Sunday Morning Service

I Samuel 2:1-10

“What The Eye Sees” • 2.8.15 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service

Intro.

- The first book of Samuel begins with the story of a woman who had been barren, who had prayed while at the Tabernacle in Shiloh and had given birth to a boy named Samuel.

- Her prayer was, "Give me a boy and I'll give him to you, unconditionally for life!" He will join Samson and John the Baptist as the only men to be Nazarites for life in scripture.

- Elkanah and Hannah decided that they would surrender Samuel to God after the weaning process had been completed. What had she learned about God in that time?

- What we have before us is a snapshot, ten verses which convey a deep reflection upon the nature and character of God.

Intro.

• I Samuel 2:1,2 : "And Hannah prayed and said: 'My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God." : What we have before us is a prayer that is a Psalm or a song.

- We discussed the various theories regarding the amount of years that have elapsed last week. Suffice it to say, we have a 3 to 12 year window.

- What we are examining is the result of years of understanding gained through experience and in light of a decision to surrender a first born male child to God.

- That is important to understand, especially in light of her first thought, which is a celebration of the Lord Himself! She joys and joys again in the Lord, both as the object and as the motivator.

- I rejoice in Him, His very existence and because I am in Him, I rejoice!

- The circumstance of surrendering her beloved son into the service of the Lord is at the very least, bittersweet.

- The moment may not be that joyous, but her right relationship to the Lord has given her a solid, unchanging object to be joyful in. Consequently, her heart exults, overjoys itself in the Lord.

- This cannot be manufactured by simply trying hard to respond to God. This is a natural outflow of obedience and cooperation with the Lord.

- "My heart rejoices and my horn is exalted." Look at the connection. Her heart's response and her mind's strength are linked. As she rejoices, she senses strength. 

- The horn is emblematic of the strength of an animal to defend itself or harass it's rival.

- When used regarding humans, it's always employed this way. Take Jacob's words regarding Joseph in Genesis 33:17.

• Genesis 33:17 : "His glory is like a firstborn bull, and his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them He shall push the peoples to the ends of the earth; They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh." You can trace this same sentiment throughout the Old Testament.

- Psalm 18:2, 75:5,10, 89:17 and 92:10 all speak to the horn related to strength of God's people. Alternately, the horn being cut off speaks of removing strength, such as in Jeremiah 48:25.

- Hannah has been rejuvenated in the Lord! Her joy and her strength are closely related, as the joy of the Lord is our strength, which Nehemiah later declares in Nehemiah 8:10!

- To have a settled, fixed point of reference in God, produces a strength that can run through a troop and leap over a wall! If you find yourself lacking joy, I question where your eyes have been!

- When I look upon the object of all worship and gaze upon Him, I cannot help but be affected

- Notice how that joy has effected her relationships, especially that which related to her enemies. Yes, God's people have enemies!

- Hannah had a rival bride, who had been a more successful child bearer. Penninah cruelly rubbed that in her face. She succeeded in making Hannah miserable, until that day in Shiloh!

- Hannah sensed an answer from the Lord regarding her plight and everything within Hannah changed! From then on, her enemies saw a different face. "I smile at my enemies!"

- The BIble is very real in discussing this. God doesn't take our enemies away, but He takes away the weapons that our enemies have in making us miserable!

- Why? Because of God's work of salvation. What she refers to is His rescue of her, out from under her most difficult circumstance. Her understanding of His work changed her permanently!

- She could not have done this. Elkanah could not have done this. Only a living God could have brought this to pass! This is what she means when she speaks of God's Holiness.

- There isn't any other that is utterly separate and unique. There isn't another god who actually exists! Remember in that time, polytheism was the norm!

- There were gods of fertility that were worshipped in groves and high places.

- Not only did the God of Israel exist alone in the Universe as a transcendant being, but He is also imminent. There is no rock like God, speaking of God's enduring, faithful, present strength.

- Her head knowledge about God had become life experience and therefore, a testimony. God's salvation has caused her elation! This is what she has learned of His character.

