1 Samuel 2 (Hannah's Prayer / The Wicked Sons of Eli)

Hannah’s Prayer and the Vindication of the Barren

So this morning we're going to be continuing our study of the book of 1st Samuel. We're gonna be in chapter 2. So if you have a Bible handy go ahead and turn there. Last time we saw Hannah praying at the tabernacle.

Praying to God that he would give her a son. She made a vow before God that if he did give her a child. If God gave her a son she would give her child back to the Lord For him to serve the Lord all of his life.

So Eli the priest was there and he saw Hannah weeping and crying and praying to God her. Her lips were moving, but she wasn't making any Sounds so he accused her of being drunk, which was not the case.

Make a long story short. God answered Hannah's prayer and gave her a son and She named him Samuel. So jumping ahead a bit God is going to use Samuel to prophesy against the house and priesthood of Eli.

Because Eli He wasn't doing the right things his sons were wicked and He didn't do anything about it. So not only did Eli accuse a righteous woman his sons will get into the evil that they were doing and Eli being in a position of authority He refused to do anything about it so this is what we'll look at in a few minutes and it has real application to the church today because sometimes not only parents but church leaders sometimes they see things that are clearly wrong and they just refuse to act and Yeah, Eli was an old man, but being up there in age doesn't Doesn't give you an excuse to sweep evil and heresy and whatever is going on.

It doesn't give us an excuse to sweep it under the rug. So God is going to deal with Eli and he's really going to deal with his two sons. But we'll talk about that in a moment. So let's begin reading first Samuel chapter 2.

Hannah is just so Overjoyed with the birth of her son Samuel that she offers up this prayer. So first Samuel chapter 2 begins with Hannah's prayer and.

Hannah prayed.

My heart rejoices in the Lord. My horn is exalted in the Lord. I Smile at my enemies Because I rejoice in your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord for there is none besides you. Nor is there any rock like our God.

Talk no more. So very proudly. Let no arrogance come from your mouth for the Lord is the God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken and those who stumbled are girded with strength.

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread and the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the baron has born seven. And she who has many children has become feeble. The Lord kills and makes alive.

He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich. He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap to set them among princes and Make them inherit the throne of glory.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's and he has set the world upon them. He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength, no man shall prevail.

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces from heaven. He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king and Exalt the horn of his anointed.

Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, but the child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.

So we see that after Hannah offers up this prayer She then leaves Samuel at the house of God where he will minister. So the young boy Samuel will serve the Lord and He is serving God under the supervision of Eli the priest.

Okay, so let's look at this prayer briefly. Hannah goes from being bitter in chapter 1 to being filled with gratitude and joy in chapter 2 God has vindicated her. This is similar to the last book. We studied the book of Ruth.

Remember Naomi at the beginning of the story wanted to be called Mara which means bitter. But then at the end of the story her name becomes famous in Israel as one blessed of the Lord. So these women go from a very difficult situation and God lifts them up.

So Ruth and Naomi and Hannah these are great women of God. Examples that we would look to Eli however is a bad example. So when people think of Hannah in the Bible, yeah Hannah was good when people think of Eli Eli was not so good.

So Hannah her prayer has four parts in verses 1 2. She rejoices in God's deliverance and verses 3 through 8. She warns the proud of the Lord's humbling. She affirms the Lord's faithful care in verses 8 9 and then petitions God to judge the world.

And to prosper his anointed King in verses 9 10. This is also similar to David's song in 2nd Samuel verse Chapter 22. So look at verse 10 for a moment. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces and If you are a student of Scripture if you read the Bible the whole Bible including the Old Testament you should see that this is Somewhat reminiscent of Psalm chapter 2 the Lord in all capital letters, Jehovah.

Jehovah God will judge the earth and how will he do that? By giving strength to his King that is his anointed verse 10 again, the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. This of course speaks of Christ he is God's anointed King in the Old Testament.

