Introduction:
The Bible informs us of how important it is
to study the Old Testament. (Romans
15:4)
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning,
that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have
hope.”
NKJV
(I
Corinthians 10:11) “Now all these things happened to them as examples,
and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages
have come.”
NKJV
Body:
I.
Manoah’s Wife (The Mother of Samson)
A.
She and her husband were often together. Throughout Judges 13, we find
both of them close to one another, sharing their lives. How different
are many of our lives today, fragmented, husbands and wives going
separate ways, hardly knowing what each other is doing. But she and her
husband were not like this. They prayed together. (Judges
13:8)
“Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘O my Lord, please let the
Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do
for the child who will be born.’ ”
NKJV
(I
Peter 3:7)
“Husbands,
likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife,
as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of
life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”
NKJV
They
are heirs together of the grace of life. How blessed Samson was to
have a mother and father like he did.
B.
She desired her child to be raised according to the will of God.
Whatever the Angel of the Lord instructed her to do concerning her son,
she was willing to do. Her son was brought up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord. Children need direction; influence them to
follow the ways of God.
C.
Her heart was broken, even though Samson had godly parents and good
training, he still went astray, did wrong. (Proverbs
22:6)
“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will
not depart from it.”
NKJV
This
verse is a general rule. There are exceptions. Manoah’s wife had done
all that she could.
II.
Hannah
(The Mother of Samuel)
A.
Hannah considered motherhood a privilege.
(I
Samuel 1:11)
“Then she made a
vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the
affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your
maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will
give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come
upon his head.’ ”
NKJV
Hannah did not believe motherhood to be drudgery, but understood its
importance. It was a source of joy. (Psalm
127:3-5)
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is
a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of
one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They
shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.”
NKJV
B.
Hannah was a woman of
prayer. She poured her heart out, persisted in prayer, and prayed
according to the will of God. (I
Samuel 1:11)
“Then she made a
vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the
affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your
maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will
give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come
upon his head.’ ”
NKJV
Her vow was very specific; she made a vow to God in prayer. (I
Samuel 1:12-28) The story followed through Verse28. She
thanked God. (I
Samuel 1:27-28)
“ ‘For this
child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of
Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he
shall be lent to the Lord.’ So they worshiped the Lord there.”
NKJV
(I
Samuel 1:10, 12) “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the
Lord and wept in anguish.
12
And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli
watched her mouth.”
NKJV
(I
Samuel 2:1-2)
“And Hannah
prayed and said: ‘My heart rejoices in the Lord; I smile at my
enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the
Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our
God.’ ”
NKJV
C.
Hannah was one who
worshipped regularly. (I
Samuel 1:7)
“So it was, year
by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked
her; therefore she wept and did not eat.”
NKJV
How many of us
here today were brought to services by godly mothers when we were
young? We learned about God by listening to our mother read from the
Bible. Recall
II Timothy 3:14-15.
“But
you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured
of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you
have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
NKJV
D.
Hannah dedicated her child to the Lord. (I
Samuel 1:28) “ ‘Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as
he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.’ So they worshiped the Lord
there.”
NKJV
(I Samuel 2:1 – 20) (I Samuel 2:26)
“And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord
and men.”
NKJV
How
many of us would be willing to do what Hannah did? Are we doing all in
our power to make sure our children become faithful Christians? Maybe
we should make a vow as she did.
III.
The Shunammite Woman
A.
She was very hospitable. (II
Kings 4:8-10)
“Now it happened
one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and
she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed
by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
9
And she said to her husband, ‘Look now, I know that this is a holy man
of God, who passes by us regularly.
10
Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed
for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be,
whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.’ ”
NKJV
What a great example. Listen to
I Peter 4:9.
“Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”
Being in one another’s homes greatly strengthens us.
B.
She saw the good in others. Note Verse 9. She was much like Barnabas
in the New Testament. Do you see the good in others?
C.
She was good even though the days were evil. The king at that time was
Jehoram, an evil king. (II
Kings 3:1-3)
“Now Jehoram the
son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of
Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he did evil in
the sight of the Lord, but not like his father and mother; for he put
away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless
he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made
Israel sin; he did not depart from them.”
NKJV
She’s
a good example for us, regardless of our circumstances. [country, work,
school] We can live righteous lives.
D.
She had strong faith, even
though suffering came to her life. Even though her son was dying, her
faith remained intact. (II
Kings 4:32)
“When Elisha
came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed.”
NKJV
(II
Kings 4:33-37)
“He went in
therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord.
And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth,
his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched
himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. He
returned and walked back and forth in the house and again went up and
stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and
the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, ‘Call this
Shunammite woman.’ So he called her. And when she came in to him, he
said, ‘Pick up your son.’ So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed
to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.”
NKJV
Recall the words of the song, “It Is Well
with My Soul” written by Phillip Bliss.
It Is Well with My Soul
When peace like a river
attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is
well with my soul.
Invitation:
The lives of these outstanding women of the Old Testament speak volumes.
We have much to learn from them.
Bobby Stafford June 17, 2018
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