September 8 – Faithful During Grief

Sunday School Lesson

September 8

Lesson 2 (KJV)

Faithful During Grief

 

Devotional Reading: Psalm 99

Background Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1–2:10

 

1 Samuel 1:9–20

 

9. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

 

10. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

 

11. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

 

12. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

 

13. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

 

14. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

 

15. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

 

16. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

 

17. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

 

18. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
19. And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

 

20. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

 

Key Verse

Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.—1 Samuel 1:17

 

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Summarize the account of Hannah’s desperate plea for a son.

 

2. Tell why prayer is a vital resource in times of grief and sorrow.

 

3. Provide examples of individuals who have demonstrated trust in God during times of grief.

 

 

HOW TO SAY IT

Belial	Bee-li-ul.
Eli	Ee-lye.
Elkanah	El-kuh-nuh or El-kay-nuh.
Ephraim	Ee-fray-im.
Hophni	Hoff-nye.
Nazarite	Naz-uh-rite.
Peninnah	Peh-nin-uh.
Phinehas	Fin-ee-us.
Ramah	Ray-muh.
Shiloh	Shy-low.

Introduction

 

1. A Hymn Written Through Tears

Many well-known and well-loved hymns celebrate God’s faithfulness and provide a sense of comfort and peace to the grieving. In many cases, the hymns themselves were produced in the aftermath of great sorrow on the part of the writer. One of these is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”

 

Joseph Scriven (1819–1886) wrote the words that were later set to music. He was living a very contented life in his native Ireland. Then, on the night before his wedding was to take place, his fiancée drowned. Not long after this, Scriven moved to Port Hope, Canada, determined to devote his life to helping others in need. When his mother became ill in Ireland, he wrote a letter to comfort her and included in it the words to “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Sometime later, when Scriven himself fell ill, a friend who came to visit him happened to see a copy of the words scribbled on a piece of paper near his bed. The friend asked who wrote them. Scriven replied, “The Lord and I did it between us.”

 

Through the years, the Lord has provided comfort to the disheartened and the grieving. He has done so sometimes through words of hymns or poems, sometimes through the words of Scripture, sometimes through the simple caring presence of concerned Christian friends, and through other means at other times. And while we often associate grieving with death, in a world broken by the curse of sin there are many other circumstances in which genuine grief can occur. One of these is seen in our Scripture text for today. A childless woman became so distraught over her condition that she determined she would “take it to the Lord in prayer.”

 

1. Lesson Context

The events in the early chapters of 1 Samuel occur toward the end of the period when the judges provided leadership for the nation of Israel. The book of Judges is filled with turmoil and chaos due to Israel’s pattern of disobedience and rebellion against God. This trend continues into 1 Samuel with a misbehaving priestly family (see commentary on 1 Samuel 1:14).

 

Hannah’s turmoil is of a different kind: the strife that exists within a family and the heartbreak of a barren woman in that family. Hers was the grief of a hope unfulfilled, a desire for the joys of motherhood that she could see other women experiencing but which had been denied her. Hannah felt cruelly separated from those women and in some cases was likely ostracized by them. In a society in which a woman’s primary vocation was to be a mother, infertility was often taken as a sign of God’s displeasure and resulted in a loss of status. Hannah experienced the disdain of society and likely wondered whether the Lord saw her in a similar light.

 

Aside from the societal stigma attached to barrenness in biblical times, the surroundings in Hannah’s home made her condition even more excruciating. Elkanah, Hannah’s husband, had another wife besides Hannah, named Peninnah. Not only did Peninnah have children, but she taunted Hannah mercilessly for her inability to bear children (1 Samuel 1:6, 7). Peninnah was downright cruel in reminding Hannah of her barren condition. It is hard to imagine how deeply Hannah was hurt by such malicious words from a woman she could not simply cut out of her life.

 

Elkanah was a well-intentioned man and sympathetic toward Hannah, but he did not grasp fully the extent of her anguish. When Hannah would become so upset during their annual sacrifice that she refused to eat (1 Samuel 1:3, 7), Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?” (1:8). In truth, being a mother of just one son would have satisfied Hannah, so great was her grief at being childless.

 

1. Hannah’s Sorrow

(1 Samuel 1:9–11)

 

1. Annual Visit (v. 9)

 

9a. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk.

