1 Samuel 1,

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 1:19–2:11

beginning at verse 19. We left off on verse 18 last week, or we considered chapter 1, verses 1 to 18. We stopped before Samuel was born. So we're going to cover briefly the birth of Samuel, but then more in detail the prayer of Hannah recorded in chapter 2 verses 1 to 10.

So beginning in chapter 1 at verse 19, 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 Ocana, her husband, said to her, do what seems best to you. Wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord establish his word.

Then 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, O 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 worshiped the Lord there.

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.

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 born 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. The Lord makes poor and makes rich.

He brings low and lifts up. 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. Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. The child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest. Amen.

Introduction to the Study

So as we introduced last week, chapters 1 to 7 focus primarily on the prophet from God, specifically Samuel. Chapter 1, verse 1 through 3, 21 tell of the early history of Samuel. And as we see here in Chapter 1, specifically his birth is dealt with. Samara, I quoted last week, said, the birth of Samuel inaugurated a decisive period like the birth of Moses 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 Kingmaker. It's interesting as well, because the bulk of our study tonight will focus on Hannah at the throne of grace. We noticed that last week, Hannah prayed in chapter 1, specifically in verses 10 to 12. There, her soul was afflicted.

There, she was in great distress. There, she was in great anguish. She goes to the Lord in prayer. Here in chapter 2, after having received blessing from God, after having received the promise fulfilled, she goes to the throne of grace again, this time in a spirit of exaltation, a spirit of great rejoicing.

I think just as a cursory glance, we ought to observe that whether it's bad times or good times, every time is a good time to pray before the Lord God Almighty. And certainly Hannah's prayer in chapter 2 is most wonderful in terms of how we ought to approach God and the sorts of things we ought to consider with reference to our God. But let's look at the birth of Samuel.

The Birth and Dedication of Samuel

Notice specifically in verse 19, they rose early in the morning, they worshiped before the Lord, they returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife. This, of course, is a biblical way, biblical means by which the writer tells us that they engaged in marital relationship. And then verse 19 continues, and the Lord remembered her.

So it wasn't supernatural in the sense that no means were employed. She had relations with her husband. But up to this point, she had been barren. Up to this point, she had had no child.

Up to this point, there had been no conception. She goes to the Lord. She pours out her heart before the Lord. She cries out in her distress and in her affliction.

And verse 19 tells us, and the Lord remembered her. As we saw in the book of Ruth, God is sovereign over the womb. closes, the Lord opens the womb. In fact, that fares in Hannah's prayer. She mentions the very same thing there as she prays to the Lord God Almighty.

This indicates and highlights His sovereign power, His majesty, and His glory. It is the reality that God alone is the giver of life, and if that is the case, if He is sovereign over the womb, then certainly it is a wicked crime against God and a sin against God to attack the image of God in the womb of people. Notice then that they return to Ramah, there's relations between Elkanah and Hannah, remembrance by the Lord, and then Samuel is born in verse 20. In the process of time, Hannah conceived and bore a son and called his name Samuel, saying, because I have asked for him from the Lord." The marginal reading indicates that heard by God or from the Lord is the name or is the meaning of the name Samuel.

I think it's literally the name of God. But I think the idea is that Hannah is heard by the Lord, Hannah is blessed by God, and she names her son Samuel. And then notice the dedication of Samuel is indicated in verses 21 to 28. Obviously, according to the law, They would do this, but then as well, according to Hannah's vow, she stays back because she wants to make sure that when she takes Samuel to Eli, she can leave him there.

Another thing that we see from Hannah, when we make a vow to God, we must fulfill the vow. We don't pray to God and say, God, if you do this for me, then I will respond in this particular way. If God hears our prayer and answers our prayer, and then we renege on that promise, then we have sinned against the Lord God. Hannah is faithful to that which she had vowed.

Hannah is faithful to her promise to the Lord that Samuel would be his all the days of his life. So as I said, Hannah stays back from the yearly sacrifice. She says, not until the child is weaned. That would probably be about the age of three in this particular culture and society.