- Let me simply add that until every substitute in your life has been exhausted and exposed as helpless, you will not understand this verse!

- You and I must learn that there is nothing else worthy of our allegiance in this world.

- Hannah is declaring that what she needed in life could only be provided by the reality that God represented! If there is another god, another being, another rock, you can never know this!

• I Samuel 2:3-5 : "Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and those who stumbled are girded with strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, and the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, and she who has many children has become feeble." : Who is Hannah referring to here when she says "Talk no more so very proudly?" We know that she can't be talking about God!

- It's possible that she is talking about unbelievers who have spoken presumptuously regarding what God will or won't do, as people assume to do.

- "I don't believe that God would" which is the height of arrogance! Who are you to profess anything about the God of the Universe, especially when you contradict scripture!

- Others will say with all of their pride intact that they are "alright with God." Sadly, many will awake on judgment day and realize that THE issue of eternity is quite the reverse!

- If He is not "alright with us," then we are doomed and damned for eternity! There may be application with regard to this sort of talking, but she's talking about herself and other believers.

- She warns against talking in a lofty or high way as well as speaking in a bold, disrespectful way for the Lord is the God of knowledge!

- He knows perfectly being endowed with a complete, thorough and accurate picture of all that will happen. We should be careful to speak without such perfect knowledge.

- In this instance, how can we assume to know what God is or is not doing when we are armed only with what we can see in the life of Hannah and Penninah? How would you have assessed that?

- Who would you have naturally assumed was the blessed one in that relationship?

- Hannah may have had this problem. Perhaps Penninah or other people assumed God's displeasure with Hannah for her infertility. But what seemed to be "known" at the time, wasn't!

- We can only know that which has happened. We trust forward. We wait forward. So, we must watch how we speak and recognize that God alone is the God of knowledge!

- God alone weighs out in measure the evil deeds of those who oppose Him and those who oppress His people. I can't help but consider Penninah's actions.

- In her frustration, Hannah brought Penninah's treatment against her to the throne of grace.

- Penninah carried her favor with the wicked intent of prodding Hannah to sin! God had seen all of this and made a decision to act.

- As in the case of Hannah and Penninah In a matter of proverbial moments, God overturned the fortune of the two opposites. She illustrates. Consider the weapons of mighty men.

- At first sight, they would seem to have the advantage with their bow and arrows, the technological advancement of their age.

- But the bows of the mighty are broken apart, literally shattered, and their opponents, the ones who stumbled, who are feebly tottering along, are clothed with strength!

- Think of the myriad of Bible stories that fit into this category. The iron chariots that Sisera brought against Barak threatened Israel in Judges 4.

- In chapter 5, Deborah sings out that God brought a torrential downpour that neutralized the threat and kept the wheels from moving! This is one story of many!

- The same could be said regarding those who were rich and those who were poor!

- Those who had everything had been humbled and were working simply for their own food, while on the other side of the spectrum, the hungry had been eased!

- God was able to bring down the ruler of the known world in Daniel's time, when Nebuchadnezzar failed to give Him glory. (Daniel 4:30-33)

- In Esther, Mordecai is being measured for the gallows by his enemy Haman, who the very next day is walking Mordecai through the streets at the King's command! (Esther 6:10-12)

- What is Hannah working toward? The personal reversal that she had seen in her own life! She had not yet borne seven, but she had been barren, while Penninah was now on the decline.

- She is not gloating, but recognizing that God is in charge of changing things! He sees evil and while it may seem to be on the offensive, God in His sovereign way, turns the proverbial tables!

- Hannah may have had a faulty view of truth. This is her confession which reveals how long she had been in ignorance. No longer! She can now say that she knows better.

• I Samuel 2:6-8 : "The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set the world upon them. " : What can a person say about this? Hannah is celebrating the Lord in all of His facets, including His sovereignty over life.

- The Lord kills. He executes. There is a sense in this word of premature death. It is the death of one who has opposed Him or that has disregarded the life that one should lead.

