

Favorite theme: YHWH chooses one of the weakest in Israel to confound the mighty oppressor.

YHWH orders Gideon to tear down the Baalite altar and to offer sacrifice to YHWH... wonder if the modern Israelite would like to tear down Allah altars.

(Can you tell that I am in an anti-Israeli mode right now? It happens...)

"Gideon is also set on blood revenge" <- wonderful! Can we skip to the New Testament now please?

Kingship is a betrayal of YHWH, eh? How much that will change in the years to come.

"As often happens in early Israel's popular narration of history, the one who speaks wisely, when YHWH's rule is at stake, is a woman." <- I like this.

Can't you image the Hebrews sitting around the fire telling these stories over and over again. Instead of radio or TV they probably told these stories, eh?

Wish we could hear the stories as they were before the Deuteronomist's editing. "One should probably omit..."

Still enjoy the story of Samson - image it told around a good fire some night.