Audio Download

1 Samuel 2:1–36 Hannah’s Prayer and Song

[Study Aired January 12, 2026]

Today’s study can be put under five sections. The first one is about Hannah’s song of thanksgiving to the Lord for granting her a son, Samuel. The second one deals with how the Lord blessed the family of Elkanah and Hannah with many children after lending Samuel to the Lord. The third section focuses on the growth of Samuel and Hannah’s superintending care of Samuel as she clothed him every year. The fourth aspect of the study is about the wickedness of Eli’s sons and the rebuke of Eli. The study ends with a message of judgment by a prophet sent by the Lord regarding the wickedness of Eli’s sons.  

Hannah’s Prayer

1Sa 2:1  And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 
1Sa 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 

Hannah’s prayer began with rejoicing in the Lord. The church must learn to rejoice in the Lord. This does not mean that we shall always have a rosy experience with the Lord all the time. As a matter of fact, we are to suffer in this age for His name’s sake. However, this rejoicing in the Lord is more inward even though outwardly, things may not be right. 

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. 

In verse 1, we are given the reason we must rejoice in the Lord. It is because He has favored us in this age to become part of His plan of salvation. As a result, He has availed to us all the resources we need so we can be partakers of His marriage feast at the end of the age. 

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 
Php 4:20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  

2Co 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 

As shown in verse 1, when we rejoice in the Lord, our horn is exalted in Him. Horn symbolizes strength. Therefore, as we rejoice in the Lord, our strength is increased in the Lord. 

Isa 40:29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 
Isa 40:30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

Another benefit of rejoicing in the Lord is that our mouth is enlarged over our enemies. Our mouths represent what we speak, and what we speak is dependent on what we know. Therefore, our mouth being enlarged over our enemies implies that as our knowledge of the Lord grows, we overcome the schemes of the adversary, the devil.

Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 
Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

The Lord has shown us that by the things which are made, we come to know His eternal power and Godhead. As we are aware, the reason why some countries such as the USA, are very powerful is because of the knowledge they have which translates into developing advanced weapons. Therefore the power that we are given to tread on serpents and scorpions is the knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God which the Lord has given to us. This power comes to us when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives as He teaches us to know the truth.

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.  

In Hannah’s prayer in verse 2, she mentioned that there is none holy as the Lord and that there is no rock like our God. A rock figuratively refers to a refuge. Therefore Hannah saying that there is no rock like our God means that it is only in Him that we can take refuge. All other forms of protection – money, education, etc. are in vain without Christ.

Psa 46:1  To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

1Sa 2:3  Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 

Here in verse 3, Hannah was referring to Peninnah’s boasting about the fact that she had more children than Hannah. As indicated in the previous study, Peninnah represents the church system of this world while Hannah signifies the church of the Lord’s elect. Peninnah’s boasting is consistent with the men of God of the church system of this world. When they speak, you can feel their sense of pride. Recently, I was driving home from work and just turned on the radio to one of the channels of one of the mainstream churches here in Ghana. The pastor who was preaching said that there is no way he can ever get sick. That is arrogance coming out of his mouth. As the Lord has shown us, pride or arrogance always comes before a fall. 

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.  

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 

Our actions being weighed by the Lord in verse 3 is another way of saying that the Lord weighs the spirit behind our actions. 

Pro 16:2  All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. 

1Sa 2:4  The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 

In the Bible, the first time that the words ‘mighty men’ appeared referred to children of the union between the sons of God and the daughters of men. The sons of God in this case refers to those who lost their position as the Lord’s elect as they were seduced by the church system of their day. All those who come out of the church system are the mighty men referred to in verse Gen 6:4.

Gen 6:4  There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

According to the word of the Lord, bows signify the bitter words or the false doctrines of our brothers and sisters in Babylon. As shown in Romans 9:32, they who stumbled in verse 4 symbolize those who live by the law of Moses. It is the church system that lives by the law of Moses.

Psa 64:3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words. 

Rom 9:32  Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

In conclusion, the bows of the mighty men broken and they who stumbled are girded with strength means that we, the Lord’s elect, who used to be under the law of Moses are now through faith, are strengthened as the Lord has made the words or the false doctrines of the church system of this world of no effect to us. 

