2022: A Year of Peace and Restoration (Part Seven)

—Psalm 89:20, 28–29 NASB

The Start of Something New

Sometimes life isn’t fair; sometimes everything is wrong; and sometimes the circumstances are tough. But there’s an inspiring story in the Bible of a woman who started something new and triggered a chain-reaction that brought about a powerful change and restoration in the nation. In what follows, we’ll look at the story of restoration during the life times of Hanna, Samuel and David (1 Samuel). These individuals represent spiritual dimensions that are needed to bring about restoration. Israel had degenerated to a poor, troubled anarchy, due to their idolatry and sin. But through the restoration process Israel was turned into a rich, powerful monarchy within a time span of about a hundred years. Much can happen when people dedicate their lives to God! Despite the terrible situation Hannah found herself in, something changed with the dedicated prayer of that desperate woman. There is power in such prayer and it can turn the worst of circumstances around!

Hanna: Dedication in Prayer (The Prayer Dimension)

There was a man who had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Hanna was barren; she couldn’t have children (1 Sam 1:2, 5).[1] It was very painful for her and she would weep a lot and refrain from eating (v 7). Nothing her generous and good husband offered to her would in any way fill the void of the barren woman (vv 5, 8). She suffered a great deal, especially as the other wife of her husband had children and would mock her and bitterly provoke her (v 6). It’s one thing to suffer terribly, but being mocked for it makes everything worse, if not unbearable. How did she handle it? By prayer. Unless we find the right outlet for our pain and suffering, we become bitter and hardened. That’s a bad place to be. There’s a better way to handle pain and bitterness, a better way that leads to a better place.

Year after year, as faithful Israelites, they would worship God at the place of worship (1:3). Hanna would pray. We may rightfully assume that she prayed every year for her biggest need: a child. That year, she would pray ‘greatly distressed’ and weep ‘bitterly’ (v 10); she described herself as a woman ‘oppressed in spirit’ (v 15). During that visit to the place of worship something appears to have been different. She prayed in a way like never before. The crucial difference this time was that she made a ‘vow’ before God: If God was to give her a son, she would dedicate him to God in service (v 11). It wasn’t a prayer for her need only, but one that would benefit God’s purpose. It was that kind of dedicated prayer that God responded to with a miracle. Sometimes our times of painful suffering, great affliction and bitter mourning can release a power in prayer that moves Heaven! The depth of prayer reaches the heights of Heaven.

Eli, the priest, mistook her for a worthless drunk (v 14), but she explained how she had ‘poured our [her] heart before the Lord’ (v 15). Don’t worry if some people won’t understand your pain and the way you pray. Keep pouring out your heart before God in sincerity and seek what He has put in your heart. Don’t get offended when some people misunderstand you, or even mock you. Hannah didn’t allow anything to stop her prayer towards God (cf., Lk 18:1ff) and the miracle was about to happen. Go beyond your pain and trust God to hear your cry in prayer.

Here's the thing: Hanna wanted a child; God needed a prophet. God wanted more than just give a barren woman a child so as to ease her pain. He needed someone special to turn the fortunes of Israel and bring restoration to God’s people, a people that had deteriorated almost beyond recognition. Israel was supposed to be a praise to God in the world, but had become a disgrace. God was about to begin a deep and lasting change in His people through the very vessel birthed by a desperate woman’s prayer. Make sure you pray in line with God’s will (see Mt 6:9–10; 1 Jn 5:13–14); prayer that serves to fulfil His purposes (see Col 1:9–12). That type of prayer dimension we see in Hanna moved Heaven and brought change on earth. Follow her example.

This prayer was the beginning of a powerful restoration process that took around a hundred years and turned Israel from a poor anarchy to a powerful monarchy. From the depths of despair and chaos, Israel was restored to a praise in the earth under the rulership of David and Solomon. Israel became a great player among the great nations at the time. Even your own situation can be restored, no matter how bad things might look at present. Trust the process, trust the God of restoration, and trust that your dedicated prayer will be heard in Heaven and will move things on earth.

Samuel: Faithfulness in Service, Purity in Worship (The Priestly Dimension)

The next dimension we see in this restoration process was the priestly dimension. Everything starts before God in prayer (Hannah), and must be carried on in worship and service to God (Samuel as priest). The priest is one who ministers to God on behalf of man; the prophet is the one who speaks to man on behalf of God. Samuel was a faithful and pure priest, something that was desperately lacking in Israel at the time, and something that was crucially needed to bring about restoration as God intended.

