1 SAMUEL 2

1 ¶ And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

• Hannah prayed. Keep in mind that this is the prayer of Hannah that is made after she has fulfilled her vow to dedicate her long awaited child Samuel to The Lord. Also take into consideration that Hannah is now in a sense childless again, and no doubt Penninah is pecking away at her those cruel verbal jabs. Hannah didn’t react by crying but by uttering a jubilant prayer.
• I can see tears flowing down her cheek as she utters this prayer of adoration and thanksgiving. She is not just “saying” her prayers.
• Her thanksgiving is here called a prayer, for thanksgiving is an essential part of prayer. Take note of the great things that she says about God in this prayer/prophecy.
• This prayer of Hannah is similar to Mary’s prayer, historically known as “The Magnificat” in Luke 1.
• My heart rejoices in The Lord. Hannah shows a depth of commitment and love for God that humbles us. On the day she makes the biggest sacrifice she will ever make in her life, she rejoices in the LORD!
• After Job lost nearly everything, we read Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1.20,21).
• My horn is exalted. The horn was an emblem of power: the Lord would cause her to triumph over all her foes. Hannah realized that the sorrow and grief she suffered, when given wholly to God, resulted in a supernatural strength that overcame the one who had made her life so miserable.
• I rejoice in Thy salvation. Hannah’s joy came from the God Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come. Note that her mouth was enlarged over her enemies because she rejoiced in God’s salvation.

2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

• There is none holy as The Lord. His unspotted purity. This is that attribute which is most praised in glory, by those that always behold his face,
• Isa 6:3 Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
• Re 4:8 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
• When Israel triumphed over the Egyptians God was praised as glorious in holiness, Ex 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
• Neither is there any rock like our God. His almighty power. He is incomparable. Rock means that God is our support, refuge and source of strength. Hannah acknowledges the security and strength of God in the midst of her years of storms and heartache.
• Please note beloved that God is the Rock of the saints, NOT Peter or the Pope or any other human being.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

• Talk no more exceeding proudly. Hannah rebukes those that set up themselves as rivals with God and rebels against Him. Pride can be expressed in many ways, but it usually is expressed by our words.
• The arrogance of Peninnah and the shame that she poured upon Hannah for years were now removed…but I want you to note tonight beloved that it was not removed overnight beloved.

• The Lord is a God of knowledge. His wisdom is unsearchable. Only God has all knowledge of every situation and all of the possible scenario’s.
• By Him actions are weighed. God knows what we do and why we do it and who we do it for, and He will render to every man according to motive of his works.  God knew the hearts behind the actions that had been taken by both Hannah and Peninnah. God knows the thoughts and intents of your heart tonight beloved.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken (those who trust in their own strength), and they that stumbled are girded with strength (those that stumbled are the feeble who trust in God).

·      Bows Of the Mighty - The accusing words of Peninnah had been fiery arrows aimed at Hannah's heart. The pain of this had caused her to stumble and be laid low but now God had lifted her up.

·      The haughty, the self-sufficient, & the powerful are made impotent before the Lord. God hates pride beloved. Pride boasts in the power of man, the ability of man, the gifts of man rather than The Giver of those gifts and abilities. We should always seek to walk humbly before God because He knows how to humble the strong.

5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.

• Hannah here in verses 6-8 acknowledges the wisdom and sovereignty of the divine providence in the affairs of men.
• Deut 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
• Job 5:18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
• Beloved I lay no claim to understanding all that these passages mean, but I believe that we must read them through the lens of the character and nature or God. Jesus said, if you have seen Me, you have seen The Father.
• Verse 6. Changes in the condition of individuals, families, and nations, though brought about by human instrumentality, are ordered by the Lord, and his agency in them should always be acknowledged. FBN
• The pillars of the earth are the Lord's. The Lordmade them and sustains them. Jesus Christ is The Lord of all creation Who upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb 1.3). By Him all things consist (Col 1.17).

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength (human strength) shall no man prevail.

• He will keep the feet of His saints. 1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

• However great the opposition of the wicked, the righteous shall finally overcome, and the temporary successes of the wicked will end in their final and everlasting defeat. FBN
• By strength shall no man prevail.  We do not prevail by our own strength, but by yielding ourselves into His hands! Contrary to the thinking of most people, even in the church, God doesn’t help the strong. He doesn’t help those who help themselves. God helps those who are helpless who call out to Him. Remember, our weakness is our greatest strength, for His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.

