1 Samuel 1: An Answered Prayer

WE REALLY ARE NOT READY TO BEGIN THE BOOK OF 1ST SAMUEL UNTIL WE REFLECT BACK TO THE BOOKS OF JUDGES AND JOSHUA.

THE DAYS OF THE JUDGES WERE VERY DARK DAYS FOR THE NEW HEBREW NATION.

GOD HAD DELIVERED THE PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE IN EGYPT.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE UNBELIEF OF THE PEOPLE THEY WANDERED FOR A GENERATION.

IN THE SECOND GENERATION, UNDER JOSHUA, THE NEW NATION DID BETTER, HAVING LEARNED SOME TOUGH LESSONS ABOUT DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.

BUT AFTER THE DEATH OF JOSHUA, THINGS FELL APART FOR ISRAEL, AS THEY WENT THROUGH CYCLES OF DISCIPLINE AND BLESSING AS THE LORD SENT JUDGES TO DELIVER THEM EACH TIME THEY CRIED OUT TO HIM FOR DELIVERANCE.

THE PEOPLE DECIDED THE NEW NATION NEEDED A KING.

AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH 1ST SAMUEL, THE LORD WILL PROVIDE THEM THEIR KING IN SAUL BUT WILL REMIND HIS PROPHET THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM THEIR TRUE RULER, GOD.

1ST SAMUEL IS A BEAUTIFUL HISTORY LESSON OF GOD DEALING WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.

WHILE THESE PEOPLE ARE FROM LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, THEY ARE INDEED JUST LIKE US.

THEIR STRUGGLES ARE TRYING TO LIVE AND REMAIN FAITHFUL IN A FALLEN WORLD.

WE CAN IDENTIFY EASILY WITH THE THESE PEOPLE FROM OUR OWN TIMES.

IN THESE OLDEN DAYS THERE WAS UNBELIEF, HERESY, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CORRUPTION, AND CONTINUED SOCIAL CONFUSION.

SOUND FAMILIAR?

LET'S HOPE THAT THE LESSONS WE LEARN FROM 1ST SAMUEL WILL HELP US TO RENEW OUR FAITH THAT ALL THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND US IN UNDER THE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE LORD.

NOW LET'S LOOK AT 1ST SAMUEL, CHAPTER ONE WHICH WE WILL BREAK DOWN INTO FOUR SECTIONS:

1. ELKANAH AND HIS WIVES (1-8)

2. HANNAH'S PRAYER & VOW (9-18)

3. THE PRAYER IS ANSWERED AND SAMUEL IS BORN(19-20)

4. THE CHILD IS WEANED AND PRESENTED TO THE LORD

(21-28)

1-8

THE NAMES IN THE BOOK ARE OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE.

ELKANAH MEANS “ACQUIRED OF GOD”

HE WAS THE SON OF JEROHAM “TENDERLY LOVED”

HE WAS THE GRANDSON OF ELIHU “MY GOD IS HE”

HE WAS GREAT GRANDSON OF TOHU “PROSTRATION”

ELKANAH HAD TWO WIVES, THE FIRST LIKELY WAS HANNAH “GRACE” AND THE SECOND PENINNAH “PEARL”

THE FACT THAT HANNAH'S NAME COMES FIRST IN THE BOOK PROBABLY MEANS THAT SHE WAS THE FIRST WIFE.

MOST LIKELY BECAUSE SHE SEEMED BARREN, ELKANAH MARRIED A SECOND WIFE TO PROVIDE CHILDREN.

WE ARE TOLD THAT ELKINAH WENT EACH YEAR TO THE TABERNACLE IN SHILOH AT FEAST TIME AND WAS DEVOTED IN HIS EFFORTS OF SACRIFICE AND PRAYER.

HERE THE TERM “LORD OF HOSTS” IS FIRST USED IN SCRIPTURE

TO DESCRIBE GOD.

WE WILL LATER SEE IT USED 281 TIMES IN THE WORD, 80 TIMES IN JEREMIAH AND 50 TIMES IN ZECHARIAH.

IT MEANS THE LORD OF POWER AND IS APPROPRIATE AS HE BRINGS LIFE WHERE THERE WAS BEFORE NONE TO HANNAH.