Samuel was born and dedicated to God (1:19–28). Hannah praise God for His gracious miracle (2:1–10) and Samuel grew up to serve God as a priest, as promised by his mother (2:11). The problem was, Israel’s priesthood was corrupt. The sons of the chief priest were seriously out of place, mistreating God’s offerings and people, and even having sexual relations in the place of worship (2:12–17). It was a dark time in Israel’s history (3:1b), but in the midst of this God was preparing something new. He was getting a ‘faithful priest’ (2:35) ready to step into the restoration dimension God was brining to Israel.

Samuel stayed faithful to God and pure before His Creator (2:18–21), despite the impurity around him. He was not affected by the corruption committed by those close to him, but served God in a dedicated manner (3:1a). The priestly dimension requires faithfulness in service and purity in worship. Samuel was everything the sons of Eli weren’t. And that’s why, when the time came, Samuel could replace the old, corrupt priesthood with the new, pure one. Sometimes corrupt people and systems continue because there is no one and nothing to replace them. It is our job to get good people ready to take over once the time is set by God for change. Thus, Samuel grew (2:26; 3:19) until he became a recognised prophet in Israel (3:20–21) who spoke to the nation (4:1).

Samuel: Power through Prophecy (The Prophetic Dimension)

Samuel grew from a faithful priest to a powerful prophet. All Israel recognised him as God’s messenger (4:1). The priestly ministry paved the way to the prophetic calling. In the context of ministering as a priest before God, Samuel had learned to hear God’s voice (3:2–14). The first prophecy the young man had (3:15–18) was what a mature man of God had spoken previously (2:27–36). This powerful prophecy had national consequences as God was about to remove the corrupt priesthood to pave way for a pure new one. We can always trust for God’s word to find fulfilment (Isa 55:10–11). God watches over His word to fulfil it (Jer 1:12).

The priestly dimension, the service before God on behalf of people, was the devotional part of the great change in Israel. As priests we need to engage in prayer and worship before God in heavenly dimensions. These then translate to earth at the right time through the prophetic dimension, the service on behalf of God before people. God’s word brings reformation and restoration. After we pray and hear from God, we need to speak and act. There is power in prophecy.

In what follows in 1 Samuel, we find that although there was now a powerful and pure prophet in Israel, hence an ‘upgrade’ in the leadership, the people were still used to the wrong, old ways due to the living under a corrupt leadership. It’s one thing to have good leadership in place, but another for there to be a proper partnership between leaders and people. It’s not enough to have a good leader if people continue to do wrong. Here goes the story.

Israel went to war on their own, at their own initiative, and were promptly defeated (4:1–2). Instead of doing some soul searching and repenting, they sort of blamed God (4:3) and tried again. Instead of repenting, Israel was repeating! But this time they tried ‘smarter’; or they thought so. They took the symbol of God’s presence, the ark of the covenant (4:3), into war. The problem was, the corrupt priests were still part of the ‘team’ (4:4) and the people hadn’t changed. Here’s the thing: you can’t use God for your own agenda. We are supposed to serve God, not He us. Using God to serve our thing is a form of idolatry. True worship is being available to serve God according to His will and ways. Despite the noise Israel created in war preparation (4:5), it all ended in defeat, and even a worse one (4:6–10). As the prophecy stated, the corrupt priests died and even the ark was taken by the enemy (4:11). When we do things wrong, things go wrong, and we can’t blame God for it. We must rather repent and change our hearts and ways. Such a change usually doesn’t come easy when people are proud and stubborn. Sometime we only start to listen to common sense when things have gone wrong. Be that as it may, the prophet of God had a way to speak truth to the people of God.

But before we look at that, let’s note that in the story, God took care of Himself. What does that mean? Remember, the enemy had taken the ark of the covenant and then placed it into the temple of their own gods (see 1 Sam 5—6). In this rather amusing story, God demonstrated that He was well and alive, not defeated like His people were. The gods in the temples had fallen to the ground next to the ark of the covenant and God started to punish the enemies who sought to subdue the God of the Hebrews. That’s what I meant that God took care of Himself. It was also a powerful demonstration to Israel, that God won’t be messed around with, and that He can take care of things independently of man. God doesn’t need man; man needs God! The ark was ultimately returned to Israel, and even the enemies understood that they should not act as the Egyptians did (6:6; cf., 4:8), hence, ‘don’t mess with that God of the Hebrews.’

