← Back to sermon library

Okay, you can turn in your Bibles 
to 1 Samuel 1. 1 Samuel 1. Last week we introduced 
the book, indicated that the time frame specifically takes 
place probably around 1105 B.C. to 971 B.C., and those particular 
dates are the birth of Samuel and the death of David. And so 
this is what we have in 1 and 2 Samuel. So, specifically, looking 
at chapter 1 tonight, what we have in chapters 1 to 7 is the 
focus upon the prophet from God's grace, specifically Samuel. Chapter 1, verse 1 to chapter 
3, verse 21, tell the early history of Samuel. And here in chapter 
1, specifically, we have the birth of Samuel. So I'll just 
pick up reading in verse 1. Now there was a certain man of 
Ramethane, Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, 
the son of Jeraham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son 
of Zuth, an Ephraimite. And he had two wives. The name 
of one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Penanah. Penanah 
had children, but Hannah had no children. This man went up 
from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of 
hosts in Shiloh. Also, the two sons of Eli, Hophni 
and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. And whenever 
the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give 
portions to Peninnah, his wife, and to all her sons and daughters. 
But to Hannah, he would give a double portion, for he loved 
Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb. and her rival 
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 provoked her, therefore 
she wept and did not eat. Then Elkanah, her husband, said 
to her, Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is 
your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten 
sons? So Hannah arose after they had 
finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli, the priest, 
was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of 
the Lord. And she was in bitterness of 
soul and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. And she made 
a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the 
affliction of your maidservant, and remember me, and not forget 
your maidservant, but will give your maidservant a male child, 
then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and 
no razor shall come upon his head. And it happened, as she 
continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart, 
only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore 
Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, how long 
will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you. 
But Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of 
sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor 
intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the 
Lord. Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the 
abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now. 
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and the God of Israel 
grant your petition which you have asked of him. And she said, 
let your maidservant find favor in your sight. So the woman went 
her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. Then they 
rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and 
returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah, 
his wife, and the Lord remembered her. So it came to pass in the 
process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son. and called his 
name Samuel, saying, because I have asked for him from the 
Lord. Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer 
to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow. But Hannah did not 
go up, for she said to her husband, not until the child is weaned. 
Then I will take him that he may appear before the Lord and 
remain there forever. So Kana, her husband, said to 
her, do what seems best to you. Wait until you have weaned him. 
Only let the Lord establish his word. And the woman stayed and 
nursed her son until she had weaned him. Now when she had 
weaned him, she took him up with her with three bowls, one ephah 
of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house 
of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. Then 
they slaughtered a bull and brought the child to Eli. And she said, 
oh my Lord, as your soul lives, my Lord, I am the woman who stood 
by you here praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and 
the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of him. Therefore, 
I also have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he shall 
be lent to the Lord." So they worship the Lord there. Amen. So as I've already mentioned, 
the birth of Samuel is the key point in this particular chapter. 
Samura says that the birth of Samuel in chapter 1 inaugurated 
a decisive period like the birth of Moses recorded in Exodus 1 
and 2 or of Jesus in Luke 1 and 2. A new era, the era of the 
monarchy, was brought about by the birth of the king-maker. Now when we speak of Samuel as 
king-maker, we're not suggesting that he did this in his own strength 
and in his own will. God the Lord raised up Saul and 
then David. He uses Samuel, of course, to 
anoint these men to their particular office. But this is a new era 
in Israel's history. They come out of the period of 
the judges. This is a book of transition into the monarchy 
where Israel now has a king. And remember that having a king 
is not necessarily evil or wicked. Deuteronomy 17 spoke to the eventuality 
that Israel would have kings. Deuteronomy 17 specified how 
that king was supposed to function when he took office in Israel. In 1 Samuel chapter 8, when Samuel 
is upset with the people for having asked for a king, and 
then God says, basically, don't be upset, they've not rejected 
you, they've rejected me. It was they were looking at the 
kingdom or they were looking at monarchy and trusting in it 
rather than in God and rather than seeing it as a means by 
which God would rule over them. So monarchy in and of itself 
is not evil. Monarchy is not a bad thing. 
