Hannah’s faithfulness
Notes
Transcript
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Happy Mother’s Day
Eastview update
INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
This morning we are going to take a break from John’s gospel and look at a woman from the OT named Hannah. You’ll find Hannah’s story at the beginning of 1 Samuel right after the book of Ruth and the book of Judges. Hannah was a significant instrument used y God and is most remembered by her godly prayer and how God answered that prayer. Since it is Mother’s Day, it is fitting that we look at the life of a faithful woman from Scripture.
Women have always played a significant part in the story of the Bible. Mary was the vessel God chosen to bring Jesus to this world. Elizabeth was the woman chosen to bring John the Baptist into the world as a forerunner for Jesus. Mary Madeline was the first to see Jesus raised from the dead. Rahab’s faithfulness was used to protect the spies in Jericho. It was Ruth’s faithfulness that began the line of king of David. And it was Hannah’s faithfulness whom God used to bring about a prophet who would truly honor God. It was Esther whom God used to save the Jewish people from being killed.
GOD USES FAITHFUL WOMEN. Over and over in Scripture God selects women of little importance who are faithful to Him, and uses them to do great things, and Hannah is no exception.
But Hannah did not start off with everything going for her, in fact she had much against her and her life can teach us some great lessons about Faithfulness.
The Lord had closed her womb
The Lord had closed her womb
1 Samuel 1:1–7 “Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.”
Verse:
Explanation:
Polygamy
This is something we see often in Scripture. And there is often questions about whether or not God does condone polygamy. Because we see so many significant people in the Bible with multiple wives. Even though that was a cultural thing to carry on one’s family, it was not God’s way. Most likely Elkanah married Hannah and Hannah could not have children, so Elkanah took another wife Peninnah to carry on his line.
But what I want you to notice is the rivalry here between the two wives. Peninnah had children, and Hannah had no children, and Peninnah provoked Hannah over and over because of her barrenness.
One thing is common is every situation in the Bible where there is more than one wife: there is always trouble. There is jealously between wives, favoritism of the husband, and resentfulness of each one toward the other.
God’s plan for marriage is one man with one woman for life. It is not to divorce, it is not to marry multiple wives, it is to love one and stay with that person trusting God to make it great.
Matthew 19:5–6 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.”
“For he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb”
I love the way Scripture attributes everything to God. It doesn’t say that Hannah simply could not have children. It says she could not have children because the Lord had closed her womb.
What an important theological statement for us to think about. The Lord is both the cause and the cure for everything in life. He is the sovereign king and nothing we face comes into being apart from Him.
Here in a couple of week we will read the story about the blind man that Jesus gives sight to. The disciples ask Jesus if it was this man’s sin that caused him to be blind. Jesus said no, it was so that the glory of God will be revealed. In other words it was part of God’s plan.
Sarah was barren, Rebekah was barren, Rachel was barren. All of these women who were so important to God’s plan in bringing forth godly men were all barren. Why did God make them that way? God could have very well made them have fruitful wombs just like most of their rivalries, but they were barren until God opened their womb.
Because it is these difficulties that drive us to God. It is the state of helplessness that is most often God’s starting point. The people he often chooses are those who seem to have no hope, no abilities of their own, those whom the world would never choose because they are “the least of these” and those are the ones God chooses.
We have two choices when we find ourselves facing great difficulties: we can either choose to be bitter and have resentment or we can allow those times to drive us to God.
The outcomes of that are completely different, but the choice is ours! Bitterness leads to misery. Every time! It dries up our soul, it brings a shade of darkness over everything good thing in our life. It begin to rot our bones and if allowed to go unchecked it will consume our lives.
But those who allow difficulties to drive them to God will find God’s ultimate purpose in allowing them into our lives.
If anyone had a right to be bitter it was Hannah! She had done nothing wrong! She had been a good wife, the first wife of Elkanah, and due to something she had no control over she suffered year after year.
But she refused to be bitter, she allowed her affliction to bring her closer to God.
Hannah’s godly prayer
Hannah’s godly prayer
1 Samuel 1:8–11 “Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”
I want to point out a few aspects of Hannah’s prayer that we should incorporate into our prayer life:
1) She had confidence that God could and would do anything
1) She had confidence that God could and would do anything
Explanation:
“O Lord of Hosts”
This is an uncommon way to refer to God but it appeals to His sovereignty. Hannah’s is saying, “O Lord who is sovereign over the heavens and earth” O, Lord whose throne is above everything else, would you please listen to the prayer of your maidservant.
