A Robe of Abundance Awaits

1Sa 1:16 “Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.”

Below is the meaning of the word abundance used in this verse from Strong's Concordance #7230 - רֹב rôb, robe; from H7231; abundance (in any respect):—abundance(-antly), all, × common (sort), excellent, great(-ly, -ness, number), huge, be increased, long, many, more in number, most, much, multitude, plenty(-ifully), × very (age).

During a time of great grief and dejection, Hannah went to the temple to plead with God for a son and was mistaken for being drunk, by the priest, Eli. Note in the verse how she mentions that she is not among those ‘daughters of Belial’ – now we know that Belial is the name of a league of demons assigned to abuse. Hannah states her actions quite infantilely. She states, having ‘an abundance of complaint and grief’.

Most of us would not highlight an abundance of this kind as carrying any type of value, especially bring it to God. But Hannah shows us how an offering of ‘complaint and grief’ shared with the Father of Heaven and Earth can be exchanged when brought to Him. She may have remembered the stories of Moses and how he would go to his tent outside the camp and God would meet him there. Or perhaps, Joshua as he stayed behind in that same tent to linger a wee bit longer in God’s presence. The abundance of the presence of God Himself must have permeated that tent, land, and the entire atmosphere-Exodus 33:8-11.

The meaning of the word abundance in this verse, the Hebrew word in Strong’s concordance, H7231- means ‘a robe’. Hannah had come with all her grief and complaint and set herself before God to receive a different kind of covering. Only God’s perspective on the matter of not conceiving a child. She needed a new kind of covering of understanding and wisdom on the topic.

She longed for an enlarged vision, greater perspective, and impenetrable refuge to weather her soul through all it’s distress. This carefully constructed offering by Hannah and request, marked with boldness and tenacity would become the valued shroud carried by generations to come, such as with Esther who would present herself to King Xerxes in Persia on behalf of her people the Jews. A gutsy lady, I give Hannah the highest of honor for her willingness to come before God with little insight and understanding of where it would lead. She brought her complaint and grief to the highest court – God’s. And even there, the enemy tempted her.

In the presence of Father God, Eli, the high priest himself, accuses Hannah. Set on the law, his eyes could not yet see the pure abundance of love and true nature of Hannah’s offering presented. It took seeing the weight of God’s robe of abundance for Eli’s eyes to finally see the real gift that was to come, it was not a mere woman, but the weight of the God’s glorious presence that stopped his mouth. Through the accusation Eli made against Hannah, to be ‘drunk’, she calmly and clearly refuted the claim.

Gut wrenching as it must have been to have false accusation of drunkenness added to her already broken heart, Hannah’s reply to Eli spoke volumes. Sharply refuting his remark with a clear rebuke, “Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial”. Hannah words were cloaked with a holy robe of righteousness. Beyond the temple protocol and despite wrongful accusation, there could be no room for defilement. The sovereignty of God’s person was present in abundance.

She didn’t flinch- nor delay but let Eli know at once whose gaze her eyes were fixed on. What awe and grandeur that reply of Hannah’s must have carried. In the midst of sorrow and brokenness, Hannah was clothed with righteous abundance came on tap, flowing over with Godly presence.

Hannah’s words and prayers had become a rich covering of abundance of holiness, reverence, and awe saturated grace from which a perfect protection would flow despite the ‘jagged’ places of fear, pain, and unknown possibilities from what her request could or would bring.

Profound, regal and a posture of a Kingdom citizen, Hannah had dared to trust her God. Now, it’s your turn to ask yourself these questions.

·        Are you willing to be intentional despite accusations?

·        What new covering is awaiting as you come before God with your complaint?

·        Could a new birthing in you be waiting like it was for Hannah in Samuel's coming birth ?