HANNAH – A WOMAN OF A DIFFERENT KIND

Life of Hannah, the mother of prophet, priest, and judge Samuel, wife of Elkanah, the Ephrathite, is a very interesting, enlightening and empowering study. Hannah is a woman of extraordinary character and calibre, even though she is mentioned in just the first chapter, and the first eleven verses of chapter two in the book of 1 Samuel.

Let us study the life of Hannah, and see how her husband and much more than that, God who honoured this woman, and lifted her up. She is a “Woman” of a different kind. She is the biblical model for a woman. She should be the role model for us. Hannah was a woman of Strength, Courage, Perseverance, Faith, Intelligence, Integrity, Poise, Passion, Grace, Patience and Long-suffering, despite going through a lot of suffering, pain and anguish in her life.
– She was childless for many years after her marriage to Elkanah.
– Probably Elkanah married the second time, because they were without any children – this was normal for most part of human history.
– As it happens in almost all such cases, the second wife had children, and Hannah was taunted and insulted by her, because Hannah was barren.
– Elkanah loved Hannah dearly, and cared and supported her strongly and openly – which is unusual for those times, and in such cases.
– Being childless is a pain which is, hell of the worst kind, especially for a woman. Hannah handled it well and gracefully, without losing her sanity, sensibility and security as an individual, as a woman, and as a wife. She held herself with great maturity, poise and grace, in the face of all her storms and sufferings.
– Hannah took all her storms and sufferings to the One Person who can make a difference – God.
– Hanna, persistently persevered in prayer, seeking God’s face, day upon day, for the one need she desired – to have a child of her own.
– Hannah did not give up on her prayer, but prepared herself to give up the boy, if God gives her one, for the service of God, as His Nazirite – one set apart for God’s service.

God looked at Hannah favourably, and she bore a son, whom she named Samuel.
– “20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.” – 1 Samuel 1:20

True to Hannah’s vow, she fulfilled it joyfully, after weaning the child for the first years of his life, and personally took the young child Samuel, to the temple at Shiloh, and offered the young Samuel, to be the servant of YAHWEH, for the rest of his life, as a Nazirite. The child grew up to be a fine servant of God, and is the only one in the Bible, to have held three offices of the Prophet, the Priest and the Judge, for and on behalf of his Creator, the LORD God Almighty.
– “24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there. “ – 1 Samuel 1:24-28

May the LORD raise up for His Church, many more women of the calibre and character of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. We need women like Hannah, very much. Even so the LORD grant us such women, for His glory, for the blessing of His people, and for the benefit of His kingdom.