WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.925 --> 00:00:04.625 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God, our Father and from our Lord 2 00:00:04.625 --> 00:00:06.425 and Savior Jesus Christ. 3 00:00:06.625 --> 00:00:07.225 Amen. 4 00:00:09.625 --> 00:00:10.125 This morning 5 00:00:10.125 --> 00:00:15.125 we begin a series of sermons on Mondays that will walk through first 6 00:00:15.125 --> 00:00:19.925 Samuel the book that recounts the tribes of Israel settled in the 7 00:00:19.925 --> 00:00:20.525 land. 8 00:00:21.125 --> 00:00:27.125 Moving out of the chaotic period of the Judges and into the also 9 00:00:27.125 --> 00:00:34.025 chaotic period of the monarchy. We will be hearing of Eli and Samuel, Saul 10 00:00:34.025 --> 00:00:35.025 and David. 11 00:00:35.825 --> 00:00:41.425 In this morning's text, also Hannah, and Elkanah and Paina 12 00:00:41.425 --> 00:00:43.625 the second wife who tormented Hannah. 13 00:00:44.625 --> 00:00:49.325 And most importantly, we will hear about our gracious Lord. 14 00:00:50.325 --> 00:00:55.725 The God of Israel who has not left himself without witness, but who 15 00:00:55.725 --> 00:01:02.425 desires to be known feared loved and trusted by you. 16 00:01:03.425 --> 00:01:09.125 And who meets you here and reveals himself to you in these sacred 17 00:01:09.225 --> 00:01:09.925 accounts. 18 00:01:11.525 --> 00:01:12.025 Our text 19 00:01:12.025 --> 00:01:16.325 this morning is from the opening scene of 1st Samuel which closes with 20 00:01:16.325 --> 00:01:23.025 this verse, the Lord remembered her and in due time Hannah conceived 21 00:01:23.025 --> 00:01:30.725 and bore a son and she called his name Shamu, Yale Samuel for she said 22 00:01:31.025 --> 00:01:33.225 I have asked for him from the Lord. 23 00:01:35.125 --> 00:01:37.525 Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Jesus. 24 00:01:39.125 --> 00:01:40.825 God listens. 25 00:01:43.625 --> 00:01:45.725 God does hear. 26 00:01:47.225 --> 00:01:55.425 And he is good and faithful and giving, and caring the Lord listens. 27 00:01:56.425 --> 00:01:57.625 What a poignant story 28 00:01:57.625 --> 00:02:02.025 this account of Hannah's, plight and Hannah's praying a grief, filled 29 00:02:02.025 --> 00:02:05.125 heart, great anxiety and vexation. 30 00:02:05.925 --> 00:02:10.925 A husband who shows her tenderness and attempts to console her, but is 31 00:02:10.925 --> 00:02:13.725 ultimately powerless to change the situation. 32 00:02:14.625 --> 00:02:19.625 A priest who misunderstands her and even accuses her. A rival wife who 33 00:02:19.625 --> 00:02:23.325 seems to find perverse pleasure and wounding her and then rubbing salt 34 00:02:23.325 --> 00:02:28.425 in the wounds. Many of, you know, if you have probably not, but ever 35 00:02:28.425 --> 00:02:32.525 start to entertain the possibility of bigamy as a good lifestyle 36 00:02:32.525 --> 00:02:33.125 choice? 37 00:02:33.425 --> 00:02:36.025 Let this story be a warning to you. 38 00:02:39.025 --> 00:02:43.525 Hannah's situation is heartbreaking, but what can be done? 39 00:02:45.425 --> 00:02:47.025 She comes before the Lord. 40 00:02:47.725 --> 00:02:48.925 Through her tears 41 00:02:49.025 --> 00:02:50.225 she prays. 42 00:02:50.425 --> 00:02:54.725 The text says that she pours out her soul before the Lord. 43 00:02:55.025 --> 00:02:58.925 She prays to God because of her anguish and her provocation 44 00:02:59.025 --> 00:03:00.125 they are so great. 45 00:03:01.225 --> 00:03:02.625 And God listens. 46 00:03:03.825 --> 00:03:05.925 God hears 47 00:03:06.025 --> 00:03:09.725 this burdened beleaguered besieged woman. 48 00:03:10.025 --> 00:03:12.825 He hears, Hannah's prayer. 