Hannah – Dancing In The Kingdom

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 2 – The Kingdom Revealed – Chapter 11 – The Kingdom Enters

John the Baptist (Immerser)

[Bible references: Matthew 3:1-3; 11:2-19; Luke 1:5-80; 3:1-20]

The precursor to Jesus coming was John the Baptist. John was born to a couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, six months earlier than Jesus was born. Like the couples Abraham and Sarah and Elkanah and Hannah before them, Zechariah and Elizabeth also gave birth to children when they were normally considered to be too elderly to have children. When Zechariah was told by the angel, Gabriel, about the coming birth of his son (who would be named John), Zechariah had trouble believing the message. The resulting discipline given to Zechariah was being unable to speak. This discipline was used to convince Zechariah and others about the miraculous nature of John’s birth. John was sent in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare Israel for the ministry of Jesus. John’s preaching and baptizing ministry began before Jesus started his ministry and continued until Herod the tetrarch arrested John.

Reflect

While Zechariah became temporarily mute as a matter of discipline for him, it also seemed to increase the awe of John’s birth for everyone else. What types of things increase awe for you?

Observe

Read Matthew 11:2-19. Why do you think John had questions about Jesus?

Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents

Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 1 – Shadows of the Kingdom – Chapter 7– Settlement

God raising his people

[Bible references: 1 Samuel 1-2; Ruth 1-4; Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 3:21-38; 1 Corinthians 25; (See also, Sarah (Genesis 16-18) Rebekah (Genesis 25:19-26) Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-25))]

During the time of the judges, while the nation of Israel struggled and failed to follow God, we find that God was raising judges in response to Israel’s cry for help in their ongoing cycle of sin, God was also quietly working in the background through individuals to carry out His larger plan.

During the period of the Judges, God used drought to cause Elimelech and his wife Naomi and their two sons to move to Moab. Both of her sons got married in Moab and one of them married a woman named Ruth. When Naomi’s husband and sons were tragically killed, Naomi moved back home to Israel. While Ruth could have stayed in Moab, Ruth desired to follow Naomi and particularly to follow Naomi’s God. God used that act of faith to arrange for Ruth to meet and married Boaz, thus inserting a Moabite woman into the lineage of people who would become the ancestors of Jesus.

There is a recurring story that began in Genesis with Abraham and Sarah, where God works through women who have difficulties in pregnancy. In the time of Judges, the woman was Hannah. In her struggle to become pregnant, Hannah leaned on God. One day, while she was praying at the tabernacle, the priest, Eli, saw her and asked God to grant Hannah her wish. Shortly thereafter, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son, Samuel. In an act of gratefulness, after giving birth to Samuel, Hannah committed Samuel to serve at the tabernacle with Eli. Little did Eli know at the time that God would raise up Samuel to be a priest in place of his sons. When Eli’s sons had become corrupt and unfit to serve as priests, God worked within Hannah’s fervent worship to raise up Samuel and eventually called Samuel to replace Eli as priest. Samuel ended up being a prophet for Israel and served as the last of the judges.

Reflect

We can get distracted by events around us and lose sight of the fact that God is always working around us, even when things seem to be in turmoil. How can that help us in our daily lives?

Observe

Read 1 Samuel 1-2. Consider how God worked through Hannah’s life to prepare Samuel to be the next priest. How can God use the trials in your life to bring glory to Himself?