BY HIM OUR ACTIONS ARE WEIGHED

Photo CR: Jehu Kubiak

Persistent Prayer Series: Part II
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Every year, Hannah and all of God’s people go down to Shiloh, where the tabernacle of the LORD rest, to participate in the annual Passover feast. On one occasion, Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, journeyed to Shiloh and positioned herself in front of the tabernacle to pray. As she prayed, she did in an inaudible voice (in her heart but she did not move her lips) (1 Samuel 2:13).
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As she was supplicating the LORD there, the High Priest Eli was observing her behavior. To him, Hannah appeared to be drunk, for she seemed to be acting in a disorderly manner to Eli. So, Eli approached Hannah and chastised her for her conduct. But Eli misunderstood Hannah’s behavior and mistaken her to be drunk when she was not. When Hannah realized Eli’s error, she explained what she was doing and the reason behind her awkward behavior. Once Eli realized his error concerning Hannah, he immediately apologized and then says this to her.

​“Go in peace….” (1 Samuel 1:17)

Let’s come back to this point in a minute and go back a few verses in First Samuel chapter 1.
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Starting with verse 10, we see Hannah praying to God about her hopeless situation. She said to God in verses 10 and 11
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• To look at her affliction
• To remember and not forget her
• And to correct her barrenness issue she has had for years. She even goes as far as to be very specific about how and what she wanted God to do about her infertility. She tells God to heal her womb and make it fruitful, so she can become pregnant. Then she tells God what gender she wants when this happens – a boy. And she doesn’t stop there. She next tells God what she wants her son to become as an adult – a Nazarite and that she wants her son to serve God all of his days. 

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hannah’s specific prayer

Hannah was very specific to God about her prayer request and how her years of sterility have negatively affected not only her health but her emotional state. Emotionally, Hannah described to God how her inability to get pregnant made her feel. She said she was full of bitterness and her soul was sorrowful. That she was so outdone by her circumstance that as she prayed to God about it, she wept in anguish (1 Samuel 1:10). This brings us back to verse 17, when Eli said to her, “go in peace….”

According to the Strong’s Concordance, “peace” (#7965) or shalom in verse 17 of First Samuel chapter 1 carries several different meanings. The definitions that are fitting for this verse are completeness, wholeness, health, soundness, perfectness, fullness, and the absence of agitation or discord. Peace (shalom) is taken from the root word shalam which means to be complete, perfect, or full.

When Hannah was pouring out her soul before the LORD concerning her matter in front of the tabernacle, she was saying to God – I am not complete because I am without a male offspring. I am not perfect because my body is not producing as God has designed women’s bodies to do so. That she was not full because she was lacking the one thing her heart truly desire and that was a male offspring that she could call hers.

She wanted God to intercede in her imperfect situation and make it perfect so that her womb was able to produce a child. She needed God’s Spirit to invade her body and give it life – good health so that her female organs would receive the gift of life that God provides every woman the ability to do. She needed God to be God in her situation and changed it so that she can become pregnant by her husband and not just produce any child. But specifically, have a male child who can serve God all the days of his life in a specific role. Hannah wanted God to provide her very specific outcome concerning a newborn that will directly impact his entire life span. NOW THAT WAS BOLD!
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Hannah wrestled with God and made her claims and declarations before Him. But like Jacob (Israel) did Hannah won (prevailed) in her wrestling match with God?
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eli intervenEs in hannah’s situation

Continuing where we left off at verse 17, Eli said to Hannah, “go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you asked Him.”

Now, if we read these few verses as it is in 1 Samuel chapter 1, verses 12 through 17. It appeared Hannah did not provide Eli with the full extent of her story. She seemed to only tell Eli that she was sorrowful in spirit and therefore she was supplicating the LORD in heart to receive an answer (a resolution) from the LORD. Despite Eli’s limited knowledge concerning Hannah’s root problem in her situation, Eli used his authority and deific power that was granted to him by God to divinely change Hannah’s circumstances. Therefore, he was able to say to Hannah in verse 17, “go in peace” or go in wholeness (shalom). Or go in good health (shalom). Or go in completeness for God will grant you what your heart most desired. (Compare to Psalm 37:3-4).
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There are two things we need to understand here. 
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1. Eli, as God’s authorized representative, was obviously in good standing with God. Because he was in a prime position to grant Hannah’s prayer petition to God. 

This is a good example for us today when we are seeking or allowing another vessel of God to approach God on our behalf. God does not work through or hear the prays from any old vessel. (Compare to 1 Peter 3:7). When God uses a vessel, that vessel must have clean hands, a clean heart, and is not practicing any forms of wickedness (aka sin). Now, keep in mind we are not talking about being perfect. We are talking about God using imperfect but repentant people to do great works of signs and wonders such as healing in Hannah’s case.
Any leader who approaches God on behalf of another servant of God must be in good standing with God according to God’s Word the Bible.
 