Israel was always going to move to this era of monarchy. And 
that's what we have here in 1 Samuel. So three broad sections in 1 
Samuel. I'm not sure we'll get to it 
all tonight, but certainly we will give it an attempt. First, 
the family of Elkanah in verses 1 to 8. Secondly, the vow of 
Hannah in verses 9 to 18. And then thirdly, the birth of 
Samuel in verses 19 to 28. So we'll just run through the 
passage, make some observations, and then some application along 
the way. Certainly, the way that Hannah responds to these tragedies 
or these trials in her life is a great model. She goes to the 
throne of grace. She's a woman of prayer. We studied 
that on Sunday night in Paul's prayer for Timothy in 2 Timothy 
1, verses 3 to 7. Well, here's a snapshot of another 
person at the throne of grace, and I think what Hannah has to 
teach us here in this passage is very beneficial. But let's 
look first at the family of Elkanah. Verse 1, his identity is specified. He is from Ramathem, Zophim of 
the mountains of Ephraim. His father was Jeroham, the son 
of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuth and Ephraimite. And then it introduces us to 
the two wives. Now certainly Hannah is the most 
important in the chapter Pantinat serves as somewhat of a foil. 
Now certainly polygamy is condemned in the Bible. This was not God's 
intention, but it was something that came about so God regulated 
it in the old covenant law. There are certain things that 
happen in a post-fall world that are not legitimate, but because 
they take place, God sets regulation or laws in place so as to protect 
the innocent. For instance, divorce. In an 
unfallen world, there'd never be divorce. But in a fallen world, 
there are times and seasons and occasions where divorce occurs. So God regulates or God puts 
laws into place in order to protect innocent parties. Slavery is 
another thing. When God created the earth in 
terms of his revealed will, it was not the case that men enslave 
others. But after the fall, slavery is 
a reality. So the law speaks to slavery. 
It legislates and regulates so that persons can be protected. 
There are several laws like that that take place. Polygamy was 
certainly practiced in the Old Testament. And while it's not 
what God had purposed and intended, it nevertheless was done in Israel. So we need to just understand 
that. Probably, Hannah was his first 
wife. And because Hannah was barren, 
he took Peninnah as his second wife. And she was as fertile 
as a rabbit, as far as we can tell in this particular instance. 
I don't know if she was quite that fertile, but she was certainly 
very fertile and very much with children. So that's sort of the 
setup here. And that Elkanah has two wives 
indicates something of his moderate wealth. He certainly couldn't 
have supported two wives on, you know, the bare minimum. As 
well, the barrenness of Hannah jumps out in this passage over 
and over and over again. And if you've read your Bible 
at all, you'll know that this isn't the first time that God 
uses a barren woman to do something amazing. All the way back in 
Genesis, we have Sarah, we have Rebecca. Rebecca was probably 
barren for 20 years of marriage. We have Rachel in Judges 13, 
in the period of the judges. We have Manoah's wife. She was 
barren. The Lord opened her womb. And 
then as well in Ruth. Remember when Ruth initially 
marries Naomi's son, there's a period of 10 years there in 
Moab where she doesn't have any children whatsoever. It's only 
after coming back to Bethlehem, Ephrathah, when she marries Boaz 
that she then gives birth. So barren women are a theme, 
or barren women do come to the pages of scripture often because 
it shows God's power, it shows God's glory, it shows his majesty. Elizabeth is another one when 
we get to the Gospel according to Luke. Same sort of a motif 
there. We have a barren woman that God 
comes to and God blesses and gives fruit or gives in a child 
that does something very particular, something very spectacular. So 
what we have here is ordinary things, ordinary events, barrenness 
is not out of the ordinary, that does happen. but God does extraordinary 
things through it. John Gill says that God did this 
to Hannah to put her upon praying for one, praying for a child, 
and that the birth of Samuel might be the more remarkable. So the barren woman motif is 
used often in scripture. And again, it's a manifestation 
of the power and the majesty and the glory, and as well, the 
sovereignty of God most high. Davis makes this perceptive comment. Barren women seem to be God's 
instruments in raising up key figures in the history of redemption, 
whether the promised seed, Isaac, the father of Israel, Jacob, 
saviors or preservers of Israel, Joseph, Samson, Samuel, or the 
forerunner of the great King John the Baptist. And then he 
develops this whole idea of God's power manifested in weakness. God's power and glory demonstrated 
through those things that we would never, ever expect. He 
says, this matter goes beyond the particular situations of 
biblical barren women. We are facing one of the principles 
of Yahweh's modus operandi. When his people are without strength, 
without resources, without hope, without human gimmicks, then 
he loves to stretch forth his hand from heaven. Once we see 
where God often begins, we will understand how we may be encouraged 
It's a very perceptive statement there, in the midst of weakness. 
