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Hannah: Faith that Found God’s Will and Victory – 1 Samuel 1:1-18 – Bible study

Hannah: Faith that Found God’s Will and Victory – 1 Samuel 1:1-18 – Bible study

Hannah
Faith that Found God’s Will and Victory

1 Samuel 1:1-18

11-15-98

    INTRODUCTION: Doesn’t it lift your spirits when you see someone whoreally loves the Lord. You can see Him in their life. God livingwithin a believer is a wonderful thing to behold you are able toobserve how God directs their life. You see them often goingthough difficult times, but at the same time you see them exercisingunswerving faith in the Lord. In time you observe how the Lordgives the victory and how the overcome their difficulty.

    But is how it is for the true Child of God. 1 John 5:4-5says:

    “For whatsoever is born of God over cometh the world: andthis is the victory that over cometh the world, even our faith. Who ishe that over cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is theSon of God?”

    It is equally repulsive to watch the hypocrite try to imitatethat which only God can give. It is such an empty thing to see thecounterfeit “Christian” trying to be spiritual and act like a child ofGod. It is like fool’s gold, it has the color and shape, but it is notthe real thing and has no value. Like fool’s gold the phony may foolsome for a while, but in time he is revealed to be fraud.

    It too is disheartening to see the deceiver waste his life in avain attempt to be something he genuinely could be. . . if he wouldonly admit his sin, confess it to the Lord and by faith be saved.

    It is invigorating to find such a gracious spirit as Hannah inthe midst of the moral ruin that followed the priestly rule of the kind-hearted, but weak-willed Eli, who was the High Priest during end ofthe time of the judges. Eli is an example of a man who is moreconcerned about the honor of his sons than the honor of God and hisfailure to raise his sons to fear God dishonored God, his position asjudge and High Priest. (Chap. 2:26-36).

    The first mention of Eli in the Bible was when he confrontedHannah as she prayed to the Lord.

    Hannah’s name means grace, and she is true to her name.She is a picture of how God’s grace is given to those who put theirtrust in the Lord and God’s grace was sufficient for her. There ismuch we might learn from her.

    I. HANNAN WAS A CHILD OF GOD, BUT SHE WASSORROWFUL. “A woman of a sorrowful spirit” (v. 15).

    A. SHE SORROWED BECAUSE SHE WASCHILDLESS (v. 5). Believing that “Children are a heritage of theLord” (Psa. 127:3), it vexed her soul that this heritage was not hers. She counted it a shame to be fruitless.

    1. In our society of “living to get” being productive is notvery important. It was we acquire that is significant not what weproduce.

    2. Christian of today have a tendency to let the world’scorrupt attitudes influence us. We see God has being solely ourbenefactor, and have little concern for giving unto Him. Manyprayers are “gimme” type prayers, and there is little expression ofgenuine thanksgiving to God for His mercy and grace to us.

    3. This is why the false trends in many of today’s church istoward entertaining services with lots of modern music and plays.What was once the worship hour is not a “show” with the preacherbeing the host.

    4. Has your fruitlessness for God ever vexed your soul? It isa shame for any Christian to be barren in the work of God. In 2Peter 1:8, tells us: “For if these things be in you, and abound, theymake you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in theknowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

    B. HANNAH WAS MOCKED. “Peninnah, her adversary, provoked her sore, to make her fret” (v. 6).

    1. Her childless condition brought upon her the sneer of theungodly. It is a heart-searching and deeply humbling experience forany child of grace, as Hannah was, to have the finger of derision andridicule pointed at them by one who loves not the Lord and yetseems to enjoy more of His favor than the other.

    2. Hannah trusted the Lord, yet it seemed that God hadforgotten her. How disheartening it is to think God is unconcernedabout you.

    3. Worse is to see how those that have not regard for theLord prosper and seem to be doing so well. . .while you struggle infaith.

    4. The Psalms of David show that although God says he”was a man after my own heart” at times he lost sight of God’spresence in his life.

