Barren, No More | 1 Samuel 1:1-2:2

Illustration

The Thar Desert also called the Great Indian Desert, located in the northwestern region of India and a bit of Pakistan, is an example of harsh and unforgiving terrain. It is a place that is marked by a word called barren. It covers a vast expanse, characterized by its scorching heat, shifting sand dunes, and minimal vegetation.

The Thar Desert is a challenging environment, most of the places are barren; where water is scarce, and temperatures can soar to extreme levels. There are people who are native to this desert, who have adapted themselves to the harsh conditions. But it’s not a place where people typically choose to settle. Instead, travelers often pass through this arid landscape to reach their intended destinations. Tourists go there to experience this desert, spend a night or two, and return back home. This desert serves as an illustration of barrenness. You don’t want to be there.

At times in our lives, we come across what we refer to as ‘the barren road.’ A season, where you just don’t want to stay put but hope to pass on very soon.

1 Samuel 1:1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

 The pattern, “There was a certain man from (Place), whose name was (Name),” only appears in 4 passages:

• Judges 13, Samson is introduced this way.
• Judges 17, Micah
• 1 Samuel 9, Saul

 They all go together. In 1 Samuel 1, we have a godly leader from a godly woman.

• Judges 13, Samson is the leader that God brings, through a miraculous (barren) birth. Samson is a failed leader. Samson’s mother, whose name is not mentioned is a contrast to Hannah. Samson is a contrast to Samuel.
• Judges 17, Micah is not a godly leader. Micah’s mother and Micah are in contrast with Hannah and Samuel.
• 1 Samuel 9, Saul is a failed leader.
• Samuel is a great leader. we have a godly leader from a godly woman. He will win a victory over the Philistines, 1 Sam. 7. He will anoint David who will defeat the Philistines.

The author wants us to correlate this story with what has gone before, the contrast is in Samuel.

 1 Samuel 1:2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

 This has the potential for conflict. We know this from the patriarchal stories, where there was a woman who could have a child-like Hagar or Leah and a rival wife who could not, Sarah or Rachel, and this breeds conflict. The OT does not really condemn polygamy, but the NT talks about, promotes, and stresses monogamy. But it is implicit in the reading of the first marriage in the OT about a monogamous relationship that God expects from us.

1 Samuel 1:3-6 ³ Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, (the tabernacle and the ark was here now) where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. ⁴ Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. ⁵ But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. ⁶ Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

Overview

In this passage, the Lord vindicates Hannah who is suffering terrible oppression from Peninnah because she cannot have a child. So she prays to the Lord and the Lord vindicates her by giving her a son. The narrative is not just about Hannah, the individual. Hannah’s experience as she makes clear in her song in chapter 2, is representative of all of those who are oppressed, and in fact she represents Israel and she looks forward to a day when the Lord will vindicate his people as well through a King, who is not yet on the scene but Hannah anticipates that.

Key Themes

• The Lord begins a process of providing confident leadership for Israel through the birth of Samuel.
• The Lord (YAHWEH), the incomparable King who protects and vindicates his loyal followers.

Background

I would assume that Hannah grew up just like any Jewish girl. In fact, if we even broaden that description out; she dreamed of having a family. In her childhood home, she probably had younger siblings and it would have been very natural for Hannah to take on some of the childcare duties. And like a little girl she may well have thought what will it be like to hold my own in my arms someday. When she and Elkanah married, they naturally assumed that soon their house would be filled with children that were from the fruit of her womb, a large family. Maybe they spoke about this. Would their first child be a little boy, or would it be a little girl? What would they name the child and so on? All of this was a natural expectation, and then they waited, and no children came. Time went on but the children did not come. Hannah would receive word of other family members who had conceived, they were with child, and she looked forward to the day when that news would come from her mouth. I’m with a child. And that word never came, and so, as time continued to go on, those celebratory announcements were not such a celebration for her. And maybe she would feign a smile outwardly, but inside her heart was breaking because she knew her womb was barren.

