Day 98, Chronological Bible Study

Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): 1Samuel 1:1–4:1a; Psalm 113 Removed and Replaced We replace light bulbs when they go out. We do this to see better and to have more light. Similarly, most of us have witnessed the need to remove and replace an employee, player, coach, or leader. When someone is not productive or is a distraction from the organization's purpose, he becomes like a light bulb needing to be changed. If the management will not handle the problem, discouragement arises. We may quit or find other places to live, work, play, or minister. Before we take that last step, we should pray to God to intervene. The LORD cares about us and our dark situations. He can replace individuals so there's hope once again, and He can bring light to the darkness. The dark days of the Judges In this period of Israel's history, chaos, immorality, and idol worship ruled. God's blessing was not on Israel. Because of her wickedness, neighboring nations often oppressed her for whole generations. They were days of darkness. Hope for Hannah In today's Bible study, Elkanah, an Ephraimite man, has two wives. His first wife, Hannah, has been barren for a long time. Perhaps, this is why Elkanah took a second wife, Peninnah (although allowed in their culture, God didn't condone it). This causes tension between Hannah and her rival. Since Peninnah has given birth to many children and Hannah doesn't even have one child, Peninnah provokes and mocks Hannah until she cries. Elkanah tries to comfort his wife, Hanna, but it's difficult for them to understand why God keeps her from getting pregnant. At the Shiloh Tabernacle, Hannah earnestly prays for a son. She is in anguish and so her lips move but she doesn't speak. Eli thinks she is drunk and rebukes her. After she explains why she is so distraught she can't even speak, Eli becomes compassionate. He prophesies next year she will have a son...and...she does! What about us? Do we have something in our lives which causes anguish or anxiety? God cares. We can pray to him and let him know how we feel. We should let it all out, and then when we are ready, pray He might be glorified in His answer to our prayer. In the meantime, let's keep trusting God, clinging to him and his promises. It will give us peace to our souls (a good Bible book to read is Psalms). Let's stay in his Word and go to church for support. We should keep praying and trusting in God, for He can do something wonderful if He pleases. Then, when the LORD blesses any of us, let's sing about it and tell others! God answers Hannah's prayer Soon after Eli's blessing at the tabernacle, Hannah gets pregnant. She composes a song praising the LORD's strength and how he delivers and raises his people from oppression. Psalm 113 is a song later composed in memory of Hannah. The priests and people will sing this song of praise at festivals such as the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacle feasts. After Hannah weans Samuel, she gives him to the LORD (Samuel would have been three years old). Samuel's mother takes him to Shiloh to live with Eli and help with the tabernacle duties. It's difficult to give up her only son, but God enables Hannah to conceive seven more children in return. Eli doesn't see or move around well, so the young child becomes his eyes and hands. Since Samuel is Eli's constant attendant, he grows to be an excellent lad. Unfortunately, Eli did not give the same attention to his sons. Eli's sons are serving as priests and need to be removed and replaced. They are unfit for their positions; they treat the LORD's offering with contempt by offering themselves the best of the meat and leaving God with the rest. In their worship at the Tabernacle, they also engage in prostitution with women. This is disgraceful behavior! They are as evil as the nations Israel dispossessed (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25), but Eli does not restrain their actions. Eli neglects the discipline of his sons. Unfortunately, Samuel will later follow Eli's poor example in raising his sons (1Samuel 8:1-5). Children are our responsibility Parents, we must take responsibility for the rearing of our children, or they may become rebels. We must not be too busy to do it. We need to pay careful attention to this task for the future of our family and nation. How will our children and grandchildren turn out? It can depend on us. What can we do? Here are several ideas: Set a godly example. Children often repeat what they hear and see. Include the LORD as part of our daily conversation wherever we are. Discipline them if they do wrong and praise them for doing right. Take them with us to our house of worship and include them in helping us serve the LORD and others. Encourage the godly disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, service, and worship Pray for them and with them. Share stories of faith. Challenge them and let them struggle to own their faith. No parents are perfect, but most children will follow our faith in God and obey him if we try to do these things regularly. They will experience God's blessings and make a difference in the world. If some of us are not parents, we can still make a difference in children's lives. We can give them attention, encourage them to do what God says, teach them to respect others, be disciplined, and discourage them from doing wrong. Samuel grows to be a faithful priest. He lives with integrity and honors God, and all people recognize him to be a prophet (1Samuel 2:30). Do we want our children to succeed? We must teach them to be faithful. According to a prophecy given by an unnamed man of God, Eli and his sons will be removed as priests and killed on the same day. Not only that, but God will remove their descendants from the priesthood for failure to honor him (1Samuel 3:20). The first part of the prophecy is near fulfillment. The other will be fulfilled later (1Kings 2:26-27, 35). Endnote: According to the apocyphal book, 2 Maccabees 7:27, children were weaned at age 3; The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the Old Testament, edited by Walvoord and Zuck, © 1985, p. 434 Focus Verse 1Samuel 2:30b (NIV) “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.’” What should we do if our situation is dark? How has God brought light into our lives? Why should we take the time to train children? How should we do it?

Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study: Enter your prayer here: Sample Prayer Please send your comments to me, Rod, the author Looking Ahead: In this Bible study we see a young boy who is faithful to the LORD. In our next lesson we see another boy who grows strong and also helps Israel— however, he is strong-willed. What are the advantages and disadvantages of working with someone who is strong-willed? Join us! Previous Lesson  |  Next Lesson Back to top of page Return to Chronological Bible Studies main page Go to Scriptures main page Go to Topics main page Go to Home page re-edited 7-29-23

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