Hannah, a Woman Who Kept Her Promise

GOLDEN TEXT: “I will go into Thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay Thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.” —Psalm 66:13,14

I SAMUEL 1:9:11, 20-28

HANNAH was the mother of Samuel, one of the outstanding prophets of the Old Testament. He was also the last of Israel’s judges, his service in this capacity bringing to a close the period of the judges. Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, were both devout servants of the Lord, as revealed by the fact that they went each year to offer sacrifice to him.

Hannah was distressed over the fact that she was childless. Plural marriages were not uncommon in those days, and when one of the wives was childless and the others were not, it was doubly hard to bear. This was Hannah’s situation. Elkanah’s other wife had children. Hannah properly considered the Lord in connection with her affliction, and in his temple prayed earnestly that she might be blessed with a male child, promising the Lord that if he would answer her prayer she would dedicate the boy to his service.

The Lord looked favorably upon her and she bore a child. She greatly rejoiced, while at the same time she was presented with a test of faith and integrity. Naturally it was easier for her to promise God a baby she did not have than give him one she held in her arms. We do not know, of course, how she may have struggled in her heart, but so far as the record goes there was not a moment of hesitation in carrying out her promise to the Lord. Our Golden Text seems to express well her viewpoint in the matter. She had made a vow, a vow which grew out of her deep sorrow in being childless. Yet now that she had the child she was willing and ready to give him up as she had promised to do.

The thought held by many that Hannah merely “lent” her boy to the Lord is incorrect. Presumably when one makes a loan there is always the right to ask a return of the loan. The marginal translation gives the correct thought; namely that Hannah “returned” the boy to God. She believed that she had received him from God in response to her prayer. He was to be the Lord’s as long as he lived. There was no thought in her mind of ever getting back her child.

Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving in dedicating Samuel to the Lord is noteworthy. “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord,” she said, “mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.” The record of Hannah’s prayer continues through verse 10 of chapter 2. It is very similar to Mary’s prayer of thanksgiving in response to the angel’s announcement to her that she was to be the mother of the Messiah. See Luke 1:46-55

Hannah’s statement, “The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up,” is somewhat prophetic. Here the Hebrew word translated “grave,” is sheol, which is the only word in the Old Testament translated hell. Hannah’s use of this word indicates that the Hebrew people expected that those in sheol, the Bible hell, would not necessarily remain there forever, that there would be a resurrection of the dead.

Her expression, “The Lord killeth, and maketh alive,” is similar to Moses’ prayer, “Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.” (Ps. 90:3) It was in the Garden of Eden that the Lord turned man to destruction; that is, through the sentence of death there imposed because of sin. It will be during the thousand years of Christ’s reign that, through Christ and his glorified church, he will say, “Return ye children of men.” In the New Testament this is confirmed by Paul’s statement, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”—I Cor. 15:22

The Lord blessed Hannah with five additional children—three sons and two daughters. (I Sam. 2:21) The record says that in this “the Lord visited Hannah.” Here we have an instance in which a gift is presented to the Lord, and the giver receives much more in return.

We can always depend upon the Lord to reward those who are faithful in paying their vows of consecration to him. During this Gospel age of faith, when the followers of Jesus are setting their affections on things above, the Lord’s richest blessings are of a spiritual character. We sacrifice earthly good things, emptying even our hearts of all desire for worldly gain, and in return the Lord fills us with his Holy Spirit, which results in all the spiritual joys which belong to the consecrated.

Hannah’s sacrifice was also richly rewarded in the life and service of her son Samuel.

QUESTIONS

Who was Hannah, and in what special way did the Lord, bless her?

Did Hannah dedicate Samuel completely to the Lord, or was it temporary?

What did Hannah mean in her prayer, “The Lord killeth, and maketh alive”?

How did the Lord reward Hannah for her faithfulness?

How does he reward his people in the present age?

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