And in Israel's history at this particular time, it's dark. The 
period of the judges, as long as the judges were in charge, 
they did exercise some good restraint over the people in Israel. But 
by and large, you wouldn't look at the period of the judges and 
say that Israel as a whole flourished. Israel as a whole just thrived. They did great. They were wonderful. Righteousness prevailed in the 
land. Godliness prevailed in the land. When we get to 1 Samuel 
chapter 4, we find something that had never occurred in Israel's 
history up to this point. The Philistines capture the Ark 
of the Covenant. I mean, these are a dark, bleak 
season and time in Israel's history. So what does God do? He raises 
up Samuel from a barren woman to communicate the reality that 
as dark and as bleak and as helpless as the situation may appear to 
be, that does not diminish the strength, the capacity, the power 
or the ability of our living God. This is why you really need 
to be in the Old Testament. Not to suggest that the New Testament 
doesn't have any hint of this, but the Old Testament is filled 
with story after story after story that shows the sufficiency 
of God in the midst of great trial, and in the midst of great 
sorrow, and in the midst of great difficulty. So what we have is 
that common motif replayed here with reference to Hannah. Notice, 
specifically his worship in chapter 1 verses 3 to 7, the yearly sacrifice. This man went up from his city 
yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh. This is about 20 miles north 
of Jerusalem. Now as we proceed in the monarchy, 
It is David who will centralize Jerusalem as both political capital 
and as religious capital. This is where David's throne 
will be. It's a very key location. If you look at the map, Jerusalem 
makes a lot of sense because it's right about in the middle 
with reference to the whole of Israel there. But it's not till later that 
Jerusalem becomes central in terms of politics and religion. And so Shiloh was the place where 
the people of God would worship. We see that in Joshua 21. We 
see that as well in this book up until the point, as I said. 
that the movement is made to Jerusalem as a more central place. So when we see this, Elkanah 
is a religious man. Elkanah is a pious Jew. Elkanah wants to go and worship 
the Lord. So he goes to Shiloh. Also the 
two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were 
there. This is some foreshadowing. Hofne 
and Phineas are going to make an appearance in chapter 2 in 
a big way. And I think already what the 
author is doing is showing us a bit of contrast between the 
godly line or the godly family of Samuel versus, or in antithesis 
to, the ungodly family of Eli. So it's just mentioned incidentally 
so that when we get to chapter 2 and we learn more about these 
two particular fellows, we'll remember that they are the priests 
of the Lord serving there in Shiloh. And then verse 4, and 
whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, He would 
give portions to Peninnah, his wife, and to all her sons and 
daughters. This was common. When you took 
your sacrifice, you made your sacrifice. The priest got a portion, 
but the worshipper as well got a portion. And so what we learn 
is that Elkanah took some of that. He gives it to Peninnah. 
She then gives it to her children. But notice what verse 5 says. 
But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah. To Hannah he gave a double portion, 
for he loved Hannah." Now, there is a different reading in the 
Greek translation of the Old Testament. In what's called the 
Septuagint, it says that he gave her a single portion, yet he 
loved Hannah. I think I favor what's called 
the Masoretic text in this particular instance. I think the emphasis 
is particularly on this reality. that he loved Hannah, he valued, 
he prized her, so he gave her a double portion. I think that 
helps us understand something of Peninnah's attitude toward 
Hannah as well. I mean, she is a vindictive, 
unkind... you know, terrible woman, to 
provoke Hannah for not having children. I mean, it's bad enough 
to be under the frowning providence of God, but then to have a panana 
provoke you and frustrate you and irritate you and bring you 
to the point of tears is simply unthinkable. So more than likely, 
verse 5, as the New King James translated, is accurate. He loved 
her and he gave her a double portion. Ben and I would see 
that and certainly would not be happy about it. When we look 
at Abraham's situation with Sarah and Hagar, there was some problems 
after Hagar came on the scene and after Hagar gave Abraham 
a son. Certainly two women don't want 
to share one man. I mean, Gil says this was his 
punishment for having been a polygamist. He had these issues and these 
problems in his own household. We see Elkanah's affection for 
Hannah. He would give a double portion 
for he loved Hannah. Then the provocation by Peninnah. Notice what the text tells us. 
