Impossible Situations — Jim Cymbala

Hannah, Samuel, and the Meaning of a Mother in Israel

The name of this message It's called mother of all the famous mothers in the Bible one of the greatest is a woman who just Instituted kind of what we do and what happens in churches the dedication of children her name was Hannah and The child she dedicated was Samuel and while the Bible says that there's great mothers in Israel.

When you see that phrase a mother in Israel, sometimes we use it in church. Oh, that's a mother in Israel. That means there's a mother a mother in the spiritual sense a mother in the biological sense.

And the name of this is called mother. But there's lessons not just for mothers. There's lessons for all of us in the story of Hannah. To understand Hannah's importance you have to understand where she's found in the Bible and what precedes her.

Hannah's story opens up the book of 1st Samuel, which is what we're going to read in a moment. And we're going to read an extra few verses because I have to tell the story as it's found in the Bible the book of 1st Samuel comes.

Historically if we skip Ruth which precedes it it comes after Joshua and judges. Everyone say Joshua judges. Joshua is the book of the people crossing the Jordan River and possessing the land the people of Israel Possessing the land of Canaan which God had promised to their forefather Abraham and Isaac and Jacob but toward the end of the book of Joshua, there's already some bad signs because the people are not Possessing all the land God told them to they're not Stepping out and being aggressive in their faith.

Israel’s Backsliding in the Book of Judges

Now the book of Judges comes and that's the most depressing book in the whole Bible. Most depressing historical book. Why. Because after Joshua? Passes off the scene things get worse and all the book of Judges is about it begins with this tribe Didn't possess all of its land and that tribe didn't possess all of its land.

And then this tribe didn't possess the land this tribe didn't drive out the people like God said. But now they settled down and now they started to intermarry with the people who are not Israelites which God said don't do and God said don't do it because when you marry them You will not win them over they will win you over.

And you will start worshiping their gods and as God said so it happened. So the book of Judges is about the backsliding of the people of God and They worship this God they worship that God and then God says oh, it's going to be that way.

You're not you don't want to worship me then fine I'll send you into captivity to these peoples that I told you to drive out I told you to confront them and deal with it now that you didn't I'll let you be subject to them.

So for 20 years 7 years 30 years 40 years 18 years over and over. Here's the cycle in judges. The people go into captivity these other tribes ground them down. Abuse them take advantage of them then finally the people cry out and God raises up a judge.

Does anyone know the name of one judge in the book of Judges? Gideon. Do I hear Samson? Jephthah and so on and so forth and these are very strange characters in many ways. One female judge Deborah. These are strange characters to try to make head nor tail of their life.

Because many of them are not godly in the sense of godliness and the rest of the Old Testament God just raises them up to fight battles and throw off the enemy and then the minute they get free the people go right back.

And serve the idols again, and God is like what is this about? So now at the end of the book here's the way it ends. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. No religion. No objective truth. No word of God.

No authority of God's Word. It's like what's happening more and more in our country. We form our own religions. We make our own decisions and what we decide is Trump's. What God said in the Bible doesn't matter.

What God said in the Bible this is what I feel this is what I think it should be. Now all of that is going to change and as always when change comes about in the Bible, it's through personality. Marx and Engels said that change comes through economic factors other historians say and I tend to believe their their viewpoint more change and things that momentously shake the earth happen through personality.

Reading a book right now rise and fall the Third Reich and when you study how Hitler came out of obscurity and This uniqueness of his personality, and he would speak in the beer halls and people would break down.

When he was a non-entity people would break down and fall on the floor and religious manifestations would happen and people would speak in tongues while under his Oratory. If it wasn't a Hitler there never would have been a World War two there would have never been the gas ovens.

Personality well God is going to send a godly personality. Which is going to be culminated ultimately by the ultimate personality Jesus Christ and after him there are no more personalities like his personality.

But he's going to send now Samuel and here's the way it happens. There was a certain man from Rama fame a suffite from the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah son of Jarrah Jeroham the son of Elihu the son of Tohu.

