1 Samuel 1 – 5

Hannah was childless and was in turmoil about not having children. Interesting how they start this story focusing on her despair, but as you will see like everything God does it has a purpose.

Verse 2:7 has her praying:

The Eternal One makes both poor and rich;
        some He humbles, and others He honors.

When you think about it we often place God as being in total control of the world, when I think He is more hands off. More like a director of a crazy free form orchestra. Only when things get way out of hand does He jump in. Also, when the sting section needs some guidance he may nudge them from time to time. But I don’t think God makes the poor, He just gives us the environment to be either way. I know that many say being born poor is so much more difficult to pull yourself out, but that is more generational in problems than God making people poor.

Anyway as we see with Hannah, God may have made her barren for a season to get His end result. Hannah made a promise to give this child to the church and after she did verse 2:21 shows God’s response:

The Eternal One showed his favor toward Hannah again, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters, and her son Samuel grew up in the presence of the Eternal One.

This is a key point, never once did God promise this nor did Hannah expect it. She was made a promise and kept it. This is a trap with tithing, since most pastors’ promise a blessing or that Malachi’s “testing” will show God’s blessing on you if you tithe. Hannah is the example of how life should be done, in pure obedience without expectations. Sure it would be nice to have a ton of money, but don’t expect it dropping that 10% in the plate. We not only do things out of obedience, but joy. Why should we expect something on the “flip-side”?

The rest of the reading focuses on Eli’s sons, who are taking advantage of their positions and end up paying the ultimate price. I find it interesting how Eli dies shortly after his sons and often wonder was he paying the price for their sins? One of the problems was they lost the “covenant chest” which caused problems for those who had it.

Verse 5:12 shows why it was a “hot potato”:

and those He did not kill, He struck with swollen, painful tumors. Their suffering was so intense their cries could be heard in the heavens.

City after city the chest gets moved and they fall into the same despair. It will be interesting to see what becomes of this chest. Stay tuned and in 7 days (or readings) we will find out!