1 Samuel 1:1-11 Hannah’s Vow CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Hannah made a vow to God that if he would give her a son, she would lend him to the Lord all the days of her life.  God answered her prayer and vow by giving her Samuel.  She kept her vow by giving Samuel to the Lord and he became one of the greatest judges that Israel ever had.  Notice some things about Hannah’s vow. It was a:

A Spiritual Vow – v.1-3 – She was married to a Levite [1 Chr 6:33-38] who was familiar with spiritual matters since the Levites served the Lord and the Tabernacle.  And they went to Shiloh [Jos 18:1] yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord [Deut 16:16].  The fact that they didn’t go up three times a year is probably one indication of apostasy inIsrael.

An Earnest Vow – v.4-8 – Her husband had two wives [Deut 21:15] and the other one, Peninnah, had sons and daughters.  Not content with that, Peninnah provoked Hannah and made her fret because she was barren.  So, Hannah earnestly vowed because of her adversary [1 Pet 5:8 sounds like the devil was involved].  And she earnestly vowed because of her barren
womb [Prov 30:15-16].

A Prophetic Vow – v.9-11 – She asked God for a man child.  When she received him, she prayed in 1 Sam 2, and the prayer prophesies the Lord Jesus Christ.  Specifically, the reference to the man child ties to Rev 12 and Is 66:7-9, prophecies concerning the regeneration of Israel at the Second Coming of Jesus.  Notice, Eli’s seat in the Tabernacle is a further indication of the apostasy in Israel at this time.

A Nazarite Vow – v.11 – According to Num 6:1-5, a Nazarite could not cut his hair, and Hannah promises that “there shall no razor come upon his head.”