- Proverbs 10:27 tells us that "The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened."

- There are many who by their foolish behavior, have cut their lives short. King David speaks about this in Psalm 55, a Psalm lamenting a betrayal.

• Psalm 55:23 : "But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee." : Those who oppose the Lord's people must do so at their own risk!

- On the other hand, the person who seems to be dead, God makes alive or lifts up!

- Can you not see the Lord Jesus here? On that Friday and Saturday, the religious leaders seemed to be the victorious ones. Resurrection Sunday was the most crushing blow in history!

- What seemed to be true even of the natural order of things, God would reverse!

- In the same way, a man is brought down to the grave or brought up from it! God is the author of life and of our lives! He knows every day and He knows when our days will end. That's not all!

- Hannah marvels that God determines who will be poor and who will be rich. One might point out a "gift" or "skill set" that attracts wealth, but it's God who gives the talent and causes it to flourish.

- You can see this in every arena of life. Two people are equally skilled, but one rises to prominence while the other languishes. God brings low and he lifts up!

- God decides who to promote and who to keep in a low position for His purposes. If you think that your spouse deserves better, stop harassing their employer and start beseeching God!

- God looks to the dust and raises up the destitute. Over in the dunghill, He pulls up the beggar. He takes them from that lowly position and puts them among princes!

- They aren't in line to inherit anything, but God places them in line and gives them the throne of glory, or the exalted seat of honor! God defines the number of our days as well as our influence!

- There are people that don't belong where they are from the world's perspective.

- They are not born into a position and maybe, you would say, they aren't really made for that position. How do you explain their favor? It was the Lord who did it!

- God does this because He owns the world! He has set the world into it's place and what happens upon it happens by His will!

• I Samuel 2:9,10 : "He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.'" : Finally, Hannah moves to God's special care of His people.

- God will keep a guard over the feet of His Holy Ones, those who are set apart for His service.

- I like the way the HCSB renders verse 9: "He guards the steps of His faithful ones."

- What a beautiful verse! Every footstep is taken into consideration. Every place that a believer sets his feet will be a protected place. Listen to the Psalmist as he adds his thoughts.

• Psalm 37:23 : "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way." : God arranges and sets out our steps and then guards our feet as we make them in this world. He guides us by His Word and the conviction of His Holy Spirit.

- He reminds us of examples in scripture, of verses in scripture and with principle knowledge derived from scripture. In this way, He speaks to us and guides our path.

- On the contrary, the wicked shall be made silent in darkness! They have no guide and no guard. Their doom is to be silenced in the darkness they have chosen!

- There is no man or woman strong enough to prevail against the Lord! The enemies of God will be shattered into unrecognizable pieces.

- He will unleash all of Heaven's power against them and the people at the ends of the Earth, He will judge. His power is uncontainable and it's reach is endless!

- There is no safe harbor where His decree can be resisted! Consider her statement in light of where she is in history. She looks all the way down the tube of history.

- There are people who seem strong and seem as though they will be victorious, perhaps even against the Lord! But then, she sees the end of it all!

- Every man which refuses to bow the knee is cut down and set aside! When the dust clears, she sees a vision of God's King. He will have might bestowed upon Him from God!

- His horn, His strength, will be exalted to the highest of heights! Whose horn will be exalted? His annointed! This is the Hebrew word here is "Mashiyach." It's Messiah or Christ!

- This formerly barren woman who felt as good as dead, is privileged to be the next one to speak prophetically of Jesus Christ, who will be the ultimate King of Israel and the Universe!

Conclusion

- Hannah was once miserable until she found her joy in the Lord and His work. She once assumed that God was against her, until she recognized it was only a part of His plan.

- She once believed that she walked alone, until she noted that every step was perfectly arranged. She once thought that all would be the same forever, until she saw Jesus reign!

- Where will your eyes be this week? What will you focus upon? What will you believe?

- I can only pray that you would see Jesus, High and lifted up, ruling and reigning, ever working on your behalf to bring about His best intention. If you see that, you've seen it all!