Mon.’s Devo - Samuel

Read: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21; John 5:1-23; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 14:28-29
Elkanah was an Ephramite who had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had many children but Hannah was barren.
Peninnah gave Hannah a hard time and became her adversary making Hannah’s life miserable, even though Elkannah loved Hannah the most. This reminds me of Rachael and Leah.
Hannah cried out to the Lord about her situation and the Lord heard her cry and gave her a son named Samuel which means “heard of God”. She gave her son to the Lord which translates that when she had weaned him, she took him to Shiloh to live with Eli. Eli was the high priest at the time and he did a horrible job of raising his own children, but Hannah trusted him with her son. Really, Hannah trusted the Lord with her son. God can be trusted. He blessed her gift with three more sons and two daughters.
Samuel was to be a gift from God to the nation of Israel. He would be a stark difference from Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas. Hophni means a pugilist or someone who boxes with his fists. Phinehas means “the mouth of a serpent”. Samuel was sent to cleanse the priesthood and bring righteousness back to the nation.
In John, Jesus was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. Passover has to do with salvation so no wonder Jesus is at a sheep market by a pool. Jesus came to gather his sheep through grace. This market had five porches. Five is the number of grace. An angel was to come down at a certain season into the pool and stir up the water. After that, the first one into the water would be healed. Jesus was that angel sent from heaven to stir up the waters of religion and heal the sick. The man who had been waiting the longest got healed that day. Since it was the Sabbath day, the Jews got really mad. Jesus gave a long explanation of his Father, God and the authority God had given him which made them even madder. They couldn’t comprehend that he was the Son of God.
Lord, thank you that you have opened our eyes to see the truth. We honor you and what you have done for us. May we walk in the authority you have given us.