HANNAH: AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN 1 Samuel 1 & 2 Harrison FWB

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1 HANNAH: AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN May 11, 2014 AM 1 Samuel 1 & 2 Harrison FWB INTRODUCTION According to Proverbs 31:1, King Solomon s mother, Bathsheba, orally taught him the characteristics of the virtuous woman, wife, and mother. She is described as a woman of excellence. She is certainly personified in Ruth, King Solomon s great-great grandmother. In Proverbs 31:10-31 she is described as a woman who is priceless and precious. Solomon writes, Many daughters have done well, but you excel [surpass] them all (Prov. 31:29). She is exceptional, remarkable, and extraordinary. As we view Hannah, we find her to be one who surpasses her peers. She is indeed an exceptional and remarkable woman, wife, and mother. And as we will see, she is truly An Extraordinary Woman. What makes her even more extraordinary is when you consider the backdrop of her story. She is like a breath of fresh air. She is as refreshing as the rain on a dry summer day. She is as beautiful as a rose among the thorns. Let consider the backdrop of her story... HER ENVIRONMENT THERE WERE NO MORAL RESTRAINTS Hannah and her family lived during the time of the Judges. The writer of the Book of Judges sums up that period of time extremely well, in the last verse of the book: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25) According to 1 Samuel 1:3, while Elkanah s family worshiped and sacrificed to the LORD, Eli s (the high priest s) sons were committing wickedness before the LORD. According to chapter 2:12-17, Hophni and Phineas had corrupted the priesthood. In just a few short years the Philistines would capture the ark of God, and The glory of God [would] depart from Israel. So, these were indeed spiritually and morally dark times. But in light of the environment, many would have said, Everyone else is doing it, so why can t we? Or, The tabernacle is full of hypocrites; we might just as well stay home and watch the chariot races! But not Hannah. She was more interested in doing what was right in God s eyes. She didn t let the hypocrisy of others stand in her way of attending the tabernacle and worshiping the true living God with her family. When every imagination of the thoughts of man s heart was only evil continually, Enoch walked with the LORD three hundred years, and Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. Hundreds of miles away from his home and center of worship, young Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the delicacies and dainties of this world.

2 But we also live in a world where there are absolutely no moral restraints. It s just as Isaiah described: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil: Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. (Isa. 5:20) Paul accurately described our day in 2 Tim. 3:1-5: But know this, that in the last days perilous time will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power! And from such turn away! When everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes and when some have an outward resemblance of religion without inward reality, what a tremendous opportunity to shine forth as lights in a dark world! What an opportunity to be salt in a corrupt world! HER ENEMY PENINNAH Penninah had children, but Hannah had no children. Perhaps that s why Elkanah married Penninah in the first place so to have children and carry on the family name. However, at no time does God ever endorse polygamy. One man for one woman, for life, has always been God s marital design. Note 1 Samuel 1:6-7: And [Hannah s] rival [ adversary KJV] also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she [Peninnah] provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat. AN ACCUSER According to Deuteronomy 7:13-14, having children was a sign of God s blessing. Perhaps Peninnah accused Hannah of disobedience, therefore forfeiting the blessing of children. Possibly, Peninnah would say God had blessed her, but was judging Hannah s disobedience. AN ADVERSARY Maybe the love Elkanah had for Hannah, or the double portions he gave to Hannah intensified Peninnah s attack on Hannah. But listen to the words of one writer:

