Samuel is Growing

7. May 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today our lesson picks up after Hannah has dropped off Samuel to Eli to be raised up in the house of God.  The story shows us insight as to how wicked the sons of Eli were (Hophni & Phinephas). If you remember, we opened this story of the study of the monarchy by doing the historical background on these two brothers.

Here is the text:

I Samuel 2:11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the Lord under Eli the priest. 12 Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice of the priests with the people that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice and while the meat was being boiled, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 He would plunge it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot, and the priest would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” 16 If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned up first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would then 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 conceived and 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; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the Lord’s people. 25 If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” 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 men.

As we can see in our text, Eli did address his boys concerning the sins that they were doing in the house of God but he did pronounce any punishment for their actions.  He did not throw them out of the house but only rebuked them for their actions.  This is a key point here because as we continue this story, we will see that because Eli did not deal with his sons, it will be the reason for Eli’s own punishment and death from God. 

In the midst of this story, we see that the text tells us that Samuel was doing fine and that his parents came to visit him yearly when it was time for the annual sacrifice and she would bring him a little robe.    The text teaches that though Eli’s sons were sinning, Samuel was ministering before the Lord.  I love this line.  No matter what is going on within the church  ( I say the church because the world is suppose to do what it does, it makes no claims to be loyal to God but the church does) there is always someone who can be found “ministering” before the Lord.  Ohhhh!!!!!!!!!!!  I just love it.  My prayer is that God would help me always be one of those that will “minister before him.”   The word minister here in our context simply means to serve. 

We also know in our text that Eli pronounced a blessing upon Hannah that the Lord would bless her with children to take the place of the one that she gave unto the Lord and she was blessed with three sons and two daughters. 

We also know in our text that Eli now is very old which means there will be a “changing of the guards” real soon and what will be the fate of Israel seeing the condition of his heirs.  Tune in tomorrow as we continue to may our way towards Israel new system of government as a monarchy.

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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