1 Samuel 1
Samuel Is Born to Hannah and Elkanah
Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 1 Samuel 1:17 (ESV)
NAZARITE
One who is separated from others and consecrated to God. The vow of a
Nazarite involved these three things, (1) abstinence from wine and
strong drink, (2) refraining from cutting the hair off the head during
the whole period of the continuance of the vow, and (3) the avoidance of
contact with the dead. (Numbers 6:2-21)
Study
1. How would you describe Elkanah? Was he a Godly man?
2. Hannah turns to God in desperation. What does her prayer reveal about her (1:10-11)? Was she trying to bargain with God
3. Why did Eli think Hannah was drunk? (Samuel 1:12-14, 1 Samuel 1:9)
Application
1. What practical steps can we take to encourage our families or household to serve God in this day and age?
2. When do you find it convenient to pray silently and when do you find it convenient to pray loudly?
3.
Hannah gave her child to the Lord. This must have been a very
difficult thing. How can we commit our children to the Lord? How can
we give back to God the things he has blessed us with?
Study
ReplyDelete1. He is loving of his wife Hannah yet he is also very selfish. He shows obvious favoritism to the one wife over the other publicly and only furthering the animosity between them. If he were a wise discerning man of God, I would assume that the Lord would show him how to love both his wives in a way that would create peace rather than friction. His very affection is begin used as a tool of destruction against both of these women. As much as he shows his affections for Hannah he does no speak to her hearts desire for a child. So I can not say if he was Godly. He certainly was religious, for he honored the law. This s a good question for it helped me to see how I was wrapped up in his loving remarks neglecting to look for the fruit they wee producing. Not all kind words are to be found trustworthy.
2. She was greatly troubled and bitter. She was definitely trying to bargain with God.
3. She was praying with such fervor that she looked drunk. Murmuring to herself, swaying and the like.
Application
1. I am not certain of the direct application of this question. Yet as I reflect on my answer to question 1 I would say we should be discerning as to how we show love. That we don't make one feel left out by excessively giving of ourselves to another.
2. I am not sure about the word convenient. Yet when I reflect on my prayer life. I find a pray out loud most often when I am with others for the purpose of prayer while I pray silently through out the day and in my quiet time. I deliberately pray out loud in times of worship and when I am moved by the Lord. I would say that these times of external prayer take me out of my comfort zone. I long to be free to pray out loud by myself but I am often worried that I will be heard. Much like being caught dancing without music.
3. This is a hard question. We can train them up to know God. We can listen to how God is leading them and encourage them on the path the Lord has placed them. We can let them find there way to the Lord when the fall rather than fixing all their problems. I feel my answer lacks greatly in comparison to Hannah's choice yet all I have to glean from is my own experience.
1. It's hard to say if Elkanah was a godly man or not. But his response to his troubled wife was a bit self-centered. ("am I not worth more than 10 sons to you") I think he was full of himself.
ReplyDelete2. I don't think Hannah was bargaining with God. She just wanted God to deliver her of her misery, In exchange to her pain, her son was going to be a sacrifice. Just like what God did for us in Jesus.
3. She was praying in the spirit. Must have looked a bit weird.
Application
1. we have to lead by example.
2. I tend to pray silently on my daily prayers and loud when I want God to rescue me of a situation.
3. This is a tough one for me too. My nature is to hold on to my kids as if they belong to me. I don't want anything bad to happen to them, etc etc... So for me to commit my children to the Lord means total surrender to God regarding my kids lives.
Thanks for sharing Kibra. I like how we saw the 1st question in a similar way.
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