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Treehouse Homegroup Meeting 2 – 1 Samuel 2

Hannah’s Prayer
Karina: It seems that verse 5 is referring to Eli’s sons – ”Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.”
Dad: ESV study Bible – don’t agree with everything, says it is not talking about Peninnah
Hannah: Some people have said that it may have been written later … used as a common prayer among the Israelites. But verse 1 says, ”And Hannah prayed and said …”
The word ”king” shows that it is kind of a prophesy as well – because there were no kings yet in Israel!
Mom: Amazing how Hannah was able to rejoice so greatly in her sacrifice – giving up her son! She praises God right after giving up her son forever going from end of chapter one, then 1 Sam 2:1 is ”My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD.”

Hannah: From Spurgeon’s sermon, ”THE KING’S WEIGHINGS” http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols28-30/chs1736.pdf
- Hannah’s immediate response is to go to God … we often run to friends, etc. first.
- She rejoices in God being HOLY.
- One of his main points: God weighing man’s deed, judgment of God
- the word ”knows” – God knows everything, AND He weighs our deeds, so He knows how bad our deeds really are to the full extent, has the knowledge there, perfectly accurate knowledge of our deeds … quote: ”The great and glorious God does not forgive sin because He does not know of it, or does not remember how sinful it is—but this is the wonder of His mercy—He blots out the sins of His people with the fullest knowledge of their foulness!”
- compares how men weigh actions compared to how God weighs them – we more count them, bad things are outweighed by lots and lots of good deeds – goldsmith story – not quantity but the weight of the deeds
- present tense – and by Him deeds are weighed – currently being weighed
- maybe Spurgeon went a little too far … we are bad, bad, bad … even if we do all these good things, if our motives are bad then it’s all bad.
- But he brings it back to the gospel … those who are lowly God brings them up – ”He is the God who delights in reversing the order of things. He throws down those who are high and sets up those that are down. “He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent away empty.”

Karina: Spurgeon’s sermon, ”HONOR FOR HONOR” http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols49-51/chs2906.pdf
1 Sam 2:30 ”Those who honor Me I will honor and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.”
- summary: Honoring God is a plain DUTY, and the fact that He honors us in return is a very generous reward.
- He goes through different examples of how we honor God, then examples of how God honors us.
- one way that we can honor God is by worshiping the Triune – praying to all three persons of God, don’t wait until we can understand how God is a trinity
- another way we honor God is by confessing our sin and thereby glorifying His justice – we are worthy of death and terribleness
- We honor God by confessing the dominion of God – do not quarrel with the requirements of God’s commands but rather ask the Holy Spirit to help us comply with them.
- We honor God by trusting Him at all times.
- When times are good, honor God by great joy! ”If we don’t have particular troubles … have great joy!”
- Honor God in all we do. Don’t be like Hophni and Phinehas – they were being selfish in their service of the LORD. Example: In ministry, we are working not to get more numbers, more peoples, etc., but with the motive of honoring God.

Derek: Spurgeon’s sermon, “HERE I AM!” 1 Sam 3:4 http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols52-54/chs3082.pdf
What did Samuel’s response show and what did it fortell of Samuel?
First part – Samuel’s response
1. That Samuel had a hearing ear – God speaks to all of us in some way but we aren’t always in the right place spiritually to hear God speak to us … Samuel had a hearing ear.
2. He had a responsive heart. ”Here I am” – offering himself to God for whatever He was calling him.
3. A teachable spirit – ready to hear what You have to say to me, what You have to say to me is enough, I am ready for You to teach me, I will your willing servant and disciple, ready to be instructed
4. Samuel was in the right position – in bed at bedtime, perhaps Christians would be more willing to hear and respond to God if they were in the right place/position (real convicting for Heidi!)
Second Part – Fortelling of Samuel’s future
1. That Samuel would have further communication from God, Samuel’s responsiveness, God will continue to call you as long as He has messages to give you. Those who answer God’s call shall hear His voice again.
2. That Samuel would have prevalence in prayer … often God will not hear us because we will not hear Him (perhaps something in our lives -sin- is preventing us from hearing God)
3. That Samuel would have happier calls afterwards – not always going to be prophesying doom

Richard: Spurgeon sermon “SPEAK, LORD!” 1 Sam 3:10

Mom brought up the difference between what Eli told Samuel to say and what Samuel actually said:
Eli – ”Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”
Samuel – leaves out the word LORD – YAHWAH – ”Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Mom’s idea: Perhaps because he didn’t yet have a personal relationship with God yet (this was the first time he has heard from the Lord) that’s why he didn’t use His name, first time to talk with Him …
Spurgeon from Richard’s sermon – Revered the name of the Lord and did not want to overuse it – a holy word! realized his insignificant

More from Richard’s sermon – our desire to be spoken to by God – our heart NEEDS Him to speak, it longs for Him to speak … ”We cannot endure a dumb God.”

