Why do we study the Bible?

Why is it important to immerse our minds, hearts, and souls in the beauty of God’s Word (us, our children, and our grandchildren)?

Reasons to study the Bible?

In the Bible, God tells us to study the Bible.

Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

Study continually.
Meditate on it.
Obey everything written in it.

Deuteronomy 6:6-8 NLT
⁶ And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. ⁷ Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ⁸ Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 

Commitment
Repetition
Scripture become a part of us. 

1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT
² Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, ³ now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. 

Crave
Cry out

The Bible gives us many reasons to study the scriptures.

Proverbs 3:1-2 NLT
¹ My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart.² If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.

… years of life and peace they will add to you. (ESV)
… they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. (NIV)
All will go well for you. (ERV)
Your life will be satisfying. (Contentment)

Psalm 84:10 NLT
¹⁰ A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!

(Quality vs. quantity)

Psalm 119:105 NLT
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Keep you from stumbling.

Proverbs 4:10-13
¹⁰ My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.¹¹ I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.¹² When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.¹³ Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. 

A long, good life.  When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. 

Revelation 1:3 (NLT)
God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. 

Blessed by God.

Romans 15:4 NLT
Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. 

The Scriptures give us hope and encouragement.

We need to know the truths of the scriptures so that we are not deceived by false teachers.

2 Peter 2:1-3 NLT
The Danger of False Teachers
^2:1 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. ³ In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.

They will cleverly teach destructive heresies

Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality.

Matthew 7:15 NLT
¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep.

Ephesians 4:14 NLT
¹⁴ Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 

We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

Colossians 2:8 NLT
⁸ Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

Philosophies and high-sounding, intellectualism, the tradition of men.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT
³ For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

Many of the people we come in contact with will be following false teachers.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NLT
³ But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. ⁴ You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 

Your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted.

You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you.

Studying the Word helps us fight spiritual battles and experience victory over the enemy!

We need to know the truths of the scriptures so that we are not misled by teachers with good intentions.

Acts 17:11 NLT
¹¹ And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. 

Spending time studying God’s Word helps us produce spiritual fruit.

Psalm 1:1-3 NLT
¹ Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
² But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
³ They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.

Bearing fruit each season.

John 15:4-8 NLT
⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. ⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! ⁸ When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

Produce much fruit.

Scripture teaches us right from wrong.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Scripture is a supernatural discerning agent showing us right from wrong. 

Study the scriptures for the pleasure and enjoyment it provides to the reader,

Psalm 119:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.¹⁶ I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.

What is a major benefit that comes from studying the scriptures?

Scripture transforms our minds. 

God wants to transform us.

Romans 12:2 NLT
² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

The word transform used here means “keep on being transformed”.

The English word “metamorphosis” comes from the Greek word “transformed.

A change in appearance.

Matthew 17:2 NLT
² As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 

The disciples caught a glimpse of Jesus’ inner divine nature and glory.

When we think of metamorphosis we often think of butterflies.

There are four stages in the metamorphosis of butterflies and moths: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.  Going from one form to another.

Christians should outwardly manifest their inner, redeemed natures, not once, however, but daily.

Matthew 13:43 NLT
³ Then the righteous (believers) will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. 

2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT
¹⁸ So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Ephesians 4:22-23 NLT
²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Changing the way you think, (renewing of your mind) is a kind of transformation that can occur only as the Holy Spirit changes your thinking through consis­tent study and meditation on Scripture.

Psalm 119:11 NLT
¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.

God’s Word changes us.

We need to:

Philippians 4:8 NLT
⁸ And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Colossians 3:10 NLT
¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Colossians 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

The renewed mind is one saturated with the Word of God.

God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

Ephesians 4:23 NLT
²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 

Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

As one’s mind keeps on being made new by the spiritual input of God’s Word, prayer, and Christian fellowship, his lifestyle keeps on being transformed.

What can scripture do?

Examples of transformation.

Psalm 19:7-8 NLT
⁷ The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
⁸ The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living. 

Revive the soul.
Make the simple wise.
Bring joy to the heart.
Give insight for living. 

Psalm 119:50 NLT
⁵⁰ Your promise revives me;
it comforts me in all my troubles. 

Scripture revives us.
Scripture comforts us. 

Scripture changes us

Proverbs 2:1-6 NLT
¹ My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.² Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.³ Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.⁴ Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.⁵ Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God.⁶ For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

You will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God.⁶ For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Matthew 4:4 NLT
⁴ But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,
‘People do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Scripture nurtures our spiritual needs in a way that benefits us eternally.

Transforms not just our minds, but our lives (For all eternity).

1 Peter 1:23-25 NLT
²³ For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. ²⁴ As the Scriptures say,
“People are like grass;
their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
²⁵     But the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.¹⁵You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

Scripture gives us the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

John 20:30-31 NLT
Purpose of the Book
³⁰ The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. 

Scripture leads us to eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:17 NLT
¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 

Another benefit of studying God’s Word is that as we mature, we can lead others in truth, too!

1 Peter 3:15 NLT
¹⁵ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

 

Bible study deepens Godly community.

Bible study helps us grow closer to God.

 

 

Samuel Speaks for the Lord.

1 Samuel 3:15-21 NLT
¹⁵ Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. ¹⁶ But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”
“Here I am,” Samuel replied.
¹⁷ “What did the Lord say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” ¹⁸ So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the Lord’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.”
¹⁹ As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. ²⁰ And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. ²¹ The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 3:15-21 NLT
Samuel Speaks for the Lord

¹⁵ Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual.

• Samuel started his day by carrying out his routine duties.

“Doors” are an indication that the Tabernacle in this passage was a more permanent structure than the one used in the wilderness.

He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. 

• Samuel was afraid to tell Eli of God’s plans for him and his family.

This may have been out of respect for Eli’s position as High Priest.

Samuel was a young man and Eli was the High Priest.

This may have been out of fear for his own safety. (See verse 17) 

¹⁶ But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”

Eli addressed Samuel as his son.

Almost all translations us the words “my son”.

The call Samuel received from Eli was similar to the call Samuel previously received in 3:4-5.

⁴ Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” ⁵ He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. 

This time it was Eli calling and Samuel knew it was Eli.

“Here I am,” Samuel replied. 

¹⁷ “What did the Lord say to you?

• Eli recognized the fact that the Lord had spoken to Samuel.

Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. (1 Samuel 3:1) 

Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” 

• Eli called down God’s judgment on Samuel if he refused to tell everything he knew.

This expression was used on other occasions in the Old Testament.

Ruth 1:17 NLT
¹⁷ Wherever you die, I (Ruth) will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

2 Samuel 3:9 NLT
⁹ May God strike me (Abner) and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the Lord has promised him!

2 Samuel 19:13 NLT
¹³ And David told them to tell Amasa, “Since you are my own flesh and blood, like Joab, may God strike me and even kill me if I do not appoint you as commander of my army in his place.”

1 Kings 19:2 NLT
² So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

This is clearly a very solemn appeal.

This comment may have been very intimidating to Samuel.

• A prophet’s assignment can be a very challenging and difficult assignment. It is not easy to tell people something they may not want to hear.

• All throughout the Scripture both the prophet and their message were frequently rejected by the people the message was directed toward.

Nehemiah 9:26 NLT
²⁶ “… They turned their backs on your Law, they killed your prophets who warned them to return to you…

Acts 7:52 NLT
⁵² Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.

Luke 13:34 NLT (Jesus speaking)
³⁴ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! 