1Sa 2:5  They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 

Those who are full and have hired themselves for bread in verse 5 are our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world who have to pay to receive the false doctrines from their pastors. We, His elect, on the other hand, are the hungry, who by the Lord’s grace, have been fed with the word of the Lord. As a result, we who are barren have the complete (the significance of the number seven) race of humanity as our children to be, while the church system of this world, who now has many children, has become unproductive (feeble). This is what happened to the Israelites during the time of Moses or the church in the wilderness. They ended their days in futility and their years in trouble.

Psa 78:33  Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. 

1Sa 2:6  The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 
1Sa 2:7  The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 
1Sa 2:8  He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them. 

In verse 6, Hannah mentioned that the Lord kills and makes alive. He brings down to the grave and brings up. This is what it means for the Lord to make alive or bring up so that the poor is raised from the dust to sit among princes and set the world upon them: 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

This is how the Lord kills and brings to the grave: 

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

1Sa 2:9  He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 
1Sa 2:10  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. 
1Sa 2:11  And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest. 

The Lord keeping the feet of his saints means the Lord will lead us in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. 

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

The wicked refers to those who depend on their own strength and not Christ. The wicked being silent in darkness implies that in this age, they cannot speak the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven because they are not given to know them. In verse 9, the reason the wicked are made silent in darkness is because by their own strength, they can do nothing. 

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Our adversary is the devil, and when the word is used in the plural, it includes all those who are influenced by the devil against us. As indicated in verse 10,  the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces. In addition, out of  the heaven shall He thunder upon them as He judges them. What these statements mean is that no weapon formed or fashioned against the Lord’s elect shall prosper. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Sa 1:6  And her adversary (Peninnah) also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 

The Lord giving strength to His king and exalting the horn of His anointed are basically the same in meaning. That means we shall be strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit. This is because horn suggests strength, and therefore our horn being exalted means our strength is being increased.

Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

In verse 11, Samuel (the child) ministering before Eli, the priest, is the same as ministering to the Lord. As the Lord has told us, whatever we do for one another, we have done it unto the Lord. 

Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

Eli’s Worthless Sons

1Sa 2:12  Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 
1Sa 2:13  And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; 
1Sa 2:14  And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. 
1Sa 2:15  Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 
1Sa 2:16  And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. 
1Sa 2:17  Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

According to Strong, the sons of Eli being referred to as sons of Belial is to show us their deplorable state as they epitomize wickedness. One of the principles of the word of the Lord is the ‘is, was, and will be’ nature. If at the time of Hannah, the leaders of the church system of her day were sons of wickedness, then it means that the situation today is the same; that is, evil men are in leadership. 

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Mic 3:11  Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. Your priests teach for a price. Your prophets tell the future for money. But they rely on the LORD when they say, “After all, the LORD is with us. Nothing bad will happen to us.” (GW)

Jer 5:30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 
Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? 

In verses 13 to 17, we see the grievous sins committed by the sons of Eli, who were priests. They profaned the offering of the Lord in favor of their personal gains. The Lord in His wisdom had provided for priests who help with the congregation’s sacrifices. However, the sons of Eli seized for themselves some of the part of the sacrifice of the peace-offering as they were not content with the portion the Lord had given to them. 

Lev 7:34  For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute forever from among the children of Israel. 

If we look around us, we can see the sins of Eli’s sons being committed  in the church system of this world. Pastors think they have the right to use the offering of the people in the way they want. Although in most churches they may have a group of elders, these people only serve as advisory to the pastor. As we know, advise is only a recommendation which can be taken or rejected. In other words, these pastors have the final say in all issues pertaining to the churches. This is how Isaiah describes the pastors’ rule over the church system of today which is consistent with the behavior of Eli’s sons:

Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.     

In verse 12, the Lord stated the underlying problem with the leaders of the church system of this world – they knew not the Lord. Actually, these leaders are men serving their lusts with the offerings of the Lord. As a result, many in the church system of this world abhor the offerings of the Lord as shown in verse 17.

Jdg 2:10  And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. 

The verse above highlights a cycle where each generation of the church system claims to know the Lord, but in reality, they do not, leading to spiritual debauchery. We were part of this cycle of decadence until the Lord reached out to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. 

1Sa 2:18  But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 
1Sa 2:19  Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 

As indicated earlier, Samuel ministering to Eli, the high priest is the same as ministering to the Lord. In other words, as we serve each other, we are ministering to the Lord.

Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

The mention that Samuel was a child here in verse 18 is to let us know that we all start our walk with the Lord as babies in Christ needing the milk of the word of the Lord. However, we must not remain as children. We must progress to become mature being able to rightly divide the word of truth. 

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 
Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.  

A linen ephod is one of the priestly garments. The full regalia or garments of the priest are as follows:

Exo 28:4  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

As we are aware, the garment represents righteousness of Christ. It is important to note in verse 18 that Samuel was girded with only a linen ephod, which is only a part of the full regalia of a priest. This is to let us know that righteousness is not fully attained when we start our walk with Christ. As we grow through the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh and our insight into the word of the Lord increases, our righteousness also increases. In other words, being changed from glory to glory is a process which ultimately fulfills the promise that we will become “the righteousness of God.”  

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

As indicated in verse 19, every year, the mother made Samuel a little coat. This means that our righteousness is progressive or gradual. It also implies that the role of the church, signified by Samuel’s mother, Hannah, is to help us in attaining the righteousness of God. This is achieved through what every joint supplies.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

1Sa 2:20  And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home. 
1Sa 2:21  And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD. 

Hannah lent to the Lord and was not expecting anything in return. However, she received more than she had ever hoped for – she bore five more children. Having five children means that it was by grace through faith that she was blessed as a mother. It means that it is grace through faith that the church is bearing mature children. This grace is the chastening that we experience from the hand of the Lord.

Luk 6:34  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 
Luk 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. 

The child Samuel growing before the Lord means that we must desire to know Him more and more as we see the day approaching.

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 
Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.  

Eli Rebukes His Sons

1Sa 2:22  Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
1Sa 2:23  And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 
1Sa 2:24  Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’S people to transgress. 
1Sa 2:25  If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them. 
1Sa 2:26  And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men. 

As we can see in verses 22 to 25 above, Eli knew what his sons had done and referred their judgment to the Lord and told his sons that if a man sin against the Lord, who will pray for him? As we can see in the story, his sons did not listen to their father’s warning. Spiritually, what the sons of Eli were doing is the same as the man who slept with his father’s wife. When our behavior discredits the integrity of the church of the Lord’s elect, which is the wife of Christ, it is spiritually equal to sleeping with our father’s wife. This is the prescription for dealing with such issues:

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 
1Co 5:2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 
1Co 5:3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 
1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 
1Co 5:6  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 
1Co 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:   

We must remember that this story of the misdeed of Eli’s sons was written for our admonition. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

In verse 26, the child Samuel grew and was in favor before God and men. As we spiritually mature in our walk with Christ, we shall receive favor in the sight of the Lord and also with men.

The Lord Rejects Eli’s Household

1Sa 2:27  And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? 
1Sa 2:28  And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? 
1Sa 2:29  Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? 
1Sa 2:30  Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 

These verses show us that we cannot escape the judgment of the Lord when we persistently sin against Him. It is important to note that when Eli did not discipline his sons, the Lord regarded Eli as honoring his sons above Him. This implies that when we refuse to discipline our brothers and sisters in our midst who persistently lack moral judgment, and their deeds are known by the church, then we are refusing to honor the Lord at the expense of these brothers and sisters. If the church does not act, the whole church will become leavened.  

Gal 5:9  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

The verses also show us the character of the Lord. It reveals His patience, mercy, and compassionate nature, emphasizing His desire for repentance over quick judgment. It highlights His long-suffering love, and contrasts His divine patience with quick human tempers, showing His readiness to forgive and offer repeated opportunities for people to turn back to Him.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 

1Sa 2:31  Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. 
1Sa 2:32  And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. 
1Sa 2:33  And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. 
1Sa 2:34  And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them. 
1Sa 2:35  And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed forever. 
1Sa 2:36  And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread. 

In verse 31, the Lord is saying that His judgment shall surely come. 

Hab 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 

These verses show how the Levitical priesthood was to change to the priesthood of Christ which comes through the line of David of the tribe of Judah. It is Christ who was to be raised up as a faithful priest who will do according to that which was in the heart and mind of the Father. 

Act 2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 
Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne

The unbelief of the priesthood of Eli and His sons brought us the priesthood of Christ, and so in a similar vein, it is through the unbelief of the church system of this world or Babylon that we have obtained mercy to serve as priests of the Lord. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?   

We therefore thank the Lord for His mercies towards us to be called and chosen in this age. Amen!