The prophetic dimension contains God’s power to work out His word and will. God did work out His will, by both subduing the enemy and having them return His ark to Israel. But this came at a high price to both friend and foe. While the enemy was struck with plagues and tumours, hence their historical memory of what the same God had done to Egypt, some of the Israelites themselves were punished due to their irreverence: looking into the ark of the covenant with a false sense of curiosity was fatal (6:19). The people concluded, ‘Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God?’ (6:20). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and brings about humility, which are the very foundational attitudes for God to bring about an internal change that would bring about an external blessing.

Samuel: Righteousness through Judgment (The Governing Dimension)

The big change came when Samuel assumed his role as judge and when the people responded with repentance. When Samuel rebuked the people and called them to repentance and purification (1 Sam 7:3), and when the people responded to that message (v 4), something powerful happened. Change must always begin in our hearts. Samuel, a faithful leader, would not stop his priestly intercession on behalf of God’s people, despite their sin and failure (v 5). This is what leaders must do—lay down their lives for others, even in their weakness, or especially during times of weakness. But people must be held accountable and take responsibility for their action, as well as repent once they had realised, they were wrong. ‘Samuel judged the sons of Israel’ (v 6), with both mercy and intercession, and righteousness and justice. A true leader cannot harden his heart towards the people.

Israel’s confession, ‘We have sinned against the Lord’ (v 6), was the start of something crucial. Inner change is vital for something to shift in our circumstances. All issues of our lives ultimately flow from our hearts (Prov 4:23), hence we must start at the source. Samuel continued to intercede before God on behalf of Israel (v 9), at the people’s desperate request (v 8) since the enemy who had defeated them previously had drawn near for the next battle (v 7). As Samuel ministered before God on behalf of Israel, the God of restoration intervened powerfully on behalf of His people and gave them victory (v 10). Samuel set up a monument for God’s glory and a reminder for the people (v 12). It’s remarkable how different they approached the enemy this time. Previously they were full of self-confidence, a false sense of security as they didn’t trust in God, but did their own thing, and were defeated. Yet this time, they were even afraid of the enemy, but were victoriously. The crucial issue is our attitude towards God: He gives grace to the humble but resists the proud (1 Pet 5:5–6). Power to resist the enemy comes from submitting to God with a humble attitude (Jas 4:6–7).

The result of Israel’s humility and repentance was peace and restoration: Israel defeated the enemy (v 13), God restored lost land and established peace within their borders (v 14). The governing dimension (Samuel as judge) that brought about this change in God’s people, and with it victory and security, continued throughout his life (vv 15–17). And so did the priestly dimension expressed in the ‘altar to the Lord’ he built (v 17). Both intercession as priest and instruction as prophet and judge are vital for the wellbeing of a nation.

David: Rulership for Blessing (The Kingly Dimension)

The third of the key persons God used to bring about this powerful restoration in Israel from a poor anarchy to a rich monarchy, was David, Israel’s most beloved king. God had promised His lovingkindness to him and through him on all the descendants (Ps 89) after establishing the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7), in whose linage the Messiah became to ultimate fulfilment of God’s promises to Israel and the rest of the world as Saviour of all mankind.

David’s kind of rulership was indeed special. It’s the type of kingly dimension that is much needed in a corrupt world of self-seeking and self-glorifying individuals who pursue their own power and fame above all else, and even at the expense of people and even nations. David was different. So was Hannah; so was Samuel. Those three were the key agents of change, yet all three had powerful opposition to deal with. Hannah had Peninnah, Samuel the sons of Eli, and David had Saul. Overcoming corrupt opposition is vital for establishing righteous leadership. In fact, God uses those very people to shape the emerging leaders to become everything the old ones were not. Hannah overcame the bitter provoking of her rival, Samuel wasn’t polluted by the impurity of the false priests, and David remained true to himself despite the vile persecution of one who should’ve been a father to him. Life is full of challenges, and the fundamental challenge is how you deal with what is happening to do. Do you become bitter or better? You must answer that question for yourself! Nobody else can do it for you.

