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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (1-8-1976 Strandtown Baptist Church)
Before we look at the life of Samuel, it is fitting to
look first at his mother, Hannah. Good biographies never begin with the subject,
but with the parents and grandparents, c.f. Broomhall’s biography of Hudson
Taylor, which begins with his great grandparents. To explain the life and
ministry of Samuel, it is important to look at the home he came from, and his
mother and father.
The story begins on a sad note.
In Old Testament days the institution of polygamy was tolerated under the old
law, because of the hardness of men’s hearts. But it was always a fruitful
source of sorrow and sin. Even with husbands like Abraham, Jacob, David and
Solomon, it did not work towards righteousness or happiness. The husband soon
learnt the truth of the advice once given by a wise man, “First learn to live
with two tigresses, and then expect to live happily with two wives.” Each wife
felt wretched at having to share the love which ought to be all her own.
For Hannah there was the added
misery that she was the one of Elkannah’s wives who had no children. His other
wife Penninah gloated over this fact, provoked her sore for to make her fret
because the Lord had shut up her womb (1 Samuel 1:6). This continued year
after year, and she wept and did not eat. It was a miserable wretched existence
for Hannah. I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit (1 Samuel 1:15).
Happily polygamy has been banished. It was not God’s original purpose according to Genesis. In the beginning God made for man but one wife. It certainly brought grief and tragedy to Elkannah’s home. Yet is there not in every home, however joyous, some tragedy? The world speaks of “skeletons in the cupboard”. A cross of some sort must be borne by every child of God. No one is entirely carefree. No one continually lives through unclouded days. We are going to see what help there is for everyone in this story.
A sorrowful spirit is not the
best thing in the world to have, yet despite this Hannah was lovely, attractive
and a nice person. We can tell she was a godly woman as we read her story, and
especially in her song of praise. Her heart was right with God. She rejoiced in
God and His salvation. He was a rock to her, and she was accountable to Him.
She was also a loveable woman,
and her husband thought a great deal of her, even though she had borne him no
children. Unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion, for he loved Hannah (1
Samuel 1:5). Am I not better to thee than ten sons? (1 Samuel 1:8).
Hannah was a gentle woman. In the face of Penninah’s
harsh taunting, there is no mention of Hannah answering back. At the annual
feast when her rival provoked her, she stole away on her own to weep. She was so
tender and submissive. Even the way she spoke to Eli when he accused her wrongly
of being drunk is a model of gentleness. She bore his rebuke without resentment.
Hannah was also honourable. She
had a great burden for a child, and she made a solemn promise that if only she
had a son she would give him up to the Lord all the days of his life – and she
kept her word. Months and years went by, Samuel was born and weaned, and then
she took him to Eli for service in the House of the Lord. It must have been a
very costly sacrifice. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my
petition which I asked of him; therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as
long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:27,28). A solemn
promise had been made and kept.
How many of us have desperately
wanted something, and we have prayed and promised – then conveniently
forgotten? When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it (Ecclesiastes
5:4).
So Hannah had tragedy and sorrow in her life, aggravated by a cruel rival. Yet she had a beautiful character in and through it all – godly, loveable, gentle and honourable.
Every experience, pleasant or
otherwise, teaches us lessons that can be learnt nowhere else. We never pass
through deep experiences and come out of it the same person. Hannah learnt to
pray. That is not to say she never prayed before this sorrow, but now she prayed
with more intensity than ever before. She felt so desolate and so despised; she
knew where to go with her secret sorrows and tragedies. I have poured out my
soul before the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15).
What a relief the mercy seat is
when troubles come. For every prayer in days of prosperity there are thousands
in days of adversity. Abraham Lincoln declared, “I often was driven to my
knees in prayer. There was nowhere else to go.”
Hannah also learnt faith. She
believed the promises of God. Eli told her, Go in peace; and the God of
Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him (1 Samuel 1:17).