The son of Zuff and Ephraim. I he had two wives naughty naughty. He had two wives one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Year after year this man Elkanah went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh.

This is prior to Jerusalem and all of that. We're half nigh and Phineas the two sons of Eli were priests of the Lord and whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice He would give portions of the meat meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her but the Lord had closed her womb and Because the Lord had closed her womb her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. You not only have two wives you got one acting very nasty.

This went on year after year not day after day year after year and whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord her Rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Elkanah her husband would say to her Hannah.

Why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons? No. That's not in the text, but it's implied. Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh Hannah stood up.

That's a strangest verse in the Bible. Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord's temple in bitterness of soul.

Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord and She made a vow saying O Lord Almighty if you will only look upon your servants 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 a sign of his dedication 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 now.

Let me just interject here. Eli here was backslid himself. Although he was the chief priest and He was out of shape physically mentally. Spiritually and he had two children who were we later learned in this book who were full of the devil doing evil things with women who came to worship.

Eli thought she was drunk and said to her. How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine here. The woman is praying he thinks she's drunk. Not so my lord Hannah replied. I am a woman who's 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've been praying here out of my great anguish and grief. Eli answered go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.

She said may your servant find favor in your eyes. Then she went away and ate something and her face was no longer downcast. Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Rama.

Elkanah had sexual relations with Hannah his wife and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son and she named him Samuel saying because I asked the Lord for him.

Lessons from Hannah’s Story

I Had to read the long story. Are any of you familiar with it. Good read your Bible every day. Faith comes by and hearing. No word no faith. Just the way it is. What do we learn from this story and what applies to us today?

We don't live back in these rough and tough days. Back then where you went you had to go to Shiloh to worship. We can worship God anywhere. For the father seeks those who will worship him in spirit and in truth.

We have a Savior named Jesus Christ. We don't need a high priest. We don't need to go to any Eli. We have someone way better than Eli. We have the Savior Jesus Christ. What can we gather? Scripture is inspired by God and it's profitable.

And if we rightly divide it, what are the lessons for us today? These two just basically number one, I want you to notice that the Appearance of Samuel which is who's going to change history. Samuel is Going to change the history of the Old Testament.

He's one of the great in a way Moses was a prophet. Other people say Samuel was the first prophet. Because Samuel was the one who started something unknown before in Israel. He started the school of the prophets.

He would get people that God had gifted and train them to listen to God and how to speak to the people and how to Be bold and how not to back down and whatever else he was instructing them about. Samuel is just a huge spiritual giant in the Old Testament and Now we find out how did he come to be?

How did he come on the scene the Bible gives us details? Which we don't really need at first in other words. Why not just say and there was a woman named Hannah and she gave birth to a son. Why the details why all of that and when you read the Bible you got to talk to the Bible ask the Bible?

Questions say why are you telling me this? What's the point? Well one thing we see now which occurs so many times in the Bible it's already occurred in the story of Abraham Isaac and Jacob whenever God is going to do something and Fulfill a promise and it involves the birth of a child.

God’s Work in Impossible Situations

He many times picks a mother who can't have children. He loves to pick impossible situations. So that people learn to trust in God and learn nothing is too hard for God. Abraham's wife Sarah couldn't have children.

Isaac's wife struggled to have a child and Down through the Bible over and over there's always these stories about physical inability. Trumped by God's supernatural blessing which makes it possible it goes all the way to the New Testament.

Who was the forerunner who was the one who preceded Jesus Christ and announced his coming? What was his name? John the Baptist who was he born to? Elizabeth and Zechariah and what was the thing about Elizabeth who was a senior citizen already she couldn't have children.

So whenever many times when God is going to do something great he looks for impossible situations. So if you're in an impossible situation today, and you don't know what you're gonna Do don't panic because that's the very soil that God grows his sweetest plants.

Can we all put our hands together and say amen? There's no way for Hannah to have a baby. She's barren the Lord had closed her womb that's a pretty definitive statement the Lord had closed her womb and The Lord takes that situation and says that's how I'm going to bring Samuel on the scene.