David becomes The type or the prototype for the Messiah. But of course David. Yeah, he's a type of Christ. So it points ahead to Jesus. So I think it's safe to say that Hannah's prayer is Inspired by God there's an element of prophecy within it and You know, we know it's inspired by God.

Since it's speaking of the Christ and it's of course recorded here in Scripture. So this is not one of the more well-known passages in the Old Testament, but there is a part of this prayer.

That's.

Often quoted and it's sort of sad really but.

The most.

The most quoted part of this prayer the most quoted part of this chapter is Often referenced by a group that well, let's see How should I I don't want to call them conspiracy theorists, of course. They are but I don't want to call them conspiracy theorists because you know these days conspiracies turn out to be more accurate than Most people want to admit it's called a conspiracy theory and then six months later you find out that it was true.

Of course, we're coming out of well, I won't say any more about that. But uh. Yeah, there's a group of like the mother of all conspiracy theories. The flat earth, right? Okay. So yeah, the flat earthers actually quote from this prayer and We'll look at that verse in a moment, and I realize this is more of an internet thing it's probably not even worth touching on but I've never met someone who believes in the flat earth.

So I think it's more people that you'll discover online. Maybe they're trolling or just having fun. I'm not sure but the flat earthers love to reference verse 8. So people will say this is the argument.

They'll say well the Bible says that the pillars of the earth are the Lord's and he has set the world upon them so that the earth is Set upon pillars because the Bible says so now again, I'm not gonna get into this too much this is just one of those verses that people will twist and Try to claim that the Bible teaches a flat earth this and the statements about the earth having four corners.

But of course, this is just symbolic language in Prayers and in Psalms, there are often statements that you don't take too literally. Verse 2 for example says there is no rock like our God. Nobody thinks that God is Literally a rock you don't even need someone to tell you that you just know.

So this idea that the earth is literally sitting on pillars. That's not the point. But that's what some people say that the earth is a flat disk and it's sitting on pillars and look the Bible says it's sitting on pillars, okay, that's enough of that.

The Wicked Sons of Eli and Corrupt Ministry

So the young child Samuel and I always say that in case you run across someone online just just ignore it. Okay, but this young child Samuel Verse 12, he's ministering to the Lord. Verse 11 says before Eli the priest so Eli is supervising him training him verse 12 now the sons of Eli were corrupt and They did not know the Lord and It then it goes on to describe their abuses how the sons of Eli who are also acting as Ministers before God they would Basically in a sense they were practicing extortion they would force people demand more from people than what was.

What they owed what they were supposed to sacrifice they wanted more from themselves. They took the offerings that were to be sent apart to God those parts of the offerings and they took them for themselves.

The fat of the sacrifice was supposed to be burned a sweet-smelling aroma to God. But they took it for themselves. Look at verse 16. And if the man said to him. This would be the sons of Eli if they said to them.

Hey, you should really burn the fat first, which is what God commanded. Then you may take as much as your heart desires then he would answer no. But you must first give it now and if not, I will take it by force so you can see that the sons of Eli were violent.

Hey, you need to give me this or else. Well now we don't know if they actually used violence. But it sounds like that verse 17. Therefore the sin of the young men. This is Hoth nigh and Phinehas the sons of Eli their sin was very great before the Lord for men Abhorred the offering of the Lord.

What they were doing was so vile it just it turned people against God. So there was this abusive behavior going on at the tabernacle. And you know, especially when people were being threatened and this is all being done pretty much out in the open.

Yeah, it's gonna leave a bad taste in people's mouth. They're commanded by God to go and make these offerings, but the priests are turning it into a mockery. And it turned people against the ministry and doesn't this happen so often today there are abuses going on within ministries within churches you have abusive pastors and then you know, there's the prosperity preachers who demand money and They'll try to scare people into doing things.

Because you can't go against God's anointed. These are the you know, the televangelists who demand money. God will not bless you unless you give me more money.

And.