This is terrible. And it's all over. The fingerprint 
of God's sovereignty is all over. It keeps telling us, the Lord 
closed her womb. The Lord closed her womb. The Lord closed her 
womb. And certainly Peninnah would have known that as well. 
Verse 6, and her rival 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 provoked 
her. Therefore, she wept and did not 
eat." If you happen to have that Dale Davis commentary on this 
section, read the one page that he does on this section. He basically says that it was 
probably like this, Peninnah and her children walking to Shiloh 
with Elkanah and with Hannah. The children of Pananoth say, 
why doesn't Miss Hannah have any children? Did you read this? 
Why doesn't Miss Hannah have any children? Well, because she's 
a disappointment to her husband. Her husband wants children, but 
she won't give him any. I mean, just ripping him down. 
Now, he's definitely reading into it, but when we look at 
this particular section, she provoked her severely. That's 
terrible. That's just wicked. That's evil. I mean, if somebody falls under 
the crowning providence of God, the last thing they need is for 
you to come and take them. They need you to come and encourage 
them. They need you to come and help them and to pray for them 
and to pray with them and to remember them and to be kind 
to them. But that's not what we have in 
Panana. We have that she provoked her 
severely to make her miserable because the Lord had closed her 
womb. So it was year by year, probably Hannah looked at at 
this coming walk to Shiloh with dread. I can avoid Pananah during 
the daily routines, but when we walk that road to Shiloh, 
she continues to nag me and she continues to put in my face that 
I'm a barren woman. All Hannah wants is to produce 
Not just a child. She has specificity at the throne 
of grace. She wants a son. And it is very 
intriguing that in her vow concerning this particular son, she employs 
the Nazarite vow. No razor shall touch his head. 
If we're right that 17 to 21 in the book of Judges comes actually 
before the installation of Othniel, the most recent judge would have 
been Samson. Now Eli technically served as 
a judge of sorts, but not in the vein of a Samson, a Gideon, 
and a Japheth. So what is she saying in this? 
She is, I think, shining the light upon what a great man Samson 
was. Samson was a great judge. Samson 
was a great leader. God, if you give me a son, I'm 
going to dedicate him to you in the same sort of a manner 
that Samson was dedicated and devoted to the Lord for servants. 
Another means by which we can affirm that Samson isn't the 
big bumbling galoot that everybody thinks he is, governed by his 
passions and his desires. Godly Hannah seems to at least 
have or gives a hat tip to the reality that Judge Samson was 
a Nazirite, perhaps my son could follow in his particular train. So notice, she provokes her. 
We get then to verse 8, excuse me, verse 8. Then Elkanah, her 
husband, said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not 
eat? And why is your heart grieved? 
Am I not better to you than ten sons? It's the answer. Well, no, you're not. You're 
my husband. I want a son. Right? There's 
a different bond, a different connection. There's a different 
relation. It's not the same sort of love. 
The love that a parent has for a child is different than a love 
that the parent has for the other parent. It's just a different 
thing, especially when Paninas is picking on Hannah all the 
time about being barren. Again, barrenness was an evidence 
or an indicator of something wrong in a person's life in this 
particular situation. So Akana offers her this sympathy, 
but it's inadequate. So look at what we have. We have 
a nagging provoking, mocking, terrible person in Panama. We 
have a sympathetic, loving, kind-hearted, but unable to help husband. Where does Hannah go? She goes 
to God. When she goes to God, there happens 
to be a suspicious priest as well that thinks she's drunk 
because she's mouthing at the time of the prayer. You see, 
what is the author showing us? Her help does not come in men. does not come through the agency 
of man. That brings us to verses 9 to 
18, the vow. Notice verse 9, So Hannah arose 
after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli 
the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle 
of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of 
soul and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. It's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. The reality 
was that she knew experientially the frowning providence of God. 
She could stand with us on any Lord's Day and sing number 21, 
God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. She could 
affirm the reality that there are frowning providences. She 
knew of a truth that these things were part of her life, but as 
well, that reality pressed her to God. This seems to me to be 
a very important thing in the Christian life. It's not the 
case that we never face trial. It's not the case that we never 
face hardship. It's not the case that we never 
face difficulty. It's that those things ought 
to press us to God. You see, it's not the case that 
those things should drive us away from God. They should press 
us to God. You'll see the psalmist, for 
instance, specifically the psalms ascribed to Asaph. He pours out 
his complaint to God. He pours out his heart to God. 
