1 Samuel 6-8; Acts 7

Understanding that the Ark of the Covenant, which they had captured from the Israelites, was bringing them calamities, the Philistines sought a way to rid themselves of it. In discussing this plan, they recalled the danger of "hardening their hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did" (1 Samuel 6:6). It had been about 400 years since then. Still, the knowledge of what God did in Egypt lived in Israel and the surrounding nations.

By striking the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh for their careless treatment of the ark (they looked into it), God once again emphasizes the seriousness and responsibility in serving Him (1 Samuel 6:19). By the way, in some ancient manuscripts, it is written that 70 men were struck, while in others, 50,070. 70 may be the more accurate figure.

Samuel's ministry is characterized by prayer (1 Samuel 7:8) and God's action (1 Samuel 7:10). The Lord initially struck the Philistines and subdued them. In such a state, they were all the days of Samuel's life and ministry (1 Samuel 7:13- 15).

Despite Samuel's godliness, his sons grew up not as upright (1 Samuel 8:1-3), though they were not as corrupt as the sons of his predecessor Eli. This is another example of how, despite good spiritual development in one area, people may fail in another.

Asking for a king "like all the nations," Israelites reject dependence on God ((1 Samuel 8:7). Even after Samuel explained to them that it would cost them greatly (1 Samuel 8:9-18), they persisted in demanding a king. The main reason is that they need a king "to lead our wars." They understood this scheme - having an outstanding figure they could see and rely on, whereas relying on God required greater faith.

Acts 7 depicts Stephen as the first martyr for Christ. He opened up a vast array of people who, throughout the history of the Church, would give their lives in the name of Christ. Several key points in his story:

- Explaining the essence of his faith, Stephen provides a detailed history of Israel. His goal is to show, based on Scripture, that the Jews always opposed God and His word (Acts 7:51-53).
- Instead of repentance, the Jews, being rebuked and having nothing to refute Stephen, are filled with rage. This rage, not loyalty to the law, is why they stone him (Acts 7:54,58).
- Before his death, God allows Stephen to see heaven, where he sees Jesus Christ. Interestingly, Christ is called here "the Son of Man," i.e., He continues to be human there. He has raised man to heaven.
- Unlike his persecutors, Stephen's heart is filled with forgiveness rather than evil (Acts 7:60).