Covenant Presbyterian Church

If the Philistines expected that taking the ark of the covenant would be to their advantage, then they were sorely mistaken. Indeed, the ark became a very costly trophy. After taking possession of the ark, they transported it to one of their cities called Ashdod. There they set it in the temple of Dagon, their chief god. This was likely their way of declaring the superiority of Dagon over the God of Israel. However, the morning after setting the ark in the temple of Dagon, they found the statue of their god lying prostrate, face down before the ark. The next night the statue of Dagon was found mutilated. The people of Ashdod were also struck with tumors. What followed was a rather pathetic game of hot potato. Ashdod sent the ark away to Gath, which caused the people of Gath to panic, so they sent it quickly away to another Philistian city called Ekron, the inhabitants of which had no desire to possess it, so great had the hand of the LORD punished the Philistines.

The LORD is the God of history. His sovereignty extends beyond all boundaries, even, as the Philistines learned, into their own temples. That the ark was captured did not mean that Yahweh was vanquished. All of the events involving the ark and the conflict between Israel and the Philistines were under the sway of God’s providence. The picture of Dagon prostrated before the ark is both sober and a bit comical. Man’s attempts to make gods for himself are as pathetic as they are grievous.

What a contrast is displayed in this account between the free and sovereign LORD and the idols of man. While the Philistines busy themselves moving and repairing their god, the LORD moves all of history according to his wise purpose. What a comfort this is for the church of Jesus Christ, who, in various times and places, is mocked and persecuted by those whose gods will ultimately fall down before King Jesus.

Chapter 4 records the initial fulfillment of God’s pronouncement of judgment upon the house of Eli (2:27-36), which is reiterated by Samuel (3:15-18). The “sign” promised by God that would guarantee the full outcome of his judgment (2:34) is seen in the deaths of Hophni and Phinehas.

Chapters four through six are often referred to as “the Ark narrative.” The writer shifts the view from Samuel to Israel’s conflict with the Philistines, with the Ark of the Covenant playing a central role. The passage begins with Israel being routed in combat by their nemesis, the Philistines. The elders of Israel rightly concluded that the Lord had caused their defeat, but their response was disastrously misguided. They commanded that the Ark of the Covenant be taken from Shiloh to the encampment of Israel’s army. Rather than gaining them victory, the Philistines were victorious once again. To make matters worse, the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant.

The sinful assumption of the elders of Israel was that God was somehow bound to the Ark – that by directing the Ark’s movements they could direct God and achieve a guaranteed outcome. Their presumptuousness reveals just how much their religious thinking had become superstitious. They believed they had domesticated God, which resulted in their greatest national tragedy up to that point.

This problem would surface time and time again in Israel’s history. The prophets would protest against this domestication of God, which took the form of faithless ritualism. But the Lord had not forgotten his gracious covenant, as the mention of Ebenezer suggests (vs. 1). Indeed, Israel’s catastrophic loss to the Philistines would serve as a sort of prelude to the Lord’s gracious renewal of his people, which would come to full flower with the reign of King David, whose greater Son reigns forever and ever.

In the days of the Judges, the people were not used to hearing the voice of the Lord. Given their habit of sinning from one generation to the next and the dissolute condition of many of the priests, it is not surprising that the Lord withheld his voice. Chapter 3 is the account of the Lord calling young Samuel to be his prophet. It is a fitting answer to Chapter 2 in which the Lord rejects the house of Eli. Samuel, trained and ministering before the Lord as a priest, will now take the role of prophet.

His first task is to deliver the news that God’s judgment upon Eli’s household will commence. It is a sober reminder that the word of the Lord is not always comforting. Indeed, great sin must be answered by divine discipline and judgment.

Even though the Lord has chosen to judge Eli and his progeny, his promise to preserve a righteous line in Israel remains. The rise of Samuel signals that the Lord is going to begin speaking to his people once again. From north to south, Israel will know that the Lord is speaking through Samuel the prophet.

The account of the Lord speaking to Samuel is not meant to teach contemporary believers that they can expect the same sort of experience. Indeed, the writer of Hebrews states, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (1:1-2). God’s greatest Word to us was his eternally begotten Son; the Word made flesh. And it is in God’s written Word that we hear him speak.