¹⁸ So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back.

• Samuel was taking on the role of a prophet of God.

“It is the Lord’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.”

• To his credit, Eli humbly accepts God’s judgment. 

¹⁹ As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him,

• As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him.

Many of changes are taking place in this chapter.

A major change:

Previously:

1 Samuel 3:7 NLT
⁷ Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before.

Application

Jesus’ promise to the disciples and to us.

John 14:16-18 NLT
¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. ¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. ¹⁸ No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 

and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. 

All that Samuel spoke was fulfilled.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 NLT
²¹ “But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ ²² If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.

Jeremiah 28:9 NLT
⁹ So a prophet who predicts peace must show he is right. Only when his predictions come true can we know that he is really from the Lord.”

²⁰ And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south,

The territory of all 12 tribes of Israel. (refer to a map of Israel.)

knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. 

• The reliability of Samuel’s message made it evident that God was speaking through him. 

²¹ The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle.

The Lord continued to give messages to Samuel.

• God reopened the lines of communication with Israel through Samuel.

Previously:
3:1 Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

Samuel’s role as a prophet was under way and would last for a lifetime.

A new era had begun.

1 Samuel 4:1 NLT
¹ And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel. 

• Samuel was God’s spokesman for all of Israel.

******************************************

• Samuel started his day by carrying out his routine duties.

• Samuel was afraid to tell Eli of God’s plans for him and his family.

• Eli recognized the fact that the Lord had spoken to Samuel.

• Eli called down God’s judgment on Samuel if he refused to tell everything he knew.

• A prophet’s assignment can be a very challenging and difficult assignment. It is not easy to tell people something they may not want to hear.

• All throughout the Scripture both the prophet and their message were frequently rejected by the people the message was directed toward.

• Samuel was taking on the role of a prophet of God.

• To his credit, Eli humbly accepts God’s judgment.

• As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him.

• The reliability of Samuel’s message made it evident that God was speaking through him.

• God reopened the lines of communication with Israel through Samuel.

• Samuel was God’s spokesman for all of Israel.

Samuel’s Call to God’s Service

Previous lesson:

A Warning for Eli’s Family
God had a message for Eli.
Sin has consequences.
Because of flagrant
disobedience, the house of Eli would forfeit their priesthood.
Hophni and Phinehas would both be killed on the same day.

1 Samuel 3:1-14 NLT
The Lord Speaks to Samuel
^3:1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
² One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. ⁴ Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” ⁵ He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
⁶ Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”
⁷ Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. ⁸ So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. ⁹ So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.
¹⁰ And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
¹¹ Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. ¹² I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. ¹³ I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. ¹⁴ So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

Examine the Scriptures 

^3:1 Meanwhile, 

During the events of chapters one and two.

1 Samuel 2:21 NLT
²¹ And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:26 NLT
²⁶ Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people. 

 the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli.

The Hebrew word “boy” used here is the same word used of David when he killed Goliath.

The historian Josephus believed that Samuel was 12 years old.
Other Bible scholars believe he may have been older than 12. 

Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

• The time of the judges was a period of extremely limited (“rare” or “uncommon”) prophetic activity.

Except for a few exceptions, God was not disclosing His will through prophets or priests.

Some of these exceptions are found in Judges 2, 6, 7, 10, & 13.

The period was spiritually dark.

Judges 21:25 NLT
²⁵ In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

This was all about to change when God communicated with Samuel. 

² One night Eli, who was almost blind by now,

• Eli was almost blind, both physically and spiritually. 

had gone to bed.  

³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out,

The priests were responsible for keeping the lamp of God burning through the night.

Exodus 27:20-21 NLT
Light for the Tabernacle
²⁰ “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually. ²¹ The lampstand will stand in the Tabernacle, in front of the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for the people of Israel, and it must be observed from generation to generation.

Leviticus 24:1-3 NLT
^24:1 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually. ³ This is the lampstand that stands in the Tabernacle, in front of the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation.

This implies early morning hours were approaching. 

and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 

The Tabernacle was the house of the Lord or the Temple of the Lord.

Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.  

• Samuel sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God symbolizes Samuel’s nearness to God, in contrast to Eli and his sons.

⁴ Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” ⁵ He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
⁶ Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” 

⁷ Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 

Samuel did know about the Lord.

Samuel had not yet encountered the Lord in a personal way.

• Samuel did know about the Lord but he had not yet encountered the Lord in a personal way. 

⁸ So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” 

Then

It took three times. 

Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 

• The events in this narrative indicate that Eli’s spiritual perception was not what it should have been as the high priest and judge of Israel.

Another example of misperception.

1 Samuel 1:12-16 NLT
¹² As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. ¹³ Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. ¹⁴ “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”

⁹ So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

• When Eli finally discerned that Samuel was being addressed by the Lord, he advised Samuel to respond to God, not to him (Eli). 

¹⁰ And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” 

• The doubling of the name calls attention to the seriousness of the moment.

Note other examples when the doubling of the name was used:

Genesis 22:11 NLT
¹¹ At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

Genesis 46:2 NLT
² During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called.
“Here I am,” Jacob replied.

Exodus 3:4 NLT
⁴ When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am!” Moses replied. 

Matthew 27:46 NLT
⁴⁶ At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Luke 22:31 NLT
³¹ “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.

Acts 9:4 NLT
⁴ He (Saul) fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Samuel is not just hearing a voice, he is listening.

• Eli had instructed Samuel to identify himself as God’s servant.

Samuel most likely understood his role.

See verse 1: Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli

¹¹ Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. 

God was about to give this young boy, Samuel, a message of impending destruction.

Events that would be of national significance to Israel.

This is an indication that Samuel had truly “grown in favor with the Lord” (matured) (2:26 NLT).

God would not have given this message to someone who was too immature to grasp its significance. 

¹² I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. 

• God gave Samuel the same message Eli had received from “a man of God”.

1 Samuel 2:31-34 NLT
³¹ The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. ³² You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. ³³ The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death. ³⁴ And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!

This did not happen immediately, but it did happen.

It took 130 years to fulfill this message.

Galatians 6:7 NLT
⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 

¹³ I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, 

because his sons are blaspheming God

Leviticus 24:16 NLT
¹⁶ Anyone who blasphemes the Name of the Lord must be stoned to death by the whole community of Israel. Any native-born Israelite or foreigner among you who blasphemes the Name of the Lord must be put to death. 

and he hasn’t disciplined them. 

• Eli was implicated in the sins of his sons because he did not intervene with judgment. If his sons were blaspheming God, they should have been stoned. 

¹⁴ So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

Numbers 15:30-31 NLT
Laws concerning Offerings
³⁰ “But those who brazenly violate the Lord’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the Lord, and they must be cut off from the community. ³¹ Since they have treated the Lord’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt.”

Hebrews 10:26-27 NLT
²⁶ Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. ²⁷ There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.

• If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.(Hebrews 10:26 NLT)

• Eli understood the seriousness of his son’s behaviors.

1 Samuel 2:22-25 NLT
²² Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle ²³ Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? ²⁴ You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. ²⁵ If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death. 

 

God spoke to Samuel and Samuel was ready to listen.

