Title: “Hannah’s Faith – A Mother’s Day Message” Scripture: I Samuel 1
Type: Special Message Where: GNBC 5-11-25
Intro: Mother's Day was first celebrated in the U.S. in 1908, as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis to honor her mother and to promote peace. It wasn't until 1914 that it became an official national holiday, proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson. Today it is celebrated, although on different dates, in nearly 200 countries around the world. The Bible is replete with stories about mothers. 1. Eve, the first mother. 2. Sarah, the mother of Promise. 3. Hagar, the outcast single mother. 4. Leah, the blessed but unloved mother. 5. Rachel, the barren but beloved mother. 6. Rebekah, the scheming mother. 7. Naomi, the grieving mother and beloved mother in law. 8. Hannah, a praying and faithful mother. 9. Jacobed, a protective mother. 10. Abijah, a mother of godly influence. 11. Bathsheba, a preserving mother. 12. Widow of Zarephath, a single mother who faithfully provided. 13. Widow of Nain, grieving mother. 14. Elizabeth, elderly mother of the forerunner of Messiah. 15. Salome, the assertive mother of James and John. 16. Lois and Eunice, godly mothers who left a legacy of faith. 17. Proverbs 31 woman – Super mom! 18. Mary, the mother of Jesus, the most blessed of all mothers. I am sure I have missed several mothers of renown listed in the Bible’s pages, but these are enough to see how important the role of “motherhood” is in the Bible. Today, I would like to examine aspects of the life of Hannah, a faithful and praying woman who became the mother of Israel’s judge and spiritual leader, Samuel.
Prop: Let’s examine I Samuel 1 to realize 3 important lessons from the life of Hannah.
BG: 1. I Samuel written in that period before Kings reigned in Israel.
2. Samuel would be the last of the great prophets before the coronation of the kings.
3.
Prop: Today we’ll examine I Sam. 1 so as to Realize 3 Important Lessons from Hannah’s Life.
I. Hannah Recognized the Truth That Children Are a Gift from the Lord.
A. As We Examine the Life of Hannah we realize that Hannah had a big problem
1. Hannah lived in a culture that placed a priority on women having children.
a. Although Psalm 127 had not yet been written, nor had it’s author been born, Hannah would have agreed with the truth of v.3 of the Psalm, “Children are a heritage from the Lord.” The word “heritage” communicates the transmission of something from a predecessor, possibly the property to a descendant or heir. Your and my children are ultimately a heritage from the Lord.
b. Trying to raise godly kids can feel impossible. Everywhere we turn in our culture, on television, in movies, and now through sexual education in elementary schools, our kids are being told to embrace moral relativism and accept the abnormal and unbiblical as simply a matter of personal choice. The problem with moral relativism is it is immoral. Throughout history, every society that abandons the concept of a moral standard decays into depravity and eventual destruction. No honest student of history can deny this reality.
2. Yet, although a godly woman, Hannah had a problem.
a. Hannah was barren and the WOG clearly states that her womb had been closed by the Lord. (vv.1-5) Granted, some problems are of our own making. It wasn’t just an accident of nature that Hannah was not able to conceive children. Many don’t like to give God this much sovereignty. We don’t like to think that God gives us problems, so we say, “God allowed this problem, but He didn’t cause it.” If that helps you mentally to get God off the hook, I guess that’s okay, but at least here in this instance and several other similar accounts in the Bible, it clearly says that God was behind this problem in Hannah’s life. Sometimes God causes the perceived “problems” in our lives because He desires to use those challenges to make us more Christlike, to draw us closer to Himself, or to make us more fruitful for His kingdom’s sake.
b. Hannah was bitterly provoked by her fruitful rival. Why is it that some successful people can’t just enjoy their success, but they also have to point out your and my failures? Vv. 6-8. Hannah’s husband, Elkanah (v.1) was apparently a kind and religious man, however, he may not have been the wisest man. The Bible says that he was married to two women, Hannah and Peninnah. Two women and one man is usually a formula for heartache. Certainly was true for Hannah. Peninnah was fruitful and arrogant, mercilessly taunting and teasing her barren rival. I can just hear Peninnah cruelly tormenting Hannah on their annual trip to the festival: “Oh my, Elkanah, what a lovely large piece of meat for me and all my children! Oh dear, what nice little pieces you have too Hannah.”
