It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated a world veiled in
darkness and confusion about the
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character of God. And
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the Everlasting Gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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Our message is coming from
the book of Samuel chapter 1 and
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it's the story of Hannah and
the gift that God gave her in
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Samuel and the gift she gave
back in Samuel. So please turn
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to the first book of Samuel.
The book of Samuel represents a
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change in the epochs of the
Bible and it begins with this
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very interesting story of a
miracle regarding the birth of a
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baby boy. Turn please, I Samuel
chapter 1 and we're going to
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begin with verse 1: Now
there was a certain man of
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Ramathaim Zophim, that means
the place of two watch towers,
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of the mountains of Ephraim and
his name was Elkanah the son of
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Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the
son of Tohu, the son of Zuph,
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an Ephraimite. And he had two
wives. Keep in mind this is back
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in the days where polygamy was
winked at and many of the men
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died in battle and sometimes
well there were several women
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for every man and you perhaps
remember that verse in Isaiah 1
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In that day seven women will
take hold of one man because so
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many men had died in battle.
So polygamy was winked at.
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He had two wives. The name of
the one was Hannah. Hannah the
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name means graceful. And the
name of the other was Peninnah.
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Peninnah means fruitful or pearl
Peninnah had children but Hannah
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had no children. This man
went up from his city yearly to
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worship and to sacrifice to the
Lord of hosts in Shiloh. This is
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before the days when the temple
was built it was still the
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tabernacle that had been built
by Moses. It may have been a
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little tattered at this point
but as they carried it through
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the wilderness eventually when
they settled in the Promised
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Land they found that Shiloh was
a good central place for people
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to come from all around the land
of Israel and worship. This is
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before it was moved to Jerusalem
You know that it was required
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among the Hebrew men that at
least once a year you would go
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and if possible bring
your family to one of the three
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annual feasts. We don't
know whether this was the day of
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Atonement or the feast of
tabernacles, but Elkanah was a
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godly man and so he went
up from his city yearly to
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worship. Also the two sons
of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the
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priests of the Lord were there.
We later go on to find out that
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Eli's sons were not like their
father. They were wicked men.
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Calls the sons of Belial, sons
of the devil, sons of the fools.
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They were there. Verse 4:
And whenever the time came for
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Elkanah to make an offering, he
would give portions to Peninnah
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his wife and to all of her sons
and daughters. But to Hannah he
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would give a double portion
for he loved Hannah although the
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Lord had closed her womb. And
her rival... the word there is
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adversary, and by the way that
word adversary is the same as
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the word devil, the devil, Satan
rather is called the adversary.
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Her adversary, meaning Peninnah,
would provoke her severely to
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make her miserable because the
Lord had closed her womb. So it
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was year by year when she went
up to the house of the Lord that
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Peninnah provoked her. Therefore
she wept and did not eat. Now
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just to back up and try and give
you the big picture again of
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what's happening here. Elkanah
is a man from the tribe of
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Ephraim. He's evidently somewhat
prosperous. A man could not
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sustain two families otherwise
back in Bible times. Probably in
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his home they had separate
dwellings for Peninnah, they
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were partitioned by themselves,
Peninnah and her children.
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Hannah had no child and as it
happens every other time in the
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Bible when one man had more
than one wife there was conflict
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among the wives. There was with
Sarah and Hagar, there was with
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Rachel and Leah and their hand
maids and the list goes on. That
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was never God's plan. But
when they went up to the feasts
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together the partition was
removed and when portions were
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given and Peninnah saw that
Elkanah was trying to compensate
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by showing his love for Hannah
by giving her more because she
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had no children jealousy rose up
and so there was a lot of strife
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and especially as they
went to visit with other people.
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Elkanah would say yes this
is my wife Peninnah and her
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children one, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, nine,
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ten and here's my wife Hannah.
And it was extremely severe at
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those points. Peninnah just
seemed to take advantage of that
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time to provoke her especially.
Well the Lord's shut your womb.
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I mean, you're going to worship
the Lord. I don't know why
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you're worshipping him because
he's closed your womb. You must
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have done something wrong and
that's why you're cursed. But
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something about this time of
going to worship God, Peninnah
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used it as an opportunity
to persecute. Now what does the
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word adversary mean? Satan
is the adversary. When does the
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devil persecute us the most?
Isn't it times when we're going
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towards God to worship God.
All that live godly will suffer
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persecution and if you draw
near to God that's when he does
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does everything to discourage,
to make you miserable, to
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persecute you. So there is a
spiritual lesson in this. Also
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keep in mind, it seems like the
great periods in the Bible are
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divided by a story of two women
in conflict over their offspring
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You've got the beginning of the
Jewish nation with Abraham. Do
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you see the conflict between
Sarah and Hagar over their sons?
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You see this again at the
end of the time of Judges,
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the beginning of
the time of kings
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in the story of
Samuel. And even in the New
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Testament you've got the example
where there are two women in
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Revelation. One has many
daughters and the other has one
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Son that the dragon wants
to devour. Two separate women;
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there's a conflict. Two women
came to Solomon with a conflict
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over what? Which woman is the
real mother. Two women come to
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the king of Israel over...
There's a famine and there's a
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conflict over their sons. They
actually cannibalized one and
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the other one was hidden. Not
very pleasant, but you'll see
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this pattern all through
the Bible of these two women who
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are having this conflict.
What does a woman represent
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Biblically? You've heard me
ask that a hundred times but I'd
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like you to also realize
that these stories are often
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allegories for salvation. There
are two women in Revelation.
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There are two truths or there
are two religions, I should say,
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in the world, one true, one
false. Two roads. You've got
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God's bride and you've got
Babylon and all her daughters
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which represent all the other
false religions of the world.
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And they all have children.
There's a conflict that takes
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place here. So keep that in mind
as you consider the story here.
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So you've got this
battle between the two women.
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They're going to the house of
God to worship. Now we're going
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to find out how God works
miracles for Hannah. Notice that
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she first comes to the house of
God. Elkanah comes to the house
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of God. And I don't think
anybody here is going to be
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surprised when I tell you the
result of chapter 1 is somebody
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named Samuel who becomes one of
the greatest leaders of ancient
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Israel. Samuel is not only a
prophet, is not only a priest,
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but he is a judge of Israel.
He's the last of, what is there,
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approximately 12 judges and he's
the last of them. Elkanah's a
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Godly man. He goes up to worship
according to the law and brings
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his offerings according to
the law. And in the context of
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coming before the Lord God can
entrust this family with a very
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sacred child. So coming to the
house of God and bringing your
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petitions to the house of
God is something that is very
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important. So we find
that we should not miss these
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opportunities to come to the
house of the Lord where these
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places of worship are. You find
that in I Samuel chapter 1 verse
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She went up to the house of
the Lord. Verse 8: Elkanah her
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husband said, Hannah, why do
you weep and why do you not eat?
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And why is your heart grieved?
Am I not better to you than 10
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sons? Now it could be, some
scholars think that Peninnah may
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have had 10 children and
Elkanah is making a contrast.
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I know that your rival wife has
10 children, but my love for you
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is even greater than that and
that's why he gave her a double
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portion. She would not eat. I
think there's a connection here
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between her being sad and not
eating. Go with me to I Samuel
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chapter 1 verse 10: So she went
up to the temple and she prayed.
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She's offering a fervent prayer.
God is going to do something for
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her but it's in response to a
fervent prayer. And she was in
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bitterness of soul and she
prayed to the Lord and she wept
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in anguish. Now this had gone
on for years and she realized
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you know I can't take much more
of this and she poured out her
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heart. You might even say she's
fasting and praying. Didn't her
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husband say why do you not
eat? She is fasting and she is
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praying and she goes to
the house of the Lord. God is
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getting ready to answer her
prayer. Now evidently during
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the time of her prayer she
is so intense. You'll read later
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she says I am the woman who came
and stood before you. I know
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some of the pictures show her
actually kneeling and praying
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but it says she stood and prayed
and there were times when they
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would stand and pray and there
were times when they would kneel
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When they went before the temple
they stood and they prayed. And
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she's swaying back and forth and
she's so overwhelmed with the
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intensity and the earnestness of
this prayer, her lips are moving
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that Eli observes her and
he thinks Ah, this must be one
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of the girlfriends of Hophni
and Phinehas. You read on in
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I Samuel and it tells us that
his sons used to have interludes
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with certain women that were
not the most virtuous of women
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there at the temple of all
things. And he thought that here
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one of these women had
come and she's inebriated and he
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misjudged what was going on in
Hannah's heart. Oh by the way,
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in the New Testament when
the Holy Spirit was poured out
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weren't the apostles accused of
being intoxicated when they were
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really filled with the Spirit.
