Childless Hannah prays for a child– 1 Samuel 1:20

Around 1070 BC Samuel was born. His parents were Hannah and Elkanah. Hannah had been unable to have a child but prayed to God and promised that if she had a child she would dedicate him to God.

And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she gave him the name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:20

Eli the High Priest

Towards the end of time of the Judges, the High Priest was Eli and he should have been leading and guiding the people in their spiritual life and development. But when we look at the opening chapters of 1 Samuel we can see there is a corrupted state of affairs. Eli’s two sons acted as priests of the Tabernacle but they were wicked men. Through their actions they lead people to despise the sacrifices offered to God. They were more focused on getting food for themselves than doing their duties in a faithful way. Unfortunately, Eli did little to discipline his sons. What he should have done is trained his sons to faithfully serve God.

During the time of Eli, there was a Levite named Elkanah and his wife Hannah. They travelled regularly from Ramah to Shiloh to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord. The Mosaic Law had many requirements one of which related to the men of Israel and the yearly festivals. They were required to appear at the annual festivals and present themselves to the Lord. They were to go to the place appointed which was known as Shiloh – as this was where the Tabernacle was erected. At Shiloh they were to offer their sacrifices.

A sincere prayer to God

One time when they were at the Tabernacle, Hannah was especially sad as she was barren and was not able to have child. “She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly”. Hannah prayed to God that he might grant her a son. She promised that if God allowed her to have a son, she would give him to God as a Nazarite for all the days of his life. A Nazarite was an Israelite completely dedicated to the service of God in his life.

As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 1 Samuel 1: 12-13

Eli thought she was drunk and criticised her for drinking too much wine. However, rather than getting angry at the unjust criticism, Hannah quietly and calmly clarified to Eli that she was sorrowful and had gone to the Lord in prayer. Calmness is a virtue we should all try to have in the face of injustice and unfair criticism.

Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favour in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 1 Samuel 1: 17-18

Hannah’s prayer was sincere, earnest, and a true petition. As a result, God heard her prayer and it was found to be acceptable to Him. He granted her wish and she found in time that she was pregnant. We can only imagine her joy, and her thankful prayers to Him who hears all prayer. The child was eventually born to her and she called his name Samuel. The name Samuel means “asked of God”. Therefore this name would be a continual reminder of God’s goodness in answering her prayer.

As prayer was important to Hannah it was also to her son Samuel. When Samuel grew to be a man he lived a life of prayer to God.

For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 1 Samuel 12:22-23

Samuel’s early life

When Samuel was about three years old he was taken to Eli by his parents. Hannah fulfilled her promise by saying to the High Priest:

And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:26-28

As a result, Samuel served as a priest from infancy to death.

What was Hannah thinking?

How did Hannah feel as she travelled towards Shiloh, returning to God the precious gift that He had given to her? How very easily she could have argued that the child was too young to leave his parents to go to strangers. She could have reasoned that since the priests (Eli’s sons) were so wicked, it would be better for the child if she herself instructed him in the ways of holiness, postponing the journey to Shiloh until he was old enough to understand and resist the evil influences he would find there.

How did she feel when she left the little boy, perhaps in Eli’s arms? Surely every natural instinct in the mother cried out against such an unnatural act. But her trust in the Lord was absolute. From her song of thankfulness recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 2 we realise that Hannah was quite confident that God is in control of all things. She rejoiced in the Lord, in His salvation, His holiness, His knowledge, and His power.

She worshipped the Lord, and returned to her home in Ramah. Her obedience to her oath was complete, and not delayed by her natural feelings.

As just mentioned, in chapter 2 is recorded a prayer from Hannah which was a song of faithfulness to God. The words in it pointed forward to a time in the future when Christ will reign over all the earth and the wicked will be cast down.

Samuel grows to be a man

The sins of Eli’s sons were very serious which suggested he had not trained them properly. However, in the case of Samuel it is clear that he trained him in the correct way.

Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 1 Samuel 2:18

As he grew he helped Eli in the duties.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 1 Samuel 3:19

Samuel became a prophet of the Lord. The Spirit of God was with him. As a result, he taught Israel, who received his counsels as coming from the Lord.

The prayer of Hannah and how it relates to us

Let us return to the prayer for a child which Hannah initially offered to God. It would have been a waste of time trying to convince her that the laws of nature cannot be changed – that she would never have a child. She believed that somehow the God of Israel was in charge of the laws He had made. Hannah wanted a child. Her heart yearned in sorrow for a son and this anguish led her to believe that the rules and regulations of nature could be overcome by Him who made them. With this kind of persistence nothing is final. Hannah prayed objectively and God answered with Samuel.

When we pray we need to consider three things:

First: God the father to those who are baptised. It is not a figure of speech. Those who are baptised, believe with all their heart that he is their Father in the truest sense. It is no accident that the best prayer of all begins with “Our Father”. Every faithful father knows what fatherhood means: doing the best in every way for the good of the children. Jesus expressed it powerfully:

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11

The words that really tell are “how much more”. This throws light on the wonderful possibilities.

Second: the teaching of Jesus. He was very clear in his words:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matt.7:7

Third: the experience of fellow believers—the testimony of praying disciples in every age. They say that the words of Jesus have been vindicated. They did receive; their seeking was not in vain; the door was opened. To these people, in faith, they believe their prayer was answered.

Prayer is essential to each one of us if we wish to draw closer to God. It should be done continually not just when we want something or are fearful for some reason. Hannah would have no doubt prayed regularly to God.

Conclusion

Hannah had prayed with weeping for a son and God granted her request. When the child was old enough, Hannah lovingly and willingly sent Samuel back to God. She did this with the utmost confidence in His love and power. Hannah was blessed for her faithfulness, for the Lord gave her three more sons and two daughters.

Hannah’s prayer in chapter 2 reveals a woman of no ordinary intellectual and spiritual capacity—qualities which excited and held her husband’s affection (verse 5). Her hymn of praise is worth detailed consideration, for the spirit’s words take us beyond the time when she lived, and reveal God’s compassion in its fullest manifestation through the Son promised to David, whom Hannah’s son was destined to anoint as God’s appointed King:

“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” 1 Samuel 2:9-10

The remarkable thing about Hannah’s prayer is what it reveals about her understanding of God’s purpose. What she had to say was prophetic and far-sighted.