Sunday Sermon 1 Samuel 1:1-19

In 1908 Miss Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia observed the first Mother’s Day. She did it in memory of her own mother. And believing that others should share her feelings, she began a nationwide campaign to try to get everybody to observe a day known as Mother’s Day. Little by little, the idea grew, and finally the United States Congress set apart this day by a formal act, and the president encouraged its observance. And now Mother’s Day is worldwide.

When Mother’s Day was initiated in 1908, and years before and after that, it was a day really when mother was an exalted person. And there is much to be said about our mother’s.

For many of us, it was not only our mother’s who changed our diapers, clothed us, fed us, loved us, forgave us, encouraged us, nursed us back to health, but it was our mother’s and our grandmothers that not only taught us about Jesus, but they also taught us by example of who Jesus really is. Because they lived out their faith in love

So praise God for Mother’s, praise God for Grandmother’s! Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Today, as we celebrate mother’s day, I felt the Lord leading us away from Matthew, into the text of a dedicated and godly mother by the name of Hannah.

So let us open our Bible’s to 1 Samuel 1, and dig into a story that will bless our hearts.

1 Samuel is after Duet, Joshua, Judges and Ruth. It is proceeded by Kings and Chronicles.

If your having a difficult time, just turn to the table of contents and there you will find the proper page number.

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-20

Prayer

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you that your mercies are new every morning and that your compassions fail not. Thank you for mother’s and the inspiration and strength that you have given them to love well, and live their faith out loud through example. Lord comfort the mother’s around the globe that can’t be with their children or families this day, heal the mother’s whom have lost children, who have not had children because of barren wombs, who for some reason gave their children up for adoption, or even had an abortions. Lord we cry out now that you would show up in a special way in the lives of every mother, help them all to know they are loved and cherished by you and their families. Father as we take a look into the life of Hannah, may we know you more and be inspired by this dedicated and godly mother. May our time together be fruitful and may you give us grace upon grace.

In Jesus Name, We Love You!! Amen!!

1 Samuel 1:1 NKJV

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains 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.

Note there was a certain man, named Elkanah.

Elkanah means "god has purchased," and comes from the words el, meaning "god," and qaneh, which means "to acquire."

He was from Ramah, and it is clear he was a godly man.

It is important for us to notice two things in the text:

The word Now. It refers back to Judges and I think it is really important for us to look at the last text of this book:

Judges 21:25 NKJV

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Israel was in aa state of moral apostacy, corruption, and sin. Even many of the priests had fallen from grace. The leadership of this nation was perverse and the people became wicked.

It was obvious to the author of Judges that the nation was headed for total disaster unless God provided a righteous king to lead the people. And this is where Elkanah comes into the picture.

And I say this, because latter in this text, we will discover that Samuel is born who is not only a priest, but a prophet and he is the man who, in the narratives of the Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the biblical judges to the United Kingdom of Israel under Saul, and again in the monarchy's transition from Saul to David.

2. That with every great movement in the Bible, comes a certain man or women who has the willingness to serve God, no matter what throws at them.

These are men and women, who do not get caught up in what is going on around them, or inside of them, but persevere and press into the Kingdom.

1 Samuel 1:2 NKJV

And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

Elkanah had two wives, which means trouble church, it means trouble. Anytime you see polygamy mentioned in the Bible, you will find family difficulties.

In the ancient social setting, the most important role for a wife during this time period was to bear children. Men of financial means needed to have a male heir to continue the line, and barren wives suffered the embarrassment and shame of seeing another wife provided for their husbands, as Hagar did for Sarah and Bilhah for Rachel. God tolerated

Women that had no children were thought to be cursed by God, mocked, and even made fun of.

Remember, this was a patriarcal society and the duty of a woman was the home. To take care of the children and home.

Sadly, Hannah could not have children as our text says, but Peninnah could.

Because Hannah was mentioned first, we know that she was the first wife and that she could not have children, this is where Peninnah comes into the picture to bear children for Elkanah.

Hannah means grace, while Peninnah means pearl church. But although her name means pearl or even ruby, we find out quickly that this is not the case.

One last thing, it is clear in Scripture that marriage is between a man and a woman.

In the Pauline epistles, Paul teaches the church that its leaders are to have one wife, not multiple wives.

Genesis 2:24 NKJV

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

And besides Jesus said, “You cannot serve tow masters!”

1 Samuel 1:3–5 NKJV

This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb.

The Jews were required to go to the Tabernacle/ Temple to worship and offer sacrifices at least 3 times a year church prescribed by the law in Deut 16:16.

Can you imagine what the worship was like during this time? Everyone was doing right in their own eyes, Israel had fallen from grace, and the priestly system corrupt.

No matter what was going on in the church, this godly man took his family to worship, because God asked him to.

He did not make excuses, but made going to church a priority in his life. The Lord was preeminent church.

And sadly, Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas who were priests, were caught in the trap of immorality, they were sleeping with the woman working around the tabernacle, the help if you may, church, and gorging themselves in the meat that was intended for sacrifice.

They were an absolute mess and Elkanah I am sure knew it, but took his family because obedience is better than sacrifice.

Scholars believe this was the Feast of Tabernacle at Shiloh:

Ramah was about 15 miles from Shiloh church and this is where the Tabernacle during this time:

So regardless of the corruption and immorality, this man made sure his family fulfilled the law of God. They did not allow nothing to stop them church.

1 Samuel 1:4–7 NKJV

And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.

A portion would go to the Lord, a portion to the priest, and a portion to the family church when they gave offerings.

