[0:00] feel in my need of the Lord's help I would venture to direct you to the 19th verse in the first chapter in the first book of Samuel and the last part of that verse the first book of Samuel chapter 1 and the last clause of the 19th verse and the Lord remembered her this is a family case that's set before us in this chapter we're often apt to forget what James, is it James I think that tells us that these people were of like passions as we are they were men and women just as we are they had their natural parts they had their lives to live as we have many we read of in the Bible didn't fear God and then all the way through it we find it's true that the Lord had his people all were fallen sinners the great distinction was that some were saved by grace and others were left but they were all human beings they all had their frames and feelings and fancies and they did much about as we do although what we read of is so long ago but the same things went on broadly speaking some of their rules and ways and governments were different to ours but we see human nature to be the same then as it was now we also blessedly see that the same God who reigns omnipotent now he reigns then as he ever will so then in introducing the case we would try and look at both sides of it because Hannah and her husband they were poor sinners like us and they had many difficulties just like we did but they feared God may we say just like we hope we did and we would observe firstly that they took their troubles to the house of God which is a very important point there was this man Elkanah and he had two wives we don't wish to go into that only to observe that it was tolerated then for a man to have more wife than one at a time it was never God's order in the creation he gave to Adam one wife but they were suffered then to have more than one wife but we would notice this because it affects us not in the sense that wives are concerned but the point is dear friends
[3:53] I've already said they were like us in many ways you see to start with he went wrong here just like we do over many things if he'd had kept the way of God's appointment as we understand it half of this trouble wouldn't have occurred which gives us to know that it's very true we bring our distresses on our own heads who wouldn't admit it wouldn't you I readily do all that comes upon me is all very well for us to sing the cross that lieth at thy door cometh from the Lord it does in this sense that he permits it to us the responsibility of it is ours and the wonder of it is as we see here that he and he only can bring good out of evil that's our mercy not by that would we do evil that good may come and it doesn't work that way with those who truly fear God they admit their foolishness but the fact remains that Elkade he not only gave himself a more distressing and sorrowful path but he also added added considerably to the difficulties of Anna by that action however this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice and Anna accompanied him when the time was that Elkanah offered he gave to Peninnah his wife and to her all her sons and her daughters portions that took place there when they went to offer so we would notice and may it sink into us never never never to have sent ourself through any difficulty or trouble if the means are available for us to get to the house of God there's no better place on earth they went to worship and this to my mind is the most important thing about it all they did it rightly we couldn't preach from any text really out of this chapter without this observation they observed
[7:05] God's appointment there was a time earlier on where the Lord instituted the Passover when his children were in Egypt when he had said and given Moses all the orders for it and he had told them to take a lamb from their flocks and that they were to kill it and sprinkle the blood upon the doorposts and the lintel I know that that was to be commemorated each year it was one of the solemn feasts the Passover to be done annually and it was also said when your children shall ask of you what mean ye by this service you should be able to say to them it is the
[8:07] Lord's Passover when he delivered us out of the land of Egypt so there's no doubt about it that this had been handed down to them they understood what they did so that when they went up to the house of the Lord they went to worship and to sacrifice and they went by faith it's to be feared a lot of people they go in and out of places of worship but as you've partly sung in the hymn just now they worship they know not what this blessing came to Hannah the Lord remembered her it isn't a result of works you'll understand how I'm going to say it but Hannah remembered the Lord she remembered his promise and that he is faithful that has promised so that her trouble that she went up in she believed that the
[9:23] Lord for Christ's sake could give her her request that is the secret of it that for Christ's sake he could and would give her her request they went up to worship there was of course in the tabernacle which was then standing and we might say fixed for it wasn't being moved from place to place they went up to the tabernacle worship where as you know without me going into it the entrance was through the outer court through the gate of the outer court and then there was the sacrifice the offering the burnt offering that's the first thing the death of the savior through his blood as we sing we sing come to us every favor and every blessing they were rightly engaged in true worship the only difference about it was as we said they were folks just like us the dispensation was different that was all
