Daily Devotion||每日靈修

This week we will begin the study the entire Book of 1 Samuel in the Old Testament.

Introduction:

The books of Samuels originally formed one undivided work and it was the translators of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) who divided up the book into two, and together with 1 & 2 Kings they were considered the books of the "Kings" or "Kingdoms".

Jewish traditions name Samuel as the author of the book of Samuel, but "they likely bear his name because of his dominant role in the first twenty-five chapters". It is noteworthy that 1 Chronicles 29:29-30 has this say about the sources from which some of the materials had come from:

"As for the events of King David's reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer, together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands."

The Books of Samuel contain the history of the development of the kingship under Saul (1070?-1010) and David (1040-970), from the termination of the judges (Samuel being the last of the judges) to the end of the reign of King David.

1 Samuel deals with the rise of Samuel both as the last judge and the first prophet, and with the reign of King Saul, and may be divided into three sections:

Chapters 1-7: The judicial office of Samuel
Chapters 8-15: The choice and rejection of King Saul
Chapters 16-31: Saul's conflict with the Chosen one, King David

As we read the first chapter of this book, it is interesting to note that the revival of theocracy in Israel by Samuel does not begin with the call of Samuel as a prophet right away, but with the contrast of two families — the ungodly priestly family of Eli and the piety of the parents of Samuel whose genealogy was traced back to Kohath, the son of Levi (see 1 Chr. 6:16-28). Therefore, the Bible mentions his father Elkanah as an Ephraimite, "because, so far as his social standing was concerned, he belonged to the tribe of Ephraim… (as the) Levites were reckoned as belonging to those tribes in the midst of which they lived…" (K&D, 374).

1. As we begin to study this passage, first go back and read the last verse of the Book of Judges (21:25). Given the spiritual apathy of the time:
   1. What would likely be the spiritual atmosphere in the home of the (high) priest?
   2. What would likely be the spiritual condition in the average home in Israel?
2. According to v. 3, who were in charge of the operation of the temple which should include the making of daily offerings, the replenishment of the Table of Presence, the tending of the golden lampstand and the daily burning of fragrant incense of the altar which is considered, "the most holy to the Lord" (Exod. 30:10)?
3. We cannot form any value judgment on Elkanah because of his having two wives, which was common at the time; however, given the spiritual condition of the nation at this time, what might this habit of going to Shiloh (where the tabernacle was) year after year say about him?
4. The fact that Hannah was mentioned before Peninnah does imply that she was likely the first wife and it might be her barrenness that had led to the marrying of Peninnah to Elkanah as the second wife.
   1. What does it mean that "the Lord had closed her womb" (v. 5) and
   2. how did Hannah take it, especially in terms of her relationship with the Lord? (While Hannah's name means grace or gracious, a woman without child was such a stigma that she would feel ashamed and cursed).
5. What do you think was the reason that Peninnah chose to "irritate" Hannah?
6. What did Elkanah do to pacify the situation? Did it help? Why or why not? What then should he have done and what could he do?
7. Although Hannah was "bitter" in her soul, what did she choose to do to the point that the priest thought she was drunk?
8. What does the fact that Eli thought she was drunk say about:
   1. The spiritual discernment of Eli? and
   2. How people normally prayed in the temple court?
9. Hannah's prayer did amount to a "bargain" with the Lord:
   1. Is it right to bargain with the Lord in our prayer?
   2. What did she appeal to?
   3. What promise did she make?
10. What was God's reply to Hannah through Eli, the priest? Could such a priest be used by God still?
11. What was the immediate reaction of Hannah to the words of God through Eli?
12. Based on Hannah's immediate reaction to the words of God, what can we learn about the essence of prayers? (See Heb. 11:6)
13. What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?