Proclaiming the gospel to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Shalom and welcome to the Everlasting Nation broadcast, a radio ministry of International Board of Jewish Missions. I'm your host, Aaron Broughton. I wanna welcome you to today's program. As we think about International Board of Jewish Missions, we are now in our 65th year. Having started in 1949, Dr. Jacob Gartenhaus was instrumental in beginning this mission and really from his desire to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to the Jew first, as well as to the Gentile. One of the things that we have here at IBJM is a rather unique ministry that we have in spreading the gospel. We have different missionaries, different workers around the world, as well as here in the United States, reaching Jewish communities. Also, we have several of our men and women who are actively involved in going to different local churches and sharing with them the biblical importance of reaching their Jewish neighbor with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of the tools that we like to offer to churches and to believers is actually found in our bookstore that we have here at IBJM. And one of the books that I want to highlight today was written by Dr. Jacob Gartenhouse called Traitor, and this is really his autobiography. And in fact, it's a very good challenge for you as a believer. In fact, I oftentimes myself try to read a biography or an autobiography a couple times a year, and it's always good, I believe, just to have that refreshing testimony of faith from heroes of the past. Dr. Jacob Gartenhouse was born in 1880. in Austria, and he was actually born into an Orthodox Jewish family. And the book Traitor kind of tells a lot about that story of his upbringing and a very closed community that he was in, a Jewish community with some Gentiles. In fact, if you've ever seen the musical Fiddler on the Roof, as you look at Dr. Gartenhouse's book, you will actually get that feel of a village similar to that of Anatevka in the Fiddler on the Roof. This little village in Austria, where Dr. Gartenhaus grew up, again had a very good Jewish community. And Dr. Gartenhaus, as he grew up, and his brother Zev, also his sister Eva, they grew up in that community and very strict conditions. His father was a very pious, what we call a sadik. He followed the teachings of the Kabbalah as well, which is kind of a Jewish mysticism. And Dr. Gartenhaus actually shares his testimony through that, how through many different things, even an illness, he accidentally drank poison and had to go to Vienna, to a hospital there where he was cared for by some Catholic sisters that were there. But it was there he understood that the Gentiles weren't necessarily the bad people that he thought they were. Make a long story short, as Dr. Gardenhouse used these different stories in his life to illustrate in his autobiography, Traitor, he tells about how he really wanted to go and see something different, and really he had a lot of questions concerning the Jewish faith and about the Bible that were really left unanswered. And eventually through the help of his brother Zev, he started understanding the significance of the Jewish scriptures and how they pointed to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He eventually was granted permission by his parents to travel to New York City. And it was there, and especially during one day on a Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, that's the highest holy day on the Jewish calendar, He and his brother Zev talked the entire day just about who is the Jewish Messiah, with several questions, several arguments, going back and forth, back and forth. But eventually, what we see is that Dr. Gartenhouse took these things to heart, and eventually, it was just a short time after that, in a mission in New York City, that he finally prayed and accepted Jesus as his Messiah. And I tell you what, that was a life-changing day. The day of his atonement happened. And he eventually, he was so full of joy, he went out on the streets and started telling everyone, I have found him, I have found the Messiah. And with that, he forgot that he was in a Jewish community, and the Jewish people started beating up on him and almost left him for dead. After Dr. Gardenhouse got up, he realized that this indeed was a new life, a new direction in his life, and he more or less said if this Savior, Jesus, was indeed the true Messiah, that he would live for him and even necessarily give his life for him, and he was committed to this. His life passion was Romans 1.16, that the gospel go to the Jew first and also the Greek, and that is a little bit of how I.B.J.M. was birthed is from that heart and from that changed life. With this, we'll now go to our teacher and Jewish believer, Brother Mark Oshman, with today's Bible lesson. Thank you for listening to our radio program. Our current Bible study will focus upon Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. In this segment, we will look at her sufferings, her supplications, and her success. The story of Hannah can be found in the first two chapters of the first book of Samuel. Hannah lived in a degenerate society. The political rulers of her people hardly served as moral exemplars to follow. Gideon, for instance, violated the second commandment by making an idol, an incident recorded in the eighth chapter of Judges. According to Judges 11, the judge Jephthah offered his daughter as a burnt offering to God. Samson, one of the most prominent judges of Israel, allowed his carnal lusts to lead him astray on a number of occasions. The moral right of hand, this time, spread to Israel's religious leaders as well. A nun named Levite allowed a man named Micah to hire him as a personal family priest, as recorded in the 17th and 18th chapters of Judges. Eli, the high priest, had two sons whose licentious behavior caused the Israelites to abhor God's sacrifices. Moreover, Eli himself had done nothing to restrain his sons, as the record in 1 Samuel 2 described. Hannah also experienced strife within her domestic sphere. Her husband had another wife, a woman named Penina. The latter had mourned her husband's several sons, while Hannah had yet to conceive. Due to the circumstances, Penina, in the words of 1 Samuel 