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Hannah prayed till the High Priest thought she was mad,

Eli misunderstood her because of how she prayed so hard,

Hannah prayed and had faith in God’s Word,

God takes care of everyone, as He does for every animal and bird,

Hannah did not even tell Eli what she was praying for,

She persisted in prayer, like a soldier in a waging war,

She didn’t accept defeat, she didn’t let God go,

The faith of Hannah grabbed heaven’s attention tighter than a lion’s paw.

Hannah was laughed at and mocked, but she did not lose hope,

She did not lose faith in God, loving Him she did not stop,

She did not stop, and finally, God placed her on top,

 By giving her a child who gave the hopeless hope.

Hannah’s cry was answered, God answers prayer,

She did not withhold her son; the gift of God she did share,

God might seem silent, but He is always there,

He has your back even though your current situation seems unfair.

Hebrews 11:32-35 (KJV) – “³² And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: ³³ Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. ³⁴ Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵ Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:”

Hebrews 11:32 mentions Samuel. Who was Samuel? Samuel was the firstborn child of Hannah. Samuel was not only Hannah’s son but also an answered prayer to his mother. The name Hannah means favor. Hannah’s story in the Bible is not as long as that of her son Samuel and other heroes of faith, but her faith has profound applicable lessons. If we apply these lessons, we shall surely please God and receive great rewards.

1 Samuel 1:1-6 (KJV) – “¹ Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: ² And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.³ And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. ⁴ And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: ⁵ But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb. ⁶ And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.”

“Elkanah, a Levite of Mount Ephraim, was a man of wealth and influence, and one who loved and feared the Lord. His wife, Hannah, was a woman of fervent piety. Gentle and unassuming, her character was marked with deep earnestness and a lofty faith.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 569.1, Ellen G. White.

“The blessing so earnestly sought by every Hebrew was denied this godly pair; their home was not gladdened by the voice of childhood; and the desire to perpetuate his name led the husband—as it had led many others—to contract a second marriage. But this step, prompted by a lack of faith in God, did not bring happiness. Sons and daughters were added to the household; but the joy and beauty of God’s sacred institution had been marred and the peace of the family was broken. Peninnah, the new wife, was jealous and narrow-minded, and she bore herself with pride and insolence. To Hannah, hope seemed crushed and life a weary burden; yet she met the trial with uncomplaining meekness.” –  Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 569.2, Ellen G. White.

Hannah was the wife to Elkanah, who also had another wife called Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not have children. Elkanah loved Hannah more than Peninnah, even though she did not have children. It was like how Jacob loved Rachel more than he loved Leah, even though Rachel had no child for a long time. God shut up Hannah’s womb for reasons that God knows best. Hannah’s lack of children made Peninnah mock and provoke her greatly.

Peninnah did not realize that no situation was cast in stone, and she did not know what the future had in store for Hannah. Some people may laugh at you now or treat you with contempt because they do not know what God has in store for you. No child of Peninnah is mentioned in the Bible or the pages of history because they probably did not do anything significant, but we all know who the son of Hannah was. The son of Hannah was a prophet, priest, and judge, and all generations have read his story.

1 Samuel 1:7-8 (KJV) – “⁷ And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. ⁸ Then said Elkanah her husband 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?”

Instead of repaying evil with evil, Hannah revolted with a powerful method of handling all that mockery from Peninnah. When mocked or insulted, most Christians and non-Christians repay their adversaries by mocking or verbally abusing them. Some will even try to fight them physically. Hannah solved this with prayer.

1 Peter 3:9 (AMPC) – “Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God—that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection].”

One way of repaying evil with good is by praying. When you repay evil with evil, you give the enemy more power and strength to afflict you. While insulting the person who has mocked you, your anger may make you tell them words that may end up cursing your own life since words have the power to bless and curse. You may physically harm them, and then you end up in jail.

John 10:10 (KJV) –”For the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” One thing that Satan loves to steal from you is peace. He knows your mind will not think clearly and correctly if he robs you of your peace. Therefore, you will not be as productive as you ought to be.