So she's praying this Spirit
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filled, heartfelt pray. By the
way, what's the ingredient that
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makes any prayer the most
eloquent to God? Well first of
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all praying in Jesus' name,
but sincerity. Your desperation,
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your sincerity when you
pray is what makes our prayers
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eloquent. Let's face it.
Sometimes our prayers are
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memorized and we keep saying
the same thing it's almost like
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a habit. Is that really prayer?
Does God find any pleasure in
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having us recite something that
we have by memory. Now I've got
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to be careful how I say
this. Some people do not have
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children because they choose
not to and I think, especially
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living in this generation,
where Jesus said go and be
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fruitful and fill the earth, the
earth's getting pretty full that
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you know God honors and
respects those who choose not to
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procreate. I don't think that
you should feel guilty about
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that. Some do not have children
because of circumstances,
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financial. Some it may be a
health issue. So I'm not here
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to try and make anybody
feel guilty if you have not had
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children. But in the Bible times
when the world still was not
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full and having children was
an important part of being taken
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care of, it was an important
part of having the name go on,
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and if I can say this in a
delicate way, if a woman is good
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in anything they are designed to
be mothers, physiologically they
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are designed that way.
Emotionally they are the
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givers and they are the
nurturers and especially in
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a culture like that where if you
were in Hannah's position and
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you had to share your husband
with someone... Like Elizabeth
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just had her one husband, it
could have been maybe a little
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more tolerable. But when you've
got to share your husband with
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someone who's multiplying like
a bunny and you don't have any,
00:13:59.90\00:14:03.95
it just really makes it more...
the vacuum is more obvious.
00:14:03.98\00:14:09.52
See what I'm saying. So she's
wondering you know am I cursed?
00:14:09.56\00:14:14.68
What is the problem? I want
to give my husband children. But
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even more there's a deeper
spiritual meaning to this.
00:14:19.83\00:14:23.70
Remember in Revelation woman is
about to give birth. The dragon
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wants to devour the child as
soon as it's born. That child
00:14:28.56\00:14:33.98
that Hannah's going to have is
a symbol of Christ being born in
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us. It's through a miracle that
Mary conceived, isn't that right
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And this miracle birth that
Hannah's going to have is a type
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of Christ being born within and
it's happening as a result of
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prayer. Now how many want to
have that miracle birth in us?
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Every man and every woman
should raise their hand for that
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question. We all want that
promised miracle birth within
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us, right, of Christ. It happens
in the house of God as a result
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of prayer. Matter of fact, I
want to go back to that point
00:15:07.21\00:15:12.10
one more time. Does God answer
prayers offered in church more
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than he answers prayers at home?
Think about it. When Daniel
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opened his windows and prayed
three times a day, where did he
00:15:22.46\00:15:27.92
pray towards? When David had
something special did he go to
00:15:27.95\00:15:32.13
the temple and pray? Hezekiah
when he was threatened with an
00:15:32.17\00:15:35.53
enemy army, did he bring his
letter to the temple and spread
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it out before the Lord in the
house of the Lord. Did Jesus go
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to the synagogues and preach
and teach? Hannah's prayer was
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ultimately heard in the temple.
Now follow me, stay with me.
00:15:46.46\00:15:50.53
Is there more value to our
prayers when there are more
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people involved in the prayer?
If there are multiple people
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praying together over an issue
is it possible those prayers
00:15:59.48\00:16:03.56
carry more weight with
God? How many believe that? Oh,
00:16:03.59\00:16:07.12
there's a pretty good majority.
Where two or three are gathered
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together in my name. If two or
three of you will agree together
00:16:10.07\00:16:12.91
on anything. So is there
added value in corporate prayer?
00:16:12.94\00:16:17.03
Maybe, seems like it biblically.
When they're all in one place of
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one accord. So when you come to
the temple and pray isn't this
00:16:20.74\00:16:25.58
the gathering? By the way, the
word synagogue, church, Hebrew
00:16:25.62\00:16:30.48
and Greek, they both mean the
gathering, the assembly. There
00:16:30.51\00:16:36.06
may be some added value when we
pray together in church. That's
00:16:36.09\00:16:40.10
Solomon when he dedicated the
temple he said if your people
00:16:40.13\00:16:43.80
pray in this place or toward
this place, hear thou in heaven
00:16:43.83\00:16:47.19
and answer their prayers. This
is a place that represents God's
00:16:47.23\00:16:50.54
presence. You know one thing I
admire about my Catholic friends
00:16:50.58\00:16:54.09
is you'll often see them... They
keep the church doors open all
00:16:54.13\00:16:57.27
week long and I've visited many
Catholic churches because they
00:16:57.31\00:17:00.38
had some artifact or history
that was interesting to me and
00:17:00.42\00:17:03.26
you go in and all through the
day people come in, you see them
00:17:03.29\00:17:06.10
kneel, you see them pray,
you see them go out. Well they
00:17:06.13\00:17:08.40
could have done that at home.
Why did they come? Well this is
00:17:08.44\00:17:13.10
place that represents the
presence of God. Now when she's
00:17:13.14\00:17:17.73
praying this prayer at first Eli
misunderstands what's going on.
00:17:17.77\00:17:21.00
He thinks that she's maybe
inebriated. She arose after she
00:17:21.03\00:17:28.58
had finished eating and drinking
in Shiloh. Eli the priest was
00:17:28.62\00:17:31.66
sitting in a seat, I'm in verse
9 chapter 1, by the door post
00:17:31.70\00:17:35.79
to the tabernacle and she was
in bitterness of soul and she
00:17:35.83\00:17:39.73
prayed and she wept. Now we all
have things sometimes that are
00:17:39.77\00:17:43.64
on our heart. There could
be conflict in the home. It may
00:17:43.67\00:17:46.89
nothing to do with wanting
to have children. It might be a
00:17:46.92\00:17:49.94
health issue. Sometimes
there's bitterness of soul over
00:17:49.97\00:17:52.92
different stresses in our lives,
but we can come before the Lord
00:17:52.96\00:17:56.70
and pour out our hearts before
God. And there she is. And she
00:17:56.74\00:18:00.45
made a vow. And she said,
Oh Lord of hosts, if you will
00:18:00.48\00:18:05.14
indeed look on the affliction of
your maid servant and remember
00:18:05.18\00:18:10.14
me and do not forget your maid
servant. By the way, these are
00:18:10.18\00:18:14.71
the words that Mary used when
she said to the angel may it be
00:18:14.75\00:18:19.34
so unto your maid servant. She
recognized herself as a servant.
00:18:19.38\00:18:23.94
But you will give your
maid servant a male child... She
00:18:23.97\00:18:27.15
specifies mail child. Why
not just a child? This child is
00:18:27.18\00:18:30.34
going to represent Christ.
I'll explain that in a moment.
00:18:30.37\00:18:34.07
...that I will give him to the
Lord all the days of his life
00:18:34.10\00:18:38.77
and no razor shall come upon his
head. Now we'll pause. One of
00:18:38.81\00:18:43.61
the best ingredients to praying
and making a vow to God to give
00:18:43.65\00:18:48.49
you something special, only ask
for this miracle if you plan on
00:18:48.52\00:18:53.33
giving it back. Listen.
If you've got a health issue
00:18:53.36\00:18:57.83
and you're praying and you're
saying Lord I need healing and
00:18:57.87\00:19:02.73
if you heal me I promise to
use my remaining life for you.
00:19:02.77\00:19:07.19
I will give it back to you.
Lord I've got this financial
00:19:07.22\00:19:11.42
challenge. If you help me I
promise to dedicate my resources
00:19:11.46\00:19:15.60
to you. If you're going to come
to the Lord and you're going to
00:19:15.63\00:19:19.61
pray fervently for some miracle,
make sure you're not praying
00:19:19.64\00:19:23.61
selfishly. She's praying for a
son that she might give that son
00:19:23.65\00:19:27.59
to God. She probably always
wanted to raise and train a
00:19:27.62\00:19:31.22
child for God, but she didn't
even have the opportunity.
00:19:31.25\00:19:34.95
She wants to do it for God.