    Psa. 13:1, “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? forever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?”

    Psa. 74:10, “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach?shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?”

    Psa 94:3, “LORD, how long shall the wicked, how longshall the wicked triumph?”

    Psa. 94:4, “How long shall they utter and speak hardthings? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?”

    2. Is God ungracious? No; but those fiery shafts of theenemy may be permitted by God to convict us deeply of thebarrenness of our lives, that we may cast ourselves the moreunreservedly upon the Divine all-sufficiency.

    3. Look at 1 Sam. 1:5. It says that God had shut up herwomb. God had not forgotten her. He was totally aware of hersituation and God had a plan. Hannah was not aware of it, butGod consider her to be special to Him.

    C. BECAUSE SHE HAD A VERY SENSITIVENATURE.

    1. If Hannah had a calloused heart she would havehad fewer tears in her eyes (v. 7). There is great hope for anyChristian worker who can weep over the fruitlessness of their lives.It is good that we should feel this “bitterness of soul before theLord” (v. 10). Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion.

    2. Year by year she remained faithful to the Lord. (v.7) Shewent to God’s house and in spite of fact it seems that God hadabandoned her. . .she would not turn from God.

    3. It looked as if there was no hope. . .but Hannah knew thatGod was her only source of delivery. There was none other to turn,no where else to go.

    Peter understood that fact. After Jesus began to preaching righteousness in preparation of the coming Kingdom of God thepeople began quit following him. Jesus turned to His disciples andask them would they also leave? In John 6:68, the Bible records theonly answer possible: “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, towhom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”

    II. HANNAH WAS PRAYERFUL.

    A. HANNAH PRAYED. “She prayed unto the Lord, andwept sore” (v. 10). She did not return railing for railing; beingreviled, she threatened not. We may thank God for the trials thatsend us into His presence, to plead, with full purpose of heart. Thescourges of the enemy only serve to drive her into the place ofblessing.

    1. Although she did not understand she continued to prayand poured out her heart to the Lord.

    2. True faith is an enduring and unwavering faith. Yes, theremay to time so doubt, but the child of God will always go to theLord.

    3. Psa. 37:3-4 says, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; soshalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delightthyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thineheart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and heshall bring it to pass.”

    In James 5:15 God says, “The effectual fervent prayer of arighteous man availeth much.” James further said in 4:8 “Drawnigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”

    B. SHE VOWED. “0 Lord, if Thou wilt give unto Thinehandmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord.” (v. 11).

    She purposes in her heart that if the Lord will, in mercy, rollaway her reproach, she will consecrate His gift entirely to Hisservice. This is a mighty argument with God. What will He withholdfrom those who seek not great things for themselves, but who desireto honor Him with His every gift.

    1. What Hannah ask God for was a son. It was not a selfishrequest as some might imagine. Hannah was a son to honor herhusband and to honor God. I believe in her heart she longed to seethe Lord glorified by her testimony and faith.

    3. In asking for a son and vowing to give him to the Lord’s

    service is proved the Lord was first in her life. She was asking Godto use her to raise us a man to serve Him. Her joy would be inbeing able to be a channel of blessings Israel and to bring honor tothe Lord.

    C. Hannah believed in God. “So the woman went herway, and her countenance was no more sad” (v. 18).

    1. The Lord had spoken to her heart. She brought herburden to the Lord, and she went away without it. It is one thing totell the Lord about our burdens; it is quite another thing to cast themon the Lord (I Peter 4. 7). The countenance is sure to be changedwhen the heart has found rest in the will of God.

    2. James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when yefall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of yourfaith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, thatye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” I think that it isworth noting that this God’s first instruction to man after being silentfor 400 years since the last book of the Old Testament was written.James was the first New Testament Book written.

    3. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand ofGod, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care uponhim; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

    4. Hannah’s faith in God enabled her to turn the wholematter over to God. She got up from her prayers confident thatwhat ever happened it was in God’s hand and according to His will.