3 But through it all, her barrenness did not make her bitter. The accusations did not cause her to falsely accuse God. The fight purified her faith. Yes, God had closed her womb not of any disobedience on Hannah s part, but because He delighted to do something far better. As believers, we too have an accuser and adversary: Satan; the Devil. He is the accuser of God and God s people. He detests the Father loving us and lavishing us with all good things. Although Satan accuses us day and night before our God due to our sin, he is unsuccessful because we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is our Defense Attorney. He takes full responsibility for our case! (1 John 2:1-2). Now, let s consider a few of Hannah s extraordinary qualities. SHE WAS EXTRAORDINARY IN HER PRAYERS (1:8-16) She not only saw the dire and desperate times Israel was in, but she also knew that Israel was in dire and desperate need of a godly man and leader. Israel desperately needed revival and a return to God. But from all indication, through her prayer and promise, as well as through the godly nurturing of her son, she believed that Samuel one day could very well be the godly man and leader God could use to turn things around for Israel. And he was! He would even be the one to anoint David as king of Israel, from whom Christ Himself would come. John MacArthur was right when he wrote, [Hannah] is a reminder that mothers are the makers of men and the architects of the next generation (John MacArthur, Twelve Extraordinary Women, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005, 94). As she persisted in prayer, her focus wasn t merely on a son. Had that been, she wouldn t have made the promise to fully dedicate him to the LORD in the first place. Her focus was more on the nation and its need. But her primary focus was on God and His eternal kingdom. It was during Samuel s formative years she had the privilege of teaching and training him in the ways of the LORD. She turned him completely over to the LORD and then watched with anticipation how God would mightily use him. And just think it all started with a prayer and a promise. SHE WAS EXTRAORDINARY IN HER PROMISE (1:11, 27, 28) The word for vow in verse 11 is related to the word wonder, which refers to something out of the ordinary. The promise she made to God was truly extraordinary! SAMUEL WAS A LEVITE Elkanah was a Kohathite (Kohath was a son of Levi). Therefore, Samuel was also a Levite. Normally his duties would have begun at the age of 25 and concluded at the age of 50. However, Samuel was probably weaned at the age of 3, brought to the tabernacle, and died around the age of 75. Instead of a 25-year ministry, he had a 72-year ministry!

4 SAMUEL WAS A NAZIRITE When an individual made the vow to be a Nazirite, it did not have to be permanent. But Hannah dedicated and separated Samuel s entire life unto the LORD (v. 11). She understood that Children are God s heritage; they are His possession and property. She knew that it s only in releasing our children to God that we get to keep them forever. David said: For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You. 1 Chron. 29:14b So whatever we give to God, including our children, has first been given to us by God. Beginning at the age of three years-old, Samuel ministered before the LORD. But once again, please keep in mind; you can be sure he had already heard, while on his mother s knee, about the God of Israel. This is intentional and generational discipleship, intentionally passing the faith along to our children and grandchildren. Solomon said it like this: Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it (Prov. 22:6). So Samuel became a priest, a judge, a prophet, and a Nazirite. Only God in heaven knows and sees what our children can be when we release them to the Lord, and teach them and lead them to the way of Christ not only with our lips, but especially with our lives. We cannot and must not leave it to chance. SHE WAS EXTRAORDINARY WITH HER POSSESSIONS (1:24) According to Numbers 15:8-10, a bull, flour, and wine were to be sacrificed upon making a vow. But Hannah brought more than what God had required. Why? She had been heard by God (meaning of Samuel). God had been gracious (meaning of Hannah). When we truly appreciate and respond to all that God is and all that God has provided through His grace, we too will be generous in our giving. SHE WAS EXTRAORDINARY IN HER PRAISE (2:1-10) And Hannah prayed and said: My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.

5 Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble. The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. 7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. 8 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD s, And He has set the world upon them. He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed. Hannah was able to pray that way, because she knew God that way. Again, her prayer was in response to all that God is and all that God had done. Her giving and praying were an overflow and a reflection of what was already in her heart. Isn t that where worship begins anyway? It s not based on music or worship styles. It s not based on the architecture of a building. It s not based on the order of a worship service. Worship means that as God s people we ascribe to Him worth; He is worthy of all praise, honor, glory, and adoration! Our children and grandchildren should see what worship really looks like throughout the week and not just on Sunday or in church. What a privilege to pray with them and for them on a regular basis! What tremendous opportunities we have to regularly and intentionally teach them and read to them the Word of God, just as Deuteronomy 6 teaches: throughout the day, at home, hiking in the woods, or in the car going to soccer practice! Like many other godly men and women throughout history, Hannah shows us what the Lord can do through one person totally and unreservedly devoted to Him. By the way, the reason she could immediately and selflessly dedicate her first son to the Lord is because she had already done so with her own life.