The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 54

Vers. 20, 21. - Solid character. The facts are-1. Eli forms a fovourable estimate of the cond11ct and character of Elkanah and Hannah. 2. God enriches them ~-ith several children. 3. Samuel advances in years and gains in repute. 4. The sons of Eli, becoming more dissolute, are rebuked by their father. 'rime had gradually brought out to the view of Eli the solid character of Elkanah and his wife. Tl!e_ir regnl~r att~n_dance on wol'l!hip at the appointed seasons, and their reverent spmt, were m stnkmg contrast with the degenerate habits with which Eli was too fam!liar. Th~ir quiet, unassum_ing co~duct harmonised with Hannah's early pro- fess10ns of piety, and the child winch they had presented to assist Eli in his ministrations had fully answered his expectations. Here, then, we have solid character :- I. APPRECIATED BY MAN. The opportunities given through a suceession of years had enabled Eli to form a favourable estimate of these obscure dwellers on Mount Ephraim. He was the more glad to give them his priestly benediction because of ~e rash words _with whic_h he once ( eh. i. 13, 14) wounded a "sorrowful spirit." It 1s a blessed tlung to enJoy the approval of the g·o'od. A good name is a precious treasure. There is a sweet reward for years of toil, and possibly under misappre- hension and neglect, in being at last fairly appreciated for what one is and.has done . .Although there are proud ungodly men wl,o will despise the g·odly poor, yet the con- ditions of character being appreciated by the better sections of society are within the reach of the most lowly. These conditions are-1. Constancy in the discharge of religious duties. Observance year by year of public worship and of all the ordin- ances of God is a good sign of a religious spirit. Eli was not wrong in supposing that there must be solid worth in a family that kept to the ways of the Lord when so many neglected religious duties. A man cannot claim a reputation by asking for it. The testimony of faithfulness in religious worship is admitted by all. Fluctua- tions in religious zeal always awaken distrust. Constancy is an element always honoured. 2. Manifestation of an uiwstentatious spirit. This must have impressed Eli very strongly. The quiet, unpretending spirit of the Levite and his wife g·ained on the venerable man year by year. And so always the quiet, even tenor of life tells an irresistible story. .All sensible men shrink from the egotism and ostentation which sometimes assume the garb of rdigion. The proper thing for all is an earnest, lowly mind, more concerned with quietly doing what is right and pleasing to God than with making an impression on man. Those who think much of what men will say and think, and make corresponding demonstrations of zeal, are sure to fall into the snare of "eye service." Like the steady influence of light and dew, quiet goodness at home and in the Church and world is a real power. There a_re thousands of such lives in Christian homes. 3. Seif-denial in God's seririce. Though Hannah's joy in giving her heart to God took off the edge o~ self- denial, yet Eli could not but be deeply impressed with the 1musual self-sacnfice of both husband and wife. The true religious spirit of a man comes out in spontaneous offerings to the efficiency of the services of the sanctuary and the advancement of Christ's kingdom. Character expressed in free, unconstrained ~urrender o~ n:ioney, or time, or sons for religious purposes can~ot but be appreciated. It 1s 111 the power of all to perform some acts of self-demal for God, and apart from s~ch ~et~, no professions will establish a reputation in the true Church of God. The intrinsu; value of self-denial lies much in its freeness, its timeliness, its form. The surrender of a Samuel at such a time, in such a spirit, is an example to all ages. Are there no other Hannal,s? ls all the "precious ointment" of the Christian Chu~ch exhausted? II. HONOURED BY Goo. God does not save by virtue of human men~, but through Christ; yet he honours fidelity by his special favour and. gr~ater blessmg. H_annah had been honoured variously; e. g. in being heard, in hav1~g a so~ accordmg !o promise, in being permitted to consecrate him to the specrnl se~v1ce _of God, m rer.eiving grace to part with him from home jf not from heart, and m bemg enabl_ed .o enjoy !I blessed vision of One greater and more holy than Samuel. But the fidelity  o•. II, 11-2G.] 'l'HE FinST BOOK OF SAMUEL.