And so when you pray it's always
00:19:34.98\00:19:38.69
good to say am I praying amiss
that I might consume it on my
00:19:38.72\00:19:42.72
own selfish lusts or am I really
praying for God's glory. When
00:19:42.76\00:19:46.39
you ask, ask according to his
will. Does God perform miracles
00:19:46.42\00:19:49.40
and answer prayer when we pray
according to his will for his
00:19:49.44\00:19:53.99
glory? Whatever you ask for give
it to him. As she continued in
00:19:54.02\00:19:58.54
prayer, verse 12, before
the Lord, swaying back and forth
00:19:58.57\00:20:01.85
and rocking... Have any of you
ever seen some of the Jews at
00:20:01.88\00:20:05.62
the wailing wall pray? Notice
they stand and they pray at the
00:20:05.65\00:20:09.76
temple and they're going like
this. Well she's going back and
00:20:09.79\00:20:12.33
forth and rocking and staggering
under the weight. It's like
00:20:12.37\00:20:16.77
Jesus as he was going to
the garden of Gethsemane, he
00:20:16.81\00:20:20.12
staggered under the burden of
his anguish and that's how she
00:20:20.16\00:20:24.32
is and he thinks she's drunk.
Hannah spoke in her heart only.
00:20:24.35\00:20:28.13
Her lips moved but her voice was
not heard. Therefore Eli thought
00:20:28.17\00:20:31.92
she was drunk. There was such
intensity and passion to her
00:20:31.95\00:20:35.86
prayer. And Eli said to her, How
long will you drink? Put away
00:20:35.89\00:20:39.77
the wine from you. He should
have said that to his sons.
00:20:39.80\00:20:43.86
And Hannah answered and said,
No my lord. She was kind of
00:20:43.89\00:20:47.62
shocked that he was thinking
this. I'm just a woman of
00:20:47.66\00:20:50.84
sorrowful spirit. I've drunk
neither wine nor intoxicating
00:20:50.87\00:20:54.11
drink. Indeed you know what
she's promising? She's saying
00:20:54.14\00:20:57.13
Lord if you give me a son I'll
make him a Nazarite. Not only
00:20:57.16\00:21:00.13
will he never get a haircut but
I'm never going to let him touch
00:21:00.16\00:21:03.89
anything from the vine. He's
never going to drink; like John
00:21:03.92\00:21:07.62
the Baptist. So it really
offends that he's thinking
00:21:07.65\00:21:09.98
that she would drink. She's
going to consecrate her only son
00:21:10.02\00:21:14.07
to never drink. And she
said, No my lord, I'm a woman of
00:21:14.10\00:21:18.07
sorrowful spirit. I've neither
drunk wine nor intoxicating
00:21:18.10\00:21:22.00
drink but I poured out my soul
before the Lord. Do not consider
00:21:22.04\00:21:26.80
your maid servant to be a
wicked woman for out of the
00:21:26.83\00:21:29.95
abundance of my complaint and
my grief I have spoken till now.
00:21:29.99\00:21:34.00
Eli, realizing okay I misjudged
her, I feel bad. And I know
00:21:34.03\00:21:38.01
the feeling. I've
often misjudged people before
00:21:38.04\00:21:43.11
in the past. You meet different
folks that are coming into
00:21:43.15\00:21:46.63
church and sometimes you
see folks and you think they're
00:21:46.66\00:21:49.76
goofing off and it's really
something else. It's anguish
00:21:49.80\00:21:52.83
of heart. It's so embarrassing.
So he realizes that and he just
00:21:52.87\00:21:59.76
tries to cover himself. And Eli
answers and he says, Go in peace
00:21:59.79\00:22:05.45
and the God of Israel grant you
your petition that you've asked.
00:22:05.48\00:22:11.02
That's all he said. I mean it's
basically sort of a farewell
00:22:11.05\00:22:15.44
greeting but that's all she
needed. She needed some word,
00:22:15.47\00:22:18.83
she needed some indicator,
she needed some assurance, she
00:22:18.87\00:22:22.16
needed some signal that God had
heard her prayer and the closest
00:22:22.20\00:22:26.25
thing she could seize upon was
the high priest saying God is
00:22:26.29\00:22:29.42
going to hear your prayer. He
had no idea what she asked for.
00:22:29.46\00:22:32.56
She was praying for a big
miracle. Now she's a woman of
00:22:32.59\00:22:37.64
faith and she took that as the
sign she wanted. And the Bible
00:22:37.68\00:22:42.34
says that when she heard that
she said let your maid servant
00:22:42.38\00:22:46.74
find favor in your sight. So
the woman went her way... Notice
00:22:46.78\00:22:51.11
verse 18. And she ate and
her face was no longer sad.
00:22:51.14\00:22:55.57
She believed that God had
heard her prayer. What kind of
00:22:55.60\00:22:59.96
evidence did she have that God
was going to answer her prayer?
00:23:00.00\00:23:04.58
Just the promise of God, the
assurance in her heart that God
00:23:04.61\00:23:09.51
had spoken through the high
priest. Does God sometimes speak
00:23:09.55\00:23:13.80
through a high priest that may
not even know what he's saying?
00:23:13.84\00:23:18.06
I couldn't stand before you
if that wasn't true. No, I'm
00:23:18.09\00:23:21.58
serious. I believe that if
I open the word that God will
00:23:21.61\00:23:25.70
speak sometimes in spite of
where I might be. That's true.
00:23:25.73\00:23:29.79
Matter of fact. God spoke
through Caiaphas one time a
00:23:29.82\00:23:33.19
prophecy. You remember in the
Gospel of John where Caiaphas
00:23:33.23\00:23:36.71
the high priest was trying to
get Jesus to be condemned by the
00:23:36.75\00:23:39.87
other leaders and he said don't
you know anything at all that
00:23:39.91\00:23:42.42
it's expedient that one man
should perish in order to save
00:23:42.46\00:23:46.12
the nation? And John goes on to
say: He being high priest that
00:23:46.16\00:23:50.33
year God prophesied through him
and he certainly was not a very
00:23:50.36\00:23:54.91
godly man. Now the reason I'm
telling you this is you should
00:23:54.94\00:23:59.21
be coming to church, you
should be listening and praying.
00:23:59.25\00:24:03.18
Don't do it based on where
that church might be, where that
00:24:03.21\00:24:07.19
pastor or pastoral team might
be. It's between you and the
00:24:07.23\00:24:11.14
Lord. I'm not saying this to try
and condemn myself. I'm saying
00:24:11.18\00:24:15.23
this because it's a principle
that's true. God can speak
00:24:15.26\00:24:18.42
through a donkey can't he? What
was going on in the temple at
00:24:18.46\00:24:22.25
the time of Hannah when she
prayed that day? You read on in
00:24:22.29\00:24:26.17
these chapters you'll find out
not only was Eli spineless, his
00:24:26.21\00:24:30.06
sons were wicked. They
were mismanaging the offerings.
00:24:30.09\00:24:33.73
All kinds of things were going
on, but that did not affect
00:24:33.76\00:24:38.56
Hannah's relationship with God.
So many people use scandal in
00:24:38.59\00:24:42.47
the church, the deacon did this
and the elder did this and they
00:24:42.50\00:24:45.81
say I'm not going there. How
can God bless? How can God hear?
00:24:45.85\00:24:48.34
It has nothing to do with
that. It's between you and God.
00:24:48.37\00:24:50.83
You come to the place
he's appointed, the time he's
00:24:50.86\00:24:53.42
appointed, you pray and he can
answer your prayer. And that's
00:24:53.46\00:24:56.94
what I love about this story.
She really is going directly to
00:24:56.98\00:25:01.29
God. So she goes home. Now she's
eating. Now she feels better.
00:25:01.33\00:25:05.61
You notice the connection
between before it says she was
00:25:05.64\00:25:10.31
sad and she did not eat. She
was no longer sad and she did
00:25:10.34\00:25:15.77
eat. What is eating for the
Christian? A man doesn't live by
00:25:15.81\00:25:20.45
bread alone but by every word.
When she wasn't eating she was
00:25:20.48\00:25:26.63
sad. And when she was eating she
was happy. And the blessings of
00:25:26.66\00:25:32.45
God come through the vehicle
of the word of God. Now she had
00:25:32.48\00:25:37.26
not even spent the night with
Elkanah and she feels better.
00:25:37.30\00:25:42.13
She's not pregnant but she's
happy. She's now living on faith
00:25:42.17\00:25:46.97
Might I say to you that
godly mothers need to have faith
00:25:47.00\00:25:55.22
because so often when your kids
go up and down you wonder how
00:25:55.26\00:25:59.22
are they ever going to ever turn
out. And you see the mistakes
00:25:59.25\00:26:02.55
that they make and you have your
struggle and you wonder are they
00:26:02.58\00:26:06.03
ever going to be in the kingdom?
