Women of Courage – Aug. 3, 2013

Women of Courage – Aug. 3, 2013

Question 8-  Describe Hannah’s ongoing relationship with Samuel after she gave him to fulltime service at the tabernacle.

She was focused on the limited time that she would have him with her.  She was no more or less his mother; she was still committed to spending time with him.  She was faithful to her promise to God and to keeping him pure as a Nazarite.  God took care of Samuel and the influences in his life.  Hannah, most likely, told him that he had been set apart and was a special gift to God.  We too have been set apart for God and need to realize that He has control of the circumstances in our lives.  We need to lean upon God and his promises, trusting our steps to Him.  We shouldn’t let outside influences keep us from serving our God.  We trust God’s timing, knowing He will direct us, give us strength, and give us peace.

Question 9 –In what ways was Hannah rewarded for her gift of Samuel to the Lord’s service?

She yearly saw his growth in the Lord. He was called as a young man by the Lord and served him throughout his lifetime.  She had more children and a very godly son.  Her husband supported her and she lost the shame of being childless.  She was blessed physically, emotionally, spiritually (having a part in the service of one of Israel’s spiritual leaders).  We hope that she experienced the revival of Israel. 

It isn’t the quantity of time but the quality of time with our children.

Bible connections: 

Question one:  Read 1 Samuel 1:7 and Numbers 18:24-32. What brought Hannah year by year to the house of the Lord?

1 Samuel 1:7

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁷ So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.

²⁴ For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel.”

²⁵ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁶ “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. ²⁷ And your contribution shall be counted to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. ²⁸ So you shall also present a contribution to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you shall give the Lord's contribution to Aaron the priest. ²⁹ Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every contribution due to the Lord; from each its best part is to be dedicated.’ ³⁰ Therefore you shall say to them, ‘When you have offered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be counted to the Levites as produce of the threshing floor, and as produce of the winepress. ³¹ And you may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. ³² And you shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have contributed the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel, lest you die.’”

They were Levites; they were responsible for their tithe and needed to go to the house of meeting for the responsibilities of their tribe. She went as her husband performed his service and worship.  She was obedient to God.  She was faithful in her worship and relationship to God.  

We had a discussion about not feeling like doing God’s will, not going to church, etc.  But if we are faithful to doing what God commands we are greatly rewarded and blessed.  Hannah had learned early in her own life to depend on God and follow his commands no matter what!

Deut. 16- describes some of the feasts and their worship.

Question two: Read 1 Samuel 1:3 and 1 Samuel 2:13-24

1 Samuel 1:3

English Standard Version (ESV)

³ Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:13-24

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹³ The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, ¹⁴ and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. ¹⁵ Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” ¹⁶ And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” ¹⁷ Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.

¹⁸ Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. ¹⁹ And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord.” So then they would return to their home.

²¹ Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.

²² Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ²³ And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. ²⁴ No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad.

In addition to the bad behavior of the high priest’s sons, the visible manifestation of God’s glory was long gone from the tabernacle. What emotions did Hannah and others in her family likely have as they made their annual trip to the tabernacle?

The fact that God set them aside for destruction is hard to bear.  Hannah and her family were probably very upset over the circumstances.  But they were faithful

Concern, anger, doubt were at the forefront, but this lead them to greater faith in God.  What are we doing with the obstacles that are in our way? Are we being faithful in our daily walk, every day is our battlefield.  Keep going to the Lord even when don’t see him the way that we want. There are battles everywhere, every day.

Hannah most likely experienced some sadness every time she walked away and left her son behind.  But she trusted.  God is so much bigger than our choices and our thoughts.  It is easy for us to fall into worry and concern as women, but we must realize that God is in charge of all things and His ways are perfect.  We must daily learn to walk in trust giving God the glory.