IN THESE FIRST FEW VERSES, HANNAH IS SHOWN TO BE A WOMAN OF MUCH SORROW.

THE FAMILY WAS STRONGLY DIVIDED.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THE ACT OF ELKANAH IN MARRYING PENINNAH WAS NOT IN ACCORD WITH THE LORD'S ORIGINAL PLAN OF ONE WOMAN MARRIED TO ONE MAN.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE DISCORD THAT RESULTED IN ABRAHAM'S FAMILY WHEN HE TOOK HAGAR TO HIMSELF AND FROM THAT UNION ISHMAEL ARRIVED, NOT BEING ACCEPTED BY GOD AS A CHILD OF PROMISE.

THE WORLD IS STILL FEELING THE CONSQUENCE OF THAT UNION IN THE MIDDLE EAST TURMOIL WHICH SEEMS NEVER ENDING.

HERE ELKANAH WAS FIGURATIVELY BEATEN WITH A ROD OF HIS OWN MAKING.

PENINNAH WAS FERTILE AND CHILDREN ARRIVED.

BY THIS FACT, SHE GREW HAUGHTY AND INSOLENT AND TAUNTED HANNAH CONTINUALLY ABOUT HER BEING BARREN.

PENINNAH COULD NOT BEAR THE BLESSING OF HER FRUITFULNESS AND HANNAH COULD NOT SEEM TO BEAR THE AFFLICTION OF HER INABILITY TO BEAR A CHILD, AND SHE GREW MELANCHOLY AND DISCONTENT.

ELKANAH WAS IN BETWEEN BOTH WOMEN AND MOST SURELY HE SPENT A LOT OF HIS TIME TRYING TO SETTLE THESE ISSUES FESTERING INSIDE HIS HOUSEHOLD.

ELKANAH DID NOT LOVE HANNAH LESS BECAUSE SHE HAD NOT BORNE CHILDREN.

HERE HE WAS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF PAUL'S TEACHING IN EPHESIANS 5:25 THAT MEN ARE TO LOVE THEIR WIVES AS CHRIST LOVES HIS CHURCH.

JESUS LOVES HIS CHURCH DESPITE HER INFIRMITIES AND AT TIMES THE BARREN CONDITION OF THE CHURCH IN FAITH.

PENINNAH WAS PEEVISH AND PROVOKING TEASING HANNAH THAT SHE WAS NOT IN GOD'S FAVOR, DOING THIS EVEN MORE WHEN THEY WENT UP TO THE TABERNACLE.

THIS WAS A MANY YEAR CONTENTION AND NO INSISTENCE OR INTERVENTION BY ELKANAH SEEMED TO RESOLVE IT.

HE WAS GRIEVED AT HANNH'S GRIEF, ASKING HER WHY SHE WEPT.

HE HIMSELF WAS LESS THAN HAPPY AT THE SORROW HE SAW IN HANNAH.

HERE IS AGAIN A REMINDER THAT THOSE WHO ARE MADE BY GOD INTO ONE FLESH MUST BE ALSO OF ONE SPIRIT.

WHEN ONE IS SORROWFUL, THE OTHER CANNOT BE HAPPY.

WE ARE TO BEAR EACH OTHER'S BURDENS.

9-18

ELKINAH CONTINUED TO TRY TO HELP HANNAH RECOVER FROM HER SORROW.

HE GAVE HER THE BEST PORTIONS OF FOOD, AND SHE TRIED TO PUT UP A GOOD FRONT, COMING TO THE MEAL TABLE AND SHE TRIED TO REASON HER OWN WAY OUT OF HER DEPRESSION.

SHE ASKS HERSELF “DO I DO WELL TO BE ANGRY?”

“DO I DO WELL TO FRET?” “WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO ME?”

SHE FINALLY DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO TAKE THE BURDEN FROM HER OWN SHOULDERS AND GIVE IT TO GOD.

THEY WERE AGAIN AT THE TABERNACLE AND WERE FINISHED WITH THEIR SACRIFICE AND THE TIME OF PRAYER WAS UPON THEM.

HANNAH TOOK HER PLIGHT TO GOD.

SHE PRAYED FOR EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTED.