David rose to kingship through much challenge and trouble, but he made it, because God had chosen him. God was with him not only in times of success (1 Sam 18:5, 14), but also in times of hardship (23:1–5). David was honourable to all men, including to the one who caused him the most pain and trouble: Saul (e.g., 24:1–22). He was tested in all manners, be it betrayal, persecution, jealousy or hatred, yet he remained faithful God and kept the good heart the Almighty saw in him when He first chose him pure (16:7). David didn’t become proud when he defeated Goliath and became a national hero by solving a national crisis (1 Sam 17). It’s this type of character that can carry the charisma needed to be a great leader under God.

Further, when David was made king, he had the most important realisation any ruler could possibly have. He realised that it was God who had made him king and that the purpose of this position was one of service for the benefit of the people under his authority.

—2 Samuel 5:12

It was David’s responsibility to rule in righteousness and establish justice and peace for all of God’s people (2 Sam 8:15). He was not to rule for his own benefit, give preference to only some of the people, and enrich those loyal to him. Righteousness was to be for each and everyone, in a kingdom that was ultimately blessed by the Almighty and should reflect His standards of righteousness and blessing. Throughout history, the rulers of this world sought power and wealth for their own greatness and fame. Great kingdoms have been established—and have collapsed again. But God’s agenda for rulership is different: he wants leaders to lead for the benefit of the people. We find this expressed very strikingly in the words of Jesus Himself: the leader should be the servant; the greatest should be a slave to all (Mk 10:42–44). Jesus Himself had given that example to follow by laying down His life to redeem humanity (v 45). True greatness is in humility and servanthood.

David demonstrated this greatness of character, despite his own flaws and weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses and struggles, but it’s how we handle them that matters. David, in contrast to Saul, took responsibility for his mistakes and sins, displaying honesty and humility before God and man. Saul sought to justify himself and found excuses. He even sought to build a monument for his own glory (1 Sam 15:12), although he was acting in disobedience to God (15:17–23). He sought to be honoured in the sight of men (v 30), despite having already been rejected as a failed king due to his disobedience (vv 26–29; 16:1). The other failed king who built a monument for himself was Abshalom (2 Sam 18:18). The true kingly dimension cares first and foremost about what God thinks of us, not how we look in the eyes of men. True worshippers build altars to God, not monuments for themselves. Our guilty conscience should lead us to sincere repentance, not drive us to uphold a fake appearance. God is merciful to the humble (Prob 28:13; 1 Jn 1:9). David’s prayers reflect this truth (Pss 32; 51).

Another issue of failure we need to address is that of a failed succession. Despite Samuel being pure and honest (see 1 Sam 12:1–5), his sons failed to live up to their father’s standards (8:1–3). The elders of Israel reacted to this failed succession by seeking a structural model as demonstrated by other nations (vv 4–5), rather holding fast to God’s ways. Failed succession leads people to seek examples outside of God’s will. It’s the same in a family without role-models; kids will seek them at school, in celebrities or, worse, in the streets. The elders were right in objecting to Samuel’s sons, since they were corrupt, yet they were wrong in looking for models contrary to God’s standards. It was a rejection of God Himself as King over them (vv 6–7). God gave them what they wanted, yet the consequences were dire. Israel’s first king was a failure and many kings after David and Solomon brought more harm than good to God’s people. At the same time, we see good kings in Israel’s history, too.

The conclusion is that it depends more on the individual rulers/leaders than on the system, although the system, or structure, is not unimportant. Ultimately, it’s what we make of what we have that counts. Sometimes systems and structures must change, and we saw that in the examples of Samuel and David replacing a corrupt priesthood and a failed king respectively. System-change is needed, yet until it changes, we need to make the best under the present circumstances. Hannah, Samuel and David are great examples of that. Do your best and trust God for the results. He is a God of restoration, even if it takes several generations.

[1] Most likely Hannah was Elimelech’s first wife, and Peninnah the second one due to Hannah’s barrenness, so that Peninnah could bear offspring to the man. Remember, practices and customs were different during different times in history. Barrenness was a shame for a woman and a real problem for the man, hence alternative strategies to find solutions in a time when offspring was crucial.