Eli – did not restrain his sons from blaspheming the LORD
Mom: thinks that was not his only sin – maybe he was doing the same thing the other priests were doing – now it was the practice of the priests

Discussion: What exactly did the priests do wrong? just burning the fat or also sticking the meat with the three-pronged fork and taking the meat, as well as burning the fat????
Let’s go back to the Leviticus laws … chapters 3, 4, 7 .. Numbers 6:19-20 … hmm not so helpful. Where are the verses that talk about what the priests can and cannot eat?
Eli seemed like such a good guy, but he got such a great punishment … he was responsible for so many people – priests, his sons, who sinned greatly
But, what is interesting is that he still speaks the words of the Lord – tells Hannah she will have children

Dad thinks the big issue is the fat issue, it does seem like it was harsh about plunging the fork into it … but the main thing is that they were not at all precise in the work of the Lord – should have learned from their ancestors Aron’s sons who offered strange fire – this was big! Like blaspheming the Holy Spirit, cannot be forgiven. This was really bad and Eli knew it. He was a ”nice” person, but nice people can be very wicked. Nice is based on personality.

Mom: What was the sin really and why was it so bad – Hello, they are sleeping with these women!!!!! (that was her first thought when reading it this time) BUT on second thought – verse 17 – they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. ”This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight.” Who is the Lord’s offering? JESUS! They were treating Jesus with contempt! Then he says to Eli (gives more weight that Eli was probably involved in it as well) – ”Why do you (plural) scorn My sacrifice and offering?” (Even if he wasn’t doing it himself, he was still responsible.) But scorning the sacrifice of Christ – that’s the issue – and the sleeping with the women, and taking the meat – those are just symptoms.
Hannah – It’s easy to judge people by what they DO, but really those things are just coming from the inner heart – their rebellion against God (ok I basically added that part but it’s prob what Hannah meant!).

Richard – going back to what Mark said about blaspheming the Holy Spirit – I wonder if there are any other examples in the OT that would be along these lines? (I don’t think anyone could think of one …)

Dad: Genealogies – The lines, judgment against Eli – Do you know who was in Eli’s line? a famous person – JEREMIAH!!!! The weeping prophet. And how did his life go? sad sad sad (but significant!)
Mom – example: Sons of Korah – ancestors fell into ground, but descendants wrote beautiful and awesome Psalms

Then a side discussion about smoking cigars and sperm health.

Mom: contrast between Eli’s sons and Samuel
1 Sam 2:18 – ”But” Samuel was ministering before
Mom’s 2 Questions
1 Sam 1: 21 Elkhanah’s vow – what was His vow?
Richard: A general vow that the Israelites have with God, to sacrifice
Heidi: Seems to be the same thing that he did at the beginning of chapter 1.
2. 1 Sam 1:23 – And what was the word

Mom – Hannah didn’t drink alcohol during her pregnancy.
Mom – ESV said the Lord visited Hannah – and at that time she conceived! So personal and cool – God opens the womb (Heidi – and inserts the soul at the moment of conception!) Karina – God came and stood there Dad – it says with Paul that the Lord stood at his side.
Mom – the coolest thing all night – ”The Lord brings death and life/He brings them from the grave” in Hannah’s Song –
1 Sam 2:20 Eli’s prophesy – may the Lord give you descendants – NKJV says to take the place of the LOAN that was given by the Lord. – Like Marshall, he was just on loan to us – God has a purpose in life and death, biggest promise God has given me that God will use it to bring a lot of worshipers into the kingdom.

David, we want you here!

Here are some Spurgeon sermons that go along with 1 Samuel 2-3. There are a lot!

1Sa 2:3 King’s Weighings, The 1736 1883 457
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols28-30/chs1736.pdf

1Sa 2:6 From Death to Life 523 1863 433
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols7-9/chs523.pdf

1Sa 2:8 Beggars Becoming Princes 3256 1911 301
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols55-57/chs3256.pdf

1Sa 2:30 Honour for Honour 2906 1904 505
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols49-51/chs2906.pdf

1Sa 2:30 Road to Honour, The 1811 1884 637
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols28-30/chs1811.pdf

1Sa 3:2 Child Samuel’s Prayer, The 586 1864 473
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols10-12/chs586.pdf

1Sa 3:4 Here Am I 3082 1908 109
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols52-54/chs3082.pdf

1Sa 3:10 Speak Lord! 2526 1897 337
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols43-45/chs2526.pdf

1Sa 3:17 Private Enquiry, A 2184 1891 25
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols37-39/chs2184.pdf OR
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2184.htm