And we see here that Elkanah gave Hannah a double portion, even though the Lord had closed here womb.

No matter how much this husband gave to his his wife, she was still not full. There was something missing church, something missing, a void that he could not fill.

Ladies eve if your husbands give you a double or even a triple portion, there will be an emptiness that only God can fill.

And we must notice, that it was God who closed Hannah’s womb church.

It is he that has the power to give life and open the womb.

Why would a loving God, close the womb of this godly dedicated women? Why?

I do not know, other than his ways are higher that ours.

His plan was clearly to get Hannah to a certain place and then bless her.

She was barren for 19 years church and even though Peninnah made her miserable, even though she had great anguish and her house was in disarray notice what verse 7 says:

1 samuel 1:7

1 Samuel 1:7 NKJV

So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.

Hannah still went to the house of the Lord, even though things were not good at home or in life, her focus was on pleasing the Lord.

The proverb says:

Proverbs 16:7 NKJV

When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Hannah did not allow the worst possible thing that could happen to a woman, stop her from running to the Lord.

Look at the next text:

1 Samuel 1:8 NKJV

Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Are you kidding me, Elkanah? Do you really not know why your wife is crying?

Church, this is a great text. Elkanah is a godly man, with a godly wife, and he blows it.

Rather than giving her sympathy, he gives her logic, rather that giving her empathy, he asks some questions that he should of known the answer for because Hannah had beern weeping for years church.

Sympathy is seeing some one in the water and throwing them a life ring, while empathy is jumping in to save them risking your own life.

Elkanah did not make things better, sometimes the best thing to do, is to place your arms around a person, hold them, and listen, instead of trying to fix them.

You don’t fix a feeling, you hear a feeling.

He missed the mark, and we all have been there done that!!

Notice his pride in thinking he was all that! Am I not better than ten sons???

1 Samuel 1:9–11 NKJV

So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then 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 male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

Hannah had bitterness of soul church, bitterness of soul.

She was not bitter at God or even Peninnah, she was in anguish, she was severely distressed and grieving that she could not have a child. She was mocked at for 19 years by the culture she lived in, and by Peninnah for a little less.

Her heart was broken that she was barren church.

She had everything a woman could want, she was dedicated to the Lord and her husband, but the one thing he could not fix was that she had a barren womb from the Lord.

The Lord got her to a place church, to make a vow and notice she called herself his maidservant 3xs.

In the her pryer she say that if God gives her a son, he would take the Nazarite vow all of his life church, all of his life. That her son would be God’s.

See every child was dedicated to God church, but Hannah wanted to give her child to God in a deeper and dedicated way. Not only would he take the Nazarite vow, but he would keep it all the days of his life.

Nazarite Vow meant three things

Her son would not eat or drink of the vine. He would separate himself from pleasurable things.

During his life he would stay away from dead bodies, because death is caused by sin.

He would not cut his hair, so he would be a distinguished man.

Now you might think, this is not much, but it was. Because a normal Nazarite vow would last 30, 60, or 90 days and Hannah promised God all the days of her sons life.

So she continue to cry out to the Lord and look at what happens next:

1 Samuel 1:12–16 NKJV

And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

Notice she moved from having bitterness of soul to pouring out her soul to God...

The High Priest Eli stumbles upon her and he calls her out and says, “How long will you be drunk?” Then he commands her to put the wine away.

Now Pastor Eli was living in a time where people partied around the tabernacle and because everyone did what was right in his own eyes, he saw people drunk at the tabernacle often.

However, I would like to suggest Pastor Eli was not discerning enough and spoke quickly to Hannah without seeking the Lord.

Eli blew it, just like her husband. But wait, look at what comes next.

Hannah cried out to the Lord in the abundance of complaint and grief.

Through her years of suffering church, years of barrenness, God had finally gotten Hannah to the place he wanted her. His ways are higher than ours.

She was crying out in a way she had yet to cry out.

She had teary eyes, bent knee, and a broken heart and God had heard her cry. He heard the vow she made....

Some of us are here right now! we have cried out for years regarding an are of barrenness in our lives and God is using this for the good. He is bringing us to the place where he can bless us, he is bring us closer to himself, he is preparing us for the answer to our cries, like he did Hannah.

1 Samuel 1:17–20 NKJV

Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” And 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. Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

The Word of the Lord came through Eli, and he gave Hannah a promise that God had heard her and will answer her hearts cry.

Hannah grabbed of hold of the promises of God by faith and her sadness lifted.

When she believed on the promises of God, her mourning turned to dancing, he sadness to joy, because she believed upon the Lord’s Word and acted on it...

They woke up, worshipped the Lord, and then conceived a son.

Samuel means, “God has heard! God has heard!”

Hannah was a godly mother who was dedicated to the Lord, no matter what the Lord brought in her life, no matter the turmoil, and pain, she turned to the Lord and worshipped him.

Not just on Sunday, but everyday hour of every day.

We need Thee, oh, We need Thee; Ev'ry hour We need Thee; Oh, bless me now, my Savior, We come to Thee.

Do we do this same?

What is barren in our lives? Have we like Hannah cried out to the Lord?

Prayer

Lord, thank you for Hannah’s dedication to you and her persevering prayer. Lord like Hannah, we ask that you would fill the barren places in our life. Help us to realize that no one can fill the void that only you can fill. Inspire us all to be like Hannah who no matter what come her way pressed into your Kingdom. Please bless all the mother’s around the world and be present at all the gatherings to celebrate the wonderful gift of grace that you have given.

In Jesus Name, We Love YOU!

The Lord Bless You!!!

Happy Mother’s Day!

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