The Barren Road

When we start to consider this, first this morning, let’s begin with the barren road that can be a lonely and hurtful road.

The Barren Road Can Be A Lonely And Hurtful Road.

For a woman in Hannah’s day to not be able to conceive was culturally speaking devastating because it appears that you must have done something to anger the righteous indignation of God because He has, in response to certainly something you must have done, sealed your womb. Elkanah’s name means ‘God created,’ and what a reproach upon him. His wife is barren. He cannot recreate in some fashion that God had actually created him to do. In Hannah’s day, women with a lot of children were more highly esteemed. The more children, the more status, and the opposite was also true. The fewer children, the lesser status; no children, no status.

Do you know anything of barrenness today?

• It may be a closed womb.
• It may be some other physical barrenness. May be some medical challenge in your life, an illness, a disease. It seems to be draining the very life out of you.
• Maybe it’s an unfulfilled job. A job loss or a crisis in your workplace.
• A broken marriage.
• Something in our life that makes us feel unfruitful, dissatisfied, stagnant.
• Perhaps it is some mental barrenness; depression, loneliness, anxiety, a feeling of inadequacy.
• Some spiritual barrenness where it’s like, “Lord, it is as if You have sealed the heavens to my prayer.” You sense a barrenness stemming from the lack of the fruit of the Spirit that’s demonstrated in your life.

This barrenness so consumed Hannah that no words of comfort could offer any solace to her hurting, barren soul. Notice both the loneliness and the hurtfulness stand out and join along with this barrenness.

1 Samuel 1:4-6 ⁴ Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. ⁵ But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. ⁶ Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

 Think about the loneliness of this barren road. I mean, it is a lonely, hurtful road, and we understand loneliness.

It’s quite possible that Elkanah took Peninnah after Hannah’s womb demonstrated that it was closed. So, he loved Hannah. We know that. But Elkanah did not have children through Hannah and it was vitally important that they bear children. This is for the livelihood of the family farm. This is for their own care and protection. This is for the future of Elkanah and his family, “Who’s going to care for us, who is going to lead us when we’re old?”

So, can you imagine how Hannah felt when there was an additional person to the home?

I mean, he goes and now he takes another wife. He loved Hannah, but I had to have children, and then Peninnah begins to conceive. We know the problem is not now with Elkanah. This is a problem that is Hannah’s problem, and she is all alone, and now, to add insult to injury, there’s an adversary in the home. Now there is one who sees Hannah as her chief competition and I’m going to do everything in my power to actually distinguish, just shame my competition.

Elkanah was well-intentioned but he could not understand the intensity of hurt that Hannah was experiencing. It’s interesting that Elkanah was attempting to say, “Hannah, I should be enough for you.”

1 Samuel 1:8 Her husband Elkanah 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?”

Clearly, he loves Hannah, but it was not enough. The picture and the pattern that we see here is that there is no human solution to the loneliness and hurt of the barren road.

There is no solution to the loneliness and hurt of the barren road.

There is no simple answer to a barren situation: “Let’s just do this. This would resolve my problem.” There is no one-step human solution to a barren situation.

Many try some human solutions to their loneliness:

• Maybe, I can to resolve my loneliness by some romance they I desire.
• Maybe it could be resolved by some financial security that we’ve sought and worked to achieve, but we seem to find it is elusive, it slides from our grasp.
• Maybe this barrenness could be resolved by the recognition that we have sought, the position that we have desired.
• Maybe this emptiness, this barrenness could be resolved by the child that we don’t have or by the child that we have.
• Some turn to things even like alcohol or some pleasure.
• Some turn to achievement or praise.

You see, she is walking on a lonely road, and it’s not only lonely but it is hurtful along this journey. I mean every step of the way it seems like there is some new experience that pierces her soul.

1 Samuel 1:6-7 ⁶ Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. ⁷ This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.

Notice the term “her adversary.” It’s a fitting term to describe Peninnah.