***************** 

• The time of the judges was a period of extremely limited (“rare” or “uncommon”) prophetic activity.
• Eli was almost blind, both physically and spiritually.
• Samuel sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God symbolizes Samuel’s nearness to God, in contrast to Eli and his sons.
• Samuel did know about the Lord but he had not yet encountered the Lord in a personal way.
• The events in this narrative indicate that Eli’s spiritual perception was not what it should have been, as the high priest and judge of Israel.
• When Eli finally discerned that Samuel was being addressed by the Lord, he advised Samuel respond to God, not to him (Eli).
• The doubling of the name calls attention to the seriousness of the moment.
• Eli had instructed Samuel to identify himself as God’s servant.
• God gave Samuel the same message Eli had received from “a man of God”.
• Eli was implicated in the sins of his sons because he did not intervene with judgment. If his sons were blaspheming God, they should have been stoned.
• If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.(Hebrews 10:26 NLT)
• Eli understood the seriousness of his son’s behaviors.

 

A Warning for Eli’s Family

Note the widespread consequences for disobedience.

The time sequence in this lesson jumps back and forth.  More details from this lesson will come up in future lessons of 1 Samuel.

1 Samuel 2:27-36 NLT
A Warning for Eli’s Family
²⁷ One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord: “I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. ²⁸ I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests. ²⁹ So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!
³⁰ “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. ³¹ The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. ³² You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. ³³ The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death. ³⁴ And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!
³⁵ “Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever. ³⁶ Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. ‘Please,’ they will say, ‘give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.’”

Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 2:27-36 NLT
A Warning for Eli’s Family 

²⁷ One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord:

“A man of God” is the phrase usually used as a synonym for “prophet”.

• God had a message for Eli.

Matthew 11:15 NLT
¹⁵ Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

Isaiah 28:23 NLT
²³ Listen to me;
listen, and pay close attention.

Proverbs 8:33 NLT
³³ Listen to my instruction and be wise.
Don’t ignore it.

Jeremiah 7:24-27 NLT
²⁴ “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. ²⁵ From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets—day in and day out. ²⁶ But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors.
²⁷ “Tell them all this, but do not expect them to listen. Shout out your warnings, but do not expect them to respond. 

• Many people choose not to listen when God speaks to them.

“I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. 

Exodus 3-4
Moses and the burning bush.
Signs of the Lord’s power. (Moses and Aaron)
Moses staff turned into a serpent etc.

• God revealed himself to Eli’s ancestors.

²⁸ I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. 

Exodus 28:1-3 NLT
^28:1 “Call for your brother, Aaron, and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Set them apart from the rest of the people of Israel so they may minister to me and be my priests. ² Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful. ³ Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. Have them make garments for Aaron that will distinguish him as a priest set apart for my service. 

• God chose Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be his priest, to offer sacrifices on his altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served Him.

And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests.  

• One of the primary duties of the priests was to offer sacrifices on the alter. (That was their job.)

²⁹ So why do you (Eli) scorn my sacrifices and offerings?

Eli was the high priest.

Luke 12:48 NLT
⁴⁸ But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. 

Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!

“you give your sons more honor than you give me”

“you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!”

• Eli showed a preference for the wishes of his sons above the will of the Lord and was therefore unworthy of the Lord’s blessings.

1 Samuel 2:22
²² Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

• Eli benefitted from his son’s activities, and God held Eli accountable for letting them continue.

³⁰ “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests.

Exodus 29:9 NLT
⁹ Wrap the sashes around the waists of Aaron and his sons, and put their special head coverings on them. Then the right to the priesthood will be theirs by law forever. In this way, you will ordain Aaron and his sons. 

Numbers 25:10-13 NLT
¹⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹¹ “Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger. ¹² Now tell him that I am making my special covenant of peace with him. ¹³ In this covenant, I give him and his descendants a permanent right to the priesthood, for in his zeal for me, his God, he purified the people of Israel, making them right with me.”

• The descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood.

But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. 

• Because of flagrant disobedience, the house of Eli would forfeit their priesthood. Although the descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood, priests could forfeit their position by their sins.

³¹ The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests.

• The man of God declares a curse for Eli and all his descendants.

• Sin has consequences.

All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age.

• The judgement of untimely death followed Eli’s descendants.

Unusual way for this to occur.

1 Samuel 22:16-19 NLT
¹⁶ “You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted. ¹⁷ And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the Lord’s priests.
¹⁸ Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments. ¹⁹ Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats. 

²⁰ Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David.  

 ³² You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. 

1 Kings 3:14 NLT
¹⁴ And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.” 

But no members of your family will ever live out their days. 

A short life often expresses God’s disfavor, while a long life represents God’s blessing.

A short life vs. a long life. 

³³ The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death.  

1 Samuel 22:
  ²⁰ Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David. 

³⁴ And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!

1 Samuel 4:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

A confirmation of God’s message told by His prophet.

• Hophni and Phinehas were killed by the Philistines.

³⁵ “Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever. 

The priesthood was taken from Abiathar, descendant of Aaron’s son Ithamar, and given to Zadok, descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar.

Human terms:

1 Kings 2:27 NLT
²⁷ So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, thereby fulfilling the prophecy the Lord had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli. 

• The priesthood was taken from Abiathar, descendant of Aaron’s son Ithamar 

1 Kings 2:35 NLT
³⁵ Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar.

• The priesthood was given to Zadok, descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar.

Ezekiel 44:15 NLT
¹⁵ “However, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok continued to minister faithfully in the Temple when Israel abandoned me for idols. These men will serve as my ministers. They will stand in my presence and offer the fat and blood of the sacrifices, says the Sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel 48:11 NLT
¹¹ This area (designated land around the temple Temple) is set aside for the ordained priests, the descendants of Zadok who served me faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites. 

• The descendants of Zadok served God faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.

Spiritual terms:

Hebrews 5:4-10 NLT
⁴ And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. ⁵ That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.”
⁶ And in another passage God said to him,
“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
⁷ While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. ⁸ Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. ⁹ In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. ¹⁰ And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

• Jesus Christ is our great high priest.

³⁶ Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. ‘Please,’ they will say, ‘give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.’”

Members of the family who had gorged themselves on the sacrifices were now begging for food.

***************************************

• God had a message for Eli.

• Many people choose not to listen when God speaks to them.

• God revealed himself to Eli’s ancestors.

• God chose Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be his priest, to offer sacrifices on his altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served Him.

• One of the primary duties of the priests was to offer sacrifices on the alter. (That was their job.)

• Eli showed a preference for the wishes of his sons above the will of the Lord and was therefore unworthy of the Lord’s blessings.

• Eli benefitted from his son’s activities, and God held Eli accountable for letting them continue.

• The descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood.

• Because of flagrant disobedience, the house of Eli would forfeit their priesthood. Although the descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood, priests could forfeit their position by their sins.

• The man of God declares a curse for Eli and all his descendants.

• Sin has consequences.

• The judgement of untimely death followed Eli’s descendants.

• Hophni and Phinehas were killed by the Philistines.

• The priesthood was taken from Abiathar, descendant of Aaron’s son Ithamar. 

• The priesthood was given to Zadok, descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar.

• The descendants of Zadok served God faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.

• Jesus Christ is our great high priest. 

Eli’s Wicked Sons

Introduction

In this lesson Samuel’s behavior is compared to the behavior of Eli’s sons.