• At this time, Israel did not have a king, so when Hannah speaks of His king, she is looking ahead to the Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ.
• His king--his anointed; this is the first time the word Messiah, or the Anointed, is mentioned in the Bible.  It is applied to David and to Christ.

11 ¶ And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

• The child did minister unto The Lord. Young as he was, Samuel ministered to the LORD. The smallest child who loves The Lord with all of his or her heart has the capacity to minister to Him more than the most learned man or theologian who only has a lot of Bible knowledge in his head.

12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial (extremely wicked); they knew not the LORD.

• They knew not The Lord. Here were two men who were “in ministry”, but were wicked. An office or a title doesn’t mean that a man is holy, nor does it make a man holy.
• Belial is the same title used for Satan in 2 Cor 6.15.
• Note the contrast between the young child Samuel and the corrupt “professional” priesthood of the day.        

13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething (boiling), with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

·      With many of the sacrifices brought to the tabernacle, a portion was given to God, a portion was given to the priest, and a portion was kept by the one bringing the offering. According to other passages in the Old Testament, the priest was supposed to receive a portion of the breast and the shoulder. But now, some four hundred years after the law of Moses was given, the priestly custom had changed - they would not take the prescribed portion of the breast and shoulder, but take whatever the fork brought up out of the pot. David Guzik

14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

• The priest took for himself; in other words, they wererobbing the offerer of the portion that was due unto them. They were ripping off the people because they had no fear of God or regard for His word.

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden (boiled) flesh of thee, but raw.

16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

·      The fat was thought to be the most expensive or choicest part of the animal, so that was given to God. The idea was that God should always get the best, and God should get His portion first. But in their pride, the sons of Eli took their portion before they burned the fat.

·      Things were so bad that the priest's servants would threaten the worshippers with violence if they did not hand over what was being taken. In other words, Hophni and Phinehas had the servants do their dirty work for them. By their actions they were misrepresenting God.

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

• Men abhorred the offering of the Lord on account of the wickedness of the priests. A covetous, self-indulgent, and licentious ministry is one of the greatest curses to the souls of men. FBN

·      This was the condemnation of the Pharisees in Jesus' day. Jesus said that by their endless rules and traditions they shut people out of the Kingdom of God (Matt. 23:13). Their rules and hypocrisy were so discouraging that people felt it was hopeless to ever to close to God.

18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod (priestly garment).

• Ultimately, corrupt ministers do not stop - or even hinder - the work of God. Every time there are men like Eli's sons, God raises up someone like Samuel. God's work does not stop when God's ministers become corrupt.
• What a contrast to the wickedness of Eli's sons! This shows that although Eli was far from a perfect father, he was not a chronically bad father, because he essentially fathered Samuel and Samuel grew up to be a godly man.

19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

• Every year there would be a kind of family reunion when Hannah and Elkanah would come to worship The Lord.

20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.

21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

• God will never be indebted to man!

22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

• Lay with the women assembled at the door. This means the sons of Eli we committing sexual immorality with the women who came to worship at the tabernacle.

• When those who have the right and the power to put licentious men out of the ministry, neglect to do it, they become partakers in their sins, and will share their woes. FBN

23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD'S people to transgress.

• Their wicked behavior turned people off to God, and was a cause of many to stumble. 
• Matt 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.

• Lord would slay them - There is a point in a person's rebellion against God where God sustains the hardened heart of evil people to use their hardness as a means of bringing upon them their judgment (Rom. 1:26). This was the case with Pharaoh in Exodus.
• Pr 28:14 ¶ Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth (stubborn, stiff, unyielding) his heart shall fall into mischief.
• Pr 29:1 ¶ He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
• It was the Lord’s will to slay them for disobedience, but it was not the Lord’s will thatthey should be disobedient. The Lord did not keep Eli’s sons from repenting, they had no desire to repent and thus the judgment of God was inevitable.
• The 2 great sins of Eli's sons were (1) that they stole from God's people and they (2) committed sexual immorality with women who came to worship at the tabernacle. Both show the heart of a hireling, of an unfaithful shepherd who cares more about what he can get from God's people than about what he can give God's people. In this sense, the sins of greed and sexual immorality are not far apart. They often go together as the evidence of self-will and the abuse of power.

