What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 1:20? So in the course of time • God’s clock never runs fast or slow. “In the course of time” reminds us that the Lord’s answers arrive precisely when they should—never too early, never too late (Galatians 4:4; Ecclesiastes 3:1). • Hannah had spent years under the sting of barrenness and ridicule (1 Samuel 1:6-7), yet her waiting season was not wasted. Waiting tempered her faith, purified her motives, and prepared her to steward the blessing. • The phrase quietly underscores divine sovereignty: what looks like ordinary passing days is, in fact, God orchestrating events behind the scenes (Psalm 31:15). Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son • The conception itself is a testimony to the Lord’s direct intervention: “the LORD had closed her womb” (1 Samuel 1:5), and now He opened it. Only He holds that key (Genesis 21:1-2; Luke 1:24-25). • Every child is a deliberate gift, not an accident of biology (Psalm 127:3). Life in the womb comes from God’s hand, affirming its sacred value from the earliest moment (Psalm 139:13-16). • Deliverance follows dependence. Hannah’s earlier tears at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:10-13) are answered in the cry of a newborn—proof that heartfelt prayer moves heaven. She named him Samuel • In Scripture, names often preach sermons. By choosing “Samuel,” Hannah tied her son’s identity to God’s faithfulness, much like Sarah naming Isaac “laughter” (Genesis 21:6) or Elizabeth naming John (Luke 1:60). • The name would remind Samuel every day that he was the product of prayer and promise. It also testified to everyone who met him that the Lord listens. • Parents today can follow Hannah’s example by intentionally pointing their children—and onlookers—back to the Lord’s work in their family stories (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Because I have asked for him from the LORD • Hannah’s explanation echoes Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and He answered me.” It celebrates a personal God who invites, hears, and responds (Matthew 7:7; 1 John 5:14-15). • Her words close the loop on her earlier vow (1 Samuel 1:11). What she asked for in private, she now proclaims in public. Worship follows answered prayer. • Notice the focus: the blessing is acknowledged as coming “from the LORD,” not from luck, doctors, or chance (James 1:17). Gratitude flows upward to its proper source. summary Hannah’s journey teaches that God’s timing is perfect, His power can open any closed door, His gifts demand grateful acknowledgment, and His answers are best commemorated by lives openly dedicated to Him. |
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