It is a way of saying, O God, I know without a of a doubt that you can do anything! And here she is facing the absolute impossibility of having a child, no physician or man can fix this need, ONLY GOD CAN.
Bridge:
This is one of the keys a successful prayer life. It is having the faith, the confidence, the assurance that God can do anything that we ask.
Matthew 21:22 ““And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.””
Too often we approach the throne of God like it’s something we’re supposed to do, but often thinking it really will not make any difference.
I think most of us believe that God is able, but also believe that God is unwilling. We know Hid can do it, we just doubt that he will do it.
But the Bible says we should believe God can and God is willing to answer the prayers of His servants.
I wonder how much our prayer lives would change is we prayed with great optimism rather than with a pessimistic attitude? If we prayed with great faith believing God is able and willing rather than with doubt that anything will ever change.
We are on the verge of moving into a new season of ministry in this church.
And it is so true that our past year has been a very difficult one for us. And it is so tempting to be pessimistic about the future based upon the past.
But I told Ashley I am going into this season expecting God to do great things and save many people. I am going into this season praying with confidence that it is God who put all of this together, that it is God who saved this church for this ministry, and that God is going to use it in a great way.
And do you know that when we first started our prayer meetings on Tuesdays, we started praying for a permanent home. We had just moved into this church, and we were very grateful to be here, but we believed God had a permanent place for us, and two years later God would answer that prayer.
Pray with confidence that God can and God is willing
2) She pours her soul out before the Lord
2) She pours her soul out before the Lord
1 Samuel 1:12–15 “Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.”
What Hannah does here is a quality to admire. It’s not just that she unloading all of her problems out on God, which there is nothing wrong with, but that she opens herself up before God in all her vulnerability.
Now this was not something for show. It says she moved her lips but only spoke in her heart. It was sincere, it was a genuine. It was Hannah revealing everything stored up in her year after year before God and saying will you help me.
And can we just imagine Hannah and Peninnah’s relationship here that brought her to that?
Peninnah: Elkanah, we are going to have to go and get more food for all these mouths to feed! They are going to eat us out of house and home!
Come here little Susie, you need to make sure you get alone with your brothers and sisters. You know you are all a gift from God and He has blessed us with a big family!
Susie: Mommy, why does Hannah not have any children? I wish she would have some so I could have more brothers and sister to play with.
Peninnah: Well it’s up to God who has children, and God has closed her womb and she is not able to have any children. You know God is in control of these things, and He has been so good to us with this great big family.
And guess what Susie?! We just found out that you have another little sister on the way! God just keeps giving and giving!
Year after year it went on—baiting Hannah,
Does that ever feel like your life?
Maybe it’s not the want to have a child, but maybe something else. And when you look around you, it seems like everyone has so freely what the Lord has not given you yet.
When is the last time you have poured out your soul before the Lord. Opened yourself up before Him, cried out with anguish and declare your trouble before Him!
Principle: God cares about the oppressed. He cares about the afflicted. When our tears our shed before God, it does not go unnoticed.
Exodus 3:7 “The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.”
Your troubles are not unknown to God, and maybe God is waiting for you to cry out to Him like that.
3) Hannah finds peace in whatever God’s decides
3) Hannah finds peace in whatever God’s decides
1 Samuel 1:16–18 ““Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” She said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.”
It is amazing here that Hannah went from highly distressed, afflicted in her spirit to, “and her face was no longer sad”.
What happened? Well despite some commentators who say Hannah knew God was going to answer her prayer, I think she knew that God had heard her and she found peace in His answer whether it was yes or no
She was able to find rest in knowing that whatever God decided was the right thing for her life.
What an important key in prayer that we must all remember.
To come before the Lord of Hosts, and deliver our petition and trust that whatever He decides is the very best for our life is a sign of Spirtual maturity.
Jesus demonstrated this as well in the garden of Gethsemane, “Not My will, but Your will be done”
I have often found that after much trial and tribulation, coming to this point of being ok with whatever God chooses is when God acts.
When we are content with whatever God chooses, we come to a place where we can find peace in any situation in our lives.