 

Shiloh is where the tabernacle was set up once Joshua and the Israelites had taken control of the promised land (Joshua 18:1). Shiloh is situated within the tribal territory of Ephraim and centrally located in relation to the rest of the land. Thus it is a fitting location for the tabernacle (see also Joshua 18:8–10; 19:51; Judges 21:19).

Each year Elkanah takes his family to worship and perform a sacrifice at the tabernacle at Shiloh. This may be at a national festival such as Passover, but the text does not specify. It appears that families can plan special gatherings of worship together, perhaps along the line of family reunions (1 Samuel 20:6, 28, 29).

 

Apparently a fellowship meal shared by Elkanah’s family follows the time of sacrifice. This was meant to be a joyous time, but it was certainly not joyful for Hannah since her “adversary” Peninnah was constantly ridiculing her barrenness (1 Samuel 1:6). On this occasion, the fact that Hannah rises after they had eaten the fellowship meal may mean that she herself has not eaten anything because she is so upset (see the Lesson Context).

 

9b. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

 

The Hebrew word translated temple is used in the Old Testament to describe a number of structures. These include the tabernacle (here and in 1 Samuel 3:3), a king’s palace (1 Kings 21:1; 2 Kings 20:18), Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem (18:16), and the Lord’s heavenly temple (Micah 1:2). Virtually nothing is said about the tabernacle in the book of Judges, probably because the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel is so poor at the time. Thus, the tabernacle is not a priority because God is not often prioritized by the people.

But the tabernacle is still revered as a sacred place to those who seek to maintain a true relationship with the Lord. To his credit, Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, is one of those individuals who desires to raise his family to honor the Lord.

Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are mentioned as priests of the Lord (1 Samuel 1:3), but nothing is said about Eli’s service until the present verse. It is generally assumed that Eli is serving as high priest in Shiloh at this time. Perhaps this is why he is stationed upon a seat by a post of the tabernacle. People can come and bring their concerns to Eli or seek his counsel.

 

1. Desperate Prayer (vv. 10, 11)

10, 11a. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said.

 

Hannah’s prayer likely includes more than the words recorded in the lines that follow. But this segment contains the most significant part of her prayer: the vow that she makes before the Lord.

 

11b. O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child,

 

Three times she refers to herself as the Lord’s handmaid, a polite way of speaking of herself and emphasizing her lowly status in presenting her request. Hannah uses the words remember and not forget, which, as noted in the previous lesson, imply God’s action to fulfill His word—in this case, to act in answer to a prayer.

Her repetition emphasizes how desperately she hopes the Lord of hosts will hear her and honor her prayer.

 

What Do You Think? What are some good habits to form to increase your patience in prayer?   Digging Deeper Why is it important to continue to worship God even when waiting for answers to prayer?

11c. Then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

 

Hannah adds as part of her vow that no razor will come upon her son’s head. This sets her son’s dedication apart from the dedication of all firstborn sons to the Lord (see Exodus 13:2; Leviticus 27:26). These words reflect Hannah’s awareness of the Nazarite vow, the regulations of which are explained in Numbers 6. A man or a woman could make such a vow, which includes not only abstaining from cutting one’s hair but also from both fruit and drink from the vine and from going near any corpse (Numbers 6:1–8).

Normally the Nazarite vow is voluntary and is taken for a limited period of time (see vv. 13–20). Hannah, however, is placing her son under this vow for life, even before he is conceived. The Lord placed Samson under a similar vow, also before he was conceived (Judges 13:2–5).

 

What Do You Think? How can we determine when it might be appropriate to make an oath to God, if ever?   Digging Deeper How do you harmonize the following passages in this regard: Deuteronomy 6:13; Ruth 1:16–18; Jeremiah 4:1, 2; Matthew 5:33–37; 23:16–22; Hebrews 6:16; 7:20–22; James 5:12?

Baby Dedication?

Christian parents know that children are a gift from God. Parents know that they are charged with teaching their children to follow Jesus. But what is the best way to make this commitment publicly?

Some churches have “baby dedication Sunday.” Even so, very few parents would presume that babies can be “dedicated” to specific service of the Lord as Hannah dedicated her future son. To recognize this fact, some churches have “baby introduction Sunday” where the attending adults—particularly the parents—dedicate themselves to instructing the child in the Christian faith. The result is more of a “parent dedication Sunday.”

But what happens next? How do we daily demonstrate in concrete ways our dedication to raising children in the fear of the Lord?

—J. E.

