Untitled Sermon (14)

Hannah

Judges: Israels utter failure.

The Israelites have began moving into the promised land but they have not defeated the Canaanites yet. They move in along side of the Canaanites and are corrupted by their neighbors.

Cycle: Sin, Oppression from the Canaanites, Repentance, Deliverance, Peace.

Othniel, Ehud, and Deborah are the first three judges and they do a good job delivering the people of Isreal and pointing them back to God.

Gideon who we spoke of last week started out well enough. He was a bit of a coward but God still used him to do incredible things. Unfortunately, Gideon did not follow the commands of God very well and ended up making an idol from the gold he acquired after his victories and lead others into false worship.

Jephthah was an effective general and won many battles but Jephthah didn’t know God and treated him like the other gods and made a ridiculous vow to God. He ended up having to sacrifice his daughter after defeating the Ammonites.

Samson is next but we will talk more about him next week.

Israel descends into chaos and experiences its first civil war. All of this leads us to the very last line in Judges 21:25.

Judges 21:25 ESV

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

1 Samuel 2:1–11 ESV

1 And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. 2 “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world. 9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” 11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.