Role Models- Hannah

2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV

20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

How often do people lie?

What is a white lie?

How do you feel when someone lies to you?

A recent survey found that:

Why do people lie? Lies are told for a variety of reasons.

21 %  to avoid others 20 % as humor (a joke or a prank) 14 % to protect one’s self 13 % to impress or appear more favorable 11 % to protect another person 9 % for personal benefit or gain 5 % for the benefit of another person 2 % to hurt another person5 % unspecified reasons or, explicitly, for no reason at all

How often do people lie?

Most people — about 75 % of survey respondents — told zero to two lies per day. Lying comprised 7 % of total communication and almost 90 % of all lies were little white lies.

How do people lie?

79 % of the lies were told face-to-face and 21 % were mediated.

Who do people lie to?

51 % - friends 21 % - family 11 % - school/business colleagues 8.9 % - strangers 8.5 % - casual acquaintances

What types of lies do people tell the most?

People mainly tell little white lies. 88.6 % of reported lies in the study were described as “little white lies,” and 11.4 % were characterized as “big lies.” An example of a “little white lie” would be saying you like a gift you really don't, and an example of a “big lie” would be insincerely declaring "I love you" to someone.

One of the many attributes about the Lord that should encourage us is that when we call on Him and He answers and gives us His word, He does not break His promises.

Why is it reassuring that God does not lie?

When God says He will do something, He will fulfill His promises!

Today, we will look at another role model in Scripture named Hannah.

Hannah lived in a time in Israel’s history where the nation of Israel was being transition from being led by judges to having their own kings.

For nearly 400 years, God’s people lived in the land that was promised to them in relative peace and harmony. However, after these three centuries the spiritual climate of the Israel was one of great depravity.

They were so far from God that even the priest’s sons were committing immoral acts with women near and in the Tabernacle.

It is in the spiritual climate that we discover Hannah. She is a role model because her trust in God’s promises helped her in every area of her life.

Modeled Perplexities

1 Samuel 1:2-7

A man named Elkanah who had two wives, one of them being Hannah. It was customary in those times for a man to have a second wife if his first wife was barren.

When it was time for make their offerings, he would give his wife with children some money, but he always gave Hannah a double portion, twice as much as he gave the others, because he loved her more.

Hannah’s situation was not one of mere happenstance. It was not a medical condition or any fault of Hannah’s, simply, God in His infinite wisdom chose to close her womb.

In this time of history, if someone could not have children, it was a sign of God’s disapproval. Even pagan cultures had this opinion.

Why do you think God closed her womb?

How do you think Hannah felt?

Because of Hannah’s situation, she walked around with a stigma. While all of her friends and family were having children, she could not.

We are told her rival; Elkanah’s other wife taunted her and provoked her to anger because of her situation.

This caused her to weep and not eat and have great sorrow. She did not get mad at God and blame Him. Instead she goes to the Lord in prayer.

1 Samuel 1:10-11

She did not shield her emotions; she simply poured her sorrow out to God and then made a bold promise. God, if you will give me a son, I will give him back to You.

While she was praying this heart-wrenching prayer, the priest Eli heard her. He accused her of being drunk and Hannah had to defend herself.

When Eli heard the situation and the severity of the sorrow in her voice, he informed her that God had heard her prayer and that He was going to answer her prayer!

What did Hannah do in her perplexities that are a good example for us?

Why is it hard to pray and trust God when our situations are difficult?

Hannah prayed, but she was honest with God. She models how we should handle our hurts and difficulties.

Model Parent

1 Samuel 1:19-22

After God gave this promise to Hannah, He came through for her. It does not say exactly how long it was before Hannah conceived , but it must have taken a little bit.

If the enemy works on her like he does on many of us, there were moments of doubt and frustration.

Was it that God forgot Hannah?

Why does He wait to answer our prayers?

God answered Hannah’s prayer and after she conceived her son, nine months later Samuel was born. His name meaning, Because I have asked form Him from the Lord.

She made a vow to God that if God would give her a son, she would give him back to the Lord.

That promise sounded sweet and nice when she was without children. But now she had carried him to full term, gave birth to him and named him.

Furthermore, she raised him until he was weaned, which was about three years old for a Hebrew baby. So she has spent three years of her life devoted to Samuel, and now she has to keep her end of the bargain.

How do you think Hannah felt giving her three-year-old son to the Lord?

1 Samuel 1:25-28

By this point it had been at least three years since she saw Elia and she reminded him of their conversation. She then gave her son to Eli to raise in the things of God.

Notice that she lent him to the Lord. She was not expecting a return, rather she was indicating, He will always be my boy.

She did not abandon Samuel, rather she understood the pivotal role God had for Samuel’s life and future.

In our day, we do not drop our kids off at church and only see them a couple of times a year. Instead, we need to raise them in God’s house and keep God a priority in our home.

Why do we need to raise our kids in church?

What happens when we place God on the back burner in our home?

Proverbs 22:6 NKJV

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Parents have the responsibility to teach and train their kids in the ways of God. Not doing so will eventually be detrimental to their lives and future.

Model Praiser

1 Samuel 2:1

What would you do after leaving Samuel?

Hannah did it different, while tears were very acceptable, she instead began to worship!

She rejoiced in the Lord and thanked Him for all of His goodness. No doubt she was sad, she also rejoiced because she knew that God had a plan for Samuel and that was enough for her. Her sorrow turned into a son, which turned into a song of praise to the Lord for His goodness!

In her remarkable song of praise, Hannah thanks the Lord for his holiness, his omniscience, his sovereignty, his compassion, and his justice.

Calling God holy means there is no one like Him.

Calling God omniscience means He is all-knowing.

Calling God sovereign means His rule has no end and He is in control of everything.

Calling God compassionate means that He possesses genuine concern for us.

Calling God just means that He does no wrong.

Why is praise an important part of our lives?

What does praise do for God?

What does praise do for us?

When we spend regular time in praise, it helps us gain the proper perspective on our situations and circumstances. Hannah had to have felt overwhelmed, but she chose to take time in praise and God helped her.

Psalm 22:3 NKJV

3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

God is near to us when we praise Him.

Application

This story is very interesting. Why did God close her womb and then promise her a son? Why not just give her a child at the start?

Remember the condition of Israel. Barrenness was not only Hannah’s condition; it was Israel’s condition.

The spiritual leaders of Israel were so backslidden that it is not as though God wasn’t speaking, but they weren’t listening.

Just as Hannah was in need of a son, God was in need of prophet. Therefore, out of her desperation and intercession, God answered her request, but also filled His need!

Samuel became one of Israel’s greatest prophets. God took her unbearable situation and turned it around for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Had she had not been in such a desperate place, would she have held on to God’s promises?

If she had not been barren would she have ever prayed and committed her future child to the Lord?

And if she hadn’t been to that point of desperation, would Israel have had the prophet they needed?

Would God’s people have had an individual speak for Him?

Hannah models how and why we should trust God’s promises. There are times in our lives when we feel a void. When we pray and it feels that God has not heard us, remember Hannah.

She prayed and trusted God in the perplexities of life. She also committed her child to the Lord, knowing that He alone had the right future for him.

Then, we can and should keep praise an integral part of our lives.

How is Hannah a role model for you?

We know what we are supposed to do, but what do we want to do when we are perplexed with our problems?

Why is it seemingly easy for people to raise their children without God?

How does praise help our walk with God?