Is Anything to Hard for God? 1 Samuel 1:1-18

Introduction

Have you ever been in an impossible situation? A situation where the only explanation of the outcome is God.

This morning we find ourselves in a situation where only an intervention by God can explain the outcome.

The setting vs. 1-2

As we come into the book of first Samuel we are introduced to three people

Elkanah

Elkanah was a man from Ramathaim-zophim also known as Ramah of mount Ephraim

His name means “God created”

Here we find that he was an Ephraimite geographically, but in 1 Chronicles 6 we find he was a levite genetically.

He had two wives

His first wife was Hannah who had no children

His second wife was Peninnah and she had children

The problem vs. 3-5

Elkanah went up every year out of his city to worship and to sacrifice unto the lord of hosts in shiloh

Joshua 18:1 “1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.”

This is the first of around 240 references to God as the Lord of Hosts in the Bible

The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas were there and we will learn more about them in the coming weeks, but we are introduced here to them

What does it mean that Elkanah offered

Deuteronomy 12:17–18 “17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: 18 But thou must eat them before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.”

Notice that Elkanah gave Peninnah and her children their portion, but to Hannah he gave her a worthy portion or a double portion, because he loved Hannah despite the fact that God had shut up her womb

It seems as though God uses barren woman in mighty ways throughout the scriptures

We can think back to Genesis 11:30 where the bible tells us that Sarai was barren, and she had no children which seemed to be a dark cloud over the the next 10 or so chapters of Genesis or we could look at Rebekah who was barren for the first 20 years of her marriage. In Genesis 29:21-30:24 we find the turmoil that went on around the barrenness of Rachel. We could think about how God raised up Samson from the fruitless womb of Monoahs wife in Judges 13. Or we could even go to the new testament and look at Elisabeth who was barren, but gave birth to John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus.

One commentator wrote it this way “Barren woman seem to be God’s instruments in raising up key figures in the history of redemption, whether the promised seed (Isaac), the father of Israel (Jacob), saviors or preservers of Israel (Joseph, Samson, Samuel) or the forerunner of the great King(John the baptist)

Have you ever noticed in our own lives that God makes our inability his starting point. Our hopelessness and helplessness are no barrier for to his work.

When we come to the end of ourselves is when God loves to reach out his all powerful hand from heaven and give us hope.

When we think about Hannah’s barrenness, we must think of the time she was living in around 1100 B.C.

For that time she had almost everything a lady could have, she had a husband of good standing, moderate wealth, a husband who loved her, but she couldn’t have children.

It would have brought her shame and in the next point we will see that Peninnah wouldn’t let her forget it.

Her adversary vs. 6-8

Notice the Bible calls Peninnah, Hannah’s adversary.

There was likely some jealousy on Peninnahs part because she could have children and her husband still treated Hannah better.

There was name calling, and she was the center of the jokes around town, again remember at that time family lines meant something, and the boys would work in the field helping their dads, but because Hannah couldn’t have kids she couldn’t provide either.

This went on year after year and finally Hannah had enough, she wept and didn’t eat her portion.

Her Husband comes to her and asks her why she is weeping and not eating?

Notice that he knew the answer as he finished by asking her if he was not better than 10 sons

Hannahs vow vs. 9-11

After they had eaten Hannah went to the temple

Eli was there watching her

She was in bitterness of soul, she prayed and wept sore.

She was crying out in prayer to a holy God

Notice the vow she made to the Lord

If the Lord looked on her in her affliction and didn’t forget her and gave her a man child she would give him back to the Lord all the days of his life

In Exodus 3:7, God tells Moses that he has looked on the affliction of His people in Israel, if God looks on the afflictions of individuals like Hannah prays here.

He would take the Nazarite vow which normally would be for a certain period, but his was given no period of time, but rather for his whole life.

One commentator described her prayer this way “She addresses Yahweh of Hosts, cosmic ruler, sovereign of every and all power, and assumes that the broken heart of a relatively obscure woman in the hill country of Ephraim matters to him”

We can approach God the same way and with the same fervor, knowing that The God of Heaven cares for us here in the city of Stephenville, just as much as he cared about Hannah in Ephraim.

Eli’s Assumption vs. 12-18

As Hannah continues to pray, Eli marked or watched her mouth

Hannah was in such deep prayer that her lips moved, but nothing came out as she was praying in her heart

Romans 8:26 “26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

God hears our groanings, even when we can’t find the words to pray

As Eli is watching her pray he assumes because of how deeply she was praying and the fact that her lips were moving and no words were coming out that she was drunk.

Look at her response in verse 15-16

She isn’t drunk in fact she hasn’t drank wine or strong drink, but she had poured her soul out before the Lord.

She asks him not to count her as a daughter of Belial

Deuteronomy 13:13 “13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;”

Eli’s response

Eli told her that the Lord would grant her the petition that she had asked of him

Conclusion

Maybe you’re here this morning and you have a need that seems impossible, those are the needs God does best. Will you like Hannah seek the face of God?

Are you here this morning and you have never trusted Christ as your personal Saviour come this morning and we can show you from Gods word how you can be saved