By Pastor Jim Preston
Lighthouse Baptist Church, Cortez, CO

Text: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Introduction:  1 & 2 Samuel (as 1&2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles) form just one book in Hebrew manuscripts.  Notice the subtitle in our KJV. Their divisions are a result of the Septuagint version of the Scriptures.  It was the version where the Hebrew manuscripts  were translated into Greek about 250 years before the birth of Christ. They begin with the story of a Godly Mother.

I. Hannah's desire for (motherhood) the will of God.

   A. For a wife in Israel not to be a mother was considered an affliction and dishonor.

Motherhood was looked on as the highest function of a wife.  The greatest wish one woman could have for another was that she might be the mother of many children.  Hannah was the first and favorite wife of Elkanah, but, Hannah had no children. To perpetuate his name Elkanah, wrongly took a second wife who gave birth to a large number of children and gloried over Hannah and became her adversary.

   B.  God is not endorsing polygamy here but showing the sinful results of it.

Nearly every time plural marriages are mentioned in the Bible they are shown with negative consequences. Here the fruitful wife provoked the barren.

II. Hannah's dependence on God.

   A. Here is a mother without a child that needed a miracle! She realized life was a gift from God.

            1. She prayed.   vs. 10, 15
            2. She fasted. vs.. 7
            3. She wept. She had a mother's heart vs.. 7,10
            4. She vowed a vow.  vs.11 (Example of a Faith Promise offering.)

   B. She did not give up. vs.. 12

    C. She sought  help from the man of God. vs.. 16, 17

    D. When she had done all she could, she left it in the hands of the Lord. vs.. 18,19

III.  Hannah's dedication of the child  to God. Vs. 21-22

   A. She provided him a Godly name. vs. 20

Name Samuel means "Asked of God" Everyone who met him knew what his name meant.  He was a living walking testimony of a prayer hearing, prayer answering God.

   B. She personally weaned him. vs. 22

Nursed for first 5 years This was done for both health and nurturing.  Teaching by precept and example. What happens to child in first 5 years, effects his entire life. She taught him at an early age to keep company with the people of God in the house of God.  --Henry W. Beecher: "The mother's heart is the child's classroom."

   C. He was placed under religious instruction. vs. 24

Notice she did not just bring the boy but provided provisions for him as well.  She sacrificed to pay his way.  Three bullocks, an ephah of flour, skin bottle of wine

   D. She turned her child over to God. vs.. 25, 28

You never know who you may be training for God. Samuel's importance: Marks an end of the time of the Judges and a beginning of the time of the Prophets.  Founded Israel's first educational movement.  School of the prophets.  Anointed Israel's first king, Saul and later Israel's greatest king, David.  Bible scholars have listed him as one of the ten most important people in the Bible.

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