49 00:03:13.425 --> 00:03:17.425 Eli the priest didn't hear he could see her lips moving, but heard 50 00:03:17.425 --> 00:03:17.925 nothing. 51 00:03:17.925 --> 00:03:24.125 But God most high the almighty King who reigns over all things and all 52 00:03:24.125 --> 00:03:25.025 powers. 53 00:03:25.325 --> 00:03:32.025 He bends his ears attentively to the cries of Hannah's heart. 54 00:03:32.925 --> 00:03:34.425 The God of Israel. 55 00:03:35.425 --> 00:03:37.325 Her dear father in Heaven. 56 00:03:37.425 --> 00:03:39.425 Our dear father 57 00:03:39.425 --> 00:03:41.925 in heaven listened to her 58 00:03:42.925 --> 00:03:44.125 aAnd gave her a son. 59 00:03:45.825 --> 00:03:51.925 And so she names, the boy Samuel. Scholars debate, the precise meaning 60 00:03:51.925 --> 00:03:57.125 of the name, the ESV text note will tell you that it means 61 00:03:57.125 --> 00:03:58.425 heard of God. 62 00:03:59.225 --> 00:04:01.225 Hebrew is a little tricky here. 63 00:04:01.325 --> 00:04:04.725 If it means heard, it's missing one of the route letters from the 64 00:04:04.725 --> 00:04:09.125 Hebrew word Shema, which means to hear but that probably is the case. 65 00:04:09.825 --> 00:04:13.525 The name is also open to a few other explanations based on the way 66 00:04:13.525 --> 00:04:14.625 that it's spelled in the text. 67 00:04:16.625 --> 00:04:21.325 Like I said, it seems to be from the Root Shama to here with El, at 68 00:04:21.325 --> 00:04:26.725 the end, the word for God, heard of God or even God hears, but there 69 00:04:26.725 --> 00:04:29.425 are other possible explanations as well. 70 00:04:30.125 --> 00:04:37.425 It could mean that the name is, his name is El. 71 00:04:37.425 --> 00:04:42.625 His name is God Hannah's way of praising God for being God and 72 00:04:42.625 --> 00:04:43.025 showing 73 00:04:43.025 --> 00:04:45.725 so in this situation. It could also be read as the 74 00:04:46.625 --> 00:04:55.325 one who Sha is from Ma El God, the one who is from God. 75 00:04:55.625 --> 00:05:00.125 In other words, Samuel is the child who is from God, because God has 76 00:05:00.125 --> 00:05:01.125 heard her cries. 77 00:05:01.925 --> 00:05:07.325 In any case, the point of the story, and of Samuel's name in all of 78 00:05:07.325 --> 00:05:10.625 these explanations is still perfectly clear. 79 00:05:12.125 --> 00:05:16.525 God Almighty has listened to the prayers of little Hannah. 80 00:05:17.925 --> 00:05:20.825 Our Lord is a God, who hears. 81 00:05:22.325 --> 00:05:24.425 So Samuel. 82 00:05:26.225 --> 00:05:27.825 He comes on the stage 83 00:05:27.825 --> 00:05:30.925 you might say at the very end of this pericope. 84 00:05:30.925 --> 00:05:31.825 He's born. 85 00:05:31.925 --> 00:05:32.725 He's named. 86 00:05:32.725 --> 00:05:33.725 He'll be in the story 87 00:05:33.725 --> 00:05:35.525 now for several chapters. 88 00:05:35.825 --> 00:05:39.525 His mother will fulfill her vow to give this boy into the Lord's 89 00:05:39.525 --> 00:05:40.125 service. 90 00:05:40.825 --> 00:05:43.225 He will serve before the Ark of God. 91 00:05:44.125 --> 00:05:48.525 God will call him and Samuel will say Speak 92 00:05:48.525 --> 00:05:50.225 Lord for your servant 93 00:05:51.025 --> 00:05:51.825 listens. 94 00:05:53.025 --> 00:05:57.825 With Hannah's child God is raising up a prophet, a great prophet, who 95 00:05:57.825 --> 00:06:01.425 will convey the words of God to his people. 96 00:06:01.925 --> 00:06:02.625 He will anoint 97 00:06:02.625 --> 00:06:04.025 Kings in the name of Yahweh. 98 00:06:04.025 --> 00:06:06.425 He will rebuke kings in the name of Yahweh. 99 00:06:06.425 --> 00:06:09.425 He will speak in the name of Yahweh. 