Then of course, there's the abuses you think of the clergy sex abuse scandal within the Catholic Church and just all these different abuses. What does it do it turns people against God? It's sad because of course God is gonna judge all these people.

So it shouldn't turn people against God, but it does turn people against the ministry. So if I can give a little pastoral advice. Just like the sons of Eli were corrupt. Much of what you see on Christian television is also corrupt especially those Christian quote-unquote Infomercials that run late at night and early in the morning where the televangelist is saying hey You need to give me all this money.

If you want God to heal you if you want God to do something for you. You need to give me money that is an abuse and it turns people against the church. So stay away from stuff like that. Don't watch stuff like that.

So just the point is just as there were corrupt ministers back then. There's corrupt ministers now just as there were faithful ministers back then there are faithful ministers now. So don't let a few bad apples, you know ruin it for you or for everybody.

Because the contrast here, okay Eli's sons were wicked but Samuel. Samuel will be faithful. Look at verse 18 but Samuel ministered before the Lord even as a child. Wearing a linen ephod moreover. His mother used to make him a little robe and bring it to him year by year when she came up With her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice so Hannah leaves the young boy Samuel at the tabernacle, but she would visit him from time to time and she would bring him things this little robe Would have been worn under the ephod.

Which is a sleeveless garment sort of like an apron. So Samuel being young he constantly would have been outgrowing these things. So his mother is Consistently making him these new outfits. So when Hannah and her husband Elkanah would come up verse 20 Eli it says would bless them and he would say to Elkanah The Lord give you descendants from this woman.

For the loan that was given to the Lord and they would go to their house. So you remember it said that Hannah lent Samuel to the Lord? So it's it's interesting. They they call this alone. Well, you know, we're lending him to you and Really?

The Lord is coming through and answering these prayers and these statements with Eli blessing them. You remember Eli? Said may God in back in the first chapter when Hannah was praying for a son Eli said may God answer your prayer and God did and now Eli is saying, you know, may Hannah have even more children and God answered that as well, but it has less to do with Eli and more to do with Hannah.

So God isn't just doing whatever Eli says. God seeks to vindicate those Who have been mistreated and God is going to use Hannah's son to do great things. Samuel is going to grow up to be one of the greatest prophets Israel Has ever seen so God is doing this for Hannah.

Because she's been mistreated. Verse 21 Says in the Lord visited Hannah so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord. One thing that doesn't really get talked about is How hard it must have been When Hannah didn't have any children and then finally she has the son Samuel and she raises him to two or three years old and then she has to give him up.

Of course, she vowed this she's willing to do it. But that must have been hard. There's no comments on that at all. But God eased that pain By giving her many more children. So there again, there is this contrast?

Between Hannah and her son Samuel and Eli and his sons. God is doing great things for Hannah. He's gonna bring some bad things to Eli's doorstep. God is going to mightily use Samuel, but he's gonna kill the sons of Eli.

Eli’s Failure to Restrain His Sons

Now here's the thing about Eli. You know, he doesn't seem like such a bad guy. It's not that Eli Personally was doing these terrible things. It's more of what he didn't do, you know, sometimes people ask me about a preacher.

It's like hey, what do you think about this guy? You know? Is this preaching any good and you know, yeah, it's like what he says is true. But sometimes the problem is not what he says. It's what he doesn't say.

And that's the situation with Eli it's not what he did it's what he didn't do. And sometimes that can make a person just as bad. For example, if you know of something Evil something terrible that was going to happen and you had the ability to stop it by turning a blind eye.

You'd be even in courts today the way the law is written. You can be charged as an accomplice and that's what's happening here. Eli was in a position of authority. He saw this evil his sons are threatening people extorting people they're sleeping with you know, committing fornication and adultery at the tabernacle and He sees all this.