But this is my main point to you of the two. I want to make. It's more than that with Hannah. God goes into great detail to tell us About another kind of situation that he uses to not only bring blessing in the world.

But to expand the person who's going through it this woman is one of the most harassed tormented agitated soul weary troubled heartbroken women that you could imagine. First of all she's got this husband Elkanah.

I don't want to say bad things about him because I didn't know him. But he did have two two wives not a good thing and everyone in the Bible in the Old Testament who did it end up causing trouble and Now in the new covenant that we live in we're only allowed one each all in favor say aye.

That's what marriage is called a husband and a wife. She can't have children but penina the other wife can. You would think penina would have mercy on her and feel bad for her and say wow I got the kids you done.

It's no fault of yours. No Penina is got some witch-like Characteristics in her personality so she starts to agitate her and torment her. I have children. What's wrong with you. Where's the blessing of God on your life?

You'll never produce heirs for Elkanah. Only me. My children will get the inheritance. Nanananana. You ever meet people like that in life. How many had friends like that growing up in school. You need the grace of God not to do something to them, right.

Well, she's she's living with one and every time when they go up to worship God. She has to rub it in more. You're going up to worship. God. Why what did he do for you? Look what he's done for me. There must be sin in your life.

Hannah you must have missed it with God. Why would he close your womb? Maybe it's a curse from your parents. And on and on not for weeks not for months God goes. Takes space to tell us this goes on for years.

Brothers and sisters how much can a person take? She's heartbroken. The Bible uses seven or eight adjectives about her agitated heartbroken deep sorrow burdened provoked you talk about Provocation. This woman was provoked every day and I can imagine.

This pennana just with a look could drive her to tears. In fact, the Bible says she broke down and started to weep and probably had some kind of emotional mental Problem their emotional and psychological problem.

She couldn't even eat. You got a heroine in the Bible one of the great mothers to be but now she can't even eat because she's so heartbroken. And God permits it. God almost orchestrated it. He's the one who closed her womb.

He's the one who permitted Elkanah to marry this other woman and Now you have a woman about to burst so I want to tell you something today. God is not only going to do something great for his people by bringing Samuel, but God is going to do something great for Hannah because brothers and sisters.

God’s Work Through Anguish and Pressure

When you are drawn like a rubber band, and you don't know where to turn. Where you're the people closest to you break your heart. Provoke you irritate you. Cause you to weep silent tears that no one knows about but you and God out of those pressure cooker situations.

God works miracles. God permits us to get into a place that is uncomfortable. How many since you've been a Christian God has permitted you to get put in some pressure cooker situation. Lift your hand up high lift your hand up high.

The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord and we make that always a Positive thing like I'm gonna always walk with this and that and and all positive things. But in in Hannah's case God permitted the breaking of her inner person.

Because many times what he's going to do something spectacular. He has to break the vessel so that all the glory is going to go to God. He brings us into a Desperation for him. I mean who could she turn to her husband doesn't have a clue.

He's saying aren't I worth more than ten kids? And she would yes, honey. Let's talk later. You just you know go away eat something, honey. And. Then on the other side there's pan and a looking at her hand mocking her.

Tormenting where would you turn you have no child who loves you? Who can you go to for comfort? And Every time she went to Shiloh to worship God the Bible says. It made it even worse. I want you to know today.

It's true in the Bible. It's true in our lives. Many many many times God uses anguish difficulty battling off discouragement people tormenting you and Tormenting me to work out something great not only outside of us.

But in us. Take for example David think of all the Psalms that he wrote that has blessed people for thousands of years. Why are these psalms so precious to us. Because the guy was up against it. He's hiding in a rock.

He's hiding in the cave. He's hiding in the wilderness. Why Saul wants to kill him. Why does King Saul want to kill him? What did he ever do wrong to Saul. Nothing? He saved his bacon when he slew Goliath.

