“The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. (1 Samuel 2:6, 7, NKJV).
This is part of Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving for the LORD taking away her barrenness and giving her a son, Samuel. It is a surprising to me that in the midst of extolling the LORD's kindness to her, she is succinctly pointing out His sovereign control of everything.`
It is almost brutal in its formulation in that the LORD, without apology or need to justify His purposes, KILLS, MAKES ALIVE, BRINGS DOWN TO THE GRAVE, BRINGS UP (resurrects), MAKES POOR, MAKES RICH, BRINGS LOW (humiliates), and LIFTS UP (exalts).
All this from a woman who is unfailingly described as gentle, loving, righteous, and nurturing... the wife whom Elkanah loved more than his other wife, despite her being barren, and the other wife fertile.
These are remarkable truths and insights from Hannah about her God. She KNEW these characteristics of her God as certainly as she knew that her longed-for son was a gift from above.
I believe these are vitally important truths for us to understand about our God, as well.
I find it strangely comforting that the Lord never makes any excuse or apology for doing the things that He does. He is not the author of evil, but neither does He avoid responsibility for allowing it to happen. I understand that this is, in part, because He always has His good purposes in view. He always works ALL things together for good to those who love Him.
Even the things that can devastate us in this life.
He allows them for His reasons, which are as far above our thoughts as the heavens are above the earth. And it is, for us, an opportunity to exercise that measure of faith which we have all been dealt. We are to trust Him “through the Valley of the Shadow of Death”.
Remember, Hannah's declaration of God's sovereign power and authority are entwined within her prayer of thanksgiving for her son. She bore the heartache and stigma of being childless for years, until, in God's timing, and in response to her prayers, He gave her the desire of her heart.
And her son, Samuel, was to be one of the greatest prophets and judges of Israel.
Like Job, Hannah knew that the LORD gives and the LORD takes away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
We live in a world that can sometimes appear overwhelmingly dark and evil, but the LORD is in control.
We sometimes can be faced with insurmountable obstacles, pain, or loss, but the LORD is in control.
We are often at the mercy of circumstances that we can't even begin to cope with, but the LORD is in control.
And He DOES work all things together for good. He DOES care for us, even though the world does not.
He has promised a future and a hope. He sent His Son to redeem us from everlasting torment.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38, 39, NKJV).
And... For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18, NKJV).
In Him,
Bill L
