Word of Encouragement (08/08/2023)
The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6 The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world. (1 Sam. 2:4-8)
Hannah recognizes and praises the LORD for His sovereign lordship over the world. He is the Lord over life and death: “The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up” (v. 6). He is the Lord over fortunes and misfortunes: “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor” (vv. 7-8).
Historians try to discover the reasons and causes of major events in history. So, they look into the social, economical, political, philosophical, and other currents that surround the events and try to identify the factors that contributed to the occurrences in question. Scientists try to do the same regarding natural phenomena and their natural causes. And if they are materialistic atheists, they believe that they can discover why certain things happen(ed).
But today’s passage disputes their assumptions and their answers. The ultimate cause behind all the affairs of man and the world is God’s sovereign will. This is not to say that there is necessarily a mutually exclusive contradiction between the two ways of explaining things. The Bible makes simple assertions at the ultimate level, often without giving a detailed explanation of what happened. Think of the famous statement Joseph made to comfort his brothers who were fearing retribution from him for attempting to kill and selling him: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen. 50:20). This is a simple assertion about God’s sovereign will. But the preceding account of all that had happened shows how God was behind the brothers’ sale of Joseph to the Midianite traders, their sale of Joseph to Potiphar, the seduction of Potiphar’s wife and her false accusation of Joseph for resisting her advance, Joseph’s imprisonment, the dreams of his fellow inmates, Pharaoh’s dream which the Egyptian magicians could not interpret, etc. Do you see how God was involved in everything, from Jacob’s domestic affairs to Pharaoh’s dreams and royal court?
Hannah’s examples are full of reversals to highlight God’s sovereign lordship. You can see why. Such (unexpected) reversals show that human beings are not in control of their destinies but God. We should humble ourselves when we find ourselves at the peak of success, and we should not lose hope when we find ourselves in the valley of humiliation. For we are redeemed by the greatest Reversal of all—the humiliating death of Jesus Christ leading to His glorious resurrection and our redemption!