Tale of the Twins, Genesis 25:23 ~ Bill Salus

The Twin Prophecies of Jacob and Esau

This article introduces two important Prophecies regarded with the twin brothers of the Bible, Jacob and Esau. Jacob was renamed Israel in Genesis 32:28 and he fathered Israeli descendants. Esau, Jacobs older twin brother, fathered the Edomites according to Genesis 36:1,9. Invaluable insights into the roots of the present Palestinian – Israeli conflict can be gleaned from understanding these twin prophecies.

Presently the international community desperately seeks to join the Israelis and Palestinians at the hip in a peaceful “Two State Solution”: a Jewish State, and a Palestinian State. Did you know that there once was a time when the ancestors of these two people groups, the Israelis and the Edomites, successfully operated in a “Two State Solution” of sorts? However there were two prophecies written in ancient times that foretold of both Israel’s and Edom’s national decline, and at the time of the fulfillment of these two prophecies, their operational “Two State Solution” disintegrated.
Hosea issued the first of the two prophecies, and Jeremiah along with Obadiah issued the second. Hosea declared that the Israelites would be declassified from “My people Israel”, to “not My people”, and Jeremiah, and Obadiah predicted that the Edomites would become “small among the nations”.
Hosea’s prophecy regarding Israel
Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then God said: “Call his name Lo-Ammi, For you are not My people, And I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:8-9; NKJV)
Jeremiah’s and Obadiah’s prophecies regarding EdomI have heard tidings from the LORD, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Gather yourselves together and come against her, and rise up for battle!” For behold, I will make you (Edom) small among the nations, despised among men. (Jeremiah 49:14-15; RSV)
The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom: We have heard tidings from the LORD, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! let us rise against her for battle!” Behold, I will make you small among the nations, you shall be utterly despised. (Obadiah 1:1-2; RSV)

In a twist of fate, the twin brothers, Jacob, and Esau would have their descendants share in a similar divine disciplinary action. The two historically infamous peoples, the Jews and the Edomites, would experience their national decline in the same place and at the same time. Both ethnic groups find themselves conquered by the Roman Empire on or around 70 A.D. in what turns out to be the final fulfillment of these two important Bible prophecies.

Back then these two populations co-existed semi-peacefully in a “Two State Solution” of their own. The Jews inhabited Judea, and Samaria, which comprised the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel, and the Edomites occupied “Idumea”, and were known as the Idumeans, which was the Greek word for Edomites. Idumea / Edom encompassed land in Southern Israel, Northeastern Sinai, and Southwestern Jordan. The Jewish capitol was Jerusalem, and the central Idumean city was Hebron approximately 19 miles to the south. At the time the Idumeans and Jews both practiced Judaism, evidencing a common bond between them.

When the Romans conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the second Jewish temple in 70 A.D., they also fought against the Idumeans. According to the historian Josephus, many Idumeans were either killed, or sold into slavery, and ultimately about 40,000 remaining Idumeans were freed by Caeser to go wherever they desired enabling them to keep their ethnicity in tact. (1) Indeed by 70 A.D. Edom / Idumea had undeniably been made “small among the nations”.

The following map represents the layout of the region around 135 A.D. at the time of the Bar Kokhba Jewish revolt. This map depicts Idumea still in existence as a recognized territory. As such one might safely presume that Idumeans still resided in the subject land on or around 135 A.D. (2) This suggests that at least some of these 40,000 freed Idumeans continued to reside, and repopulate in the territory of Idumea.

To further understand the declassification of the Israelites to “not My people” it is important to read the “My people Israel” chapter in my book Isralestine; The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East. For now it is important to recognize that the declassification of the Jews into “not My people” began at the rejection by the Jewish leadership of Jesus Christ, and found its final fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem and the second Jewish temple in 70 A.D. at the defeat by the Romans. Lastly the assumption of the title “not My people” was not prophesied to be a permanent condition, and ultimately the Jews would be reclassified as “My people Israel”, and furthermore “sons of the living God”. (3)

Although Edom was made small among the nations in 70 A.D, Edom continued on a gradual decline. Shortly thereafter, Edom seemingly disintegrated as an ethnic group off the pages of further history. If it were not for the end times prophecies contained in Psalm 83, Ezekiel 25:14 and elsewhere regarding the restored Edomite element, there would be no further cause to remember them. They would be for all intents and purposes extinguished, however the Bible suggests they have merely been “made small among the nations”, and will resurface in that reduced national condition in a final confederate effort, described in Psalm 83, aimed at the destruction of the nation Israel.

Herein lies the problem; the Middle East conflict is the derivative of these two former nations attempting to reclaim the land of Israel-Palaestinia. This may seem an over-simplification of the matter; however it is at the root of the conflict. Both formerly notorious nations who experienced their decline at the same-time and in the same-place, are attempting to pick up where they left off in 70 A.D. They are seeking to reestablish themselves now, centuries later, at the same-time and in the same-place.
When Israel became a nation again in 1948, the Palestinians for all intents and purposes became a people. They became the refugees of Palestine as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The surrounding Arab nations protested the reestablishment of the nation Israel, and confederated in a war effort against the returning Jewish people. They instructed the Arabs residing within Israel at the time, to vacate temporarily until the Jewish nation was destroyed, at which time these departing Arabs could return into the land.

