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The Rise of Samuel - The Book of 1 Samuel · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. I know that you are not taken
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  Speaker 1: back by bold prayers. So, like Hannah, I will not
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  Speaker 1: be ashamed to lay before you and make my request known.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you, Jesus, that because of your sacrifice I can
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  Speaker 1: come boldly before the Lord in prayer and make the
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  Speaker 1: desires of my heart known to Him. As a child
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  Speaker 1: of God, living in alignment with my assignment, I thank
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  Speaker 1: you in advance for moving and working on my behalf
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  Speaker 1: to bring my purpose into focus. In the same way
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  Speaker 1: Hannah dedicated Samuel to do your work, I also dedicate
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  Speaker 1: and devote my gifts, my promotions, and all opportunities to you,
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  Speaker 1: because my focus is to bring you glory. Therefore, I
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  Speaker 1: will listen when you call me like Samuel. I will say, Speak, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: for your servant is listening, because I know that one
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  Speaker 1: word from you is worth a thousand elsewhere. I declare
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  Speaker 1: that I am chosen and that I am set apart.
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  Speaker 1: I will live differently, speak differently, think differently, and believe differently,
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  Speaker 1: because I've been called to do great things. The days
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  Speaker 1: of me playing small so others don't get uncomfortable are done.
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  Speaker 1: You've placed me where I am, and I am ready
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  Speaker 1: to receive my calling. I am your servant. Speak, Lord.
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  Speaker 2: I'm ready.
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  Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for making prayer a
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  Speaker 1: priority in your day. To learn more about the Bible,
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  Speaker 1: stay tuned for today's story. Brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: The Rise of Samuel In our last story, we learned
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  Speaker 2: about the romance of Ruth and her kinsman redeemer, Boaz.
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  Speaker 2: Boaz redeemed Ruth from her poverty and loneliness, and the
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  Speaker 2: two were married. They had a child named Obed, who
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  Speaker 2: would be the grandfather of one of Israel's greatest kings.
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  Speaker 2: Now we begin a new adventure with Samuel, a prophet, judge,
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  Speaker 2: and ruler over Israel. he would pave the way for
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  Speaker 2: a new era in Israel, the era of kings. Inspired
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  Speaker 2: by the book of 1 Samuel.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In yesterday's episode, we heard
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  Speaker 3: the story of how Boaz and Ruth married and had
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  Speaker 3: a son named Obed. Obed would be the grandfather of
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  Speaker 3: Israel's greatest king, David. It was the dawn of a
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  Speaker 3: new era in the history of God's people, the age
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  Speaker 3: of the kings. And today we'll hear how this new
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  Speaker 3: era began with a child born to a woman named Hannah.
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  Speaker 3: This child named Samuel would be promised to God's service
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  Speaker 3: by his mother Hannah, who had prayed and longed for
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  Speaker 3: him many years. Samuel would grow to be a great
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  Speaker 3: prophet and judge, but first he would serve in the
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  Speaker 3: temple and receive a very special calling from God. Let's
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  Speaker 3: listen to today's reading.
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  Speaker 2: The country of Israel lived in captivity to their own idolatry.
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  Speaker 2: After the civil war of Benjamin and Israel, the people
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  Speaker 2: retreated back into their old ways of idol worship and
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  Speaker 2: living selfishly. During this time, there were a few remaining
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  Speaker 2: faithful who continued to devote their lives to the Lord,
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  Speaker 2: seeking Him in all their ways. One of those people
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  Speaker 2: was a man in the hill country of Ephraim, Elkanah.
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  Speaker 2: Elkanah had two wives, since one of his wives, Hannah,
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  Speaker 2: was unable to have children. His other wife, Phenina, had
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  Speaker 2: many children, but Elkanah loved Hannah more. Phenina lived without
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  Speaker 2: the undivided love of her husband, and spited Hannah because
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  Speaker 2: of it. She tormented and teased Hannah endlessly. Just as
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  Speaker 2: Jacob's wives, Rachel and Leah, the two women hated one
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  Speaker 2: another because of their husband's lack of sense. Year by year,
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  Speaker 2: Hannah would endure the relentless provocation from Penina. Hannah would
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  Speaker 2: often approach the altar of God to pray. Day after day,
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  Speaker 2: she would enter into the house of the Lord and
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  Speaker 2: beg Him for a child. One day, she lay on
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  Speaker 2: the floor of the temple and wept bitterly. Her tears
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  Speaker 2: fell upon the altar, and her indiscernible prayers echoed through
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  Speaker 2: the empty chamber. Hannah lifted her eyes to heaven and prayed,
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  Speaker 2: As Hannah continued to pray, Eli, the priest of the temple,
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  Speaker 2: watched her. Hannah was speaking so deeply and from her
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  Speaker 2: heart that it almost seemed as though she was drunk. ELI,
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  Speaker 2: AN ALREADY GRUMPY OLD MAN, SCOFFED AT HER AND SAID,
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  Speaker 2: HOW LONG WILL YOU LAY THERE DRUNK? HANNAH TURNED AROUND,
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  Speaker 2: STARTLED BY ELI'S VOICE. SHE WIPED HER FACE AND STOOD UP. OH, NO,
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  Speaker 2: MY LORD, I AM SIMPLY A WOMAN WITH A TROUBLED SPIRIT.
