1 Samuel 1 vs 11-28

1 Samuel Chapter 1 Verse 11

·    This is an interesting scene. Dramatic for sure and draws us in but the fact that she is making some sort of vow or deal with God is interesting. Is that ok to do? That’s a tough question because it requires a prerequisite. It’s not a simple yes or no answer. The prerequisite is this. If it takes God doing something on your behalf for you to honor Him, trust Him, worship Him, then no, that sort of vow is not ok… That is coming from a prerequisite position of disbelief… Job said this in Job 13:15, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

·    However, if the vow comes from a place of relationship, and faith…, well, biblically it is ok IF you keep that vow. And that’s probably the challenge. Now, is it needed? Would God give Hannah a son even if she just asked without her vow? Probably. The simple end of the matter is that God is good and God will provide all and perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8). But I cannot conclude that what Hannah is doing is bad or wrong.

·    Deuteronomy 23:21-23 says, “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you. But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you. That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.”

·    Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 says, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.” I think a strong argument against vowing to the Lord can be made and I think a strong argument (not necessarily for but) can be made to show that vowing to the Lord isn’t fleecing the Lord or tempting the Lord or even sin… Either way it shows Hannah’s desperation…

·    And perhaps a clue as to Hannah’s faith can be seen in how she calls upon God. She calls up the “Lord of Hosts.” This is a title used for God in the scriptures over 200 times! And it speaks of God’s authority and His limitless capabilities. It speaks of an army, a war, and an expected victory. He is the One who hosts immeasurable armies. He is the Lord of Hosts… She believes this going into her petition…

·    And her vow is that her son would be a Nazarite from birth, “no razor shall come upon his head.” Typically, the Nazarite vow would be for a set period of time in someone’s life but we have two instances that were unique concerning this vow in scripture as it was Samuel and Samson that were Nazarites from birth (Samson didn’t keep to it). Numbers Chapter 6 gives us the specifics of this vow which would simply be a time for a Jew to separate themselves wholly to the Lord in lifestyle and would only be for a period of time and then be concluded with a sacrifice of specific offerings…

·    Hannah is going over and above with the Nazarite vow and with the Levitical obligation. Levites were required to serve in the priesthood from the ages of 30 to 50 according to Numbers 4. However, for Samuel, he would not only be a Nazarite for life but he would be in the service of the Lord as a priest for life as well. This is a heavy vow, and unique, and we will see as she fulfills her vow, quite reverent and sincere…

1 Samuel Chapter 1 Verses 12 – 14

·    Eli immediately thinks poorly of her. He’s the priest presiding over the Tabernacle and his default is to see her there and NOT assume she is praying? To me, that’s crazy. Assuming good intentions and assuming the good of someone…, honestly, I don’t understand how in the family of God that is not just so natural and incessantly consistent. Do YOURSELF a favor and adopt a mentality that assumes well of others…

·    Many studies have been done on this issue of society. This critical nature, this pessimistic lens, and the overarching conclusion is a self-esteem, self-worth issue. That someone who sees someone doing something or even just doing nothing and their default is to discount them or discredit them is a direct result of how they deep-down believe others see them… It’s sad, it’s tragic…, it’s a sign of a broken-heart, a heavy heart…

·    How about you, instead of making fun of us who choose to give the benefit of the doubt, how about you try choosing your confidants a bit more wisely and surround yourself with people who honor the Lord by loving you… Rather than using you to validate their own mental condition… And over time, well, good company corrects bad habits…

1 Samuel Chapter 1 Verse 15

·    Hannah is insulted, she is offended, she is discounted and discredited…, and her response is honor. Amazing. Godly. Wise. Regal even. How do you correct someone who does not honor you? By honoring them. How do you teach someone that what they are doing is less than who they are? By recognizing those things about them that are presenting at a level equal with their talents. Correcting in love and praising in torrents!

·    This also reveals the condition of Hannah’s heart! So influenced by her faith, without any doubt. Her home is hostile. Her life is culturally fruitless. She has been dealt a tough situation. And…, and…, she is at church, praying, and still the difficulties, the attacks come…, and she responds in love. “No, my lord…, I’m pouring out my soul before the Lord.” What a strong and wise example for us all!

