Hannah's Prayer of Thanksgiving

Last week: What does faith look like? We looked at the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel Chapter 1.

A. Hannah was barren, God had closed her womb

B. Her husband Elkanah took a second wife (as customary then when a wife could not bare children)

C. Hannah was bullied year after year by her husband’s handmaid that gave him multiple children.

D. Hannah became distraught and very depressed. She wept and did not eat when she came to the end of her rope.

E. Hannah went to the temple and prayed earnestly, weeping and requesting that YWHY would grant her a male child.

** Hannah shows us a beautiful picture of what Faith looks like! When you come to poor out your soul and place it into God’s hands! Just like you did when you came to the Lord in Saving Faith- there is no difference!

God REMEMBERED HANNAH and gave her a child, Hannah raised her child Samuel until he was weaned and then she remembered her vow to the Lord and took him to the priest Eli. And Hannah worshiped the Lord.

TODAY we will pick up the story in Chapter 2: 1-10 and see Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving:

*The Bible is written in three ways/methods: Historically, Hebrew Poetry and Prophesy This prayer is Hebrew Poetry and Metaphors are the lifeblood of this poetry- you have to picture the images and understand the culture to capture the thoughts being conveyed. As we will see! It is very powerful and beatuful when you get this concept, the scripture becomes alive!

V. 1-2

Hannah rejoices in the Lord. My HORN (a metaphor)(A horn was a symbol of strength) is exalted in the Lord! HANNAH WAS SAYING MY STRENGTH IS LIFTED HIGH, IT IS ERECT, TO NEW HEIGHTS.

Smile (laugh) at my enemies, BECAUSE I rejoice in YOUR SALVATION! Hannah was not making fun of Peninnah! She was rejoicing in the fact that God is her victory!

ROCK (METAPHOR) A bolder, immovable foundation

V. 3

Do not be cocky and arrogant and run your mouth about what all you can do! THE LORD IS THE GOD OF KNOWLEDGE AND BY HIM MAN’S ACTIONS ARE WEIGHED!

V.4 (more metaphors to paint this picture) Bows of mighty men are broken.....those who are weak and stumble gain strength

V.5 Those who were full and not hungry, had abundance NOW BECOME DESTITUTE. and those who were hungry now become full.

Then Hannah says the barren has born seven(the number of completeness) making a barren woman complete

V.6 - 8 GOD IS IN CONTROL

V. 9-10 God is the protector of His people, He is Judge, He gives us strength. The coming Messiah! (last part of v.10)

In Hannah’s prayer of Thanksgiving- God gives us a powerful truth of how God deals with

Human Beings He created. God tells us that there are ONLY two classes of people:

* Those that have a relationship with Him and know Him AND those who do not! That’s it!

Look through this prayer again:

Those who know Him and belong to Him:

1. Those who rejoice in the Lord, and His Salvation 2. Those who acknowledge Him (v.2)

Those who do NOT know Him:

1. Enemies 2. The proud 3. The arrogant 4. Adversaries- those who openly defy and mock God!