• She was a troublemaker.
• She would taunt and poke and find any chance to slide some hurtful jab at Hannah knowing exactly what to say and when to say it.
• She doesn’t miss an opportunity.

Probably, after a meal is served, Peninnah might say something like Hannah, could you clean up today? I am just so exhausted from all of those children. And Hannah knew exactly why the expression is used. All these opportunities to demonstrate who she is. “I am your adversary. I am fully aware that you are the loved one and I am not, but make no doubt about it Hannah, I am the one that is bearing the children of our husband.” Look at the expression in verse 6. It’s just a little expression, “her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.” Do you know what the word ‘irritate or fret’ literally means? It means “to make her thunder,” and it’s not the thunder around us.

Illustration

How many of you’ve ever had a lightning strike very close to you? You’re standing there and all of a sudden lightning just strikes, and you’re not waiting for the distant thunder. The thunder meets you with the lightning and it trembles your very core. And do you know what’s going on with Hannah right now? To make her fret. It’s not the storm necessarily that is all around her, although that’s present. I believe it is the storm within her. There is a storm inside of Hannah that she can’t silence, and that storm is swirling and raging and thundering about her. This is a hurtful road. Well, the barren road.

Certainly, it can be a lonely and hurtful road, but look a little bit further. The barren road does also do something. The barren road removes distractions.

The Barren Road Removes Distractions.

1 Samuel 1:6 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.

“She wept and would not eat.”

Okay, so, first of all, food now is something of lesser importance. She wouldn’t be distracted.

Meat, by the way, was a rare treat so when Elkanah goes and offers these sacrifices, and part of the sacrifice then is given to the offeror and he gives portions to Peninnah, to all of her sons, all of her daughters, but he gives a worthy portion, a special portion to Hannah. “Hannah, this is a gesture of my love, food.” Now, again, to a guy, it may make sense, but to a woman, “Nice try Elkanah.” She doesn’t eat. She wept.

1 Samuel 1:9-11 ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. ¹¹ 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.”

Do you know, when you are traveling down the barren road, there’s often not much to look at, there’s not much to capture your attention?

But who is it that has Hannah’s attention at this very moment?

You know, there’s not a lot that’s capturing her attention.

There’s not a lot that she’s involved in.

It is a nice, pleasant distraction. It appears that God had simply removed all of those objects from her sight that would have captured or captivated her, and now the only thing she has is the One to whom she is calling.

At this very moment, God has Hannah’s undivided attention.

• She sets aside food.
• She goes to the house of God.
• She petitions the only One that has the answers to her needs.

So, let me ask it this way

• If Hannah had a house full of children, would she be petitioning God the same way she is now?
• What if she didn’t have an adversary? What if Peninnah was just this kind, loving soul and Peninnah understood the brokenness of Hannah’s heart?
• And what if Peninnah said Hannah, Hannah, I know the struggle, but could you help me care for these children? Could they look at you as a loving aunt? Could they look at you as a second mom? What if Peninnah said let’s share these responsibilities together? Then do you think Hannah would still have looked to God in the same way, with the same urgency?

You see, God has Hannah in a place right now that is a place of His choosing.

Who, after all, was it that shut up her womb? We see here that Hannah calling out to God in ways that were not only uncommon in Israel at the time, but Hannah is calling out to God in ways that are uncommon in Scripture up to this time. She’s about to address God in a way that God had not been addressed previously. The expression, the name that she uses regarding God, it’s going to be used some 300 times in Scripture, and guess who the first one is to use it? A desperate woman who is calling upon a powerful God, and she recognizes it in ways that no one else has done up to this point in history.

1 Samuel 1:11 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.”

Hannah uses a name that’s going to be used all throughout Scripture and it’s going to be repeated, but she uses it first. It is Jehovah Sabaoth.

You say well, what does this mean and why is Hannah using it? Jehovah Sabaoth, the God who fights, the God who has armies, the God who can insert His will into any aspect, any manner, any time of life. This is Jehovah Sabaoth, and this is the God upon whom Hannah is now calling.

