Daily Bible Reading “God Answers Hannah’s Prayer” (1 Samuel 1:15-28)

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Deborah H. Bateman

God Answers Hannah’s Prayer

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 1 Samuel 1:15-28. In this Scripture, we see how God answers Hannah’s prayer. In the previous lesson, we saw that Hannah was distraught because she couldn’t have a baby. She wept and prayed to God begging Him to give her a son. The priest saw her and thought she was drunk. Why did the priest think she was drunk?

Hannah answered Eli saying, “No, I am not drunk. I am very upset. I just poured my soul out to the LORD.” She told Eli not to count her as a daughter of the devil. Eli told her to go in peace and blessed her saying, “May the God of Israel grant your request.” Hannah found grace in God and in Eli. After she prayed to God and Eli blessed her she went to eat and was no longer sad. She found hope in the LORD and believed He would answer her prayer.

The next morning Hannah and her family got up early and worshiped the LORD, then they traveled back home to Ramah. That night Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah. The LORD remembered Hannah’s cry. He blessed her and she conceived a son. When the child was born Hannah named him Samuel because she asked for him from the LORD. Samuel was a gift to Hannah from the LORD.

The next year when Elkanah and the rest of the family went on their yearly journey to the temple in Shiloh, Hannah and Samuel didn’t go. Hannah told her husband she would stay home until Samuel was weaned from breastfeeding. Then, she would take him, dedicate him to the LORD, and he would stay there forever. Elkanah told Hannah she could do whatever she thought was right, after all, it was her and God who made the agreement.

After Hannah weaned Samuel she took him, three bullocks, one ephah of flour and a bottle of wine along with her to the temple in Shiloh. Biblical scholars believe that Samuel was probably about three years old when they went to the temple. Mothers nursed their babies for a long time in biblical times, though they also fed them solid food once they were old enough to eat it. They sacrificed the bullock and took Samuel to Eli, the priest, to present him to the LORD.

Hannah told Eli that she was the woman who had been crying and praying to the LORD for a child. She told him that this is the child she had prayed for; the LORD answered her prayer and blessed her with a son. Hannah promised God if He gave her a son she would lend him to the LORD all the days of his life. God answered her prayer and Hannah kept the promise she made to the LORD. Can you imagine how hard it was for Hannah to take her son and leave him at the temple because he was still a little boy?

Daily Bible Reading:

1 Samuel 1:15-28

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

Things to think about:

Does God always answer our prayers immediately? If not, how should we react in the meantime?
Does God always say yes to our prayers? If not, what are some other ways He may respond to our prayers?
What do you think it took for Hannah to be able to keep her promise to the LORD?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this Scripture where we see how You answered Hannah’s prayer. Thank You that You hear our prayers and answer them. Help us to understand that the answer might not come today. The answer may be for us to wait, the answer may be no, but You always hear and answer our prayers. Help us to keep our promises to You as Hannah did. In Jesus’ name, we pray. We love you, LORD. Amen.

– This is an excerpt from our new release The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings

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Featured Book:

The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the Book:

The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings by Deborah H. Bateman is a Daily Bible Reading Study of the book of 1 Samuel. This is the 31st book in the Daily Bible Reading Series. The book of 1 Samuel is found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

The Book of 1 Samuel not only discusses the life and call of Samuel as prophet but also includes events that happened during his lifetime. The people of Israel insisted on having a king and even though Samuel tried to warn them of the dangers of appointing a king, they insisted. So God chose Saul to be their king. A good portion of the book includes the events during the reign of King Saul including the ongoing rivalry between King Saul and David.

The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings contains 71 Daily Bible Reading Lessons. Each lesson consists of a commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, a few questions for contemplation or discussion, and a prayer to go along with the lesson. This Bible study is great as a personal daily devotional or a group Bible study.

For those of you interested in Bible journaling, pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study this book.

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Deborah

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Daily Bible Reading “God Answers Nehemiah’s Prayer” (Nehemiah 2:1-10)

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Deborah H. Bateman

God Answers Nehemiah’s Prayer

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Nehemiah 2:1-10. It was now the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, and it was the month of Nisan. Nehemiah went before the king to give him his wine and the king noticed that Nehemiah had a sad look on his face. The king asked Nehemiah why he was sad, was he sick or just sad in his heart? Nehemiah was extremely afraid to tell the king of his concern.

Since Nehemiah was the king’s cup-bearer he had constant access to the king and got to know the king personally. He was a trusted bodyguard to the king. It was his duty to protect the king and make sure that no one tried to kill the king through giving him food or wine that was poisoned.

Nehemiah prayed to God and he felt led to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. He asked for God’s favor with the king. Nehemiah said to the king, “Let the king live for ever.” He then goes on to tell the king that he’s sorrowful because the city of Jerusalem was destroyed and the gates were burned down. The king asked Nehemiah, what did he want him to do to help?

He told the king if he found favor in his eyes, he would like him to be sent back to Judah, to rebuild the city. The king asked him how long he would be gone and when he would return. Nehemiah gave the king a time and the king sent him to do the job that God had laid on his heart.

The king told him, with the queen sitting beside him to witness it, that he could go. Nehemiah asked the king to write letters to the governors on the other side of the river so they would permit him to pass through their territory until he arrived in Judah.

Nehemiah also asked that a letter be written to Asaph, who was the keeper of the king’s forest, so he would give him timbers for beams to use in the construction of the gates of the palace, the walls of the city, and the house he would live in. The king granted everything Nehemiah requested because the hand of God and His favor was upon Nehemiah.

Nehemiah went to the governors beyond the river and gave them the letters the king had written. The king also sent the captains of the army and horsemen along with Nehemiah. When the governors received the letters and heard that Nehemiah had come to check on the well-being of the children of Israel they were very distressed.

Daily Bible Reading:

Nehemiah 2:1-10

1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.

6 And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

Things to think about:

Why do you think Nehemiah was afraid to approach the king with his request?

How did God provide for Nehemiah’s project?

Have you ever felt led to do something so big that you knew you were going to have to have God’s favor to get it done?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You that we can see in this Scripture in the book of Nehemiah that You provided Nehemiah with everything he needed to do the job You had called him to do. We also see that You gave him the courage to go to the king and ask for the things he needed for the journey. Please help us and equip us to do the job You have called us to do and give us the courage to carry it through. We love You, LORD. Amen.

This is an excerpt from:

The Book of Nehemiah: A Story of Dedication and Determination

by Deborah H. Bateman

**Click on the link above to get your copy.

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Featured Book:

The Book of Nehemiah: A Story of Dedication and Determination

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the Book:

The Book of Nehemiah: A Story of Dedication and Determination is a Daily Bible Reading Study of the book of Nehemiah by Deborah H. Bateman. The book of Nehemiah is found in the Old Testament of the Bible. Nehemiah was led by God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah was a great leader. He headed up the project. Despite the opposition that the Jewish people encountered they were able to complete this major project in less than sixty days. Their dedication and determination shines through in every aspect of the project.

The Book of Nehemiah: A Story of Dedication and Determination contains eighteen Daily Bible Reading Lessons. Each lesson contains a brief commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, a few questions for contemplation or discussion and a prayer for the day. This is a great Bible study that can be used for either a personal Daily Bible Reading Study or for a group Bible study.

Go to Amazon to download your copy!

Have a blessed day,

Deborah

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PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Please come back again tomorrow and invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study.

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Deborah H. Bateman to receive the Daily Bible Reading Lessons in your inbox.

For those of you interested in Bible journaling, may I suggest you pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study the Bible along with us.