The Books of Samuel tell how a loose group of tribes became forged into a nation. When the Hebrews first occupied the Promised Land after the liberation from Egypt each tribe settled in their own area. They would help the neighboring tribes when a need arose. The coming of the war-like Philistines showed the limitations of that model. “Why has the LORD permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines?” There needed to be a coherent strategy involving all the tribes to confront the threat. In other words, a nation needed to be born. Currently, older models no longer work effectively in preserving the faith today. Like the Israelites we must find new ways of dealing with the current situation which imperils Christian life.
