1 Samuel 1:19-2:11 The Preparation For The King

The Word

Matthew 1:18–25 (CSB)
¹⁸ The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.

¹⁹ So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.

²⁰ But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

²³ See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her

²⁵ but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

The Study

1 Samuel 1:19–2:11 (CSB)
¹⁹ The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the LORD. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

²⁰ After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I requested him from the LORD.”

²¹ When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice and his vow offering to the LORD,

²² Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the LORD’s presence and to stay there permanently.”

²³ Her husband, Elkanah, replied, “Do what you think is best, and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the LORD confirm your word.” So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him.

²⁴ When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull, half a bushel of flour, and a clay jar of wine. Though the boy was still young, she took him to the LORD’s house at Shiloh.

²⁵ Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

²⁶ “Please, my lord,” she said, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.

²⁷ I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD gave me what I asked him for,

²⁸ I now give the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD.” Then he worshiped the LORD there.

¹ Hannah prayed: My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is lifted up by the LORD. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

² There is no one holy like the LORD. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God.

³ Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him.

⁴ The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength.

⁵ Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more. The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away.

⁶ The LORD brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.

⁷ The LORD brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

⁸ He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. He seats them with noblemen and gives them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; he has set the world on them.

⁹ He guards the steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a person does not prevail by his own strength.

¹⁰ Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered; he will thunder in the heavens against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to his king; he will lift up the horn of his anointed.

¹¹ Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy served the LORD in the presence of the priest Eli.

Because God Promised: A Child Was Born

¹⁹ The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the LORD. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

²⁰ After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I requested him from the LORD.”

Make no mistake, because God had promised to Hannah, all of his promises are yes and amen.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (CSB) For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God.

But look at 1 Samuel 1. Did God ever spoke to Hannah and say, "Yes I will do this?" Could we contend that because of what Hannah had done (make a vow), God honored that vow?

We have to interpret Scripture in light of Scripture. What was only a little bit revealed to the saints in the Old Testament, including Hannah, is was the good news that God would save his people.

It was not until Christ had come that we now know that before the creation of time, space, heavens, earth, creatures, and man, the Father and the Son made a covenant to save a people for themselves.

Ephesians 1:3–5 (CSB)
³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.

⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.

⁵ He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Hannah's pregnancy was ordained by God and blessed by God to do his will. Hannah's pregnancy was not a result of her vow, but a result of God's promise to save his people.

Because God Promised: A Sacrifice Had to be Made

²¹ When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice and his vow offering to the LORD,

²² Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the LORD’s presence and to stay there permanently.”

²³ Her husband, Elkanah, replied, “Do what you think is best, and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the LORD confirm your word.” So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him.

²⁴ When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull, half a bushel of flour, and a clay jar of wine. Though the boy was still young, she took him to the LORD’s house at Shiloh.

²⁵ Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

Leviticus 1:5 (CSB) He is to slaughter the bull before the LORD; Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and splatter it on all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 2:1-2 (CSB) “When anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, it is to consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it, and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Numbers 15:5 (CSB) Prepare a quart of wine as a drink offering with the burnt offering or sacrifice of each lamb.

And yet:

Matthew 5:17-20 (CSB) “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

Because:

Hebrews 9:22 (CSB) According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Hebrews 10:4-7 (CSB) For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Therefore, as he was coming into the world, he said:
You did not desire sacrifice and offering,
but you prepared a body for me.
You did not delight
in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.
Then I said, “See —
it is written about me
in the scroll —
I have come to do your will, God.”

Because God Promised: A Son Was Given

²⁶ “Please, my lord,” she said, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.

²⁷ I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD gave me what I asked him for,

²⁸ I now give the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD.” Then he worshiped the LORD there.

Isaiah 9:6–7 (CSB) For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the LORD of Armies will accomplish this.

John 3:16 (CSB) For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:9–10 (CSB) God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

The Psalm

¹ Hannah prayed: My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is lifted up by the LORD. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

² There is no one holy like the LORD. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God.

³ Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him.

⁴ The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength.

⁵ Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more. The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away.

⁶ The LORD brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.

⁷ The LORD brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

⁸ He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. He seats them with noblemen and gives them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; he has set the world on them.

⁹ He guards the steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a person does not prevail by his own strength.

¹⁰ Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered; he will thunder in the heavens against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to his king; he will lift up the horn of his anointed.

¹¹ Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy served the LORD in the presence of the priest Eli.