Hannah’s vow to the Lord of host is found in the book of 1 Samuel chapter one. She made a vow to the Lord that if God will bless her with a son out of her barrenness, she will give him to God as long as he lives. God blessed her womb and Hannah also duly fulfilled her vow to the Lord. That son was Samuel who became a prophet in Israel after Eli.
Hannah’s marital status prior to her vow
In the first chapter of the first book of Samuel, we read that Hannah was the 2nd wife of Elkanah. The first wife of Elkanah was called Peninnah. In those days, polygamy was permissible as lawful marriage. It was distinct from concubine, mistress, girlfriend, sexual partner or any other partnership however we may describe it. A marriage relationship must be natural and not an aberration of nature as God intended it to be for mankind. We cannot pervert biblical truth under the guise of modernism.
Hannah did not defile herself or her virginity prior to marriage. God will not bless a defiled womb because it is filthy before the Lord. Examples of wombs which were preserved for God without being defiled include Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist and Mary the mother of Jesus Christ. These men were set apart for the Lord with the blessings of the respective wombs of their mothers. Let us all in Christ work together to preserve the wombs and virginity for the Lord for they are sacred. It is a sin to violate a womb or the virginity in that we reduce them to harlots by so doing and displease God.
Hannah as a subject of ridicule
Peninnah had children but Hannah did not because the Lord had shut up her womb. Hannah’s predicament was not because she was the 2nd wife nor a curse. It was an opportunity for God to glorify his name, John 9:1-3; 14:13. It was also to test Hannah’s faith in God, her patience for God and her resilience in times of challenges. The bible says count it all joy when you meet various trials, for they are to test your faith which produces steadfastness so we may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing, James 1:2. How do we behave in such perilous times? God’s reward for Hannah was a son and a prophet because she passed the test.
Even in places of worship, we behave like Peninnah and our worship is vain. True worship is not composed of outward religiosity as the scribes and Pharisees did, Matthew 23:29. It should not be a mere ritual of gathering to engage in songs in pretense of worship and prayer but a burning desire to empty the heart for the filling of the holy spirit. Ridicule, offense, revenge, sadism and anything which is not edifying is not true worship. It cannot also prevent God’s plan or blessings either.
Peinnah always teased and cheated Hannah even when they went to worship and sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Peninnah looked down on Hannah because she had no child. We also look down on those who do not measure up to us. We humiliate the less privileged and boast of what we have received from God by grace. Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord, 1 Corinthians 1:31. Why do we boast when we do not know the end of what we now boast of? 1 Corinthians 3:21 says so let no one boast of men. James 4:16 also says as it is, you boast in your arrogance and all such boasting is evil.
God does not reward evil so at the end of the day it was Hannah’s son Samuel who received God’s attention and became the prophet of God with approval and not Peninnah’s children. Our actions and inactions could have disastrous consequences on our children including blocking their blessings from God. Jesus said the stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner, Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11. Paul said in 1Timothy 4:4 that for everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. Let us stop boasting with your children whereas we do not know their end. They are gifts to us by God’s grace so let us be careful.
Elkanah’s family leadership
Elkanah however did not discriminate against Hannah. He loved Hannah and respected the wounded in heart. He gave each of his family members what was worthy. Elkanah was a noble man and so loved his family equally as Christ loved us, sinners and the rejected. We all have our good and down sides and the knowledge upon which we rely to mistreat others is however imperfect, 1 Corinthians 13:9. Some of us are so mean and wicked towards our family, children, spouses, relatives and others based on their status.
We have divided the family, terrorized every one in the family, sowed seeds of discord, hatred and divisions in the family. We have the hallmark of unnecessary discrimination and partiality even among our children. We are violent, repulsive, irrational, radically emotional, so quick tempered and often unreasonable in judgment. We interpret statements and issues not on the content but the messenger. We are indifferent or do not care about the needs of others yet we pretend that we care. God sees our hypocrisy and wants us to unite and love the family as he did for us.
We must not embrace these callousness and evil spirits of wickedness and violence who kill the souls of our loved ones daily though sometimes slowly. Love is the greatest of all things, 1 Corinthians 13:13. Jesus said in John 15:13 that greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. What can we not tolerate from our spouses if we have love above all things in our hearts? Jesus was a perfect example of family life and like Elkanah, we can also show love in spite of one’s challenges.
We may have destroyed many in the past but Jesus can wash us of those sins and help us to reform and be restored. It is not too late to invite Jesus to take charge of the situation. Joel 2:25 says that I will restore to you the years which the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army which I sent among you. Let us try Jesus and he is sure to make us better persons.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as we continue to be subjects of ridicule, please give us a sense of direction to focus on you to end our shame. Give us the love and your grace that we may also be helpful to other weaker brethren. In your holy name we pray, Amen!!
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