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  Speaker 2: I WAS BEARING MY SOUL BEFORE GOD. SHE SPOKE SOFTLY,
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  Speaker 2: EMBARRASSED AT ELI'S COMMENTS. PLEASE DO NOT SEE ME AS
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  Speaker 2: A WORTHLESS WOMAN. I JUST PRAY WITH GREAT ANXIETY. Eli
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  Speaker 2: saw that she was truly distraught. He sighed and then
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  Speaker 2: gave a quick smile. Go in peace, he said. God
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  Speaker 2: will answer, I am sure of it. Then Eli departed
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  Speaker 2: to leave Hannah to her prayers. Hannah smiled and returned
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  Speaker 2: to her husband to eat. They worshipped God more in
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  Speaker 2: the house of God and returned home. Time passed, and
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  Speaker 2: Penina's pestering lost all its sting, for Hannah had conceived
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  Speaker 2: a son and named him Samuel. The Lord had answered
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  Speaker 2: her prayers. Hannah remembered her prayer to God. She swore
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  Speaker 2: to God that if she was given a son, she
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  Speaker 2: would offer him up into his service. When Samuel was
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  Speaker 2: old enough, she brought him to Eli. Hannah held her child,
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  Speaker 2: trusting that God would be faithful to do great things
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  Speaker 2: because of her faithfulness. Her heart broke, just as Abraham's
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  Speaker 2: once did when he brought Isaac to the altar. So
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  Speaker 2: Samuel studied and served under Eli. He grew to be strong, wise,
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  Speaker 2: and attentive to the voice of God's Spirit. Samuel became
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  Speaker 2: like a son to Eli, which was fitting since his
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  Speaker 2: sons grew up to be wicked and worthless men. They
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  Speaker 2: would steal from the offerings given to God and treat
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  Speaker 2: his altar like their own personal feeding trough. The two
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  Speaker 2: men used their influence to seduce women who desired to
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  Speaker 2: serve God. They took advantage of the people and treated
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  Speaker 2: God's children as objects for their own pleasure. Eli was
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  Speaker 2: an old man and unable to keep his sons from sinning.
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  Speaker 2: Eli tried reasoning with them, saying, If you sin against man,
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  Speaker 2: there may be someone to pray on your behalf for forgiveness.
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  Speaker 2: But you are sinning against God, and there may be
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  Speaker 2: no one to help you. Naturally, the men refused to
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  Speaker 2: listen and continued to sin against God and His children.
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  Speaker 2: God was about to do a new work in Israel,
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  Speaker 2: a work of great justice, peace, and deliverance. He would
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  Speaker 2: not tolerate the priestly family to continue in such sin
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  Speaker 2: and selfishness. God's rage is not unpredictable or uncalled for.
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  Speaker 2: His anger is precise and always pointed towards those who
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  Speaker 2: would hurt His people and scorn His name. Therefore God's
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  Speaker 2: rage burst like a mighty wildfire against the sons of Eli.
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  Speaker 2: He spoke in an ancient fury. The voice of a
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  Speaker 2: righteous king bellowed in Eli's ear as he spoke, saying,
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  Speaker 2: Did I reveal myself to your forefathers in Egypt all
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  Speaker 2: to have you scorn my offering table? Your sons fatten
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  Speaker 2: themselves with the worship of my people. They abuse and neglect,
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  Speaker 2: and you have allowed it. Eli began to tremble as
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  Speaker 2: God spoke. Behold, the days are coming where your sons
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  Speaker 2: will be cast out into darkness. They shall behold the
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  Speaker 2: prosperity of my people and look upon them with envy.
