Seek God's Guidance - 1 Samuel 8:1 - 12:25

I started teaching school in 1949 at a yearly salary of two hundred dollars a month. At the close of the 1955 school year I was offered a contract to teach the following year at a salary of three hundred dollars a month for nine months. It finally began to dawn upon me that with a wife and two children to support, I really needed to seek a job that paid more than teachers were making.

This was the period in our history when the great electronic companies such as IBM, General Electric, and Westinghouse were new and expanding rapidly. I applied with GE and was offered a position in their Chicago plant that would pay slightly more than five times what I would make if I stayed with the school contract. Our expenses were paid to go to Chicago to view the plant and search for housing, and we made the trip with great anticipation. It was hard for us to believe that we could improve our salary that much in one move. Our hopes were high and all the way home we used the time discussing the things we would need to do during the time left before we would have to go to work in Chicago.

At that time I was teaching in Judsonia, AR and commuting from Griffithville where we were living in a small home of our own with no rent or payments to make. We had two young daughters and we were attending and working in the First Baptist Church. Juanita was working with the children and I was Sunday school Superintendent and teacher of high school youth. I will not try to explain why, but simply say that God led us to remain in education and stay in Arkansas. We have been willing to move and open to change, for we have moved six times. However we prayed more and sought God’s guidance in this matter more than at any other time, about any other changes. I believe that God guided us in this decision. Was it for our good? Yes! Can you imagine raising a family in Chicago?

We will never forget the exasperation and disgust expressed by the agent that had solicited us to work for GE. He never understood how we could refuse their offer. I did not understand it either at that time; but I have been thankful a million times that we did not move to Chicago at that time in our life work…That was just before Chicago became one of the leaders in Anti Establishment, Anti American, and Anti God movements that extended through the 1960’s. And I still would not want to live in Chicago! It seems like a paradox to me but now in 2008 one of the greatest threats to our American way of life is coming out of Chicago

Whether the changes are intentional or forced, making important life transitions can be unsettling, and adults are wise to seek guidance in helping them make good decisions or navigate unavoidable changes successfully. I wish that I could tell you that I have always done this, but I haven’t. When we have sought guidance from the Holly Spirit, at the proper time, and in the correct way, God has never let us down. Do you seek His face? Do you pray for His guidance? I will admit that we did not hear God auditable tell us “Don’t move to Chicago.” But we did not go and have been happy that we did not go. Isn’t that evidence enough? This lesson has been chosen to help adults confirm that it is absolutely necessary to seek God’s guidance before making important decisions. For example:

Pray about and before getting married. Know that your spouse believes in prayer. Pray for the right person, time and place to be married. Pray about having children. Teach your child to pray for guidance while he/she is still young. Pray before having more children. Pray about job selection and any changes you contemplate. Pray before you buy a home. Pray before you join a church. Pray for your church. We could close this lesson right now, because you already know that you are to “SEEK GOD’S GUIDANCE” in every thing that calls for change in your life. Samuel was a special person in God’s plan and he chose God’s way and walked in it. There are no exceptions—each and every important character named in the Bible made it their practice to “Seek God’s Guidance.” At least one of the most important prayers ever prayed was when a servant said, “Here am I Lord, send me.” “I will do what you want me to do, dear Lord; I will go where you want me to go.” “I will say what your want me to say, even if it is not politically correct.”

Hannah was old and did not have any children…she prayed and promised God that she would dedicate her son to Him and He heard her prayer and blessed her life with a special child that grew up to be the greatest of all the judges, Samuel. Following the direction set by his mother, Samuel began as a young boy to develop his walk with the Lord and to be sensitive to His guidance. As long as the people obeyed the word of the Lord, faithfully presented by Samuel, they enjoyed rest from their enemies, including the menacing Philistines. However, as Samuel grew older and the ministry increasingly fell to his sons who “did not walk in God’s ways,” the people began to pressure Samuel to appoint a king as all the other nations had done to judge them.

