Hannah's blessed with Samuel the dedicated prophet of the LORD (1 Samuel 1-3)

AIM: Commitment to the Lord results in blessings, indifference results in curses

Themes (From bsfinternational.org PPL Lesson 7)

• God's gracious prophecy
• Prayer's powerful connection (with God and one another). How clearly do I see, hear and speak of God throughout my day?
• God's Word taken to heart unveils His presence and transforms lives. People may dispute or ignore God's Word but none escapes it's purifying and righteous power.

1 Samuel 1-3
A) Hannah’s Prayer and God’s Gift – 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11
1:1-8) Elkanah and Hannah
9-18) Hannah’s Prayer
19-20) God's Answer
21-23) Elkanah, Hannah's plan for Samuel
24-28) Hannah's commitment
2:1-11) Hannah's Praise
Application: What am I dedicating to the Lord, giving over to Him fully

B) Eli’s Sons and God’s Judgment – 1 Samuel 2:12-36
2:12-17) Eli's Wicked Sons
18-21) Samuel and his family
22-36) God's prophecy of judgment
Application: What sin have I chosen to ignore?

C. Samuel and God’s Prophecy – 1 Samuel 3:1-21
3:1-10) God's call (Here I am, Isaiah 6:8, 1 Sam 3:4,6,8,10)
 - Word from Lord rare in those days 1 Sam 3:1, Ps 74:9; Ezek 7:26; Amos 8:11, 12
11-14) God's message
 - Everything I told Eli about his house, iniquity he knew about, sons curse upon themselves - Eli's indifference (1 Sam 2:27-36)
15-21) God's Word and His prophet
 - God was with him like with Joseph (1 Sam 3:19, Gen 39:2) let none of his words fail/[fall to the ground] (1 Sam 9:6, Matt 18:18)
Application: How will I be persistent in the call of God with his ministers?