The Lord Remembered Hannah
The Lord Remembered Hannah
1 Samuel 1:19–20 “Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the Lord.”
Those are some of the sweetest words in all the Bible.
If you’ve ever been in a situation like Hannah’s maybe not praying for a child, but something that has been a barb in your soul and one day God answers your prayer, it is like a breath of fresh air.
God does not forget people, but to remember her is just another way of saying God acted on behalf of Hannah’s prayer. God made it happen.
Hannah did not just have a child, she had a son. And she did not just have a son but she had a son named Samuel.
If you are familiar with the story of King David, you’ll remember the name Samuel, because it was Samuel who anointed king David when he was just a child. And if you read on, Samuel was not just a son, but a mighty man of God.
1 Samuel 3:19–20 “Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fail. All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.”
There is no greater gift than to have children that know and love the Lord. There is no greater gift than to have a child that has dedicated their life to the service of God.
And do not forget Hannah’s great influence and push in this direction. Before the child was born, Hannah vowed to give him to the Lord, to serve God all the days of his life! She was instrumental in this child’s walk with God!
It greatly disturbs me when I see Christian parents pushing children into worldly success. Sports, education, college, making money, finding the right mate early in life, getting all that the world has to offer and putting faith at the bottom of the list!
Children need to know God far more than they need to b e good at sports!
Children need Jesus far more than they need a good education to make a lot of money!
Children need to Jesus far more than they need a husband, or a friend, or popularity!
All those hinges will fail your child, BUT GOD NEVER WILL! And if they get Jesus they get everything! If they get everything except Jesus they lose everything!
God will take far better of our children than anything else in this world.
Be like Hannah! God this child is yours! And that child will grow up and make you one happy mother.
Can you imagine Hannah watching little Samuel grow and then seeing Him anoint the great King David and speak on behalf of God and God use him is tremendous ways in the nation of Israel. I bet Hannah thought back to that prayer and God’s answer to that prayer and said, No one gives gifts like God.
We can rest assured that when God answers a prayer, it will be for our good. And when God withholds an answer to our prayers, it is for our good.
One thing that is consistent in Scripture with God is that when He acts, He does so for our good.
Hannah did what she promised to do
Hannah did what she promised to do
1 Samuel 1:21–28 “Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever.” Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Remain until you have weaned him; only may the Lord confirm His word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. “For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. “So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
Explanation:
Every year this family went up to Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord. But Hannah doesn’t go with her husband because she wants to wean little Samuel and when she comes she will leave him there FOREVER.
Now I don’t know about you, but I cannot imagine taking my 3 y/o child up to Jerusalem, and leaving him there with the priest FOREVER!
But Hannah gave her word, and she made a vow to the Lord and she was determined to keep her word.
I also want us to think about Eli the priest. Eli has two sons that were wicked. Eli Himself does not even seem to know the Lord since he accuses Hannah of being drunk when she is praying.
And in order for Hannah to keep her word, will have to leave her 3 y/o vulnerable son in the hands of Eli and his wicked sons to raise him
Would you still keep your vow then?
Hannah did, and God honored that faithfulness and took care of that boy as long as He lived and Samuel became a great instrument in the hand of God all of his days, because Hannah kept her word.
Application:
It seems to be increasingly difficult today to find people who keep their word. When we make commitments to others, commitments to our kids, commitments to our spouses, commitments to the church, and most importantly commitments to God…..WE SHOULD KEEP THEM!
Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter 5 that we should never make promises to other people. Not because we will break them, but because promises are for those who do not keep their word and have to use a promise to add weight to what they say!
In other words, the Christian expectation is to be people who let their yes be yes and their no be no and they do what they say they are going to do.
Are you a person who keeps their word? Are you a person who can say something and it can be trusted, can be relied upon, someone that others can depend upon?
Hannah promised and Hannah did what she promised no matter what the cost!
And God honored Hannah’s faithfulness to what she vowed.
We will never be truly faithful to God and people of our word, and people of prayer, and people of confidence in God until we first give our lives to Jesus Christ.
That’s the first step in faithfulness. After that everything else will follow.
Have you truly done that? Like Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord completely and forever, so we too are to give ourselves to the Lord entirely and permanently.
That is always the starting point in faithfulness to what
~PRAYER~