You could just be wringing your
00:26:06.07\00:26:09.49
hands all the time. But I
think in order to be sane and a
00:26:09.52\00:26:14.33
Christian mother you've got to
live by faith. You do the best
00:26:14.37\00:26:18.33
you can, you pray, you give it
to God and then you go home and
00:26:18.36\00:26:22.23
you eat and you smile. So often
there are a lot of mothers that
00:26:22.26\00:26:25.50
their hearts are agonizing over
their children and where they
00:26:25.54\00:26:28.40
are and some of them are grown
and are out in the world and how
00:26:28.44\00:26:31.27
can you even function when
you worry about their eternal
00:26:31.30\00:26:34.14
destiny. You've got to go to
the temple of God, you've got to
00:26:34.18\00:26:37.81
pour out your heart to the
Lord and then trust him when you
00:26:37.84\00:26:41.22
leave that he's heard your
prayer. That's what Hannah did.
00:26:41.26\00:26:45.07
Whatever the circumstances might
be she brought it to the Lord.
00:26:45.11\00:26:49.37
She left it at the temple. She
left happy. Just cast your cares
00:26:49.41\00:26:53.18
upon the Lord because he cares
for you, Amen? And she left with
00:26:53.22\00:26:56.86
faith. She didn't have her
answer yet. But she knew God had
00:26:56.90\00:27:00.51
heard her and she got that
through Eli giving her that
00:27:00.54\00:27:05.74
assurance. We are to be people
of faith. He said go in peace.
00:27:05.78\00:27:13.51
So she was no longer sad. God
can speak through his instrument
00:27:13.55\00:27:21.25
regardless of the individual.
Sacred book, sacred place,
00:27:21.28\00:27:26.31
sacred office, faulty man.
She came to a sacred place at a
00:27:26.35\00:27:31.01
sacred time. He held a sacred
office. She prayed a sacred
00:27:31.04\00:27:35.08
prayer. But even though he held
the office there was something
00:27:35.12\00:27:40.44
wrong with the man God still
answered her prayer. Now does
00:27:40.47\00:27:46.04
something happen after she goes
home. Verse 20: So it comes to
00:27:46.07\00:27:52.22
pass in the process of time,
we don't know how long it was
00:27:52.25\00:27:55.09
but some time
during that year Hannah
00:27:55.12\00:27:57.93
conceived and she bore a son
and she called his name Samuel
00:27:57.97\00:28:04.21
saying because I asked him
from God, from the Lord. Or more
00:28:04.24\00:28:09.98
accurately that name means asked
before the Lord. Not only asked
00:28:10.02\00:28:14.52
from God but she went into the
presence of God and she prayed
00:28:14.56\00:28:19.65
before the Lord. So I think
that's very significant. He is a
00:28:19.69\00:28:25.01
child that is born as a result
of prayer. He's a child that
00:28:25.05\00:28:30.34
finds life as a result
of prayer. I don't believe
00:28:30.37\00:28:34.98
there's a believing mother in
the world that does not want her
00:28:35.02\00:28:37.76
children to have life. We're
talking about eternal life.
00:28:37.79\00:28:41.87
All of us are terminal in this
life. It's the one that doesn't
00:28:41.91\00:28:46.59
end that we're especially
interested in. She receives life
00:28:46.63\00:28:52.46
for the child as a result of
prayer. She later come to the
00:28:52.50\00:28:58.43
temple and she says to Eli,
for this child I prayed. Now did
00:28:58.46\00:29:03.86
Peninnah have children? She had
many children. Those children
00:29:03.90\00:29:10.11
all came naturally. Sort of like
a child of Hagar was a child
00:29:10.15\00:29:15.19
that came as a result of natural
works. That was Abraham taking
00:29:15.22\00:29:20.23
things into his own hands.
The natural course of things.
00:29:20.26\00:29:26.22
It is true that every life is
a miracle, but I think we also
00:29:26.26\00:29:32.19
know that there are certain
laws with cause and effect
00:29:32.22\00:29:36.99
and if certain things happen,
if a young man and a young woman
00:29:37.03\00:29:41.07
are healthy and they get
involved intimately there is a
00:29:41.10\00:29:44.42
strong possibility there
is going to be an offspring.
00:29:44.46\00:29:47.94
It's just cause and
effect. It's a natural function.
00:29:47.97\00:29:51.38
It works all the way through the
animal kingdom. But her child
00:29:51.42\00:29:57.01
was born as a result of prayer.
I received this child because I
00:29:57.05\00:30:02.61
prayed for him. Now the reason
I'm emphasizing that point,
00:30:02.64\00:30:06.33
hyper emphasizing that point
is because I know there are a
00:30:06.37\00:30:10.19
lot of parents out there and
I hope you'll find courage and
00:30:10.22\00:30:13.94
comfort from the promise that
you can go to the house of God
00:30:13.97\00:30:18.96
and pray for a child and that
prayer can be heard. That is one
00:30:18.99\00:30:23.49
of the most important lessons
is why I picked this subject is
00:30:23.52\00:30:27.99
because I want you to know
Hannah went to the temple to
00:30:28.02\00:30:30.31
pray for a child and God heard
her prayer. You can come to the
00:30:30.35\00:30:33.46
house of God and pray for
your children and he hears your
00:30:33.49\00:30:36.09
prayers there that he will save
them. Now can you imagine what
00:30:36.13\00:30:40.71
it must have been like after
she conceives and she has this
00:30:40.74\00:30:44.27
child? She doesn't bring him
right to the temple of the Lord.
00:30:44.31\00:30:47.81
Matter of fact, she tells
Elkanah... Well let me read
00:30:47.84\00:30:50.14
it to you right here. Go with
me back to I Samuel, I flip back
00:30:50.18\00:30:54.80
and forth between my notes.
Verse 20: Came to pass in the
00:30:54.83\00:31:02.09
process of time she conceived,
and the man, verse 21, Elkanah,
00:31:02.13\00:31:05.52
and all his house they go back
up to the Lord every year as
00:31:05.56\00:31:09.23
they normally do to sacrifice.
But Hannah says to him, she does
00:31:09.27\00:31:13.19
not go. She said to her husband,
I will not go up until the child
00:31:13.22\00:31:17.13
is weaned. Then when I take him
that he may appear before the
00:31:17.17\00:31:22.09
Lord and remain there forever.
Now, this may be the first time
00:31:22.13\00:31:27.49
she's broken the news to Elkanah
Can you imagine that? Hannah's
00:31:27.52\00:31:32.85
been wanting a child. He
knew that. Prayed for a child.
00:31:32.88\00:31:35.18
He maybe didn't know about
her vow. She's got to tell her
00:31:35.21\00:31:38.20
husband. You know why? The
Bible says that if a man vows a
00:31:38.24\00:31:42.73
vow he's bound with his lips
to fulfill a vow. If a woman is
00:31:42.76\00:31:47.37
married and she makes a vow,
that vow must be cosigned by the
00:31:47.40\00:31:52.41
husband. Now that would seem
reasonable especially if the vow
00:31:52.44\00:31:57.42
involves giving away the
child. How many of you remember
00:31:57.45\00:32:00.78
reading that in the Bible? And
I'm not going down the road of
00:32:00.82\00:32:05.56
why God had the law that the vow
of the wife must get cosigned or
00:32:05.59\00:32:09.56
agreed upon by the husband. The
husband biblically in the Old
00:32:09.59\00:32:13.58
Testament had the authority
to nullify the vow of the wife.
00:32:13.61\00:32:17.55
I'm not going to go down the
road of why that is. All I want
00:32:17.58\00:32:21.49
you to know is
Elkanah subscribed to her vow.
00:32:21.52\00:32:26.05
That takes a lot of courage. She
says I've been praying for this
00:32:26.09\00:32:30.81
son, I finally get the son I
want but I promised him to live
00:32:30.85\00:32:36.35
under the Nazarite vow and I'm
consecrating him to the Lord and
00:32:36.38\00:32:41.85
I'm going to take him to
the temple and the first time he
00:32:41.88\00:32:44.77
goes to the temple he's never
coming home. Can you imagine
00:32:44.81\00:32:47.63
being a father? You've got this
loved wife. She finally has this
00:32:47.67\00:32:51.61
son and he's going to be the
heir and she says I'm taking him
00:32:51.65\00:32:54.94
to the temple. This is taking
faith not only on the part of
00:32:54.98\00:32:59.51
Hannah, but it takes faith
on the part of Elkanah. And then
00:32:59.54\00:33:04.00
you also wonder about the years
of preparation. She says I'm not
00:33:04.04\00:33:07.13
taking him till I know
he's ready. She's got this child
00:33:07.16\00:33:09.90
that she's going to bring to the
temple and that temple is not
00:33:09.94\00:33:12.81
perfect at that time. How
carefully do you think she
00:33:12.84\00:33:16.83
prepared him during those years?