 

1. Eli’s Suspicion

(1 Samuel 1:12–16)

 

1. His Doubts (vv. 12–14)

12, 13. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

 

Hannah continues praying … in her heart, or silently. That Eli marks her mouth means that he observes the movements of her mouth. Had Eli heard her speaking, he may have prepared a response to Hannah’s vow, possibly to question the validity of it. Regulations for vows state that if a wife makes a vow and her husband hears it, he can forbid her from keeping the vow and nullify it (Numbers 30:6–8, 10–15). Nothing is said about what happens if a priest should hear the vow.

Then Eli notices that her lips are moving, but she is not speaking aloud. He assumes, mistakenly, that Hannah is drunk. This suggests she also made her vow silently.

 

What Do You Think? What are some ways to avoid inaccurate conclusions from the actions of others?   Digging Deeper What Scripture supports your ideas?

14. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

 

Eli’s accusation of drunkenness on Hannah’s part and his inability to recognize her genuinely deep sorrow may say something about his spiritual sensitivity or lack of such (compare Eli’s ignorance in 1 Samuel 3). It may also reflect the sad state of spiritual life at the tabernacle, something that unfortunately Eli has seen demonstrated all too often in the conduct of his own sons, Hophni and Phinehas.

These two men, priests though they are, have become widely known for their scandalous behavior within the sacred space of the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:12–17, 22–25). While Eli rebukes Hannah for what he views as shameful behavior, it is Eli who will receive the Lord’s rebuke and judgment from Hannah’s son Samuel for his own shameful behavior regarding the conduct of his sons (3:10–18; compare 2:27–36; 4:4, 11–18).

 

1. Her Denial (vv. 15, 16)
2. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

Hannah is quick to counter Eli’s accusation of drunkenness. Her agitated state is not the result of hard liquor but of a hard life. She has not poured wine nor strong drink into her body; instead she has poured out her distressed soul before the Lord.

 

16. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

 

The term Belial can take a range of meaning from “worthless” to “wicked.” Ironically (and sadly) it is the label later attached to the sons of Eli (1 Samuel 2:12). Paul transliterates the same word to speak of Satan in 2 Corinthians 6:15. Hannah is no such person. Out of the abundance of her sadness comes the anguished, earnest prayer she has just prayed and the vow she has made.

III. Eli’s Pronouncement

(1 Samuel 1:17, 18)

 

1. Declaring a Blessing (v. 17)
2. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

 

Eli is satisfied with Hannah’s explanation. To send her away in peace suggests that Eli hopes Hannah will find wholeness and healing from her distress. He declares a blessing on Hannah: the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. Whether Eli’s words constitute a promise or merely a hope is difficult to say. The latter seems preferable given his spiritual weakness. This blessing may also be the standard way for a priest to respond to a request offered by any worshipper in prayer.

 

What Do You Think? How can we support and counsel those who seem unable to find comfort through prayer?   Digging Deeper What are some appropriate and inappropriate ways to use Romans 8:28 in such a time?

1. Departing in Peace (v. 18)

18a. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.

 

Hannah concludes her exchange with Eli by asking that she find grace in his sight—a reversal of the scornful attitude that he had previously displayed toward her. The presence of both peace (see commentary on 1 Samuel 1:17) and grace in this verse form a strong contrast to the “bitterness of soul” with which Hannah had approached the tabernacle (1:10).

 

18b. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

 

With her spirit at peace, Hannah is now in a better frame of mind to eat. No longer is her “heart grieved” (1:8). Her countenance, or facial expression, also reflects her state of contentment and her trust that her barren condition will be reversed through the Lord’s intervention.

 

1. The Lord’s Provision

(1 Samuel 1:19, 20)

 

1. Remembering Hannah (v. 19)

19a. And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah.

 

Because Ramah could be one of several different locations, the trip from Shiloh could be anywhere from 3 to 13 miles. Samuel continued to live in Ramah after he became a recognized leader and judge among the Israelites (1 Samuel 7:15–17).

 

One can only imagine how different Hannah’s worship is following the events of the previous day and whether Elkanah or Peninnah notice anything different about her. Her prayer on her next visit to Shiloh might be some indication of her change of heart (see 1 Samuel 2:1–10).

 

19b. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

 

At some point after the return home, Elkanah and Hannah become intimate. The Lord remembers Hannah, thus answering her earlier request (see commentary on 1 Samuel 1:11).

