Wednesday, September 03, 2003 (67)PENINNIAH. Meaning, the pearl or precious stone. What ever value her parents had placed on her at her birth, her adversarial position spoiled what may have been a woman of beauty. The attitude of the heart is made manifest by the words which proceed out of the mouth. Mt. 12:34 The constant goading of Hannah by Peninniah had a sowerful effect on her but in the end it was to become a means of forcing Hannah to pray, and to pray in a desperate manner. Unfortunately, this seems to be a predicament which is faced by many. External pressures have a way of driving folk to prayer. This was not a new development but would appear to be a yearly problem. 1 Sam. 1:7
WORDS OF COMFORT FROM ELKANAH. His threefold question went right to the heart of the distress in the life of Hannah. His problem solving words to her produced an instant response. Elkanah, was better and more to her than ten sons. Ten is the number of the commandments. Elkanah is a type of Christ. Hannah is a type of the true church. Peninniah is a type of the carnal, worldly church. More social than spiritual. Seemingly much more productive with their good works than the spiritual are in developing a strong spiritual standing. 1 Sam. 1:8 Hannah found comfort in the words of her husband. She had a meal and proceeded to the Temple. The Word of the Lord is our food and our comfort. We find our solace in the Lord Jesus.
HANNAH IN PRAYER. Hannah was in bitterness of soul. Her emotions, the natural life, her soulish being were involved in an upheaval. Her prayer was from the depth of her being, a prayer of anguish, of importunity. A prayer which is much more than just saying words. It was a heart felt, soul rending cry and an earnest appeal to the LORD, sealed with a vow. The vow of a Nazarite. A promise to fully commit the yet unconceived son to the work of the Lord. 1 Sam. 1:11 A vow to the Lord must be consummated. Eccl. 5:4 Her prayer and mannerism in prayer misunderstood by Eli, the high priest. He accused her of being drunk and gave her a much misguided rebuke. She identified herself as a woman of a sorrowful spirit who had poured out her heart unto the Lord, having prayed out of the abundance of her complaint and grief. She prayed with a great burden from the very depth of her soul. 1 Sam. 1:12-16 There is a prayer in the Spirit of the Lord which is the ultimate, the very depths of a petition unto the Lord. It is seldom, if ever heard today in the church and would be grossly misunderstood by most leaders. It will return when there is a mighty move of the Spirit. It is spiritual intercession of such magnitude that the person being exercised thereby, cannot express with their own language or the language of the Spirit the cry of their spirit man. Paul spoke of it and calls a prayer with groanings which cannot be uttered. Rom. 8:26 An awesome thing to experience and to behold. May the Lord endow His church with the Spirit of discernment.