1 Samuel 2:4-11
4 “The bows of the mighty are broken to pieces,
But those who have stumbled strap on strength.
5 “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to be hungry.
Even the infertile woman gives birth to seven,
But she who has many children languishes.
6 “The Lord puts to death and makes alive;
He brings down to Sheol and brings up.
7 “The Lord makes poor and rich;
He humbles, He also exalts.
8 “He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the garbage heap
To seat them with nobles,
And He gives them a seat of honor as an inheritance;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.
9 “He watches over the feet of His godly ones,
But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a person prevail.
10 “Those who contend with the Lord will be terrified;
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.”
11 Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy continued to attend to the service of the Lord before Eli the priest.
Hannah’s Song (2)
Reversal in life (verse 4-6)
Continuing from last time, we will learn about Hannah’s song of praise. She speaks about the reversals of life that the Lord brings about. (1) The warriors are brought low, and the weak are made strong. (2) Those who were full of bread now hire themselves out for bread, and those who were hungry are now satisfied. (3) The barren woman gives birth to seven children, and the fruitful woman languishes. The number seven symbolizes completeness and is used here to mean “many children.” Hannah herself will go on to have six children, including Samuel. (4) The Lord controls the life of the living and the life of the dead. Indeed, the Lord is the one who can answer our prayers and bring about such reversals.
The prophecy of the Messianic Kingdom (verse 7-10)
Next, Hannah speaks of the prophecy of the Messianic Kingdom. The elevation of the poor to positions of glory will occur after the arrival of the Messianic Kingdom. The one who reigns in the center of this kingdom is the “King” and the “Anointed one.” The original word for the “Anointed one” is Messiah. This is the first instance where the word Messiah appears in the Bible. Hannah was able to foresee, through the Holy Spirit, the fulfillment of the kingdom brought about by the Messiah, long before it came to pass. Hannah’s song was continued by Mary, Jesus’ mother. When we look at Luke 1:46–55, we could see that Mary’s song of praise is very similar to that of Hannah’s. Mary, on the verge of giving birth to Jesus, understood that the child in her womb was the promised Messiah. Therefore, Hannah’s song of praise, which prophesied the Messianic Kingdom, must have felt very real and imminent to her. Both Hannah and Mary were individuals who, through the Holy Spirit, were allowed to see the pinnacle of the Lord’s plan for human salvation.
Returning home (verse 11)
After handing over the young Samuel to Eli, the priest, Elkanah and Hannah set out to return home. There were many women, serving at the Tabernacle, and it is likely that Samuel was raised by one of them. Hannah, as a mother, relinquished her maternal affections and entrusted her young child’s life into the hands of the Lord. In this, is a decision of a faithful.
Today's prayer
Almighty God, Your plans are far beyond human understanding. Please give me the spirituality that Hannah possessed. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.