She was training that child, she
00:33:16.87\00:33:23.02
was yearning over that child,
she was trying to surround him
00:33:23.05\00:33:26.95
with every possible influence.
Can you imagine how tenderly
00:33:26.98\00:33:30.45
she must have thought as the
years went by and she's making
00:33:30.48\00:33:33.92
his little clothes and
she's caring for him and she's
00:33:33.95\00:33:36.35
training him that someday she's
going to have to take him to the
00:33:36.39\00:33:39.41
temple. Someday she's going to
have to fulfill her vow. She's
00:33:39.45\00:33:42.51
going to bring him there and
never bring him home. That must
00:33:42.54\00:33:45.79
have been a real trial for her.
And then you wonder also about
00:33:45.82\00:33:49.69
the interchange that may have
been going on between Hannah and
00:33:49.73\00:33:53.19
Peninnah. Here Peninnah has been
provoking her, provoking her,
00:33:53.23\00:33:56.18
provoking her. God's cursed you
you, you don't have any children
00:33:56.22\00:33:59.14
and she has this beautiful
and you know if maybe Peninnah
00:33:59.17\00:34:03.87
thought hey this is a miracle
and what was going on in their
00:34:03.90\00:34:08.57
relationship there as
well. Maybe she had to protect
00:34:08.60\00:34:13.99
little Samuel from the other
siblings because now they're
00:34:14.03\00:34:17.35
suddenly jealous. Remember
what Abraham had to finally do?
00:34:17.38\00:34:20.86
He had to send away Hagar
and Ishmael because Ishmael was
00:34:20.89\00:34:24.97
mocking Isaac after he was born.
So you've got all that added
00:34:25.00\00:34:28.97
strife. And in this environment
Hannah's trying to raise a child
00:34:29.01\00:34:32.68
who will go to the house of God
and serve God in some capacity
00:34:32.71\00:34:37.08
for his entire life. So there's
a lot of interesting dynamics
00:34:37.11\00:34:41.46
that are going on during that
time in that family. She's not
00:34:41.49\00:34:45.45
going to bring him up before
he's weaned. It says once again
00:34:45.48\00:34:49.18
in verse 22: She did not go
to the temple the next year when
00:34:49.21\00:34:52.72
her husband went. I will not
go up until the child is weaned.
00:34:52.76\00:34:56.07
Then I will take him that
he might appear before the Lord
00:34:56.11\00:35:00.42
and remain there forever. Now
how old was that? Elkanah her
00:35:00.46\00:35:04.68
husband said to her, verse
23, Do what seems right to you.
00:35:04.72\00:35:08.87
Wait until you have weaned him.
Only let the Lord establish his
00:35:08.91\00:35:13.04
word. So the woman stayed
and nursed her son until she had
00:35:13.07\00:35:17.48
weaned him. Now when she
had weaned him, it makes it very
00:35:17.52\00:35:22.14
clear, nursed him, weaned
him. What's the average age when
00:35:22.17\00:35:27.21
a woman stops, at least in
primitive cultures, nursing the
00:35:27.24\00:35:32.21
child? Well you know sometimes
the first one two. If you really
00:35:32.25\00:35:37.93
want to keep them on the apron
strings as long as possible they
00:35:37.96\00:35:44.05
might stop for an occasional
drink three but can you imagine
00:35:44.08\00:35:48.21
bringing a three or four-year-
old. Let's stretch it. Let's
00:35:48.25\00:35:52.56
assume that weaning means
he can take care of himself in
00:35:52.59\00:35:56.83
other ways. Three or four. Let's
say four because that's even
00:35:56.87\00:36:02.08
hard to comprehend. Can you
imagine taking your beautiful
00:36:02.11\00:36:06.90
little four-year-old boy that
you've prayed for. I like to
00:36:06.93\00:36:10.19
think that was about the age.
That's when they get where they
00:36:10.22\00:36:14.73
can communicate, they can follow
orders a little better. I mean
00:36:14.76\00:36:19.24
you know if I were Eli
and someone was dropping off a
00:36:19.27\00:36:21.76
three-year-old. What do
they call it? Terrible twos and
00:36:21.80\00:36:24.59
what's the one for threes?
They're running through the
00:36:24.63\00:36:27.35
Holy of Holies. Thank you very
much. Bring him back in a couple
00:36:27.39\00:36:34.02
years. But let's say four years
of age. Can you imagine how that
00:36:34.06\00:36:39.82
mother's heart must have been
torn out of her bosom thinking
00:36:39.85\00:36:44.65
about leaving her child in this
strange place and these strange
00:36:44.68\00:36:49.06
environments? And how carefully
she must have trained him and
00:36:49.10\00:36:53.59
prepared him to live in that
environment and try to fortify
00:36:53.63\00:36:57.97
his faith and talk about oh
you're going to be with God.
00:36:58.00\00:37:01.50
You'll be surrounded by angels.
God will be there with you.
00:37:01.54\00:37:04.86
He'll always be at your side.
And she tried to impress his
00:37:04.90\00:37:08.15
mind with the awesomeness of God
and he was going to be a special
00:37:08.19\00:37:11.15
servant to God and he knew that
because he didn't eat like his
00:37:11.19\00:37:14.58
siblings. He's a Nazarite. They
got haircuts. He did not get
00:37:14.61\00:37:17.15
haircuts. Matter of fact, I
had to go through a lot of these
00:37:17.19\00:37:20.03
pictures, I think I missed one
of them. All the pictures had
00:37:20.06\00:37:22.81
Samuel, he's got the Marine hair
cut. And I tried to take Photo
00:37:22.84\00:37:25.56
Shop and put some hair on
him. Because it said he was a
00:37:25.59\00:37:27.81
Nazarite. The artist missed
that He didn't get a haircut.
00:37:27.85\00:37:31.10
He looked like Samson. Isn't
that right? No razor would come
00:37:31.14\00:37:35.76
on his head. She going to bring
this child and so he's being
00:37:35.80\00:37:40.03
teased by his siblings. He
knew he was different. And she
00:37:40.06\00:37:44.22
trained him and finally the day
comes where she realizes, look,
00:37:44.26\00:37:47.87
he's not nursing anymore,
not even interested. I've got to
00:37:47.90\00:37:53.29
keep my vow. I've made a promise
to God. Who did Hannah love more
00:37:53.33\00:37:59.64
her son or God? You know I think
that's one of the very important
00:37:59.67\00:38:05.95
lessons. A godly mother loves
God more that her children and
00:38:05.98\00:38:10.63
her family. I think the most
important earmark on a godly
00:38:10.67\00:38:15.25
mother is God is first and her
service to God is more important
00:38:15.29\00:38:19.95
than her service to her children
to her family, to her community.
00:38:19.99\00:38:24.05
God is coming first. Hannah had
love for God so much. How do we
00:38:24.09\00:38:28.58
know that. What did she love
in the world more than Samuel?
00:38:28.62\00:38:32.76
I mean, aside from God there
was nothing else. You all agree?
00:38:32.79\00:38:37.45
When she brought that child and
committed him to the Lord she
00:38:37.48\00:38:42.41
was giving her greatest gift.
Well finally she came to the day
00:38:42.44\00:38:47.23
where she must give what she has
received. You see, she received
00:38:47.27\00:38:52.02
Samuel in order to give him just
as every great promise of God.
00:38:52.05\00:38:56.77
And she brought him to the
temple and the Bible tells us
00:38:56.80\00:38:59.73
she did not bring him empty-
handed. It says in verse 24:
00:38:59.76\00:39:02.62
When she weaned him she took him
up with her with three bulls and
00:39:02.66\00:39:07.69
an epha of flour and skin of
wine. That's a big old goat skin
00:39:07.72\00:39:11.94
of wine and brings him to the
house of the Lord in Shiloh and
00:39:11.97\00:39:16.56
the child was young. And there
they slaughtered a bull, one as
00:39:16.60\00:39:20.73
a sacrifice the other two oxen.
