God Changes What Seems Unchangeable In His Perfect Timing.

The waiting periods of our lives often feel endless, but Hannah's story reveals the profound purpose hidden within these seasons. For years, Hannah endured the pain of barrenness while facing cruel taunts from her husband's other wife who had many children. Her worth seemed diminished in a culture that valued women primarily for childbearing, yet this extended season of waiting was preparing the way for something extraordinary.

When God finally answered Hannah's fervent prayers, she bore Samuel—not just any son, but one of Israel's greatest prophets who would later anoint David as king, establishing the lineage through which Jesus would eventually come. What appeared as barren ground became the fertile soil from which God's redemptive plan would advance.

Hannah's powerful prayer recorded in 1 Samuel 2 provides a striking revelation about God's character. "Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are hungry hunger no more. She who is barren has born seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away." Her words proclaim God as the great reverser of circumstances—the one who fundamentally transforms situations, raising the poor to sit with princes and exalting the humble while bringing down the proud.

This transformation isn't limited to Hannah's ancient story. The same God who opened her womb offers spiritual rebirth to us today. We are designed to host His glory, to carry His divine life within us, becoming citizens of His kingdom when we simply believe. Just as Samuel's life foreshadowed Christ, our lives can reflect Jesus to a world desperate for genuine hope.

Whatever barren situation you're facing today—whether relational, financial, spiritual, or emotional—remember that with God, nothing remains permanently barren. Your current waiting period might be the very preparation ground for something far greater than you can imagine. Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement during their season of waiting, and subscribe to receive more insights from God's transformative word.

Chapters

• 0:00 Hannah's Story of Barrenness
• 6:00 Hannah's Powerful Prayer
• 12:12 When Situations Change
• 18:12 Samuel as a Picture of Christ
• 22:51 Our New Life in Christ
• 24:59 Closing Prayer and Farewell

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:42

So we've been taking a little closer look at the book of 1 Samuel and it's interesting that it takes a person roughly two and a half hours if you were to read it out loud, but it took approximately 100 years 100 years for it to be lived out, and so sometimes when we're reading we can kind of look at it as though it happened quicker than it really did. And sometimes in life it seems like things can sometimes drag on. It's like is there anything really happening and is my life even counting for anything? Because we live in the realm of time and space and 100 years to us seems like a relatively long period of time. And when we look at the scriptures once again, it can seem like things were always happening. But in all reality things were spaced out often and time-wise, and it's a point of encouragement for us that if it doesn't seem like there's something happening right now, it doesn't mean like anything's not happening or like nothing's going to happen or like nothing's going to happen. It's because of us being in this time and space continuum that we have a sense of sometimes things blagging when in all actuality they're not.

Speaker 1: 3:05

And Hannah is a prime example of that One of Elkanah's two wives, hannah and Penina. And Hannah, for most of her adult life, or for a lot of it many years, plural years she was a barren woman. She could not conceive a lot of it. Many years, plural years she was a barren woman, she could not conceive. And in that culture at that point in time, a woman who was barren, it was really a hard thing to bear, because their worth was wrapped up in bearing children, especially sons, and Hannah didn't have a capability of bearing any. And Penina, elkanah's other wife, bore many children. Alcana's other wife bore many children and she reminded Hannah of her barrenness often, and especially when it came time for them to go up and present sacrifices before the Lord. That Peninnah would taunt Hannah horribly, to the point that Hannah would be in tears and at one point she couldn't even eat because she was so upset. And this went on for years and if you've ever felt like a penny waiting for change, someone who is not really worth much Kind of worthless, hannah could relate. That's how she felt Until God heard her prayers and answered them and opened up her womb and she bore a son by the name of Samuel, who is one of Israel's greatest prophets. In fact, he was the prophet who was used by God to anoint David to be king. So Samuel held a high place concerning the kingdom of God, a place of high honor, and he came out of Hannah's womb.

Speaker 1: 5:46

And so we're picking up this story, and, and so we're picking up this story and that's why we're at least that's one of the reasons why we're looking into the book of 1 Samuel, because it's so full of stories, and this is a true story, and so it carries some additional weight. And in chapter 1, verse 28, we read that Hannah had now given Samuel over to the Lord. In fact, she said so now I give him to the Lord for his whole life. He'll be given over to the Lord. And then it says and he, meaning Samuel, worshipped the Lord there and there, meaning Shiloh, where Eli and Hophni and Phinehas were the priesthood at the time, he worshipped the Lord of the air Interesting.

Speaker 1: 6:59

From the onset of Samuel's life, worship was a high priority, and that speaks volumes to us today, because worship, the worship of God, the one true God, is our highest priority. We were created to worship him. He is central and he is worthy of our everything. It was just the other day, as I was conversing with God. He reminded me of something he said David all I want is everything. All I want is everything, and that's what worship is giving God everything. And so Samuel, from the age of three, probably right around three, three years old was dedicated to the Lord. Hannah gave him over to the service of God in the temple of God at Shiloh at the age of three, and so Eli was responsible for raising him.

Speaker 1: 8:23

But after Hannah gave him over, in chapter two the scripture says then Hannah prayed and said my heart rejoices in the Lord. In the Lord, my horn is lifted high, my mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one beside you. There is no rock holy like the Lord. There is no one beside you. There is no rock like our God. Do not keep talking proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is our God and he knows and he takes delight in the deeds and he weighs them out.

Speaker 1: 9:17

The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are hungry, hunger no more. She who is barren has born seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. The Lord brings death and makes alive. He brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth. He humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap and he exalts the world. He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his kings and exalt the horn of his anointed. Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the Lord under Eli the priest. That was chapter two, verses one through 11. Hannah verses 1 through 11.