The distrust of leadership, so common today, is understandable. From the sins and frailties of leaders in the highest offices in the land, to news pundits, to out-of-the-way country churches, leaders fail miserably.

Of course, it is appropriate to have high expectations for leaders; after all, much is required from those to whom much is given. The people of Samuel’s day had good reasons to have a low opinion of their leaders. Idolatry filled the land as the priests often indulged in some of the very sins they should have been denouncing. Even Eli, the priest who oversaw the ministry of the tabernacle, had apparently looked the other way as his sons (priests as well) used their authority to steal from the worshipers in Shiloh and even demand sexual favors from the women. These were terrible times in Israel.

But throughout the account there are glimmers of grace. Indeed, the section starts out by giving us a brief glimpse in Samuel’s direction, who is at the tabernacle “ministering to the Lord.” This little boy will grow to be a man who will perform the duties of a judge (a proto-king), a priest, and a prophet – something unheard of. Throughout the sordid tale of Eli’s sons, the narrator inserts little reminders that the Lord is at work: “the boy was ministering to the Lord” (vs. 11), “Samuel was ministering before the Lord” (vs. 18), “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man” (vs. 26). However dark the days, the Lord is not finished. Grace will have the last word.

The passage ends with a clear signpost directing our attention to Jesus, our great and everlasting Prophet, Priest, and King: “And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever” (vs. 35).

The books of Samuel are bookended by two poetic passages. The first is Hannah’s prayer (2:1-10). At the other end is David’s psalm which comes at the end of 2 Samuel. Both Hannah’s prayer and David’s psalm encompass the themes of God’s holiness, power, and faithfulness. Hannah prays for the Lord to bring down the proud and mighty, and raise up the weak who trust in him. Her prayer will find a limited and temporary fulfillment in the reign of the shepherd David who replaces mighty Saul.

Hannah prays that God “will give strength to his king” even though there was not yet a king in Israel. But as early as Deuteronomy 17, there was an expectation that the Lord would choose a king for Israel, and certainly during the era of the Judges there was a longing for a king in Israel (8:22). In this sense, Hannah’s prayer is prophetic. Her words anticipate the dawning of a new era in Israel, the era her own son will introduce. The greater fulfillment of Hannah’s prayer will come in the arrival of the Lord Jesus. Little wonder then why Mary’s prayer sounds similar themes (Luke 1:46-55).

In the days of her grief, Hannah could not see what God was doing and what he would do. The truth would be far greater than she likely could have imagined. Her years of sorrowful waiting would work into Hannah’s heart the knowledge of God as a Savior, a Redeemer. And her son would help usher in an era which would represent a decisive turn in Israel’s history toward the longed-for Messiah, the King whose kingdom will never end.

Hannah’s story would not be complete without the record of her obedience in fulfilling her vow to the Lord. Some time has passed since the birth of Samuel (vs. 20). And now it is time for Elkanah and his family to return to Shiloh to worship the Lord and make sacrifices. Little Samuel had not yet been weaned (which typically happened at about 3 years) so Hannah, with her husband’s blessing, elected to remain home with the baby. She will return to Shiloh once she is able to fulfill her vow.

The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that “it is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it” (5:5). And what a vow Hannah had made! With little Samuel in tow and a substantial thank offering, Hannah heads off for Shiloh to keep her promise to the Lord (vs. 24). Hannah serves as a model for us in this. We should be very careful in the promises we make to the Lord. Wedding vows and church membership vows come to mind but what about our promises to the Lord to mortify our sin, walk in holiness, and love our neighbors? Do we understand the responsibilities such promises place upon us?

The passage ends with mention that, after having been given over to Eli the priest, Samuel “worshipped the Lord there.” As Samuel grew under the guidance of Eli, he became a man dedicated to service to the Lord. Such a sacrifice from a mother can hardly be understood by modern westerners. But in the end, Hannah’s story is not about Hannah. Her story is about God and his sovereign purposes. It is about his care for his people. The way that the Lord intervenes for Hannah is unusual but that he cared and acted in particular ways is not unusual. “If we really understand God’s goodness and really appreciate God’s gifts, then there bubbles up inside an almost uncontrollable urge to respond in the fullest way we can imagine” (Evans, 29).