1 Samuel 2:11-26 NLT
¹¹ Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.
Eli’s Wicked Sons
¹² Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord ¹³ or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, ¹⁴ the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. ¹⁵ Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.
¹⁶ The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” ¹⁷ So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.
¹⁸ But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. ¹⁹ Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. ²⁰ Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.” ²¹ And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
²² Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. ²³ Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? ²⁴ You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. ²⁵ If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.
²⁶ Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 2:11-26 NLT
¹¹ Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 1:24 NLT
²⁴ When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh.

• As a Levite, the boy Samuel performed services that assisted Eli, the high priest.

The Levite Clans
1 Chronicles 6:27 NLT
²⁷ Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah, and Samuel.

Eli’s Wicked Sons
¹² Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels

Worthless (ESV)

Despicable (CEB)

who had no respect for the Lord 

“They did not know the Lord.” (ESV)

“Did not know the Lord”.

¹³ or for their duties as priests. 

Although they were priests among God’s people, they did not acknowledge God or seek to abide by His will.

Eli’s sons were not the only wicked priests.

Jeremiah 2:8 NLT
⁸ The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who taught my word ignored me,
the rulers turned against me,
and the prophets spoke in the name of Baal,
wasting their time on worthless idols. 

Judges 21:25 NLT
²⁵ In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. 

• The sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests. 

Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, ¹⁴ the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons.

Deuteronomy 18:3 NLT
³ “These are the parts the priests may claim as their share from the cattle, sheep, and goats that the people bring as offerings: the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. 

All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. 

Repeated offences.

¹⁵ Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.

Leviticus 3 NLT
3 “If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. … ³ The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs … ⁵ and Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
… ⁹ The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. … and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, ¹¹ and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the Lord.
¹⁴ The priest must present part of this offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs … ¹⁶ and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.
¹⁷ “You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation, wherever you live.”

Leviticus 7:31 NLT
³¹ Then the priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aaron and his descendants. 

¹⁶ The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” 

“I’ll take it by force.”  The wishes of the people offering the sacrifices were ignored.

¹⁷ So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

• The sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

• Eli’s sons disregarded God’s instructions. 

¹⁸ But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord.

In sharp contrast to the sons of Eli.

• Samuel went above and beyond the expectations of the Levites.

The Levites, members of the same tribe, but who were not descendants of Aaron, served as aides to the priests, doing things like helping to prepare the sacrifices. They took care of the temple, making repairs when needed, and served as musicians, singers, doorkeepers.

The Levites lived for the greater part of the year in their own cities and came up at fixed periods of time to take their turn of work.

Numbers 8:24-25 NLT
²⁴ “This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, ²⁵ and they must retire at the age of fifty. 

Deuteronomy 18:6-7 NLT
⁶ “Suppose a Levite chooses to move from his town in Israel, wherever he is living, to the place the Lord chooses for worship. ⁷ He may minister there in the name of the Lord his God, just like all his fellow Levites who are serving the Lord there. 

• In sharp contrast to the sons of Eli, Samuel served the Lord.

He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. 

Samuel dressed like a priest.

Samuel functioned as a priest.

Samuel makes sacrifices on behalf of the people, and offers intercessory prayers to God for them.

1 Samuel 7:9 NLT
⁹ So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.

All priests were Levites.

Not all Levites were priests.

Was Samuel a Priest? (Support your answer.) 

¹⁹ Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. 

• Hannah would visit Samuel on a yearly basis to help with some of his material needs.

²⁰ Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.” 

Blessing was one of the functions of a priest.

Review:

It was the duty and privilege of the priests to bless the people in the name of the Lord.

Numbers 6:22-27 NLT
²² Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
²⁴ ‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
²⁵ May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
²⁶ May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
²⁷ Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.” 

Lev 9:22-23 NLT
²² After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. ²³ Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.  

• A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

²¹ And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters.

• The Lord blessed Hannah, giving her three sons and two daughters, more than what she asked for.

Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. 

²² Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. 

• Eli was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

• Eli lacked good parental skills.

1 Timothy 3:4 NLT
⁴ He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

Titus 1:6 NLT
⁶ An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. 

He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 

Religious prostitution was common among Israel’s Canaanite neighbors.

Deuteronomy 23:17-18 NLT
¹⁷ “No Israelite, whether man or woman, may become a temple prostitute. ¹⁸ When you are bringing an offering to fulfill a vow, you must not bring to the house of the Lord your God any offering from the earnings of a prostitute, whether a man or a woman, for both are detestable to the Lord your God.

This verse may not apply directly to this situation, but we do know that this behavior was detestable to the Lord and was a desecration of his house. 

• Seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle was behavior that was detestable to the Lord and was a desecration of his house. 

²³ Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? ²⁴ You must stop, my sons!

Eli rebuked his sons but did not remove them from office.

• Eli’s discipline was too little, too late.

Proverbs 22:6 NLT
⁶ Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Deuteronomy 6:4-8 NLT
⁴ “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. ⁵ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶ And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. ⁷ Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ⁸ Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good.  

²⁵ If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?”

These are serious offenses by priests against God.

Psalm 145:20 NLT
²⁰ The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

Nahum 1:3 NLT³ The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great,
and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.

Psalm 51:4 NLT
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just. 

• God never lets the guilty go unpunished.

But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.

• Eli’s sons had persisted in their evil ways so long that God’s judgment on them was already determined.

²⁶ Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

In contrast to Eli’s sons, Samuel was maturing both spiritually and socially.

Luke 2:52 NLT
⁵² Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. 

• Scripture includes Samuel’s name in a list of men of faith. (Hebrews 11:32)

Hebrews 11:32 NLT
³² How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.

 ******************************** 

• As a Levite, the boy Samuel performed services that assisted Eli, the high priest.

• The sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests.

• The sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

• Eli’s sons disregarded God’s instructions.

• Samuel went above and beyond the expectations of the Levites.

• In sharp contrast to the sons of Eli, Samuel served the Lord.

• Hannah would visit Samuel on a yearly basis to help with some of his material needs.

• A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

• The Lord blessed Hannah, giving her three sons and two daughters, more than what she asked for.

• Eli was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

• Eli lacked good parental skills.

• Seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle was behavior that was detestable to the Lord and was a desecration of his house.

• Eli’s discipline was too little, too late.

• God never lets the guilty go unpunished.

• Eli’s sons had persisted in their evil ways so long that God’s judgment on them was already determined.

• Scripture includes Samuel’s name in a list of men of faith. (Hebrews 11:32)

 

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT
^2:1 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
² No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
³ “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
he will judge your actions.
⁴ The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
⁵ Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
and the woman with many children wastes away.
⁶ The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
⁷ The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
⁸ He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.
⁹ “He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
¹⁰     Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

Hannah’s prayer is also known as a song or a poem.

Hannah’s prayer celebrates Samuel’s dedication to the Lord’s service.

Hannah’s prayer is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.

There are similarities between Hannah’s Prayer of Praise and Mary’s Song of Praise (Luke 1:46-55) and some commentators say Mary incorporated parts of Hannah’s prayer into her song of praise.

This song has sometimes been termed the “Magnificat of the OT” since it is so similar to the Magnificat of the NT (Mary’s song).

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise and Mary’s Song of Praise both emphasize God bringing down the rich and powerful and exalting the poor and downtrodden.

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise also has similarities to David’s Song of Praise in 2 Samuel 22.

It also has certain resemblances to the “Benedictus” (the song of Zechariah, Luke 1:67-79).

 

Consider the reasons this prayer is included in Scripture.

A Model Prayer of Praise – Full of theology

Themes:

Attributes of God.

How God treats people.

(It is not a prayer about Samuel.) 

^2:1 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!

