Month: December 2023

The book of 1 Samuel begins with the story surrounding the birth of Samuel himself. Hannah, the wife of Elkanah the Ephraimite, is childless. She has reached a point of despair, and earnestly seeks God’s mercy in prayer while at “the Lord’s house”. This is in the town of Shiloh, where the tabernacle was kept during the days of the judges.

Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

1 Samuel 1: 9-16

Most of us have uttered silent prayers, but this is the first record in the bible of someone uttering such a prayer. As we will read, the Lord hears Hannah’s prayer and opens her womb, blessing her with a son. In chapter 2, we read that Hannah responds with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high.

My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance,

for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.

The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more.

She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.

The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.

The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.

For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.

He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be broken.

The Most High will thunder from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

1 Samuel 2: 1-10

The period of Israel’s history following the conquest of Canaan was characterized by a repeating cycle where the people would do evil by following false idols, the Lord would deliver them into the hands of their enemies, they would repent and cry out for mercy, and the Lord would raise up a judge to deliver them from their oppression. One of the most memorable of the judges was the man Samson, and it is the story of Samson where we again see godly men seek out the Lord in prayer.

The story of Samson begins with the circumstances of his birth. Manoah and his wife, members of the tribe of Dan, are childless. The Israelites are in the midst of forty years of suffering at the hands of the Philistines, when God visits Manoah’s wife.

The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

Judges 13:3-5

When Manoah’s wife recounts this encounter, Manoah’s reaction is significant, especially in light of the general lack of faithfulness of the nation.

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”

Judges 13:8

Consider the faith and humility of Manoah! He receives the news from his wife about her supernatural visit, and his first response is to seek God to ask for guidance on how to raise up this promised son. This is a gift from God, and Manoah’s actions reflect his realization of what Jeremiah would later write, “It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps”. (Jeremiah 10:23)

With respect to Samson himself, it is noteworthy that his life story begins with the prayer of his father Manoah, and ends with his own prayer. Samson’s tale is full of deeds of great strength, riddles and challenges, and never-ending frustration to the Philistines. But at the end, Samson has been deceived, captured, and robbed of his strength and eyesight. He has nothing left to him but his faith in God. So in the midst of this lowest point in his life, Samson turns to prayer.

Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

Judges 16:28-30