He was loyal. He loves Saul. What did he get in return. You ever love someone have them hate you in return? You ever be kind to someone and they pay you back with dirty dealing. That's David. Torn from his parents torn from his wife running around out in the hiding in the in the in the wilderness and out of that Experience he writes the Psalms that bless us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

God does something through trouble that he can't do in other times. Take for example the story of Paul and Silas. They go to minister in Philippi. They're arrested for what they weren't doing anything wrong.

They were just preaching the gospel. People lie about them they get thrown in the slammer. They get beat you know what it was to get beat back then your your back looked like hamburger meat. They had a keep it at 39 lashes because the 40th many times kill people, but some people didn't make it through the 39 but at midnight.

They were singing hymns to God and a great earthquake came and shook the prison free. God does some of his most amazing things. When your heart is broken, and you feel you can't go on. Just know that today.

I feel like God wants me to reiterate that he will help you. He does great things out of not only physical impossibility. But out of mental emotional pressure that you feel you can't go on. The woman can't eat.

But why how. I'm asking how does it happen? Because of course. It drives her to pray some spiritual giant one said the main thing God wants to do every day in our lives is to humble us and Help us to pray.

You and I are looking for a sunny day and for a raise and For this to happen and that to happen in God who knows how spiritual life works. The weaker you feel the stronger you are in God. You got it the weaker you sense you are the stronger you are because his strength is made perfect in what in Weakness.

So the Bible tells us. And Hannah's a great example of the power of this mysterious thing called prayer. Samuel comes flat out as an answer to prayer. No prayer, no, baby. You have not because you Just Think of all the people in this building.

God has something for you right now today. If he could only get you to pray like Hannah it would change your life. Not only would change your life. It would revolutionize your family. Revolutionize your environment.

Hannah’s Decision to Pray

But let's just analyze how she prayed first of all the Bible tells us that one day She just stood up and went to pray. I don't see any record of her in the scriptures praying before that. Did she pray before that?

We don't know but there's no record that she ever Prayed and there's indication she hadn't because of her continued heaviness and her continued heart brokenness and agitation of soul. But one day what was it?

They're eating food. They're worshiping at Shiloh eating the sacrificial meal. The celebratory food. And then one day something just pops in her head and she stands up. Leaves everybody else at the table and she goes and prays a prayer that changes the history of Israel.

The woman standing up and going to pray is going to change the history of Israel because it's gonna bring Samuel on the scene and Samuel is going to change Everything and he's going to anoint David. To be a future king of Israel.

What made her stand up that day? Those are the mysteries in life. Somebody here today. Listening to me God is gonna work in the next three minutes and you're gonna be stirred by the spirit by something.

To to want to call on God like Hannah did. The person next to you is just thinking what they're gonna have for lunch today. This is a mystery. Am I correct? Some people are moved other people are not moved.

This is a mystery. I've been doing this quite a while. You see one person who seems so unlikely to ever become a Christian their life has changed by Christ. The other one is this close almost persuaded.

They never come. Something moves her. Well, I'm gonna say obviously the Holy Spirit must have spoken to her and She realized I'm gonna kill myself and die of a broken heart. Unless I give this to God and she stands up and says God is my only hope.

My husband can't help me. I'm barren. This other wife is an enemy of my soul. But I'm gonna go and pray brothers and sisters. Listen, every time you ever feel a prompting to pray on the subway in the shower at home.

Anytime you ever feel a prompting to pray never disobey it. Always pray because the devil will not lead you to pray. Your flesh will not lead you to pray. Only the Spirit of God is the spirit of prayer.

How many say amen to that? So remember as you leave this Mother's Day meeting every time you feel an inkling to call on God for anything for everyone. Oh. The power there is in this thing called prayer.

None of us totally understand it. The best minister in the country is scratching the surface of the power. There isn't prayer and how prayer works. Something moved her and Now history is going to change because a woman obscure got up and went to the tabernacle to pray.

