Hannah: A Story of Grace
At the end of the period of the Judges there’s a wonderful story of a woman named Hannah (pronounced qana). Her name, interestingly, means gift of grace and favor yet her life seemed empty and desperate. Found in 1 Samuel 1 & 2 the story begins with a Levite by the name of Elkanah who had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Really? Two wives? What was he thinking?
With a name like Hannah, grace and favor, you’d think her life would reflect that; it doesn’t. Hannah is barren, childless, and therefore considered cursed by God. The scriptures tell us twice that the Lord closed her womb. Grace and favor? Not in my eyes.
Elkanah’s other wife was Peninnah, meaning pearl. That sounds great, pearls are precious and costly but are also formed as a defense mechanism against an irritant. Was Peninnah, the pearl, the result of a miserable marriage, a woman striving for love or acceptance? Peninnah, who had sons and daughters of her own, became the rival or adversary of Hannah. Instead of having a view of herself as precious and valuable her personality displayed rivalry: she became Hannah’s irritant: her adversary.
On the other hand, Elkanah’s name means ‘set up by God’. In the midst of his adversarial wives God had a plan. Even though one seemed blessed and the other cursed, Elkanah’s favorite was Hannah. The Hebrew language uses many literary devices and we find one here: a word play with Elkanah and Hannah’s names. They both have the sound qana in them: God set up this couple to display his grace and favor.
Every year Elkanah took his family to Shiloh, where the Ark of the Covenant was located, to worship and sacrifice to God. The name of God used in verse three is LORD of Heaven’s Armies. It’s an indication that there will be warfare in this family against God’s sovereign plan; isn’t that just like Satan? Warfare in our families.
Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8b ESV
Hannah’s life circumstances seemed bleak, the rivalry was intense, however, Elkanah showed his love and favor by giving her a double portion of the sacrifice given back to him by the priests. Peninnah constantly provoked her to grief using her barrenness against her but God had a plan. Hannah continued to be a worshipper even in the midst of her grief.
Poor Elkanah, like any good husband he wants to fix everything. “Why do you cry all the time? Why won’t you eat? Why are you so sad? Am I not enough?” No, Elkanah, you’re not enough.
Maybe that’s where you are today. There’s a sadness in your heart that God hasn’t displayed the grace that He promised. Your prayers haven’t been answered, there’s sadness in your life, the enemy is provoking you to disbelieve God’s promises. Hannah’s response to her grief can be our response as well: she worshipped God.
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