The change from Theocracy to Monarchy came while Samuel was Judge. Israel was constituted as a theocracy, a country ruled by God, according to the rules written in stone at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20. The covenant stipulations provided divine providence and protection in response to the obedience of the people in doing God’s will. At first God led his people through Moses and Joshua. Then the Judges took responsibility…the last one was Samuel. When he was old, his sons took charge and were not as dedicated as their father. The people rebelled and demanded a King. You must read 1 Samuel 8 through 12 to get the entire story of this change in rule. Note: It seems so trite to me that our political figures today are basing their campaign on “need for change.” They try to make it sound like a new theory in government. It is not new.

The Israelites wanted change—but it was not God’s plan; they made the change anyway—but it was in the wrong direction and they suffered the consequences. People need to know that the change is in accordance with the will of God which will always be for the good of the people. We may not like the situation we are in, but we should be careful in that some change may make things even worse than they are now. I am not naïve; I realize that God does not audibly tell us who we should elect to rule over us. However he still demands that rulers believe in Him, the one and only God and any prospective leader that trust in any other god should be rejected. If you are inclined to be of the Christian faith [faith in Christ] you know with certainty that Mohammed IS NOT A GOD—and even more certain that he IS NOT THE ONE AND ONLY GOD.

In 8: 4 the people demanded Judge Samuel to appoint a king. The change was made from Judge Samuel to King Saul. Samuel did not want to do it but God said, “Let them have their way—it is not you that they have rejected, but they have rejected Me. Samuel explained the mistake they were making, but they still rejected his counsel. The cause of the problem is a parallel to that of Eli and his sons. We like to brag about learning from our experiences. However, many times we do not learn from experience. Samuel is an example. He failed to learn from the mistakes that Eli made. And just like Eli, when Samuel was older he appointed his sons to help him with the work that was his responsibility as the high priest. Even if they were Godly men in every decision and action they were not supposed to take their father’s place; they were not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies.

Samuel had two sons; they were Joel and Abijah, and when Samuel was older, just as Eli had done, he appointed his sons to help him with the heavy load of service. They were the priest’s boys. And, like the sons of some preachers today, they were not dependable. They turned toward dishonesty by accepting illegal gain; they accepted bribes and perverted justice. The people were not blind; they knew the boys were at least a part of the cause for their problems, and they demanded a change in their government. In our election ongoing this fall, the clamor is for change in government when the need is for change in the personnel administering our government. Someone says that it is futile to burn a ship in order to get rid of the rats. I say it is futile to destroy our democracy thinking that will get rid of the rats [crooks].

They demanded that Samuel appoint a King to rule over them, even when it was not God’s will. This request was not against the Law of Moses in Deut. 17 that authorized Kingdom rule. The error was that they did not seek God’s guidance and God’s timing in making their request. They made this a personal demand for change because they were not happy with Samuel’s sons. And their trust in the Almighty God was not strong enough to help them to know that He [God] would take care of their problems if they would only leave their problems to Him. Dear friends in Christ: tell yourself the truth. Have you ever? And do you still take things into your own hands and try to solve some of your most severe problems by yourself?—or do you SEEK GOD’S GUIDANCE FIRST?

Nepotism has always been repugnant to the people. Both Eli and Samuel were guilty of nepotism. Public office is a public trust; and has never been the distribution of family patronage. Samuel knew he had made a mistake and he did not deny it. He knew why the people were upset and demanding that a King be appointed. God assured him that they were really not as opposed to him as they were to God; and therefore he rejected their request. But God did not reject their request even though He knew they were making a mistake.

I often find scriptures that lead me to warn you that you should be very careful what you pray for—you should be very sure that you need the thing or condition that you pray for. Sometimes God grants our prayers when He knows that it is not what we really need. Why?—because he wants to teach us a lesson. The lesson is simply that we should seek his guidance before we ask or pray for anything.

God instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as their King. Under his reign the people lost most of their individual freedoms. Continuing wars required additional soldiers and the men, husbands and sons were drafted into the armies. Wives and daughters were forced into the service of food preparation and weaving and sewing clothing for the King’s army. They soon knew that their demand for a king had not really brought the kinds of improvements they had desired. God is the only source of change for good. They finally were blessed with David’s rule and that was because David was God’s choice for them. I humbly pray that God will choose our next president and exert his power to see that His man is elected.

