Transcript A Tale of Two Homes By Dr. Carolyn Henry Hurst 1 This is the story of Elkanah, a man of the tribe of Ephraim… 2 He had.

A Tale of Two Homes
By Dr. Carolyn Henry Hurst
1 This is the story of
Elkanah, a man of
the
tribe
of
Ephraim…
2 He had two wives,
Hannah
and
Peninnah. Peninnah
had some children,
but Hannah didn’t.
3 Each year Elkanah and his families
journeyed to the Tabernacle at Shiloh to
worship the Lord of the heavens and to
sacrifice to him. The priests on duty at
that time were the two sons of Eli—
Hophni and Phinehas.
6 Because the
Lord had made her
unable to have
children, her rival
Peninnah
tormented
her
endlessly in order
to
make
her
miserable.
7 This happened
every year when
their family went to
the Lord’s house at
Shiloh. Peninnah
would
upset
Hannah so much
that she would
begin to cry and
would
not
eat
anything.
9 One day, after eating something when
they were at Shiloh, Hannah quietly got
up and went over to the Tabernacle. Eli
the priest was sitting on a chair by the
door of the Lord’s Temple.
10 She was in deep anguish and was
crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.
11 And she made this vow: “O Lord of
heaven, if you will look down upon my
sorrow and answer my prayer and give
me a son, then I will give him back to you,
and he’ll be yours for his entire lifetime,
and his hair shall never be cut.”
12-13 Eli noticed her
mouth moving as she
was praying silently
and,
hearing
no
sound, thought she
had been drinking.
14 “Must you come
here
drunk?”
he
demanded.
“Throw
away your bottle.”
15-16 “Oh no, sir!” she replied, “I’m not
drunk! Please don’t take me to be a goodfor-nothing woman. I’ve been very sad
and tormented and I was pouring out my
heart to the Lord.”
17 “In that case,” Eli said, “cheer up! May
the Lord of Israel grant you your petition,
whatever it is!”
18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed,
and went happily back, and began to eat
again.
19 …Then they returned
home to Ramah. Elkanah
made love to his wife
Hannah, and the Lord
remembered her.
20
Hannah
became
pregnant and gave birth to
a son. She named him
Samuel, which means, God
Hears, because she said, “I
asked the Lord for him.”
24 As soon as she
had weaned Samuel,
though he was still so
small, they took him
to the Tabernacle in
Shiloh, along with a
three-year-old bull for
the sacrifice, and a
bushel of flour and
some wine.
25 After the sacrifice they took the child to
Eli.
26 “Sir,” Hannah said, “as sure as you live,
I’m the woman who stood here next to you
and prayed to the Lord.
27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord
granted my request.
28 In return, I am giving him to the Lord.
He will be dedicated to the Lord for his
whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord
there.
1 Samuel 2
12 Now the sons of Eli were evil men
who didn’t love the Lord.
17 Hophni and Phinehas showed that
they did not respect the offerings made
to the Lord. This was a terrible sin
against Him.
.
18 But Samuel,
though
only
a
child, served the
Lord as His helper
and wore a little
linen ephod just
like the priest’s.
1 Samuel 2
22 Now, Eli was very old, and he had
heard everything that his sons were
doing to all Israel and that they were
sleeping with the women who served at
the entrance of the Tabernacle.23 “Why
do you do such horrible things? The
people have told me about all the evil you
have done.” Eli told his sons.
24-25 “It is an awful thing to make the
Lord’s people sin.”…But they wouldn’t
listen to their father, for the Lord was
already planning to kill them.
27 One day a
prophet came to Eli
and gave him this
message from the
Lord: “Didn’t I
demonstrate my
power when the
people of Israel
were slaves in
Egypt?
28 Didn’t I choose your ancestor Levi from
among all his brothers to be my priest, and
to sacrifice upon my altar, and to burn
incense, and to wear a priestly robe as he
served me? And didn’t I assign the
sacrificial offerings to you priests?
29 Then why are you so greedy for all the
other offerings which are brought to me?
Why have you honored your sons
more than me—for you and they have
become fat from the best of the offerings
of my people!
31 I will put an end to your family, so that
it will no longer serve as priests. Every
member will die before his time. None
shall live to be old.
33 Those who are left alive will live in
sadness and grief; and their children shall
die by the sword.
34 And to prove that what I have said will
come true, I will cause your two sons,
Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same
day!
35 “Then I will raise me up a faithful
priest who will serve me and do
whatever I tell him to do. I will bless his
family and his descendants, and he shall
serve before my anointed forever.
A Tale of Two Homes
Hannah’s
Eli’s
A Tale of Two Homes
Both sets of kids had Godfearing parents.
Both sets of kids dealt with
conflict in the home.
What made the difference?
Eli was deeply impressed by the faith
and devotion of this woman of Israel.
Himself as overindulgent father, he was
awed and humbled as he beheld this
mother's great sacrifice in parting with
her only child, that she might devote him
to the service of God. He felt reproved
for his own selfish love, and in
humiliation and reverence he bowed
before the Lord and worshiped.
Patriarchs & Prophets pg. 572
The Difference
in Hannah’s Home
From the earliest dawn of intellect she
had taught her son to love and
reverence God and to regard himself
as the Lord's. By every familiar object
surrounding him she had sought to lead
his thoughts up to the Creator.
(Patriarchs & Prophets pg. 573)
COLORS
Red: The blood of Jesus
Purple: Royalty ~ Jesus is the King of Kings
Green: Life ~ Jesus is Life ~Psalms 1:-1-3 , John 14:6
Blue: God’s Commandments ~ Numbers 15:37-40
Brown: Jesus as a Servant ~ Isaiah 11:1 & 53:1
Black: God’s Presence ~ Ex. 20:21, 2 Chron. 6:1 & Ps. 18:11
Yellow: God’s Glory & Power ~ Exodus 33:18, Malachi 4:2
White: Purity ~ Jesus is the Sinless Lamb of God