And then as we drop down, it tells us the child was young. So Samuel was just a little guy. at this particular time. So the child is weaned, the sacrifice is offered. Notice in verse 24, 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 them to the house of the Lord in Shiloh.

And the child was young. Some say that three bowls was way too much, that that That's obviously a mistake in the text. In fact, if you look at the margin of the New King James, other versions indicate that it was a three-year-old bull. Others suggest that no, because of the nature of the situation, a three-bull sacrifice would have been absolutely consistent.

The amount of flour that was offered, the amount of wine that was offered, was commensurate with that three-bowl offering. So it's simply a response, a big response to a big prayer that was heard by God and answered by God. And then notice, the grace of God is magnified in this particular section. Verse 26, when she sees Eli, or brings the child to Eli, she says, Oh my Lord, as your soul lives, my Lord, I am the woman who stood by you here praying to the Lord.

It's as if she is telling this man or it is as if she is communicating to this man how gracious the Lord God has been. She says 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.

So she dedicates her child Samuel to the service of God Most High." Again, He is the Kingmaker, He is the Prophet of God's grace that will be used very powerfully at the establishment of the monarchy in Israel.

Hannah's Prayer: Three Particulars

Now that brings us to consider the prayer of Hannah. And as we look at this prayer of Hannah, I want to consider three particulars. First, the expression of joy. Secondly, the rehearsal of God's attributes and thirdly, the prophecy concerning God's kingdom.

So first, the expression of joy.

The Expression of Joy

When you look at chapter 2 and verse 1, 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. Many have observed and perhaps your marginal notes indicate a parallel to Mary's song or Mary's description of praise in Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1 in verse 46, and Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For he has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant.

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. and His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. It's almost as if Mary had her morning devotions in 1 Samuel 2 when she received that blessed news from the Lord.

It's patterned in the same way. She rejoices in God. And then she indicates several reasons why God is to be rejoiced in. in. This is a very good pattern for our prayer, to rejoice, to praise, to express thankfulness and gratitude, and then to indicate back to God the various things that we are thankful for.

We've seen this convention used throughout Scripture, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ And then he details the father's role, the son's role, and the spirit's role in the salvation of sinners. Notice as well, my heart rejoices in the Lord. My horn is exalted in the Lord. She's probably very content and very happy that Peninnah can no longer mock her.

She's probably thrilled at the prospect that now she has a baby boy all her own. She's probably thrilled at the fact that her husband is now very content and very happy that Hannah has produced offspring for Him. But notice, her heart rejoices in Yahweh. She is happy in her God.

She is first and foremost happy in the One who gives the gifts and not the gift itself. John Gill has a very beautiful comment on this section. He says, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, not in her son the Lord had given her, but in the goodness and kindness of the Lord in bestowing him on her as an answer of prayer, which showed great condescension to her, the notice he took of her, the love he had to her, and his well-pleasedness in her, and his acceptance of her prayer through Christ. She rejoiced not in her husband, nor in the wealth and riches they were possessed of, nor in any creature enjoyments, but in the Lord, the giver of all. nor in her religious services and sacrifices, but in the Lord Christ, through whom her duties were acceptable to God, and who was the antitype of the sacrifices offered.

And it is in the person, offices, and grace of Christ that we should alone rejoice." He said, this joy of Hannah's was not worldly, but spiritual, not outward, but inward. Not hypocritical, but real and hearty. That's an excellent observation there that our brother John Gill makes. My heart rejoices in the Lord.

My horn is exalted in the Lord. Now notice, secondly, the rehearsal of God's attributes. When we rejoice, in God, this is a great opportunity for reflection upon God. In other words, when we express our thanks to God, when we come to the Lord in prayer, we are not like the worshipers of Baal.

We do not approach our deity and just seek to manipulate through a bunch of words. Remember Jesus' condemnation of the heathen prayer in Matthew chapter 6. They think that for their many words they will be heard by God. The idea being that if we just say the right things, if we just use the proper formula, then God will hear and spit out blessings upon us.

Christian prayer is not that way. Christian prayer is to be informed. Christian prayer is to be advised. Christian prayer is to be theologically saturated, and that is precisely what we see in chapter 2, verses 1 to 10.