Do you know that I think she’s saying? I think she’s saying, “God, I can’t fight this fight anymore, I can’t fight this battle. I can no longer endure this war that I am in, but I know the One who can, and so I am coming to Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts. God, if there’s anyone who can fight this battle, it is You.”

And then Hannah asked God to do something:

Hannah’s Petition

Lord, look at me.

Nobody’s looking at Hannah right now, culturally speaking, because she’s a woman of no use any longer. What does she provide? She has no children. Her womb is closed. She is, in a sense, the adversary of God. Nobody’s looking to her, but Hannah says, “God, will You look on me? Indeed, look on the misery of your servant.”

Lord, Remember me and do not forget me.

Remember, Lord, it’s me, Hannah. She says remember and forget not. It indicates that she perceives that God would actually care about a simple barren woman who again culturally speaking has nothing to offer.

Lord, Give me a son.

1 Samuel 1:11

….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.”

Yes, she asks for a son, but notice she’s not bargaining with God. She said, “God, grant me something so that I can have something to offer to You.” “Lord, I’m no longer asking for this child for myself. Lord, if You grant me a child, then I will give that child back to You and that child is Yours all the days of his life.”

She wasn’t saying, “Lord, give me a child and we’ll share him, we’ll come to an arrangement. I’ll teach him all about You.” She’s not bartering with God. She just says God, “If You give me a child, I will have something then with which I can offer back to You.”

• She’s not saying something like Lord, give me a big salary so that I can give more to Your work.
• She’s not saying God, give me that big house so that I can use it for You, and sometimes I may have meetings in the home.

She’s just saying Lord, give me this child and if You do this Lord, I will have something with which I can respond and give to You. She’s just not making deals with God. She’s saying, “God, give me something that I can give to You.”

The Barren Road. It can be a lonely and hurtful road.

The barren road is a road that removes distractions.

The Barren Road Is Not Our Destination, It Is Just A Means To It.

In 1 Samuel 1:18 Hannah’s going to have this brief exchange with Eli, the old prophet, the priest, the judge. Eli was not accustomed to fervent, earnest prayer. Eli sees Hannah. She is praying and pouring out her heart before God. Israel. And when he sees her, her lips were moving but there were no words coming out.  He says, “I can’t believe you’re drunk at this time and in this place. She says, “Not so my lord.” And then she raises her head and he see the tears that are pouring down her face. She says, “I’m just pouring out my heart before God.” And Eli, somewhat taken back says, “God grant you the request that you are asking.”

1 Samuel 1:18

She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Hannah’s name means ‘grace.’ She says, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Favour and grace – They are one in the same, different derivatives of the same. And so, the woman named Grace says, “May I find the grace that is to be who I am.”

• “Lord, my name is Hannah (grace), allow me to live in grace.”
• God, would allow me to live like who I am?
• I am a child of God and yet I am living in a barrenness that is not typical of Your children.
• I’m living in a way that seems to find its connection to fruitfulness with something, but may I find that ultimately in You. “Lord, she’s saying, may I find grace, may I actually live like who I am?”

So, she went on her way.

Now, notice what she didn’t do. 18b Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Let me ask you, at this point: When the Bible gives us this description of Hannah, was she pregnant at that time? Had she already conceived? Isn’t it insightful that she doesn’t pray, conceive, and be no more sad? She prays, she is no more sad, and then she conceives.

Do you know what she found before the child? Joy.

You know, so many times we come before God and we say God, this is what I need to have joy.

• If You will do this for me, I will have joy.
• If You will work out my marriage, I will have joy.
• Lord, bring me this person, then I will be no more sad.
• Lord, give me a promotion, then I will have joy.
• Lord, heal me, I will have joy.

Our Joy is not based on our circumstances, we need to find our joy in the only One who can truly give it.