Praying from the Heart

Okay, let's notice something else about it. The Bible says she prayed in her heart. She didn't say a prayer. She prayed in her heart. Something look all that anguish all that difficulty all those problems dug Down so deep in her that she was able to pray a groan a prayer a sigh.

Something from so deep that God couldn't refuse it even though he had closed her womb. God closed her womb, but God had to open it when that prayer came. There's places inside of us. You will seek for me and you will find me when you seek for me with all of your heart.

It's not about saying prayers. It's about praying in your heart and with your heart. It's about like she said to Eli don't judge me. I was pouring out my soul. This sorrowful broken woman was pouring out her soul to God.

Just think what would happen today if God could use my words. Help me Holy Spirit to get one person to come and pour out your soul to God. Just think of the potential the possibilities. Notice another thing she made no noise.

Some people think the only prayers that are powerful are when someone's screaming in a mic or praying out loud and God at all. She never even lifted her voice never said a word audibly. In fact the priest thought she was Drunk.

Eli thought she was drunk because here's how she prayed her lips were moving. She was praying with her heart, but no voice came out. She just and it moved heaven. Sometimes it's good to lift your voice to God.

The Bible talks about crying out vocally to God, but there's another kind of prayer. Sometimes I have found when your heart is so broken and you're under so much pressure. Sometimes you can cry out and sometimes it's it's to the prayer is so deep.

You can't even put it into words. How many know what I'm talking about. You can't even put it. There's no words to say it. But she prayed one of the great prayers. And we don't really have it how she kept praying except give me a son, and I'll give him to you.

And she kept on praying. She wasn't discouraged by a backslidden priest. She was polite to him. She was respectful even though he didn't have a clue. Because when you really pray and call on God it makes you a gentle loving person.

No one who's unkind prays a lot. There's just something about pouring out your heart to God it softens you. She prayed she went back. They had sexual relations and she whose womb was closed now had a child, but oh what a child he was a child and.

Consecrating the Answer Before It Comes

Here's another powerful thing about prayer before she prayed as she prayed for the answer. She said and by the way God when you give me the answer. I'm giving it back to you. Oh my goodness. When it comes from that deep in your soul.

When it comes from that deep in your soul. I heard someone praying some months or years ago right here. And they were praying for a new job, and they said God I haven't been able to give to your work.

I want a job not only that I have a job and pay my bills. But I want to be able to give to you. How can I do it unless I have a job? You don't think God's gonna help that person. They're dedicating the answer to God before the answer comes.

So she says Samuel's yours the baby is yours. The baby that you give me will be yours from birth. And after a couple years after she had wound weaned him if you don't know the story she left them there to be raised and He became the tiniest youngest little prophet in the history of Israel.

From a barren woman who one day just stood up and said I can't take it anymore. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. But you notice one thing other thing about prayer the power of it. Which is true Old and New Testament.

When she poured out her soul to God. There was relief. She hadn't been able to eat. She sat down and said pass those potatoes. Give me that stuff. I'm a chow down and she went home with a smile on her face.

Had the baby come had she had relations with her husband. No. When you pray and pour out your soul to God. It takes all the pressure and the weight and all the Tormenting of other people and it lifts it.

Can we put our hands together and say amen to that? Those of you who ever listen to this or watch it on on Streaming or whatever however you hear this remember what I'm saying to you now. You don't need to shrink as much as you need pouring out your heart to God.

Start there before you get any other counseling. Find out what God can do if you take all the tension all the pressure all the heartbrokenness all the sadness all the sorrow. All the agitation all the torment that people are tormenting you with and just pour it all out to God and tell God I can't Take it anymore.

A Story of Prayer Across Generations

God you have to answer my prayer, you know, my wife and I were talking about this yesterday. Pastor Brian Petri my son-in-law shared this on Tuesday. I have a little two-year five-month-old grandson from Ethiopia for those of you visiting.

They adopted him when they came off the airplane and They brought him to Through customs and he was three months old and I held him and Carol held him we wept. He's a beautiful child. But there was something strange about him.

