Victim or Victor

Victim or Victor

Words of Faith 8-2-24

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL   

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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1 Samuel 2

     [1] 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. 

      [2] "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

      [3] "Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him, deeds are weighed.

      [4] "The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

      [5] Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.

      [6] "The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. [7] The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. [8] He raises the poor from the dust and 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. [9] He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.

     "It is not by strength that one prevails;   [10] 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 king and exalt the horn of his anointed."

        Hannah prayed. Those two words don't say half of it. Hannah burst out with a joyous prayer that lifted God's great victorious attributes. This was quite a different prayer from the one she had said months earlier, pouring out a heart of disappointment and grief. She left that earlier time of prayer uplifted, no longer downcast. Then came the great victory in the birth of Samuel, and here she is nothing short of elated.

        Hannah's prayer is the poetry of worship poured from her heart. She had seen the great victory of the Lord in her life. She had been vindicated from all of the abuse she had received from the other wife, Peninnah, and this is reflected in the poem. But mostly, this was simply a magnificent time of worship proclaiming the wonder and glory of the Lord.

        This triumph would be echoed at the time of Jesus's birth-- the ultimate victory. There is a messianic theme in this burst of worship. Mary, the mother of Jesus, incorporated some of these words and themes into her own song of triumph, the Magnificat. Mary praised God for having selected her as the human mother of Jesus, the Messiah and ultimate victor.

        Hannah expressed great joy in the Lord who had helped her to no longer be a victim and instead become a victor in the most important matters of her heart. She mentions the word "horn" several times. Horns symbolize strength because they are used by animals for defense and attack. Hannah spoke of her "horn" in describing the strength that had come to her because God had answered her prayer.

       But it is God who is exalted here, not Hannah. She lifts up God's attributes-- holiness, strength, knowledge, and discernment. God is sovereign in his actions toward both the ungodly and the godly. 

       Hannah's personal victory is poignant. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. Hannah eventually had five other children, but the expression "seven children" here symbolizes the number of completion-- the full granting of her desire for a son. 

       But there is a bigger picture of God's victory here. In the final disposition of all things, the Lord will be victorious. He is the one who will break the enemy's arrows, satisfy the hungry, raise the dead, and elevate the poor. The One who created the world was able to cause Hannah to triumph. He is able to cause you to triumph. But most importantly... He will bring about the final triumph.

        Father God, I rejoice in who You are-- the God of victory. I give thanks that You are always triumphant over Your opponents and enemies. I rejoice that You give victory to those who trust in You. I rejoice in Your victory. In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2024 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.