Trusting in the Lord Alone - 1 Samuel 4: 1b - 7: 17

For thirty-four years it was my privilege to sit in one of the VIP chairs in the auditorium, gym or on a foot ball field, on a day in late spring, and watch several thousand graduating seniors march by to receive their diplomas. There are always exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking these young people had trusted parents to love, feed and clothe them; the police system to protect them and the educational system to educate them; and this had proven to be successful. They have been right for eighteen years and they feel sure of themselves. Few, if any, realize that a Higher Power has been at work giving cause for their success.

If you ask them what they plan to do about half will tell you that they plan to get a job, make money, and buy the things they want and go and do what they desire to do. The other half will say they intend to attend college first and then do the same kind of things. They are trusting in their education, their abilities, and worldly things to make the wonderful life possible. To be more specific—they have put their trust in money and things to help them be what they want to be. There are very few of these young people that have realized that God has a purpose in mind for each of them individually and that their success depends upon whether or not they find his will and walk in it. To place your trust in making life’s important decisions based upon people and things is a sure path to failure. Absolute trust can only be and must be in THE LORD ALONE.

I submit to you that these young graduates from high schools all over America represent, in a symbolic way, the mighty army of the Israelites that declared war on the Philistines in the early verses of chapter four. Eli had failed to teach his people that their dependence must be totally in God and instead they were depending upon their superiority in training and numbers to defeat the Philistines. The Israelites were defeated and 4000 died on the battlefield. They decided that they would go to Shiloh, retrieve the Ark and bring it back so that it would assure their success.

The two evil sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas were at Shiloh guarding the Ark. They allowed the Israelites to take the Ark, knowing that it should not be. There was a great celebration in the Israelite camp, and when the Philistines learned that they now had the Ark, they were greatly disturbed. They remembered that this was the God that had won in Egypt and that he had protected these people for forty years in the desert. They charged the army to be brave and fight as never before or they would too be destroyed. So they attacked the Israelites and defeated them. This time the Israelites lost 30,000 foot soldiers. The Philistines captured the Ark and took it with them, and to fulfill Samuels prophesy, Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas died.

From a religious standpoint, the people in our lesson today had placed their total trust in the Ark of the Covenant; a man made box covered with gold that contained the ten-commandments and a rod that had always led the Children of Israel. They either had not learned or had forgotten that this Ark was a symbol, a reminder of who God is and what he can do. They were to respect it as God had taught them to do…but they were not to worship it as God and they were not to depend on the Ark to win their battles, when that power lies only in the hand of Jehovah God.

A carrier hurried back to Eli and told him what had happened. The 98 year old blind weak, fat priest fell out of his chair and broke his neck, ending his forty year reign. His daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, died as she was giving birth to the son she named Ichabod, which meant that God had departed from them.

Chapter five tells the story of the woes that came upon the Philistines for as long as they kept the Ark. They moved it from town to town and in each setting their people developed tumors and died. They placed the Ark near their main god, Dagon and the next day they found Dagon had fallen and broken to pieces. The people cried out for fear all would die, and the Ark was sent back to the Israelites. They prepared a special new cart, pulled by two cows with young calves, and also sent with it a piece offering of gold rats and gold tumors.

The Ark arrived at the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and placed on a large rock that is a witness to this day. Still, the Israelites had not learned their lesson, they opened the Ark and as a result God struck seventy men to death because they had been told not to touch the Ark. They too, wanted to get rid of the Ark and they sent messengers to Kiriath Jearim asking him to take it back to his place. He complied. And now we go to chapter seven for an explanation and the meat of our lesson for today.
Chapter seven says that Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the Ark of the Lord. The Ark remained there twenty years. During this period, God’s people were made to believe, and they sought after the Lord. Samuel observed the change in his people, and told them that if they were sincere, and would turn to God only and put away their other Gods [Baals and Ashtoreths] that God would deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines.

