1 Samuel 1:19-28
Samuel Is Born and Dedicated
19 Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”
21 Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the LORD and remain there forever.”
23 So Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the LORD establish His word.” Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24 Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.
Samuel, “Heard by God,” was finally conceived and born to faithful Elkanah and Hannah according to the promise of the LORD God given to her through His spokesman Eli the priest in the house of God. They waited until the boy was weaned to go to the yearly feast in Jerusalem, as he transitioned from mother’s milk to solid food, sometime after Samuel reached six months old or so. She would then take their son and leave him there permanently as promised to be brought up in the admonition of the LORD and serve Him in the temple as a servant of God. This is reminiscent of our current baby dedication ceremonies, except we keep the children at home, but the handing over of their lives and service forever to the Lord is the same except we anticipate and hope that the forever may one day be their eternal salvation. Her husband reminded her of the vow to dedicate Samuel and bring him to stand forever before the LORD as he said, “let the LORD establish His word.” The day arrived, they went and offered offerings to God, and they left him with Eli there as long ‘as he lives, being lent to the LORD,’ as they reminded him of the answered prayer and promise from God through him. Then the proud parents joyfully worshipped the LORD for His goodness to them in their son dedicated to God. We must also hand over our children into God’s mighty hands (1 Peter 5:6-7) with the continuing prayers for their eternal dedication turning into devotion to the Lord through repentance and faith when their spiritual weaning in life brings them to the point where they reach an age to understand and believe to receive (John 1:12, 5:24) Jesus Christ as their Deliverer from God’s just judgment on the sin they and we are all born with since Adam. May our children’s dedication lead to their eventual salvation that is the dedication of their lives to Him according to the gospel of grace!
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