Hannah Rose

When I told the worshiping congregation of Seneca Presbyterian Church that we were "fast forwarding" through the Old Testament in our use of the narrative lectionary, I wasn't kidding. Last week, we were with the people of Israel on the night of their first Passover. This Sunday we will be with Hannah at worship in the sanctuary at Shiloh. So much happens in-between these events. (In defense of the narrative lectionary, we did skip the story of the Golden Calf that appears next in their sequence in order to "catch up.")

The story of Hannah and the birth of Samuel begin a time of great transition for Israel. After the Exodus, Moses guided the people for 40 years in the wilderness. It was a time that God remembers fondly because it was a time when the people were totally dependent on God. You might think of it as something of their childhood and adolescence. When we arrive at the books of Joshua and Judges, the people have entered the land of Canaan. They've fought for the land God promised them, and in some ways they are now "on their own." They are surrounded by people who worship many gods, especially the gods of nature. The future of God's promise - and the future of the world - depend on one question: Will Israel be faithful in the land God has promised them?

That is the overarching question answered by the books our Hebrew brothers and sisters call the Former Prophets, namely Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings. In these six books that Christians call "history," (and scholars call the Deuteronomic History) Israel goes from being a landed (reaching the Promised Land) to a landless (losing the land in the time of exile) people. They also go from being a loose confederation of tribes to a society ruled by a king. It is an amazing story and an amazing journey - one filled with questions that still seek resolution even in our own day.

The wonderful story of Hannah transitions us to the world of kingship. Hannah's son Samuel will grow up to be the "king-maker" - the one who anoints both Saul and David as kings in Israel. As our narrative lectionary study group wrestled and enjoyed this story, we took each character in turn: Elkanah, Peninnah, Eli, Samuel, and Hannah. Our attention focused on Hannah: her fervent prayer and amazing faith. And we asked:

• Just how did Hannah endure her life as the barren, first wife of Elkanah? 
• Was Elkanah's love for Hannah sincere?
• Did he understand her life and her struggle? 
• What drove Hannah to the sanctuary at Shiloh where she poured out her heart to God? 
• Did Eli affirm her or dismiss her? 
• And most significantly, how did Hannah believe the promise with no evidence of its fulfillment? 

In preparation for worship on Sunday, read 1 Samuel 1:1 - 2:10. See if you can sing with Hannah:

There is no Holy One like the Lord, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 

Seeing with Christ Eyes

The story of the Passover lies at the heart of Hebrew faith. Despite the amazing stories of "the ancestors" that we read in the book of Genesis, and even despite the glorious accounts of creation and devastating story of the fall, the story of Israel begins in Egypt and the wonder of the Exodus story. It is a story that thrills the world and has become the paradigm for freedom throughout the centuries. The Jewish Study Bible reports that Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson wanted to see the image of Moses leading the Israelites across the parted sea on the Great Seal of the United States. Many of our American ancestors considered their flight from Europe to the freedom of a new land to be a new exodus.

When the Narrative Lectionary Study Group of Seneca Presbyterian Church met to consider this story, it triggered some amazing reflections. We all shared our experiences of observing the Passover traditions of others and the devotion they reflect. I have often envied those traditions and the opportunity they present to re-live the story of freedom and deliverance.

We also reflected on what this story teaches us of God's power. Do we believe that God is still active in the world, bringing down tyrants and tearing down walls? What if it was God's hand and not human effort (or God's hand behind human effort) that brought down the Berlin Wall?

But then the image of power confused us. Just why did God "harden Pharaoh's heart"? Could there have been an easier way? And when I asked them if the story of the first Passover could become our story as Christians, the answer wasn't immediately apparent - and remains something for us to ponder. 

When we gather for worship this Sunday, we will be celebrating World Communion Sunday. We will remember the story of Passover and the story of the last Passover meal Jesus shared with his disciples. I will attempt to make some connections - and offer some reflections of what this amazingly powerful story teaches us about God - both then and now.

You can prepare for worship - and deepen your own understanding - by reading all of Exodus 1:1-15:21 - the Narrative of Liberation.