The people were sincere. Thy repented and turned to God only, and as a result they were successful in defeating the Philistines. They regained control of the towns from Ekron to Gath and all the neighboring territory, and peace returned to His people. Samuel continued to judge over the people the rest of his life.

The summary and heart of this lesson follows. Why wasn’t the Ark taken back to Shiloh and placed in the tabernacle? No one knows for sure, but think that it had been destroyed during the war. Shiloh is not mentioned again in the history books of the OT. Samuel made Ramah his home for the rest of his life. The people mourned for 20 years while the Ark was hidden away, and God seemed to have forsaken them,

Samuel, now a grown man, used some means [maybe he preached to them] to arouse them to action in God. They listened. They repented. They acted.
Maybe God is giving the coastal areas of the southern states twenty years of one hurricane after another to cause them to wonder if he has forsaken them. Or, just may be that he is giving California a few years of wild fires, floods and mud slides, and earthquakes to get their attention. Several states along the Mississippi flood plains have been flooded out more than once…just this year alone…maybe it is for a reason. How easy it is for us to complain about our problems. It is the state’s fault. It is the government’s fault. And we even complain to God, while we refuse to act for ourselves and do what he has commanded that we do.

Do you personally ever feel that God has abandoned you? Check the Good Book and see if you are carrying out the charges he has made on your life. I doubt seriously that God will give us the opportunities to do other things that we want to do until we have been obedient regarding what he has already directed us to do. One thing for sure if there is something in your life that is more important to you than God, it is your idol. Idols have to go. He alone is worthy of our service. The Ark was not an idol; but man made it an idol when they depended upon the Ark to protect them. There was nothing wrong with the Ark, it was being used wrongly. There is nothing wrong with wealth until it is used wrongly, in a selfish way or even as an idol.

I will close out the lesson today by reminding us that Samuel was really an outstanding person from birth to death. He really defied all of the rules of life that seem essential to parents today. He was given away by his earthly parent at an early age. His mother did not abandon him—but dedicated him to God. He was brought up in the tabernacle of an honest and sincere priest who was actually weak in his faith and ability to follow God’s will. We wonder where he obtained and maintained his total trust in God. It could only have been because of the prayers of his mother. God heard her prayers. Have you prayed that your son who has left home, or is associating with bad company [at least associations that are weak] –have you prayed that he might become like Samuel.

The most of the examples that were being set around this boy had to do with two evil sons that were outside of God’s will. Would you have been strong enough in your faith to have survived in his surroundings and still be faithful? His peer pressure was not good. The peer pressure that surrounds your children or grandchildren is usually not good, either. Will they be able to survive, and become as great in their field and he was as the best Judge Israel ever had? What is your responsibility in this matter? Are you taking your responsibility seriously and are you making positive moves to carry them out? You ask: “How can I be sure?” There is only one way and that is by: TRUSTING IN THE LORD ALONE.

This is not just an abstract thought! It will show up in a positive way when you read your bible often, pray without ceasing, deal with others fairly and honestly, attend your church, and work in its ministry, TRUST AND OBEY.

Serving the Lord Faithfully - I Samuel 2 - 4

Is there anything wrong with fishing or playing golf on Sunday? I will leave the answer to you. Should a Christian have a priority system by which he determines when, where and to what he dedicates his life? Our answer should be a resounding yes! Christians ultimately spend their time, money, energy and resources doing the things that mean the most to them. Some claim loyalty to God but their calendars [including the hours in the day] and their canceled checks betray a more worldly focus. Serving the Lord faithfully is a 24-7 commitment and it includes our work, rest and recreation, as well as our worship and praise time. There is a personal challenge in this lesson that is as relevant to us as it was to Samuel. We are to compare the selfish, wicked lives of Eli’s sons to the life that Samuel lived.

The first ten verses of chapter two is a lengthy prayer offered to God by a Godly mother, Hannah, who has kept her promise to God in exchange for His answered prayer. She was an older barren lady who prayed for a son and God heard her prayer. She promised God in her prayers that she would dedicate the son to Him, and now the time has arrived. She took Samuel when he was about three or four years old to Eli the priest, and left him at the temple to be trained in the priest hood.

