1 & 2 Samuel (NIV Application Commentary | NIVAC)

by Bill T. Arnold

Publisher:

Zondervan

, 2003

Overview

Why do the books of Samuel pack such broad appeal? Taken together as a single narrative, they certainly offer something for everyone: kings and prophets, great battles and greater heroes, action and romance, loyalty and betrayal, the mundane and the miraculous. In Samuel, we meet Saul, David, Goliath, Jonathan, Bathsheba, the witch of Endor, and other unforgettable characters. And we encounter ourselves. For while the culture and conditions of Israel under its first kings is vastly different from our own, the basic issues of humans in relation to God, the Great King, have not changed. Sin, repentance, forgiveness, adversity, prayer, faith, and the promises of God—these continue to play out in our lives today.

Exploring the links between the Bible and our own times, Bill T. Arnold shares perspectives on 1 and 2 Samuel that reveal ageless truths for our 21st-century lives.

Key Features

• Preface by the author
• In-depth introductions
• Bibliographical references and indexes

Contents

Top Highlights

“Partial obedience is really only disobedience made to look acceptable.” (Page 220)

“(1) The demand for a king is sinful in its motives.” (Page 153)

“God has the superior vantage point of seeing the heart. Since we are not God, we cannot know who will answer his call and who will be effective in his service. This means both that we should be cautious about judging other people and their potential effectiveness in the kingdom of God, and also that we should not question our own abilities and gifts for service. We may feel that we do not have much to offer God—but that would be a superficial evaluation, based on our own limited perspective. If God calls, he also empowers.” (Page 232)

“God seems to find particular delight in using the ultimate in weakness and vulnerability—a newborn baby—as the means of accomplishing his great purposes. In human weakness, God’s strength can be seen with greater clarity.” (Page 60)

“One eminent scholar of the books of Samuel observes that two factors make David’s heroism possible: his zeal for the reputation of Israel’s God (‘the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel,’ v. 46) and his utter trust in God’s ability to save him against all odds (vv. 37, 45–47).⁴⁰ David’s energetic zeal and childlike faith as portrayed here are exemplary for all believers. We should all feel so deeply and act so boldly as David does.” (Page 264)

Product Details

• Title: 1 & 2 Samuel
• Author: Bill T. Arnold
• Series: NIV Application Commentary
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Print Publication Date: 2003
• Logos Release Date: 2012
• Pages: 688
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible. O.T. 1 Samuel › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. 2 Samuel › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9780310490456, 9780310210863, 0310490456, 0310210860
• Resource ID: LLS:NIVAC09SA
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-10-05T17:06:36Z

About Bill T. Arnold

Dr. Bill T. Arnold is the Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and director of Hebrew Studies. He joined Asbury Theological Seminary’s faculty in 1995 with more than 10 years of teaching experience. Dr. Arnold received a B.A. at Asbury College, 1977; a M.Div. at Asbury Theological Seminary, 1980; and a Ph.D. at Hebrew Union College, 1985. While at Asbury Seminary, Dr. Arnold has served as vice president of academic affairs, director of postgraduate studies, chair of the area of Biblical Studies and director of Hebrew Studies. Prior to teaching at Asbury Seminary, Dr. Arnold taught at Ashland Theological Seminary, Wesley Biblical Theological Seminary and Jewish Institute of Religion. Dr. Arnold is an elder in the United Methodist Church and is the former pastor of two churches. He is a teacher at First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Ky. In 2003–2004, Dr. Arnold was named alumnus-in-residence at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has published many books, including his most recent, Genesis (Cambridge University Press, 2008). Dr. Arnold and his wife, Susan, have three sons.