They were very expensive, the
00:39:20.76\00:39:24.86
most expensive sacrifice
you could offer is a whole ox.
00:39:24.89\00:39:27.78
I mean, you know, you could
feed everybody in this church a
00:39:27.81\00:39:31.25
little bit with a whole ox,
right? Well she brings three
00:39:31.29\00:39:34.66
oxen. One is a sacrifice that
the priest could eat from right
00:39:34.70\00:39:38.03
away. The others are kept alive
and basically she's saying I'm
00:39:38.07\00:39:41.33
not asking you to just take
care of my child because I need
00:39:41.36\00:39:45.18
welfare. She's saying to Eli,
I'm going to subsidize his care.
00:39:45.22\00:39:49.01
Here is the first year's
installment. I'm going to
00:39:49.04\00:39:54.22
provide for what he needs.
You can sell the ox and use the
00:39:54.26\00:39:56.58
money or whatever.
00:39:56.61\00:39:57.64
But you see what she's
doing. They're saying we're not
00:39:57.67\00:39:59.88
just expecting you to take
this child and take care of him
00:39:59.91\00:40:02.10
because we don't
want to feed him.
00:40:02.13\00:40:03.24
This is a very
expensive offering that
00:40:03.27\00:40:05.83
they're bringing. They make
an offering to the Lord and she
00:40:05.86\00:40:10.12
says to Eli, My lord as your
soul lives, my lord, I am the
00:40:10.16\00:40:14.39
woman who stood by you
here praying to the Lord.
00:40:14.42\00:40:17.03
You remember she said stand.
For this child, right here, I
00:40:17.07\00:40:21.75
prayed and as the Lord has
granted me my petition which I
00:40:21.78\00:40:26.39
asked of him, therefore, I have
lent him to the Lord as long as
00:40:26.43\00:40:31.34
he lives he is lent to the
Lord. So they worshiped the Lord
00:40:31.38\00:40:36.34
there. Now that must have been
a real struggle. I can't imagine
00:40:36.38\00:40:41.31
what Eli was thinking. He
probably sensed that this woman
00:40:41.34\00:40:45.12
this man, they're godly. They've
been in church. This child
00:40:45.15\00:40:48.65
really is a miracle child
and he hears the report and he's
00:40:48.69\00:40:51.35
thinking this is of the Lord.
And you know what else I think
00:40:51.38\00:40:54.01
Eli is going through. He
realizes he has been a failure
00:40:54.04\00:40:58.98
with his own sons and he
sees this pure, godly, innocent
00:40:59.01\00:41:03.32
little child as a fresh
opportunity to get it right.
00:41:03.36\00:41:07.60
And he thinks to himself, you
know, my sons they're long gone.
00:41:07.64\00:41:12.45
He tried to chide them, he tried
to encourage them and they just
00:41:12.48\00:41:17.26
ignored their father.
They wouldn't listen to him.
00:41:17.29\00:41:19.79
He thinks that here is someone
who's got a good start. By the
00:41:19.83\00:41:23.33
way, this should remind us how
important those formative years
00:41:23.36\00:41:27.36
are. Between the ages of one and
four psychologists tell us that
00:41:27.39\00:41:31.36
a child's character is formed.
They can make changes after
00:41:31.39\00:41:34.99
that but the concrete is pretty
hard by the time they're four.
00:41:35.03\00:41:37.96
Their character, the way they're
going to respond to just about
00:41:38.00\00:41:41.49
everything in life, has pretty
well been settled by the first
00:41:41.53\00:41:46.06
four years and that's why it is
so important... Matter of fact,
00:41:46.09\00:41:49.31
I've got a quote here that
I'd like to read you and I think
00:41:49.34\00:41:53.78
it's from the book Patriarchs
and Prophets in context of this
00:41:53.82\00:41:59.55
chapter. Oh here it is. To
a very great extent the mother
00:41:59.58\00:42:04.53
holds in her own hands the
destiny of her children. She is
00:42:04.56\00:42:09.03
dealing with developing minds
and characters working not alone
00:42:09.06\00:42:13.10
for time but for eternity. She
is sowing seeds that will spring
00:42:13.14\00:42:16.91
up and bear fruit either for
good or evil. Especially during
00:42:16.94\00:42:20.68
the early years the
responsibility rests
00:42:20.71\00:42:23.71
upon her of forming the
character of her children.
00:42:23.75\00:42:26.78
Impressions now made upon their
developing minds will remain
00:42:26.82\00:42:31.11
with them all through
life. Parents should direct the
00:42:31.14\00:42:34.07
instruction and the training of
their children while very young
00:42:34.11\00:42:36.73
to the end that they may be
Christians. They are placed in
00:42:36.76\00:42:40.56
our care to be trained not
as heirs of the throne of an
00:42:40.60\00:42:44.33
earthly empire but as kings unto
God to reign through unending
00:42:44.37\00:42:48.22
ages with him. Isn't that a
great quote. That's Patriarchs
00:42:48.25\00:42:53.67
and Prophets 244. It's not easy
being a parent though is it?
00:42:53.70\00:42:58.95
Sometimes it's a real struggle
to know how to train your
00:42:58.98\00:43:04.08
children. It's difficult for
single parents. I was raised,
00:43:04.11\00:43:08.50
my brother and I, by a single
mom and I know how hard it was
00:43:08.54\00:43:12.43
for her to try to juggle taking
care of two very rambunctious
00:43:12.47\00:43:16.33
boys, one of them with a
terminal sickness and manage a
00:43:16.36\00:43:19.97
career. I wish that my mother
had had the benefit of knowing
00:43:20.01\00:43:25.23
she could go to God for help.
It's a real chore. The Lord is
00:43:25.26\00:43:30.03
especially near these parents
that are trying to manage the
00:43:30.07\00:43:34.53
struggles of life and to
teach their children. Don't be
00:43:34.56\00:43:39.33
discouraged. I heard one time
about this young lady and she
00:43:39.36\00:43:44.17
said before I had children I
had three theories about raising
00:43:44.20\00:43:48.98
children. Then I had three
children and now I have three
00:43:49.01\00:43:52.92
children and no theories. It's
very difficult. Someone else
00:43:52.95\00:43:56.79
said that if evolution was true
then why does a mother only have
00:43:56.83\00:44:00.46
two hands? She should probably
look like a Hindu god if
00:44:00.49\00:44:06.23
evolution is true. It's tough
raising kids and especially is
00:44:06.27\00:44:11.08
it true in this generation
when there are so many things to
00:44:11.11\00:44:15.25
distract. Well God works this
miracle and he gives Hannah a
00:44:15.28\00:44:19.16
child and she brings her
child and gives him back to God.
00:44:19.19\00:44:23.33
I think that every Christian
wants to follow that pattern.
00:44:23.37\00:44:27.44
If you receive a child, it's a
miracle. God made man in his own
00:44:27.48\00:44:31.25
image in that through an act
of love men and women procreate.
00:44:31.29\00:44:35.03
But those children belong
to God. They are lent to us.
00:44:35.06\00:44:39.40
That's why Jesus says in
Matthew 10:14: Let the little
00:44:39.43\00:44:43.70
children come unto me. Remember
when the mothers wanted to bring
00:44:43.74\00:44:47.31
their children to Jesus and the
disciples are Ah he's too busy
00:44:47.35\00:44:50.54
for all those little rug rats.
He's got important things to do.
00:44:50.58\00:44:53.65
Don't trouble him right now. And
Jesus was very displeased with
00:44:53.69\00:44:57.05
the apostles. He said, No! Let
the little children come to me.
00:44:57.08\00:45:00.39
From the time they're born
we ought to be pointing them to
00:45:00.43\00:45:04.52
Jesus that he is the supreme
focus of their lives. You know
00:45:04.55\00:45:08.58
Hannah must have done something
right. Because of the influence
00:45:08.62\00:45:13.17
that she had on Samuel during
those formative years the whole
00:45:13.21\00:45:17.84
nation of Israel was turned from
the apostasy from the days of
00:45:17.87\00:45:23.44
Hophni and Phinehas back to
God. Because of the influence of
00:45:23.47\00:45:27.83
Samuel they found victory over
the Philistines. There was a
00:45:27.87\00:45:31.93
great revival in the land and
the impressions that she made
00:45:31.96\00:45:35.34
on that child in spite of, this
is what's really wonderful to
00:45:35.37\00:45:38.80
remember, in spite of the evil
environment in which that child
00:45:38.83\00:45:42.87
had to grow up once he was left
there in the center of religion
00:45:42.90\00:45:47.11
he maintained a purity because
of the prayer... Do you think
00:45:47.14\00:45:50.93
Hannah continued praying
for Samuel after she dropped him
00:45:50.96\00:45:54.09
off? Well Lord I kept my vow.
