Scripture Reading: Rev. 12:5, 7, 9; 1 Sam. 1:1-2, 14-20, 22, 27
There are many points in the history of Israel which are similar to the history of the church. At the beginning of Israel's history we see Aaron as a priest representing man to God and Moses representing God to man. This stage did not last long. Soon after they entered into the land, they were ruled by judges. Their national life was on a very low level. We see them continually falling into sin and punishment by means of their enemies. When they cried to God, He would raise up a judge to deliver them, and then there would be a restoration. This happened again and again. We see this throughout the book of Judges. We read of Deborah and Barak, Gideon, Samson, and many others. There is a principle to be noted here. When the power of the judges was great, their deliverance was great, but when the power was diminished, the people fell into the hands of their enemies again. They fell and were raised up, sinned and were revived again and again. From this we see a great principle that God's people cannot govern themselves; they cannot be independent of God and be independent of Satan at the same time. This is an impossibility. They either have to bow to the authority of God or be under Satan's power; there is no middle road. When they were not under the control of God, they wholly lost their position as God's people. Consequently, they came under the power of their enemy. But praise God, His people were not always under Satan's power; there was revival.
This is the history of Israel, and it is the history of the church. Looking back, we can see that when the church reached a very low state, God would prepare a man of His choice, put His Spirit upon him, and commission him, and then the church would be revived. But after a period of time the church would go down again; there has been rising and falling, declension and restoration, again and again. If I was living in the period at the end of the time of the judges, what would be in my heart, what would I long after, and what would I even expect? I would know the history of the past years, and now that things were at a low ebb again, what would be my hope and what would I pray for? Would I not ask for another judge to be raised up to revive the nation again? I am a member of the church, and I have seen its history of being revived and falling again and again. I have read of the revival under Luther and of the deadness that followed, of the revival through Wesley and of the backsliding that followed, of the great tide of life brought in by Darby and the other Brethren and of the deterioration that followed. All these years the church has just been repeating the history of Israel under the judges. But what should I hope for now? Should it not be for something quite new?
At this point we come to the first book of Samuel. The history of the judges should not continue forever; this is not God's thought. God's thought is toward the kingdom and not toward having more judges. God wants to bring in a kingdom and a King. He used the judges on the way, but His thought was upon David, and His purpose was a King. So we see the importance of 1 Samuel. It comes in between the road and the goal. It comes in the middle and depicts a period of transition. For the most part, this was not a time of great revival nor of great backsliding. The same is true with us today. While our thoughts are always on revival, the time of the judges has past. It had its limitations, whereas the kingdom will last forever. God's thought is not that the church should remain in a cycle of backsliding and revival. God is not going to give us many revivalists, He is going to bring in His King.
The first book of Samuel stands for a ministry, a ministry that brings in the King. We do not have a judge, but one who was both a priest and prophet. It is very easy for us to fix our eyes on revivalists; they were used by God in the past on the way, as it were, but they have no part in the real purpose of God, in the bringing in of the King. God wants Samuels.
Now that we have seen the background, we must come to our verses. They are related to the story of the two women, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah had children, Hannah had none. Peninnah mocked Hannah by saying, "You have no children; look at all I have!" These two women represent two fundamentally different principles; they represent two fundamentally different ministries. Hannah's ministry was just to bring in the King, not to have many children. Peninnah's ministry was to have many children, that is, a ministry with much result. Peninnah and her children are God's people, but none of them have anything to do with God's King.
Hannah wept, fasted, prayed, and cried unto the Lord for a son who would be absolutely given to the Lord for His service. This son was the one who brought in the King. Hannah had nothing to be proud of. However, Peninnah, had much to boast of. She could point to all her children and say, "I have this and that, all this and all that, etc." I want to say a word to you out of my heart. If you are still in the realm of the judges, you can be blessed and have results, but God's eyes are not on you. If these were not the last days, we would hope that Peninnah might have many more children. But if I am right, these are the last days and God's eyes are on those who can be the means of bringing in the King. Let us ask ourselves, "What is our ministry? Have we any part in this special ministry, this Hannah ministry?" Some have no other thought but revival. They think that the principle of the judges will continue to the end. But there is the more important ministry of bringing in the King.
Hannah's way was not an easy way, and it was made even more difficult because of Peninnah's comparisons and tauntings. Those who want to be Hannahs must prepare themselves for persecution, scorn, weeping, and fasting. This ministry costs. A price has to be paid because all such ministry comes through testing and suffering; it has to be wrought into us. Others can eat and drink and look at their children, but here was one who fasted and wept. It is not a matter of how many we can save but a matter of God getting His company of overcomers. God wants to get a people who will be able to pray and bring in the kingdom.
Hannah's prayer was the means for the birth of Samuel. Our prayers should result in the bringing forth of overcomers. What have we done in this respect? Some who have worked much and have many children will say, "It seems that you are not doing anything. In the past you could lead revival meetings and do this and that. What are you doing now?" Even Eli, God's priest, did not understand Hannah. He said, "What are you doing? You are drunk."
From the birth of Samuel we see a line of prophets who could also be priests to bring in the King. Hannah bore a son — a prophet. God had done quite much with Hannah; He led her through all sorts of difficulties. As a result, He was able to find one who could put eating and drinking and all else aside. She came to the point where she could not go on without a son; she came to a point where she had to have a son. The son in 1 Samuel 1 is the man-child of Revelation 12, the one who brings in the King and the kingdom.