It was something different. I Wrote it off first as I'm a grandfather. I'm proud I'm getting all hyped up. I'm emotional. There's there's nothing special. It's just that my daughter and my son-in-law adopted him.

I Couldn't shake it though. How could he be the way he is? So well. Even tempered happy child and there was just something about his face and then a man of God Who was praying for him? Although he's never met him prophesied to me and said you're gonna see he's gonna go back to Ethiopia.

And he's gonna bring the gospel back to his country. So I went. Wow. That's heavy. And this is a person who is very balanced and rooted in God's Word. So I you know, it came from the southern part Muslim area this little village.

Pastor Brian went back a couple weeks ago went out into nowheresville. Six hours from where he was trying to find the village so we could find the father and the family and the siblings. I'll leave much of the story out.

But listen to this. Only one hut in the village had this sign outside of it. And it was the hut where the father lived and Brian asked what does it mean and they said the writing means Jesus is Lord and Then he met the father and the father Said I prayed that this child that I had to give away.

I had five. He was six. The mother died bled to death in a hut. I have to give away this child. I Want him to be a pastor one day. Then brought him to an orphanage Where anyone could have got him? But not anyone got him but listen.

They said well, you really have to meet the grandmother. This is the father's mother and Pastor Brian goes and a church meeting is going on on the edge of the village and in the meeting is the grandmother.

I saw a picture of her. Levi looks most like her doesn't look like the father and the grandmother said I Pleaded with him. Don't give him up. I'll raise him. I'll raise him. Father said no, we can't do that.

She said I mourned for 30 days. I can't have this child. What's gonna happen to this baby. And Somewhere in that anguish. She prayed some kind of prayer. Along with the father. What are the odds of a godly woman in church who mourned for 30 days?

Couldn't even eat her food and then Cries out to God and says God watch over the baby that they won't let me raise. God watch over the baby. How could that baby end up? With a pastor and a pastor's wife and all of us loving him.

Come on. Can we say amen to that? The power there is when you can't take it anymore and you stand up one day and you say No, I can't go on. I Got to pour out my soul to God. Every I close. Everybody here.

The Call to Pray Like Hannah

They've got a Hannah like situation. I Don't care what it where it is what it is to get out of your seat and come here. Something deep deep deep deep inside of you has been moved by the Holy Spirit. Is there anything too hard for God?

Come right to the edge step forward right to the edge. No one's gonna lead in prayer. Pray like Hannah everybody male or female. Pray like Hannah. Everyone just pray in your heart. Prayer is not about words.

Prayer has very little to do with words. We bring words. But the words don't get answered. It's the heart that gets answered. Heart of faith desperate heart. Clinging heart. Consecrated heart. Everybody in the building stand those who came forward just lift up a hand.

Just pray. You're Hannah you've come to Shiloh. Eli's not the priest. Jesus is the priest. He's listening right now. He is touched by our infirmities our pressure the heartache. Agitation. Oh Lord, thank you for the power of prayer.

Thank you for the privilege of being able to pour out our souls to you when no one else understands. When our hearts are broken. When people are acting mean toward us. There is a hiding place with you Lord.

You are a strong tower. You are my rock. You are a fortress. And we run to you today. You've heard the hearts not the words. You've heard the hearts of your people today. We know Hannah's prayer the gist of it.

Lord remember your servant don't forget me. And give me that child give me that son that I prayed for and I tell you now. That the answer will glorify your name. The answer will glorify your name. Let the answers to the prayers in the building today.

Not just be answers, but let them glorify your name. We give you all the praise now and the honor and the glory. Thank you for that grandma in Ethiopia obscure in a little village but we believe that she touched the heart of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and In her mourning and in her sorrow She became a mother in Israel a Hannah.

Thank you for all the mothers that are in the building. Thank you for all the people that are in the building. Send us home with a prayerful spirit happy and joyful, but prayerful. Let nothing get in our spirits on our minds that would quench this spirit of prayer that we feel right now.

Help us to walk humbly before you and love one another. We pray this in Jesus name and everyone said.