When God does hears the prayer of His servant on the behalf of another servant, that servant must have the right authorization granted to him or her to operate in that role to represent another person’s prayer request. SERVANTS OF GOD WHO ARE OPERATING IN UNAUTHORIZED ROLES OR HAVE SELF-APPOINTED THEMSELVES IN ROLES GOD DID NOT POSITION THEM IN WILL NOT. LET ME REPEAT. WILL NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER FROM GOD WHEN SUBMITTING PRAYER REQUESTS.
 
Take into consideration the case of Saul. God authorized Saul as the first king of Israel under the guidance and support of Samuel as a prophet. But later, Saul lost his kingship due to his unrepentant spirit for sins he did under his kingship and an authorized representative of God. Therefore, God removed Saul’s anointing and power as His king over Israel long before God physically removed Saul from his post. Therefore, although Saul still held onto his title as king over Israel for many years. He lost his God-giving anointing, divine power, and authority. Therefore, Saul no longer had the right authorization to operate as king under God's Kingdom on earth nor in heaven’s records.
 
But in the case of Hannah, because Eli was operating in a role that God had appointed and authorized him to do so, Eli had the right credential, authority, anointing, and divine power to grant Hannah her request.
 
Just to make sure we do not miss this point. Let me add that it is interesting that Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, could not, not only impregnate his wife – resulting in her barrenness. But for some reason, he did not have the divine ability to change Hannah’s health dilemma. However, Eli had the right title, position, authority, anointing, and divine power to do so.

​2. Hannah too had to play a role in her circumstance when she encountered God’s High Priest, Eli. Not only was it important for Eli to be in good standing with God and operate in the right role assigned by God. (Compare to 1 Corinthians 12:11, 18). Hannah too had to be in good standing with God for God to answer her prayer – positioning her to receive Eli’s petition to God on her behalf. In God’s eyes, she had a part, Eli had a part, and then God can do His part, once their parts meet the standards of God based on His Holy Scriptures. 
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Let your maidservant find favor

Let’s close this out. There is so much I can say about Hannah’s story. But I will end with this.

After Eli blessed Hannah’s prayer request in verse 18, she agreed with the words Eli spoke in verse 17 by saying. “… Let your maidservant, find favor in your sight.” Notice that Hannah not only verbally agreed with Eli’s prayer concerning her. But she understood that she had to be in good standing with her Creator to benefit from Eli’s petition to God.

Again, she said, “… let your maidservant find favor….” The word favor means grace, which is the Hebrew word Hēn (H2579). Zechariah 12:10 explains the word grace or favor this way. “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication….”

According to the Strong’s Concordance, grace (#2580) (or favor in this case) derives from the root word chanan which means “to act graciously or mercifully towards someone; to be compassionate; and to be favorably inclined.”

So, in the case of Hannah. Through the High Priest Eli, God was able to show Hannah favor or grace or to act mercifully towards her to grant or answer her prayer, which was to be able to get pregnant and to give birth to a healthy baby boy.
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Did God fulfill everything Hannah asked for in her state of affliction? Well, let’s check off every item she listed in her prayer to see if God did what she asked.

god weighed hannah as well as eli by their actions

First, in verse 11 of 1 Samuel chapter 1, Hannah asked God to remember and not forget her. Secondly, in that same verse, she told God how He can remember her by blessing her with the ability to get pregnant with a male offspring. And then, when she conceived, he would be (1) born as a Nazarite, and (2) he would be willing to serve God all of his days. Hannah knew exactly what she wanted and she clearly expressed it to God through prayerful complaints and grievances.
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So, did God fulfilled her request? Did God remember and not forget her struggle with barrenness for years? Yes, He did. God did remember and did not forget Hannah. How do we know this?
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1. God provided and positioned an authentic, authorized servant to take notice of Hannah’s plight (1 Samuel 1:9, 12, 17). Upon learning of her situation, God used this spiritual earthy vessel who was able and gifted to resolve Hannah’s complex medical problem. 

2. After Eli activated his divine power to help heal Hannah's infertility, we read later in verses 10 through 27 that she and her husband Elkanah were able to conceive and give birth to a healthy baby boy. 

​3. What was the outcome of that baby boy’s life as a man? Samuel was his name. He became a very powerful and anointed prophet of God at a very early age – who served God faithfully, all the days of his life just as Hannah requested through her prayers of weeping anguish and bitterness. 
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​Hannah wrestled with God and won. She prevailed through persistent prayer. 
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To read part I of this sermon series, visit my blog at https://www.deaidrenewby.com/encouraging-scripture/persistence-in-prayer-wrestling-with-god.