Hannah: Cast Your Cares

Children’s Bible Page 304

(Scotland Trip)

This morning, as we continue our summer series on women in the Bible, we are going to learn about a woman named Hannah.

And the theme of Hannah’s story is centered on God glorifying prayer, in particular making petitions and supplications, asking of God in prayer.

You know, our Lord Jesus makes some particularly astounding statements about prayer.

Matthew 7:7–8 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 21:21–22 ESV

21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

John 14:13–14 ESV

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

There is a great danger in misinterpreting these words Jesus gives us about prayer.

The danger in misinterpretation is when we pray and ask the Lord for something, and He does not grant it, we understand that to mean that we have insufficient faith.

Like, if we could just conjure up more faith, God would have certainly granted our request.

As if more faith could have twisted the arm of God to the point where He said, “Okay, I’ll do it!”

This kind of thinking leaves us filled with guilt and shame believing that we must just have weak faith if our request was not answered in the way we asked.

Or we may even struggle asking ourselves if we have any faith at all.

While the Bible does encourage us to examine ourselves and see whether we are in the faith, the examination has to do with discerning if you have any desire to obey the Lord.

It is certainly not contingent on if all your prayers get answered the way you asked.

So, the question becomes, what does Jesus mean?

How can Jesus so simply promise: whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith?

How do I, in faith, cast my cares on the Lord? What does it mean to ask in faith?

Hannah’s story is going to help us answer this question.

Hannah lived toward the end of the spiritually dark time of the Judges.

The book of 1 Samuel records the transition between the Judges where there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes, to the establishment of the monarchy and King David.

Yet, while it was a spiritually dark time, Hannah shines a light on what prayer in faith truly is.

1 Samuel 1:1–8 ESV

1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

Hannah’s Grief

The first person we meet is Elkanah.

He is an Israelite, and we learn he has two wives, which went against God’s design, yet it was very common in Old Testament times.

It is most likely Hannah was Elkanah’s first wife since the text makes clear that she is the one Elkanah loved, and the one she would give an double portion to during the time of sacrifice.

Yet, the Lord closed Hannah’s womb, not allowing her to have children, so he married Peninnah in order to have children.

In these ancient times, there were no retirement plans or 401ks.

Having children was your retirement plan and your legacy.

It doesn’t make it right before God, but this is one reason why men would marry a second wife.

Verse 6 tells us that Peninnah was Hannah’s rival, her enemy, and she grievously provoked her about her not having children.

You can imagine the horrible family situation.

Peninnah knows that Hannah is the favorite of her husband, though she is the one who has given him children, so she bitterly seeks to make Hannah’s life miserable.

And this went on year after year, and Hannah was grieved by it.

I find Elkanah’s response to Hannah humorous.

We men just don’t know the right thing to say sometimes do we?

Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?

Now, we need to make sure that we are understanding this event the way the author is laying it out to us.

I want you to notice that the text does not tell us that Hannah was grieved because the Lord had closed her womb not allowing her to have children.

I’m not saying that was not hard for her, but I am saying, the author does not tell us how Hannah felt or responded to not being able to have children.

What the author does tell us is that Hannah’s main grief and burden was that she lived with a rival, an enemy who constantly harassed her.

It doesn’t seem like Elkanah really understood this, or he was just unwilling to put himself in the middle of Peninnah and Hannah.

1 Samuel 1:9–18 ESV

9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Hannah’s Prayer

Notice, in the midst of Hannah’s grief, Hannah rose and went to the temple of the Lord to pray.

One of the main themes of this whole series has been: go to God in prayer, for He is the God who sees, who hears, and who answers.

And let’s pay attention to the two aspects of her prayer that we learn from the text.

First, her prayer is a prayer of faith, because it is in submission to God and his glory.

In verse 11, she addressed God as the Lord of hosts, which is the name of God that connotes that he is the God of armies, His military name.

And she asks the Lord of hosts to remember her in her affliction, and she asks Him to grant her a son, and she vows that she will give her son to the Lord all the days of his life.

