I was walking home elementary school when I encountered one of my many fights as a younger man. The weekend before, my family and I, went to the drive-in to see one of my favorite actors, Bruce Lee in “The Last Dragon”. It was a normal occurrence for me to act out the movie with my friends as if I was Bruce Lee after one of his movies. So I’m jumping in the air, chopping, pausing for a moment in my martial arts stands, lips moving but words coming out seconds later, all the things a boy would after seeing a movie of fighting.
As we walked, I jumped to kick and someone behind me pushed me. I accidentally kicked a young lady in her behind.
Needless to say she wasn’t having it. I apologized and went on about my business acting out Bruce Lee’s martial arts expertise. Again, I jumped and was pushed from behind and again I kicked the same girl in the same place, again! I apologized but this time she was determined make it a big deal so I made it a big until her huge brother came over and was ready to fight.
I wasn’t a fighter. My motto was he who runs fast lives a long time. So I did what I always did, I ran home. When I got to the door my grandfather met me at the door; “Who you running from boy!” He wanted an answer and at this point no answer I gave would have been good enough. I told him the story and his response was; “Boy, go back and fight because nobody is going to fight for you! Or, You will have to fight me for running.”
Well, I went back to fight.
Over the years even until this day I still here the voice of my grandfather say; “Nobody is going to fight for you!”
Although not revealed until 1Samuel 1, there is a "preview" of Jehovah Sabaoth in Joshua 5:14,15.
Joshua in obedience to Jehovah had just commanded circumcision & Israel had kept the Passover. Now on the verge of a major military campaign (a picture of the spiritual warfare of all believers) not only against Jericho but against all of the Canaanites throughout the land was surely in need of Divine encouragement. And so we come to this fascinating encounter...
Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, & Joshua went to him & said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries ?" He said, "No; rather I indeed come now as CAPTAIN (Prince) of the HOST (Sabaoth) of Jehovah (NIV = commander of the Lord’s army] and Joshua fell on his face to the earth and bowed down and said to Him, "What has my lord to say to His servant?" The captain of the Jehovah’s host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so." (Joshua 5:13, 14, 15)
It is interesting that the NKJV capitalizes "Commander", clearly indicating that the translators feel this individual is divine. The context supports this encounter is almost certainly another "Christophany" (pre incarnate appearance of the Messiah). (cf "Angel of the LORD"). Note that although there is a chapter break at, the narrative seems to continue without break & in (Josh 6:2, 3, 4, 5) Jehovah addresses Joshua with encouragement & instruction...
"Jehovah said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king & the valiant warriors. "You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for 6 days. Also 7 priests shall carry 7 trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. Then on the 7th day you shall march around the city 7 times & the priests shall blow the trumpets (Josh 6:2, 3, 4, 5)
And so we see the "Captain of Sabaoth" meeting Joshua, a man preparing for war & in need of assurance of God’s presence, provision & power, which provides a great preview of truth revealed in the revelation of the LORD of hosts.
Jehovah-Sabaoth is a military name of God, for hosts comes from the a Hebrew word that means to wage war. The Lord is the Commander of the hosts and heaven: the stars, the angels, the armies of Israel (Ex. 12:41), and to all who trust in Him (Psalms 46:7,11).
We see this military name of God in 1 Samuel 17, in the story of David fighting and defeating Goliath.
We see this military term in the Septuagint text of James 5:14, where James instructs the rich to be careful of hoarding and getting over on those who are poor to become richer. So in James 5:4, he says, “For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Jehovah-Sabaoth – The Lord Almighty.
The first full revelation of this name is found in our text of 1 Samuel 1 in the story of Hannah. God reveals Himself to her as the Lord of Hosts during some extreme circumstances. She cries out to God and God rushes to her aide.
In summary, the name Jehovah-Sabaoth-The Lord of Hosts means God is our Commander and Chief who comes to the aide of those who trust Him.
Here’s the good news of the day and what the text is tailored to teach us; God hears our cry and He will fight for you!
Let’s look into this text to glean some helpful wholesome principles out of this text. Four (4) principles of observation here:
I. Hannah’s Dilemma – v. 1-7
The story recorded here in 1 Samuel reminds me of a love triangle mini-series filled with turmoil. Here’s Hannah’s dilemma:
A. A Disfunctional Relationship – Hannah is one of two wives to Elkhanah, Hannah and Penninah were married to the same man. Wow! It has always been the plan of God for a marriage relationship to be with one man and one woman. In this household, Elkanah had two (2) women vying for his attention. Another downside to this marriage relationship is two (2) groups of in-laws, not a good situation.
