Lesson #02

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS

1 SAMUEL 1
Lesson #02
SEPARATED FOR GOD

• Memory Verse: Psalms 127:3

• Read 1Sam 1:1-8 We are introduced to Samuel’s family.
• Elkanah was Samuel’s father.
• His name means = God has possessed or God has created.
• He was from the tribe of Levi.
• Therefore, the family had no land because they were the priests. God was the inheritance of the tribe of Levi while all the other tribes were given land in the promised land.
• Hannah was Samuel’s mother.
• Her name means = grace.
• Peninnah was Elkanah’s other wife.
• Her name means = pearl.
• Perhaps Elkanah had two wives because Hannah was barren. It was a common practice for a man to take a second wife if his first wife was barren.
• Barrenness was considered especially tragic for a Jewish woman because every woman’s desire was to be the mother of the expected Messiah.
• Shiloh
• This was the city where the tabernacle rested from the time of Joshua.
• The tabernacle was the center of worship for all the 12 tribes of Israel.
• Eli was the High Priest and his two sons were priests.
• Elkanah offered a peace offering to the Lord in a petition to God for a son for his wife, Hannah..
• Eating part of the offering was allowed in Lev 3, 7)
• However, he gave Hannah a double portion.
• This was contrary to God’s command to give his wife a double portion because the double portion was to go to his eldest son.
• The Lord closed her womb.
• Discussion

: Do you think God causes infertility today?

• If we are to agree that God is sovereign and in control of all life, then He has the power of life and death and birth in His hand.
• Hannah’s adversary:
• The adversary behind the scenes is Satan.
• However, Satan uses humans to do his work.
• The human adversary was probably Peninnah whom Satan used to provoke her. (7b)
• What kinds of provocation can you imagine?
• “You don’t have God’s blessing, so you must be a bad person and not worthy of a son.”
• What should be the believer’s proper attitude toward this kind of provocation?
• Earnest prayer.
• Contentment in all things.
• Prayer and fasting.
• Application:
• There are many situations in life that we are powerless to change. Those are the things we are to accept and be content.
• Read Phi 4:11-13
• It is your adversary, Satan, who will cause you discontent and steal your joy and your praise.

• Read 1Sam 1:9-18 Hannah’s vow
• Hannah made a vow to the Lord. She promised God something in exchange for a son.
• Sometimes Christians do this very same thing. However, we are not supposed to bargain with God to bring about our own will.
• We are to discover His will and come into agreement with it.
• Elkanah, her husband, could have nullified her vow if he so desired. (Num 30:10-12)
• The Nazarite Vow
• Read Num 6:1-21
• Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament

• Believers in Christ are to have the same basic attitudes that were physically expressed in the Nazirite Vow:
• The believer is to have the joy of the Lord being filled with the Spirit in place of worldly joy represented by wine.(Psa 104:15)
• The believer is to be so identified with Christ that he is willing to bear the reproach of man for the Lord’s sake. (1Cor 11:14)
• Because the Lord is the source of life (Joh 5:24), He should have control of all of our life.
• The believer is to be separated unto God:
• What does it mean to be separated unto God?
• The New Testament word is “sanctification” which means to be set apart to make holy.
• Sanctification for the believer in Jesus Christ is an on-going process from the time the believer is born again until he goes to be with the Lord.
• In other words, God is putting you through experiences to perfect your faith and your holiness as you walk with Him so that you serve Him in a more complete way according to His perfect will.

• Application:
• Jesus fulfilled the Nazirite Vow and becomes our example of being separated unto God.
• Unlike the Old Testament vow that was a physical, outward expression, the New Testament believer is to have the inner attitude that the external vow expressed.
• The sad spiritual condition of the people and the priesthood.
• The spiritual attitude is obvious in verses 14-16.
• The priest accused Hannah of drunkenness and called her a wicked woman.
• The phrase, “daughter of Belial” (16)
• The Hebrew word, Belial, means literally = without value.
• However, much later in time the name came to be used as a name for Satan. (2Cor 6:15)
• God used a corrupt priest to speak His word of faith to Hannah. (17-18)
• Hannah immediately had faith in those words for she broke her fasting.

• Read 1Sam 1:19-28 Hannah’s blessing and obedience
• Hannah named her son, Samuel, which means = “Godly Name” or “Name of God”.
• The weaning of a child was anywhere from two years to three years old.
• Hannah brought the prescribed burnt offering sacrifice that was to be done when fulfilling a special vow. (Num 15:3, 8)
• The New American Standard Version of the Bible infers that this is a baby dedication.
• This was not a baby dedication. She was not “loaning” the child to God.
• The Hebrew word for “dedicated” is literally translated, “Made him over to”.
• In other words, he is dedicated to God for life, and from Numbers 6, you can see this was a very serious vow.
• Application:
• As believers in Jesus Christ, we should be content in the place in life where God has put us. We are all to be separated unto God for life.
• It is good to dedicate your children to God in prayer and by way of a baby dedication.
• However, the dedication is more for the parents than for the child, because the parents are making a promise or vow to raise the child in the fear of the Lord with Godly instruction.
• God is responsible for the development of children dedicated to Him.
• Moses and Samuel are good examples.
• Persevering prayer and fasting are proper pathways to God’s heart. 

HOMEWORK
1 SAMUEL 2
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of 1Sam 1
• Using the following principles gained from Chapter 1, pick the one that most relates to your current personal life. Then determine to work on that principle putting it into practice in your daily life this week.
• =1= We should be content in the place in life where God has put us.
• =2= As believers in Christ, we are to be separated unto Him.
• =3= It is good to dedicate your children to God in prayer, for God is responsible for children dedicated to Him.
• =4= Persevering prayer and fasting are proper pathways to God’s heart.
• How will you specifically implement the principle you have picked for this week?

• Preparation for 1Sam 2
• Read 1Sam 2:1-10
• Read Luk 1:45-55
• Compare these two songs of praise to God.
• What are the similarities?
• What are the differences?
• Read 1Sam 2:11-36
• For background, read the following scriptures:
• Lev 7:31
• Exo 21:17
• Deu 21:18-21
• Deu 13:6-11
• What reasons do you see in this section of 1Sam 2 for the rebellion of Hophni and Phinehas?
• Memory Verse: 1Samuel 2:1