100 00:06:09.525 --> 00:06:13.925 And God will hold his people and his King to account. 101 00:06:15.425 --> 00:06:19.625 For whether they listen to his divine words, on the lips of His 102 00:06:19.625 --> 00:06:22.025 prophets. Spoiler alert 103 00:06:22.025 --> 00:06:25.925 this is why saw will lose the kingship in chapter 15. 104 00:06:27.625 --> 00:06:29.125 God listens. 105 00:06:30.325 --> 00:06:36.625 And also speaks and calls his people to listen. The almighty God, the 106 00:06:36.625 --> 00:06:42.725 king of Heaven, the great king of Israel, and Lord of all faithfully 107 00:06:42.725 --> 00:06:49.625 attentively listens to the pleas of the lowliest, man and woman. 108 00:06:50.925 --> 00:06:56.925 How much more should we lowly men and women faithfully attentively 109 00:06:57.025 --> 00:07:01.425 listen to the speaking of the almighty God? 110 00:07:04.025 --> 00:07:05.825 Yet, this is our great weakness. 111 00:07:07.125 --> 00:07:08.425 Our great flaw. 112 00:07:09.925 --> 00:07:14.825 Our Great Rebellion beginning in Eden when the woman listened instead 113 00:07:14.825 --> 00:07:18.825 to the voice of the serpent pretending to be wise and the man listen 114 00:07:18.825 --> 00:07:20.025 to the voice of his wife 115 00:07:20.025 --> 00:07:25.525 and both of them became deaf to the clear word and command of God. 116 00:07:25.525 --> 00:07:27.425 You must not eat from the tree 117 00:07:27.425 --> 00:07:29.225 that is in the center of the garden. 118 00:07:31.325 --> 00:07:36.125 As we read through first Samuel and second Samuel and First Kings and 119 00:07:36.125 --> 00:07:37.825 second Kings, and so forth. 120 00:07:37.825 --> 00:07:41.025 The story just keeps on repeating itself. 121 00:07:41.425 --> 00:07:43.125 God raises up prophets. 122 00:07:43.325 --> 00:07:45.325 God speaks to the people. 123 00:07:46.625 --> 00:07:51.425 But the people refused to hear. When the people cry to God for help 124 00:07:51.425 --> 00:07:53.325 He harkins to their cries. 125 00:07:54.525 --> 00:07:59.425 When God speaks to his people through His prophets, they stopped up 126 00:07:59.425 --> 00:08:02.725 their ears and continue to turn away. 127 00:08:04.625 --> 00:08:07.725 Sons and Daughters of this gracious, God. 128 00:08:09.025 --> 00:08:14.625 God grant to you his Holy Spirit that you constantly turn to your 129 00:08:14.625 --> 00:08:17.225 Father in prayer, your Father 130 00:08:17.225 --> 00:08:18.225 who hears you. 131 00:08:19.525 --> 00:08:21.825 And also that you yourselves 132 00:08:21.825 --> 00:08:27.925 may listen, listen, listen to his words of life. 133 00:08:29.525 --> 00:08:32.725 There's one more detail In this passage that I want to call attention 134 00:08:32.725 --> 00:08:33.625 to this morning. 135 00:08:33.625 --> 00:08:37.825 I focused especially on the story's ending and outcome versus 20 with 136 00:08:37.825 --> 00:08:39.525 the birth and naming of Samuel. 137 00:08:39.825 --> 00:08:43.825 But another fascinating aspect of this scene, is the way that the 138 00:08:43.825 --> 00:08:46.125 author introduces it in verse 1. 139 00:08:47.225 --> 00:08:51.625 To set the stage for this story and to introduce Samuels, father, 140 00:08:51.625 --> 00:08:54.125 Elkanah verse one reads. 141 00:08:55.025 --> 00:08:58.425 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim 142 00:08:58.425 --> 00:09:03.525 of the Hill Country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah 143 00:09:03.525 --> 00:09:08.325 the son of Jeroham the son of Elihu the son of Tohu, son of Zuph, 144 00:09:08.725 --> 00:09:10.125 an Ephrathite. 145 00:09:12.125 --> 00:09:18.325 Samuels lineage through his father was of a family that was living in 146 00:09:18.325 --> 00:09:20.425 the Hill Country of Ephraim. 