B. A Disability with her Womb – Hannah could not have children. The other wife, Penninah, had sons and daughters. In those days it was a sign of God’s displeasure for a woman who could not bear children.
C. A Difficult Enemy – The text tells us that Penninah provoked and irritated Hannah because of her inability to have children. Year after Year, Hannah had to endure the mouth, antics, and nasty comments of Penninah.
The end result is that Hannah cried all night long and did not eat.
Isn’t that just like the enemy to try and create disfunction and difficulty as well as taunting you about some physical, emotional, or spiritual disability to try and get you down.
It reminds of the story of Paul in 2 Cornithians 12, Pauls thorn in the flesh. God gives Paul a vision but to insure that Paul doesn’t get beside himself the text says that God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh and this is how Paul explains the thorn; “A message of Satan to torment me and keep me from getting puffed up – 2 Corinthians 12:7”.
There are some difficulties that we go through to keep us humble. But there are some difficulties that come to try and destroy us.
Hannah is depressed and discouraged. She’s not eating nor is she sleeping, just crying. And, what’s more disturbing is that Hannah’s name means favor. One would think that with a name with such meaning she would be able to live above her dilemma. Not so! There are some dilemmas in life that causes us to forget who we are in God. We don’t feel like we have God’s favor during difficulties.
But, can I encourage you today, you made it through the dilemmas because God’s favor is on your life. What the enemy meant for evil, God meant it for good. God encourages Paul in 2 Corinthians when Paul received a no to his prayer for deliverance. God told him my grace is sufficient and works best in your weakness.
God fights for us in our dilemmas by:
- Strengthening us to endure our difficulties
- Sustaining us in our disabilities
- Silencing the comments of our enemies
The dilemma may not change but God will keep you during times of extreme pressure.
The U.S. flag is flown night and day at only five places in the nation, and the practice dates only from 1898, flag experts say.
The places are: the grave of Francis Scott Key at Frederick, MD; Fort McHenry and Flag House in Baltimore; the Capitol Building in Washington; and the War Memorial in Worcester, Mass.
The practice resulted from public pressure, not from government action, when it began at Frederick in 1898. Since Key was the author of the “Star Spangled Banner,” it seemed appropriate that over his tomb there should be:
“Proof thru the night that our flag was still there.”
God is keeping us during extreme pressures of life as a testimony to the world that nothing can break us down.
II. Hannah’s Discourse - v. 8-16
As Hannah cries, here comes Elkannah. Elkannah loves Hannah but his comment in verse 8 seems to be one of insensitivity. He says: “Hannah, what’s wrong with you? Aren’t I taking care of you? Am I not doing enough to make you happy? I’m the best thing happening than ten sons?”
In here depressed state of mind, Elkannah doesn’t make things better, he seems to make them worse. Some say that Elkannah’s comments made Hannah feel better because she did eat after having the conversation with Elkannah. Maybe or maybe not, she may have eaten to keep his mouth shut until she could get to the church to talk to the Lord.
After dinner, she got up from the table and went to the temple to pray. She pours her heart out to God asking for help and deliverance. What we learn about the prayer of Hannah is:
1. It was personal v. 9 – Eli the priest was sitting at the doorpost of the temple but Hannah seemed to pass him up to talk to the Lord for herself. She didn’t ask the preacher to pray for her, she talked to God on her own. James 5 verse 14 says; “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray!”
2. It was Purposeful v. 11 – Hannah knew what she needed God to do for her and asked Him for it. Prayer is powerful when it is specific. Ask and it shall be given unto you.
3. It was Private v. 12-13 – Hannah is praying and has Eli watches, he sees her mouth moving but no words are coming out of her mouth. Hannah’s prayer was a private matter between her and God. The posture of prayer is not about the action of prayer as much as it is the heart of your prayers. In other words, prayer will mean nothing to God if it does not mean anything to you.
4. It was powerful v. 13a – 18 – Eli thought Hannah was drunk because her mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. Hannah explains that she was praying to God because she needed Him. Eli understood and told her to go in peace. Not only that, but Eli intercedes on the behalf of Hannah in verse 17; “Go in peace and may God grant you your petition”. Hannah prays for herself and the preacher joins in on the prayer. When Hannah got up off her knees from praying, verse 18 says; “She was no longer sad and she got something to eat”. Her situation had not changed yet but her disposition changed after she prayed. And that’s what prayer will do for you, it will change your disposition before it will change your situation.
III. Hannah’s Deliverance – v. 19-28
I got one question, where is Penninah? After verse 4, we hear nothing else from Penninah in this story. The good news of the day is that when God fights for us our enemy(ies) are a non-factor. What do we learn?
- God fights for us behind the scenes
- God fights for us by answering our prayers