This was a prayer of joy, unlike her prayer in chapter one.

1 Samuel 1:10 NLT
¹⁰ Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.

The source of Hannah’s joy is not the child, but in God who has answered her prayer.

Hannah has been delivered from disgrace to a position of honor and strength.

Philippians 4:4-8 ESV
⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Isaiah 61:10 NLT
¹⁰ I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
or a bride with her jewels.

A reminder to:

• • Rejoice in the Lord always. (Philippians 4:4 NLT) 

The Lord has made me strong. 

Isaiah 41:10 NLT
¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Psalm 23:4 NLT
⁴ Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.

Philippians 4:13 NLT
¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

Psalm 18:1-2 NLT
¹ I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

Isaiah 12:2 NLT
² See, God has come to save me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
The Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.”

Isaiah 40:31 NLT
³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Habakkuk 3:19 NLT
¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.

Psalm 46:1-3 NLT
¹ God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
² So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! 

Joshua 1:9 NLT
⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

A reminder that:

• • God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NLT) 

Now I have an answer for my enemies; 

This prayer can be used by Hannah to respond to her enemies (Peninnah).

The Lord gave Hannah words to say.

 I rejoice because you rescued me.

More rejoicing.

Psalm 5:11 NLT
¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.

Philippians 4:4 NLT
⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

Psalm 66:1 NLT
¹ Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! 

• I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NLT) 

² No one is holy like the Lord! 

Hannah recognized the fact that God was a holy God. 

Isaiah 6:1-3 NLT
^6:1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. ² Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³ They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 

Revelation 4:6-8 NLT
(A portion of John’s vision)
⁶ In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.
In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. ⁷ The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. ⁸ Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” 

A reminder that God is holy, perfect, and without sin. 

• • “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8 NLT) 

 There is no one besides you;

Isaiah 44:6 NLT
⁶ This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:
“I am the First and the Last;
there is no other God. 

Isaiah 45:5-6 NLT
⁵ I am the Lord;
there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle,
though you don’t even know me,
⁶ so all the world from east to west
will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other. 

Jeremiah 10:6 NLT
⁶ Lord, there is no one like you!
For you are great, and your name is full of power.

God is unique. 

• • Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. (Jeremiah 10:6 NLT) 

   there is no Rock (strength) like our God.

A Rock symbolizes strength, stability, and security.

Hannah recognized God’s uniqueness.

Psalm 18:31 NLT
³¹ For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock? 

Isaiah 44:8 NLT
⁸ Do not tremble; do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago?
You are my witnesses—is there any other God?
No! There is no other Rock—not one!”

A reminder that God is the stability in our lives. 

• • There is no other God. There is no other Rock-not one. 

³ “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!

Peninnah typified this attitude.

1 Samuel 1:6-7
⁶ So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. ⁷ Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

This also typifies the attitudes of Eli’s sons, the Philistines, Saul, Nabal, Goliath, Absalom, Shimei and Sheba as recorded in 1^st and 2^nd Samuel.

By contrast Hannah was humbly dependent on God.

For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done; 

Psalm 147:5 NLT
⁵ How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!

1 John 3:20 NLT
²⁰ Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

he will judge your actions.

• The Lord is an all-knowing, righteous judge.

God humbles the proud.

God exalts the humble. 

⁴ The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
⁵ Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full. 

God often works contrary to natural expectations and brings about surprising reversals.

The childless woman now has seven children,

Seven children communicates the picture of a women blessed with a house full of children.

1 Samuel 2:21 NLT
²¹ And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

and the woman with many children wastes away. 

The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
⁷ The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
⁸ He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.

Hannah celebrated God’s sovereign ability to radically reverse human circumstances.

The Lord demonstrates His sovereignty in human affairs.

• Life and death, as well as prosperity and adversity are all determined by the sovereignty of God. 

⁹ “He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.

God is able to reverse fortunes.

The Lord blesses His faithful ones, but brings the wicked to destruction. 

¹⁰     Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.

• The Lord will impose His righteous rule on all the nations and peoples.

• Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered. 

He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”

Scripture frequently has multiple messages.

This is prophetic, anticipating the establishment of kingship in Israel. The kings of Israel, especially David, foreshadowed the Lord’s ultimate anointed king, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:69 NLT
⁶⁹ He has sent us a mighty Savior
from the royal line of his servant David,

 *********************** 

• Rejoice in the Lord always. (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
• God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NLT)
• I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
• “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8 NLT)
• LORD, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. (Jeremiah 10:6 NLT)
• There is no other God. There is no other Rock-not one.
• The Lord is an all-knowing righteous judge.
  God humbles the proud.
  God exalts the humble.

• Life and death, as well as prosperity and adversity are all determined by the sovereignty of God.
• The Lord will impose His righteous rule on all the nations and peoples.
• Those who fight against the LORD will be shattered.

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

1 Samuel 1:19-28 NLT
¹⁹ The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, ²⁰ and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”
²¹ The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow. ²² But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.”
²³ “Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise.” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.
²⁴ When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine. ²⁵ After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. ²⁶ “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. ²⁸ Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 1:19-28 NLT

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication 

¹⁹ The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. 

From the previous lesson.

1 Samuel 1:3 NLT
³ Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.  

The entire family would include Elkanah, Hannah, Peninnah and her children, and household servants.  Possibly extended family would travel with this group.

• Elkanah’s family worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.

Samuel came from a family that valued worshipping the Lord.

• Scripture clearly commands us to worship the Lord.

Psalm 95:6 NLT
⁶ Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,

1 Chronicles 16:29 NLT
²⁹ Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.

Psalm 96:8-9 NLT
⁸ Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts.
⁹ Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him.

Luke 4:8 NLT
⁸ Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’”

Psalm 92:1-2 NLT
¹ It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
² It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening,

Then they returned home to Ramah. 

When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, ²⁰ and in due time she gave birth to a son. 

She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

The name Samuel can mean several different things. Meanings of this name include “his name is God”, “name of God”, “asked or heard of God”, or “offspring of God”

Hannah named her son Samuel since God had heard and answered her prayer for a son.

She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

• The birth of Samuel came about after Hannah had prayed to God asking Him to give her a son.

• Scripture instructs us to pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷ Never stop praying.

Prayer is powerful.

Matthew 7:7 NLT
⁷ “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

John 15:7 NLT
⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

John 14:13-14 NLT
¹³ You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴ Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! 

Matthew 21:22 NLT
²² You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Samuel was born in response to Hannah’s earnest prayer.  “The Lord remembered her plea…” 

²¹ The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord  

1 Samuel 1:3 NLT
³ Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. 

As stated earlier, worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.

Review from previous lesson:

The law required:

Exodus 23:14-17 NLT
Three Annual Festivals (also recorded in Deuteronomy 16:1-17)
¹⁴ “Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor. ¹⁵ First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.
¹⁶ “Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest.  “Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields. ¹⁷ At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord.

Why are these festivals so important?

Remember what God has done for us.

Celebrate what God has done for us.

Teach the next generation how God is working in our lives.

What would the mood or atmosphere be like at these festivals?

Psalm 100 NLT
¹ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
²     Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
³ Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

• In Exodus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 God commanded the Israelites to celebrate three festival in His honor.

Leviticus 7:16 NLT
¹⁶ “If you bring an offering to fulfill a vow or as a voluntary offering, the meat must be eaten on the same day the sacrifice is offered, but whatever is left over may be eaten on the second day. 

and to keep his vow. 

