Hannah's Desperation
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Today we are beginning a new study, on the books of Samuel.
For around 300 years Israel was ruled by the Judges. Unfortunately, these years were marked by problems politically—often Israel did not trust the judge that God called.
The times of the judges was marred by moral decline and spiritual deterioration. The decline was so bad that by the time we come to the book of 1 Samuel, the high priest, Eli and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas were leading the people into apostacy, and were using the office of priest for their own personal gain.
The book of Samuel begins with the story of Samuel’s birth. Within the story, we will begin to see that God is NOT going to hand over the care of Israel to the descendents of Eli. Rather, God is going to bring a new “prophet” on the scene—the prophet Samuel.
If you have your Bibles, turn with me to 1 Samuel, and we will begin our reading with verse 1.
There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
The Birth of Samuel
The Birth of Samuel
The Lineage of Samuel
The Lineage of Samuel
Samuel’s Father—Elkanah
Tribe—Ephraim
City—Ramah (“the height”) about 25 miles north of Jerusalem.
The fact that Ephraim is listed as Samuel’s tribe is troublesome because he serves as a priest. But 1 Chronicles 6:33-34 tells us that he was indeed a Levite.
Here are the men who served, together with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
So Samuel was a Levite or from the priestly line.
Samuel’s Family
Samuel’s Family
He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
Elkanah had two wives—Although it was never sanctioned by God, Jewish custom was that if a man had a wife who was barren, he would often marry a second wife to raise children for his name.
—Hannah—who has no children and was barren.
—Peninnah, who has children.
The Custom of Elkanah
The Custom of Elkanah
Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.
Elkanah was a godly man—committed to worshipping the Lord.
Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.
He took care of Peninnah.
But he loves Hannah.
This caused a bit of a rivalry. Look at verse 6.
And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Elkanah her husband would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
Because Hannah had not children, Peninnah would taunt her, and get Hannah so upset that she wouldn’t eat.
Elkanah would try to comfort her by reassuring her of how much he loved her.
Hannah’s Despair
Hannah’s Despair
More than anything Hannah wanted to have children. So the story continues:
Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. And she made a vow, saying, “O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
Hannah’s Prayer
Hannah’s Prayer
The family is in Shiloh to worship.
Eli the priest is sitting on a throne type chair at the doorway leading to the Lord’s temple.
Hannah is heartbroken and makes a vow to the Lord—a Nazarite vow.
She will give him to the Lord for his entire life.
She will never cut his hair.
Eli’s Observation
Eli’s Observation
As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.” “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
Eli sees Hannah praying, her lips are moving, but she’s not actually saying words.
So Eli assumes that Hannah is drunk, and scolds her.
Hannah pleaders her case! She hasn’t been drinking any alcohol.
Instead, she was pouring out her soul to the Lord.
Then Hannah, pleads with Eli not to think the worst of her.
Eli tells Hannah to go in peace and he asks God to do for her what she asked.
Hannah’s Response
Hannah’s Response
She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
Hannah asks Eli for his favor.
Then she returned to the family.
She ate some food.
And she was no longer sad faced.
The Rest of the Story
The Rest of the Story
Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
The get up the next morning and worship the Lord.
They return home.
Hannah becomes pregnant.
And gives birth to a son.
Whom she names Samuel, saying “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
So What
So What
God has a plan and is constantly working out His plan.
God always desires to use us, His creation, to accomplish His purposes.
Sometimes the things that cause us pain are part of God accomplishing His plan.
Hannah felt relief when she poured her heart out to God—we too can feel relief when we pour our heart out to God.
Finally, God always answers our prayers—Sometimes He answers positively, other times He answers negatively, and sometimes He says we need to wait—wait on His timing.