The Legacy of a Godly Mother (1 Samuel 1:1-2:11)
INTRODUCTION:
Several years ago, I used this morning’s Scripture passage as the passage for my message on Mother’s Day and as I began preparing and praying about my message this week, I kept being drawn back to this passage which gives us such a beautiful picture of a godly mother. What would our world be like without mothers and the love and influence that they give to their children? A mother’s love is like no other love. It is possibly the closest example that we have to the unconditional love of God for us. Mothers love us no matter what we have done or who we become; they love us simply because we are their children. How many men and women have been brought into the kingdom of God by the prayers of a godly mother?
Today we honor our mothers for their love, their influence, their faithfulness in caring for us and in the case of Christian mothers, the prayers they have prayed for us. This morning I want to look at a mother described for us in God’s word who left a legacy for the son she bore, the legacy was the result of deep sorrow which in turn made her a woman of prayer, a woman of her word, and a woman of joy. Let’s pray and then get into our passage for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles with me to 1 Samuel 1 and we will begin this morning by reading verses 1-10. In this chapter we read of woman by the name of Hannah. Hannah desperately wanted to be a mother, but like her ancestors Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachael God had closed her womb. God had a special child for this woman when the time was right, and she was prepared to leave her son a legacy of faith. Please stand if you are able in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
1 Samuel 1:1-10,
“Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb. Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. Then Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?’ Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.” (1 Samuel 1:1–10, NASB95)[1]
A LEGACY FROM SORROW (1 Samuel 1:1-10)
This passage opens introducing us to Hannah’s husband Elkanah. The passage says that he is an Ephraimite, we know that this was only who he was geographically because he lived in the territory of Ephraim. We know from 1 Chronicles 6 that Elkanah was from the tribe of Levi, having descended from Levi’s son Kohath. We are also introduced to Elkanah’s two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. From this passage we learn that Hannah is a very sorrowful person. Her sorrow is caused by the fact that she has no children. Hannah desperately wants to provide her husband with children, especially sons. During Bible times it was considered a curse from God to be barren or childless.
For a Hebrew man a son or sons were most important to carry on the family name so that the family would not die out and the family inheritance in the land pass into the hands of a relative. This is probably why Elkanah had two wives. Hannah had been the first and when it was discovered that she could not bear children, Elkanah had taken a second wife. The passage surely shows that Hannah was his true love. This fact only elevated the pain and sorrow in Hannah’s heart at not being able to bear her husband a son. Elkanah’s love for Hannah made Peninnah jealous and she took her jealousy out on Hannah by constantly reminding her that she was childless. We can see from this passage why God’s plan for marriage is one man and one woman, because if it is any different there will always be jealousy, bitterness, hatred and sorrow and heartache because one will always feel less loved than the other. Hannah’s heart ached to be a mother, to provide her husband with a son. We are told in this passage that God had closed her womb because Hannah had to become a woman of prayer and a woman of surrender before she could have a child, God had a very special son that He was going to bless her with, a son that would bring blessing to the nation of Israel. Hannah’s sorrow reached its peak one year as they were in Shiloh worshiping and sacrificing to the LORD of hosts. There were three feasts that all Israelite men were to go to throughout the year at the place where the Lord would choose. At this time, it was in Shiloh where the Tabernacle was pitched. The three feasts were Passover, the feast of weeks, and the feast of booths. The feast referred to here is most likely the feast of booths because of the feasting mentioned. Elkanah had gone up to Shiloh with his wives and Peninah’s children. It is here that Hannah’s sorrow brings her to the Lord in prayer, it is here that she surrenders to the Lord that which is dearest to her heart.
A LEGACY OF PRAYER (1 Samuel 1:11-19)
Hannah in sorrow did the only thing she knew to do, she went to the Lord in prayer, she laid her burden before the Lord. This is the first thing that we see in Hannah’s life that makes her a godly mother, a legacy for all mothers to follow. Hannah was a woman of prayer and when she prayed she was not afraid to lay everything out before the Lord. If this is how Hannah prayed before she had children, imagine the prayer warrior she was for each of her children and the example she left to each of them of the importance and power of prayer, what a legacy. If we could ask Samuel, he might tell us that he learned the importance and power of prayer from his mother.
Let’s read a bit more of chapter one, verses 11-19,
1 Samuel 1:11-19,
“She made a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.’ Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Then Eli said to her, ‘How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.’ But Hannah replied, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.’ Then Eli answered and said, ‘Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.’ She said, ‘Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.’ So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.” (1 Samuel 1:11–19, NASB95)[2]
As Hannah makes this vow to God, she is not attempting to bargain with God and get Him to give her a son. What Hannah is doing is surrendering to God, offering back to God the best that He could give her. She is showing her surrender through her great trust and love for God by offering back to Him that which would be the dearest to her, that for which her heart yearned, her firstborn son.
Hannah asks God to remember her, not just remember that she exists, but to act on her behalf and take away the bitter sorrow in her heart, to take away her disgrace by giving her a son. In her surrender she not only promises to give this son back to the Lord, but she dedicates him to serve the Lord his whole life as a Nazirite. A Nazirite was someone who was set apart for a period of time to fulfill a special vow or some service to the Lord. We know that this is what Hannah is saying because a Nazarite was not to cut his hair until he had fulfilled his vow or service. Hannah in declaring that her son would be a Nazirite his whole life is making it clear that she is serious about giving her son back to the Lord. This was not something that she came up with while she was praying, this was something that God had impressed on her heart because of the child that He was going to give to her would be a great prophet, priest, and judge. What God impressed on her heart she surrendered to and as a woman of prayer she was devoted to her God and could do this hard thing of giving her son back because she trusted in God’s faithfulness to her and His love for her.