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  Speaker 2: They shall both die on the same day, and I
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  Speaker 2: shall raise up a priest of my own, who shall
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  Speaker 2: be unified with my heart and mind, and your sons'
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  Speaker 2: lines shall beg for bread. Years had passed. and the
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  Speaker 2: boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord of Eli. He
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  Speaker 2: served Eli in his old age. He would tend to him,
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  Speaker 2: feed him, and perform the duties of a priest on
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  Speaker 2: his behalf. Samuel was attentive and eager to help God's
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  Speaker 2: people draw closer to him. One night Samuel was lying
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  Speaker 2: down in the temple of God where the Ark of
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  Speaker 2: the Covenant lay. The candles in the temple flickered and
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  Speaker 2: made shadows dance around the walls. There was a slight
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  Speaker 2: breeze coming in through the back, and Samuel slept in
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  Speaker 2: the coolness of night. Then a faint whisper grazed the
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  Speaker 2: ear of Samuel. He opened his eyes and walked towards
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  Speaker 2: Eli's chamber and said, Here I am, Eli. You called
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  Speaker 2: for me? Eli woke up from his sleep and said,
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  Speaker 2: You must be dreaming. I did not call for you.
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  Speaker 2: Go back to sleep. Sir Samuel went back into the
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  Speaker 2: floor of the temple to rest. As he began to drift,
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  Speaker 2: he heard that still and quiet voice once again.' Samuel!'
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  Speaker 2: the voice whispered intensely. Samuel jolted awake this time, running
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  Speaker 2: to the bedside of Eli.' Here I am, Eli!' he shouted.
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  Speaker 2: Eli shook in his bed, surprised and annoyed that he
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  Speaker 2: had been waken up again. He did not call him,
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  Speaker 2: and shooed Samuel out of his room. Again, as Samuel
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  Speaker 2: was falling asleep, a voice beckoned him. When he went
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  Speaker 2: to the bedside of Eli again, Eli perceived it might
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  Speaker 2: be from the Lord. Eli waved for Samuel to come closer.
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  Speaker 2: He held his hand and spoke gently, saying, Samuel, if
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  Speaker 2: you hear the voice again, do not come running to me.
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  Speaker 2: Ask for it to speak again and listen carefully. Samuel
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  Speaker 2: left Eli and knelt down at the altar of God.
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  Speaker 2: He closed his eyes, intent on listening.
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  Speaker 1: Samuel!
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  Speaker 2: Samuel! the voice said again. Samuel remained still. Small drops
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  Speaker 2: of sweat began to form around his forehead. He knew
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  Speaker 2: now that it was the Lord who beckoned him. Samuel
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  Speaker 2: gulped and said, Here I am, Lord. Your servant hears. Pleased,
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  Speaker 2: God spoke with Samuel. Their conversation reflected dimly the time
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  Speaker 2: God visited Moses in fire. God spoke with clarity, strength,
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  Speaker 2: and love for his people. Behold, I am making things
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  Speaker 2: new in Israel. Everyone who hears will quiver as I
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  Speaker 2: eradicate the sons of Eli to establish my new priesthood.
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  Speaker 2: The next morning, Eli inquired of what Samuel heard from God.
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  Speaker 2: Samuel was not sure whether he should divulge everything to Eli,
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  Speaker 2: for it meant grave news for his sons. Over breakfast,
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  Speaker 2: Samuel told Eli of his experience. Somber, thoughtful, and content,
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  Speaker 2: Eli spoke and said, If it is the Lord's will,
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  Speaker 2: so be it. After this Samuel grew, and the Lord
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  Speaker 2: was with him in everything he did. The favor of
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  Speaker 2: Joseph was upon him. Every word Samuel spoke uplifted the people,
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  Speaker 2: and no exhortation fell on deaf ears. Every tribe of
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  Speaker 2: Israel recognized Samuel as their prophet and priest. It would
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  Speaker 2: be Samuel who would endure the complaints of Israel, as
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  Speaker 2: Moses once did. He would lead them well, and soon
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  Speaker 2: he would pave the way for a new era in Israel,
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  Speaker 2: the era of kings.
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  Speaker 3: Today's story begins with a man named Elkanah who lived
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  Speaker 3: in Ephraim. He was one of the few who remained
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  Speaker 3: faithful to God in those days. But though he was faithful,
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  Speaker 3: he was also flawed because he had two wives, Hannah
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  Speaker 3: and Penanah. His wives were bitter rivals, just like Leah
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  Speaker 3: and Rachel. You see, though Penanah had given him many children,
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  Speaker 3: Elkanah loved Hannah more. Hannah, however, was unable to conceive,
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  Speaker 3: and Penanah held this over Hannah's head, ruthlessly tormenting her.
