DUE TO HECTIC SCHEDULES, I AM A FEW WEEKS BEHIND ON POSTING THIS STUDY AND FOR THAT I AM TRULY SORRY. PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 2 LESSONS POSTED TODAY, Hannah and Mary BOTH ARE EXTRAORDINARY! PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ AND WE WILL RESUME ON SCHEDULE FROM HERE ON OUT!
THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Last week we discussed the life of Ruth, the Cinderella of the bible whose “fairy godmother” was none other than God himself!
We were reminded that:
- God has a plan, even when we think we're in the midst of a mess! Remember the song, "God will make a way, when there seems to be no way, he works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me!"
- God is faithful and is faithful to our faithfulness! We cannot outgive him!
What surprised you about the “Ruth” study? What did you take from it; did anything stick for you this week?
This week we talked about Hannah: A portrait of feminine grace
How do you recall Hannah?
Hannah is the last of the Old Testament women we will talk about in this study. She comes into the picture immediately following the book of Ruth in the first chapter of 1 Samuel (her son… naturally would start with her J)
Hannah was the “first” wife of Elkanah (who we affectionately referred to as "Elike" for mis-pronunciations sake! Feel free as you read to butcher his name like we did!) who we’re introduced to as an Ephraimite which tells us where they made their home – in the land of Ephraim, but he himself was a Levite – a Kohathitie to be exact, the same clan Moses and Aaron came from. The Levites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel and the only one that were not specifically given designated land to live in. They were dispersed among the land because they were the priestly tribe – and the Lord himself was their inheritance.
Numbers 18:20
20 The LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.
Why does this matter?
It helps us to understand their commitment to the temple and their closeness to God in a time where that wasn’t the social norm in Israel. Each year for a few weeks time every Levite man would take time serving in the tabernacle and in those days, the tabernacle was in Shiloh
So naturally, Elkhanah would have followed suit. Scripture portrays them as a devout family, and mentions that Elkhanah made regular trips to Shiloh to sacrifice.
Elkanah was married to two women. Hannah and Peninnah. Who the bible calls Hannah’s rival – and rival she was! The term sister wives was NOT one that you would use to describe this bigamous relationship. Hannah was the one that Elkhanah loved deeply which only made the rivalry worse. We get a real clear picture from these examples of why God intended for marriage to be a one on one deal all along! But why was there a second wife after Hannah if Elkhanah loved her so much? The same reason why so many of these men of the time had second wives – heirs.
Hannah’s name means grace. It’s a fitting description for the woman who became the model of the grace of motherhood. Whose life snapshot is the profile of a godly mother. Funny since she also bared the anguish of barrenness just like Sarah. Hannah’s life often mirrored the original matriarch, Sarah. Like Sarah she understood the stress and heartache of a bigamous husband/marriage relationship, and also like Sarah, she received the blessing of a child – one that would change the course of history. Most of all, she mirrored Sarah’s amazing faith and perseverance.
She also like Sarah because of her barrenness was the first wife to another wife who could bear children/heirs for “their” husband and who was teased, poked and provoked because of it. The stress and burden of this was often too much to bear and would cry from the depths of her heart and was known to be so depressed sometimes she couldn’t even eat.
Have you ever been at a point of depression where that was true for you? Or been so tormented by something or someone that this kind of behavior was true for you?
Let’s read the biblical account:
1st Samuel 1 – 2:10
1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite[a] 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. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 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. 4 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. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. 6 Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.7 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. 8 Her husband Elkanah 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?”
9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the LORD’s house. 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on 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.”
12 As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
15 “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. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
18 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.
19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[b] saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”
Hannah Dedicates Samuel
21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.”[c]
23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his[d] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e]an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.
Hannah’s Prayer
1 Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn[a] is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
2 “There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 “Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.
4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.
6 “The LORD brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s;
on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the LORD will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from 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, but the boy ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest.
Hannah longed to be a mother and she knew that children were a gift from God just as it says in
Psalm 127:3
3 Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Let’s pause a moment. Hannah’s life story is centered around her motherhood – so it is a topic we’ll discuss today specifically but let’s not forget the bible does address that some women will or should remain single and/or without children by God’s providence.
1st Corinthians 7:8-9
8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.
Those that the Lord blesses with this responsibility should take it seriously. In Titus 2:4, the Greek word philoteknos appears in reference to mothers loving their children. This word represents a special kind of “mother love.” The idea that flows out of this word is that of caring for our children, nurturing them, affectionately embracing them, meeting their needs, and tenderly befriending each one as a unique gift from the hand of God. We all have mothers and fulfill mothering/nurturing duties in our everyday lives with those we know and love and care for. Whether you are a biological mother, adoptive mother, spiritual mother or super auntie we can all grasp these concepts we learn from the biblical examples of motherhood.