1, provoked her sore for to make her fret. According to Jewish custom, the childlessness of a married woman implied that God had withheld his blessings from her. Hannah's baroness might have suggested to her that, in some way, she did not please God. If so, she should have remembered how her ancestor, Sarah, had not conceived children with Abraham until, quote, it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women, unquote. as described in Genesis chapter 18. Nonetheless, God enabled Sarah to give birth to Isaac. As the author of Hebrews put it in the eleventh chapter of his epistle, quote, Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised, unquote. Compounding Hannah's domestic miseries, she had married her husband who did not understand the source of her frustration. He responded to her weeping and fasting by saying, quote, Hannah, why weepest thou? And why eatest thou not? And why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons? Unquote. Hannah chose to deal with this situation by going to Shiloh, where the tabernacle rested. According to 1 Samuel 1, Hannah made a vow, quote, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a manchild, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, unquote. Eli the high priest saw her lips moving, but heard no sound coming forth. He mistook the fervency of her prayer for intoxication, and rebuked her for drunkenness. In response, Hannah exclaimed, quote, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken thereto, unquote. When he heard Hannah's explanation, Eli seemed to change his mind. He exhorted her to go in peace, asking that God grant her request. When Hannah left, her sadness no longer existed. She started eating again. Hannah and Elkina worshipped God at the tabernacle before they returned to their home city. Sometime later, Hannah conceived the child. She named that son Samuel because she had asked God for that child. By doing so, she acknowledged that God had indeed answered her prayer through Samuel. Elkanah afterward took his family to Shiloh to offer the yearly sacrifice at the tabernacle. However, that first year, Hannah did not make that trip with him, choosing to nurse her newborn son. Her husband acquiesced to that arrangement. When she did accompany him to Shiloh at a later date, Hannah brought Samuel with her. In addition, she brought three bullocks, an ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine. Hannah told the high priest, quote, O my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition, which I asked of him. Therefore, also I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he liveth, he shall be lent to the Lord." As per her promise, Hannah left young Samuel with Eli. The author 1 Samuel 1 noted, quote, he worshiped the Lord there, unquote. This could have referred to Eli the high priest. Or it could have referred to Samuel, the young child. Though Eli acted as an overly indulgent father, nothing within the context depicted him as an ungodly man. The first several verses of 1 Samuel 2 contained Hannah's ode of praise. Notice that she never mentioned her firstborn son throughout that entire song. Instead, she focused entirely upon the majesty of God and the might of God. Hannah described God as a holy deity and a source of her stability. She exhorted others, quote, talk no more so exceeding proudly. Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed, unquote. Hannah alluded to God as an equalizer among different classes of people. Quote, the Lord killeth and maketh alive. He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich. He bringeth low and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory." Hannah spoke about God's ability to protect His people. Quote, He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, for by strength shall no man prevail. On the other hand, she noted, quote, the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces. Out of heaven shall he thunder upon them." Hannah concluded the song by reminding others that, quote, the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth and he shall give strength unto his king and exhort the horn of his anointed. In a number of ways, Hannah's song paralleled that of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The latter song can be found in the first chapter of Luke. Both Hannah and Mary called attention to the holiness of God. Hannah rejoiced in God as her Savior. Mary did the same thing. Hannah and Mary both spoke about the power of God in connection with His ability to debase the lofty and uplift the lowly. Of course, both women did give birth to prominent sons. Samuel became one of the greatest intercessors the Jewish people ever had. By contrast, though, Jesus Christ was Messiah and God incarnate. The second chapter of 1 Samuel contained an afterward with regard to Hannah. Quote, she made Samuel a new linen coat every year and gave it to him whenever she came with her husband to offer sacrifices at the tabernacle. Unquote. On one of those occasions, Eli the high priest blessed Elkanah and Hannah, saying, quote, the Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord. Unquote. God would affirm that benediction. After the birth of Samuel, God gave Hannah three additional sons. as well as two daughters. Thus, Hannah had six children, counting Samuel. She no longer had to worry about Pennine vexing her about her lack of children. God answered her petition above and beyond the request that she had made of him. As the author of Psalm 113 put it, quote, he maketh a barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children, unquote. Hannah served as a positive role model for all mothers to follow. When faced with problems, she committed her problems unto the Lord and asked God to resolve those issues. God heard her prayer and answered it. Hannah gave cause for praise to God because of what He had done for her. Thank you for listening to this radio broadcast. We invite you to return for future programs. You've been listening to the Everlasting Nation Broadcast, a radio ministry of International Board of Jewish Missions. For more information, you can write us at P.O. Box 1386, Hickson, Tennessee 37343 or call us at 423 876-8150 or you may also go online at ibjm.org. Until next time, may God bless and Shalom.