The books of Samuel open with an account of abounding sorrow. Specifically, we are introduced to Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, who for years suffered the loss and shame of being childless. The Scriptures do not sentimentalize sorrow. Hannah’s misery is on full display. Her pain was especially acute in the tabernacle as she bore the mockery of Peninnah and yet we are inspired by her faithful perseverance. Indeed, Hannah sets an example for us as she seeks the Lord in prayer out of the depths of her sorrow. This she does because, however bitter have been her experiences, she still knows that the Lord of Hosts is a God who hears the cries of his people.

Eventually, for his own purposes and in kindness to Hannah, God granted her years-long prayer for a son. We are told that she conceived a son “in due time,” a reminder that this child came along at just the time the Lord had ordained, and the child was given the name Samuel which means “the Lord hears,” or “heard by the Lord.” What an appropriate name for a child prayed for, for so long.

God’s nature as the One who both hears the prayers and acts on behalf of his people should be the great motivating factor in persevering prayer. Hannah’s years of praying without receiving an answer were no doubt used by the Lord to prepare her to receive an answer that would, in the end, be a far greater blessing than even she could have imagined. God hears you, Christian. He cares for you in such a way that not a single one of your sorrows will be wasted as you cast your cares upon him (1 Peter 5:7).

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel are remarkable among ancient writing not least of all for the absence of monsters and demigods that populate ancient myths. The books of Samuel are profoundly human. Indeed the account begins not with kings or battles or royal intrigue but with the heartbreak of barren Hannah.

The books of Samuel belong to the category of Old Testament historical narrative. They are not epic poetry like the Odyssey. Nor do they bear any of the hallmarks of mythological writing. We will find no cyclops or sirens here. In these books we will read genealogies, records of military personnel, government records, and the accounts of battles won and lost. But the vast majority of the books of Samuel are given to the accounts of particular individuals as they traverse family drama, fear, jealousy, marriages, births, violence, friendship, betrayal, and loyalty. Most significantly we will trace the handiwork of God as he preserves the righteous line promised in Genesis 3:15.

The books of Samuel, therefore, tell the story of God’s dealings with his people. The primary figures are Samuel (prophet/judge), Saul (Israel’s first king), and David (forerunner of the royal Messiah). Certainly we will learn powerful lessons about integrity, loyalty, failure, and the madness of sin. But we will also learn about the enduring grace of God in preserving the line that will bring the Savior King into the world. And that brings us back to Hannah and what appeared for years to be her hopeless barrenness. As he does so often for his people, God turns despair into hope and hope into fulfillment.

As we read on from Peter’s condemnation of the false teachers and their heresies, it is clear that he is interested not only in defending the truth but demonstrating its practical impact on the lives of his readers. “Since everything will be destroyed in this way,” he asks, “what kind of people ought you to be?” (3:11). His answer is that they ought to be living lives of “godliness and holiness” (3:11). The connection Peter makes is that since the new creation will be a place of righteousness then in this life Christians ought to strive toward righteousness.

Beginning in verse 14 he calls his readers to “be diligent to be found in him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” Just as we see throughout the New Testament, the full assurance of our salvation does not call for passivity but diligence. That Christ’s righteousness has been graciously imputed to us is not to produce apathy but diligence to live according to that grace.

Knowing that the Lord is indeed returning and that there will be a final judgment we ought not be “carried away by the error of lawless people and lose your own stability” (vs. 17). Instead, we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (vs. 18). The depths and goodness and perfections of Christ are such that we will never exhaust the knowledge and grace of him. The deeper our knowledge of Christ and growth in his grace, the more our hunger for him will increase.

Having denounced the false teachers for their immorality and greed Peter now demolishes their false teaching. These men had a deeply personal interest in denying the return of Jesus and the final judgment. The false teachers lived such recklessly sinful lives that they preferred a world which had no hope of final redemption through the righteous justice of God. We see the same thing in our own day as those raised in believing homes abandon various Christian doctrines (sometimes abandoning the faith altogether) because they prefer lives that are in conflict with those truths.

Peter assures his readers that God is not slow. He is not dragging his feet to fulfill the promise of the Son’s return. He appeals to Psalm 90 to make his case. That Psalm is all about God and his relationship with time: “For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4). God is eternal and therefore exits over and outside time. The Lord’s patience has a gracious purpose. Unwilling to lose a single one of his people, he delays the final judgment until the elect from every nation will be gathered in to “the new heavens and the new earth where righteousness dwells” (vs. 13).