You see, if he complained to men, he poured out his heart 
to men about God, that would be wrong. But God is not against 
us coming to Him and laying hold of Him and pouring out our hearts 
to Him very specifically, and that is precisely what she is 
doing here. She has faced the cruelty of 
Peninnah, the inadequate sympathy of Elkanah, she will face the 
suspicion of Eli, but she has found the listening ear of God 
Most High. You see, this isn't just a story 
about the birth of Samuel. It is an encouragement to each 
of us that this God is our God. This God is the one that we can 
go to in prayer. Look at the text. And she was 
in bitterness of soul and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 
If these things overtake us, then we ought to go likewise 
to the throne of grace. Hannah, as a godly woman, would 
have known what God did with Israel in terms of the exodus 
from Egypt. She would have known what God 
the Lord said to Moses. God said, I have surely seen 
the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard 
their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So 
you see Hannah in the prayer closet says, if he knows the 
sorrows of Israel and he delivers them from Egypt, then perhaps 
he'll hear my sorrows and deliver me from this barrenness. She 
goes to God with earnestness. Psalm 6 verses 8 and 9, depart 
from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice 
of my weeping. You see, if ever there's an argument 
for you as a downcast brother or sister to pray, it is 1 Samuel 
1, verse 10. When you have bitter hearts, 
when you have trials and sorrows, the answer isn't to go complain 
to everybody else. The answer isn't to go seek solace 
in the arms of a penina. The answer isn't to go out and 
argue against the sovereignty of God. The answer is to submit, 
therefore, to God. Notice as well Psalm 142 verses 
1 and 2. I cry out to the Lord with my 
voice. With my voice to the Lord I make 
supplication. I pour out my complaint before 
him. I declare before him my trouble. You see, troubles come, and they 
should push us to God. Always be suspicious. If when 
difficulties hit, you do not respond in prayer. You see, this 
is the key here, one key, one of the many keys on the ring 
of the Christian. We need to make sure that when 
we fall under these frowning providences, we don't murmur 
against God, we don't revile God, we don't call into question 
God's sovereignty, we don't say, why does God do these things 
to a great guy like me? Rather, we come to the Lord and 
we pour out our hearts beforehand. The mockery of men may be a reality. The inadequate help of those 
closest may be a reality. But so is a God who hears the 
prayers of his people and undertakes on their behalf." I mean, who 
would have thought, right? Hannah going to Shiloh in the 
midst of this particular situation would be the mother of the kingmaker. 
Who would have thought, any of these other ladies that we've 
already cited in the books of Genesis and in Judges and then 
in Luke's Gospel, who would have thought that Elizabeth would 
have given birth to John the Baptist? None of us. You see, 
God works through weakness, God works through things that look 
otherwise to us. 1 Peter 5.7, we are told, casting 
all your care upon him, for he cares for you. Here's a quote 
from Davis. Raj, you've already read this, 
I apologize. He says, now there is a myth 
circulating around the church that often goes like this. I 
hope this myth doesn't circulate around our church. Anyways, this 
is what he says. Believers in the Old Testament 
period didn't have the freedom and personal approach in prayer 
that we do. Their worship consisted of a 
very external, formal, cut and dried, sacrificial procedure 
in which ritual killed off any spontaneity or intense spirituality. I just think that anybody who 
reads Psalms could never say that. But Davis has rubbed shoulders 
in a lot of places, and there does seem to be at least a non-sympathetic approach to Old 
Testament religion. But having said that, this idea, 
this myth, here's what he says. Hannah would say, that is hogwash. True, Hannah is still in 1 Samuel 
1 and not in Hebrews 4. But once you see Hannah in prayer, 
how can you doubt that she has found the same throne of grace 
and knows something of the same boldness with its occupant? Christians 
then should allow Hannah to be our schoolmistress to lead us 
to Christ, to instruct us in communion with God. Many Christians 
need to realize that Yahweh our God allows us to do this, to 
pour our griefs and sobs and perplexities at his feet. Our Lord can handle our tears. It won't make him nervous or 
ill at ease if you unload your distress at his feet. I mean, just think about it. 
You've got a friend, a family member, somebody that you know 
and love, and they just lose it. They start sobbing hysterically. They've got some issue in their 
life, and you give them a hug, but you kind of don't know what 
to say. I don't know how to relieve this. 
