Bible Reading Reflection from 1 Samuel 1-7

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟙:𝟚𝟟-𝟚𝟠

"For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there."

We all know Hannah is a woman who poured out her heart before God like a drunk woman. Have we ever prayed like that? Hannah made a vow as well! Hmm! She asked for a son. And she gives back to God.

Abraham desired a son. And God desired Abraham to give back his son to God. Hannah outshone Abraham? 😉

Hannah is a grateful woman. She gives back everything willingly, gladly!

Jesus sought grateful people (remember the nine lepers?). God loves to answer the prayers of grateful people!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟚:𝟙

"Then Hannah prayed and said, ‘My heart 𝕖𝕩𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕤 in the LORD; My horn is 𝕖𝕩𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕕 in the LORD, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.’"

Notice the words "Exult" and "Exalted"

What's the difference between exultation and exaltation? Well, a dictionary exists to differentiate such words!

Interesting that these two words are found in this verse. Many people didn't know the difference, even the Americans and English! I myself was forced to look up in dictionary by none other than John Piper. He is good at English!

Before Piper was a student of Biblical Language, he was a student of English Literature. He was an English Honors student!

Steve Lawson said that every good preacher is good in Language/English (grammar). He himself mastered English Grammar after he became a Bible student.

Well, let's know the difference between exultation and exaltation and often include them in our Christian vocabulary, especially in prayer as Hannah did!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟛:𝟙𝟟-𝟙𝟠

"He said, ‘What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.’ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, ‘It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him.’"

Hmmm! A great episode! Three Remarks:

1. Though Eli was a weak leader, his devotion to God was splendid! May we learn to let God be God and let Him do what is pleasing to Him!

2. Though Samuel was young and looked up to Eli as his reverend mentor, he was brave to proclaim judgment upon him by the word of the LORD. May we be people of courage, declaring what God says, and not afraid of culture, consensus, or the spirit of the age!

3. Though Eli knew the judgment upon him, yet he still asked Samuel. He invoked God to judge young Samuel if he would not reveal all the truths! Eli was indeed a good mentor, a strong mentor, at last! He wasn't able to bring up his children, but here, he made Samuel accountable to him, and himself accountable to Samuel (God)! May we learn to face (admit, expose, accept) our mistakes, weakness, and sins!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟜:𝟚𝟙, 𝟙𝟠

v21. "And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, ‘The glory has departed from Israel," because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.’"

v18. "When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years."

I've a non-Christian banker friend who used to ask me to lend my Bible to keep near his pillow to avoid a nightmare (ghostly dreams).

Well, I also know a lot of professing Christians who used their Bible for good luck, charms, and whatever! It's not uncommon to see many people opening their Bible randomly, reading a verse or two, just before they pray as they set out for the examination hall! (Maybe I was guilty too).

Israelites were doing that. God had abandoned them. And still, they tried to manipulate God by bringing out the Ark of God. It's tantamount to idolatry. God not only killed them but allowed the Ark of God to be captured too. Our Bibles are just a collection of papers! It has no power to save. Maybe if you keep it in your chest pocket and if somebody shoots you there, it may serve as bulletproof, but not more than that. Or yes, it can be used to treat Ganglion Cyst as Doctors called it a Bible cyst. Or like the Nazis, you can use them as toilet papers.

Well, to Roger, Tyndale, and some Chinese persecuted Christians, Bible is precious just as the Ark of God was precious to Eli and his daughter-in-law, they dropped dead. What a way to die! With the thought of the Glory of God in their deaths!

Earlier, Eli was indicted by God for loving his sons more than his love for the honor of God's name. His manner of death seems to say that Eli died a changed man; he repented! In his last days, the glory of God was more important than the battle or the life of his children!

“Ichabod!” Bible is Ichabod without meditation. Christian Living is Ichabod without obedience. Prayer is Ichabod without submission to God's will.

BTW, it wasn't a complete Ichabod. God's presence was, is, and always be there even in His fiercest judgment!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟝:𝟙𝟙

"They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people." For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there."

God's glory departed from Israel and the battle was lost.

God's glory visited upon the Philistines and they were struck with tumors.

The people of God (Israelites) were ridiculous, but God is not to be mocked. The Philistines mocked Yahweh by treating Him as equal or inferior to Dagon. Yahweh is not one among the gods. He has no equal. He is the only Almighty Potentate.

Some people mocked Jesus because of some phony Christians. Some refused to become Christians because of the behavior of some Christians! Not a good reason. They may even attack them, but they better be careful not to dishonor God!

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟞:𝟙𝟡-𝟚𝟘

"He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. The men of Beth-shemesh said, ‘Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?’"

Nowadays, 'God' is so cool that anyone can worship Him. You can sing whatever song you like. You can preach whatever you like. You can wear whatever you like. You can do whatever suits you best.

Have you ever heard anyone asking, "Who can serve God?" The Israelites realized that. God is not cool. He is holy. And we cannot serve Him. Joshua has warned them already that we cannot serve God in our ways.

I think it’s Steve Lawson who said that Preachers are trying to make the narrow gate wider. In doing so, they have made the herd of goats bigger.

God is a consuming fire! He kills and damns. The ark of God didn't kill the Philistines, it killed the Israelites, over 50,000 people.

Somebody said, "If you kill a man, you are a murderer. If you kill 1000 you are a conqueror. If you kill 10,000, you are a god." Indeed, Yahweh is God.

 

𝟙 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕌𝔼𝕃 𝟟:𝟙𝟘

"Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel."

God often used nature to accomplish great things. Indeed, nature is more obedient to God than man. And man loves to blow his trumpet even when it is not of his might! God would not share His glory with a man! And man loves to seek glory for himself!