A Mother's Sacrifice

A Mother’s Sacrifice 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Background • Time of the Judges (see Judges 21:25; 1 Samuel 4:18) • Hannah’s Turmoil: 1. Peninnah: the wife with many children 2. Hannah: her name means “grace,” and although she was loved, she was barren, taunted, and desperate. 3. Elkanah: a loving and pious husband; he seems willing, but unable to comfort Hannah out of her grief. 4. Festival: the highpoint of the year for everyone in the family except Hannah Hannah’s First Prayer • Born of Bitter Anguish – see 1:10, “And she, bitter of soul, prayed to the LORD. And weeping, she wept.” • Called for the LORD’s full attention: 3x call to observe – look, remember, and not forget. • Promises her future son’s whole devotion to God in the Nazirite tradition (see Numbers 6:5; Judges 13:5) Fulfillment • God’s fulfillment began with an unlikely confirmation – a very large man (1 Samuel 4:18) accuses her of over-indulgence (1:14) • Both Remember: 1. The LORD remembers: Hannah conceives/delivers (1:20) 2. Hannah remembers: the weaning process usually ended when the baby was around three years old. 3. Hannah’s lavish sacrifice: “bring” the boy [as a sacrifice] (see Genesis 4:3); lavish gift for Eli (3 year old bull; 20+ pounds of flour; skin of wine); “lent” (see Exodus 12:36) Hannah’s Second Prayer 1. Personal Praise: my heart, my horn [strength], my mouth – I am rejoicing (2:1) 2. Relishes God: verse 1 is about Hannah, 2-10 are about God; verse 2 has a triple “there is none …”; her prayer offers 19 different truths about God – (the LORD kills and brings to life … etc) 3. Fosters Humility: directly condemns arrogance (2:3), proclaims God’s judgment of the proud (v. 4, 9, 10); 9x she speaks of divine-turnaround 4. Future Prophecy: predicts a resurrection (v.6), anticipates both the King and the “Anointed” (v. 10) Lessons • Hannah’s prayer points us to a mother’s ultimate mission – sacrifice. • Hannah’s prayer points us to the best way to fulfill that mission – prayer. • Hannah’s prayer points us to the one Person who can make a difference in our children’s souls – the LORD.