 

1. Responding to Her Prayer (v. 20)
2. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

 

The result of the Lord’s remembrance of Hannah is the birth of a son, whom Hannah names Samuel. She states her reason for doing so: because I have asked him of the Lord. The name Samuel has been understood to mean “asked of God” or “name of God.” Either meaning emphasizes the Lord’s provision in answering Hannah’s prayer.

 

What Do You Think? What steps can we take to ensure that we fulfill our vows to the Lord?   Digging Deeper How might our resolve to keep vows be challenged if God answers our prayers in ways we didn’t expect or desire?

The Name Game

How do parents choose and reject names for their children? In the United States, there are very few laws in this regard. Other countries have very restrictive laws. The naming law in Sweden, for example, prevents families from giving their children nobility titles—no king, queen, or duke. The law has been expanded to exclude “names which for some obvious reason are not suitable as a first name.”

Denmark has a list of about 7,000 preapproved baby names. Names must indicate gender, and a last name is not suitable as a first name. Parents can submit names for approval, but about one-fifth of them are rejected each year. In Germany, names must be approved by the local registration office. That office consults a list of first names as well as foreign embassies for foreign names.

 

When selecting a name for her son, Hannah did not try to be novel or try to gain the approval of others. She chose a name that would remind her son that his very existence came about because Hannah was heard by God. How does your name remind you that you are God’s creation?

—J. E.

 

Conclusion

1. Grace for the Grieving

Women today have different means available for dealing with matters of infertility, means not known in Hannah’s time. Still, infertility is not always within the financial means of the would-be mother or even within the possibilities of medicine. The sorrow of infertility remains a particularly burdensome form of grief. A woman’s heart is broken; her despair is immeasurable. She can relate to the words in today’s Scripture such as “bitterness of soul,” “affliction,” “sorrowful spirit,” and “complaint and grief.” She feels she has been denied one of life’s most precious experiences. Why? she asks repeatedly. Why me?

Hannah’s barrenness became so excruciating for her that she finally vowed to the Lord that if He gave her a son, she would then give him right back to the Lord. The making of vows is something more in keeping with Old Testament law and practice than with New Testament practice (contrast Matthew 5:37). Prayer, however, continues to provide a means for anyone with a bitter soul or a sorrowful spirit to lay bare their grievance before the Lord as Hannah did.

 

The God to whom Hannah poured out her soul in her anguish is the God who hears our prayers today. He remains our rock, our fortress, our deliverer (Psalm 18:2), our strength and shield (28:7), our hiding place (32:7), our shepherd (23:1; John 10:11). He is the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3), and the God who will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). What Paul advises in Philippians 4:6 still applies, and he was under arrest when he wrote it: “In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

 

Hannah demonstrated her faithfulness long before Paul wrote. She did so by taking her deepest hurt to the Lord. He, in turn, demonstrated His faithfulness by taking away her pain by providing the blessing she desired.

 

We keep in mind, however, that we are not guaranteed to receive what we ask of God. And His answer of yes, no, or wait always is in line with His bigger plans. In Hannah’s case, her son became a pivotal figure in being the last of the judges and the first of the prophets (Acts 3:24; 13:20). We don’t know the future and neither did Hannah. But with her we can say, “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord … There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:1, 2).

Prayer

Father, we see that “bitterness of soul” abounds every night on the news. It abounds everywhere. Empower each of us to bring Your grace, peace, and hope to people around us who need comfort from Heaven amidst their brokenness. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Thought to Remember

God listens to our prayers because He loves us.

 

 

KID’S CORNER

When We Pray as God’s Servant

September 8, 2019

1 Samuel 1:9-20

 

1 Samuel 1:9-20

(1 Samuel 1:9) Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

Hannah was the wife of Elkanah, a Levite; therefore, his sons could rightfully serve in the Levitical priesthood. Elkanah’s other wife was named Peninnah, who tormented Hannah because Hannah was childless and Peninnah had children. Each year, Elkanah’s family went to Shiloh to worship the LORD. During their feast at Shiloh, Hannah wept and fasted; then, after the family feast (where she did not eat) she went to pray to the LORD. Eli was the chief priest and judge over Israel at that time, and for the first time in Israel’s history, Eli served as a both a priest and a judge. Eli had two evil, worthless sons who served as priests under his supervision (1 Samuel 2:12-17). After forty years as priest and judge, Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died on the same day, and Samuel replaced them.