Secondly, the Devil wants to steal your liberty, so that you don’t carry out God’s will. He takes away your freedom by sending people to ridicule you or gossip you in an effort to discourage you. Sometimes, he sends such people to the church you are worshipping so that you can stop going to church. He knows that once you keep a distance from the church, you will move far away from God, and your life will keep sinking.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (KJV) – “¹² Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. ¹³ Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: ¹⁴ But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. ¹⁵ And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.”

Deuteronomy 5:15 reminds the Israelites how they were enslaved people in Egypt. It reminds them of how God took them out of slavery by His mighty power. The Bible gives us instructions on how to maintain this freedom. The command to maintain the freedom in Deuteronomy 5:15 is to keep the Sabbath day holy. Keeping the Sabbath day holy gives us freedom. In other words, keeping all God’s commandments provides us freedom. Satan can only steal our freedom if we disobey God.

Hannah did not allow Peninnah’s mockery to pull her away from God. By faith, she used that opportunity to get close to God. The more Peninnah provoked her, the more she prayed. Words meant to make you lose trust in God should not make you lose faith in God. Eve believed that she would not die if she ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because the Devil had told her that lie.

You should not believe any other word besides God’s Word. The reason is that God’s Word has evidence through creation. Other people’s words (not in line with God’s Word) have no evidence of creating anything since nobody can create except God. God’s Word said, “Let there be light, and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).

In other words, God’s Word has proved its success. Satan’s words have never confirmed their success. When provoked or persecuted, we should rejoice (Matthew 5:10-12) and use that opportunity to get close to God. The closer we move to God, the more successful we will be because God’s Word has proved its success by calling the entire creation into existence.

1 Samuel 1:9-11 (KJV) – “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.”

As Hannah prayed for God to give her a child, she made a promise to God. She promised God that if He gave her a child, she would give him unto the Lord all the days of his life. God answers prayers, and we do not have to promise Him anything to answer our prayers or bless us. However, our prayers can be more effective and will be a tremendous blessing if we attach the prayers with a promise.

For example, Hannah promised God that if He gave her a child, she would give the child to God’s service. This promise would benefit Hannah more than God. First, if she gave her child to God’s service, her child would grow in the ways of the Lord, and he would be morally upright.

Secondly, her child would cause the family to have more blessings if he worked for God. Thirdly, it would give her peace. Many parents today, particularly mothers, pray for their children to follow God’s ways. Therefore, giving her child to God would provide Samuel’s mother peace and joy.

1 Samuel 1:12-16 (KJV) – “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.”

“Hannah uttered no reproach. The burden which she could share with no earthly friend she cast upon God. Earnestly she pleaded that He would take away her reproach and grant her the precious gift of a son to nurture and train for Him. And she made a solemn vow that if her request were granted, she would dedicate her child to God, even from its birth. Hannah had drawn near to the entrance of the tabernacle, and in the anguish of her spirit she “prayed, … and wept sore.” Yet she communed with God in silence, uttering no sound. In those evil times such scenes of worship were rarely witnessed. Irreverent feasting and even drunkenness were not uncommon, even at the religious festivals; and Eli the high priest, observing Hannah, supposed that she was overcome with wine. Thinking to administer a deserved rebuke, he said sternly, “How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 570.1, Ellen G. White.

“Pained and startled, Hannah answered gently, “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. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 570.2, Ellen G. White.

Hannah prayed passionately and earnestly until Eli, the High Priest, thought she was drunk. Most Christians pray to fulfill a requirement, and they only do it with earnestness once they face a problem. Some of us, when we are praying, we do not pray from the heart.

During our private prayers, we have specific words which we usually mention daily that do not come from the heart. It is like reciting something you have crammed in your head, uttering it with little conviction. When we are called upon to pray in public, we try to be highly eloquent, sometimes mentioning Bible verses in the prayer, but the prayers do not come from the heart.

Hannah prayed from her heart. While she was praying, she did not care who was around her or who was watching her. She was heavily afflicted and needed God to uplift her from her barren condition. Therefore, she prayed till Eli thought she was drunk.

When Eli told her to stop drinking, she did not answer Eli rudely. She told him politely that she was not drunk; she was pouring her soul to God. Sometimes, we get misunderstood. As Christians, when someone misunderstands us and says something to show that they have misunderstood us, we should not get angry at them or try to harm them. We should politely talk to them like Hannah did.