Hannah comes, she pours out her heart before God, she gets up, she says okay, now I’m prepared to live life. She ate, and she was no more sad. Her countenance was changed.

I don’t believe the child was the ultimate satisfaction that Hannah was searching for. I believe she found her genuine fulfillment in God. Notice the prayer after God had blessed Hannah with a son. Notice how she just keeps pouring her heart out before God.

1 Samuel 2:1-2 Then Hannah prayed and said: ¹ “My heart rejoices (where) in the Lord; in the Lord my horn  is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. ² “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Her strength, her satisfaction, and ultimately her fulfillment were not found in the child. Rather, it is found in her God.

Where is your true satisfaction? Is it in the things of the world or is it in the Lord today? Ultimately, this is where our satisfaction must come from as well, because the reality is we may never have the child, and let me say that again.

The reality is:

• We may never have the child,
• we may never have the relationship,
• we may never have the recognition,
• we may never have the dream job,
• we may never have the… you fill in the blank.

Does that mean we are relegated all of our life to the barren road? No.

Her dependency, her sufficiency, her joy was not wrapped up in the child. Hannah said, “there any rock like our God.” He is the One that I am holding to. He is the foundation of my joy.

Hannah learned that her true power was not to be found in one’s position in society. She really found it, I believe, in her posture before God. And clearly, she learned that the barren road was not a destination, just a means to an important destination.

Conclusion

And you know, so often we can’t look past the lowest point. We find ourselves in some situation and all we can see is the barrenness that is around us, and God is saying, “Hey, listen, there is a place of deliverance that is not too far off. It is a place that is the pinnacle, the peak, the vista, the high point, and it is not so far away from your low point.”

Do you know, the other thing that I find interesting about the Thar Desert. The Thar Desert has a variety of things that actually do grow there. Many vegetation and animals grow in this place, in the barren of the Thar Desert.

You know Church, it’s quite possible that God has you in some barren place because it is where God can grow something good in your life.

There is a place where we say, “Lord, this is so barren and desolate and hurtful and lonely.”

And God says, “I know it is, I understand, but it is not your final destination. You’re just a passing thought, and ultimately, while it’s not just your destination, I have removed the distractions of your life and you are focused in a way on Me that you may have never been previously focused before.”

Looking back, do you think that Hannah would be willing to travel the barren road again?

I’m being somewhat presumptuous about this, but knowing what we know about Hannah now and her praise in chapter 2 versus the barrenness of chapter 1. Hannah, would you be willing to travel that barren road again? I think we could hear from her lips, “Yes,” and a thousand times over. “The joy that I experienced on the other side was so much greater than the loneliness and hurt during the time of travel on the barren and lonely road.”

Is your heart in pieces? Why not put those pieces into the hands of the One who heals broken hearts?

Psalm 42:11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

“Why are thou cast down?” “Hope thou in God.”

Find Your Joy and Satisfaction in God’s Presence

Just as Hannah found her ultimate satisfaction and joy in the Lord, we should recognize that our true fulfillment comes from our relationship with God. Instead of seeking happiness in external circumstances, let’s focus on cultivating a deeper connection with Him through prayer, worship, and studying His Word.

Perseverance in Barren Seasons

When we encounter barren and challenging seasons in life, it’s essential to remember that they are not our final destination. These times can serve as opportunities for growth, spiritual refinement, and drawing closer to God. Rather than dwelling on the difficulties, let’s keep our eyes on the hope of a brighter future.

Letting Go and Surrender

Hannah’s willingness to give her long-awaited child back to God demonstrates the importance of surrendering our desires and plans to Him. We should be open to God’s leading and be willing to let go of our ambitions and dreams if He calls us to do so, trusting that His plans are always for our best.

Dependence on God’s Strength

Just as Hannah’s strength and joy were not found in her own abilities but in God’s power, we should recognize our need for God’s strength in our lives. In times of difficulty and weakness, we can lean on Him, knowing that He is our Rock and the source of our strength.