(1 Samuel 1:10) She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

Elkanah loved Hannah, but Peninnah so mistreated Hannah that she wept bitterly and would not eat until after she went up to the house of the LORD and prayed. We learn something about Peninnah’s moral and spiritual character from the fact that she would torment Hannah on their way to worship the LORD. There are some, even some family members, who will try to ruin the worship experience of others. Sarah had experienced similar mistreatment from Hagar after Hagar bore children for Abraham; then, the LORD answered Abraham’s and Sarah’s prayers and she bore Isaac in their old age. Perhaps Hannah’s recollection of Sarah motivated Hannah to pray to the LORD and ask for a child. The Bible gives us many examples to encourage us to pray and not give up. Though polygamy was practiced in the Old Testament, that was not the LORD’s intention from the beginning. During Jesus’ discussion on divorce in Mark 10:4-9, Jesus restated the LORD’s intention in Genesis 2:24—“Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.” The Bible does not record a happy polygamous marriage and forbids adultery.

(1 Samuel 1:11) 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 son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”

Even as believers, our suffering can sometimes be so great that we do not know how to pray; so, our prayers simply include our asking the LORD to look upon our misery, remember us, and not forget us. We ask the Lord to look upon our suffering and do what is best; then, we submit ourselves to the Lord and the Lord’s will. Such was Hannah’s misery from her childlessness and the torments of Peninnah that she felt the LORD had forgotten her. However, the LORD knew when, where, and how He would replace Eli and his sons as priests in Shiloh with Samuel, her son. The same words can be said of Samuel and all believers that the LORD said to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5—“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” In her distress, the Holy Spirit moved Hannah to pray as she did. In Romans 8:26, Paul described the work of the Holy Spirit among God’s people in prayer—“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” Doubtless, the Holy Spirit moved upon Hannah to make her very specific nazirite vow to the LORD so the LORD could answer her prayer, encourage believers to keep praying, and replace Eli and his sons according to His perfect timing. She prayed specifically for a male child who would serve the LORD as a nazirite his entire life. The word “nazirite” means “consecrated” or “separated.” A nazirite was separated to live a holy life in the service of the LORD. As a visible symbol of his lifetime consecration to holy living for the LORD, a man under a nazirite vow would not drink alcohol, not cut his hair, and not touch a corpse his entire life (not even a family member). Samson, a judge over Israel for sixteen years, was also set apart as a nazirite, but he broke his vows, which shortened his life (see Judges 13-16). Samuel did not break the nazirite vows that his mother made in his behalf.

(1 Samuel 1:12) Now it came about, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth.

In those days, much praying was done by speaking out loud, which the LORD heard, and which others nearby could also hear. For this reason, even in the nineteenth century (and perhaps later), believers and those seeking God prayed in their closets or went out into the woods to pour out their hearts to God aloud in private, going where none but an occasional passerby might hear. In her distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD silently in an unusual way, and Eli observed this as unusual among those who prayed. Even in Jesus’ day, praying aloud was most common. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus told a parable about two men who prayed aloud in the temple and which one went home justified. Some hypocrites even prayed on street corners to be seen and heard (see Matthew 6:5).

(1 Samuel 1:13) As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.

Hannah’s silent praying while her mouth moved was so unusual that Eli thought she was drunk. He could not hear her voice, so he made a wrong deduction—thinking the worst of her.

(1 Samuel 1:14) Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.”

Thinking she was drunk, Eli reprimanded her for making a spectacle of herself. If Eli had reprimanded his sons and enforced his just judgments upon them as a father, judge, and priest, they might have faithfully served the LORD. Tragically, Samuel learned his parenting skills from Eli (see 1 Samuel 8:1-5). In 1 Samuel 8:3, we read of Samuel’s sons, “Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.” The LORD determined to replace them too.

(1 Samuel 1:15) But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.

Hannah explained her situation to Eli. She was not drunk. She was so deeply troubled that she was praying with sighs too deep for speaking words aloud; yet, she was praying according to the will of God. In Romans 8:27, Paul wrote, “And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” The LORD knew what she was praying as she silently poured out her soul to Him. The Spirit of the LORD inspired her to pray and make a vow as she did. Perhaps her explanation to Samuel of how the LORD had answered her prayers comforted him when she took him to Eli at a young age to be trained in the priesthood. Doubtless, when Samuel was older, she told him that he was the answer to her prayers and how she had prayed and had made a vow to the LORD regarding his future service of the LORD. Knowing how she prayed may have helped Samuel be true to her vow when he was tempted to forsake the LORD or his nazirite vow.

