Home
Contact
PrintSamuel's Arrival in Shiloh
by Hugo Bouter
"And brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh"
(1 Samuel 1:24)
Samuel's Parents
The first three chapters of 1 Samuel show how God intervenes in a day of decay and deterioration. Prophetically, this time presents us with a picture of the last days before the coming of the Messiah, the King of Israel. This is also the theme of Hannah's song of praise in chapter two. The apostates will be judged but a poor and small remnant will be lifted up by God's power and the appearance of His anointed King. When King David came to power these expectations found their preliminary fulfilment-but the final realization will only take place in the end time, at Christ's coming. We may apply the outlines that are sketched here to ourselves as well, because we are living in the last days (2 Tim. 3:1), the days just before the second coming of Christ. Ours is a time of spiritual and moral decay, as in the days of Eli. The service of God is disparaged because people bearing the name of servants and ministers of God behave improperly, just as the sons of Eli did.
Yet, even in bad times, God does not stop working. Here, He raised up a prophet who, at a later stage, was to bring in the king. God does not let His people down even though they may have strayed far away from Him. God began to speak using a servant who was ready to hear His voice: "Speak, LORD; for Thy servant heareth" (1 Sam. 3:9). And today we have the prophetic ministry of God's Word, announcing the coming of our Lord in power and glory.
First of all we can learn from the example of Samuel's parents. They were faithful to the service of God and went to Shiloh yearly to worship the Lord of hosts. In those days the ark of the covenant, upon which God sat enthroned and with which He had linked His presence, remained in Shiloh (meaning "place of rest"). It was there that God had found a place of rest and dwelt in the midst of His people. In the day of grace the place where God dwells amongst His own is not a special geographical location. We worship the Father in spirit and truth. This is realized wherever believers, recognizing the true Centre given to us by God, are gathered together unto the Name of Christ (Matt. 18:20). The ark of the covenant symbolises Christ Himself dwelling in the midst of His own by His Spirit and blessing them by His presence.
In spite of the spiritual and moral decay which was found in Shiloh, Samuel's parents never ceased to recognize it as God's dwelling place. The sons of Eli had made a mockery of the priesthood, and because of their behaviour the offering of the Lord was abhorred (1 Sam. 2:17). Eli himself was made responsible for this. He was told that judgment upon his house had become inevitable, and that Shiloh was going to be set aside as a place of worship (cf. Jer. 7:12). However, since this had not yet happened it was important to remain faithful and to continue to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. We find this personal faithfulness in Samuel's parents, and also in their son, from the very moment that he was brought to live in Shiloh.
Samuel's Dedication
The second thing we would like to consider is the way in which Samuel was dedicated to the service of the Lord. His mother brought her little son into the house of the Lord at Shiloh and lent him to the Lord. When doing so she brought sacrifices to offer to Him: three bullocks, one ephah of flour and a bottle of wine (1 Sam. 1:24). This can be applied to us as well, spiritually speaking, for we are dedicated to the service of God by virtue of Christ's sacrifice. Just as Samuel appeared before God in Shiloh by virtue of the offerings mentioned above, so we too serve and worship our God in the sanctuary on the basis of the sacrifice of His beloved Son. Whenever we appear before God we do not come with anything of our own but with the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips. And the object of these sacrifices is Christ.
The bullocks mentioned in verse 24 speak of the value of the sin offering, as shown in the consecration of the priests in Exodus 29. According to this chapter one young bullock was offered as a sin offering. In addition there were two rams, one for the burnt offering and the other for the dedication ceremony itself. Here in the First Book of Samuel we also find three sacrificial animals, and although no difference is made between them, we do read that Hannah brought her young son to Eli after having slaughtered one bullock. This would justify the assumption that this was indeed a sin offering. Similarly, we serve God on the basis of Christ's sacrifice for sin. Christ was made to be sin for us, a sacrifice for sin, an offering in which sin was judged and put away from the presence of a holy and righteous God, in order that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him and be able to draw near to God.
Hannah also offered a meal offering consisting of one ephah of flour. This was an offering without blood, and points to Christ's life here on earth which was without spot or blemish. In Scripture the meal or grain offering is always linked with the burnt offering. Having shown His perfection in every trial during His walk here on earth, Christ offered Himself on Calvary's cross, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. It was an offering without spot; a perfect Person accomplishing a perfect work. So when we approach God as New Testament worshippers and priests it is only by virtue of Christ's finished work. God has made us accepted in the Beloved and we draw near as priests in this new dignity.
Finally, Hannah also offered a drink offering-a bottle of wine which was poured out over the other sacrifices. In Scripture, wine is a picture of joy. The drink offering was linked with the burnt offering and the meal offering (cf. Ex. 29; Num. 15). It speaks of dedication to God, even unto death, as being a matter of joy. Hannah gladly gave her young son Samuel to the Lord because He had answered her prayers and had a right to the young life which He had graciously given.
Samuel's Spiritual Growth
The third point which we would like to consider is Samuel's remarkable spiritual growth after his arrival in Shiloh. He was consecrated to the Lord in the way we have just considered-and this shows that even in a dark day personal dedication to the Lord remains possible. But then the Lord blessed this young servant and began to use him in order to bring about a change in the lives of the people who had departed so far from Him. "The child Samuel grew before the LORD" (1 Sam. 2:21). Without a doubt this was the secret of his growth: he was in the Lord's presence and so he was blessed in every respect. In chapter 3 verse 3 we see that his resting place was near the ark. This points to a life lived in the presence of the Lord who is the true Centre of the worship of His people. We should find our resting place in Him and in His will. When Barnabas visited the believers in Antioch he encouraged them all with purpose of heart to abide with the Lord (Acts 11:23, J.N.D. Trans.). Our service in the sanctuary has to take place in His presence but we would be unable to serve Him if we did not find our resting place in Him as well.
"And thechild Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men" (1 Sam. 2:26). The wording of this verse reminds us of what is written of the child Jesus: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52). Like Christ, Samuel was a prophet (1 Sam. 3:20). Because he was ready to hear the Lord's voice he was also able to speak to the people on His behalf. Samuel was also the last judge, who at the request of the people introduced the kingship (1 Sam. 7:15-17; chs. 8 and 9). Moreover, he acted as a priest, since the priesthood of Eli and his sons had failed miserably. In Jeremiah 15:1 he is put on the same level with Moses as a mediator between God and the people. However, the starting point of all these important aspects of his public service was his life in Shiloh in the presence of the God who blessed him and made him a blessing to others.
Hugo Bouter