This prayer praised God for his answer to her previous prayer for a son. It is a poetic prayer stating her complete confidence in God and thanking Him for what he will do through her son Samuel. This is a model prayer, in that Mary modeled her own praise song called the Magnificat after Hannah’s prayer. {It is important that you turn now to Luke 1: 46-56 and read and compare the prayers of these two ladies.}

Hannah and Mary were confident of God’s ultimate control over the events in their lives and they told him so in a meaningful way. This is a prime example for each one of us today. We must realize that God is in control over our lives and we must tell him so. He expects us to offer our prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings he affords us each day of our lives. We must make sure that our prayer life has a balance—first thanking God for what we have and will receive, and then intercessory pleas for others, as well as the requests we have for further blessings. Our ability to talk to God and know he is listening is one of our most precious gifts—and should never be neglected.

Hannah praised God for being a Rock, firm and strong and unchanging. Can you name me one other thing or person that can be described this way? We dedicate our lives to a profession only to find that circumstance change so severely that we are no longer happy or even feel needed. We dedicate our lives to achievements, causes, or possessions that have as their security that which is finite and changeable; here today and gone tomorrow. All of our plans fail because something unforeseen changes. We work our lives away for family, home, and possessions only to loose our love ones and see our possessions diminish. Only God remains always present, and our hope in him will never fail us. To Him is all the Glory. Be happy in Him only.

In chapter three the lord calls Samuel. Three times God spoke to Samuel while Samuel was young and unlearned, and he thought that it was Eli calling. And then Eli told him that the call was from God and that he should recognize His voice and let Him speak to him. The fourth time, Samuel answered God and told him he was listening. It appears to me that God would have spoken to Eli, because of his life experiences, work and dedication. There is too little time to explain all the reasons, but Eli had been faithful in every way except that he had allowed his sons to become his downfall; and he showed extreme weakness when he failed to discipline his sons for their terrible sins.

There are very few lessons in God’s word that are more explicit than this one that proclaims that parents are responsible for the beliefs and actions of their children. Parents are responsible for ascertaining the right way and practicing their beliefs and insisting that their offspring to follow them. Some may ask who these wicked sons were, and what did they do, to bring God’s judgment against Eli?

Eli was in his latter years and was high priest at Samuel’s birth; however according to Jewish law, he was not legally qualified to be a high priest. Even so, he had judged Israel for the last forty years. There is a genealogical table listed in 1 Chronicles that tells us that Eli was a descendant of Aaron, but not Eleazar, who was the oldest son, and therefore was not eligible to become high priest. He was what we might call a good hearted man, but was a weak leader. He must have desired to be a Godly ruler, and tried in his own way, but just did not have strong leadership ability. It seems almost unfair to say so, but a weak leader in a big job is in some ways a curse. America needs to remember this fact when they vote to elect the next President. Diplomats that are trying to rule fairly and well will tell you that a blunder {bad decision} is sometimes worse than a crime. At the time of this lesson Eli was 98 years old and almost blind.

Because of his age and blindness, Eli allowed his two sons Hophni and Phinehas to act for him. Some of their decisions actually degraded the worship of God. There were incriminating reports that came to Eli telling him about the infamous, non-Christian character and deeds of his Sons who were being allowed to degrade this holy office that belonged to God. Even though Eli knew about their sinful ways, he did not take a stand to prevent it from happening. The bible says that his only action was a weak statement—“My sons, it is not a good report that I hear about you” and that is all he said or did to them. God was not pleased with Eli’s weak response.

If you will study the last part of chapter two, beginning with verse 27, you can find that God sent a man who reprimanded Eli, and told him that his sons would both die on the same day, and that He would raise up a faithful priest who will do according to what is in the heart of God.

In Chapter 3, when God called Samuel the fourth time, He told Samuel what would happen to Eli and Samuel did not want to tell him. However, Eli insisted that Samuel tell him what the voice had told him. Samuel reluctantly told Eli what God had said. It could not have been a surprise, for he already knew God was unhappy with him. Eli accepted the message as being what God decided to do to him.