(1 Samuel 1:16) “Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.”

Simply because someone seems to be denied what they ask in prayer does not mean they are forsaken by the LORD or that someone who is blessed by the LORD in a specific way is better than the person whose prayers for that same blessing seem to be denied. Peninnah needed to learn this lesson (along with many others after her), and perhaps she did. Believers can and often do pray out of great anxiety and aggravation, as Hannah did. In Romans 8:18, Paul wrote, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.” After much suffering, pain, prayer, and labor, Hannah’s sufferings were not worth comparing to the glory and comfort that the LORD brought her with Samuel’s birth and his later service to the LORD. The LORD’s answers to her prayers far exceeded her hopes and dreams, for which she rejoiced.

(1 Samuel 1:17) Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”

As chief priest and judge, after Eli understood why Hannah prayed as she did, Eli blessed her. Eli told her to go with peace of heart and mind. The peace of God did go with her, and her actions demonstrated that she trusted in the LORD to do what was best for her and all concerned. In addition, Eli prayed for her—that the LORD would answer her prayers.

(1 Samuel 1:18) 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.

Hannah humbly submitted to Eli as a chief priest and judge who served the LORD; therefore, she called herself his servant, as one who would do what he told her—she would go in peace and entrust her future with the LORD. Likewise, she considered herself a servant of the LORD and had prayed that she would have a son who likewise would be a servant of the LORD. Her unselfish prayers were according to the will of God. As a Levite, Samuel grew into a prophet, chief priest, and judge who would rule over Israel; and later, Samuel would anoint two men to be kings in Israel—Saul and David. Trusting in the LORD and Eli’s blessing, trusting in the LORD to answer Eli’s and her prayers, Hannah returned to Elkanah in peace, ate and drank, and was no longer sad.

(1 Samuel 1:19) Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.

Before they returned home early in the morning, they worshiped again before the LORD. Most probably, Elkanah and Hannah praised the LORD and joined together in prayer for the LORD to give them a son according to the vow that Hannah had made the day before. Having worshiped in Shiloh, they returned to their home at Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim (between Bethel and the city that would later become Jerusalem). As her husband, Elkanah agreed with Hannah’s vow, and after Samuel’s birth, Elkanah said to Hannah, “Do what seems best to you, wait [to take him to Eli] until you have weaned him; only—may the LORD establish his word” (1 Samuel 1:23). Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and Samuel (most likely the writer of the chapters about him in 1 Samuel) emphasized that the LORD made his conception and birth possible. As Elkanah had prayed, the LORD did indeed establish His word throughout Samuel’s life, and even today believers find a blessing and learn many truths from the study of Samuel’s life, words, and work—the LORD established His word.

(1 Samuel 1:20) It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”

The name “Samuel” means “God heard.” Hannah asked the LORD for Samuel; God heard her prayer; and after Samuel’s birth, Hannah kept her vow to the LORD. Though we find it a deep mystery, the Spirit of the LORD inspired Hannah to pray as she did, where she did, when she did, and with perfect timing the LORD answered her prayer so Samuel would be ready to serve the LORD as prophet, priest, and judge at the right time. When Samuel was about three years old, having been weaned, Hannah took him to Shiloh where he grew up and learned to be a priest under the supervision of Eli. Each year, when they returned to Shiloh for their yearly sacrifice, Hannah would take a robe to Samuel. After Eli saw her selfless dedication to the LORD and her son, Eli prayed that she would have more children, and Hannah conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. “The boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:21).

 

When We Pray as God’s Servant

September 8, 2019

1 Samuel 1:9-20

 

“Hannah made this vow: ‘O LORD of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head’” (1 Samuel 1:11).