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  Speaker 3: Every year when Elkanah went to offer sacrifices to God
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  Speaker 3: in the temple at Shiloh, Hannah would plead to God
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  Speaker 3: for a son. This continued year after year. Finally, one
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  Speaker 3: day as she prayed, she promised God that if he'd
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  Speaker 3: give her a son, she would give that son back
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  Speaker 3: to God to serve him all his life. When Eli,
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  Speaker 3: the temple priest, saw her praying, her lips moving without
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  Speaker 3: making a sound as she spoke to God, he thought
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  Speaker 3: she was drunk. Listen to her response in 1 Samuel
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  Speaker 3: 1 15. Hannah answered, No, my Lord, I am a
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  Speaker 3: woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor
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  Speaker 3: strong drink. but I've been pouring out my soul before
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  Speaker 3: the Lord. We should always remember when we are troubled,
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  Speaker 3: when we are in turmoil, when we are in anguish
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  Speaker 3: and desperate, there is no better place to pour out
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  Speaker 3: our hearts, our souls than to God. God hears our
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  Speaker 3: prayers and cares for us just as he did for Hannah.
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  Speaker 3: Hearing this response, Eli told her to go in peace,
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  Speaker 3: that God would answer her request. So Hannah became pregnant
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  Speaker 3: with a son. She was overjoyed. But Hannah also knew
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  Speaker 3: that her son would not stay with her because she
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  Speaker 3: had promised to God that she would give him back
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  Speaker 3: to him. True to her word, when Samuel was weaned,
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  Speaker 3: she took him to Eli to be raised in the
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  Speaker 3: service of God. And because of her great faithfulness, God
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  Speaker 3: blessed Hannah even more, giving her three more sons and
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  Speaker 3: two daughters. It's absolutely true, isn't it, that you can
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  Speaker 3: never outgive God. So Eli raised Samuel like a son.
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  Speaker 3: And that's a very good thing because his own sons,
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  Speaker 3: we find out, were up to no good. They served themselves,
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  Speaker 3: not God, under the guise of their own priesthood. It
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  Speaker 3: was a terrible affront to Almighty God, and he would
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  Speaker 3: not allow this to continue. But despite warnings, they would
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  Speaker 3: not stop. So God told Eli that his sons would
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  Speaker 3: be cast out, and rather than work through Eli's worthless offspring,
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  Speaker 3: God would raise up another priest, one who would serve
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  Speaker 3: him with integrity and devotion. One night as he was sleeping,
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  Speaker 3: Samuel heard a voice calling, but it was not Eli.
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  Speaker 3: Two more times he thought Eli was calling him and
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  Speaker 3: ran to Eli's room. Eli then understood what was going
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  Speaker 3: on and told Samuel to ask the voice to speak
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  Speaker 3: next time and then to listen. Samuel heard the voice
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  Speaker 3: again and this time he did listen. God told Samuel
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  Speaker 3: he was about to make things new in Israel and
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  Speaker 3: that Eli's line would be wiped out to make way
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  Speaker 3: for a new priesthood. When Eli heard the news, he
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  Speaker 3: submitted to God's will, trusting in the grace and the
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  Speaker 3: goodness of God even in this. Samuel would be this
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  Speaker 3: next priest, one like Israel had never known before. He
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  Speaker 3: would help usher in the time of kings, but first
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  Speaker 3: Israel would be visited by an old enemy, and we'll
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  Speaker 3: hear that story the next time. Dear Lord, we thank
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  Speaker 3: you that you always hear our prayers. We thank you
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  Speaker 3: that You speak to us even as we listen to you.
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  Speaker 3: So today, we say, speak, Lord, for your servant is listening,
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  Speaker 3: just like Samuel of old. Just like Samuel so long ago,
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  Speaker 3: we submit our lives to do your will. Speak, Lord,
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  Speaker 3: we are listening. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for
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  Speaker 3: listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack
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  Speaker 3: Graham of Dallas, Texas. And you can download the Pray.com
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  Speaker 3: app and make prayer the priority of your life. It
• 17:04
  Speaker 3: is our prayer that you would know Jesus Christ in
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  Speaker 3: a personal way. Jesus and knowing him is the key
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  Speaker 3: to understanding the Bible. Jesus is on every page in
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  Speaker 3: the pathway of Scripture. So I pray that you would
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  Speaker 3: know him and look to him for eternal life. As
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  Speaker 3: we see all of these stories, some of them very sordid,
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  Speaker 3: we realize just how desperately we all need the Lord.
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  Speaker 3: So invite Christ into your life and receive him as
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  Speaker 3: your Lord and Savior. I would also encourage you to
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  Speaker 3: download the Pray.com app and let others know about this podcast.
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  Speaker 3: And if you want more resources on how to know
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  Speaker 3: God and experience his presence in your life, be sure
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  Speaker 3: to visit JackGraham.org. God bless you.