I don't know what to do. I'll pat you on the back and 
I'll speak some comforting words and I'll pray with you and I'll 
pray for you. There might be a bit of that 
trepidation that we have toward others, but God doesn't treat 
us that way. God welcomes his suffering saints 
to the throne of grace. This is the point of the passage 
that Davis refers to in Hebrews chapter 4. What does the apostle 
tell us seeing that? That we have a great high priest 
who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. Let us 
hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest 
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses. We don't have one 
who cannot. What's the implication? We have 
one who can. He sympathizes. He knows our 
frame. He pities us. He knows that we're 
but dust. For we do not have a high priest 
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points 
tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly 
to the throat of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace 
to help in time of need." Now probably your experience is similar 
to mine. The most earnest prayer that 
you've ever offered up has been in seasons of trial and sorrow 
and grief and distress. It's typically the way it is, 
and that's God's doing. God sends these things. God brings 
these things. God chastens, or God brings these 
frowning providences, not to chase us away, not to crush us 
under his hand, not to bring despair and gloom, but to draw 
us nigh unto him so that he can comfort us, so that he can fix 
us, so that he can help us, and so that he can set us upon our 
path again. His purposes in these things 
are wondrous and glorious and that is precisely what is happening 
here in Shiloh with reference to Hannah and her crying out 
to the Lord for a sign. Notice the specific vow, verse 
11. Then she made a vow and said, 
O Lord of hosts. Interesting, she uses the covenant 
name throughout. the covenant name of God Most 
High throughout. Eli refers to the Lord, verse 
17, as the God of Israel. I'm not suggesting Eli was, you 
know, the worst guy in the world, but there does seem to be something 
of a contrast being set up in this particular section. I think 
it serves as good backdrop for what we find in chapters 2 and 
3. She made a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed 
look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, 
and not forget your maidservant, but will give your maidservant 
a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days 
of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head. You see, 
that's... True prayer. She cries out to 
God. She says, I'm an afflicted being, 
and I cry to you, Lord God, to meet me, to visit me, and to 
relieve me of this affliction. That's earnestness at the throne 
of grace. And the vow specifically is to 
give him to the Lord all the days of his life. And no razor 
shall come upon his head. Now note the interaction between 
Eli and Hannah. The interaction between Eli and 
Hannah. Eli misunderstands this whole 
thing, verses 12 to 14. And it happened as she continued 
praying before the Lord that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah 
spoke in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was 
not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she was 
drunk. So Eli said to her, how long 
will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you. 
That's just really intriguing, based on what we later find out 
about Eli. I mean, what do Eli's sons do 
in their service to the Lord? They steal sacrificial meat and 
they lay with women outside the tabernacle. So where is he in 
terms of those men and their infractions? Eli dropped the 
ball in terms of fathering his own sons. And here he thinks 
that this woman, this godly woman who has poured out her heart 
before the Lord is drunk. Hannah responds, no, my lord, 
I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. She essentially says, I'm not 
drunk with wine or intoxicating drink. I am drunk with sorrow 
and bitterness and affliction. It is because of that that I 
pray thus. It is because of that that I 
cry to Yahweh. It is because of that I am in 
this place opening my soul to the Lord God Most High. Do not 
consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance 
of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now. This woman 
wants God to answer her prayers. This woman doesn't care what 
Eli thinks in terms of how she looks, other than to correct 
the fact that she is not a drunkard, but rather she is a seeker after 
God. Eli is corrected, he understands, 
and he pronounces a benediction upon her. But it's interesting. Look at verses 15 and 16 again. 
She says, I have poured out my soul before the Lord. The Psalter 
picks up this sort of thing as well. In Psalm 102.1, if you 
look at it in the New King James, it'll be the subscription. That's 
verse one in the Hebrew Bible. But in Psalm 102.1, it says, 
a prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and pours out 
his complaint before the Lord. That's not the best title for 
a psalm. I don't know what is. Listen 
to what he says, a prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed 
and pours out his complaint before the Lord. You see, the Bible 
never lies to us and says everything's going to be peachy green. Everything's 
going to be rosy. Everything's going to be bluebirds. 
Everything's going to be happiness. Everything's going to be health. 
Everything's going to be five, six, seven, eight kids. Everything's 
going to be minivans. Everything's going to be a steady 
paycheck. Everything's going to be lake homes in the summertime. 