    III. HANNAH’S SORROW WAS TURN TO JOY.

    (Chap. 2. 1)

    A. HER PRAYER WAS ANSWERED. “She called hisname Samuel, saying, Because I asked Him of the Lord” (v. 20).

    1. She asked a son, and the Lord did not give her a daughter.

    John 14:13 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, thatwill I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

    “He maketh the barren woman. . . to be a joyful mother ofchildren (Psa. 113. 9), can also make the fruitless Christian workera happy winner of souls.

    2. The key is wanting to be fruitful and though being fruitfulbring honor and glory to the Lord.

    B. Hannah gave God the glory in her testimony. AfterSamuel was weaned she gave him to the Lord as she had vowed. In 2:10 is the first mention in the Bible of the Messiah as the anointedone. God promised a redeemer in Gen. 3:15. Here He is called the Anointed or Messiah. Folks Hannah was looking to the Lord, butclearly she understood the promised of the Messiah. Note that thiswas in the period of the Judges…Israel had no king, yet shecalled the anointed one king. The king’s dominion would be the”ends of the earth.”

    1. Hannah went to again to Shiloh, to the Lord’s house, tooffer a thanksgiving offering to the Lord. With her she brought heronly son Samuel. When she came to Eli she said, “I am thewoman that stood by thee here, praying; and the Lord hath given memy petition” (vv. 26, 27).

    2. What a simple, yet powerful, testimony this is. She knewthat He heard her, now she has the petition that she desired of Him(1 John 5. 15). “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss”(James. 4:3).

    C. Hannah kept her vow. “As long as he liveth he shall belent to the Lord” (v. 28). She paid her vow unto the Lord (Psa. 116.1.8). In the giving back of Samuel she was forming a powerful linkof connection between herself and the Lord that must have enrichedher whole life with blessing.

    D. HANNAH GAVE UP THAT WHICH SHE COULDNOT KEEP TO GAIN THAT WHICH SHE COULD NOTLOSE.

    1. Every sacrifice we make for the honor of our Lord willcertainly increase our reward of Him. Folks lets not be like the wicked and slothful servant who hid his lord’s money (Luke 19:22),but use for His glory every gift received, and every Victory won,through the prayer of faith.

    2. Do you see how God was working in Hannah’s life andhow He used her.

    First Hannah was barren, yet deep in her heart wanted tohave a son to honor her husband and in turn honor the Lord.

    Hannah was belittled and harshly treated by Peninnah. Herlife was miserable and year after year it seemed there was not hope.

    Yet, Hannah would not submit to seeing herself and her faith ridiculed.

    Hannah did not know that it was God that has caused her notto have children. She was sorrowful and distraught over hersituation. Yet because of Hannah’s faith in the Lord, God’spurpose was accomplished. She as in God’s hands whether sheknew it or not and her faith kept her true to the Lord in spite of itappearing God had abandoned her.

    She knew the power of prayer and laid her burden before the Lord. She got up from her knees with the matter settled in her heartthat it was now in God’s hand and He would do what was right. She resolved herself to God’s will in the matter.

    God answered her prayer. Her barrenness, and all thesuffering she endured became for her a blessing. She became atestimony to the grace of God working in a person’s life who wouldby faith commit themselves to the Lord.

    She faithfully returned the son she was given to the Lord.God gave her a great blessing and then she returned it to the Lord .

    Samuel was the last of the Judges of Israel and I believe itsgreatest Prophet. Hannah’s gift to God blessed her, honored theLord and a great benefit to Israel her people.

    Truly Hannah’s faithfulness was greatly used of the Lord,even to this very day.

    She produced fruit because she trusted the Lord, refused toabandon her faith, and committed herself to the Lord.

    Conclusion:

    Is it important to you that you bare fruit that will honor theLord, or do you come to God to get what you can.

    Are you willing to let God bless you so that you could be ablessing to others.

    Many times we are not blessed of God because we cannot betrusted to use God’s gift’s to benefit others and that God’s work bedone.

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