[10:43] God had appointed a different way for them to worship him it was the day of sacrifice by animal by the literal shedding of blood but that's done away with now at the coming of Christ but we still assemble isn't it a wonderful thought when you think about it you see look and the Anna's here and Elkanah's here the great point is whether we've come like they have we look we trust to King Jesus so did they but like them in more ways than one the first is we have a hymn that says that the Lord in Zion placed his name his ark was settled there there where these were the ark was there and we have no such lengths to go nor wander far abroad they did they had miles to go where they saints assemble now like us there is a house for God they are wonderful thoughts they had miles to go they went and worshipped
[12:21] God according to the dispensation it's just as possible for the Lord to remember you as he remembered Hannah just as possible the way and means of the blessing is just the same they look forward to Jesus they had faith given men they saw in their material sacrifices the saviour figuratively emblematical we have greater light than they have we know the saviour has come that is done away with there's no need for you and I to bring our lamb our bullock no no need at all what folly then and what error it is for those where where they are in error where there's any any material thing anything that's bowed down to any similitude that's why it's all so simple nothing ornate in our places of worship there's no need to be no silver no gold no not at all we worship him who is in heaven risen exhorted so did they well they went to worship and they went with a load of trouble and as the one in the case of whom we've read the text out the
[14:09] Lord remembered her her trouble was that she was barren that was a great grief to Hannah because in those days it was considered a reproach not so now but then in particular because the Messiah Jesus was promised and every woman those godly they hoped that they might aspire to such heights as to be the mother of the Savior that's doubtless why Hannah was so distressed she had no children there seemed to be no prospect that she would be in that line at all and then the other wife that Elkanah had taken she had many sons and daughters and she provoked
[15:11] Hannah I shan't dwell on that only to notice that very often there's much provocation isn't there in coming to the house of the Lord you may be we can't read Hannah's feelings we know them largely by her prayer but the devil might tempt you those provocations to stop away you see these trials dear friends I'm sure I'm speaking to an understanding people they don't just last a day do they they went up year to year it says to do this and on these occasions Penina Provotan the devil at length they say to you are you still going are you going to have another trial he might say to you isn't this
[16:20] God as it's somewhere recorded of the false gods in Elijah's time where Elijah mockingly said to the heathens he said to them perhaps your God's asleep the devil says to God's people sometimes perhaps your God's forgotten to be gracious he doesn't mean to bless you you have mistaken the way you never did begin right you are out of the way altogether provocation it's a terrible thing and it's very uncomfortable but you may have to endure that to be provoked and Penina provoked her sore El Cana tried to comfort her remember I said at the beginning they had lives to live just like us this is helpful to me all this is it's the perfectly natural and yet it's full of spiritual good
[17:27] El Cana asked if he was not better than ten sons but that didn't do it so Anna rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh after they drunk and Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord and she was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore and whoever would have thought it he thought she was drunk things really do go from bad to worse sometimes don't they you even get misread a mistake and yet you're hobbling about with your eyes to heaven saying here on my heart the burden lies it's between you and the Lord people are thinking everything else you know there's nothing written here anywhere from beginning to end all scripture is given of
[18:39] God by inspiration and it's for our learning it's for our instruction that we may have the comfort of hope wonderful thing so this must be for the same reason it's to help you and I I'm sure the Lord has sent it for that purpose it's to help us she was in bitterness of soul and it just shows if I might so say I don't mind speaking against myself and our friend you won't object no doubt but you see ministers are not always right are they we're to esteem them highly for their work sake love them for the truth sake treat them rightly Hannah called Eli she said my Lord she wasn't rude to him but we must make allowances it's
[19:41] God you worship not the man no don't worship the minister pray for him with all your heart but he didn't infallible he can make mistakes and Eli made a mistake over Hannah she wept sore and she vowed a vow now we come to her prayer prayer was appointed of God you know do you feel sometimes you can't pray and when you have you feel ashamed of what you said I not only talking now of public prayer I wouldn't speak wrongly of that it's right to meet together for public prayer nothing better well there is maybe secret prayer if you understand how I mean it public prayer is of little avail unless there's not that it's all very well to stand and pray in public you can pray to people you can pray as a man pleaser but it's how we are before the
[20:51] Lord and that is where the Lord looked in this case at Anna's heart she said afterwards the Lord is the God of knowledge and by in actions await he knew poor Anna's heart it just was that as Jesus said to one of the disciples your time is always ready but it wasn't the Lord's time that's all and there again you see after the trouble was impatience if Elkanah had waited there was to be the promised child she bowed a vow and said O Lord of hosts O Lord of hosts there's none greater than that this is Israel's God she said Eli called him the God of Israel further down O he's a great
