David is more than a great hero, a man of faith, and a model for Christians to follow. He is one of the most important Old Testament types of Jesus Christ. It is as an anointed one—called and provided by God to lead Israel—that David plays his chief role in redemptive history and makes his distinctive contribution in preparing God’s people for the Anointed One, the Messiah who comes to rule and to save.
Two other significant figures—Samuel and Saul—appear in 1 Samuel. Samuel, an epochal figure whose significance equals that of Joshua, guides Israel out of the chaotic period of the judges and serves the coming of the Davidic kingdom. Saul, an alter ego first to Samuel and then to David, personifies the idolatry and unbelief that plague Israel throughout the Old Testament. The ways in which he contrasts with Samuel and David provide valuable spiritual lessons.
The lesser characters in 1 Samuel are hardly incidental—Eli the corrupted priest, Hannah the tearful believer, and Jonathan the faithful friend, to name just three.
As are all the books in the Reformed Expository Commentary series, this exposition of 1 Samuel is accessible to both pastors and lay readers. Each volume in the series provides exposition that gives careful attention to the biblical text, is doctrinally Reformed, focuses on Christ through the lens of redemptive history, and applies the Bible to our contemporary setting.
Reviews
“Faithful expositions of God’s Word instruct and transform, disturb and comfort—edifying us through godly exhortations and gospel proclamation. That is precisely what I have found in Richard Phillips’s commentary on 1 Samuel.” — Michael Horton“This commentary is an indispensable tool. Phillips addresses the memorable narratives of Samuel, Saul, and David carefully and pastorally, paying special attention to character development, historical background, sound doctrine, and practical application. All who love God’s Word will surely want to consult this essential volume and add it to their personal libraries.” — Steven J. Lawson
“Phillips provides scripturally faithful, satisfyingly readable, and spiritually challenging expositions that will strengthen the believer’s soul. Like a diver, Phillips has gone deep down to uncover the pearls of heaven.” — Michael A. Milton
“This commentary is everything we’ve come to expect from Rick: painstaking exegesis, nuanced application, careful attention to relevance for today’s world, and a discernible and memorable structure. It is an outstanding model of Reformed expository preaching. A finer exposition of 1 Samuel you will not find.” — Derek W. H. Thomas
Richard D. Phillips (MDiv, Westminster Theological Seminary) is the senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church of Greenville, South Carolina. He is a council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, chairman of the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, and coeditor of the Reformed Expository Commentary series.
