The books of 1 and 2 Samuel are remarkable among ancient writing not least of all for the absence of monsters and demigods that populate ancient myths. The books of Samuel are profoundly human. Indeed the account begins not with kings or battles or royal intrigue but with the heartbreak of barren Hannah.

The books of Samuel belong to the category of Old Testament historical narrative. They are not epic poetry like the Odyssey. Nor do they bear any of the hallmarks of mythological writing. We will find no cyclops or sirens here. In these books we will read genealogies, records of military personnel, government records, and the accounts of battles won and lost. But the vast majority of the books of Samuel are given to the accounts of particular individuals as they traverse family drama, fear, jealousy, marriages, births, violence, friendship, betrayal, and loyalty. Most significantly we will trace the handiwork of God as he preserves the righteous line promised in Genesis 3:15.

The books of Samuel, therefore, tell the story of God’s dealings with his people. The primary figures are Samuel (prophet/judge), Saul (Israel’s first king), and David (forerunner of the royal Messiah). Certainly we will learn powerful lessons about integrity, loyalty, failure, and the madness of sin. But we will also learn about the enduring grace of God in preserving the line that will bring the Savior King into the world. And that brings us back to Hannah and what appeared for years to be her hopeless barrenness. As he does so often for his people, God turns despair into hope and hope into fulfillment.