1. The Story: Chapter 10 (1 Samuel 1-15)
“I am a woman who is deeply troubled…
I have been praying out of
my great anguish and grief…
I was pouring out my soul to the Lord”
(1 Samuel 1)
The Story: Chapter 10 (1 Samuel 1-15)

2. Hannah, Eli, Samuel, & Saul
Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.
1 Sam 2:3
For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
1 Sam 15:23

3. Hannah, Eli, Samuel, & Saul
Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed. 1 Sam 2:3
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. 1 Sam 15:23
Though the Lord is on high, He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar. Ps 138:6
Surely He scorns the scornful, but
gives grace to the humble. Prov 3:34

4. Hophni and Phinehas (Eli’s Sons): 1 Samuel 2+4
Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. (1:3)

5. Hophni and Phinehas (Eli’s Sons): 1 Samuel 2+4
Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines... The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines...
When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. .
(4:1-5)

6. Hophni and Phinehas (Eli’s Sons): 1 Samuel 2+4
When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.  Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”
When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. 
“A god has come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before.  We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.  Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject
to the Hebrews, as they have been to you.
Be men, and fight!”
(4:5-9)

7. Hophni and Phinehas (Eli’s Sons): 1 Samuel 2+4
So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
(4:10-11)

8. Hophni and Phinehas (Eli’s Sons): 1 Samuel 2+4
The two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. (1:3)
Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the  Lord.  Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice… If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now;
if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”
This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the
Lord’s offering with contempt
(2:12,16,17)

9. Hophni and Phinehas (Eli’s Sons): 1 Samuel 2+4
Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord… This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt… (2:12,17)
Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours…
His sons, however, did not listen
to their father’s rebuke.
(2:22-25)

10. mean more to you than ten sons?” (1:1,4-8)
Hannah: 1 Samuel 1
There was a certain man from Ramathaim whose name was Elkanah…  Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.  But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.  Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.  This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.  Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I
mean more to you than ten sons?” (1:1,4-8)

11. are you going to stay drunk?
Hannah: 1 Samuel 1
In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long
are you going to stay drunk?
Put away your wine.”
(1:10-14)

12. and her face was no longer downcast.
Hannah: 1 Samuel 1
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something,
and her face was no longer downcast.
(1:15-18)

13. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. (9:2)
When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”… (9:17)
Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? (10:2)

14. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. (10:6)
As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has
happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also
among the prophets?” (10:9-11)

15. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him…
When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand…
The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”
But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.”
Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” So all
the people went to Gilgal and made Saul
king in the presence of the Lord.
(11:6,8,12-15)

16. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.
Saul chose three thousand men from Israel… The rest of the men he sent back to their homes. (13:1-2)
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. (13:7-9)

17. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
“What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said.
“You have not kept the command the Lord
your God gave you (13:10-13)

18. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
(15:1-3)

19. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed…
Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel.
There he has set up a monument in his own .
honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”
(15:7-9,12)

20. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”
Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”
…“The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites… Why did
you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce
on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”
(15:13-20)

21. Saul: 1 Samuel 9-15
“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
(15:20-23)

22. Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel: 1 Samuel 3
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. (3:1)
Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” (3:4-5)
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (3:7)

23. Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (3:10)
Samuel: 1 Samuel 3
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. (3:1)
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (3:7)
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (3:10)

24. Samuel: 1 Samuel 3
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. (3:1)
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (3:7)
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (3:10)
The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh,
and there he revealed himself to Samuel
through his word. (3:21)

25. Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (3:10)
Samuel: 1 Samuel 3
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. (3:1)
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (3:7)
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (3:10)

26. Samuel: 1 Samuel 3
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. (3:1)
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (3:7)
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (3:10)
The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh,
and there he revealed himself to Samuel
through his word. (3:21)

27. 1 Sam 15:23 arrogance is like the evil of idolatry
to combat the
Arrogance of Entitlement (Eli’s sons)
practice the
Humility of Submissiveness (Hannah)
to combat the
Arrogance of Presumption (Saul)
practice the
Humility of Listening (Samuel)
For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Luke 18:14