How does 1 Samuel 1:23 demonstrate obedience to God's will in family life? Setting the Scene • The chapter opens with Hannah’s anguished prayer for a son and her vow to give that son to the LORD (1 Samuel 1:11). • God answers, Samuel is born, and Hannah prepares to fulfill her promise. • Verse 23 captures the crucial family moment when Elkanah and Hannah determine how to walk out that vow together. Key Verse “Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah told her. “And stay here until you have weaned him, only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. (1 Samuel 1:23) A Portrait of Shared Obedience • Elkanah’s leadership: – He recognizes Hannah’s vow (cf. 1 Samuel 1:11) and upholds it, in harmony with Numbers 30:10-15 where a husband’s consent seals a wife’s vow. – His phrase “may the LORD confirm His word” shows reverence for God’s spoken promise, placing divine authority above personal preference. • Hannah’s submission: – She accepts Elkanah’s direction to remain until Samuel is weaned, illustrating cooperative respect within marriage (Ephesians 5:22-24). – Her willingness to part with her long-awaited child once weaned reveals wholehearted devotion to the LORD. • United timing: – Together they acknowledge that obedience sometimes involves waiting. By nursing Samuel first, Hannah meets her maternal duty while still honoring her vow—a balance of parental care and spiritual commitment. • Confidence in God’s faithfulness: – “Confirm His word” underscores their trust that God will accomplish exactly what He has spoken (Isaiah 55:11). Lessons for Family Life Today • Place God’s Word at the center: decisions, schedules, and hopes bend to Scripture rather than the other way around. • Practice supportive leadership: husbands and wives consult, encourage, and solidify each other’s spiritual commitments. • Obedience includes everyday nurture: feeding, caring, and waiting can be just as God-honoring as public acts of service. • Trust God’s timing: a family can obey immediately in heart while patiently completing necessary steps. • Verbalize faith: speaking words like “may the LORD confirm His word” reinforces trust and anchors the household in God’s reliability. Supporting Scriptures • Numbers 30:10-15 — vows within marriage confirmed by mutual agreement. • Deuteronomy 6:4-7 — parents commanded to teach God’s statutes diligently to children. • Psalm 127:3 — children are a heritage from the LORD, entrusted for His purposes. • Proverbs 3:5-6 — acknowledge Him in all ways, and He will direct paths. |
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