HANNAH:LEARNING TO BE SOMEONE

Lesson 3 for the 16th of October, 2010

What problems did Hannah face in her daily life?

1. She couldn’t have children.

Sterility was considered an affront and a blot by the Hebrew.

Rachel said to Jacob: “Give me children, or I'll die!”(Genesis. 30: 1); then, when she had them, she said: “God has taken away my disgrace” (Genesis, 30: 23)

When Elisabeth –John the Baptist’s mother– got pregnant, she exclaimed: “The Lord has done this for me, in these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people” (Luke, 1: 25)

Similarly, fecundity was considered a special signal of God’s favour.

Rebecca was blessed like this: “May you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands” (Genesis, 24: 60)

“Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them”(Psalm 127:4-5)

That made Hannah feel like she was

abandoned by God

What problems did Hannah face in her daily life?

2. Gibes from her “rival”, Peninnah.

Her husband loved her and treated her like he had children. Peninnah became angrier because of that, and took advantage of every chance to mock Hannah and humiliate her.

“Then the second wife, fired with jealousy, claimed the precedence 570as one highly favored of God, and taunted Hannah with her childless state as evidence of the Lord’s displeasure.

This was repeated from year to year,until Hannah could endure it no longer”

That made Hannah feel like she was

abandoned by the people around her

E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 55, page 569)

It was because of those problems

that Hannah couldn’t realize

how valuable she was before God.

Just think that “Christ has demonstrated to us the great value of souls in that He came to the world with the hoarded love of eternity in His heart, offering to make man heir to all His wealth”

(E.G.W. Sons and Daughters of God,September 28)

Do you appreciate yourself like God

does, despite your problems?

She felt rejected by everyone, so her only solution was to POUR OUT her soul before God.

When did you need to POUR OUT your soul before God in your lifetime?

“Trust in Him at all times, O people;

pour out your hearts to Him;for God is our

refuge” Psalm 62:8

HANNAH’S ATTITUDE

When Hannah heard Eli’s blessing, she was completely sure that God had heard her request.

Then, “her face was no longer sad”.

Do you thank God for everything He does in you?

Before giving physically his son to serve in the Sanctuary as she promised, Hannah prepared Samuel for three years so he could be a perfect offering for God.

“During the first three years of the life of Samuel the prophet, his mother carefully taught him to distinguish between good and evil. By every familiar object surrounding him, she sought to lead his thoughts up to the Creator. In fulfilment of her vow to give her son to the Lord, with great self-denial she placed him under the care of Eli the high priest, to be trained for service in the house of God… His early training led him to choose to maintain his Christian integrity. What a reward was Hannah’s! and what an encouragement to faithfulness is her example!”

E.G.W. (Review and Herald, September 8, 1904)

Are you preparing your children for the Kingdom of Heaven?

She exercises in her home a power more decisive than the minister in the desk, or even the king upon his throne. The day of God will reveal how much the world owes to godly mothers for men who have been unflinching advocates of truth and reform—men who have been bold to do and dare, who have stood unshaken amid trials and temptations; men who chose the high and holy interests of truth and the glory of God, before worldly honor or life itself”

“Would that every mother could realize how great are her duties and her responsibilities, and how great will be the reward of faithfulness. The mother’s daily influence upon her children is preparing them for everlasting life or eternal death.

E.G.W. (Lift Him up, November 21)

When Hannah gave his son to Eli, she expressed her joy with a praise song that exalted God’s great power(1 Samuel, 2: 1-10)

Let’s praise God for all the great things He does for you everyday

“And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said: May the Lord give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the Lord. Then they would go home. And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord”

(1 Samuel, 2:20-21)

What did you give to God that returned multiplied by Him?

“When the Judgment shall sit,

and the books shall be opened; when the “well

done” of the great Judge is

pronounced, and the crown of

immortal glory is placed upon the

brow of the victor, many will raise their crowns in

sight of the assembled

universe, and pointing to their

mother say, “She made me all I am through the grace

of God. Her instruction, her

prayers, have been blessed to my

eternal salvation.””

E.G.W. (The Signs of the Times, November 3, 1881)