Numbers 30:1-2 NLT
Laws concerning Vows
^30:1 Then Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ² A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do. 

Deuteronomy 23:21 NLT
²¹ “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 NLT
⁴ When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. ⁵ It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.

Matthew 5:33 NLT
Teaching about Vows
³³ “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’

• A man (a person) who makes a vow to the Lordor makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.

God always keeps his promises.

Psalm 89:34 NLT
³⁴ No, I (God) will not break my covenant;
I will not take back a single word I said. 

Numbers 23:19 NLT
¹⁹ God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

²² But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned.

Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.” 

²³ “Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now,

• Elkanah supported Hannah’s decisions.

and may the Lord help you keep your promise.”

Elkanah knew that it would be hard for Hannah to give up her son and he knew that she would need the Lords help to keep her promise.

Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT
¹⁴ So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

• So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.

At this point in time Samuel was totally dependent on his mother.

Hannah may have nursed Samuel two to four years.

Several years later. 

²⁴ When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine. 

Or three bulls

Apparently Elkanah could afford expensive offerings.

Numbers 15:8-10 NLT
⁸ “When you present a young bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a peace offering to the Lord, ⁹ you must also give a grain offering of six quarts of choice flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil, ¹⁰ and give two quarts of wine as a liquid offering. This will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 

Think of this as a celebration.

A time of remembrance.

• Taking Samuel to the Tabernacle in Shiloh would have been a very memorable occasion for Elkanah and his family. 

²⁵ After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. ²⁶ “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. 

Previous lesson:

1 Samuel 1:17 NLT
¹⁷ “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” 

A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered. 

²⁸ Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.”

• Samuel was left with Eli to serve the Lord in the Tabernacle for the rest of his life.

And they worshiped the Lord there.

More Worship.
(As stated earlier, worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.)

 

*********************************************

• Elkanah’s family worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.

• Scripture clearly commands us to worship the Lord.

• The birth of Samuel came about after Hannah had prayed to God asking Him to give her a son.

• Scripture instructs us to pray without ceasing.

• In Exodus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 God commanded the Israelites to celebrate three festival in His honor.

• A man (a person) who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do. 

• Elkanah supported Hannah’s decisions.

• So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. 

• Taking Samuel to the Tabernacle in Shiloh would have been a very memorable occasion for Elkanah and his family.

• Samuel was left with Eli to serve the Lord in the Tabernacle for the rest of his life.

 

 

 

 

Elkanah and His Family & Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

1 Samuel 1:1-18 NLT
Elkanah and His Family
¹ There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. ² Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
³ Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. ⁴ On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. ⁵ And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. ⁶ So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. ⁷ Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.
⁸ “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

⁹ Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. ¹⁰ Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. ¹¹ And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
¹² As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. ¹³ Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. ¹⁴ “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
¹⁵ “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. ¹⁶ Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
¹⁷ “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
¹⁸ “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 1:1-18 NLT
Elkanah and His Family

¹ There was a man named Elkanah

Elkanah’s name means “God has created”.

Elkanah was the father of Samuel.

Elkanah was a Levite.

His name is listed in the Levite Clans found in 1 Chronicles 6:16-30.

Levi  >  Kohath (a son of Levi)  >  Elkanah (a descendant of Kohath)

• Elkanah was the father of Samuel.

• Elkanah was a Levite. 

who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim.

• Elkanah lived in Ramah.

• The ESV (and other versions of scripture) use Ramathaim-zophim instead of Ramah.

Ramah is located 5-15 miles north of Jerusalem (It is not possible to locate the town with certainty)

The Levites lived in towns scattered throughout all of the other twelve tribes.

Joshua 21:20 NLT
²⁰ The rest of the Kohathite clan from the tribe of Levi was allotted the following towns and pasturelands from the tribe of Ephraim:

Elkanah was a Levite by lineage.

Elkanah was an Ephraimite by residence.

 

Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.

Samuel’s birthplace:
1 Samuel 1:19-20 NLT
¹⁹ The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, ²⁰ and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

Samuel’s residence:
1 Samuel 7:17 NLT
¹⁷ Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.

Samuel’s burial place:
1 Samuel 25:1 NLT
Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.

• Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.

He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim.  

² Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. 

Hannah (grace, favor)

Peninnah (ruby)

Elkanah may have married Peninnah because of Hannah’s inability to have children.

In scripture children are considered a blessing from the Lord.

Deuteronomy 7:13-14 NLT
¹³ He (the Lord) will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. ¹⁴ You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.

Conversely the Israelites considered the inability to have children a curse.

• Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.

• Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

• Multiple wives frequently result in serious friction between the wives.

See verses 6-7

Genesis 16 & 21: Sarah and Hagar

Genesis 29: Leah and Rachel

³ Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh

15 miles north of Ramah.  20 miles north of Jerusalem

(Ramah is located 5-15 miles north of Jerusalem (It is not possible to locate the town with certainty))

Joshua 18:1 NLT
Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle.

to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

The law required:

Exodus 23:14-17 NLT
Three Annual Festivals (also recorded in Deuteronomy 16:1-17)
¹⁴ “Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor. ¹⁵ First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.
¹⁶ “Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest.  “Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields. ¹⁷ At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord.

The title Lord of Heaven’s Armies or Lord of Hosts emphasizes the Lord as sovereign over all of the powers in heaven and on earth. 

• Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas.  

⁴ On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. 

Certain sacrifices involved sharing part of the sacrificial animal in a communal meal. (Leviticus 7)

Elkanah’s sacrifice was a peace offering:

Parts of the sacrifice are burned.

Parts of the sacrifice are given to the priest.

Parts of the sacrifice are eaten by the people who brought the sacrifice.

⁵ And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. 

• Hannah’s barrenness was the result of divine providence like Sarah’s (Genesis 16:2) and Rachel’s (Genesis 30:2)

Psalm 127:3 NLT
³ Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.

Genesis 18:13 NLT
¹³ Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Genesis 29:31 NLT
³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.

Genesis 30:2 NLT
² Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”

Genesis 30:22NLT
²² Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children.

⁶ So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.  

⁷ Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. 

The House of the Lord.

The Temple of the Lord.

• Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.

Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. 

⁸ “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

• Elkanah’s attempts to comfort Hannah were unsuccessful.

Hannah’s Prayer for a Son 

⁹ Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle.  

¹⁰ Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 

¹¹ And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.” 

• Hannah prayed and pledged to give the Lord her son in return for God’s favor in giving her that son.

This dedication of her son sounds like a commitment to the Nazarite vow, described in Numbers 6.

Similar to the story of Samson

Judges 13:2-5 NLT
² In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. ³ The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. ⁴ So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. ⁵ You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” 

Long hair was a symbol of dedication to the service of the Lord and was one of the characteristics of the Nazarite vow. This vow was normally taken for a limited time rather than for life.

• Elkanah apparently supported Hannah’s wishes.

NUMBERS 30:10
¹⁰ “But suppose a woman is married and living in her husband’s home when she makes a vow or binds herself with a pledge. ¹¹ If her husband hears of it and does not object to it, her vow or pledge will stand. 

¹² As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her.  

¹³ Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking.  

Some people may have used the feast times at Shiloh as an occasion to get drunk. 

¹⁴ “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” 

• Eli assumed that Hannah was drunk and therefore rebukes her. 

¹⁵ “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. ¹⁶ Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”

Acts 2:13-15 NLT
¹³ But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
¹⁴ Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 

¹⁷ “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

It was the duty and privilege of the priests to bless the people in the name of the Lord.