Hannah was an excellent theologian. Hannah knew many excellent things concerning the Lord God Most High. So the time of rejoicing is a time of reflection upon who God is. Now notice she rehearses the attributes of God in this particular prayer, and there are four indicated.

And then one is sort of developed, and we'll look at that in just a moment. The attributes of God that are indicated here are first His holiness.

God's Holiness

Notice in verse 2, no one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides you. Now holiness can be both an incommunicable and a communicable attribute. Let me just explain what I mean. When we talk about the attributes of God, if you were here for the Sunday school sessions when we considered the doctrine of God, Pastor Cam explained, and I agree.

The attributes are not several things that sort of make up God. Each of the attributes are identical to the very essence of God. This is why the Apostle John can say God is love. It's not God as love.

God is a bit of love. God's love overrules his hate. It's not that at all. God is love.

He's identical with those things that we attribute to him. Holiness is peculiar to God. It is incommunicable in the sense that the way God is holy He is wholly alone. This is what Hannah indicates.

There is none beside you. Here specifically it is that incommunicable attribute of God's transcendence. The fact that God is unique. The fact that God is incomparable.

The fact that God is alone. He does not derive His being from others. He is solitary, he is singular, he is in a class of being all by himself. Now when we talk about holiness as a communicable attribute, Peter, quoting from the book of Leviticus, tells Christians, be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.

Of course, we can pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord. We can seek by the grace of God conformity to the law of God by the power of the Spirit of God and there image God in at least a degree of holiness. I don't think that's what she's speaking about here. She puts God in a class by himself.

No one is holy like the Lord. for there is none beside you." I think that further defines or further delineates for us what she means specifically by holiness, the idea that there is no one like you. The book of Deuteronomy in chapter 4 verses 34 and 35 says, Or did God ever try to go and take for himself a nation from the midst of another nation by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm? and by great terrors according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes. To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord himself is God. There is none other besides him.

He alone is God. He is unique. He is incomparable. He is altogether above man. 2 Samuel 7 and verse 22.

Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, nor is there any God beside you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. So when Hannah comes to pray, she rejoices in God. That suggests an occasion for her to ponder God, to consider God, to reflect upon God, to meditate upon His being, and then to pray those excellencies back to God, and a scribe prays unto him as a result.

Holiness is something that ought to so enamor us with God that we praise and adore him for it. Isaiah 6, I think, is another excellent example of this attribute being spoken concerning God. The angels praise the Lord, saying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is filled with his glory.

Again, oftentimes we associate holiness with moral purity, and holiness does have the idea of moral purity, but at its root the idea is separateness, removedness, otherness, and that's what the angels are praising. God therefore, the whole earth is filled with his glory. And then it's interesting too, if you remember from what Voss said on Saturday morning, actually he didn't say it on Saturday morning, he said it many years ago, but he wrote it down in biblical theology. He highlights that of the prophets, Isaiah peculiarly is the prophet of God's majesty.

Not that the others diminish that, or not that the others don't recognize that or don't realize that, but it is intriguing when we consider this term or this idea of holiness as applied to God. The prophet Isaiah uses the title for God, the Holy One of Israel, about 25 times in the book of Isaiah. That's a lot. There are several times that he uses the Holy One, but primarily that emphasis is upon the Holy One of Israel.

I think the next nearest prophet that uses that phrase concerning God is Jeremiah, and I think it's only a handful of times. Again, I'm not saying Jeremiah doesn't respect that, Jeremiah doesn't love that. But it is interesting, and I think Voss is right, that Isaiah in many ways is the prophet of God's majesty, God's holiness, God's essential glory, the fact that he is incomparable, the fact that he is unique, the fact that he is transcendent and removed. You see, these aren't just things to ponder in a Sunday school class.

These are things to consider in prayer. that this God would come to us, that this God would send His Son to die for us, that this God would have dealings with us is an absolutely incredible thing that ought to be an opportunity for further praise and further adoration given to the Lord God Most High. The prophet Isaiah chapter 57 and verse 15 He says, for thus says the high and lofty one. It's another great description of God. The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy.