Speaker 1: 11:01

Hannah, hannah, the barren one prays this powerful prayer that we have to this very day. When Elkanah heard this prayer, he couldn't get it out of his mind, so much so that we have it today. You see, back in those days, people had incredible memories because they didn't have as many distractions as we have today, many distractions as we have today. Many of the things that took place that were significant were passed on through what's known as oral tradition, meaning they would tell stories, and the things that they would tell would be the high points, the things that really stood out, and they had the ability to do that in part because they didn't have as many distractions. But also when the Spirit of God wants something to be recorded, when he wants it to be remembered to be recorded, but he wants it to be remembered he's going to come upon the situation with an anointing that's very strong, and Hannah experienced the anointing of the Lord to pray a prayer that has within it so much potency, that has a prophetic power to it, that when we look deeper into it, we find a revelation concerning the very character and nature of God.

Speaker 1: 13:12

And one of the things that stands out to me, one of the primary things in this prayer that Hannah prays, is that things change, situations change. Things that are one way become a completely different way, become a completely different way. In verse 5, she says those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are hungry hunger no more. She who is barren has born seven children. Verse 6. Verse 7. Verse 8. Verse 7, the Lord sends poverty and wealth, he humbles and he exalts. Verse 8, he raises the poor from the dust and he lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor, for the foundations of the earth are the Lord's. Upon them. He has set the world. Things don't stay the same If you're in a place that is barren right now, if you are in a place that is poor, financially poor, if you're in a place where you are destitute, forgotten. It's not going to stay that way.

Speaker 1: 15:18

God has a way of changing things that we can't, and one of the things that connected change in Hannah's life was the fact that she earnestly, with everything she had, prayed to God so that she could conceive. And God gave her an answer to that prayer. And the answer that he provided not only changed Hannah's life, but it changed the things all throughout Israel because of the power of the Lord upon Samuel. But the Spirit of God came upon Hannah to pray this prayer, and there are some prayers that we pray to God, but there are some prayers that come from God and they come through us, back to God. He uses us as conduits to see things take place. God used Hannah even though it looked like she was going to be barren for the rest of her life.

Speaker 1: 16:52

And sometimes it can feel like that, that the situation that you're in is going to be the way it's going to be all of your life. But it doesn't have to be. God loves you, he has a purpose for you that's far greater than what you can even imagine, and sometimes the things that we go through are designed in a way that, on one hand, they look barren, but on the other hand, god is preparing something. He's preparing something far greater than we could do on our own. See, the Lord opened Hannah's womb. It was a supernatural act of God because he wanted to do something significant. He wanted to introduce Israel to something that was going to be a forerunner of the Lord, jesus Christ.

Speaker 1: 18:06

The scarlet thread of the life of Jesus, the forerunning of Jesus, is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Samuel is a picture of Jesus before Jesus was born, and Hannah delivers a child that was going to change the course of a nation, just like Jesus came to change the course of this world. And so we get pictures of Jesus coming through, but also Samuel is going to anoint David as king, and from David's lineage, literally the seed of God was passing through and the genealogy would lead to Jesus, and David was going to be one of those who carried that seed and Samuel was going to anoint him. And so we have this wonderful picture of Jesus being shown to us, given us. There's a glimpse of him found all throughout the Old Testament. When we look at it, we can find Jesus. We don't have to make it up, it's right there and God has a plan to have Jesus enter into your life.

Speaker 1: 20:27

You are one who is designed to host the glory of the Lord. You are one who is designed to have within you the divine seed of God, his life, planted supernaturally in you that you would be born again, supernaturally born again, one who carries with you the very life of Jesus, of Jesus, because he has cut covenant with you before you were even born, while you were still dead in your own transgressions, in your own ways of living dead in them. Christ died for you so that you could receive newness of life, literally meaning you could see, you could receive the life of God, new life, true life, spiritually born again, so that you can become a citizen of God's kingdom and an heir of righteousness man. And when we recognize that and we respond and say I believe. That's our first step. That's not the only step, but that's our first step to be involved in a lifestyle.

Speaker 1: 22:15

That is something that Jesus promised we would walk in. He said that we would do greater things than him because he goes to the Father, and he went and sent us his spirit to dwell within us so we can function under the unction that Hannah and Samuel functioned under. We can walk in it because it's within us when we believe. That's powerful, that's hope, that's the transformative work and then from there, things begin to change. Does it happen overnight? Sometimes? Is it a process? Sometimes Sometimes. But God is faithful. That's what Hannah declared in her prayer His faithfulness and how he changes things from one way to another. Same goes for you, same goes for me. He changes things. We're not stuck in the situation that we're in right now. If it's barren and difficult, if it's barren and difficult, it's going to change. That's free Father.

Speaker 1: 24:19

God, I absolutely trust you, I absolutely love you, I worship you, you, I worship you, we worship you, we honor you, we give you thanks for who you are, for what you're doing, for how you're doing it, the fact that you're doing it within us right now. Holy Spirit, thank you, thank you. Thank you within us right now, holy Spirit, thank you, thank you. Thank you for establishing within us the very character and nature of Jesus, for putting your word, your law, your ways in our hearts. We can live them out, not just perform them. Thank you, god.

Speaker 1: 25:16

Jesus, we honor you, we lift your name high, we submit ourselves to your lordship and declare you King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We look forward to your soon return. In the meantime, empower us to do your will and we stand here in your name and we say amen, amen, amen, amen. All right, folks, we love you. If you have any thoughts, questions, concerns, feel free to drop us a line at life around the fire, at gmailcom. That's our email address and you can type in life around the fire and look us up on the web. We would love to hear from you in the meantime. God bless you. Adios amigos.