Dedication

Rev. David G Bostick
10/25/09

Introduction

How many of you have personally met a girl with the first name Hannah?

How many of you have personally met a girl with the first name Peninnah? Have you ever heard of a girl in modern history with that name?

Do you know why this is? Because in ancient history Peninnah was a hateful woman, but Hannah was a godly woman.

Text

1 Samuel 1:1-11 (NASB)
   [1] Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
   [2] He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
   [3] Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD there.
   [4] When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;
   [5] but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb.
   [6] Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.
   [7] It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.
   [8] Then Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
   [9] Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.
   [10] She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.
   [11] She made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head."

In verses 12-23, we learn that the family returns home and Hannah has a son and names him Samuel.

1 Samuel 1:24-28 (NASB)
   [24] Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young.
   [25] Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli.
   [26] She said, "Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD.
   [27] "For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him.
   [28] "So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.

Verse 6 says that Peninnah would provoke Hannah. The word provoke is an interesting word. The dictionary says, "Provoke means to call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses), to provide needed stimulus for, annoy continually or chronically." (WordWeb)

The Hebrew word used here had to do with provoking someone to anger. This is what Peninnah would do to Hannah, year after year. It would upset Hannah to the point she could not eat. Not the kind of person you want to name you daughter after.

In verse 11, Hannah asks God for a child and makes a commitment to dedicate that child to the Lord. In verses 24-28, Hannah does indeed dedicate her son Samuel to the Lord.

The actions of these two women, revealed in these verses, are a good indication of why women are named after Hannah, but we never hear of anyone being named after Peninnah. These verses reveal the true character of these two women. But, why is that significant for you and I today?

Application

The Parents

This passage has more significance, than the choosing of a name for a child. This passage is the foundation for the truth found in a great church tradition, the tradition of dedicating children to the Lord.

It was a privilege to be in the service last Sunday when Gabriella was dedicated, and this morning Jonah and Felicity have been dedicated. But what is the significance of the dedication of a child to the Lord? What role does the church play in this dedication beyond attending the dedication service?

I want to propose to you that Hannah's prayer for a child, in verse 11, is the basis for the dedication of children today. There are two reasons for this:

1. First, Hannah's prayer acknowledges that it is God that gives children to parents. To acknowledge that children are a gift from God makes the practice of murder by abortion a tragic crisis in our culture.
      We invade other countries based on their use of weapons of mass destruction and inhumane treatment of their people. Yet, we do not see our own inhumane treatment of innocent children.
2. Second, it shows Hannah's gratitude to God in giving the child back to God. The principle here is that the giving of a child to God is the commitment to lead that child to God in relationship both in teaching and in godly example.

The dedication of children to the Lord embodies the hopes and expectations that Christian parents have, to lead their children into the Kingdom of God.

• The Dedication of a Child Does Not Include:
• Any guarantee for the child's salvation until they are old enough to make their own decision about their relationship with God. That has already been provided for by God's prevenient grace.
• It does not release the parents from their responsibility to teach their children the principles of the Christian life.
• It does not release the parents from their responsibility to live the Christian life before their children.
     (Some get the idea that if the children are dedicated to the Lord, then everything is covered, and they have no more responsibility.)
• The Dedication of a Child Does Include:
• A commitment on the part of the parents to be responsible, to make living the Christian life before their children, the priority of the family unit.
• It does include the responsibility parents have, to teach God's Word to their children. And, by the way, to be able to teach God's Word to children, the parent needs to study God's Word.

Hannah's Song of Thanksgiving is also very revealing in a discussion about the dedication of children to the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:1-10 (NASB)
   [1] Then Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
   [2] "There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
   [3] "Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.
   [4] "The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength.
   [5] "Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes.
   [6] "The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
   [7] "The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts.
   [8] "He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, And He set the world on them.
   [9] "He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail.
   [10] "Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed."

I think Hannah's song of thanksgiving is a great source of advice for parents today. Her expressions are detailed and explosive in showing her love for God. They are the wisdom that every parent needs in pointing their children toward their maker.

• Verse 1 - Hannah says, "my heart exults in the Lord". The Hebrew word used here for "exults (H5970) is a verb meaning to rejoice, especially in the Lord. (CWS-OT) It shows the joy that accompanies the realization of God's gift of children.
• Verse 2 - She expresses God's holiness and steadfastness using the term rock to describe Him. Sound familiar? The same term Jesus uses in the Sermon on the Mount to describe the foundation of a life built on the words of Christ.
• Verse 3 - She expresses how the knowledge of God is the standard with which the actions of a person's life should be weighed.
• Verse 4 - She talks about how enemies cannot stand against God.
• Verse 5 - She talks about how the bread of this world, the things of this world, will never satisfy the hunger and thirst one has within.
• Verse 6 - She talks about God as the very source of life itself.
• Verses 7 & 8 - She shows how God is in control. What a comforting thought. No matter what happens, no matter what is going on in a person's life, God is in control.
• Verse 9 - God is the keeper. The Hebrew word used here for "keeper (H8104) is a verb meaning to watch, to keep, to preserve, to guard, to be carful, to watch over, to watch carefully over, to be on one's guard, to care for." (CWS-OT) The ultimate benefit in dedicating our children to God is the promise that He is their keeper. And, God is our keeper as well.

That's what the dedication of a child to God is all about. But, there is more to it than that. The child has many agents of influence in their lives as they grow up.

The Church

As I always indicate in the dedication ceremonies I perform, the church also has an important role in the dedication of children to God. Listen to this portion of the dedication ceremony:

"There is another agent of influence represented here today -- the church. And at this time I ask the members of this congregation to stand as evidence of your acceptance of this responsibility. I charge you to do all that you can to provide and support a place of worship in this community where children may hear the full counsel of God's Word. I urge you to be faithful in providing programs for instruction in discipleship, and to demonstrate affectionate kindness towards all of our children. And I charge you to make a covenant before God, to set an example by your lives, and to maintain an atmosphere in our church, which shall inspire children to desire the Christian way of life." (dgb)

Think about that for a moment. "Set an example by your lives, and maintain an atmosphere in our church, which shall inspire children to desire the Christian way of life."

But the church is much more than an agent of influence in the life of a child. The church is the purveyor of God's word, and His will here on earth. To that end, all of us have a responsibility in the dedication of children to God.

We are the agents God works through on this earth. In other words, every Christian has a responsibility to participate in the Kingdom of God. There are many ways that one can participate. In the context of the dedication of children to God, the church has a responsibility to help parents to teach and show by example, the Christian life.

Dallas Wilard, in his book, The Divine Conspiracy, talks about how God made all of us to rule in our own kingdom. Listen to his words that describe people who profess to know Christ but are only "...passive observers who count for nothing, who make no difference." (iPhone eReader version, pages 129-131 and 191-193.)

The Kingdom of God needs your help. Our children need your help.

Works Cited Section