As she prayed, Hannah wept bitterly because she was childless and felt forgotten by the LORD. Notice how she prayed. Three times she referred to herself as “Your servant.” Hannah asked the LORD to give her what would help her become a more effective servant of the LORD. Notice how Hannah told the LORD that as God’s servant, if He answered her prayer, she would sacrifice for Him. She promised to give the son she wanted to the LORD to serve the LORD all his life. The LORD heard Hannah’s humble prayer and answered her in ways that would eventually bless millions of people. After Samuel was born, at about three-years-old, Hannah took him to the priest in Shiloh to be raised, and she would only see him once a year from that time on—when they went yearly to worship the LORD. Consider how God answered her prayer. All his life, Samuel kept the nazirite vow she made for him. Samuel never drank anything that would impair his judgment or ability to speak the word of the LORD. Samuel became the only person to ever serve as priest, prophet, and judge in Israel. God honored Hannah’s prayer far beyond her expectations. Even today, Hannah’s sacrificial life and prayer and the words and work of her son bless those who learn from them.

 

 

 

When We Pray as God’s Servant

September 8, 2019

1 Samuel 1:9-20

Thinking Further

Name____________________________

1. What motivated Hannah to fast and pray?

 

2. Why did Eli think she was drunk? What did he say to her?

 

3. How did Hannah answer Eli?

 

4. What vow did Hannah make to the LORD?

 

5. What did Hannah do after she returned from praying? What did she and her husband do the next day?

 

 

Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further

1. What motivated Hannah to fast and pray? She had been tormented year after year by Peninnah because she was childless, like the experience of Sarah with Hagar. She fasted and prayed for the LORD to give her a son.
2. Why did Eli think she was drunk? What did he say to her? She was praying but silently with her lips moving. Eli was unfamiliar with that type of praying so he assumed she was drunk, and he reprimanded her. He said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.”
3. How did Hannah answer Eli? She answered him respectfully and told him the cause of her suffering and praying. She said, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.”
4. What vow did Hannah make to the LORD? If the LORD would give her a son, she would dedicate him to the LORD as a nazirite and take him to Eli to serve the LORD forever as a priest. She made this vow: “O LORD of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.”
5. What did Hannah do after she returned from praying? What did she and her husband do the next day? After she prayed and Eli blessed her, she returned to Elkanah in peace and ate. The next morning, Elkanah and Hannah first went to worship the LORD, and then they returned home, and the LORD remembered her

 

Word Search

When We Pray as God’s Servant

September 8, 2019

1 Samuel 1:9-20

Name ________________________

 

M F M P T R U I S U Q N X V H

N B Y W Y Z L M Z A J O J R F

Z T L E U E Q J V L M Q F L G

B N R M Q J H W T Q D U J O V

W A E A E P N S I Z V R E P Y

Y V T I D L E O H E T K U L D

S R T U W I K N X A F L O N F

H E I O R L E A I Q N Z H Z K

I S B P E E T T N N E N V Y O

L Y E V C I U R I A N C A R G

O J I A O B A W Q R H A S H S

H T E N K Z K X V F I F H V E

E P K Q O S U S E J N Z X L Y

G S I R U K T Z P H A U A F T

E O F V M P I N Y F E P O N A

 

Shiloh

Hannah

Peninnah

Elkanah

Levite

Samuel

Eli

Priest

Nazirite

Servant

Bitterly

Razor

Drunk

Vexation

Peace

 

True and False Test

When We Pray as God’s Servant

September 8, 2019

1 Samuel 1:9-20

Name ____________________________

 

Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.

 

1. Before Hannah went to pray, she ate at the magnificent feast her husband had prepared and got drunk. True or False

 

2. When Hannah prayed, she was deeply distressed and wept bitterly. True or False

 

3. Eli noticed that when Hannah prayed she did not move her lips. True or False

 

4. Hannah asked the LORD for a male child, and she vowed that she would set him before the LORD as a nazirite for as long as he lived. True or False

 

5. A nazirite kept his head shaved so everyone would know that he was holy and lived wholly for the LORD his God. True or False

 

6. Hannah was vexed with herself for making a drunken spectacle of herself before Eli, the most holy priest of the LORD. True or False

 

7. Eli told Hannah to go in peace and asked the LORD to answer her prayer. True or False

 

8. After Hannah prayed, she ate and drank with her husband and was no longer sad. True or False

 

9. Before they left for home the next morning, Hannah and Elkanah worshiped before the LORD. True or False

 

10. Hannah conceived and named her son Samuel, saying, “I have asked him of the LORD.” True or False

 

True and False Test Answers

 

1. False
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. False
7. True
8. True
9. True
10. True

 

Prayer

Father, we see that “bitterness of soul” abounds every night on the news. It abounds everywhere. Empower each of us to bring Your grace, peace, and hope to people around us who need comfort from Heaven amidst their brokenness. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.