B. What Can We Learn From Hannah’s Response to Her Troubles?
1. We learn that Devout Individuals of Faith are Not Without Problems in this Life.
a. The righteous often suffer. Do we remember another book in the OT where the story begins with a very prosperous, respected, and godly man who was devastated in just one day, losing virtually everything in his life. Job was an example of the righteous suffering through no fault of their own.
b. Illust: Godly mothers sometimes get cancer. Godly mothers sometimes get depression. Godly mothers are sometimes left by ungodly husbands. Godly mothers sometimes raise children on their own. Godly mothers sometimes get cut off from their adult children and grandchildren. Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
2. We Learn that We Should Not allow Others to Deter our Trust in the Lord.
a. Illust: Three individuals in this account could have contributed to deter Hannah’s trust in the Lord’s goodness and provision. Of course, we have already discussed the obvious one, Peninnah, Hannah’s bitter rival. Second, a more unsuspecting contributor, her husband Elkanah. Read v. 8 – The uninvolved and emotionally absent husband’s response: “Quit crying, Get over it. Quit focusing on your problem and realize how lucky you are to have me!” The third contributor would have been the high priest Eli. Hannah is pouring her heart out to the Lord at the Tabernacle, and the priest is so spiritually insensitive that accuses this praying woman of being drunk! Nothing deters trust in the Lord than being burned by God’s people. I cannot tell you the number of people I have met over the years who have said they would never go to church again because of a failure or insensitivity by a Christian leader in the past. Ultimately is not a legitimate excuse, but can be a worthy criticism we Christians need to heed in attempt not to stumble others.
b. Friend, I don’t know what trouble you may be going through today. I don’t know what detractors you may or may not have who intentionally or unintentionally may be attempting to deter you from your trust in the Lord. However, may I encourage you: “Hold onto Jesus Christ!”
C. Applic: Hannah recognized that children are a gift from the Lord and desperately sought the Lord so as to receive that gift.
II. Hannah Sought the Lord as the Ultimate Solution to Her Problems.
A. Hannah Sought the Lord in the Midst of Her Infertility.
1. Hannah Sought the Lord in the Midst of Her terrible Trial with Infertility.
a. Illust: Infertility is a recurring theme in the Bible, with numerous figures experiencing childlessness, often followed by divine intervention or acknowledgment of God's blessings. Several Old Testament matriarchs, including Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, experienced infertility before eventually conceiving, Manoah and his wife, Samson’s parents experienced infertility. II Ki. 4, Elisha ministers hope to the infertile Shunamite couple. New Testament figures like Elizabeth and Zechariah also faced infertility before conceiving John the Baptist.
b. Illust: The crisis of infertility in our nation and others today. The general fertility rate in the United States decreased by 3% from 2022, reaching a historic low. From 2014 to 2020, the rate consistently decreased by 2% annually. The report shows a 2% decline from 2022, with 3,591,328 births recorded in 2023 (1% of population!) Declined for women 20-39. Birth rate for women 20-24 (55.4) reached a record low! (NCHS 4-25-24). Birthrates in the West are the lowest in a 1000 years. 50 live births per 1000 women of child-bearing age. Germany 1.2 replacement rate. 2.1 needed for stability. Not just a Western problem, Japan is in freefall having only 720,000 children in 2023, with a total population of 120 million = 6/10th of 1%!
c. Church, can I tell you, there are many reasons people give for this decrease. General and pervasive attitude against children in our society. Some claim Pandemic response. Economic hardship, inflation, lack of home ownership opportunity with out-of-control price increases. A culture that forces women to go to school longer and longer, delaying child-bearing and then pressures said same women to work in their careers. Passive men. The Dominion Mandate of Gen. 1:28 is still in effect today: “And God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Christian couples need to swim against the culture and have children!