I dwell in the high and holy place. with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. If that isn't a cause for rejoicing, to consider that the lofty God of heaven and earth nevertheless dwells with those who by his grace have contrite spirit. Certainly Hannah is on the right path in terms of her prayer. She then considers the attribute,

God's Immutability

I'll call it immutability. That means that God is unchangeable. Notice at the end of verse 2. Well, verse 2 reads, No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none beside you, nor is there any rock like our God.

The idea of a rock implies stability. It implies immovability. And hence, I don't think it's a far stretch to say it implies immutability, unchangeableness. God the Lord does not change.

The Lord is referred to as a rock in 2 Samuel 22 and verse 2, 2 Samuel 23 and verse 3. Probably the tap roots to this particular ascription to God is from Deuteronomy 32. Deuteronomy 32, when God, through Moses, is educating the people, or at least, or rather this is the song of Moses, in response to God's goodness and grace to the nation of Israel. Deuteronomy 32 and verse 4, He is the rock.

His work is perfect. For all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. And then again in verse 15, But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked.

You grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese. Then he forsook God who made him and scornfully esteemed the rock of his salvation. And then again in verses 30 and 31. How could one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their rock had sold them and the Lord had surrendered them?

For their rock is not like our rock, even our enemies themselves being judges." So you see, God is referred to as a rock. And in that, it doesn't mean the rocks, or the wood, or the stones, or the idols of men. But rather, it speaks to the fact that God is unchanging. God is immutable.

God is solid. When the saint needs a rock, he has it in his God. When Hannah comes to pray, and she rejoices in the Lord, and she contemplates her God, She acknowledges his holiness, his transcendence, his uniqueness, his incomparability, but then she highlights as well this reality that God is a rock. Interesting as well, when we get to the New Testament, Jesus is the rock, isn't he?

Jesus is the rock. You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. It's not Peter. It is the Christ whom Peter confesses.

This is what Peter himself tells us in 1 Peter chapter 2. So Jesus is that rock. Thirdly, notice the attribute that Hannah rehearses.

God's Omniscience

Verse three, 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. He is the God of knowledge. Here, it isn't our knowledge of God that is in view.

Rather, it is the fact that God is omniscient. God knows all things. That's the context. By him, actions are weighed.

The specifics are indicated. Talk no more so very proudly. Let no arrogance come from your mouth. Why?

Because the Lord is the God of knowledge. He knows everything you say. He hears everything you utter. He knows the idle words.

He knows the blasphemies. The eyes of the Lord, according to Solomon and the Proverbs, are in every place, beholding the good and the evil. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through all the earth. God knows everything.

The confession of faith indicates something interesting concerning God of himself. The Lord our God is but one and only living and true God, whose subsistence is in and of Himself, infinite in being and perfection, whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself. You see, God knows Himself. We know God as He reveals Himself in Scripture.

We don't know the essence of God the way God does. His knowledge is comprehensive, His knowledge is inexhaustible. And then notice, He knows all things. The confession goes on to say, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature.

So as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain. God knows everything. God has decreed whatsoever comes to pass, so he certainly knows everything. The next time you have a debate with someone concerning God and his sovereignty and in his power and in his ability, take him to Hannah's prayer, because Hannah was a thoroughgoing Calvinist, if I could use that term.

Knowledge. Notice.

God's Sovereignty and Providence

Fourthly, the sovereignty of God is highlighted by Hannah. Now, you search this section, you'll say, well, the word sovereign isn't there. The concept is. The word trinity isn't in our Bible, but the doctrine is replete.

It is everywhere in the Bible. Notice the sovereignty of God. He has the power to kill and make alive, verse 6. The Lord kills and makes alive.

He brings down to the grave and brings up. That is the prerogative of deity. That is the prerogative of a sovereign God. Now God, when he kills, doesn't violate any laws.

If I go out and kill somebody, I violate law. I can go to prison for doing that. Actually, today I might not go to prison for doing such a crime. But God is not wrong when He kills and makes alive.

