Bible Study - Mentoring (3) - Eli and Samuel - 1 Samuel 2:22-26; 3:7-10, 15-18 - June 18, 2023

 

Bible Study – Mentoring (3) – Eli and Samuel – June 18, 2023

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled “Mentoring: Investing in Others.”

Our focus scripture is 1 Samuel 2:22-26; 3:7-10,15-18.

Don’t let past mistakes prevent you from being an effective mentor.

Often GOD teaches us through our mistakes. In our lesson today, we will study about Eli, GOD’S Judge and High Priest, his sons and Samuel.

Mentoring carries responsibility and often it is hard to speak truth.

Who is Samuel. As you may recall his mother, Hannah. This is worth reading to give background that led today’s scripture events.

1 Samuel 1 There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in^[a] the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ² He had two wives, the first named Hannah and the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. ³ This man would go up from his town every year to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Armies at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord’s priests.

⁴ Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters. ⁵ But he gave a double^[b] portion to Hannah, for he loved her even though the Lord had kept her from conceiving. [Elkanah had his ways for Hannah to conceive but GOD had HIS plans.]  ⁶ Her rival (Peninnah) would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the Lord had kept Hannah from conceiving. ⁷ Year after year, when she went up to the Lord’s house, her rival taunted her in this way. Hannah would weep and would not eat. ⁸ “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband, Elkanah, would ask. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

⁹ On one occasion, Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh.^[c] The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. ¹⁰ Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears. ¹¹ Making a vow, she pleaded, “Lord of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give your servant a son, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”^[d]  [GOD  had a plan for the son Hannah would birth. Mothers just don’t give up their child easily, especially their firstborn. But GOD had a plan for this child, (Especially the first-born male child). GOD needed Hannah to be willing to release her first born to fully serve GOD. GOD knew that Eli was not doing what he knew to do in his own family. GOD knew Samuel would be HIS choice to serve HIM.]

¹² While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying silently, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴ and said to her, “How long are you going to be drunk? Get rid of your wine!” ¹⁵ “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord. ¹⁶ Don’t think of me as a wicked woman; I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”

Was this a spiritual wake-up call for Eli? He relied upon his own understanding and got it wrong. When you walk with GOD, GOD leads you to truth. Eli knew that his sons were not living lives that Glorified HIM but he did not deal with them.

¹⁷ Eli responded, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request you’ve made of him.”

¹⁸ “May your servant find favor with you,” she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.^[e]

Hannah’s faith was in GOD. Eli represented GOD and he blessed her request. She was looking to GOD for confirmation and she got it through Eli. Answered prayer from GOD is what she needed.

Hannah had dedicated her first born to GOD and received the blessing of Eli. It was the confirmation she desired.

Poor Hannah, she was distraught and pouring her heart out to GOD. Eli was accusing her of being drunk.  Hannah received the blessing from Eli as confirmation of her heart’s desire to give birth to a child, especially a male child. Her request was confirmed by GOD through Eli.

Hannah left Shiloh rejoicing. What was the importance of Shiloh?

That was where GOD was and Hannah’s faith was in GOD!

Shiloh was an ancient city and sanctuary in Samaria. According to the Hebrew Bible, Shiloh was the central sanctuary of the Israelites during the pre-monarchic period, before the First Temple in Jerusalem was built. After the Israelite conquest of Canaan, the Tabernacle was moved to Shiloh, and remained there during the period of the biblical judges.

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

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,^[f] Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,^[g] 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. (This could have been 3-5 years after the birth of Samuel.) May the Lord confirm your^[h] 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,^[i] half a bushel^[j] of flour, and a clay jar of wine. Though the boy was still young,^[k] 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^[l] worshiped the Lord there.^[m]

Do you think Eli remembered Samuel’s mom? Oh, yes! I think that moment was etched in Eli’s mind.

Now, we spring forward to the time when Eli was very old.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 2:22-26:

²² Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ²³ He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people. ²⁴ No, my sons, the news I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good. ²⁵ If one person sins against another, God can intercede for him, but if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the Lord intended to kill them. ²⁶ By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.

Samuel’s sons had gone astray from GOD. They were using their positions in the temple to take advantage of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Samuel rebuked his sons for their sins and most especially because their sins were against GOD.

In the Hebrew Bible, there is a brief mention of women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. The focus of these two verses is not the women but the women’s mirrors, in Exodus 38:8, and the despicable behavior of the priests Hophni and Phinehas, in 1 Samuel 2:22¹. The women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting were most probably devout women who loved the public service of religion. They were referred to as “ministering women” and it is possible that they were Israelite female guardians serving at the tent of meeting and ark, perhaps even accompanying it into battle².

In the meantime Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the LORD and the people.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Let’s read 1 Samuel 3:7-10:

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸ Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So, Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”

The LORD came and called Samuel’s name. That is exciting but when GOD calls us, it carries responsibility. It is reasonable that Samuel considered Eli a father figure.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 3:11-14:

Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

¹¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that will cause everyone who hears about it to shudder.^[b] 12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I said about his family, from beginning to end. ¹³ I told him that I am going to judge his family forever because of the iniquity he knows about: his sons are cursing God,^[c] and he has not stopped them. ¹⁴ Therefore, I have sworn to Eli’s family: The iniquity of Eli’s family will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering.” (Now that is serious. “Will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering”.)

Let’s read 1 Samuel 3:15-21:

¹⁵ Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, ¹⁶ but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” answered Samuel.

¹⁷ “What was the message he gave you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that he told you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is good.”

When someone knows that GOD speaks truth, that person is accountable to GOD to speak that truth. Eli knew that GOD spoke truth to him.

When we, who know the truth and speak truth, must deliver GOD’S word as revealed to us. It is very difficult at times but that is why we are called. As we approach end times, are we, who know the truth, speaking truth to those GOD has given us to minister to? (Preachers, teacher and others in leadership.)

¹⁹ Samuel grew. The Lord was with him, and he fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied.^[d] 20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the Lord. ²¹ The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, because there he revealed himself to Samuel by his word.

GOD still reveals Himself through HIS chosen people and HIS Word.

Samuel was mentored by Eli. Eli knew that Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Those who receive the message from GOD must deliver it as received from the Holy Spirit – 100%.

11 The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that will cause everyone who hears about it to shudder. 12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I said about his family, from beginning to end. 13 I told him that I am going to judge his family forever because of the iniquity he knows about: his sons are cursing God, [c] and he has not stopped them. 14 Therefore, I have sworn to Eli’s family: The iniquity of Eli’s family will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering.” GOD expects those who know the truth that HE has revealed to them to be followed and practiced. Out part is to deliver GOD’S message and the consequence for not responding to HIS message. Once GOD’S message has been delivered, the Holy Spirit takes over to reveal the truth of GOD’S message.

Open our Spiritual eyes that we may know you and walk with YOU as we live each day for YOU. Remove the vail from our eyes that wants to hide truth. We must all must speak truth because we, who are Spirit born, are accountable to GOD.

What is truth? JESUS gave HIS sinless life to pay for sin in full and when we place our faith in JESUS, we are Spirit-born into GOD’S family, eternally. When we are Spirit-born into GOD’S Family through the miracle of Spiritual birth, the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and confirms that we have been Spirit born and indwelled by the Holy Spirit. GOD will equip us with Spiritual Gifts to serve HIM.

What is your gift or gifts?

I ask you to join me in prayer for my wife who has been diagnosed with a reoccurrence of breast cancer. We are blessed with GODLY doctors, nurses, and technicians in all categories. Lead and guide them as they minister.

Blessings!!!