It is easy to see that though Samuel was only a young boy in training, this experience caused him to grow into a young man in authority in a very short time. Verses 19 through 21 state that Samuel grew up and people listened when he spoke. All through out Israel, from the north to the south, people understood and accepted Samuel as God’s new messenger to His people.

In my mind’s eye I can see the plight of Eli taking place in many of the homes in America today. Eli had spent his entire life in service to God. As high priest his responsibility was to oversee the worship in the country of Israel. He took the job seriously and proudly and spent all of his time dedicated to the task. He was a proud man and wanted to be successful—so much so that—he neglected the responsibilities he had in his own home and to these two boys that had not been disciplined to also live a dedicated life. This is a personal message to all fathers and grandfathers that tells you that you can not become so dedicated to your job, business, or profession that you neglect your responsibilities to your family. It even says to me and you that we cannot let our desire to do God’s work cause us to neglect our family. Eli did this very thing, and his family suffered the consequences of Eli’s neglect.

It is an interesting thought when we realize that Samuel grew up with Eli in charge of the tabernacle, which was a precedent of the Holy Temple. It had a room set aside where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. It was the Holy of Holies, and only the priest could enter once each year—just as it was to be later in the Temple. There was an area set aside where the priest lived. Samuel probably had a bedroom somewhere close by; it may have been only a few feet from the Ark, and he may have known of some of the desecration that was taking place there.

This reminds us that we are to be in the world but not a part of the world. We may live next door to a place where sin is taking place, but we do not have to be a part of it. Samuel, even though very young, lived near the sons of Eli and probably knew some of the sins they were committing, but he did not allow their ways to become his ways. As the title of this lesson charges each of us…WE ARE TO SERVE THE LORD FAITHFULLY.

Declaring the Lord Grace - I Samuel 1:1 - 2:11

1 SAMUEL 1: 1 TO 2:11, SEPT. 7, 2008 By: John Vandiver
Some of us may have assumed that the Lord’s grace was reserved for those of us who live under and abide by the teachings of the new covenant. We are quick to remind ourselves and others that we are saved “by grace” through our faith in Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that it is one of the most precocious promises and gifts proclaimed in the New Testament. However, when you look at the meaning of the word ‘grace’ and understand that it simply means ‘unmerited favor’ or ‘unearned blessing’ then it is easy to understand that all of creation, from Adam to the present has been living under grace. Every breath that we breathe, the food that we must have to sustain life and the water we drink are all gifts of grace. We have not earned and have done nothing to ever deserve God’s grace toward man.

I remember that several years ago there was a country song that became quite popular. One of the lines in it simply stated: “Oh Lord, it is hard to be humble.” There has never been a statement that was or is truer. It is very difficult for us to realize and admit that man is nothing without God. We can do nothing, not even live and/or die without the hand of God intervening. Every breath we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat is provided by the God of grace.

As adults we are faced with many trying circumstances in our lives. Some of these trials are short in duration while other might span many years. Many times we wonder just how long we will have to wait for God to answer our prayers and deliver us from what ever problem we are in. I am afraid that most of the time we fail to admit and declare that God has heard our prayers and delivered us from our troublesome situation. This lesson today will help us to declare that our success has been a direct result of the Lord’s grace extended for those times when we need him most. Folks, He has blessed us and answered our earnest prayers and we need to learn to give him credit, and declare that it is by His grace that we are survivors.

There are only a few men listed in the Old Testament that lived lives and influenced the lives of God’s people for good in the way that Abraham, Noah, Moses, Samuel and David did. If you want to think of these as ‘mountain top’ men, then you can think of Samuel as one of the highest peaks. The book of Samuel covers the area of Israel’s history that starts with his birth around 1100 BC to the end of King Saul’s reign and his death in 1010 BC. Israel has been ruled by judges for over 200 years. Eli and Samuel are the last of those judges. Samuel is born near the end of Eli’s life. Samuel grew up in the tabernacle as a “priest in training’ under Eli and was well qualified to be either a priest or a judge. You will soon learn that the nation has drifted away from God and that God raised Samuel up as the man to bring the nation back into his fold. I hope that we can have the faith to truly believe that God has the power to bring America back to Him. Those of us who have that kind of faith are obligated to pray each day for our country.