God the Lord has sovereign power. God the Lord is over all men. God the Lord is the one who determines the boundaries of men. He determines the lifespan of men.

He is the one who is sovereign over these things. Interesting, in Revelation 118, the description given of Jesus, I am He who lives and was dead. Behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.

And I have the keys of Hades and of death." It's Jesus that kills and Jesus who makes alive. It is Jesus who has this sovereign prerogative in the New Covenant setting, again, because Jesus and his Father are one. Secondly, the power of the Lord over the rich and the poor. Notice verse 7.

The Lord makes poor and makes rich. He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ashy to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. Remember who learned that lesson all too well in the prophet Daniel's day.

If you turn for just a moment to Daniel chapter 4, Daniel chapter 4. Remember that Nebuchadnezzar was essentially strutting, looking at the kingdom that he had made, looking at the things that he had done, seeking ultimately the glory that he thought was due to him. Notice, specifically, in verses 34 and following. This is the lesson that God taught him.

And at the end of the time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me. This is after having been sent out to live like a beast for a period of time. He said, and I bless the most high and praised and honored him who lives forever. For his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation to generation.

All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain his hand or say to him, what have you done? Nebuchadnezzar learned all too well that it's the Lord who raises men up.

It's the Lord who puts men down. It's the Lord who exalts. It's the Lord who diminishes. It's the Lord who gives.

It's the Lord who takes away. You see, this is, again, the prerogative of God in terms of His sovereignty. And then notice that Hannah doesn't stop there. She also indicates that God executes his sovereignty through what we call providence.

Providence is the means by which God carries out his sovereign decree or his sovereign plan to do all things. And interestingly, she gives a lot of examples of what someone has called the reversal of fortunes. or the reversal of life situation. Notice in verse 4, the bows of the mighty men are broken and those who stumbled are girded with strength. You see, that's sovereignty.

That's God's prerogative. That's God's power and ability. The bows of the mighty men are broken. That doesn't typically happen, does it?

Typically, bows of mighty men work properly in battle. That's why they're mighty men. But if God the Lord fights for Israel, then the bows of the mighty men are broken, and those who stumble are girded with strength. This small nation, Israel, rises to a position of great esteem and great power among the empires of their particular age.

Notice, those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. You see, God is sovereign. There is a reversal here in human situation that Hannah does not ascribe to the luck of the draw. She does not say, this is chance.

She does not say that, you know, weird things happen in this world. Her statement is in the context of prayer to God with reference to his power, with reference to his sovereignty. And then something very close to home for Hannah. She says, even the barren has born seven, and she who has many children has become feeble.

Peninnah was one who had many children. She had become feeble. Hannah had been barren, now she is the one who has many children. You see, God reverses these particular life situations according to his sovereignty.

Many have seen a great parallel between this prayer of Hannah And Psalm 113, the same sort of convention is used. Psalm 113, praise the Lord. Praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to its going down, the Lord's name is to be praised. You see, there is the call to praise. Then verses 4 to 9 gives the reasons for praise.

The same convention Paul uses. in Ephesians 1. Blessed be God, because He's done this. Specifically, He's done it in this manner. We ought to praise the Lord.

We ought to sing unto His great name. And here's why. Notice in verse 4 in Psalm 113. The Lord is high above all nations.

His glory above the heavens. Sounds like Hannah's prayer. Sounds like Hannah's doctrine. Sounds like Israel had a consistent theology proper.

Who is like the Lord our God who dwells on high? He's unique. He's incomparable. Notice, who humbles himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth.

Isn't that an interesting statement? It is an act of humility for God to even behold what goes on beneath him. This is how glorious he is. This is why the psalmist says he is high above all nations is glorious above the heavens.

Notice then some specific examples. He raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy out of the ashy that he may seat him with princes, with the princes of his people. He grants the barren woman a home like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord.

You see these consistent themes throughout scripture. Prayer is not a time to disengage. Prayer is not a time to tune out. Prayer is a time to girt yourself up with the theological understanding that you have and address the great and holy God as the one whom the Bible reveals him to be.