Eli, observing Hannah praying with no sound coming from her lips judged her to be drunk and rebuked her for her drunkenness. Apparently, Eli had never prayed with the diligence with which Hannah prayed or he would have understood what was happening. Hannah assures the old priest that she is not drunk, but pouring her soul out to the Lord. With this cleared up, Eli blesses her, and Hannah goes away from this time with the Lord no longer discouraged, but encouraged and comforted in her sorrow and with a brighter outlook on life, she could trust her God.
This change seen in Hannah is the outcome of time spent with God. God is the great comforter and He comforts and encourages us when we come to Him in our anguish and pour out our hearts to Him. Isn’t it amazing how God can lift our spirits when we lay our burdens on Him and surrender the control of our life over to Him. Hebrews 4:15-16 holds a wonderful truth for us and shows us that our High Priest stands in sharp contrast to the human high priest Eli. The author of Hebrews writes, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15–16, NASB95)[3] Hannah understood that true grace and mercy came from her God and not a human high priest, so instead of laying her burden on Eli, she took it to the throne of grace in prayer and received mercy and found grace in her time of need. Mothers, what about you? Are you women of prayer? Jesus understands all that we suffer, all that we bear, draw near to the throne of grace confidently and you to will receive mercy and find grace as you surrender to the Savior.
A LEGACY TO KEEP YOUR WORD (1 Samuel 1:20-28)
Three times in my life I have been blessed with the birth of a son, I can think of nothing that can make a father’s heart burst with excitement and joy then knowing that the infant you are holding is a gift to you from God. My three boys are no longer babies, but I am still overjoyed and excited that I am their dad and they are my sons. I feel blessed because each of them was an answer to prayer. I think I understand what Hannah and Elkanah felt when they found out that God had answered their prayers and Hannah indeed was expecting a child. Let’s continue reading about this event in history, follow along as I read verses 20-28 of chapter 1.
1 Samuel 1:20-28,
“It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I have asked him of the Lord.’ Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever.’ Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Do what seems best to you. Remain until you have weaned him; only may the Lord confirm His word.’ So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. She said, ‘Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.’ And he worshiped the Lord there.” (1 Samuel 1:20–28, NASB95)[4]
God remembered Hannah and acted on her behalf and took away her disgrace by giving her a son. She named him Samuel which sounds like, “asked of the Lord” or “heard by the Lord.” Samuel was the answer to her prayers to the Lord. Hannah did not go up to Shiloh again until the boy was weaned, probably about when he was three years old. She did not want to go up to Shiloh until she could fulfill her vow to the Lord and give her firstborn son back to the Lord to serve Him all of his days. So here we see the second thing that will leave a legacy of faith, Hannah, as a godly mother is a woman of her word. Hannah fulfills her vow by giving Samuel back to the Lord. I cannot imagine how difficult that was for her to leave her child at Shiloh to serve the Lord by serving the high priest, Eli. Look at Hannah’s testimony in verses 27-28, “’For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.’ And he worshiped the Lord there.” (1 Samuel 1:27–28, NASB95)[5] What faith, what commitment. Godly mothers are women of their word, faithful to their God and committed to their God. Mothers, are you like Hannah? A woman of prayer, a woman of your word, a woman of faith and a woman of commitment?
A LEGACY OF PRAISE (1 Samuel 2:1-11)
There is one more aspect that sets Hannah apart as a godly mother and that is her response to God when she did what I am sure was the hardest thing in her whole life by giving back to God the one thing she desired most in life, a son. What legacy could she leave as she left Samuel there? A legacy of praise, she gave all praise and all glory to God. She recognized that it was not what she had done, or said, or promised, it was what God had said, had done, and had promised. We have for us in 1 Samuel 2:1-11 the song of praise to God that Hannah sang in response to what God had done for her. Listen as I read it to you.
1 Samuel 2:1-11,
“Then Hannah prayed and said, ‘My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes. The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts. He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them. He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail. Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed.’ Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.” (1 Samuel 2:1–11, NASB95)[6]
Godly mothers like Hannah are those who give all the glory and praise to God and recognize Him as the Giver of life and the Giver of strength to do the tasks and carry out our word. She recognized that God is the Creator and Sovereign over His creation and she even prophesied of a coming King, God’s anointed, from which we get our word Messiah. Hannah could leave her son at Shiloh to minister before the Lord under Eli, the high priest, because she knew that God was the God of all the earth and He and He only deserved the praise and the glory.
CONCLUSION:
What is the result when mothers follow Hannah’s example? They produce godly offspring; they leave a legacy of faith to their children. Samuel ministered before the Lord his whole life and was one of Israel’s most respected and loved prophets and priests that ever lived. A mother’s influence has great impact on her children’s lives and the greatest influence you can have is to model the things seen in Hannah’s life. Maybe you are past that point of starting a family, maybe your children are all grown, you can still leave for them a legacy of faith, it is never to late to start. Be a godly mother who prays, be a godly mother who keeps her word, be a godly mother who recognizes God’s sovereignty in all things and praises Him for it. Be a godly mother who loves the Lord and models that love to her children as she loves them unconditionally as God loves her.
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[2]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[4]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995