2. Hannah’s Problems Confronted her at Multiple Levels.
a. Hannah’s womb was specifically closed by the Lord. Vv. 1-5 Granted, some problems are of our own making. But whatever the immediate source, God is the ultimate sovereign over the problems we face. You cannot escape this conclusion in Hannah’s situation. The text repeats it twice so we won’t miss it: “The Lord had closed her womb” (1:5, 6). Is this always the case in EVERY instance of infertility? I do not know. That answer is above my pay grade. But I know that here it certainly was.
b. Hannah was bitterly provoked by her fruitful rival. Vv. 6-8. Hannah’s husband, Elkanah (v.1) was apparently a kind and religious man, however, he may not have been the wisest man. The Bible says that he was married to two women, Hannah
and Peninnah. Two women and one man is usually a formula for heartache. Certainly was true for Hannah. Peninnah was fruitful and arrogant, mercilessly taunting and teasing her barren rival. I can just hear Peninnah cruelly tormenting Hannah on their annual trip to the festival: “Oh my, Elkanah, what a lovely large piece of meat for me and all my children! Oh dear, what nice little pieces you have too Hannah.”
B. How Did Hannah Seek the Lord in the Midst of Her Trial?
1. Women of Faith Bring their Burdens to the Lord in Prayer.
a. In Sam. 1 we see 7x where it records the sincerity and solemnity by which this troubled woman took her distress to the Lord. V. 10 “w/bitterness of soul”, v. 10 “w/weeping and anguish”, v.11 “w/ a solemn vow”, v. 12 “w/persistence”, v.13 w/ her heart, vv.15-16 w/all her soul. V. 18 w/faith in God’s promises.
b. Illust: George Muller was a legendary prayer warrior – according to his autobiography, he had over 5000 requests answered on the day he prayed them. Muller started 117 schools and ran several orphanages in England that took care of over 10,000 boys. He “retired” at the age of 70 and became a traveling evangelist, logging over 200,000 before the days of planes. Muller had five friends who were far from Christ, and he committed to prayer for them every day until they were part of God’s family. After a few months, the first man came to Christ. Within 10 years, two more had come to faith. After 25 years, the fourth man was saved. But the fifth man was a holdout, so Muller continued to prayer for him every single day… for 63 years and 8 months. Muller eventually died, and before his coffin was placed in the soil, his fifth friend committed his life to Jesus. Friend, there is power in prayer and there is healing in bringing our burdens to the Lord in prayer.
2. Hanah Promised to Devote Her Son to the Lord if He would
a. V.11 (Read) Hannah poured out her soul to the Lord of hosts (1:11, 15) and the Lord met her need. “The Lord of hosts” is a common name for God in the Old Testament. But it’s significant that Hannah was the first to address God in prayer with this title. It emphasizes the fact that God is the sovereign of the universe who rules all the powers of heaven and earth, visible and invisible. If that’s who God is, then learning to come to Him in prayer is not just a nice, but impractical and impotent, thing to do when it comes to dealing with our problems. Prayer is our means of access to the all-sufficient God who alone can meet our needs!
b. Vv.19-20.
III. Hannah Demonstrates that Women of Faith Experience God’s Provision vv.19ff.
A. First We See Hannah’s Provision. Vv. 19-20
1. V.19 – Christian, may I tell you that faith works! Hannah believed Eli’s blessing and went home and acted upon that promise!
a. Probably 30 yrs ago now, John MacArthur wrote a book entitled: Faith Works, The Gospel According to the Apostles. The Bible tells us that salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone—plus and minus nothing (Eph. 2:8-9). Rom. 8:8 tells us that sinners cannot earn salvation or favor with God. God does not require of those who are saved any preparatory work or self-improvement (Rom. 10:13). Salvation is all God’s work, those who believe are saved utterly apart from any effort on their own (Titus 3:5), and the Gospel calls sinners to faith joined in oneness with repentance (Acts 2:38; IIPet. 3:9). Whereas the Roman view of salvation teaches: “Faith+Works=Justification”, the Bible teaches “Faith = Justification +Works” Neither view eliminates works. The Biblical view eliminates human merit.