147 00:09:20.725 --> 00:09:24.125 But which hailed originally from Ephrathah 148 00:09:24.125 --> 00:09:26.625 that is Bethlehem. 149 00:09:27.725 --> 00:09:31.825 When I say, Bethlehem, you think Mary Joseph and Jesus 150 00:09:31.825 --> 00:09:37.825 exactly. But Looking Backward in the Old Testament, story two biblical 151 00:09:37.825 --> 00:09:42.925 books, come right before 1st, Samuel, and lead directly into it. In the 152 00:09:42.925 --> 00:09:47.425 Hebrew, Canon, and ordering of the books, without the Book of Ruth in 153 00:09:47.425 --> 00:09:48.325 this place. 154 00:09:48.825 --> 00:09:52.525 First, Samuel comes directly after the Book of Judges. 155 00:09:53.625 --> 00:09:57.425 In the closing chapters of Judges, the situation among the tribes of 156 00:09:57.425 --> 00:10:01.825 Israel is utter disorder and utter disaster. 157 00:10:02.725 --> 00:10:06.825 Priest for higher, Levites are renting themselves out to aid 158 00:10:06.825 --> 00:10:11.425 idolatrous families, in their idolatry. The tribes of Israel, instead 159 00:10:11.425 --> 00:10:16.425 of living, as one people of God, have fallen into bloody Civil War, 160 00:10:16.425 --> 00:10:21.825 amongst themselves and great atrocities. At the center of this tail at 161 00:10:21.825 --> 00:10:23.325 the tail end of the book of 162 00:10:23.425 --> 00:10:30.125 Judges is the story of a Levite from Bethlehem Ephrathah who moves to 163 00:10:30.125 --> 00:10:31.825 the Hill Country of Ephraim. 164 00:10:32.825 --> 00:10:35.625 While on a trip, staying in the town of Gibeah 165 00:10:35.625 --> 00:10:40.325 this man's concubine, is gang-raped by the men of the town throughout 166 00:10:40.325 --> 00:10:40.925 the night. 167 00:10:41.325 --> 00:10:44.925 So violently that in the morning, she is dead. 168 00:10:46.025 --> 00:10:50.125 That's the story where the man returns home and cuts his concubine's 169 00:10:50.125 --> 00:10:54.025 body up into 12 pieces, and sends it out, throughout the land of 170 00:10:54.025 --> 00:10:59.625 Israel to each of the Twelve Tribes and territories. This Levite from 171 00:10:59.625 --> 00:11:01.525 the Hill Country of Ephraim 172 00:11:02.625 --> 00:11:04.825 originally from Bethlehem Ephrathah 173 00:11:05.725 --> 00:11:10.125 stands right in the middle of this mess 174 00:11:10.725 --> 00:11:15.125 at the end of Judges. This train wreck of human society. 175 00:11:15.125 --> 00:11:21.325 This train wreck of the people of God and bracketing that most tragic 176 00:11:21.325 --> 00:11:26.325 closing section of the Book of Judges in judges 19 verse 1 177 00:11:26.325 --> 00:11:28.825 and then, the very last verse of the book. 178 00:11:28.925 --> 00:11:32.125 We have the repeated refrain in those days 179 00:11:32.425 --> 00:11:35.525 there was no king in the 180 00:11:35.625 --> 00:11:36.425 land of Israel. 181 00:11:37.525 --> 00:11:40.625 Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 182 00:11:41.425 --> 00:11:43.025 That's what comes right before 183 00:11:43.025 --> 00:11:44.425 this story of Hannah. 184 00:11:45.125 --> 00:11:49.725 The story, which begins by describing a different husband, a different 185 00:11:49.725 --> 00:11:52.625 Levite also, from the Hill Country of Ephraim. 186 00:11:52.625 --> 00:11:58.225 Also, originally from Bethlehem and his son, Samuel will ultimately 187 00:11:58.225 --> 00:11:59.725 anoint a king. 188 00:12:01.325 --> 00:12:03.525 And ultimately a king from Bethlehem. 189 00:12:04.625 --> 00:12:10.125 To unify God's people to conquer their enemies and to lead them in the 190 00:12:10.125 --> 00:12:11.925 worship of the one true God. 191 00:12:13.325 --> 00:12:16.325 In our English Bible tradition and ordering of the books. 