The Birthing; The Mourning Ends Now…

Emmanuel Nyabam

Sep 7

The Birthing; The Mourning Ends Now...

THERE WAS a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, named Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. This man went from his city year by year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were the Lord's priests. When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give to Peninnah his wife and all her sons and daughters portions [of the sacrificial meat]. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had given her no children. [This embarrassed and grieved Hannah] and her rival provoked her greatly to vex her, because the Lord had left her childless. So it was year after year; whenever Hannah went up to the Lord's house, Peninnah provoked her, so she wept and did not eat. Then Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you cry? And why do you not eat? And why are you grieving? Am I not more to you than ten sons? So Hannah rose after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside a post of the temple (tent) of the Lord. And [Hannah] was in distress of soul, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly. She vowed, saying, O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid and [earnestly] remember, and not forget Your handmaid but will give me a son, I will give him to the Lord all his life; no razor shall touch his head. And as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli noticed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Eli said to her, How long will you be intoxicated? Put wine away from you. But Hannah answered, No, my Lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I was pouring out my soul before the Lord. [Gen. 19:34.] Regard not your handmaid as a wicked woman; for out of my great complaint and bitter provocation I have been speaking. Then Eli said, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him. Hannah said, Let your handmaid find grace in your sight. So [she] went her way and ate, her countenance no longer sad.
1 Samuel 1:1‭-‬18 AMPC

I had a night of encounter and woke with a desire to see and hear God differently. So when the verse for the day took me to Samuel I cut short all my study to seek this direction and the insights are astounding. It also is refreshing that God is concerned with the matters that concerns us. As a nation it is shocking the disregard for sound and trite law but in all honesty it is a mirror of the sum total of our people and the corruption we inherently carry that needs to break. Many years ago on this day I could have lost the love of my life as it was a dark Friday in Jos with the whole town taken up in flames by incessant religious crisis. She had closed from work and stopped to visit her fiance. It was days before the events that shook the whole world in America now famously called 911! However that's noty focus this morning but it birthed the firm desire that we become man and wife.

This story of the mother of Samuel and her husband as well as her mate, is intriguing to say the least. God had shut her womb the writ says. But follow the irony of that statement with me a bit as I draw the tapestry of this story. Now, Ephraim = " double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"

second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh
the tribe, Ephraim
the mountain country of Ephraim
sometimes used name for the northern kingdom (Hosea or Isaiah)
a city near Baal-hazor
a chief gate of Jerusalem

That is not even the catch but gives background. It comes from a root word called

ephrâth 'ephrâthâh

BDB Definition: Ephrath or Ephratah = " ash-heap: place of fruitfulness"

a place near Bethel where Rachel died and was buried (noun proper locative)
another name for Bethlehem (noun proper locative)
wife of Caleb (noun proper feminine)

That means Ephraim is a place of fruitfulness and the word Ephratg comes from a root word pârâh. BDB Definition:

to bear fruit, be fruitful, branch off
1. (Qal) to bear fruit, be fruitful
2. (Hiphil)
  1. to cause to bear fruit
  2. to make fruitful
  3. to show fruitfulness, bear fruit

Clearly to bear fruit was the original plan yet God shut this womb. So that a special branch off would be made fruitful. That one child would make Hannah a blessed mother amongst nations. None of Peninah children would even enjoy the valor of their father Elkanah sadly...

Let's journey on as we draw this picture on the canvas of our souls. God's law meant that three annual pilgrim festivals are attended by Israelites (we shall not today focus herein). This man Elkanah went to worship from his city yearly. He was a warrior and had a city oh! He was a champion and a man of valor clearly. The writ tells me he went to worship the Lord of Host a term for God which is a military term reffering to God as the one who commands the angelic armies of heaven and the armies of Israel. He was such a warrior who had seen death severally yet wanted Hannah to appreciate she had him as he had seen great men die...

Ah but there was a seed within that had to be birthed. It was to be drawn out as it took work and a sound prayer. In fact her delirious prayer looked to Eli as though a drunken woman had come to the Tabernacle of God. Now the irony is the double portion Elkanah gave his wife was a compensation and a double for the lack of a child and didn't comfort her as Penninah kept bothering her. Yes, this will certainly make anyone depressed. She was so bothered she cried to the Lord concerning that fruitful womb that was shut closed! Now that womb comes from the root word râcham. BDB Definition:

to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion
1. (Qal) to love
2. (Piel)
  1. to have compassion, be compassionate
    1. of God, man
3. (Pual) to be shown compassion, be compassionate

The womb is a place of true love and birthing. Now no birth takes place where there is not peace. Truly I don't know how God plans this but we're in a season of birthing and our prayers clearly are at the altar and God not onlyhas heard He has taken actions. Are we willing to hand over that womb, nation, home, life, situation and so on to God and believe Him to sort it out and birth His glory? To that woman or home waiting for the fruit of the womb know that God has heard and you birth once you truly covenant with God. Hannah birthed a Nasserine a typology of the later king of glory Jesus. Who was birthed in the place of double fruitfulness. Jesus birth was planned by God and there was no mistake. So even if there is a situation due to your mistake, Jesus heals it and that womb births in Jesus name. Indeed the mourning ends in Jesus mighty name. Be comforted as God births the new in our lives in Jesus name Amen. Shalom!