It never lies to us that way. When we read Psalm 102, we enter 
in. We say, wait a minute. This psalmist 
had a prayer of the afflicted when he was overwhelmed and he 
poured out his complaint before the Lord. That happens to me. 
Those kinds of things are true of me. And what can I do? I can 
pour out my soul before the Lord God Almighty. Psalm 116, verses 
1 and 2. I don't think we ever say I love 
the Lord because of a specific. We say we love the Lord and that's 
good. Well, I guess we do. We love the Lord because he's 
God. We love the Lord because he's good. We love the Lord because 
he's merciful. We love the Lord because he's 
kind. Look at what the psalmist says. I love the Lord because 
he heard my voice and my supplication. I love the personal pronouns 
that the Bible employs as well. What does Paul say? Galatians 
2.20, the life that I now live, I live by faith in the Son of 
God who loved me and gave himself for me. At this conference we 
were recently at, Carl Truman gave a bit of an illustration 
concerning Martin Luther. And he mentioned how Martin Luther 
had said somewhere, I looked it up, I couldn't find it because 
my lack of Googleness. But I'm sure it's out there somewhere. 
I didn't ask Carl Truman where it was. But Luther said, you 
know, the Pope and I both believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 
The Pope and I both believe that Jesus came into this world. The 
Pope and I both believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. The 
Pope and I both believe that Jesus suffered, he died, and 
he rose again on the third day. But the Pope doesn't believe 
he did that for me. Luther said he did it for me. 
That experiential, that realization, that faith in him, and that's 
what we have underscored in both the Old and the New Testaments. 
The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved 
me and gave himself for me. Psalm 116, 1 and 2. I love the Lord because he has 
heard my voice and my supplications. Has anybody ever asked you, why 
do you love God? Because he hears my prayer. Because 
he listens to me. Because he delivers me from my 
trials. Because he's always there with 
me. I love him for that. That is 
an aspect of his being. That is an attribute or a description 
of who he is that I can sink my teeth into. I love the Lord 
because he has heard my voice and my supplications, because 
he has inclined his ear to me. Therefore, I will call upon him 
as long as I live." Reminded of a statement by C.H. Spurgeon. 
Spurgeon says, we ought to pray as men and women who have tried 
and proven their God. As men and women who have tried 
and proven their God. Well, certainly he could get 
that from this. Because He has inclined His ear to me, I have 
tried, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. I 
have proven it, and I am going to continue to bring my petitions 
and my supplications and my afflictions and my heartaches to this good 
God. Eli then pronounces benediction 
upon her, verse 17, Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your 
petition which you have asked of Him. And she said, Let your 
maidservant find favor in your sight. So the woman went her 
way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. You see, that 
benediction, that good word spoken by Eli was used by the Lord. You see, previously, she didn't 
want to eat. Previously, she was struck with 
grief. She was so sorrowful, she didn't 
want to engage in those sorts of things in her life. Eli pronounces 
this good word upon her. May the God, or Go in peace, 
and the God of Israel grant your petition, which you have asked 
of Him. She then says, let your maidservant 
find favor in your sight. She goes away, she eats, and 
her face was no longer sad. As I said, we're going to stop 
there. We'll pick up the birth and Hannah's prayer, God willing, 
next Wednesday night. But just a couple of things by 
way of conclusion. First, the sovereignty of God 
in the midst of a dark period in redemptive history. Again, 
what we have coming out of the book of Judges and what we have 
going into 1 Samuel chapter 4 indicates these are bleak and dark times. 
I just wanted to read this quote from Samora. He says, it was 
surely one of the darkest times of Israel's history when Samuel 
was called to be a prophet of the Lord. See, we gotta read 
that way. We gotta ask the question. We 
gotta say what's going on. We gotta say what's happening. 
Who's around Israel? What kind of oppression are they 
facing? What's going on within Israel? Are they doing well religiously? Are they doing well politically? What is the situation that is 
facing them? So he says, it was surely one 
of the darkest times of Israel's history when Samuel was called 
to be a prophet of the Lord. This teaches us that regardless 
of how desperate the situation looks outwardly, God is certainly 
preparing his chosen individuals in order to fulfill his plan 
and purpose according to his sovereign will and gracious concern 
for his people. You see, in the midst of this 
darkness, God is working. In the midst of this darkness, 
God is raising up his king, his kingmaker specifically. If you 
look for just a moment at 1 Kings chapter 17, 1 Kings chapter 17, 
this is another illustration. In dark days in Israel's history, 
we see God nevertheless bring help and bring deliverance. There 
is no announcement in chapter 17, verse 1. There is no genealogy. There's Elijah the Tishbite. 
