I SAMUEL CHAPTER ONE

[JLG]

What question does Eli ask Hannah when he thought she was drunk? (I Samuel 1:14)

How long will you stay drunk?

What advice does Eli give Hannah when he thought she was drunk? (I Samuel 1:14)

Stop drinking your wine.

 

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Who said to Hannah “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him”? (I Samuel 1:17)

Eli

When Hannah went her way from Eli, she ate. Now describe her countenance. (I Samuel 1:18)

Her face was no longer downcast so she feels better.

When Elkanah and Hannah returned to their house in Ramah: the Lord remembered her and she bore a son. Give his name? (I Samuel 1:19-20)

Samuel

 

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What is exalted in the Lord in Hannah’s prayer (or song of thanksgiving) when she brought Samuel to the Lord at Shiloh? (I Samuel 2:1)

His acts of salvation

In Hannah’s “song of thanksgiving” or prayer after Samuel’s birth, what does she say is “enlarged over my enemies “? (I Samuel 2:1)

Her mouth is opened wide against her enemies meaning she can defend herself against them because now she has a son.

 

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In what condition is she that hath many children in Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving? (I Samuel 2:5)

She has become desolate.

Who kills and who makes alive in Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving? (I Samuel 2:6)

It is God.

Who brings down to the grave and brings up in Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving? (I Samuel 2:6)

It is God.

There is nothing more to say just one word : God and everything is said and the more we live during our time and the more we come back to the same conclusion : only God, the rest is just ridiculous !

 

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By what shall no man prevail in Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving? (I Samuel 2:9)
Power.

 

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To whom does the Lord give strength and exalt the horn of his anointed in Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving? (I Samuel 2:10)
To his king.

 

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Eli’s sons were called sons of whom because they knew not the Lord? (I Samuel 2:12)
- It is the sons of Belial or simply "sons of worthlessness", a biblical name of the devil.

 

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What kind of flesh did the priest’s servant ask the people for before the fat was burned during the sacrifice at Shiloh? (I Samuel 2:15)

Raw meat : we can imagine the best part !

 

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With what was the child Samuel girded as he ministered before the Lord? (I Samuel 2:18)

He wore a linen ephod.

 

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At an old age Eli heard that his sons misused the sacrifices at Shiloh. What did his sons do at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation? (I Samuel 2:22)

They had sexual intercourse with the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

 

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Whose sons would the Lord kill, since they refused to listen to their father’s voice? (I Samuel 2:25)

Eli’s sons. And God would do it at the right time !

 

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The man of God told Eli “but now the Lord saith, be it far from me; for them that honored me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly what?” (I Samuel 2:30)

They will be treated with contempt and the Bible is clear about it ; We know what happened to the Israelites and the Jews and we can see what is happening to humankind as this world is opposed to God. But as i always say, we must be happy to what we have today because tomorrow it’s going to be worse ! Thanks to humanity !

 

[JLG]

The faithful priest that God would raise up (instead of Eli) what would God build for him according to the man of God when he spoke to Eli? (I Samuel 2:35)

He will build for him a lasting house.

 

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Who called Samuel the night the lamp of God went out as Samuel and Eli were asleep? (I Samuel 3:3-4)

God called him.

- It is an exceptional event because God doesn’t contact anybody at this time in Israel!

- It means that Samuel has found favor in God’s eyes!

- We must not forget that he is a gift from her mother to God because he let her have children!

- And Samuel will show that he is worthy of this confidence!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Samuel

1 Samuel 1
Now there is a man of Ramathaim-zophim of the mountainous region of Ephraim whose name is Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He has two wives ; one is named Hannah, and the other is named Peninnah. Peninnah has children, but hannah has no children.

- it is exceptional because here we have information about the family of Samuel!

- His father has two wives: it is not according to what it was supposed to be at the beginning that is one man and one woman!

- As a consequence, itb will bring troubles!

- It is all the time the same: God says one thing and man wants to take another way and it brings problems!

