2023_06_30 Insight Post- Vange Quinn

Hannah’s faith and God’s faithfulness illuminate like a bright beacon of light in the swirling darkness during the turbulent mess of Israel’s judges. This dominating darkness was due to the children of Israel continuously rebelling against God and his commandments. By the time 1st Samuel rolled around, the tribes of Israel were splintered and cried out for a king to unite them from enemies both inside and outside their borders. Interestingly, the Book of Ruth (another bright beacon of light) is sandwiched between the Book of Judges and 1st Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. This specific ordering of the books in the Old Testament reminds me of slowly turning on a light in the darkness, reflecting on God’s faithful promise of a Savior to come to save humanity from our brokenness.

Hannah endured relentless ridicule from her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, for not having a child of her own. Although loved by her husband Elkanah, Hannah’s value and worth as a wife were nothing in Israelite culture since she was childless. In her pain and suffering, Hannah brought her request to have a son before the Lord. She promised God a radical vow in return, as recorded in 1 Samuel 1:11 (NLT): “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.” God fulfilled Hannah’s request faithfully by giving her a son named Samuel. His name aptly means “I asked the LORD for him” (1 Samuel 1:20). Hannah kept her promise to God by dedicating her son Samuel to a lifetime of service in the Tabernacle with the priest Eli as a mentor. God further blesses Hannah abundantly for her faithfulness in releasing Samuel into His service with three additional sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 1:21).

Samuel goes on to play a crucial role in God’s plan of redemption by being the last judge of Israel and one of God’s prophets. During the span of his life, Samuel was instrumental in overseeing the transition of Israel’s judgeship to the establishment of Israel’s first monarchy. His crowning moment was anointing the shepherd boy David as the second king of Israel. Just as John the Baptist was the forerunner of the ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, Samuel prepared the way for David’s lineage to ultimately flower into God’s faithful promise of Jesus Christ. Just as God worked through Samuel to clear the broken debris from the Tabernacle of Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas, Jesus Christ defied and questioned the rigid status quo of the Pharisees by declaring he was Lord over the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). Jesus designed the Sabbath to benefit people instead of being a burden by following a set of unattainable laws. Jesus came in fulfillment of the law by stang that anyone who does the will of the Father is his family (Matthew 12:50). Hannah’s simple act of faith by bringing her hope for a son before the Lord, in fact, burns brightly in the totality of God’s unified story of his Son Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) gives a clear definition of biblical faith: “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Trust is the central ingredient of faith. God and His absolute promises are the objects of our faith. Faith is being completely reliant on Jesus Christ and His plan for our lives even though we do not understand His motivation or the outcome. The story of Hannah is a wonderful example of faith, and I pray that we keep our eyes focused on Him instead of the distraction and brokenness of the world around us. Faith in Jesus Christ is indeed the most valuable intangible commodity a believer is equipped with.