He's the guy in charge who could stop it, but he doesn't why. Well because they're my sons or I really like these young guys. So I'm gonna protect them. I'm not gonna do anything. Well say Eli just became a partaker then in their evil deeds so this passage verse 22 Through the rest of the chapter is titled prophecy against Eli's house.

Verse 22 says now Eli was very old and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. So he said to them why do you do such things for I hear of the evil dealings from all the people.

So it's like this is spread. Everybody sees that everyone's complaining about it. They go and they tell Eli and what does Eli do he moans to his kids about it, but he doesn't do anything. He says in verse 24 know my sons for it is not a good report that I hear you make the Lord's people transgress.

So the Bible says Eli is an old man, but that is not an excuse. Hey, if he's too old to do the job he can step aside and let someone else do it. But being old is not an excuse. He heard what his sons were doing and really his sons were acting more like pagan priests since it was common among the Canaanites to blend Prostitution with the worship of Baal.

There's a story in the book of Numbers how when the Moabites Drew some of the men of Israel into the worship of Baal. There was an incident at the tabernacle of meeting where the pre one of the Israelite men Slept with one of the Moabite women right like right there in the open.

They went into the tent and remember that story Phineas and this is a different Phineas because Eli's son is named Phineas but this is a different Phineas the Grandson of Aaron, I believe he was he took a javelin.

If you know the story, he took a javelin and.

He immediately.

Put a stop to all of it. He killed the man. And you say well, that's a little Extreme. Well, no because he went down in history as a national hero in Israel. Eli on the other hand he sees this type of stuff happen.

And well, you know, hey, what are you gonna boys? We'll be boys I guess. He's just telling his sons. Hey, don't do that. Have you ever seen a parent and You know their kid is doing something like they totally should not and they just say hey stop that.

But they don't do anything and the kid just continues to do like that's bad parenting. Sorry, Eli is a bad priest because his sons are doing this and he just lets it happen and Eli even admits that it's causing others in the nation to sin.

So he knows this is a very serious situation. But again, finally, he's not Willing to do anything about it and God will judge him because of that. So he says to his children if one man sins against another God will judge him.

But if a man sins against the Lord who will intercede for him?

Nevertheless.

They did not heed the voice of their father. And here's the most interesting part of it. Why did they not listen? They didn't listen the Bible says because the Lord desired to kill them. Well, what does that mean?

They didn't listen or they couldn't listen because God decided he was gonna kill them. It sounds as if God made it so that they couldn't heed the warning. And I think this is one thing a lot of people don't understand and what some people resist.

Sometimes there is a line that people cross. Eli's sons Had the freedom to make choices and then they persisted in that they were warned but they rejected God rejected. God despised God. And This isn't just them doing something against someone else.

This is high-handed rebellion against God. They were warned but you know at a certain point God says enough is enough. They crossed the line now. They can't repent. Just like God did to Pharaoh, you know Pharaoh hardened his heart.

Pharaoh hardened his heart. Finally God stepped in and hardened his heart once and for all and this can happen to people and this is what happened to Eli.

Sons.

God stepped in and he turned them over to what Romans 1 calls a Reprobate mind and they enter the downward spiral and there's really no coming out of it now. This this happens. This is a thing in the Bible again.

Some people don't like it. They don't they don't want to come to terms with it and It's true some people can cross a line. Now as far as I know because I'm not God I'm just reading about the story in the Bible so I'm not God.

I don't know when someone has crossed that line. So as far as I'm concerned if somebody has breath in them as far as I'm concerned, there's hope for them. But from God's perspective, it does appear that when there is a line and a person crosses it.

And they know better and they keep doing evil and keep doing evil. Eli's sons at this point they crossed the line. Their fate was sealed and that God had determined to judge them. Notice what it says again.

Nevertheless, they did not heed the voice of their father because the Lord decided or desired to kill them. That should be a sober warning to anyone who's persisting in evil and keep there keep doing it and it's high-handed Rebellion, it's not some private sinner doing something wrong.

