God’s Story in Samuel: Dedicated to God

1 Samuel 1-4

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY

Creation. Abraham. Moses. DAVID. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

“Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). That’s how the book of Judges ends and how 1 Samuel begins. Before Israel had a king, God led his people through fourteen judges–twelve detailed in the book of Judges and two, Eli and Samuel, in 1 Samuel.

God’s story in Eli and Samuel is closely connected. It begins with a man named Elkanah, who had two wives: Peninnah, who had children, and Hannah, who was childless. Peninnah is described as Hannah’s rival who provoked her “grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb” (1 Sam. 1:6). As a result, Hannah was deeply discouraged and found no comfort (1 Sam. 1:7-8).

During this period in Israel’s history, Shiloh served as the religious center.[1] Each year, Elkanah took his family there to worship. However, these pilgrimages were difficult for Hannah. Her worship of God was overshadowed by grief and bitterness over her inability to have children. While at Shiloh, she was “deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly” (1 Sam. 1:10). She made a vow, saying, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head” (1 Sam. 1:11). 

As Hannah prayed silently, her lips moving but her voice unheard,  Eli, the priest, misinterpreted her behavior and accused her of being drunk. She responded,  “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along  I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation” (1 Sam. 1:15-16).

God heard Hannah’s prayer and blessed her with a son, whom she named Samuel. After he was weaned, she brought him to Shiloh and presented him to Eli, saying, “‘For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.’ And he worshiped the LORD there” (1 Sam. 1:27-28). Elkanah and Hannah returned home, leaving Samuel “ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest” (1 Sam. 2:11). In time, God graciously blessed Hannah with three additional sons and two daughters (1 Sam. 2:21).[2]

Meanwhile, Samuel “continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man” (1 Sam. 2:26). This phrasing is echoed in Luke’s description of Jesus’ maturation (Luke 2:52).

While Samuel grew in favor with God and man, Eli and his sons did not. Hophni and Phinehas were described as “worthless men” who “did not know the LORD” (1 Sam. 2:12). Despite Eli’s attempts to correct their behavior, his sons continued to rebel against God. Eventually, both sons died because of their sins. But before we address their demise, God has an important encounter with young Samuel.

Remember, the era of the judges was a dark spiritual time in Israel, for “the word of the LORD was rare in those days…” (1 Sam. 3:1). One night, as Samuel slept in the temple next to the ark of the covenant, God called to him. Samuel responded, saying “Here I am!” (1 Sam. 3:4), mistakenly thinking Eli was calling him. Scripture notes, “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him” (1 Sam. 3:7).

God called out to Samuel three times, and each time Samuel thought Eli was summoning him. Eli recognized that God was calling Samuel, so he told him what to do if it happened again. On the fourth call, “the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant hears’” (1 Sam. 3:10).

Then God revealed to Samuel what he was going to do:

1 Samuel 3:11-14
Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

Soon after this, the Philistines came to battle against Israel. Hophni and Phinehas took the ark of the covenant into battle, expecting the LORD’s favor. Instead, both of Eli’s sons died on the battlefield, and the Philistines captured the ark!

At this point, Eli was ninety-eight years old, blind, and very stout. He sat by the gate of Shiloh, waiting to hear the news of the battle. When a man arrived to report that Israel had been defeated by the Philistines, that Eli’s sons were dead, and that the ark had been captured, the old priest fell backward off his seat. The fall broke his neck, and he died (1 Sam. 4:12-18).

Eli had served as a priest for forty years. He died along with his daughter-in-law, who, after giving birth to a son, proclaimed, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured” (1 Sam. 4:22).

Now it was time for Samuel to take over during some of Israel’s most challenging days, without the ark of God representing his presence among his people. That’s where we’ll start next time.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read and reflect on 1 Samuel 1-4. Are there areas where you are practicing religion outwardly but neglecting obedience inwardly?

Talking to God: Ask God to point out any areas of disconnect.

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