Hannah’s Prophetic Prayer
November 8, 2022
Commentary
This is one of the great prayers of Scripture. Hannah praises God through a poetic prayer for a son and all that God has done (vv. 1-10). We can learn from this passage that God sometimes withholds His blessings from those who walk uprightly, but only for a time. We cannot explain why but it appears that it was God’s will for Hannah to be barren. Twice we are told that “Yahweh had closed her womb. As time passed she may have questioned why her prayers were not answered. In Hannah’s world, just as it is in ours, it is easy for us to forget that God is in control. She saw God:
1. As her strength (v. 1). “Mine horn” speaks of strength to hold on to.
2. As solid as a rock (v. 2). The “chief corner stone” referring to Christ – (I Peter 2:6).
3. As the one who knows what we do (v. 3). Our prayers must be in accordance with His will.
4. As Sovereign over everything (vv. 4-9). Only by God’s power can anything be accomplished.
5. As the one who administers perfect justice (v. 10). The “anointed” one.
This is one of the great verses of Scripture and the first one to refer to the name Messiah. The word “anointed” is the Hebrew word Messiah. It is translated as Christ in English. It is the title of our precious Lord Jesus.
Samuel found himself in a very difficult situation as he ministered and helped Eli in the temple (v.11). It might sound as though Samuel was being left in a place of protection and shelter. The tabernacle should have been a place like that, but unfortunately it was not as we will see in the following verses. Some of young Samuel’s responsibilities would have included opening the tabernacle doors each morning, cleaning the furniture, and sweeping the floor. As Samuel grew he became Eli’s helper or assistant. He also would have assisted Eli in offering sacrifices. Because Samuel was Eli’s helper he was also God’s helper. When we serve others, even in carrying out ordinary tasks, we are serving the Lord. Because we are serving the Lord, every job we do is important.
Application
Like Hannah, I should be confident in God’s ultimate control over the events in my life, and I should be thankful for the ways God has blessed me. In our fast paced world, friends come and go, and circumstances change, it is hard to find a solid foundation that will not change. The possessions that we work so hard to obtain will all pass away, but God never fails.
1 Samuel 2:1– 11 (NET)
1 Hannah prayed, “My heart has rejoiced in the Lord; my horn has been raised high because of the Lord. I have loudly denounced my enemies. Indeed I rejoice in your deliverance.
2 No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one other than you! There is no rock like our God!
3 Don’t keep speaking so arrogantly. Proud talk should not come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God who knows; he evaluates what people do.
4 The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumbled have taken on strength.
5 The well fed hire themselves out to earn food, but the hungry no longer lack. Even the barren woman has given birth to seven, but the one with many children has declined.
6 The Lord both kills and gives life; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes— he bestows on them an honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord— he placed the world on them.
9 He watches over his holy ones, but the wicked are made speechless in the darkness, for it is not by one’s own strength that one prevails.
10 The Lord shatters his adversaries; he thunders against them from the heavens. The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth. He will strengthen his king and exalt the power of his anointed one.”
11 Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah.