MEMORY VERSE: 1 Samuel 1:28 "...as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review all sixty-six books of the Bible.
PRAYER: May we have the heart that Hannah had concerning her son, Samuel. When we make a promise, we keep it, just like God keeps His promises.
SPECIAL SONG: God Called Samuel and The Family In God's Plan (see April - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #4 on this blog).
VISUAL AID: Large Acvtivity (see Activity below)
LESSON POINTS:
- In Old Testament times, men would occasionally have two wives. This was something that man thought up. God never, ever approved of more than one wife for one man. Remember, in the beginning, God created one woman for one man. He could have created whatever and whomever He wanted to create, but He decided that one man and one woman was His plan for marriage (Genesis 1:27). Acts 17:30 says that "...the times of this ignorance, God winked at, but now commanded all men everywhere to repent."
- Elkanah was a man who had two wives. One wife, Peninnah, had sons and daughters, but the other wife, whose name was Hannah, could not have any children.
- Every year, Elkanah and his family went to worship the LORD and sacrificed to Him in Shiloh. There was a priest there named Eli, who also judged Israel, and he had two sons in Shiloh. All three men were there in Shiloh the year when Elkanah and his family came to worship God.
- When it was time for Elkanah to sacrifice, he gave Peninnah and all her sons and daughters portions, but he gave Hannah a double portion because he loved Hannah. Hannah had a problem and the problem was that she could not have any children. Peninnah made life miserable for Hannah and made Hannah cry and Hannah did not eat. Elkanah came and talked to Hannah and asked her, "Hannah, why are you crying? Why don't you eat? Why are you grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
- So Hannah got up after they had eaten in Shiloh and, because she was so very sad and sorrowed, she prayed to the LORD and cried. Hannah vowed a vow, which was a VERY important promise, one that God and the person making the vow took seriously. Now Eli was sitting on a seat by a post in the temple and saw Hannah crying. As she continued crying and praying, she must have been moving her lips, but didn't make any sound at all because Eli saw her mouth moving and thought she was drunk! Eli asked Hannah how long she was going to be drunk and that she should put away her wine. But Hannah had not been drinking wine! That's what Hannah told Eli. She said she had NOT been drinking wine or strong drink, but that she had a sorrowful spirit and had been pouring out her heart to God. Eli said that God would grant whatever it was that she had been praying for. Hannah's heart was encouraged, she said thank you, and went on her way. She ate a little bit and was no longer sad.
- Elkanah, Hannah, Peninnah, and Peninnah's children all worshiped the LORD and went home, but God remembered Hannah's prayer and, in time, she had a little baby boy named Samuel. Hannah's heart must have been very happy to finally have a baby!
- When it came time to worship the LORD again in Shiloh, Elkanah and all his family went to worship, but this time Hannah stayed home with baby Samuel. She told her husband that she would stay home for a few years until Samuel grew up a little and could eat on his own, then she would take him to Shiloh, so that he would appear before the LORD. Then Samuel would stay in Shiloh the rest of his life. When the time finally came when Samuel was old enough, Hannah kept her word and took Samuel to Eli. She said to Eli, "I am the woman who stood by you right here and was praying to the LORD for this child and the LORD granted my prayer. I am lending him to the LORD for as long as he lived."
- Hannah prayed a wonderful prayer, and then Elkanah, Hannah, and the rest of his family went back to their home and left young Samuel in Eli's care to be brought up in the ways of the LORD. Every year when they came to worship the LORD in Shiloh, Hannah visited Samuel. Every year, Hannah made him a little coat and brought it to Samuel when they came to Shiloh to worship. Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah, and they returned home and had three more sons and two daughters! The Bible says that Samuel grew before the LORD.
"Older Student" Points:
- Discuss the fact that man at times, makes up his own rules, which are not in God's plan and makes terrible mistakes. This is what Elkanah did by marrying two wives. If he had only married Hannah, she would not have had the misery that Peninnah caused her. Think about Sarai and how she did not wait for the LORD to bring her Isaac, but arranged it so that Ishmael was born (Genesis 21:9-11).
Materials needed: 9" x 12" blue construction paper, 3" x 12" strip of brown paper, four small scraps of paper, 1/2" x 8" strip of white paper, 1" x 8" dark brown paper, glue, scissors, tape, marker, crayons.
- Hand out blue paper to students. This is the background.
- Hand out 3" x 12" strip of brown paper.
- Glue brown strip to the bottom of the blue paper.
- Cut two small 3/4" snips into the middle of blue paper. (see picture above).
- Draw black lines down dark brown paper for post.
- Glue post to right edge of paper. (see picture).
- Cut three 4" triangles for dresses and robes.
- Glue triangles on paper.
- Finish peoples' faces, arms, and shoes.
- Feed white strip through two slits.
- Secure with tape, so that white strip moves freely through slits.
- Glue Samuel's robe on strip.
- Cut tiny circle for Samuel's head out of left over paper.
- Glue Samuel's head to top of his robe.
- Color Samuel's face, hair, arm, feet.
- Label people "Elkanah, Hannah, Samuel, Eli.
- Write "Samuel Is Given Back To The LORD" at the top of paper.
- Write "1 Samuel 1:1-2:21" at the bottom of paper.
- Samuel is able to go back and forth from Hannah to Eli. Samuel cannot fit through the slit, so he must only go back and forth on the front of the paper.