And we are told that immediately she started to eat again, and she was sad no
longer. She had not yet obtained the blessing, but she was sure of the promise,
and embraced it. She wiped her tears for she was sure she had been heard. By
faith she held that infant son in her arms. Hannah was one of that honoured band
who through faith received the promises (Hebrews 11:17).
Through the experience, Hannah
learnt much of God. Being driven from common family joys, she had been drawn
nearer to God. In seasons of nearness to God she had made heavenly discoveries
of his name and nature, c.f. her song. She learnt her heart’s truest joy was
not in children or earthly blessings but in the Lord Himself. Mine horn is
exalted in the Lord… I rejoice in Thy salvation (1 Samuel 2:1). Earthly
joys were in their proper place. Hannah’s priorities were right. She was
impressed by God’s holiness. There is none holy as the Lord (1 Samuel
2:2). She knew His all sufficiency, that He was all in all Neither is there
any rock like our God. She had learnt God’s method in providence: Bows
of mighty men are broken… He raiseth up the poor out of the dust (1 Samuel
2:4,8). She saw how faithful God was to His people. He will keep the feet of
his saints (1 Samuel 2:9). And she foresaw the future of God’s kingdom and
His anointed.
How much there is to learn in days of adversity and trial about the Lord. Men start to think seriously about God, and their hearts are softened, they are humbled, and the quality of their lives is tested. Conscience is awakened, and the spiritual teacher purifies the heart.
Samuel Rutherford, who escaped martyrdom by dying before it could be carried out in 1661, faced the loss of his wife and two of his children. He was exiled and imprisoned, and yet could say, “Lord cut, Lord carve, Lord mould, Lord do anything that may perfect Thy Father’s image in us and make us meet for Thy glory.” He also said, “Blessed is the fever that fetcheth Christ to the bedside.”
The Lord answered Hannah’s prayer. The child was born,
and she named him Samuel, which means “asked of God”. The longings, tears
and prayers of many years at last received answers. Promises were honoured,
answers given. And what a mother Hannah became. How well equipped by her
character and previous experiences to be a perfect mother for Samuel. We see a
picture of lavish care in childhood – making him a little coat every year when
she visited the Temple. Also a picture of careful instruction on the ways of the
Lord as she trained and laid the foundation of character of the youthful
prophet.
How much Samuel owed in his
character and achievement to his mother’s prayers, teaching and example. For
weal or woe, a mother’s influence is infinitely great. “The hand that rocks
the cradle rules the world.” It is no surprise to learn that Byron’s mother
was proud, ill tempered and violent. Or that Nero’s mother was a murderer. Sir
Walter Scott’s mother loved poetry, and Augustine’s mother was a woman of
prayer. Susannah Wesley had 19 children in total (though they did not all
survive childhood), John being the second of her sons. Her home life, training
of the children and beauty of Christian character had huge influence. She took
each of her children aside at night for instruction in divine things, each child
on a different night of the week. Later Wesley wrote, “I cannot remember ever
having kept back a doubt from my mother. She was the one heart to whom I went in
absolute confidence from my babyhood until the day of her death.”
Lord Shaftsbury said, “Give me
a generation of Christian mothers and I will undertake to change the face of
society in twelve months.” Napoleon said, “France’s greatest need is good
mothers.”
But note that the training and
devotion Hannah gave to Samuel were for the Lord’s purposes. She knew the
child was not her own, but the Lord’s. She was not a possessive mother. Do we
see our children as the Lord’s? Are we willing to let Him do what He wants
with our child? Ministry or mission field? How far do we give our children to
the Lord?
Hannah knew the further blessing of an enlarged family. She had three more sons and two daughters. Parting with Samuel was necessary before she received the other little ones. God cannot bless some of us till first of all he has tried us. We are not fit to receive great blessing till we have gone through fire. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed (1 Samuel 2:30).
Hannah had a sorrowful spirit, yet what a character. She learnt many wonderful lessons through her experience, and enjoyed great blessings in the end. Regardless of our lot, this joy can be ours too.