WE MIGHT REMEMBER HERE THE TEACHING THAT YE HAVE NOT BECAUSE YE ASK NOT, AND OFTENTIMES YE ASK AMISS.

HANNAH ASKED AND SHE DID NOT ASK AMISS.

SHE MINGLED TEARS WITH HER PRAYERS.

(HOSEA 12 TEACHES THAT WE ARE TO WEEP IN SUPPLICATION)

SHE WAS VERY PARTICULAR IN HER REQUEST. SHE ASKED FOR A SON TO BE GIVEN.

SHE MADE HER OWN PROMISE TO GOD IN HER PRAYER. SHE ASSURES THE LORD THAT IF HE GRANTS HER THE SON, SHE WILL GIVE HIM UP TO GOD.

HE WOULD BE BY BIRTH A LEVITE, THEREFORE BORN TO SERVE GOD BUT SHE WENT FURTHER OFFERING HIM TO BE A NAZARITE FOR LIFE.

SHE SPOKE ALL THIS SOFTLY, QUIETLY, SO THAT IT MAY BE HEARD ONLY BY THE LORD.

THIS WAS HER HUMILITY IN HER SECRET PRAYER IN A PUBLIC PLACE, AVOIDING ALL APPEARANCE OF HAUGHTINESS.

ELI, THE CHIEF PRIEST, OBSERVED HER SUPPLICATION AND TEARS, AND WRONGLY ASSUMED SHE MAY BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF WINE, THE SAME MISCONCEPTION THAT WAS LATER MADE OF PETER IN ACTS 2:13.

IN THESE DAYS OF LOW MORALITY IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN UNCOMMON TO SEE A DRUNKEN WOMAN AT THE ALTAR OF PRAYER, BUT ELI'S CONCLUSION WAS WRONG.

AS CHIEF PRIEST, HE SHOWED NO COMPASSION TOWARD HER EVEN WHEN SHE CONVINCED HIM THAT SHE WAS NOT DRUNK.

HANNAH HAD BEEN REPROVED BY ELKANAH BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT EAT OR DRINK, AND NOW HAD BEEN REPROVED BY ELI FOR DRINKING TOO MUCH.

BUT HANNH REMAINED HUMBLE IN FRONT OF BOTH.

SHE COULD EASILY HAVE BROUGHT UP THE DRUNKEN WAYS OF THE SONS OF ELI, REVEALED IN 1ST SAMUEL 2:12 AND KNOWN BY THE PEOPLE, BUT SHE HELD HER PIECE.

SHE CONTINUES IN VERBAL RESPECT TO ELI, CALLING HIM “MY LORD” AND SHE GIVES HIM HER TRUTH BY TELLING HIM SHE IS “A WOMAN OF SORROWFUL SPIRIT”.

ELI NOW ENCOURAGES HER DEVOTIONS AND TELLS HER TO GO IN PEACE, AND THAT THE GOD OF ISRAEL GRANT THEE THY PETITION.

NOW HER COUNTENANCE WAS NO MORE SAD.

WHY WAS THIS?

SHE WAS NO LONGER CARRYING THE BURDEN.

SHE HAD GIVEN IT OVER TO THE LORD.

MERCY WAS ON THE WAY TO HANNAH FROM ABOVE AS HER PRAYER HAD BEEN HEARD AND HER WISH IS TO BE GRANTED.

19-28

NOW HANNAH CONCEIVED AND BORE A SON.

SHE NAMED HIM SAMUEL MEANING “HEARD OF GOD”

HE WAS ASKED OF GOD, AND BY HIS NAME WAS NOW DEDICATED TO GOD BY HANNAH.

FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, HANNAH DID NOT GO TO THE ANNUAL FEAST AND SACRIFICE IN SHILOH.

SHE STAYED HOME UNTIL THE CHILD WAS WEANED.

SOME TEACHERS SAY THIS WAS A PHYSICAL WEANING FROM BREAST FEEDING.

OTHERS SAY IT MEANT A SOCIAL WEANING, MEANING LONGER, THAT THE SON WAS WEANED FROM CHILDISH WAYS. (PSALM 131)

NOW HANNAH DOES TAKE SAMUEL TO THE TABERNACLE, REMINDS ELI THAT THIS WAS THE CHILD SHE HAD PRAYED FOR AND THAT SHE WAS READY TO PLACE HIM IN THE TABERNACLE TO BE TRAINED IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD.