192 00:12:16.825 --> 00:12:19.425 Judges doesn't go directly into 1st Samuel. 193 00:12:19.425 --> 00:12:22.325 The Book of Ruth is placed in between them. 194 00:12:23.925 --> 00:12:28.725 And in that story, Naomi and Ruth, return to the land of Israel and 195 00:12:28.725 --> 00:12:35.025 come to live in Bethlehem where Ruth Mary's kind-hearted Boaz 196 00:12:35.525 --> 00:12:36.425 Bethlehem, 197 00:12:36.825 --> 00:12:39.125 where the great grandfather grandfather 198 00:12:39.125 --> 00:12:43.625 and father of King David were born were born. Where David himself was 199 00:12:43.625 --> 00:12:44.125 born. 200 00:12:44.925 --> 00:12:50.125 And also, in the fullness of time where David's greater son was born. 201 00:12:51.425 --> 00:12:59.425 Jesus Christ, the son of David born to be king of Israel, born to be 202 00:12:59.425 --> 00:13:00.525 king of all. 203 00:13:01.725 --> 00:13:07.725 But you O Bethlehem Ephrathah who are too little to be among the 204 00:13:07.725 --> 00:13:11.625 clans of Judah from, you shall come forth for me 205 00:13:11.625 --> 00:13:17.525 One, who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old 206 00:13:17.825 --> 00:13:19.125 from ancient days. 207 00:13:20.325 --> 00:13:26.325 Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem born for you. 208 00:13:27.225 --> 00:13:29.425 Born to be our king forever. 209 00:13:29.925 --> 00:13:34.325 He was born because God hears. 210 00:13:35.825 --> 00:13:41.125 Jesus Christ was born in the world because the almighty God does not 211 00:13:41.125 --> 00:13:43.625 turn his great big 212 00:13:43.625 --> 00:13:48.925 Holy Almighty, ears away from pitiful cries 213 00:13:49.025 --> 00:13:51.825 like ours. God hears. 214 00:13:52.525 --> 00:13:58.425 And so Jesus was born for you in Bethlehem, and this Jesus listened. 215 00:13:59.825 --> 00:14:04.825 He listened to the prayers and the pleading in the cries of those 216 00:14:04.825 --> 00:14:05.425 around him. 217 00:14:05.425 --> 00:14:11.925 Lord have mercy. He listened to fathers and to mothers to those in 218 00:14:11.925 --> 00:14:15.225 need. This Jesus listened. 219 00:14:15.325 --> 00:14:19.825 His ears were always attentive to his Father's, will to his Father's 220 00:14:19.825 --> 00:14:24.525 word. At age 12 attentively, listening in his Father's house growing in 221 00:14:24.525 --> 00:14:28.525 wisdom and stature listening, heeding the scriptures. 222 00:14:28.725 --> 00:14:28.925 Heeding 223 00:14:29.125 --> 00:14:34.125 the scriptures. Hearing and obeying all that was written 224 00:14:35.325 --> 00:14:37.525 even to death on the cross. 225 00:14:39.425 --> 00:14:40.525 Our ears 226 00:14:41.625 --> 00:14:45.525 even these redeemed baptized ears 227 00:14:46.625 --> 00:14:48.725 are still so slow to listen. 228 00:14:49.625 --> 00:14:52.625 So dull, so rebellious. 229 00:14:53.925 --> 00:14:57.125 Yet gift of gifts. 230 00:14:58.125 --> 00:15:04.325 God, declares to you today, Christ's righteousness for you. 231 00:15:05.525 --> 00:15:07.925 His perfect obedience for you. 232 00:15:08.825 --> 00:15:14.925 His perfect listening for yo. His mighty reign for you. 233 00:15:15.125 --> 00:15:17.825 His life giving words for you. 234 00:15:18.625 --> 00:15:22.725 His tender bridegroom's love for you. 235 00:15:23.925 --> 00:15:26.125 He is the greater 236 00:15:26.125 --> 00:15:27.025 Elkanah. 237 00:15:27.725 --> 00:15:29.625 He is the greater Samuel. 238 00:15:30.425 --> 00:15:34.625 He is the greater David. In these days 239 00:15:35.425 --> 00:15:39.125 there is a king in Israel forever. 240 00:15:40.225 --> 00:15:40.825 Amen.