Hannah sets forth an excellent example of theological praying. And I don't mean just going through the right words or the right motions, but her heart is throbbing in response to God's answer to prayer. And the way that she responds is through praising him for these very specific attributes and for the execution of his sovereign providence among the people of her day. Notice as well, with reference to the execution of God's providence, He protects His people.

Notice, verse 1 again, my heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord, I smile at my enemies because I rejoice in your salvation. Now, I doubt that means she was obnoxious. I doubt that means that she did, you know, like little kids do. I doubt it means that she was vindictive.

But I smile at my enemies. Is that typically what we do? No, we fear enemies. We run from enemies.

We hide from enemies. We don't want to deal with our enemies. She smiles at them. Why?

Because I rejoice in Your salvation. Notice in verse 9, He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness." The Lord protects his people. Notice as well, in the execution of God's sovereign providence, it doesn't simply extend to the nation of Israel. Look at what she says.

I called her a he. habit, I guess, but notice what she says. The adversaries, verse 10, of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. From heaven he will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

You see, it's not just Israel that Yahweh is sovereign over. But it is the ends of the earth. If you trace that phrase out to other uses in the Old Testament, specifically you see it in those Psalms that promise great blessing through the Messiah, such as Psalm 22 and Psalm 72. Also Psalm 67, that missionary chant with reference to the knowledge of God going to the ends of the earth.

The prophet Isaiah uses the phrase in a couple places in 45, 22 and in 52, 10. Micah employs it in 5, 4. Zechariah chapter 9 in verse 10. Psalm 2, 8.

Psalm 22, 27. Psalm 67, 6. 72, 8 to 98, 3. The idea is consistently that God's sovereignty is comprehensive. It isn't localized. just have jurisdiction over Israel.

In fact, when he calls Jeremiah to the prophetic ministry, what is it told to him? You will be a prophet to the nations. It's not just Israel that is under scrutiny by the living and true God. Hannah knows this.

Hannah understands this. And as a result, Hannah praises God for this. Sovereignty is not a doctrine simply for debate. Sovereignty ought to infect our hearts in such a way, or not infect, what's the word I'm looking for? so saturate our hearts that we delight in God for it.

Again, I'm reminded of Paul in Ephesians 1, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Or Paul in Romans chapter 11, for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. When Paul discusses these things, he breaks out into doxology. The knowledge of God escapes from the saint in his prayer closet because he rehearses these things back to God.

And then

Prophecy Concerning God's Kingdom

notice finally the prophecy concerning God's kingdom. Verse 10 does have a prophetic element. It's interesting, as Davis points out, Hannah starts off her prayer praising God for answers that she has received. She had been blessed by the Lord.

He remembered her prayer, and he gave her Samuel. But this prayer concentrically moves out. It goes from an individual answer to a prophetic testimony that the kingdom of God is comprehensive, that the kingdom of God is all-powerful. Davis makes the observation.

She had a micro answer in that she was given a son. But there is a macro situation going on to which she prophesies concerning the glory of God's kingdom. And his point is, if God gives us or gives her this down payment in terms of the birth of Samuel to indicate the reality of the larger blessing that is to flow in terms of the kingdom. Notice, there will be first the judgment of his enemies, 10a.

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. This is an indicator of the kingdom. Please remember this because I'm going to argue this on Sunday in Matthew 16, 28.

Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. You say, well, how is that an identifier that the kingdom has come? Look at your Old Testament. The kingdom comes when the enemies are destroyed.

The kingdom comes, or the kingdom is evidently come, when the enemies of God are destroyed. 2 Samuel, I think it's in chapter 8. I'm relying on memory here. Yes, 2 Samuel chapter 8. This is after David has consolidated.

David has become both Israel and Judah's king. David is the monarch over the kingdom as a whole. And notice in 2 Samuel 8.15, so David reigned over all Israel and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. What's a sign that the kingdom is here?

There is the administration of judgment and justice. When Jesus says, the Son of Man is coming, how do we know? Because judgment and justice has come. I'm hoping that you'll remember these things in at least one, two, three, four, five, six, seven of you will follow the argument. on Sunday morning in Matthew 16, 28, not 27. 27 is the physical second coming of the Lord Jesus when he comes in the glory of his Father with his angels to judge each according to his works.

