New sermon series on 1 Samuel beginning this Sunday
After a challenging few weeks with lots of disruptions because of leave and sickness and quarantine, this week we are beginning a new sermon series in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel.
As I have prepared I have found Dale Ralph Davis’ commentary super helpful and engaging to see how God uses the lowly to bring about his kingdom and his salvation.
Below is an introduction and I hope it whets your appetite for God’s word this term.
"It was the last straw. True, it happened every year. But the time comes when the spirit snaps. The festive mood of the religious celebration only depressed her all the more. Suddenly, she was gone. We find her at the tabernacle entrance; we watch but don’t intrude. Obviously Hannah wants to pray, which she might do if the great, heaving sobs subside.
In one sense Hannah had almost everything an 1100 b.c. Israelite woman could want. She had Elkanah, a husband of social standing (note how his roots are spelled out in 1:1), moderate wealth (else he could not have supported two wives, v. 2), genuine affection (vv. 5, 8), and faithful piety (v. 3a).
The problem was that though Hannah had Elkanah, she didn’t have him. She shared him. With Peninnah, an overly fertile, mouthy, thorn in the flesh (vv. 2, 6–7). We may wonder whether this domestic conflict can have anything to do with the kingdom of God. We will simply have to dive in and see…"
Dale Ralph Davis: 1 Samuel: Looking on the heart