Numbers 6:22-27 NLT
²² Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
²⁴ ‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
²⁵ May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
²⁶ May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
²⁷ Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.” 

Lev 9:22-23 NLT
²² After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. ²³ Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.  

• A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered. 

¹⁸ “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

• Hannah believed that God would answer her prayer.

• Pray believing that God will answer your prayers.

Psalm 145:18 NLT
¹⁸ The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.

John 14:13-14 NLT
¹³ You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴ Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

John 15:7 NLT
⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

James 5:16 NLT
¹⁶ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

1 John 5:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. ¹⁵ And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Matthew 7:8 NLT
⁸ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

 

************************* 

• Elkanah was the father of Samuel.

• Elkanah was a Levite.

• Elkanah lived in Ramah.

• The ESV (and other versions of scripture) use Ramathaim-zophim instead of Ramah.

• Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.

• Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.

• Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

• Multiple wives frequently result in serious friction between the wives.

• Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lordof Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

• Hannah’s barrenness was the result of divine providence like Sarah’s (Genesis 16:2) and Rachel’s (Genesis 30:2)

• Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lordhad kept her from having children.

• Elkanah’s attempts to comfort Hannah were unsuccessful.

• Hannah prayed and pledged to give the Lord her son in return for God’s favor in giving her that son.

• Elkanah apparently supported Hannah’s wishes.

• Eli assumed that Hannah was drunk and therefore rebukes her.

• A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

• Hannah believed that God would answer her prayer.

• Pray believing that God will answer your prayers.

Introduction to 1^st and 2^nd Samuel 

Names used for the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel.

The Books of 1 and 2 Samuel take their names from the Prophet Samuel, who is the first important character in the first book, because of the role he played in Israel’s transition to a monarchy (Not the author of the books.)

Samuel was a prophet, priest, the last of the judges, and an anointer of kings.

The events described in 1 and 2 Samuel center about the lives of three important figures—Samuel, Saul, and David.

The earliest Hebrew manuscripts made no division between the two books.

First and second Samuel were considered as one book in the earliest Hebrew manuscripts.

They simply entitled the whole collection “Samuel.”

They were later divided into two books by the translators of the Greek version, the Septuagint (LXX).  The Septuagint was the first version to divide the material into two parts.  The trans­lators of the Septuagint, or the Greek OT, divided it into two books, 1-2 Kingdoms (The First and Second Book of Kingdoms).  Later Hebrew tradition also divided the book but retained the name Samuel, as do most English versions.  That division into 1^st and 2^nd Samuel has continued to the present day in all translations and versions, including Hebrew-printed Bibles.

Septuagint (LXX)

The term Septuagint is the name given to the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.  It contains what are now known as the apocryphal (a poc ry phal) books.  The name Septuagint derives from the Latin word septuaginta, which means 70. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible is called Septuagint because 70 or 72 Jewish scholars reportedly took part in the translation process.  The Septuagint Bible originated in the 3rd century B.C., (or third and second century B.C.) when the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, was translated into Greek.

It is also called the Greek Old Testament.

This translation is quoted in the New Testament, particularly by Paul.

Names used for the books of 1^st and 2^nd Samuel:

Samuel

1-2 Kingdoms (The First and Second Book of Kingdoms).

First and Second Kings (1^st and 2^nd Kings were titled 3^rd and 4^th Kings)

1^st and 2^nd Samuel

Author of 1^st and 2^nd Samuel 

Jewish tradition ascribed the writing of Samuel to Samuel himself or to Samuel, Nathan and Gad (based on 1 Chr. 29:29).

1 Chronicles 29:29 NLT
²⁹ All the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in The Record of Samuel the Seer, The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Record of Gad the Seer.

This could not be true for several reasons.

The authorship of 1 and 2 Samuel is anonymous, though one can hardly doubt that Samuel himself may have written or supplied information for 1 Samuel 1:1-25:1, all of which describes his life and career up to and including his death.

It is impossible, however, to say anything with certainty about the authorship of the remainder of 1 Samuel and of 2 Samuel.

But Samuel cannot be the writer because his death is recorded in 1 Samuel 25:1.

1 Samuel 25:1 NLT
The Death of Samuel
^25:1 Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.

1 Samuel has 31 chapters. 

Further, Nathan and Gad were prophets of the Lord during David’s lifetime and would not have been alive when the book of Samuel was written.

Though the records of these three prophets could have been used for information in the writing of 1 and 2 Samuel, the human author of these books is unknown. The work comes to the readers as an anonymous writing, i.e., the human author speaks for the Lord and give; the divine interpretation of the events nar­rated.

The author of 1^st and 2^nd Samuel is unknown.

 

Important Dates 

The date of the composition of the books cannot be determined with any degree of precision.  It had to be after 971 B.C. (the death of David).  Some scholars say after the division of the king­dom between Israel and Judah in 931 B.C..

The Books of Samuel contain no clear in­dication of the date of composition. Some scholars say that the author wrote after the division of the king­dom between Israel and Judah in 931 B.C.  due to the many references to Israel and Judah as distinct entities (1 Sam. 11:8; 17:52; 18:16; 2 Sam. 5:5; 11:11; 12:8; 19:42-43; 24:1, 9).

2 Samuel 12:8 NLT
⁸ I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 

Vs. the kingdom of Israel.

This could also be indicated by the reference to Ziklag, a Philistine city which, the narrator wrote, “has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day” (1 Sam. 27:6)

1 Samuel 27:6 NLT
⁶ So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag (which still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day)… 

During the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon the kingdom was known as the Kingdom of Israel.  Saul, David, and Solomon were kings of Israel.

Scholars believe strongly that 1^st and 2^nd Samuel was written before 722 B.C. The fall of Samaria.

Approximate chronological timeline.

1376-1050 bc              The era of the judges

The 300 or so years of the history of Israel under the Judges were marked by political, moral, and spiritual anarchy and deterioration.   Throughout the days of the judges, discontent grew over the lack of unity among Israel’s tribes. (see Judges 17-21). When Samuel became old and a successor was needed, it was evident to all that his own sons were unfit to take his place. This factor, coupled with the encroachments of the Ammonites on the east side of the Jordan River, prompted Israel to demand of Samuel that he give them a king “like all the other nations” to unite the nation and protect it from internal and external threats.

1200 bc                       The Philistines arrive in Canaan

1100-950 bc                The period covered by the books of Samuel (150 years)

1100-1070 bc              Eli as priest at Shiloh

1075-1040 bc              The ministry of Samuel

1050-1011 _BC               The reign of Saul

1025 _BC                        David is anointed as king

1020 _BC                        David fights Goliath

1011 bc                       The death of Saul and Jonathan

1011-971 _BC                 David as king of Israel

Second Samuel concludes with a story of royal succession in which David on his deathbed made provision for his son Solomon to follow him on the throne. This must be dated at 971 b.c. 

Setting

The majority of the action recorded in 1 and 2 Samuel took place in and around the cen­tral highlands in the land of Israel.

The major cities of 1st and 2^nd Samuel are to be found in these cen­tral highlands:

Shiloh, the residence of Eli and the tabernacle;

Ramah, the hometown of Samuel;

Gibeah, the headquarters of Saul;

Bethlehem, the birthplace of David;

Hebron, David’s capital when he ruled over Judah;

and Jerusalem, the ultimate “city of David.”

