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).

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.

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).

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 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.

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.