In our introduction, we have established that there
are three key characters who are significant in the book of 1 Samuel. These
three individuals are, Samuel the prophet, King Saul the first king of Israel
and of course the famous King David. To better understand the book, we need to
know the setting of 1 Samuel. The opening verses bring us back to the time of
the Judges. The social condition of that time would best be described with the
word anarchy. The duration would be approximately some 200 years after Joshua
had brought the people of Israel into the promised land. Judges 21:25 tells us
that, “In those days there was no king in
Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This tells us that Israel
was facing a leadership crisis.
In such a setting, we see the emergence of the
family of Samuel. His father was Elkanah meaning “God has created” or “God has
taken possession.” He hailed from the tribe of Ephraim and he had two wives,
namely, Hannah and Peninnah. Verse 1 indicates that they lived in the hill country of Ephraim in a place known as “Ramathaim-zophim.” Although Hannah was barren,
Elkanah seemed to love her more than he loved Penninah. The fact of Hannah’s
barrenness was made known to highlight to us the unusual circumstances
surrounding the conception and birth of Samuel. It is set to point us to the
mission God had installed for him.
Notice
that Samuel’s father, Elkanah was referred to as “a certain” man and that he
was a man who worshipped God. The fact that he would go up to the sanctuary in
Shiloh yearly to worship and make sacrifices to the Lord in a time of social
upheavals made him stand out in a time where godlessness prevailed. Briefly,
verse 3 introduces us to the family of the high priest. Eli was the priest in
charge, and he and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas were the priests at Shiloh
that served God’s people.
Elkanah
was singled out for mention in the midst of Israel’s dark time. He and
especially Hannah, his favorite wife, were the unique vessels that God chose to
use to bring change in a chaotic world. Through them, God brought forth Samuel
the prophet. The lesson we learn is that no matter how bleak the condition
God’s people may encounter, He still has a plan to bring changes. All He needs
is someone who is loyal to him and willing to be his instrument of change. The
imperfect life of Elkanah points to us that God does not need a perfect
but a willing vessel. He was that “certain man” that would be God’s
catalyst to effect a change. Elkanah and Hannah were willing vessels. God is
still looking for vessels in our day to effect change in our world. Will we
respond to His call to be His vessels to effect change in our world?
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