Keep the Law

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Psalm 119:1

I am preparing to teach 1 Samuel. In the first two chapters of the book we’re introduced to Elkanah and Hannah, Samuel’s parents. We are also introduced to Peninnah who is Elkanah’s other wife. It’s very interesting how the Bible just reports the facts, sometimes without comment.

Elkanah is a man of God who goes up to worship God at Shiloh for some annual festival. But, he has two wives. Culturally this was accepted but it was not condoned by God.

As I have been studying this first chapter of the book I am reminded of God’s faithfulness to us in giving us the law. When we obey it we benefit and our obedience can bring blessing to others. The opposite is equally true. If we fail to obey God’s law we fail to receive the benefit and others may also suffer because of our disobedience. Elkanah’s two wives are a case in point.

Children were considered a blessing of God (and still are according to God). Hannah had no children but Elkanah’s second wife had many children. This is the Biblical account of their trips to Shiloh to worship at the festival. 1 Samuel 1:4-8 says, “On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, ’Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’”

It would be bad enough to be disappointed ourselves and to think that we were disappointing our husbands by not having any children, especially if we understood that God had closed our wombs but we didn’t know why. Add to this the insults and the provocation of a second wife who had many children and the pain is multiplied exponentially! Poor Hannah.

Quite frankly, from my perspective Peninnah doesn’t have it any better. How painful would it be, regardless of how many offspring she had produced, to have to watch and listen as your husband lavishes love and affection on another woman? Women weren’t made to enjoy that kind of scene. (At least your writer was not!)

If Elkanah would have obeyed God’s one wife law neither of these women would have suffered like they did. In the long run God used this whole situation for His good and the overall good of His people who Samuel served and saved from their enemies. But on a personal level, this got ugly and painful. I praise the Lord that He’s able to take our messes and bring about something good from them.

When we live by the law of the Lord He protects us from this kind of pain. Sometimes God seems to be telling us to avoid a person who is tempting us into things that are not pleasing to Him or He convicts of a sin that we are enjoying, perhaps an affair or a flirtatious relationship with another man, or greed or a desire for stuff because we’re not satisfied with what we have. Maybe He’s asking one of us to stand up and speak out about an illegal or unethical practice in our workplace. Could He really want someone to give up a good paying job because we have to fudge the truth a little?

Sin always has consequences and obedience always brings blessing. The problem is that our culture has decided that blessings = wealth. Maybe – but maybe not. Wouldn’t it be a blessing to know that others would be spared of the fallout of God’s wrath because we chose not to sin? Would it be a comfortable peace to wake up and not feel anxious about what we might have to do at work today or giving up the worry that maybe someone is thinking we’re more serious than we are or that my husband might hear that I’ve been flirting?

Stop and think about the consequences – for everyone involved. Sin is insidious. There is great love and mercy in God’s law. He protects us through it and He gives us plenty of evidence in His word about the consequences of not obeying.

The worst is that God tells us that when we turn from His law, even our prayers are an abomination to Him. That is serious business. Who would not want God to hear their prayers?

(Proverbs 28:9 If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.)

Hannah and Peninnah suffered because of Elkanah’s sin. Am I, or are you, causing someone else to suffer because of some sin? Are we walking in the law of the Lord? (Psalm 119:1)