1 Samuel Chapter 1 Verses 16 – 18

·    Eli went from disrespecting to honoring and partnering with Hannah. How? Why? What we already talked about. She returned honor for dishonor. Just like Jesus. Even though she did not accept Eli’s statement, she respected and served him in her response. And just like Jesus, in this moment she grew in stature with God AND with man…, just like Jesus (Luke 2:52).

·    There is an element of the world that will hate you. Jesus promised that because the world hated Him first. And yet Jesus was loved by many. And yet there is an element of true agape-based faithfulness that the world is starving for. Everyone, absolutely everyone, loves a hero story. And the hero always sacrifices himself/herself for the sake of others. There’s something of honor, inspiration and in the purity of a hero that even the world responds to in respect and reverence… Think of the Roman Centurion that drove the nails into Jesus’ hands and then said in Mark 15:39, “Truly this Man was the Son of God…”

·    Why is the world not like that with many or most Christians? Many or most Christians aren’t willing to sacrifice themselves for them… Jesus said take up your cross daily and follow Him… There’s a Christian in every hero, but not a hero in every Christian… I’m not saying the world is going to love you or everyone is going to love you when you follow Jesus. I am however saying that some most certainly will.

·    That’s not even this situation anyway. Eli is the high priest. He is a man of God. So, I’ll go as far as to say that this scenario should be consistent (in how it plays out) because even men and women of God make mistakes, bad assumptions, offenses and trespasses. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath,” and in correcting a brother in Matthew 18:15, Jesus said, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you (we’ll see later that a Christian that won’t hear correction should be treated like a heathen and a tax collector), YOU HAVE GAINED YOUR BROTHER.” So, in the family of God, honoring someone who is not honoring you is the way to lead them to honor, and specifically, honoring you.

·    Notice she went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. Why? Because she gave her weight of sorrow to the Lord and rose in hope. How long should we spend in prayer? This long. Until you leave it with the Lord. Until then, it’s difficult to say that you or I are praying in faith…, or, praying enough.

1 Samuel Chapter 1 Verses 19 – 20

·    “It came to pass in the process of time,” is one of the most difficult Bible verses there is… We have immediate issues and in our flesh demand immediate responses. But the response of faith is hope. The response of faith is trust. And the response of faith is worship and carrying-on.

·    The name “Samuel” means “God has heard.” And that name is so perfectly fitting because after Hannah prayed, she carried-on in faith that God heard her… Perhaps not that He would even give her a child…, but that He heard her, and that was somehow enough for this great woman of faith.

1 Samuel Chapter 1 Verses 21 – 23

·    We see a bit more redeeming character coming from Elkanah here. He doesn’t force his way but essentially says, “Do as the Lord would have you to do,” which is outstanding advice and great Godly loving leadership from her husband. To not do as he would desire but he places the direction of God above his own. Something every husband certainly ought to do…

·    This is better than how he handled things in the last scene. Hannah is entirely distraught and he can’t help so he tries to convince her not to be upset… Not Godly, no loving. Contrast that path with another husband whose wife was barren…

·    Genesis 25:20-21, “Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel they Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren.” Isaac took the burden of his wife and prayed for her and presented her burden as his burden to the Lord. That is the Godly and loving leadership approach of the husband. May I just go as far as to say that I don’t believe there is any way you are loving your spouse and building them up in their faith, encouraging them in their life, if you are not praying for them…

1 Samuel Chapter 1 Verses 24 – 28

·    Hannah fulfills her vow and brings Samuel back to the place where she got him from. When God answers your prayer, and you see it, (because we sometimes miss answers to prayers, maybe more than sometimes), it’s good to go back, go back to the place you were, and spend a little worship time there… A little thankfulness time… It’s good for the soul.

·    And the word here “lent” is a bit misleading. God is not borrowing her son. Her son belongs to God. Just like my sons, my daughter, my wife, my church, my job… The idea here is that she is presenting him to God. The Hebrew word can also mean, “to give upon request.” That’s what she is doing here.

·    Samuel was first the Lord’s. We read in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…” Our children are first the Lord’s. Our spouses are first the Lord’s. Our ministries are first the Lord’s. Our friends are first the Lord’s. A truth worth pondering and in wisdom, honoring.