What parallels exist between Hannah's actions and New Testament teachings on sacrificial giving? Setting the Scene • Hannah prayed for a child, vowing to give him back to the LORD (1 Samuel 1:11). • When God answered, she kept her word. • 1 Samuel 1:24 anchors the moment: “After she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. Though the boy was still young,” What Hannah Actually Gave • Her first-born son—the most precious gift she possessed. • Costly offerings: a bull (significant monetary value), an ephah of flour (about 35 liters), and a jug of wine. • A lifelong commitment, not a temporary loan. Echoes in the Gospels • Widow’s mite (Luke 21:3-4): “she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Both women surrendered what they could least afford. • Mary of Bethany’s perfume (Mark 14:8-9): extravagant, wholehearted devotion that Jesus memorialized—just as Hannah’s story echoes through Scripture. • God’s own pattern (John 3:16): the Father “gave His one and only Son,” foreshadowed by Hannah’s surrender of Samuel. Lessons from the Early Church • Acts 4:34-35—believers sold property “and lay … at the apostles’ feet.” Hannah laid Samuel at the LORD’s house. • 2 Corinthians 8:2-3—Macedonians gave “beyond” ability; Hannah offered beyond normal expectation for a new mother. • Philippians 4:18—Paul calls the Philippians’ gifts “a fragrant offering”; Samuel’s dedication accompanied fragrant sacrifices of flour and wine. Core Principles Paralleled 1. First and best belong to God – Hannah: first-born. – New Testament: Christ called “firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Believers bring firstfruits of income and life. 2. Giving springs from gratitude, not obligation – Hannah’s offering is celebration, not mere duty. – 2 Corinthians 9:7: “God loves a cheerful giver.” 3. Sacrifice trusts God with the future – Hannah relinquished future security in her only son. – Jesus commends the widow who risked her livelihood (Luke 21:4). 4. Worship is holistic – Hannah’s sacrifice blended material gifts and a life (Samuel). – Romans 12:1 calls believers to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices.” 5. God multiplies surrendered gifts – Samuel becomes prophet and judge for the nation. – Early-church generosity fuels gospel expansion (Acts 4-6). Takeaways for Today • Give the Lord the first slice of answered prayers, not the leftovers. • Match the size of gratitude to the size of blessing—large or small. • Let giving be an act of worship that involves both resources and life direction. • Trust that surrendered treasures, like Samuel, will serve purposes far beyond personal plans. Ways to Mirror Hannah Today • Dedicate children, careers, and time to God’s service, not merely finances. • Budget generosity first, then live on the rest. • Celebrate tangible answers to prayer with proportionate gifts—special offerings, missions support, acts of service. • Keep surrender ongoing: Hannah visited Samuel yearly (1 Samuel 2:19); follow through on commitments long after the initial sacrifice. Hannah’s single verse in 1 Samuel 1:24 pulses with the same heartbeat found across the New Testament: true giving is costly, joyful, and rooted in unwavering trust that God will do more with surrendered gifts than we ever could on our own. |
    |