He could have just parachuted in from heaven. He just, boom, 
there he is. That's how he comes on the page 
of scripture. And Elijah the Tishbite of the 
inhabitants of Gilead said to Ahab, as the Lord God of Israel 
lives, look at this, before whom I stand, What a way to describe 
your life as a believer. I always stand before God, whether 
I'm prophesying, whether I'm preparing macaroni and cheese, 
whether I'm going to the store, whether I'm burping my baby, 
I stand before the Lord. There shall not be dew nor rain 
these years except at my word. There's a man by the name of 
Wallace who made this statement concerning Elijah's arrival on 
the scene. He says, whenever evil flourishes, 
it is always a superficial flourish. For at the height of the triumph 
of evil, God will be there, ready with his man and his movement 
and his plans to ensure that his own cause will never fail. The same is true in 1 Samuel 
1, through barrenness, Through weakness, through provocation, 
through sadness and sorrow and grief and despair, God raises 
up Samuel to do an amazing task in Israel's history. Secondly, 
we cannot leave this chapter without acknowledging the reality 
that God's people suffer. God's people face trials, God's 
people face difficulties, God's people face frowning providences. In fact, I would go so far as 
to say it is unique if God's people don't experience them 
a lot in their lives. I'm not going to say you've got 
to go out and experience 15 trials or difficulties tomorrow, but 
think about it. You're a Christian man or woman 
living in a world that is in opposition to God Most High. 
2 Timothy 3.12 ought to be in play at least some parts in your 
life. All who desire to live godly 
in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. So you've got the world, you've 
got the devil, you've got the flesh, and then you have a chastening 
father. Hebrews chapter 12, the Lord 
God chastens his children. In other words, that is a demonstration 
that we are truly children. If we are not chastened, if we 
are not under frowning providences from time to time, then the scripture 
says that we are illegitimate. We need to face that reality 
that the bulk, not the bulk much, I can't quantify it, 80% of your 
life is going to be miserable. I'm not going to say that because 
that's just not the case, but there is going to be trial and 
difficulty and problems in the Christian life. It's just a part 
of it. The passage we're going to look 
at on Sunday in Matthew 16, that demand of discipleship, how does 
Jesus describe following it? He doesn't describe it as sitting 
in your car with the air conditioning on. He describes it in terms 
of carrying your cross. So certainly trials and difficulties 
are part and parcel of the Christian life and these frowning providences. 
You know, we may never be able to successfully explain why it 
is that these things happen. There are things that happen 
to God's people that are truly perplexing. Things that happen 
to God's people that truly cause us to stand amazed. And yet we 
know that whatever my God ordains is right. and that of him and 
through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. He does all things well, Romans 
8.28. He does it for his own purpose. He does it for the good 
of those who love him, to those who are the called according 
to his purpose. And thirdly, the most blessed response that 
the people of God who face trials can undertake or to apply is 
prayer. Go to the Lord. Now, I'm not 
saying don't go to church. I'm not saying don't read your 
Bible. I'm not saying, you know, use the means that God's ordained. 
But prayer, brethren, afflictions, trials, sorrows, and difficulties 
ought to cause us to be a prayerful people. More helpful than reading 
A.W. Pink or D.A. Carson on Paul's 
prayers is getting a bit of trial and affliction to send us to 
our God. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for your word and we thank you for your majesty and 
your strength and your power demonstrated through weakness. 
As well, Father, we thank you for this godly example of Hannah, 
the way that she poured out her soul before a prayer hearing 
God. We thank you as well that you 
heard and that you remembered and that you granted this petition. 
God, may these things encourage us to pray. May these things 
encourage us to have that confidence in you that the Bible calls for 
us to have. There's so much, so much of an 
abundance of evidence in the scriptures for how trustworthy 
and how faithful you are. Grant us an increase in faith 
in our own lives and for those in our church, God, that are 
going through trials and difficulties. May they be a prayerful people. 
May these things be of help and benefit to them in their own 
scripture reading as well. And we pray these things through 
Christ our Lord. Amen.