[21:53] God is he thy God there's none O Lord like unto thee the Lord of hosts the God over men and devils and angels created and uncreated things what of what an address O Lord of hosts well there's nothing impossible to such a God if they wilt indeed if they wilt not the other way just how the leper talked to Jesus he said if they wilt that's real faith I'm not deserving O Lord in any way I don't merit the answer to what I'm going to ask thee for but if they wilt not a question of whether he can if they wilt said the latter their pants make me clean and
[23:00] I'd stop to ask you that question you'll know whether you've got faith or not you may not get your request but is that how you pray or is that how you grow or sigh you verily believe and no questioning about whether the Lord can if they will well that's what the Lord honors as he did here that's faith that's believing and all things are possible to him if they will look upon the affliction of thine handmaiden remember she asked to be remembered and the text says and the Lord remembered I saw in Isaiah it is said therefore will the Lord wait you imagine it's really true the
[24:04] Lord waits if you have been praying take courage if it's years and you are still waiting if they will remember he has said the Lord therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto them and therefore will the Lord be exalted that he may have mercy upon them 30th of Isaiah I think it is he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry where it says thou shall hear a voice behind me but will give unto thine hand made a man child then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head now I wouldn't confine your minds just to think about this birth of a son because all women are not married all don't get married all don't have children the point spiritually for us to consider is what is it that thou just want want want the
[25:20] Lord is it something that makes for his honour and glory and your benefit maybe or another's benefit then the Lord remembers such may not be a child you're praying about at all but it's something that only the Lord can do for you and it make for his honour and glory and his praise be a benefit to his people or to his cause the Lord knows what we seek and he knows what the motive is and that is what he owns he said whatsoever thou should ask in thy name I will do it and there are some things just to give you an example a person may find themselves to be impeded by some besetting sin it may hinder their service we'll say in the
[26:32] Lord's name it's rather an odd example to give but it's not uncommon and they might beg of the Lord to remove that out of their path set them free from it so that they might be better fitted for his use they can see they'd be better off without this thing and yet he might not take that away for years and they go on praying I name it because it's an example it's for the honour and glory of God and it's for the person benefit well he'll remember them right enough eventually eventually it'll be to his praise oh that soul will weep to the praise of the mercy they found I just name it because he gives an example of what some poor souls see all these things are secret we may appear to be one thing to our friends but as what we are the
[27:39] Lord knows what our hearts echo I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head as she continued praying as we've named there was the mistaken charge of her being drunk and she said no I'm a woman of a sorrowful spirit I've drunk neither strong drink nor wine but have poured out my soul before the Lord Israel I said to her go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him he was able to tell her he was able to pronounce a blessing upon her he was able to encourage her she went away her countenance was no more sad but she hadn't known what she asked for but she was raised up to a good hope to believe that it would be so and we must just come back again there to notice you see the Lord uses whom so ever he will to bless his people it's a terrible thought to a minister when I say terrible
[29:11] I mean terrible because there's terror in it and it's an awful thought it makes it fills one with all things weren't what they ought to be with Eli but he was used of God he was used of God for a blessing for Hannah but it makes us who stand in his name cry unto him you see you may think that we feel so sure and certain of ourselves we hope we are safe we who speak in his name but we got to make our own calling an election sure because we can preach to others Paul said and then be a cast away oh may we never never be that Eli was able and qualified of God to grant this blessing and she went away and her countenance was no more sad they rose up early in the morning and worshipped before the
[30:29] Lord and returned and came to their house to Raymond and Elkane and New Hannah is what on the Lord remember the time he has fixed to heal up your woes as season most fit his love to disclose until he is ready to show his good will be patient and steady and wait on him still that fits the case then that verse the Lord remembered it yes it was crowned with success in this case little Samuel was given but your little Samuel may be something else altogether the point is this whatever we've got that we can look at and we can give it the same name then it's worth something in there asked of the