1 Samuel 1:17-18 (KJV) – “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.”

Eli told Hannah to go in peace and prayed that God may grant her petition. If Hannah had answered Eli rudely, Eli would have been angry at her and maybe cursed her. His curse would probably have been severe because he was a high priest.

Many people have brought curses upon themselves by talking rudely or insulting men of God. A perfect example is the forty-two boys a bear devoured because of laughing at Elisha’s bald head (2 Kings 2:23-24). After praying and after the encounter with Eli, Hannah went away, and she received a blessing in that she was never sad despite her situation of not having children.

A non-believer can be more afflicted with a problem that is similar or of less magnitude to the problem a faithful Christian is facing. Genuine Christians can be facing a plethora of issues, but they are always happy because they have faith and are being comforted by God’s love and grace.

1 Samuel 1:19-20 (KJV) – “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.”

“Hannah’s prayer was granted; she received the gift for which she had so earnestly entreated. As she looked upon the child, she called him Samuel—“asked of God.” As soon as the little one was old enough to be separated from his mother, she fulfilled her vow. She loved her child with all the devotion of a mother’s heart; day by day, as she watched his expanding powers and listened to his childish prattle, her affections entwined about him more closely. He was her only son, the special gift of Heaven; but she had received him as a treasure consecrated to God, and she would not withhold from the Giver His own.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 570.4, Ellen G. White.

After a long time of earnest prayers, Hannah’s prayers were answered, and she bore a son and named him Samuel. According to the Strong Exhaustive concordance, Samuel means God has heard.

Some of us may pray for a long time to get something, but after we get that thing, we fail to acknowledge that it is God who has given us. Many people credit their hard work or broad connections but forget to acknowledge God. God answered Hannah’s prayers and gave her a child. By faith, Hannah named her child Samuel to recognize God’s power.

“From Shiloh, Hannah quietly returned to her home at Ramah, leaving the child Samuel to be trained for service in the house of God, under the instruction of the high priest. From the earliest dawn of intellect she had taught her son to love and reverence God and to regard himself as the Lord’s. By every familiar object surrounding him she had sought to lead his thoughts up to the Creator. When separated from her child, the faithful mother’s solicitude did not cease. Every day he was the subject of her prayers. Every year she made, with her own hands, a robe of service for him; and as she went up with her husband to worship at Shiloh, she gave the child this reminder of her love. Every fiber of the little garment had been woven with a prayer that he might be pure, noble, and true. She did not ask for her son worldly greatness, but she earnestly pleaded that he might attain that greatness which Heaven values—that he might honor God and bless his fellow men.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 572.2, Ellen G. White.

1 Samuel 1:23-28 (KJV) – “²³ And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish His Word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. ²⁴ And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young. ²⁵ And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. ²⁶ And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. ²⁷ For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him: ²⁸ Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.”

“What a reward was Hannah’s! And what an encouragement to faithfulness is her example! There are opportunities of inestimable worth, interests infinitely precious, committed to every mother. The humble round of duties which women have come to regard as a wearisome task should be looked upon as a grand and noble work. It is the mother’s privilege to bless the world by her influence, and in doing this she will bring joy to her own heart. She may make straight paths for the feet of her children, through sunshine and shadow, to the glorious heights above. But it is only when she seeks, in her own life, to follow the teachings of Christ that the mother can hope to form the character of her children after the divine pattern. The world teems with corrupting influences. Fashion and custom exert a strong power over the young. If the mother fails in her duty to instruct, guide, and restrain, her children will naturally accept the evil, and turn from the good. Let every mother go often to her Saviour with the prayer, “Teach us, how shall we order the child, and what shall we do unto him?” Let her heed the instruction which God has given in His Word, and wisdom will be given her as she shall have need.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 572.3, Ellen G. White.

Hannah not only gave thanks to God through prayer and the naming of her child. She also gave thanks to God by providing the child to God to do His work. It is a profound blessing to children and parents when parents encourage their children to serve God and worship Him.