Now, we may be tempted to think Hannah is trying to twist God’s arm by saying, “I will offer him back to you all the days of his life,” like some kind of bargaining chip.

But, that is not what is going on.

Look what God commanded back in:

Exodus 22:29 ESV

29 “You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.

So, she is simply saying, I desire to obey and honor you with the son you give me.

She adds that no razor shall touch his head, which was the first distinction of a special vow called a Nazirite vow.

Well, was that Hannah trying to manipulate God into it?

Well no, the last judge God had raised up was Samson, and God commanded him to take the Nazirite vow, so Hannah was just seeking to align herself with God and his purposes.

Finally, we must understand that in the Old Testament, the people of God had a commission from God that is similar to the New Testament commission but not exactly the same.

Our New Testament commission is to fill the earth with worshippers by going and making disciples of all nations, and while the New Testament certainly honors family, marriage, and raising children, it also encourages believers to consider staying single in order to give ourselves more fully to the work of making disciples,

But the Old Testament commission was to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with worshippers through marriage and childbearing.

It’s helpful to note that the Old Testament never encourages anyone to consider remaining single like the New Testament does.

All that to say, Hannah’s desire to have a son, was a desire to honor and obey God’s commission that he had given His people.

So, here we see, to pray a prayer of faith does not mean to conjure up a certain amount of faith, but instead, to align our prayers with the desires, heart, and commands of God from the Scriptures.

Because praying a prayer of faith means you believe that God’s word and ways are best.

James 4:3 ESV

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

James says, many do not receive what you ask for in prayer, because you are not praying in faith that God’s word and ways are best.

You are praying in line with your wants and desires.

And when you pray in line with your wants and desires, your faith is in you, not in God.

Psalm 37:4 ESV

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Now, the biblical way to understand that verse is not, if you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you all the things you on your own are desiring.

The biblical way to read it is, if you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you desires in your heart that align with His desires.

It is why Jesus taught us to pray, “God, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Because in prayer, we are seeking to align ourselves to God’s kingdom purposes and trust in God’s perfect will.

And can I promise you, God always answers your every prayer.

And His answer is always in line with His kingdom purposes and His perfect will.

Not only is Hannah’s prayer a prayer of faith because it is in submission to God’s glory,

Secondly, her prayer is a prayer of faith because it is characterized by genuine relationship with God.

We see Hannah in deep distress and weeping bitterly before the Lord.

For a second week in a row, we see someone taking their most raw and real thoughts and emotions to God in prayer.

And as she was praying to the Lord, Eli, the priest is watching Hannah pray, and her lips are moving, but she is not using her voice.

So, Eli the priest just assumes that she is drunk and rebukes her for it.

Remember, these were spiritually dark days in Israel, so this detail about Eli represents the fact that the priest was not used to seeing people in the temple truly pouring their hearts out to God in intimate relationship.

In those days, it was common for people to stand and pray out loud for all to hear.

In those dark times, prayer was more of a show for others than it was an intimate connection in relationship with God.

But not for Hannah.

Hannah answers Eli that she is not drunk, but she is troubled in her spirit, and she is pouring out her soul before the Lord.

Hannah’s prayer is a prayer of faith because it is in submission to God’s glory and because it is a pouring out of the soul in genuine relationship.

One characteristic of the hypocritical Pharisees of Jesus’ day is that they loved to stand and pray out loud in the synagogues and the street corners in order to be heard by others.

Yet, Jesus said,

Matthew 6:6 ESV

6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

You see, the prayer of faith prays to the God who sees, the God who hears, and the God of armies who knows you and is for you.

So, pour out your heart to him in genuine relationship.

Cast your anxieties on him because He cares for you.

Philippians 4:5–7 ESV

5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Once Eli the priest understood that Hannah was praying a prayer of faith, He blesses her, telling her to go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.

And in verse 18, Hannah says, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then, she went away and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Will you notice with me that after Hannah had poured her heart out to God in a prayer of faith, she was then willing to eat and her face was no longer sad?

That’s important because nothing about her circumstances had changed yet.

God had not solved her great problem.