Now I'm going to work on the
00:45:54.12\00:45:57.18
next batch of kids. He's yours.
She was praying for him. Matter
00:45:57.22\00:46:01.38
of fact, the Bible tells us
that every year she would make a
00:46:01.42\00:46:06.18
visit and she'd bring a little
coat. You go to I Samuel chapter
00:46:06.22\00:46:10.67
2 now, verse 18: But Samuel
ministered before the Lord even
00:46:10.71\00:46:15.13
as a child, little
child, toddling around there
00:46:15.16\00:46:17.91
in his little linen ephod. He
had to be 30, normally, 30 years
00:46:17.94\00:46:21.48
of age to serve as a Levite and
here this little bitty priest
00:46:21.52\00:46:25.03
going around in his
little priestly garment serving.
00:46:25.06\00:46:30.33
I don't know what he did there.
You know he probably took care
00:46:30.36\00:46:32.67
of some of the little chores
that he could do and he grew up
00:46:32.71\00:46:34.99
doing that. He grew up
serving God in the house of God.
00:46:35.02\00:46:37.75
And every year Hannah thought
about her son. All year long she
00:46:37.79\00:46:41.90
pined and prayed for her son but
she felt good about keeping her
00:46:41.93\00:46:46.01
vow. It says every year when
she'd come up before the Lord
00:46:46.04\00:46:50.33
she'd make him a little robe and
she'd bring it to him. It was
00:46:50.37\00:46:53.88
woven with the fabric of love.
You could think about the way
00:46:53.91\00:46:57.25
that Jacob made that robe of
many colors for his son that he
00:46:57.28\00:47:01.65
loved, Joseph. In the same way,
there on the loom, Hannah was
00:47:01.69\00:47:06.05
making this little robe for
Samuel and weaving it with her
00:47:06.09\00:47:11.04
love. Now what does clothing
represent biblically. It's a
00:47:11.08\00:47:16.76
symbol for character and this
mother providing that robe for
00:47:16.79\00:47:22.37
her son in the temple of God
is a symbol for how God's church
00:47:22.41\00:47:27.95
is to constantly be
weaving in the loom this robe of
00:47:27.99\00:47:32.99
righteousness for those who
are worshipping Jesus who is the
00:47:33.02\00:47:37.23
temple above, Amen? Isn't
our Christ the Son of the woman,
00:47:37.27\00:47:41.48
Revelation chapter 12.
He's caught up to God's throne.
00:47:41.52\00:47:45.66
Isn't our Jesus our Samuel up in
the temple of God? And we as a
00:47:45.70\00:47:49.59
church, we're like that bride.
We're going to be constantly
00:47:49.63\00:47:54.47
working on the loom making robes
for the people that come that
00:47:54.50\00:47:59.30
they might have the robe of
Samuel, the robe of Christ's
00:47:59.34\00:48:02.49
righteousness. You know I
was tempted this week whether to
00:48:02.53\00:48:05.55
talk about Hannah or to
talk about that perfect woman in
00:48:05.58\00:48:08.72
Proverbs 31. I think a lot
of women are intimidated by
00:48:08.76\00:48:11.82
Proverbs 31 because it's got
this perfect woman that I don't
00:48:11.86\00:48:14.77
know if she exists anywhere
in the world. But she's a symbol
00:48:14.81\00:48:17.69
for the church. But it
says there, notice some of the
00:48:17.73\00:48:21.25
characteristics, Proverbs
31 verses 13, 19, 21. She seeks
00:48:21.28\00:48:24.50
wool and flax and willingly
works with her hands making
00:48:24.53\00:48:27.68
these garments. She stretches
out her hands to the distaff and
00:48:27.72\00:48:31.15
her hand to the spindle making
garments. She is not afraid of
00:48:31.19\00:48:34.59
the snow for her household
for they are all clothed with
00:48:34.62\00:48:38.09
scarlet. She's preoccupied with
what is my family wearing and as
00:48:38.12\00:48:43.17
a church we want to make sure
that everybody is clothed with
00:48:43.20\00:48:47.35
these robes of righteousness.
And every year when Hannah came
00:48:47.38\00:48:51.49
up Eli got to know them
very well and it says, Eli would
00:48:51.53\00:48:54.54
bless Elkanah and his
wife and say the Lord give you
00:48:54.57\00:48:57.72
descendants from this
woman; this woman who gave her
00:48:57.75\00:49:00.83
greatest gift in giving her son.
Boy and he's such a good boy too
00:49:00.86\00:49:05.18
I hope you have a whole crew
of kids like Samuel. And he'd
00:49:05.21\00:49:08.15
bless them every year. And you
know what, it seemed like every
00:49:08.19\00:49:11.24
year after they'd come up, they
would see Eli, he'd bless them,
00:49:11.28\00:49:15.23
they'd go home she got pregnant
again. At least five other times
00:49:15.27\00:49:20.71
because it says that she had six
children all together. Let me
00:49:20.75\00:49:24.38
just read this here. I want to
make sure I don't mess this up.
00:49:24.42\00:49:28.11
And the Lord she bore three sons
and two daughters, yeah, five
00:49:28.14\00:49:31.67
other children including Samuel,
that's six children. So every
00:49:31.71\00:49:35.20
she'd come up, he'd bless her,
she'd go home and get pregnant.
00:49:35.24\00:49:36.93
She'd have more children.
00:49:36.96\00:49:39.38
Now some of you are
thinking, I'm not going to
00:49:39.42\00:49:40.73
church anymore when you
hear that. That's the problem.
00:49:40.76\00:49:47.99
Woven with a coat of love. And
then of course later you know
00:49:48.02\00:49:51.32
the story if you read in chapter
3 as Samuel gets a little older,
00:49:51.35\00:49:55.20
we don't know how old he was.
It might have been when he was
00:49:55.24\00:49:58.86
12. That would have been about
the right age after Hannah has
00:49:58.90\00:50:03.17
five other kids and the story
picks up. At 12 years of age
00:50:03.20\00:50:06.89
he's in the temple of God.
How old was Jesus when he went
00:50:06.93\00:50:10.50
to the temple of the Lord? He
was 12 years of age and that's
00:50:10.53\00:50:14.03
where he first really recognized
what his calling was as the Lamb
00:50:14.06\00:50:18.41
of God. It was 12 years of age
Samuel's in the temple and he's
00:50:18.44\00:50:22.52
living there in that place and
God says Samuel, Samuel and he's
00:50:22.55\00:50:26.60
speaking to his heart. Because
Eli doesn't hear it. No one
00:50:26.63\00:50:30.13
hears it but Samuel. Finally
he realizes after the third time
00:50:30.17\00:50:33.82
that God is calling him and not
only did he realize it but you
00:50:33.86\00:50:37.47
read in the Bible here and
Samuel grew, this is chapter 3
00:50:37.51\00:50:42.10
I Samuel chapter 3 verse
19: Samuel grew and the Lord was
00:50:42.13\00:50:46.80
with him and did not let any
of his words fall to the ground.
00:50:46.83\00:50:51.46
And all Israel from Dan
to Beersheba, that means from
00:50:51.49\00:50:55.77
North to South knew that Samuel
was established to be a prophet
00:50:55.80\00:51:00.14
of the Lord and the
Lord appeared again in Shiloh
00:51:00.18\00:51:02.88
for the Lord revealed himself to
Samuel in Shiloh by the word of
00:51:02.92\00:51:06.08
the Lord. Everyone that came to
the temple were disgusted with
00:51:06.11\00:51:09.37
Hophni and Phinehas and finally
they died and Samuel came into
00:51:09.40\00:51:12.62
power still a young man.
And they knew this young prophet
00:51:12.66\00:51:16.88
priest, judge had been called
by the Lord in a special way and
00:51:16.91\00:51:22.08
the whole nation spiritually the
whole tide was turned back to
00:51:22.12\00:51:27.26
God because of Samuel. Who
made the difference? Hannah.
00:51:27.29\00:51:33.05
It started with Hannah's
prayer, Hannah's vow, Hannah's
00:51:33.09\00:51:38.78
dedication, changed everything.