26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

27 ¶ And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?

• There came a man of God. We don't know who this was; this man of God is one of the many wonderful anonymous characters of the Bible. But it doesn't matter who he is; he is a man of God, and God has raised him up to speak to Eli and Eli's whole family at this time.
• The vast majority of people that God uses in the body of Christ are anonymous characters, as far as the world or even the local congregation is concerned, but not as far as God is concerned.
• Did I not plainly appear unto the house of your father: The father referred to here is Aaron, who was the first High Priest. Since the High Priesthood was a hereditary office, Eli was a descendant of Aaron, whom God had revealed Himself to.

28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

• To be My priest: First and foremost, the job of the High Priest was to minister unto the LORD. Before he served the people, he was a servant of God. He was not first the people's priest (though he was that also, he was first the priest of God.
• To offer upon My altar: The priest was to bring forth sacrifices for atonement and worship. The altar was the place where atoning blood was both shed and applied, blood that would cleanse from sin. The altar was also the place where the "sacrifice of praise" was brought.
• To burn incense: The burning of incense was always a picture of prayer, because the smoke and the scent of the incense would ascend up to the heavens. The priest was to lead the nation in prayer, and to pray for the nation.
• To wear an ephod before Me: The priest was clothed in specific garments, for glory and for beauty (Exodus 28:2). He was to represent the majesty, dignity, glory, and beauty of God to the people.
• All the offerings: The priest was also charged with the responsibility to receive the offerings of God's people and to make good use of them.
• As we read about this list of responsibilities of the priest, remember that each individual in the body of Christ is called a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Pet 2.9).

29 Wherefore kick ye (dishonor)  at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

• Eli preferred his sons above God's honor and therefore did not remove his sons from the priesthood. If He would have been more afraid of offending God, and less afraid of offending his sons, he would have corrected them.

30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

• Please note the last part of that verse beloved. May we take that to heart personally and as a local congregation. Those that honor God He will honor and those that despise God, He will despise.
• Eric Liddell was one of Britain's great athletes, and later he gave his life for Jesus on the mission field. In 1924 he was to run for Britain in the Olympic Games, when it was discovered that the preliminary heats of his best event, the 100 meters, would be run on a Sunday. Quietly but firmly, Liddell refused to run. The day of 400 meters race came, and as Liddell went to the starting blocks, an unknown man slipped a piece of paper in his hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30: Those who honor Me I will honor. That day Eric Liddel set a world's record in the 400 meters. David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary

31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

• I will cut off your arm: Not literally, but since the arm was a picture of strength and might in Hebrew thinking (Psalm 10:15, 77:15, 89:10), this was saying that the house of Eli would be left powerless and without strength.
• God here promises that the priestly line would not stay with Eli and his descendants, but would pass to another line of descendants from Aaron. This was fulfilled many years later, in Solomon's day; Abiathar (from Eli's family) was deposed as High Priest and replaced with Zadok (who was from another family). 1 Kings 2.27

32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.

33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.

• Since the fulfillment of the judgment would be many years away (in the days of Solomon), God gave Eli an immediate sign to demonstrate His truthfulness. Both of Eli's sons will die in one day, and Eli will see this, and know the judgment of God has come against his house, and that one day the priesthood will be removed from his family.

35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

• This promise was partially fulfilled in Samuel. Everyone benefited from Samuel’s ministry. Hannah was just one woman out of thousands in Israel in her day. Yet the whole nation was blessed because this godly woman had a problem and prayed according to God’s purpose, and gave Him all the glory for the answer.
• The promise was partially fulfilled in Zadok, in the days of Solomon, because he replaced Eli's family line in the priesthood.The promise of the faithful priest of course was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, because He is a priest forever according to the order of Melchezedek (Hebrews 7:12-17).
• Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

• This is a fitting judgment, since much of the sin of Eli's sons was greed and stealing from God's people. Instead of receiving the priestly portions which were rightfully theirs, Eli's family will one day be reduced to begging.