Several things are commanded of Christian mothers in God’s Word:
- Availabilitymorning, noon, and night (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
- Involvementinteracting, discussing, thinking, and processing life together (Ephesians 6:4)
- Teachingthe Scriptures and a biblical worldview (Psalm 78:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:10; Ephesians 6:4)
- Traininghelping a child to develop skills and discover his/her strengths (Proverbs 22:6) and spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8)
- Disciplineteaching the fear of the Lord, drawing the line consistently, lovingly, firmly (Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15-17)
- Nurtureproviding an environment of constant verbal support, freedom to fail, acceptance, affection, unconditional love (Titus 2:4; 2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 4:29-32; 5:1-2; Galatians 5:22; 1 Peter 3:8-9)
- Modeling with Integrityliving what you say, being a model from which a child can learn by “catching” the essence of godly living (Deuteronomy 4:9, Proverbs 10:9; 11:3; Psalm 37:18,
Hannah is a great reminder that mothers are the makers of men and the architects of the next generation. God used Hannah in a mighty way when he answered her earnest prayer. He used her son Samuel to turn back the spiritual darkness and backsliding in Israel. He was the man who would step in and fill the leadership void and his character bore the clear stamp of his mothers influence even though he left home at an early age.
What was his mothers influence? What made Hannah so extraordinary? In a time of spiritual darkness, Hannah stood out as a ray of light. Not only was she the quintessential godly mother and wife, but in a spiritually cold generation she exemplified patience, prayerfulness, faith, meekness, submission, spiritual devotion and motherly love.
And it can be summed up in three simple categories:
Love for her Husband:
Huh?! Haha! J Yup that’s right. She was an extraordinary mother in part because she was loved by her husband and she loved him. That is the way God arranged it after all. MacArthur says: The love between a husband and wife is the real key to a thriving family. A healthy home environment cannot be exclusively built on the parents’ love for their children. Properly situated families have marriage as the center; families shouldn’t revolve around the children.
All parents should understand this lesson:
What you communicate to your children through your marital relationship will stay with them for the rest of their lives. By watching how a father and mother treat one another, they will learn the most fundamental lessons of life – love, self sacrifice, integrity, virtue, sin, sympathy, compassion, understanding and forgiveness. Whatever you teach them about those things, right or wrong, is planted deep within their hearts.
We’re told in the bible so many times about how important this relationship is.
Ephesians 5:22 – 28
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
Colossians 3:18-20
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
As the “representative” team for God in raising children especially – nurturing a marriage relationship is paramount because of the examples you provide for your kids in your interactions and because as we all know from raising kids – it’s important to provide a united front for discipline and direction.
There are so many ways we can do this and make sure we put this relationship as priority under God, but one key way we can do this is by worshiping together and allowing it to be a marriage of 3! (and not with another woman! Ha!) We do know that Elkhanah and Hannah worshiped together often, which must have been the way their love was able to sustain through such adversity.
Love for God:
Hannah obviously had a deep and abiding love for God. She was a devout woman whose focus was on Godly things and not earthly things. A significant example is that although in her humanness she was broken-hearted over her barrenness, she never became a complainer or a nag. There’s no suggestion that she ever grumbled against God, instead we see her humbly come before God in prayer and submission – pouring her heart out rather than complaining or looking for justice in her case. A beautiful characteristic of her was her constant, steadfast faith.
The value of persisitant and passionate prayer is one of the central lessons we take from Hannah’s life. Her faith and relationship with God wasn’t one born out of ceremonial customs. It was one born from pure relationship, real and true. One even Eli the head priest didn’t understand from looking in on and when he questioned her with accusations she didn’t respond harshly as maybe you or I might when accused by a brother or sister in Christ. She didn’t shame him or get haughty. Her response was one of grace and humility… of course she was horrified, but she merely explained herself and went about her way.
Another characterisitic is also revealed when we see in verse 18 that following praying, she rose , went away and ate. She cast her WHOLE burden on God and left it at the alter. She was content leaving the matter in his hands which shows us how genuine and patient her faith truly was. .
Psalm 55:22 and 1 Peter 5-6 instruct us to do just that:
22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
But if we’re honest, I think we’ll find in ourselves that we often times will pray our cares to the Lord and then carry them on our shoulders some more not truly allowing Him to have them and trusting Him to deal with them in His time and His way.
Why?
We see in her love for God that she was not only faithful in prayer but also her response. When God answered her prayer for a son, she turned right back without another thought and gave Him back to God by service in the tabernacle. Can you imagine handing your toddler over to a boarding school?! No way! The child she longed so many years for, she turned around and gave to God. That sacrifice only comes from a deep love and trust in God. We see this relationship in the song of praise in 1 Sam. 2:1-10
“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn[a] is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
2 “There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 “Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.
4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.
6 “The LORD brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s;
on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the LORD will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Love for her Children
The last major characteristic of Hannah was her devotion and love for her children of course. Can’t be a good mother without that! She devoted herself soley to Samuels care, knowing the short time she had with him and in that short time was able to leave a mark that with God’s leading would establish the character of Israels last judge. Even after she gave Samuel over to God’s care we’re told in scrptiure she visited regularly and would make him little robes each year. She loved and cared for him and the other children God blessed her with following Samuel all the days of her life, fulfilling all of the motherly duties outlined in the bible that we talked about before.
Hannah shows us a clear picture of what the Lord can do through one woman totally and unreservedly devoted to Him. She stands as a wonderful and extraordinary example to women today who want God to be honored in their homes. And her love for heaven, husband and home are the true priorities for every godly mother and wife.