Hannah showed faith when she fulfilled the promise that she had given God. Many people promise God things when they want the Lord to answer their prayers but forget to fulfill them once they have received those blessings.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 (NKJV) – “⁴ When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed— ⁵ Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. ⁶ Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?”

We should not play games with God by promising Him something we fail to fulfill. When we fulfill our promises to God, He trusts us, and as a result, He gives us more blessings. How do we expect God to provide us with more benefits when we have failed to fulfill the promise that we made to Him before the blessing we now possess?

1 Samuel 2:18-21 (KJV) – “¹⁸ But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. ¹⁹ Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And they went unto their own home. ²¹ And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.”

Usually, mothers are so close to their children because they spend more time with them. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, did not hesitate to give her child to God at a very young age. She loved her child dearly, and she had prayed for a long time to get that child.

Nevertheless, her love for her son did not stop her from giving her child to God. She gave her child to Eli to do God’s work full time and only visited him once a year with her husband when they came to offer the yearly sacrifice. She understood that her son was safer in God’s hands than in hers.

Often, parents trust themselves with their children more than they trust God with their little ones. They do not know that God loves their children more than them and He can take better care of them since God is omnipotent. A parent may be facing a challenging financial situation, and they may be unable to provide for the child’s basic needs as they would want. God never has harsh economic conditions because He is the Creator of finances.

God can provide for your child even if a parent is absent from the child’s life. Some orphaned children left by their parents when they were very young have proved this point true when God provided for them, in that they never lacked since their parents left them and have excelled in life.

Hannah entrusted her child to God, and God blessed her with five more children, three more sons and two daughters. Her faith was rewarded beyond her expectations. As she prayed to God before she got Samuel, she never knew that God would bless her with more than one child. She was expecting God to bless her with just one child.

As Samuel’s mother promised God that she would lend her child to God, she made that promise, knowing that she would probably not have another child. Therefore, she knew that giving her child to God would mean giving all that she had to God. Some may consider this promise a desperate, empty one and think that the one promising this would not fulfill it once they got the blessing.

Many people make empty promises, but Hannah is different. After she got Samuel, she weaned him for some time, and then she fulfilled her promise of giving her child to God to do His work. God was pleased with this.

What does God do when He is pleased?

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) – “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

Those who approach God with faith God rewards them. God rewarded Hannah mightily. He caused his son to be a great man in Israel, a prophet, priest, and judge. Hannah probably did not expect her child to be that great. Secondly, God gave Hannah other children that she did not expect.

Hannah prayed and praised God because of what God had done for her. The praises she gave to God are found in the following verses:  

1 Samuel 2:1-10 (KJV) – “¹ And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. ² There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. ³ Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed. ⁴ The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. ⁵ They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. ⁶ The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. ⁷ The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: He bringeth low, and lifteth up. ⁸ He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He hath set the world upon them. ⁹ He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. ¹⁰ The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.”

Hannah praised God because she proved that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. Many people blame God because they have chosen to do things their own way instead of following God’s way.

Today, before writing this section, I witnessed something that can offer a perfect example. A particular lady was heading somewhere. She came to my area of residence and told the guards that she wanted to pass through as a shortcut to where she was going. The men at the gate told her there was no throughway via the gated area. She insisted that there was a way.

The guards saw her stubbornness and allowed her to have her way. She went only to come back frustrated because she saw no way. Instead of seeing her mistake and blaming herself, she insulted the guards.

God has clearly shown us where to go if we want blessings. However, we insist on going in the opposite direction. Since He cannot force us, He allows us to choose how we want to go (Deuteronomy 30:19). Unfortunately, we follow the wrong way and encounter problems. Instead of blaming ourselves, we blame God.

If we believe in God like Hannah, we will praise God and not blame Him. God wants to bless us more than we have ever imagined, so He wants us to have faith.

GOD BLESS YOU!

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for all those blessings you have bestowed upon me. Please help me never make a promise that I can’t fulfill and to fulfill all the promises I have made as Hannah did. Help me follow your way always. Please help me to move closer to you even when people mock me or laugh at my situation. In Jesus name, Amen.

Activity

1. Are you praying for something so earnestly? As you pray for it, attach a promise to it, and fulfill it once God has answered your prayers.

Author: Mark Alex   

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