HE WAS TO BE GIVEN OVER TO THIS NEW LIFE AND WAS TO REMAIN A NAZARITE FOR ALL HIS LIFE, NEVER TOUCHING STRONG DRINK NOR CUTTING HIS HAIR.

FROM THIS TIME FORWARD, HE WORSHIPPED AND PRAYED, LEARNING UNDER ELI, AND MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HOLY LIFE OF A NAZARITE.   (SET APART)

HE WAS TO BE ONE OF THE LORD'S MOST POWERFUL PROPHETS.

HE WAS TO ANNOINT BOTH SAUL & DAVID, AND WAS TO TO BE THE MOUTH OF GOD TO THE NATION THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.

FROM THE DARK DAYS BEFORE NOW COME THE TIME OF KINGS, BEGINNING WITH SAUL, AND THEN AFTER HIM KING DAVID, KNOWN TO BE A MAN AFTER THE HEART OF GOD.

HERE IS A GREAT LESSON IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF 1ST SAMUEL.

THE NEED OF THE NATION WAS MET BY THE TROUBLE AND TRAVAIL OF ONE WOMAN TAKING HER SORROW IN PRAYER TO GOD AND SINCERELY ASKING FOR WHAT SHE NEEDED TO BE SENT.

NOT ONLY WERE HER NEEDS MET, BUT THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE NATION WERE MET BY THIS ACT OF MERCY FROM THE LORD.

ALL GREAT SPIRITUAL THINGS COME FROM TROUBLE OR SUFFERING:

FOR THE TEMPLE TO BE RAISED, DAVID HAD TO SUFFER AND BE TOLD HE COULD NOT BUILD IT, WHICH WAS HIS DREAM.

FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS TO SPREAD, AND BE UNTANGLED FROM JEWISH UNBELIEF, PAUL'S LIFE HAD TO BE ONE LONG AGONY.

FOR THE REFORMATION TO OCCUR, MEN HAD TO SUFFER BURNING AT THE STAKE, STANDING FOR GOD NO MATTER THE COST.

BEFORE SAMSON COULD DIE, HE HAD TO PRAY FOR AND USE ONE MORE MOMENT OF HIS GREAT STRENGTH.

BEFORE THE CROWN CAME TO THE REDEEMER, FIRST CAME THE CROSS.

HANNAH'S BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD DID NOT STOP WITH THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL.

1ST SAMUEL 2:21 TEACHES THAT HER BARENNESS WAS SURELY RESOLVED BY GOD AS SHE WAS GIVEN 3 SONS AND 2 DAUGHTERS.

THE POWER OF PRAYER PREVAILS.

GOD HAD CLOSED THE WOMB OF HANNAH WHILE SHE HAD ENDURED FAMILY SUFFERING AND BECAME HUMBLY READY TO ACCEPT THE SON SHE LONGED TO HAVE.

HER ACCEPTANCE WAS EVIDENCED BY HER DEEP PRAYER OF REQUEST.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT THE OBJECT OF PRAYER IS NOT TO HAVE OUR WILL DONE IN HEAVEN BUT TO GET GOD’S WILL DONE ON EARTH THROUGH US.

IT IS ALSO THE TELLING TO GOD THE THINGS HE ALREADY KNOWS BUT DEVINELY WAITS FOR EACH OF US OPEN OUR HEARTS FULLY TOWARD HIM.

ONLY WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE FULLY SUBMISSIVE DOES HE FULLY REVEAL HIS LOVE.

HANNAH TAUGHT US THIS LESSON IN 1ST SAMUEL ONE.

IN THE FIRST VERSES OF CHAPTER TWO, HANNAH’S PRAYER THERE TEACHES US OF HER THANKFULNESS FOR THE LORD’S ANSWER TO HER REQUEST.

IN THOSE SAME VERSES HANNAH ESTABLISHES THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON FOR ALL OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, WHICH IS THE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN ALL THINGS. HER WORDS OF HER FULL UNDERSTANDING WILL CARRY US FORWARD IN THIS STUDY JOURNEY.