BRAGADAYJAH 807

BRAGADAYJAH 807

It came to pass that Eli was very old; and he heard reports of all the evil his sons had done in Israel, and how they were lying with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Eli spoke to his sons and asked them why they were behaving the way they did before the people. He told them that the reports he was hearing were not good, and ought not to be done by the people of God. He told them that if a man sins against another man, the judge shall judge him; but asked he them, “Who shall make petition for those who sin against the Lord?”  But in spite of Eli’s words of warning and rebuke to his sons, they changed not their ways, until the Lord slew them.  But in the meantime, Samuel grew and was loved both by God and man. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 806

BRAGADAYJAH 806

And Elkanah and his wife Hannah returned to their house at Ramah, leaving the child to minister unto the Lord with Eli. Now Eli’s sons were as children of the Devil in that they knew not the Lord. There was a custom that when the people offered sacrifice, the priest’s servants came while the flesh was cooking and with a flesh hook with three prongs they inserted it in the cauldron, or pot, or frying pan; and all that the flesh hook grabbed that portion was taken for the priest. And also before the fat was burnt, the sons of Eli would appear and demand that an unburnt portion be given for the priest; and if the request was declined they would demand and take it be force. So that the young men were so out of control that many were hesitant to make offerings unto the Lord. And Samuel served before the Lord as a young boy girded with a linen ephod.  In addition Hannah made her son a little coat which she took to him each year. And Eli blessed Hannah and said, “The Lord bless thee and give thee seed for that which you have given to the Lord.”  And the Lord visited Hannah; and she bore three sons and two daughters. And Samuel continued to grow before the Lord.”   

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BRAGADAYJAH 805

BRAGADAYJAH 805

Hannah’s Song of Praise (continued)

“The Lord killeth and maketh alive; He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and make them inherit the throne of glory; for the pillars of the earth are the Lords, and He hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of the saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength will no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them; the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth and He shall give strength unto the king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.”

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BRAGADAYJAH 804

BRAGAGAYJAH 804

In offering the bullock at the altar, Hannah told Eli, that she was the woman who had stood by him praying to the Lord.  Presenting her young son Samuel, she said, “this is the child; and the Lord has granted me my petition.” Therefore she said, “I have given him to the Lord, to serve the Lord all the days of his life, to serve in the Lord’s house.” And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord; mine horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none Holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee; neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceedingly proudly; let not arrogance come out of thy mouth; for the Lord is a God of Knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken; and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They who were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren has borne seven, and she that has many children has grown feeble,” (to be continued).

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BRAGADAYJAH 803

BRAGADAYJAH 803

The following morning, Hannah went up with her husband to the sanctuary and worshipped there before the Lord before returning to their home at Ramah.  And soon after Hannah conceived as the Lord answered her prayer; and in the course of time she had a son, and she called his name Samuel because she had asked him of the Lord. And at the time of year, Elkanah and all his house went up to Shiloh to sacrifice unto the Lord; but Hannah told her husband she would not go up until the child was weaned at which time she would carry him up and offer him there before the Lord. And when the child was weaned, Hannah took him up with three bullocks, one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and took the child Samuel into the house of the Lord the child being young. And they slew a bullock and took the child to Eli.

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BRAGADAYJAH 802

BRAGADAYJAH 802

Before proceeding with Hannah’s story, and if you are anything like me, you would be absolutely fascinated if not enthralled by Hannah’s prayer. We see firstly that Hannah had a problem.  It was a problem on the face of it, insoluble.  She was barren and a barren tree, a barren woman cannot bear fruit, or so it would seem from a medical point of view, and also from general human experience.  So what did Hannah do?  She approached God silently, and poured out her heart before Him.  Never mind what the priest thought he saw or knew.  Hannah knew what she needed, and she knew the only thing to do was to submit her petition to the Most High God; and so she did.  She did not shout her case from the mountain top. She did not do so standing at the back of the temple and shouting for all to hear.  It was her problem alone, and she spoke to God alone.  Year after year she had been teased and mocked and scorned by her husband’s other wife and her two sons.  So now it was time to let her God know that she knew that He could do whatever He wanted to , barren or not. So after she poured out her heart to God, she knew the matter was in His hand, and there was nothing more for her to do than to wait; and so she did, joyfully.

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BRAGADAYJAH 801

BRAGADAYJAH 801

How Hannah Prayed

While Hannah was speaking to the Lord, Eli the priest was observing her, and seeing her lips moving and hearing no sound coming out of her mouth, and it being still early in the morning, Eli concluded she was drunk.  So he said to her, “Woman how come you are in the house of the Lord so early in the morning and drunk beside!”  But Hannah replied to Eli and said, “No my Lord, I am not drunk; but I am a woman of a very sorrowful spirit; I have taken neither wine nor strong drink; but I was just pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard this sorrowful women as a daughter of the Devil; for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken.” Then Eli answered her and said, “Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant you your petition which you have prayed for.”  And Hannah said,  “Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight;” so she went away and did eat, and she was no longer sad.

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