But, once Hannah prayed her prayer of faith, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guarded her heart and her mind because she believed that God sees, God hears, and God acts on behalf of His people.

What is it in your life that is provoking you?

What circumstances are causing you affliction?

What things are causing you great anxiety and vexation?

May I exhort you to continually pour your heart out to God as a prayer of faith!

Fill your mind and heart with God’s word so that it is a prayer that is in submission to God and His glory.

And pour your heart out in genuine relationship knowing He is the God who sees, the God who hears, and the God of armies who acts on behalf of His own.

Pray until peace comes, even if your circumstances don’t change.

Pray continuously.

1 Samuel 1:19–28 ESV

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” 21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.” 23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Offering

Though Hannah’s circumstances had not yet changed, she was able to offer true worship to God because she had poured out her heart to him in her prayer of faith.

Yet, when they returned home, the text says the Lord remembered Hannah.

And He opened her womb, and she conceived and bore a son.

The name Samuel means, “I asked for him from the Lord.”

Once again, it is so vitally important that we understand this rightly.

The prayer of faith is in submission to God and His glory.

It says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.”

So, I want you to understand that if it would have been in the perfect will of God for Hannah’s womb to remain closed the rest of her life, Hannah’s prayer of faith would have still been fully answered.

How could I say that?

Because the prayer of faith is in submission to God’s perfect will.

Hannah had said, “God, if you do choose to give me a son, I will offer him back to the service of the Lord all the days of his life.”

She would not raise him under her roof. He would not be at family dinner every evening. She would not be the one to educate him.

This was an offering to the God who sees, and hears, and acts.

But all the while, her prayer was fully answered.

For remember, Hannah’s great problem that was causing her anxiety and vexation was that she lived with a rival, an enemy who provoked her, harassed her, and made her life miserable for the fact that God had closed her womb.

So, when God answered Hannah’s prayer by opening her womb and giving her a son, God was defeating Hannah’s enemy on her behalf.

Peninnah’s reason for provoking and harassing Hannah had been overcome.

You see, Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel 1 is really a microcosm of the story of the people of God.

Throughout this dark spiritual time, God’s people had found themselves living under the tyranny of an enemy.

And when they would humble themselves and cry out to God, God would raise up someone to deliver them.

Hannah’s son, Samuel was the final judge of Israel, and he was the one who would anoint King Saul, and then, more importantly, King David.

And under King David, God saved the people from all of their surrounding enemies and promised that He would establish David’s throne forever.

Yet, King David was far from a perfect leader, and he sinned in many ways that hurt both Him and his people.

By the end of the books of Samuel, we are still awaiting one born of a woman who will come and once-and-for-all time defeat our great enemy of Satan, sin, and death that lives to provoke us and cause us anxiety and harassment.

And we find that one as God miraculously opens another woman’s womb and that woman is Mary.

And Mary conceived and bore a son and called his name Jesus.

And Jesus, fully God and fully man, was born, lived his life, died his death, and rose again on the third day to once and for all crush our great enemy of Satan, sin, and death.

And Jesus reigns as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and will come again to make all things new and to reign in true righteousness and justice.

And all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved from Satan, sin, and death and will be filled with the Holy Spirit of God in order to desire what God desires, and to have a genuine relationship with God.

And when you pour out your heart to God, you can know that He is the God who sees, who hears, and who acts on your behalf.

For He has already acted in order to win the most decisive victory on your behalf in order to be freed from your greatest enemy.

Cast your cares on the Lord asking with submission to the glory of God.

For, no matter what your circumstance, you can pray the prayer of faith in victory over your great enemy, believing that if God would not spare His own son, how would he not also give us all things?

As we are about to respond to the preaching of God’s word with a song of worship, let me read over us Hannah’s prayer of praise to the God who granted her victory over her enemy.

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.

What circumstances are leading you to pour out your heart to God?

Would you align your heart to God and his word?

Would you pour out your heart to Him?

Would you trust in faith that God sees, and knows, and acts on your behalf?

Maybe you are here, and you need to bow your knee to King Jesus for the first time in your life.

Pray.

(Elder at couches)