Hannah’s Prayer is a series of couplets that explains God’s activity this side of heaven.
This song also makes good use of a literal device known as Merism.
Merism takes two contrasting parts and uses them to refer to the whole.
For instance, “I searched high and low”.
This is just a way to emphasize you searched everywhere…
In like manner, in Hannah’s prayer we’re told that God…
Kills and makes alive…
And sends people to and resurrects them from the grave…
The idea is that life and death and everything in between is in the Lord’s hands.
Now Hannah’s prayer was an expression of gratitude for giving birth to a son after being barren for so long.
Of course Hannah didn’t it know it at the time…
But while she was glorifying God for His mercies, she also effectively summed up His eternal characteristics.
That’s why this song has served as a model for some famous New Testament prayers.
Like Miryam’s prayer to the Lord when she discovered she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
And speaking of the New Testament, there’s an amazing connection between Hannah’s prayer and the 7 letters to the 7 messianic congregations contained in the first 3 chapters of the book of the Revelations.
Let’s read ’em right now by clicking HERE.
Did you read it?
Good.
Now let’s go over a few points.
Normally this section is referred to as the “Letters to the 7 Churches of Asia”.
Although these were 7 congregations that existed in John’s time…
Their content is just as relevant to us today…
Especially since we are now living in the last days…
I say that because…
The nation of Israel has been resurrected…
Jewish believers in Yeshua are increasing…
And all the prophetic pieces are in place for the return of Messiah any day now.
Now notice the common theme woven throughout the 7 letters to the 7 different churches.
The phrase “And to him who overcomes…” is repeated over and over again.
We’re given a list of grievances from Yeshua accompanied by a warning to repent…
And for those that do repent and overcome, there will be great rewards.
Those rewards are…
-The right to eat from the Tree of Life (being awarded eternal life).
-Avoiding the 2nd death in the Eternal Lake of Fire at the final judgement for all mankind
-An exclusive invitation to eat at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb
-The authority to rule over the goyim (the gentile nations)
-Being given white robes to reflect your purity
-The right to live in the holy city of Jerusalem
-The right to sit with Messiah on his throne
Now here’s the thing.
The 7 rewards (which include eternal salvation) are for those who overcome…
Which by default means there will be members of the 7 congregations who do NOT overcome.
Why?
Because they refused to listen to the Messiah’s warnings and change their ways…
And as a result DID NOT RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.
That’s right homies.
I’m talking about salvation here.
This ain’t about some folks getting a few less “jewels in their crowns” and still making it into heaven.
The line being drawn is clear.
Some will enter into eternal life…
And some will NOT.
And those who did NOT enter were among those who counted themselves saved.
Maybe because they walked down the aisle at some Billy Graham event 20 years ago or something.
The reason I bring this up is because it’s often assumed these 7 letters to the Messianic congregations represent a contrast between the believing world and the unbelieving world.
In other words, the falsehood many Christians churches promote concerning this section of Revelations is that there are 2 types of people:
Those who overcome and get rewards…
Versus the heathens who do not overcome…
And as a result are sent to hell.
I’m telling you right now…
This interpretation goes against the obvious context and plain of reading of these chapters in Revelations.
The warnings being issued from Messiah in the 7 letters are directed ONLY to believers.
The Messianic congregations are being warned to guard against false doctrines and groups who water down the Gospel and pay more heed to political correctness than actually obeying God’s Torah.
Ya feel me here?
Just as Hannah’s prayer ONLY concerns God’s people, so too do the 7 letters to the Messianic Congregations only concern the body of believers.
Heck, take a look at the beginning of the passage.
It starts off by saying “To: The seven Messianic communities in the province of Asia:”.
Pretty obvious if you ask me.
We’re dealing with issues ONLY INSIDE THE BELIEVING WORLD HERE folks.
How some will be saved and others won’t even though they were once saved.
This theme is present throughout all the Scriptures.
Look at all the “believers” who perished after the Exodus from Egypt.
Like during the whole Golden Calf disaster…
Or how about the Serpent on the Pole incident?
The Lord killed thousands of “believers” during that time.
I think we need to wake up to the fact that just because you’ve entered into the eternal life club through your faith in Yeshua doesn’t mean you’re gonna stay in the club.
Unless you maintain your membership through OBEDIENCE that reflects your faith.
And no, I ain’t preaching some “salvation by works” gospel or something.
This whole “salvation by works” idea is some ridiculous Christian construct anyway.
And speaking about ridiculous Christian constructs, I’m not talking about “seekers” either.
There ain’t no such thing as a neutral “seeker” who stands between a pagan and a Believer.
You’re either a believer or you’re not.
So let’s get this straight.
Hannah’s prayer is ONLY ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE.
When she talks about…
Those who were rich suddenly being made poor…
And those who were poor becoming rich…
Or how the bows of the mighty will be broken…
While the feeble will be armed with strength.
All of this divine activity is only taking place inside the redeemed congregation of God.
And the same goes for the 7 Letters of Revelation.
These letters ain’t about Yeshua waxing philosophical so we can get more rewards when we get to heaven.
Yeshua is separating the sheep from the goats here.
He’s speaking only about the relationship God has with His own people…
And NOT to gentiles, pagans, seekers, unbelievers or whatever term you wanna use to refer to those who have never entered into a saving relationship with the Lord.
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Once again, Rich, you hit the nail on the head.
The 7 warnings to the 7 congregations of Believers are similar to the Epistles of Shaul (Paul) in that they were a call to return to the original path of salvation.
The later Gentile leaders of the sect of Believers who wanted to separate themselves from the Jewish population (since the Jews and Rome were not friends anymore) misused and misinterpreted those Epistles to create a new religion that has nothing to do with what Yeshua taught or what Shaul taught, and I believe that the 7 warnings from Yeshua in Revelation were meant to do exactly the same thing those epistles were meant to do- get those Believers (as you say, these were directed at Believers, not pagans) back on the correct path of proper worship, obedience to Torah, and to clean-up their petty interpersonal relationship problems.
Salvation is a free gift that no one can take away from us, but we can throw it away.
Good message, as always, my friend.
Great post, Rich.
Great comment, Steven.
Rev. 14 –
Day and night there is no rest for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name. Here is a call for the perseverance of the saints who
* keep the commandments of God and
* keep the faith of Yeshua.
2 Thess. 1 –
God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Master Yeshua is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who
* do not know God and on those who
* do not __obey the gospel__ of our Master Yeshua.
Quote: “All of this divine activity [described in Hanna’s song-prayer] is only taking place inside the redeemed congregation of God.”
The LORD delegated management of pagan nations to “little g” gods in his divine council. His primary concerns are the affairs of His people, and how those other nations treat His people.
The good news is the open way he created to allow pagans to join to His people – if we do that, we get included in His divine activity and grand plan.
Who knew? Pigs can fly after all !
Good word there….