b. Illust: When we are born-again we are required to act upon our new status as believers. Later this afternoon, God willing, I will be performing a wedding ceremony for a lovely young couple. Near the end of the ceremony, I will say the words: “By the authority invested in me as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I now pronounce that they are husband and wife together…” (Notice not “Authority invested in me by the state of Iowa.) Instantly they are legally husband and wife. Whereas only moments before they were an engaged couple, now they are married. Nothing inside of either young person will change when I utter those words. However, their status will be changed before God, the law, their family, and friends. And they will be EXPECTED to act upon that changed status. Eli tells Hannah that she will have a child and Hannah goes and acts on that prophetic word.
2. And notice the beautiful last portion of that verse: “and the Lord remembered her”. What a beautiful phrase. Heartache and hardship batter and bruise the believer. Psal. 30:5 “Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” (I don’t know who needs to hear that verse today, but I believe someone does. You are in a battle of faith and you believe the devil’s lie that the Lord has forgotten you! Not a chance! The Lord knows and loves you dear one!
B. Second We See Hannah Demonstrates that Women of Faith Excel at Keeping Their Promises.
1. Hannah Had Promised to Give Her Son to the Lord Before He was Born. In v.11, before Samuel is born, Hannah had promised to dedicate the child to the Lord. She also vowed to raise him as a Nazarite, wholly devoted to the Lord. v. 22 we see that Hannah planned to keep her promise. The boy is now probably 2-3yrs of age, and she determines the following year will be the right time to give her son in service to the Lord’s work.
2. Illust: Let me say something, I have seen a lot of Christian parents who have prayed for children and promised to dedicate those children to the Lord’s work, and then when those children grew up and sensed a call to serve the Lord in some foreign field, those self-same parents were the biggest opponents to their leaving. No child is as fortunate as the child whose parents have promised themselves as well as their God to devote their child to God’s purposes and then encourage that child by following through.
C. Finally, we See Hannah Demonstrates that Women of Faith Express Their Praise.
1. Hannah Praises the Lord with Great Joy in her heart. – I Sam. 2:1
a. Hannah burst forth with joy in song. Illust: Have you ever wondered if Hannah’s son inspired Elizabeth and Mary (Lk. 1:46ff) to also burst into song at their natal announcements? Today’s children need more mothers who joyfully sing Jesus’ praises in their homes.
b. Mothers, especially of little children. It can be a very difficult time in life. Sleep deprived. Financial stressors. Unrelenting work. Many reasons to complain. Choose praise! Let your children hear praise coming from your lips.
2. Hannah Praises God for His Undeniable Help. I Sam. 2:2-10
a. Yes, it’s true Hannah went home and had relations with her husband, but she also recognized a precious truth. It is God Who gives children, and not a single child, regardless of the conditions surrounding his or her birth was or is a mistake! He or she is a gift from God. Only God can create life.
b. As a woman of faith, Hannah can teach us many important lessons that are applicable to women today. Women of faith endure real problems. Women of faith extend vibrant prayers. Women of faith experience God’s provisions. Women of faith excel at keeping promises. Women of faith remember to express their praise. (Read I Sam. 2:1)
D. Applic: If a passing stranger walking through the rural village of Epworth, England, on any given day between 1700 and 1720 had peered through the window of the home of the rector of the local Anglican church, he might have caught sight of something quite strange. Depending on the time of day, this observer might have seen a woman sitting in a chair with her kitchen apron pulled up over her head while ten (survived to adulthood) children read, studied, or played all around her. The woman, of course, was Susanna Wesley, and 2 of her 19 children would leave a lasting legacy on Christianity, John and Charles. Mothers you don’t know what your children will one day do, but you can help them reach God’s goals by praying for them.
