1 Samuel 3:10-21

¹⁰ The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

¹¹ And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. ¹² At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. ¹³ For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. ¹⁴ Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

¹⁵ Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, ¹⁶ but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

¹⁷ “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

¹⁹ The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. ²⁰ And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. ²¹ The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

Questions to consider:

• Why is the fact that God is speaking to Samuel here especially important? [hint: look back at verse one of this chapter]
• Would you have been afraid if you were in Samuel's position?
  
• Why is God holding Eli responsible for the sins of his sons?
• Why do you think Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision?
• What do you think about Eli's response? If the vision had been about you, would you have been able to respond gracefully?
• What does it mean that the Lord let none of Samuel's words "fall to to the ground"?
  

Possibilities for prayer:

As I think about how God came and stood before Samuel in the middle of the night and told him these things about Eli and Eli's family, I can't help but wonder how I would have responded. Would I have been fearful? Would I have been humbled? Confused? Elated that God had chosen ME to speak to in a time when God wasn't really speaking?

Even though Samuel was nervous about sharing all that God had told him with Eli, he does so anyway, which to me is a great indication of courage. Being courageous doesn't have to mean not ever being afraid, but instead maybe being afraid and doing the right thing anyway. Let's ask that God would be growing in us this ability to overcome fear with courage that comes from him, giving us the ability to do what's right, even if it's not the most popular or comfortable thing to do.

1 Samuel 3:1-9

¹ The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

² One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. ⁴ Then the LORD called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” ⁵ And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

⁶ Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

⁸ A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Questions to consider:

• Why do you think "there were not many visions" in Samuel's day?
• Would you, like Samuel, have assumed that it was Eli calling you?
  
• Why is this an especially natural thing for Samuel to think, given the information we were offered in verse 1?
• What do you think it means for the word of the Lord to have been revealed to Samuel?
• Do you feel that the word of the Lord has been revealed to you?
• How do you respond when God calls out to you?
  

Possibilities for prayer:

I find it interesting that the author of this book describes Samuel as "not yet know[ing] the Lord" because the Word of the Lord had not been revealed to him. We don't really know if Eli had ever heard God's voice at this point either, but he is still able to direct Samuel in the proper way to respond to God. This led me to think about the way in which we are able to serve as mentors for those around us.

It's true that none of us has ALL of the necessary knowledge, wisdom, experience, etc to have the answers to every question that we might be asked. But, we have a great resource in God, who wants to use us to minister to and mentor others. Today, take some time to ask that God might use you to minister to and mentor others around you, as he used Eli to get Samuel started on the road to diligently serving God throughout his life.

1 Samuel 2:27-36

²⁷ Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to the family of your ancestor when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? ²⁸ I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. ²⁹ Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’

³⁰ “Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that the members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. ³¹ The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of the members of your family, so that no one in it will reach old age, ³² and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. ³³ Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.

³⁴ “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. ³⁵ I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his family line, and he will minister before my anointed one always. ³⁶ Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.”’”

Questions to consider:

• How would you respond to this announcement if you were Eli?
• Were you surprised that God accused Eli of honoring his sons more than God? What do you think of that statement?
• What has God promised to do to Eli's family line? Why is this punishment being given?
• Who do you think the "faithful priest" that God mentions will be?
  

Possibilities for prayer:

Wow. Those were some pretty harsh words conveyed to Eli. They would have been difficult for me to take. We learned yesterday that Eli's sons were not very godly men, God's proclamation here still feels a little bit hard to swallow.

There is still the hint of redemption here, however. Even though things don't look so great for Eli's family, there is the promise of something new, in the form of the "faithful priest" that God will raise up. This little indication of redemption gives me hope, and helps me see the compassionate and loving God with whom I am familiar from my readings of the Old Testament. Let's take some time in prayer today to thank God for his power to redeem things, and people, that often appear quite broken.

1 Samuel 2:12-26

¹² Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD. ¹³ Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled ¹⁴ and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. ¹⁵ But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”

¹⁶ If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”

¹⁷ This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD’s sight, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.

¹⁸ But Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹ Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. ²⁰ Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the LORD.” Then they would go home. ²¹ And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.

²² Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. ²⁴ No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the LORD’s people is not good. ²⁵ If anyone sins against another human being, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the LORD’s will to put them to death.

²⁶ And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people.

Questions to consider:

• Were you surprised to find out that Eli had sons?
• What do you think "treating the Lord's offering with contempt" means?
• What do you think about the statement "it was the Lord's will to put them to death"? Does this fit with your understanding of who God is? Why or why not?