[31:36] Lord might be your house might that you needed perhaps for years and you look at it and say that's my Samuel asked of the Lord might be your wife might be your husband might be your future wife future husband maybe anything that God has given in answer to true prayer and you say of it that's my Samuel because his name means asked of God and whatever we got or possess it's worth little really if we can't call it Samuel is it asked of God because that's how we'll have his people live on his gracious and bountiful hand he'll have us live like that and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly
[32:39] I'm a poor wretched sinner in and of myself and feel it more daily but to the Lord's praise I have to say I've proved that true more and more he'll withhold no good thing he'll withhold a lot that we might ask for that we shall never get and he's worthy of praise for that for it would never do us any good to have it a lot of what we ask for but all that's worth the name of Samuel that he bestows well then Hannah she is typical this case it's the first case as we've tried to name so feebly in and of ourselves as individuals she's typical of one that fears God a praying person she's also typical in the time slipping by of the church on earth and especially to die you think when you look around how barren things are and there are not many children are those that fear God are passing away and there aren't others not for the most part to take their place you look at this place and that place and according to our calculations and the
[34:20] Lord permits us to judge righteous judgment as far as we can see you say well they will be shut there before long at this place and that place it's becoming that but here and there in some of the places there are a few annals and we all ought to be annals if we truly fear God as many of us profess and some of us are members of churches are we annals is this a burden that lies on our heart when we go up and when we pray and in Jesus name do we ever say to him if they will thou canst for thy dear son's sake give us children Lord you see it does us good to be searched
[35:24] I like to be sent out of the house of God and to feel I've come so short but by thy help Lord I'll do better next time you know how I mean that what you hear does you good and some of what I hear although I preach it does me good I say again are we hands are we really concerned for the state as it is today and in our denomination we need look further and in any case our true interest ought to be there and our loyalty to it didn't it we want some annas dear friends I said to our people yesterday that I said we are blessed with quite a nice number every week and I said we have good collections and we got some godly deacons peace and I said as far as
[36:34] I can tell we got sweet union and peace at the moment I said I would be very grateful to the Lord for all that but after all we want some children in the family not necessarily in age it doesn't matter if they are 70 we want another case of a man saying oh I have taken so many through the water not that at all no we want something to call Samuel God's work in a sinner's heart so that like she did they come again and they say to our joy yes we should look at them through tears I'm sure we should because it's a few and far between they say I'm the person
[37:34] I'm the man who sat under your ministry or so and so's ministry it wouldn't matter who it was we're all companions in tribulation and the Lord hath given me my request that's what she came and said there we was and asked to say to the Lord oh Lord of us if they wilt they can't bless our church Lord give us a gracious increase pour thy spirit upon the poor man that's coming to us you should always pray for him don't matter who he is don't matter how well and able or gifted you may think he is you don't know how he might be shaken in there before he comes in and the very two or three steps might seem like a mountain to the poor man pray for him and pray for the success of the gospel and the man Elkair and all his house went up to offer unto the
[38:51] Lord they went again the yearly sacrifice and his vow Anna didn't go this time there's such a thing as being lawfully detained see it's all in here and there there's no excuses there's reasonable times not to be able to go but the Lord didn't withhold his blessing this was a right time she said when I have weaned him I'll bring him there's a time to keep quiet and a time to speak Anna went not up I will not go up till the child be weaned when she had weaned him she took him up with her with three books and one e for a flower and a bottle of wine all that the Lord had appointed and she went to return thanks a poor affair it is and a poor religion where there's no returning unto the
[39:57] Lord either of our thanks or giving back to him what he hath given to to us and they slew a bullock and brought the child to Eli and she said oh my Lord as thy soul liveth my this was her testimony then pages of it pretty brief but it's right to the point it puts the crown on the Lord's head and expresses her gratitude for this child I prayed and it had been a long long time remember the history of it let's take it to heart as we go away and seek by the help of God to press on believing he's faithful who has promised for this child I prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition which I ask of him therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the
[41:11] Lord and he worship the Lord there now so we shan't say the days are evil and there's no encouragement let's remember the days that prevailed here things were getting in a pretty bad state Eli's sons Hophni and Phinehas were the priests and you can read all about their deeds without me telling you they were there things weren't like they ought to be by any means but God was at work raising up one who was to be a prophet and a judge amongst his people nothing so bad but what it can't be a thousand times worse and nothing is so bad or impossible but what the Lord cannot and does not appear
[42:14] Amen Amen Amen! Heaven gaps again Wirubine Do your Hobbit.