A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

Each year the couple returned to worship the Lord at Shiloh, as their custom had been
before the birth of Samuel; but now there was an added attraction attached to their pilgrimage.
Far from feeling sorry for herself that God would take away her son, Hannah looked forward to
seeing Samuel each year. As they prepared for their trip, Hannah would add the final touches to
the coat she had been making for her son. When they arrived in Shiloh with the family sacrifice,
she had a gift of her own for the one she had already given to the Lord.
The consistent faith of Elkanah and Hannah did not escape the notice of Eli. “And Eli
would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, `The Lord give you descendants from this woman for
the loan that was lent to the Lord’ “ (v. 20). And that is exactly what the Lord did. Barren
Hannah later became the mother of an additional three sons and two daughters. “Meanwhile the
child Samuel grew before the Lord” (v. 21).
THE CALL TO SAMUEL
(1 Sam. 3:1-4:1)
In the spiritual darkness that seemed to envelop Israel during those days, Samuel was a
brilliant, shining light. Not only did he mature physically and spiritually, but he soon became
popular among the many visitors to the tabernacle. Though much of what occurred in and about
the tabernacle was dishonorable to God, Samuel faithfully “ministered to the Lord before Eli” (1
Sam. 2:11, 18; 3:1). It was particularly difficult to excite people to serve God in a day when faith
was declining even among the priests of the Lord. It had been a long time since a priest or
prophet had spoken with authority on behalf of God; and on the few occasions when that did
happen, it was so rare as to be something of a novelty. People had come to the place where they
no longer were concerned over the silence from heaven. The dark days of the Judges had
acclimatized generation after generation to spiritual lethargy.
Then one night it happened! Samuel was just bedding down for the night when he
thought he heard someone calling. The voice was not familiar, but at that late hour it had to be
Eli. Quickly he got out of bed and ran to Eli. But when Samuel announced his presence, Eli
denied he had called him and sent him back to bed. Obediently, Samuel returned to the place he
was accustomed to sleeping. But as he tried to sleep while the lamp flickered in the tabernacle,
he heard the voice again. As he had done earlier, he ran to Eli and announced his presence. But
again Eli denied he had called him and sent him back to bed.
Samuel heard his name called a third time. As before, he got up and ran to Eli. Perhaps
his voice had a little more conviction this time as he arrived and declared he had heard Eli call
him. Eli’s eyesight had been failing for some time, but as Samuel waited for his instructions, he
saw a very distant look in Eli’s eyes he had not seen before. They almost seemed to get glassy
and fill with tears as Eli thought about something out of the distant past.
Could it really be? Eli wondered as he listened to Samuel for the third time since
originally sending him to bed that night. Could it really be after so long? he pondered. Silently
he began thinking and remembering. Perhaps it is. And if it is, it would only be right that this boy
would hear it, he rationalized. He had known for years that most of the nation, indeed most of his
own family, was deaf to the voice of God. He was perhaps more concerned about the spiritual
state of the nation than most, but in his introspective honesty he had to admit that even he was
not all he should have been. But Samuel was different. This little servant was faithful. Yes it must
be, Eli concluded silently. “Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy” (v. 8).
This time there was something Eli wanted young Samuel to do. Initially, the required
course of action was as before. Samuel was to return to bed and try to get to sleep. But if heard