So this week in the G2 class to my church I chose to teach/talk about Hannah. Now her name is more commonly heard of, but do we really know what she is known for in the Scriptures? Or is it just a pretty name with a good meaning ("graciousness" or "favor") that we use to name baby girls?
Well Hannah is found in 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11 and 2:19-21. When you read her story you quickly realize that she had many problems in her life. First, her husband, Elkanah, had another wife, Peninnah. Second, Peninnah had many children with Elkanah but Hannah, though she longed to have children, had none. Third, Peninnah taunted, teased and ridiculed Hannah for being barren. Fourth, Elkanah did not understand why Hannah was so distraught about not having children.
In 1 Samuel 1:5-6, it states twice that "
the Lord had closed her womb." So it was no accident that she was not having any children, her womb was closed by the Lord.
When reading Hannah's story, we see that every year she went with the entire family to worship in Shiloh at the temple. This particular year, the harassing by Peninnah became unbearable. The Scriptures state that Peninnah "
provoked her till she wept and would not eat (v.7)." Now that is some harassing! How many of us women (or men!) have allowed someone else's words to get to us so much that we could not even eat? It made us sick to listen to what they were saying to us...
To make matters worse, she went to the temple to talk to God and pour her heart out to Him and Eli, the priest, misunderstood her to the point of saying "
How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine (v. 14)." Now that is some misunderstanding!
So, not only has the Lord closed her womb and she cannot have children, her husbands other wife picks on her non-stop, her husband does not understand her and now the priest is calling her a drunk! And you thought you had problems! Haha
Having a child at the time that Hannah lived was more than just having a child. It was expected. It was a way of life. Women were around to have children to carry on the family line. I am sure that Peninnah was not the only one who was picking on her and whispering about her. Imagine all the women she grew up with. When they saw her around town and they had all these kids, yet she had none, I am sure they picked on her too. Being infertile brought about disapproval of the womans family and rejection of society. Israelites saw children as a blessing from God. Since she could not have children, she was considered "subfemale."
Through all of these situations - Hannah replied to Eli calling her drunk and said:
v.15-18
"Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."
Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
Hannah could have went off on Eli for calling her a drunk (since it was pretty much the last straw in all the bad that was happening in her life) but instead she told him what was going on. I am sure she said it with some sort of attitude, I mean she is a woman!
But did you see what happened? In verse 18 it says that "
her face was no longer downcast." She believed what God said to her through Eli, trusted it to be true and did not question it to the point that it caused a PHYSICAL change in her. Think about it... She was continually ridiculed, misunderstood time and time again... She was probably depressed. Then, she gets a word from God & it changes her.
How many times are we longing for something in our life, asking God for something, and when He gives us an answer and yet we question Him? She took His answer as comfort and leaned on His words to change her. Why don't we do the same? Insert your situation into the story. What are you longing for so badly, what are people picking on you about continually, what are you being misunderstood about? Do you complain continually about it and let their words get to you? Or do you turn to God and allow His reply, His words to comfort you?
It's time we learn from Hannah and when God gives us revelation we do not question it! We take His words and stand firm on them, leaning on them when times get hard, and do not falter when it takes longer than we wish it would for His promise to come true.
Read, study and learn from Hannah. She is an amazing woman in the bible that we can use in our own lives today!