Possibilities for prayer:

If anyone sins against another human being, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?

I like this statement that Eli makes to his sons. I think that if I had been one of them, it would have grabbed my attention. I also like the fact that in many ways, this statement doesn't apply to us. As we are living in a world that is post-Jesus, we have him to intercede on our behalves in all things. Isn't that encouraging?! Today, take some time in prayer thank Jesus for his sacrifice and for the fact that he intercedes on our behalves.

1 Samuel 2:1-11

¹ Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.

² “There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

³ “Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.

⁴ “The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
⁵ Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.

⁶ “The LORD brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
⁷ The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
⁸ He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s;
on them he has set the world.
⁹ He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;
¹⁰ those who oppose the LORD will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

¹¹ Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest.

Questions to consider:

• What do you think about Hannah's prayer?
• Why do you think she offered this prayer?
• What characteristics of God does Hannah declare in this prayer?
• Does Hannah believe that it is strength that allows one to be victorious?
  

Possibilities for prayer:

In reading through this prayer that Hannah offers (which is, in a lot of ways, a declaration of God's goodness), she sounds like a woman who has been given many, many children when she was once barren...as opposed to a woman who has just dropped off her one and only child at a temple to live without her for the rest of his days. This again reflects the courage that is so clearly a part of Hannah's life! Today, as you pray and think through the things in your life that seem particularly challenging, think about the strength and courage that Hannah exhibited, as she praised God for His goodness and strength, and ask that God would place some of that same strength and courage within you as you face your own obstacles or decisions.

1 Samuel 1:21-28

²¹ When Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, ²² Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.”

²³ “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

²⁴ After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. ²⁵ When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, ²⁶ and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. ²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.

Questions to consider:

• Do you think you could have kept your promise to God? Would you have been able to give up your ONLY child?
• What do you think of Elkanah's response?
• What do you think Eli thinks about Hannah's presentation of her son? Does it seem strange to you that so young a child should be sent to live at a temple?
• Who does Hannah acknowledge as the reason she has this child? Is that acknowledgment important?
• What lesson(s) do you learn from Hannah, a woman who prayed for a child, was granted that child, and then gave that child away to be wholly a servant of the Lord?
  

Possibilities for prayer:

Again we see in Hannah so much courage! Can you imagine taking your toddler aged child, the child that you wept passionately to God in order to even conceive, and dropping him off to live forever in a temple, knowing that he would never be fully your son again? I don't have any children of my own, but I still can't imagine doing that.

Clearly, the "easier" and less courageous option for Hannah was to "forget" about the promise that she made to God when she asked for a child...or to alter the terms of the agreement so that Samuel could remain with her. And yet, she does not do this. She does not take the easy way out. She presents a sacrifice to God in the form of a bull AND she gives her little boy over to the care of an aging priest. Such courage! Such boldness. Today, ask that God would give you the type of courage that we see in Hannah here, in choosing not to take the easy way out. If you're facing some difficult decision(s) in your life right now, ask that God would give you the courage to face them boldly and not simply to look for the easiest solution.

1 Samuel 1:1-20

¹ There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ² He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

³ Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD. ⁴ Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. ⁵ But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. ⁶ Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. ⁷ This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. ⁸ Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

⁹ Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the LORD’s house. ¹⁰ In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. ¹¹ And she made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

¹² As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴ and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

¹⁵ “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. ¹⁶ Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

¹⁷ Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

¹⁸ She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

¹⁹ Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. ²⁰ So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”

Questions to consider:

• "But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her." Do you think that Elkanah didn't love his other wife?
• How would you feel if you were in Hannah's position, before God granted her a child?
• How do you feel about Elkanah's response to Hannah's sadness?
• Do you think it made sense that Eli thought Hannah was drunk when she was praying?
• What do you make of the phrase "and the Lord remembered [Hannah]"?

Possibilities for prayer:

As we go through this sermon series on courage, we want to look at stories of courage throughout the Bible. Hannah's story strikes me as an example of courage. She was bold enough to go to the temple and to cry out in anguish to God about her desire to have a child. She was so passionately crying out to God that the priest thought she was drunk! Hannah was not content to be childless, even though her husband loved her very much--despite her inability to have a child. And God responded to her cries, to her passion, to her bold prayer and promise in the temple.

I don't think this story tells us that we can always get what we want as long as we ask ardently enough, but it is a story about the way that God hears our prayers and responds, so we should boldly bring them before our God! Today, try just that: bring your heart's desire before God in courage, and in faith, and see what happens.