Discovering The Precious Promises Of God
“Praying A Promise”
I Samuel 1:9-18
4-24-2020AM
We have in our text today a familiar passage that has been preached by many preachers.
I am not here to top what they have said, but to bring out a truth that has been on my heart.
The subject we are looking at is not the miracle that God performed with Hannah and her husband Elkanah, nor is it about the maltreatment from another family member that led to bitterness.
Both would be great subjects.
Today I would like to look at the subject of “Praying A Promise.”
I. Hannah Had No Children Vs. 2
When the occasion of a barren wife with no children arose in Israel it was looked upon as a judgment from God toward her personally or perhaps her family or even her husband.
She was looked at with pitiful eyes from other women of her village.
Her husband was regarded as judged by God unless of course he happened to have another wife who bore many children in which case it would befall on the barren wife.
Genesis 1:22 “And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.”
Genesis 9:1 “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”
Notice also that Elkanah; the love he had for Hannah.
1 Samuel 1:4-5
Although she remained barren there was a tender love her husband had, yet watching the interaction with the children from the other wife seemed to weigh heavy in the heart of Hannah.
II. The Annual Journey Vs. 3
Vs. 3 says that he went up out of his city “to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh.”
Worship = shachah (shaw-khaw’) to bow down, prostrate oneself to reverence or fall down
Elkanah seems to be a man walking in obedience to God in his life.
Sacrifice = zabach (zaw-bakh’) to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice
This was given to the people of Israel, and we know now that it was a picture that blood was necessary for the covering of sin.
Covering was never enough until Christ would come to shed His blood and not just cover but remove/forgive our sins.
Shiloh = Shiyloh (shee-lo’) "place of rest/prosper, be quiet, be at ease"
It is a city in Ephraim and temporary home of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle.
III. No Peace Without God Vss. 8-10
When confronted by her husband she stopped her broken heart, at least on the outside, and went in and ate with the family.
When it was appropriate for her to leave she did and found herself at the Tabernacle. Vs.9-10
Bitterness = marah (maw-raw’) angry, discontented, heavy hearted
Of Soul = Internally
Notice out of her despair Hannah cried out to God (inside with no outward voice) and made a vow.
Vow = neder (neh’-der) The promise they would make was expected to be paid.
Ecclesiastes shows us the custom of a vow.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.”
IV. Peace When God Enters In. Vss. 11-18
Eli the High Priest marked her mouth, that is to say he was watching her lips move with no words coming out.
How easy it is to jump to conclusions?
Eli thought she had too much to drink and rebuked her for it.
* Just because we spend time it prayer does not mean that others around us know what is in our heart or even in our prayer.
Hannah had made a vow to God and the man of God thought it was something from the devil. Vs. 16
Vs. 17 When it is all uncovered Eli 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.
Conclusion:
A word of warning:
1. Do not bring a deal before God with the desire to get a favor and not fully understand that He will expect the vow to be honored.
2. Just because you said the promise, God will answer it according to His will, not my desires.
3. Even IF God allows the promise to be made, remember that God is in charge of the timing, so don’t look up to heaven and tell God, “I thought we had a deal?”
Prayer is a sacred time we spend with our LORD and we ought to spend time allowing the Lord to speak to us as we do to him.
If you are here today and want to make a deal with God, I pray you first seek wise counsel before you make this petition unto God.
Do you now Jesus?
If He is your Saviour then he is also your LORD and has full control of your life, so the real task is not to make a deal but to rest in His promises.
Let’s Pray!