No, it's something that's out in the open there. It's blatant. They're spitting in God's face. They keep doing it. They keep doing it. They're warned. They know better. You can cross that line. So Eli's sons.

They're finished. They're dead men walking at this point. Verse 26 but Samuel the child Samuel. Grew in stature and in favor both with the Lord and men. So what is God gonna do? He's gonna pull down the wicked Eli and his two sons and he's gonna raise up Samuel.

So now after Eli's sons are doing all this evil. He's not doing anything about it. Now a prophet shows up. God is going to use Samuel going forward. But right now a different man shows up a prophet of God.

Look at verse 27. Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him thus says the Lord. Did I not clearly reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt and Pharaoh's house? Did I not choose him out of all of the tribes of Israel to be my priest to offer upon my altar to burn?

Incense and to wear an ephod before me and did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings? Of the children of Israel made by fire. What's this prophet doing to Eli? He's rebuking him. Didn't God do all of these wonderful things for you and your family verse 29?

Why then do you kick at my sacrifices and my offering? So this prophet is speaking for God. Eli, why are you spitting in my face? Eli, why do you kick at my sacrifice in my offering? Which I've commanded in my dwelling place and you honor your sons more than me to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people.

God is angry with Eli and he sends this prophet to tell him. So this is a strong statement. God is asking Eli. Why are you doing this? Your sons, you know, you're you're Respecting your sons more than you're respecting me.

You're honoring your sons more than your God. Now someone might say yeah, but Eli rebuked his sons well sort of he mildly admonished them. But you know. Even if Eli spoke really sternly to his kids. This isn't about using the correct tone of voice Eli was in a position of the authority and leadership.

All that mattered is that he did something. What mattered is did Eli act? And he didn't he refused to act and this is a real warning for church leaders today.

Yeah.

We might know what the Bible says and we might agree with what the Bible says and we might even Preach against some of the things that are wrong. But if we refuse to apply the Word of God if we fail to act and uphold God's standard in the church.

Especially if we're doing it to protect people we like. That's what Eli did. Look at verse 30. Therefore the Lord God of Israel says I Said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before me.

Forever. That's what I said before but now says the Lord far be it from me. For those Who honor me I will honor and those who despise me Shall be lightly esteemed. Matthew Henry writes this. Those who allow their children in any evil way and do not use their Authority to restrain and punish them in effect honor them more than God.

Let Eli's example Excite parents earnestly to strive against the beginnings of wickedness and to train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. However in the midst of the sentence against the house of Eli mercy is promised to Israel.

Look at verse 34. Now this shall be assigned to you that will come upon your two sons. This is still the Prophet speaking to Eli which in a sense is God speaking to Eli your two sons a Sign will come upon them Hoth nigh and Phinehas in one day They shall die both of them.

And of course this will come to pass in chapter 4 when the Ark of the Covenant is captured and on that day.

Eli.

Will die as well. The Lord says then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. Who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind? I will build build him a sure house and he shall walk before my anointed be forever.

There are debates about who this faithful priest is a Partial fulfillment in Samuel. I think to be sure also the house of Zadok in the time of Solomon. This is fulfilled, but ultimately ultimately the faithful priest has to be the Lord Jesus himself and.

There's so many applications here to pastors church leaders. You know, don't be like Eli. An Old age is no excuse to not deal with things. And of course, there's the application for parents. Don't let your children run wild.

Because if you do allow that you're the one who's responsible. But despite the judgment that will come upon Eli's house. God is still faithful to his people. Hannah was blessed by God. Samuel will be a man mightily used by God and God's grace is always best displayed by his son Whom he sent into the world.

I'll close with the rest of Matthew Henry's commentary on this passage. He says God's work Shall never fall to the ground for want of hands to carry it on. Christ is that merciful and faithful high priest whom God raised up when the Levitical priesthood was thrown off.

Who in all things did his father's mind and for whom God will build a sure house? Build it on a rock so that hell cannot prevail against it.