 Purpose.

1^st
The Books of Samuel provide an account of the history of Israel from the end of the 12th through the beginning of the 10th centuries before Christ. That critical period from judgeship to monarchy, from loose tribal affiliation to strong central government.

2^nd
More importantly, the books of Samuel show/teach/demonstrate theological themes.

Teach Biblical truths.

The events of David’s life recorded in Samuel foreshadow the actions of David’s greater son (i.e., Christ) in the future.

There are four predominant theological themes in 1 and 2 Samuel.

1. The Davidic Covenant.

This is an unconditional covenant made between God and David through which God promises David and Israel that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David and the tribe of Judah and would establish a kingdom that would endure forever.

2 Samuel 7:12-16 NLT
¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

2. The sovereignty of God.
3. The work of the Holy Spirit in empowering men for divinely appointed tasks.
4. The personal and national effects of sin.

Sources:
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
NLT Study Bible: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary
NLT Study Bible
ESV Student Study Bible
NIV Study Bible

In today’s lesson we will finish studying the book of Esther.

We will be learning about the Jewish Festival of Purim

Esther 9:20 – 10:3 NLT
The Festival of Purim
²⁰ Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes, ²¹ calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days. ²² He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.
²³ So the Jews accepted Mordecai’s proposal and adopted this annual custom. ²⁴ Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the date determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim). ²⁵ But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. ²⁶ That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots.
So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, ²⁷ the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year. ²⁸ These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.
²⁹ Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen’s full authority behind Mordecai’s letter to establish the Festival of Purim. ³⁰ Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. ³¹ These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.) ³² So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

^10:1 King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands. ² His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia. ³ Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.

Examine the Scriptures

Esther 9:20 – 10:3 NLT
The Festival of Purim

²⁰ Mordecai recorded these events

The events Mordecai recorded:

Esther 9:16-19 NLT
¹⁶ Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder. ¹⁷ This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness. ¹⁸ (The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9, making that their day of feasting and gladness.) ¹⁹ So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other. 

and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes, ²¹ calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days. 

• Mordecai and Queen Esther established (proposed v.23) the Festival of Purim.

The festival of Purim was not established by Mosaic Law.   It was established by Mordecai and Esther (v 29-32).

The festival of Purim is the only OT festival not established by Moses. 

²² He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor.

How did the Jews celebrate Purim?

Eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor.

• The Jews celebrated Purim with eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor. 

This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.

Why did the Jews celebrate Purim?

The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction.

On that fateful day, March 7, 473 BC, God miraculously rescued His people from certain death, much like He rescued His people from Egypt at the Passover.

The festival of Purim is much like the Passover celebration.

• The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction. 

²³ So the Jews accepted Mordecai’s proposal and adopted this annual custom.  

²⁴ Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the date determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim). ²⁵ But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. ²⁶ That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots.

The above verses summarize the events leading to the Festival of Purim.

It was a common practice in the ancient world to cast purim to determine whether God favored a particular course of action.

Esther 3:7 NLT
⁷ So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later. 

• The date of this celebration (events leading up to this celebration) had been determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).

So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, ²⁷ the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year. ²⁸ These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.

Even though Moses did not authorize this festival, Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews.

Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

Purim is celebrated on Adar 14 because the Jews in unwalled cities fought their enemies on Adar 13 and rested the following day.

Shushan Purim falls on Adar 15 and is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem (a walled city) celebrate Purim.

• Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews. 

²⁹ Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen’s full authority behind Mordecai’s letter to establish the Festival of Purim.  

Esther’s letter provided further official endorsement to Mordecai’s proposal.

³⁰ Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. ³¹ These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. 

(The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.) 

• The people decided to observe the Festival of Purim. 

A decree by Mordecai and Queen Esther would not have meant much without the acceptance of the Jewish people. 

³² So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

A copy of Esther’s letter was put into the royal archives.

The festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

Today, Jewish people fast and pray to commutate Esther’s fasting (The Fast of Esther). This fast is then followed by Purim.

Two events:

A time of fasting.

A time of celebration.

 

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

^10:1 King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire,

This negated an earlier remission of taxes.

Esther 2:18
English Standard Version
¹⁸ Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity. 

Esther 2:18
New Living Translation
¹⁸ To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.

From lesson on Esther 2:

“Holiday” The Hebrew for this word, unique to this verse, may imply a remission of taxes,

an emancipation of slaves,

a cancellation of debt

or a remission of obligatory military service.

• King Xerxes imposed a tax throughout his empire. (Showing the extent of his power.)

Persian taxes on the provinces were heavy.

even to the distant coastlands. 

Esther 1:1 NLT
These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. 

Review the Map of the Persian Empire

² His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia.  

³ Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself.

• Mordecai was rewarded with a high government position.

Mordecai became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself.

Joseph ranked second in the Egyptian dynasty.

Daniel ranked high in both the Babylonian and Medo-Persian Empires.

He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.

• Mordecai was held in high esteem by his people, the Jews.

Nowhere in the book of Esther does it say that Mordecai was a righteous man or that he was careful to follow the Law of Moses.

There are no farther details about Mordecai or Esther.

King Xerxes was assassinated in 465 B.C. (less than ten years later.)

• God’s sovereignty is clearly seen in the book of Esther. Many things happened that were beyond anyone’s control except that of God, who oversees history.

• • • (Chapter 1) The king’s wise men advised King Xerxes to banish Queen Vashti from his presence forever and choose another queen more worthy than Queen Vashti.

• • • (Chapter 2) Esther, a Jew, was placed in a position in which she could help the nation Israel, even before Israel needed help.

• • • (Chapter 2) Mordecai is at the right place at the right time. – Mordecai heard two guards plotting to assassinate King Xerxes.

• • • (Chapter 3) Lots were cast to determine the best day and month for the execution of the Jews to take place.  –  The Jews would have nearly a year to prepare themselves for this event.

• • • (Chapter 4) Esther’s rise to power at this precise time.  Esther’s position as Xerxes’ favored wife and queen allowed her to influence the king in such a way it would favor the Jewish people.

• • • The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases. (Chapter 5)

• • • (Chapter 6) The night between the first and second banquet hosted by Esther, the king had trouble sleeping.  Listening to 12 years of recorded history being read to him, the king discovered the account of how Mordecai exposed a plot to have him (King Xerxes) assassinated.  King Xerxes is reminded of the fact that nothing has been done for Mordecai for saving the king’s life.

• • • (Chapter 7) The king appears to be surprised to hear that Esther is a Jew.  Esther was able to ask the king to spare her life and the lives of her people.

• • • (Chapter 8) A decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring that gave the Jews authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.

• • • (Chapter 9) The enemies of the Jews could not make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.

The Festival of Purim

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

• Mordecai and Queen Esther established (proposed v.23) the Festival of Purim.

• The Jews celebrated Purim with eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor.

• The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction.

• The date of this celebration (events leading up to this celebration) had been determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).

• Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

• The people decided to observe the Festival of Purim. (A decree by Mordecai and Queen Esther would not have meant much without it being accepted by the Jewish people.)

• King Xerxes imposed a tax throughout his empire. (Showing the extent of his power.)

• Mordecai was rewarded with a high government position.

• Mordecai was held in high esteem by his people, the Jews.

• God’s sovereignty is clearly seen in the book of Esther. Many things happened that were beyond anyone’s control except that of God, who oversees history.