This week’s “Wednesday Word” is a summary of Dr. Wellum’s overview of the book of Samuel given on Sunday, October 12, 2008.

The narrative of I and II Samuel continues the story of Israel following the book of Judges. Israel is in spiritual decline as “everyone was doing what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). While God brought forth judges to appropriately lead Israel at times, there was no king in Israel. The book of Samuel traces the plot movement from the judges to the kings, where Samuel is the last judge, Saul, the people’s king, and David, “the man after God’s own choosing.” Other themes such as worship associated with the tabernacle—later temple—are included as well. Moreover, Hannah’s prayer functions as prophecy for the whole book, unfolding the main themes with particular emphasis on God’s sovereign reversals.

I Samuel opens with the story of Hannah, the barren wife of Elkanah. She is in distress not only because of her barrenness, but because she is provoked by Peninnah, another wife of Elkanah. Nevertheless, God reverses Hannah’s situation and remembers her by granting her a son after she had prayed to offer her child back to God as a Nazirite (1 Sam 1:11). Hannah keeps her word and when her son Samuel is of age, the child is brought to Eli, the priest. God has worked a reversal on behalf of Hannah. Her poetic prayer (1 Sam 2:1-10) speaks of other reversals that the Lord will accomplish. Hannah extols God in vv. 1-3, while vv. 4-8b point to the future where God will break the bows of the mighty, but strengthen the feeble. He will fill those who now hunger, while making the full go hungry. Verses 8c-10 draw attention to God’s rule and judgment over the earth and his exaltation of the horn of his anointed – clearly a reference to David and ultimately Jesus.

Elements of Hannah’s prayer are picked up through the narrative. While Eli’s sons sinfully abuse the sacrifices offered to the Lord and commit sexually immoral acts, Samuel, in stark contrast, grows in stature and favor with Lord (1 Sam 2:26, cf. Luke 2:52). God judges Eli’s priestly house, but Samuel is established as a prophet-priest-judge. Another reversal will occur with Saul. While the warrior-king is tall and ostensibly mighty, his true colors will be shown as a fearful and arrogant imposter. God will humble him and exalt David, the unexpected shepherd of Israel.

Tumultuous times characterize Israel at this time period as they battle the Philistines, but fail to see that God must fight for them. They place their trust in the ark of the covenant (1 Sam 4) instead of the Lord himself. The ark is captured and the glory of the Lord has departed from Israel. Nevertheless, God’s sovereign purposes will come to pass. The ark is recovered and Samuel, God’s faithful mouthpiece, begins to lead in his prophetic role (1 Sam 7).

We too live in uncertain times marked by economic catastrophes, persecutions, and wars. But God is in sovereign control and he rules from his throne. He is a God who reverses the expectations that people have. The world looks to men who boast in their capabilities to lead and produce positive change to such challenging circumstances. But the Lord is the one who humbles the strong and the powerful, while unexpectantly exalting the weak, the barren, and the poor. As believers in Christ, we can have confidence in him, because just as God exalted the one who took on the form of a bondservant, so too he will exalt us. God has chosen the weak and foolish to shame the powerful and the strong (1 Cor 1:26-27). May we place our confidence in him no matter what circumstances arise.

~Brent Parker

Listen to the audio here.

~ds