That's universal, comprehensive. But he then tells the apostles, there are some of you standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. How could he say that? to those who none of them will be physically alive at the second coming. He's talking about a different event.

I'm going to argue he's talking about AD 70 there. But the point is, notice in verse 10a, the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. What did Solomon do when he ascended the throne? He sent out his administration to destroy the enemies.

Those who would threaten the throne would be executed. That's how a king exercises his kingdom. Notice, secondly, the throne of his sovereignty. From heaven he will thunder against them.

From heaven he will thunder against them. God is over all. God is with his people when they go into battle. He is present in a special way in heaven.

Thirdly, the extent of his reign. We've already talked about the Lord will judge the ends of the earth. And then fourthly, the strength of his Messiah. He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed." What does anointed mean?

Or how does anointed translated in the Hebrew? It's Messiah. It's translated in Greek, the Christ. He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed." Now certainly for Hannah here, there was no king.

Some have said, well, this has to be a later edition. This has to be something that was put in after the kingdom was in place. How could Hannah prophesy such things? Kingship was already present in Israel, if not Formally, in terms of somebody sitting on the throne, Genesis 17 told that there would be kings that would come from Abraham.

Deuteronomy 17, 14 to 20 specifies the law that the king of Israel had to follow. Remember, when he assumed his throne, he wrote down the law for himself, and it was something that he gave himself to study? Hannah is speaking prophetically, to be sure, but it's not out of ignorance. She knows something of kingdom.

And she is on the cusp of the time when Samuel, her son, is going to be the kingmaker. This probably has a general application to David into his line. He will give strength to his king. in her time or at least subsequent to her time, David would be the Messiah of God to exercise his judgment and his judgment on earth, specifically in Israel. But it transcends that.

He will exalt the horn of his anointed. It probably looks further to the Lord Jesus Christ. Samara says, the song concludes with a twofold plea. Most commentators take that last part of verse 10, not as an indicative, he will give strength to his king and he will exalt the horn of his anointed, but as a prayer. as a petition, as a plea.

Lord, give strength to your king. Lord, exalt the horn of your anointed. It is a plea to God to come with power, to come with might. Samara says the song concludes with a twofold plea for Yahweh, the incomparably holy one. the Rock, the truly knowledgeable one, the Lord of life and death, the maker of rich and poor, the great demoter and promoter, to raise the king of Israel to a position of power and prominence worthy of the great God who appointed him." So the Davidic throne generally, the Lord Christ specifically, John Gill says Christ is king over all. angels and men, particularly He is King of Saints.

He is Jehovah's King, set up and anointed by Him from everlasting, was in time promised as such, and in the fullness of time came in that character, and at His ascension to heaven was made and declared Lord and Christ." This is what Hannah is looking forward to. We'll praise God that this woman got her answer to prayer, because she has set forth a pattern of prayer in this chapter that highlights the importance of theology. I don't know if you've met the people that say, well, why does doctrine matter? Why does theology matter?

It matters in the closet. It matters when you go to God in prayer. It matters when you rehearse the attributes of God. If you don't know what holiness means, you don't know what it means when God is likened to a rock, you don't know what it means that God is omniscient or God is sovereign, well, then certainly you're not going to pray in an informed manner.

So theology is not only practical in terms of how to be a better husband, or a better father, or a better wife or mother, or a hard worker. Theology's important for all that. I'm not minimizing that. Theology's important for the secret place as well.

And when we look at this prayer, there are several things, and I know several at five to nine probably makes you a little, a little, uh-oh, hope he doesn't go over nine. You've got my word. I typically don't go over nine or past nine. typically. I'm sure I have before, so I better qualify that.

But

Application: Six Responses to God

there are several things that we see in Hannah, or at least I think we can pull out of this prayer, in terms of a necessary response to God over all. First, joy in the presence of the Lord. My heart rejoices in the Lord. Now, that wasn't always the case.