- It is so evident why humanity is a catastrophe!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Samuel

1 Samuel 1
Then Hannah gets up after they have finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. At the time, Eli the priest is sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of God. Hannah is extremely bitter, and she begins to pray to God and to weep uncontrollably. And she makes this vow: “O God, if you look upon the affliction of your servant and remember me and you do not forget your servant and give to your servant a male child, I will give him to God all the days of his life, and no razor will touch his head.”

- Hannah prays God with all her heart!

- And she tells him about her bitterness and affliction!

- And she begs God to give her a child!

- And she will offer him to God to serve him!

- She really wants children and for this reason she is ready to lose the first one because he will be working at God’s service!

- So she will be able to see him only once a year!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Samuel

1 Samuel 1
As soon as she has weaned him, she takes him up to Shiloh, along with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of flour, and a large jar of wine, and she comes to the house of God in Shiloh and brings the young boy with her. Then they slaughter the bull and bring the boy to Eli. With that she says: “Pardon me, my lord§ As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing with you in this place to pray to God. It was for this boy that I prayed, and God granted my petition that I asked of him. I, in turn, now lend him to God. For all his day, he is lent to God. And he bows down to God.

- Hannah fulfills her promise by bringing Samuel to the house of God in due time!

- It was a good start for Samuel!

- As a matter of fact, Samuel is going to be faithful to God all his life!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Samuel

1 Samuel 3
God comes and stands there, and he calls as at the other times: “Samuel, Samuel!” At this Samuel says: “Speak, for your servant is listening.” God says to Samuel: “Look! I am doing something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears about it tingle. On that day I will carry out toward Eli all that I said about this house, from start to finish. You must tell him that I am bringing a lasting judgment on his house for the error that he has known about, for his sons are cursing God, but he has not rebuked them. That is why I have sworn to the house of Eli that the error of the house of Eli will never be atoned for by sacrifices or by offerings.”

- Imagine the situation: God speaks directly with Samuel who is just a boy!

- We can imagine that he will remember this event during his whole life!

- Something impossible to forget!

- And he tells him personally about his judgment on the house of Eli that is Eli and his sons!

- And he can see how Eli’s sons behave!

- And he can see that Eli doesn’t do anything!

- And he can see that God is patient!

- But when the appropriate time comes, he acts!

- And there is no way to escape!

- Does it remind you something about Israel!

- Do you really understand what it means for the human society!

- And here we can see that God says that Eli’s sons ARE CURSING GOD!

- AND WHEN YOU CURSE GOD YOU CAN’T ESCAPE!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Samuel

1 Samuel 3

Samuel continues growing up, and God himself is with him and does not let any of all his words go unfulfilled. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba becomes aware that Samuel has been confirmed as god’s prophet. And God continues to appear in Shiloh, for God reveals himself to Samuel in Shiloh by word of God.

- Eli’s house is going down!

- Samuel is going up!

- The differences are too big!

- God has made his choice and no one else!

- Remember that god has made his choice and no one else!

- And the religious leaders are not the one who decide!

- God’s word vs man’s tradition!

- On the one hand, it is too powerful, on the other hand it is too weak!

- But people like man’s tradition!

- But it won’t help!

- No chance!

- Remember the story of the Israelites, they had everything, they lose everything!

- Then it’s written, nothing can be changed!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Samuel

1 Samuel 6
Then the philistines send the Ark back to the Israelites but with a guilt offering. The priests and the diviners tell them not do it properly and not like Egypt to save themselves. So the lords of the Philistines do exactly as the priests and diviners tell them. And the Ark arrives In Beth-Shemesh and the Israelites there see the Ark and rejoice. The Levites take the Ark and the presents. The men of Bethshemesh make sacrifices. BUT GOD STRUCK DOWN THE MEN OF BETH-SHEMESH BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOOKED UPON THE ARK. And 50,070 men died!

- So the philistines get into trouble because they take God’s Ark in their cities!

- Interestingly they ask their priests and diviners how they must return it!

- And they do exactly how they tell them!

- Now the Israelites rejoice when they see the Ark back!

- But they shouldn’t have looked at it!

- So God strikes them and many men die!

- Once again, we see the difference between man’s tradition and God’s one!

- Men usually do as it pleases them!

- But with god it doesn’t work!

- What do you think will happen when he cleanses human society to establish his kingdom?