Elkanah was Hannah’s husband and he loved her greatly.
Hannah was Elkanah’s first choice, but Hannah could not bear children. Pressured by tradition, Elkanah married another called Peninnah who bore him a child, but Elkanah loved Hannah more and always gave her a double portion to offer to the Lord every year. This action made Peninnah jealous and she would say things that would make Hannah weep. When Elkanah noticed the tears, he would try to cheer her up, reminding her that he was not concerned with her inability to produce a child for him; In fact, all he wanted was for her to be contented and happy to be with him, as if she had already bore him ten sons.
Elkanah was truly and deeply in love with Hannah but Hannah just could not find it in herself to accept it. Not when the culture she lived in looked down on women who cannot bear, and not when her rival kept taunting her for being selfish and contributing nothing to the family. The most painful truth though, is that Hannah was truly in love with Elkanah as well, and to be able to bear him a son would be the greatest expression of her love for him. All that however had eluded her, despite her sacrifices, all she could do was to step aside and stay out of the way of Peninnah who could do what she could not, and hoped secretly that Elkanah would stop doting on her in front of the others.
God Was Greatly In Love With Israel
When Israel asked for a king later on in the Book of Samuel, God was not pleased.
Samuel thought the people were unhappy with Samuel’s misbehaving children, but God knew it was because Israel has been influenced by the culture around her. Everyone had a king so why not Israel? Except they had forgotten that from the time of the Exodus up to then, God has been Israel’s King for was not the purpose of a king to protect and lead his people? But as usual, people preferred the form rather than the substance, and in trying to be great like everyone else, they neglected the one who truly have their interest at heart.
However, like Elkanah, God did not stop loving Israel because of their weakness. In fact He gave Israel what they wanted, first a tall handsome leader named Saul (that Israel chose) who did not quite fill the shoes, followed by a shepherd boy call David (who God chose) that will lead Israel against their enemies.
God's Love is What We Need
As believers, we want to do our best for God. But as fallen human beings, we can never be perfect in everything we do. When we fail, we hang on to confession and try to repent. But when we fail again (and again), some of us beat ourselves up, while some even walk away thinking this ‘religion’ is too hard.
But God never asked for perfection (despite what you heard from misguided preachers) or He would not have sent a Saviour to bear our sins and failures. What God wants is our heart and trust that He REALLY is that good a God, a God that has our interest at heart.
So don’t blame God for how fallen men have treated you. Look to Jesus for the strength to forgive yourself and others, and discover again the God of the Gospel who will never give up on you because of what He had already done for you.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16-17
This article references 1 Samuel 1-18, 1 Samuel 8-9, 1 Samuel 16