She went to prayer in chapter 1, and her heart was afflicted. Her heart was sad. Her heart was grieved and distressed. But she still went to God in that disposition.

But it's good to rejoice in the presence of the Lord. It's good to rehearse his blessings. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in America. And certainly, I hope that all the brothers and sisters in America that are in Christ are going to be rejoicing in the Lord.

Not that we should tomorrow as well, we certainly should also. Secondly, confidence in the rule of the Lord. We need to have confidence in the rule of the Lord. Notice verse 9, he will guard the feet of his saints.

That is a blessed promise that we ought to take hold of. We ought to realize as well, verse 10, the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. We ought to have a confidence in the Lord. A third response I think that is good to take away from this prayer is an admiration, excuse me, of the attributes of the Lord.

Admiration and enjoyment and appreciation of those things that are peculiar to God. We ought to delight in Him. We ought to rejoice in Him. We ought to admire Him.

Fourthly, there ought to be a humility because of the omniscience of the Lord. Notice, this is the point in verse 3. Talk no more so very proudly. Let no arrogance come from your mouth.

Why? For the Lord is the God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed. Now probably this is against the enemies of the Lord, but certainly there's application to the friends of the Lord.

We ought to be humble before our God. He knows all things. He sees us intimately. He knows our motives.

He knows our hearts. He knows everything about us. That ought to promote not an arrogance, not a brashness, not a wickedness, or not a combativeness, but a humility. Knowing the omniscience of the Lord, we ought to pursue humility.

Fifthly, there ought to be a security that we have because of the Lord. Security, stability. No one is holy like the Lord, verse two, for there is none beside you, nor is there any rock like our God. If that rock is our rock, then certainly that argues for security.

Doesn't that or isn't that what the writer of the Hebrews tells us in Hebrews chapter 6? Hebrews chapter 6 is a beautiful statement of the stability that God affords to his people. Hebrews 6.16, for men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil. When we studied Hebrews 6, I had pointed out, via Philip Hughes's commentary, that an early piece of Christian art was not the cross. I'm sure there were crosses. I'd have to look into that.

But it was an anchor. The anchor was a symbol of Christianity. There was one of the catacombs that had 66 of them on a wall. The anchor is what the people of God were identified by because of their God.

God is an anchor to the soul. There is security in Him. As well, we ought to take away from this submission to the government of the Lord. Verse 10, if the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces, if from heaven he will thunder against them, what does this teach us but to submit to his rule, to submit to his authority, to submit to his power, and then respond ultimately in worship to him?

Well, let us close in a word of prayer.

Closing Prayer

Our Father, thank you for this prayer of godly Hannah. Thank you for your grace to her and through her teaching us good things about approaching you privately at the throne of grace. Help us, whether in affliction or in times of joy. to come to you, God, and to pour out our hearts before you. Give us grace to make sure that we pursue these things which are pleasing in your sight.

We know that you rejoice in the prayers of the upright. Help us, God, to be a prayerful people. Help us to come to you. Help us to acknowledge these things that are true of you, and help us, God Almighty, to recognize the glory and the power and the might of your kingdom.

And may we, as our Lord Jesus taught us to pray, pray that your kingdom would come. We ask that you would go with us now and that you would be glorified in our lives. Bring us together on the Lord's day that we may worship you in spirit and in truth. And we pray through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 17:6
• Exodus 1-2
• Leviticus 19:2
• Deuteronomy 4:34-35; 17:14-20; 32:4; 32:15; 32:30-31
• Ruth 1:1
• 1 Samuel 1:1-28; 2:1-10
• 2 Samuel 7:22; 8:15; 22:2; 23:3
• Daniel 4:34
• Psalms 2:8; 22:27; 67:6; 72:8; 98:3; 113:1-9
• Isaiah 6:3; 45:22; 52:10; 57:15
• Micah 5:4
• Zechariah 9:10
• Matthew 6:7; 16:27; 16:28
• Luke 1:46
• Romans 11:36
• Ephesians 1:3
• Hebrews 6:16
• 1 Peter 2:4-8
• Revelation 1:18