God Answers Hannah's Prayer

Elkanah had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah taunted Hannah because Hannah had no children. Hannah prayed and wept near the entrance when she accompanied Elkanah to the Tabernacle. In her prayer, she promised the Lord that if He gave her a son, she would give that son to Him all the days of her life. Hannah’s prayer was so intense that the High Priest, Eli, saw her and thought she was drunk. Hannah’s prayer was answered, and she gave birth to a son. His name was Samuel.

Bible verses used in this episode:

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Outline:

1. Hannah is childless (1 Samuel 1:1-8)
2. Hannah’s prayer and vow (1 Samuel 1:9-18)
3. Samuel is born (1 Samuel 1:19-20)

Tips for teaching children:

• Explain how to pray and try a few different prayer methods. Click here for suggestions.
• Invite a woman to class to dress as Hannah and tell the story from her point of view.

Tips for teaching adults:

• After you read the story, ask if anyone has felt like they have been in Hannah’s place before. Perhaps they have been in a situation where others have prospered and they have not. Perhaps they have been overlooked and have seen others receive blessings. Invite them to share with the group.  
• Hand out blank index cards.  Ask the class to write down a longing they have, a longing they want God to fill.   Give time for people to write something down.  Ask the class to silently pray to God about this longing. At the end of the session, challenge them to pray about this during the week.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: God Answers Hannah’s Prayer

Scriptures quoted from the International Children’s Bible®, copyright ©1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org