You know they say the hand that
00:51:38.82\00:51:43.24
rocks the cradle rules the world
It's the influence of mothers on
00:51:43.27\00:51:47.61
their children little by little
through the day. The time that
00:51:47.65\00:51:51.93
they spend reading with them and
talking to them and encouraging
00:51:51.96\00:51:56.21
them and chastising
them that is shaping them.
00:51:56.24\00:51:59.87
That's affecting the whole, well
affects the family which affects
00:51:59.91\00:52:03.37
the society and the town and
the country and the nation and
00:52:03.40\00:52:07.01
the world and it's happening
through, to a great extent,
00:52:07.04\00:52:10.68
the influence of the mothers
on their children. You know the
00:52:10.71\00:52:15.11
Bible tells us that... Ah you
know I've got so much I wanted
00:52:15.15\00:52:19.40
to say to you. Tell you what,
I'm going to just summarize this
00:52:19.44\00:52:23.96
quickly. In Hannah's prayer, she
goes into the temple after she
00:52:23.99\00:52:28.24
has this promised child and
she offers a prayer of gratitude
00:52:28.27\00:52:31.86
when she first drops off Samuel.
She makes a very interesting
00:52:31.90\00:52:36.20
statement in chapter 2, verse 5:
They that were full have hired
00:52:36.23\00:52:40.50
themselves out for bread
and they that were hungry have
00:52:40.54\00:52:45.60
ceased so that the barren
has born seven and she that has
00:52:45.63\00:52:50.62
many children is waxed feeble.
Now Peninnah had many children.
00:52:50.66\00:52:54.61
Something happened, I don't know
if Peninnah waxed feeble. Hannah
00:52:54.65\00:52:58.56
got stronger and stronger.
What's going to happen to
00:52:58.60\00:53:01.13
Babylon and her daughters?
Going to get weaker, going to
00:53:01.17\00:53:04.69
wax feeble. Christ and his
church are going... Blessed are
00:53:04.73\00:53:07.90
the meek, they will inherit the
earth. But it says the barren
00:53:07.94\00:53:10.98
has born seven. I spotted that
one day and I did some math.
00:53:11.02\00:53:14.00
There are seven examples in the
Bible. I wanted to hold up seven
00:53:14.03\00:53:18.46
fingers but, there you go, seven
examples in the Bible of barren
00:53:18.50\00:53:23.33
women that had miracle baby boys
and they're all types of Christ.
00:53:23.36\00:53:27.24
There are no miracle baby girls
in the Bible because these baby
00:53:27.27\00:53:31.66
boys were types of Christ. You
know: Sarah with Isaac, Rebekah
00:53:31.69\00:53:38.23
with Jacob, Rachel with Joseph,
Manoah's wife with Samson, also
00:53:38.27\00:53:44.78
a Nazarite, Hannah with Samuel,
Elizabeth with John the Baptist,
00:53:44.81\00:53:47.10
and Jesus with Mary. No, no,
Mary was not barren, it was a
00:53:47.13\00:53:51.71
miracle birth, Mary was not
barren. The Shunammite woman
00:53:51.74\00:53:56.06
and her son. Seven barren
mothers all had sons and every
00:53:56.10\00:54:00.35
son is a type of Christ in the
Bible. Isn't that interesting.
00:54:00.38\00:54:03.91
Hannah's the one who says
the barren have borne seven.
00:54:03.94\00:54:05.79
Just, I think, one more example
of the inspiration of God's
00:54:05.82\00:54:09.67
word that everything happens
the way God promises. You know,
00:54:09.71\00:54:14.33
Jesus sometimes compares
his love for us to the love of a
00:54:14.37\00:54:18.93
mother. You know when he
wept over Jerusalem; how often I
00:54:18.97\00:54:22.84
would have gathered you under
my wings as a hen, that's the
00:54:22.87\00:54:26.70
feminine, does her chicks.
I have borne you on my wings
00:54:27.72\00:54:30.68
like an eagle, speaking of
a mother eagle that does that.
00:54:30.72\00:54:33.61
And then there's that passage in
the Bible that says can a woman
00:54:33.65\00:54:37.13
forget her nursing child that
she should not have compassion
00:54:37.16\00:54:40.61
on the son of her womb. Do you
think Hannah ever forgot Samuel
00:54:40.65\00:54:44.06
all those tender years
that she left him at the temple?
00:54:44.10\00:54:47.49
Yea they may forget but I will
not forget thee. Behold I have
00:54:47.52\00:54:52.46
graven thee upon the palms of
mine hands. I read a story one
00:54:52.50\00:54:55.45
time, I should do this as an
amazing fact someday. Years ago
00:54:55.49\00:55:00.07
in Wales a mother traveling
between towns with her little
00:55:00.11\00:55:04.66
infant baby got caught in a
snow storm and she finally was
00:55:04.70\00:55:08.40
overwhelmed by this blizzard and
could not escape it. A day or so
00:55:08.44\00:55:15.04
afterward they were looking
for her along the way and they
00:55:15.07\00:55:18.46
found a mound of snow in the
road and they dug it away and
00:55:18.50\00:55:22.03
there was this mother who
had wrapped her body around the
00:55:22.06\00:55:25.61
baby. But what was amazing.
The mother had perished. She had
00:55:25.65\00:55:29.24
taken off all of her clothes
and she had wrapped the baby up
00:55:29.28\00:55:32.67
in all of her clothes. And they
unwrapped the bundle and the
00:55:32.71\00:55:36.31
baby was still alive in the
bundle. Now what makes it really
00:55:36.34\00:55:40.52
amazing is that baby was David
Lloyd George who grows up to be
00:55:40.56\00:55:44.61
the prime minister of Great
Britain. He said he always knew
00:55:44.64\00:55:48.15
about a mother's love because
his mother basically laid down
00:55:48.19\00:55:51.66
her life to save him. Well
that's the kind of love that
00:55:51.70\00:55:55.24
Jesus has for each one of
us and I think it's the Lord...
00:55:55.27\00:56:00.56
I mean where does a mother
whether it's a mother bear or
00:56:00.60\00:56:05.46
mothers all through the
animal kingdom, they've got this
00:56:05.49\00:56:10.28
sacrificial love for their love
for their children. Where does
00:56:10.32\00:56:12.34
that idea come from? Where
does that instinct come from?
00:56:12.38\00:56:17.52
It's God who has that love
for us, that sacrificial love.
00:56:17.55\00:56:22.12
Hannah had that kind of love.
She was willing to give her
00:56:22.15\00:56:26.65
child to God; she had that same
spirit. Our God gave his Son for
00:56:26.69\00:56:33.68
us because he
loves us that much.
00:56:33.71\00:56:36.55
Loving Father, we are so
thankful that you are not only
00:56:36.58\00:56:40.72
loving us with a father's love;
you love us with a mother's love
00:56:40.76\00:56:45.04
You love us even more that any
earthly parent can comprehend.
00:56:45.08\00:56:49.33
We think Lord about the
incredible love that Hannah
00:56:49.36\00:56:53.44
must have for you in that she
gave her son and left her son in
00:56:53.47\00:56:58.64
your hands. Lord help us first
except the great gift that you
00:56:58.68\00:57:03.51
made in giving your Son that we
might live. And then Lord, also
00:57:03.54\00:57:08.34
we want to take that
illustration to the next
00:57:08.37\00:57:09.87
step. Some of us have children,
loved ones, grand children
00:57:09.90\00:57:15.50
and our hearts yearn to see them
be saved. Here in your house
00:57:15.54\00:57:19.98
like Hannah we pray fervently
that you will hear our prayer
00:57:20.02\00:57:24.64
and save our children. Lord
I pray that you'll bless every
00:57:24.68\00:57:28.57
parent here. Be, in a special
way, with our mothers this
00:57:28.60\00:57:32.43
weekend. Bless them with comfort
Do for them what you did for
00:57:32.46\00:57:35.38
Hannah that they can leave
this place today and leave their
00:57:35.42\00:57:38.53
burdens behind and find joy
in their hearts through faith in
00:57:38.57\00:57:42.18
you. We thank you and we are
also praying Lord in a special
00:57:42.22\00:57:45.41
way for those who brought their
burdens and requests today,
00:57:45.44\00:57:48.60
whatever they might
be especially requests to
00:57:48.63\00:57:52.03
accept Jesus. Seal
those decisions. Be with those
00:57:52.06\00:57:55.39
who have joined our family today
through baptism and pour out
00:57:55.42\00:57:59.19
your spirit on this congregation
we ask for Christ's sake, Amen.
00:57:59.23\00:58:02.96