If you only learn one thing from this lesson it will be one of the most important lessons I have ever taught. When God raises up a nation that he is proud of and really wants to preserve—and that nation fails to keep his commandments, fails to honor him, fails to praise Him and worship Him, He does not immediately cast them out. America can repent and He will forgive us. All we need to do is repent and turn back to God and he will continue to BLESS AMERICA.

The book of Samuel in 1:1 begins when the judges still ruled Israel…possibly during the closing years of Samson’s life. He was the last judge and first priest and prophet to serve during the time of the first two kings. He established the first university with the primary goal of training prophets, and was well qualified as the founder and teacher of the prophets. He knew what it was to judge and govern people according to God’s will and not by man’s impulses. He was privileged to be the one to anoint Israel’s first king, Saul. He also had a hand in the training and dedication of King David to the greatest kingship recorded in the bible.

The heritage of Elkanah was a noted one; he had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. He loved Hannah but she was barren and she agreed for him to take her maid as wife to bear him children.

In 1:2—admittedly, some of the OT leaders such as Abraham, Jacob and David had more than one wife, but this was not God’s intention for marriage. In Gen. 2:24, God said that two people become one flesh and there is no place anywhere in the bible that God condoned three or more in a marriage. No one knows for sure why polygamy ever started, but it was probably because some women could not have children…and it was important for each man’s name to be extended into history. The practice had nothing to do with the will of God…but was a status symbol among men to have large families and to be able to obtain great wealth. Polygamy has always caused family problems. Regardless of the Mormon teaching, it can not be successful as you will see by studying the life of Hannah and Peninnah.

The tabernacle [tent meeting place] was practiced during the exodus from Egypt because they had not arrived at the Promised Land, and this was the temporary temple, that was built later when His people settled especially at Jerusalem. During the days of Samuel the tabernacle was located at Shiloh, the religious center of the nation at that time. Three times each year the men were required to attend a religious feast held here—the Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the feast of Tabernacles. You can find the instructions give for this in Deuteronomy 16.

In 1: 6 you see that Hannah had been unable to conceive children and in OT times a barren woman was a failure. Children were needed to help with the work—and children were also responsible for the care of aging parents. It is too bad that somehow the Liberals of today seem to feel that caring for the elderly is the responsibility of the government. The barren wives would often give one of her maid servants to her husband in order for him to have children that would keep his name alive.

As usually happens in the practice of polygamy, the two women did not get along peaceful; Peninnah tormented Hannah intentionally. Hannah was a godly woman; she turned to God for help. Her prayer life increased to the point that she sometimes appeared to be talking to herself and was accused of being drunk on wine. She promised God that if He would hear her prayer and give her a son that she would dedicate the son to God with no reservations. In God’s time she conceived and had Samuel—and true to her promise to God, after he was weaned she dedicated him to the work of God. I think this is a good place and time to remind each of us that we should be very careful about praying and promising God. Our prayer has a good chance of being answered—and when it is answered; we then have the obligation to keeping our promise to God.

In order for Hannah to keep her promise, it cost her the one thing she loved most…her young son Samuel. She felt so strongly about her promise that she took him to Eli for his dedication and then left him to live, work and grow up in the work of the Lord. Her gift was more than just a tithe, it was definitely a sacrifice.

In the last part of the chapter it is noted that she took a three year old bull to the temple also to be sacrificed. It was at the time of the weaning of the child, and Jewish history indicates that children were often as much a three years old before they were weaned, and it is thought that Samuel was about three years old when Hannah left him with Eli at the temple where he learned how to be priest and Judge.

There is an extensive list of Godly mothers in the Bible, and all have accomplished great things for God. Hannah has come down through history as one very close to Mary and Martha. It actually appears that the contrast between good and bad women named in holy script is far more extreme that the contrast of men. An evil woman is more evil than a snake; and evil man is the snake.