Amongst the Arabs who left Israel at the time were some of those who had descended from Esau, i.e. the Edomites. History reports that the Jewish people were victorious, and these Edomites became numbered among the refugees of Palestine. Hence at the time they became refugees residing in tents. The Edomites were for all intents and purposes at the time the “tents of Palestine”, or as they are called today, the Palestinian people.
Baqaa refugee camp of Palestinian Refugees (Photo: 1949 UNRWA)
The present plight of the Palestinians is, in large part, the result of the failed Arab war against Israel, and therefore primarily the responsibility of the surrounding Arab nations. These Arab nations have done little to absorb and assimilate them into their lands, but have done much to use them as pawns against the developing nation of Israel. Hence you have Israel aspiring to become “My people Israel” again, which is prophesied to successfully occur, and Edom wanting to become greater than the tents of Palestine, which will likely never occur! 

Edom will never be great among the nations, as they were permanently “made small among the nations”, and that is the best condition they will ever experience. In fact because of their present attempt to curse the developing nation of Israel, the Edomites will be extinguished as a people according to Obadiah 1:18. In other words the Palestinians of today will likely never nationally ascend much beyond a refugee condition. Listen to what the Psalmist labeled them as in the coming Arab war against the Jews, which is still to find its final fulfillment.

PSALM 83
1 – Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God!
2 – For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
3 – They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
4 – They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
5 – For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You:
6 – The tents of Edom (Palestinian Refugees) and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites;
7 – Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 – Assyria also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot.

~by Bill Salus

"My House is Full, But My Field is Empty" ~ by Lanny Wolfe.

Linda McCrary (1983)

There is peace and contentment in my Father's house today, 
Lots of food on His table and no one turned away.
There is singing and laughter as the hours pass by,
But a hush calms the singing as the Father sadly cries,

My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields.

Push away from the table.
Look out through the windowpane,
Just beyond the house of plenty
Lies a field of golden grain.
And it's ripe unto harvest,
But the reapers, where are they?
In the house,
Oh, can't the children hear
the Father sadly say,
My house is full, but my field is empty,
Who will go and work for Me today.
It seems my children want to stay around my table,
But no one wants to work my fields,
No one wants to work my fields. 

~ by Lanny Wolfe. 

Boy Reveals Jesus in Every Bible Book!

Jean Anderson Shares About Her Husbands Life, one year after his death. ~ by Jean Anderson

Related: John Anderson ~ 1940 to 2016

Ed's Note: It's been a year since our friend John Anderson passed on.  
Jean, his wife shares about his life a year on.
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INTRODUCTION:

• Thank you for your support and prayers for me since John's passing.

• Thank you for the opportunity for me to finish the part of John’s testimony he was never able to finish sharing with many of you. 

• Jeremiah 22:21 “I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you have not obeyed My  voice.”

• I Samuel 12:15 “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against Him, then His hand will be against you.”

My MESSAGE:

• Throughout the Bible we see many instances of those who rebelled against God’s commands and the consequences that resulted from their disobedience.

1. Adam and Eve’s disobedience – brought sin into the world and also banished them from God’s presence. 

2. Jonah’s disobedience  to go and give God’s warning to the Ninevites of their impending doom ,ended him up in the belly of the whale.

3. Israel’s rebellion against the Lord led them into a journey of 40 years through the wilderness---a trip that should have taken only 11 days from Egypt to the promised land.

DEFINITION OF DISOBEDIENCE & OBEDIENCE 

• To be DISOBEDIENT is to yield to self-will instead of surrendering to God and desiring His will in ALL THINGS.1 Sam. 15:23 says, “Rebellion is worse than the sin of witchcraft.”

• XOBEDIENCE is the practical acceptance of the authority and will of God.  It includes both submitting to Him and then expressing that submission in ACTIONS, WORDS, and THOUGHTS. 

• Once disobedience is discovered or recognized and removed, the results will be a new joy and greater faith.

INTRODUCING JOHN’S JOURNEY 

• If you have heard any of John’s testimony, you have probably heard him say, “Like  Moses and the Israelites, I went through a 40 year wilderness experience.”

• In order to share the happy latter years of John’s life, I need to give some background information.  

• I found a talk from Marriage Encounter, where each of us shared our marriage journey. I wanted tonight to be John’s testimony so I am quoting many of his words verbatim. 

JOHN’S TESTIMONY 

• John was raised in a strong but overly strict Christian home. He couldn't even be involved in sports as his parents saw that as a sin.

• Despite that ,John from early age, had dreams and aspirations to become a minister. As John said,  “The most important need people have is a spiritual one.  My goal, at that tender age was to help people meet that spiritual need.  This dream carried on into my teenage years.

• In 1959, I went to Eastern Pentecostal Bible College, with the intent of becoming a minister . 

• However, that summer, my interests changed. I became disillusioned about my goals.  I became more interested in making money.  However, I spent it as fast as I made it. I became ‘Mr. Independent’. My attitude changed from reaching out to others to that of satisfying myself.”

• That summer, I bought a cheap oil burning clunker of a car from a friend.  

• One day, while I was working under the car, my dad came out and in his broken English said, “John how can you save for college, when you spend so much on that old car?”

• “I got angry, slammed down the car hood and shouted,  “Dad, I am not going back to college. I'm going out to make money”.  Needless to say my dad was hurt.”

A COST TO DISOBEDIENCE

• John was working in the Dome Mine for the summer to pay for college. So instead of quitting to go back to school, he stayed with the Dome.   He wasn't working there long before he had a near fatal accident when he was  severely injured by a mucking truck. When he returned to work, company  fired him as this was the second mishap. Since there is not much opportunity up north, he decided to move to Toronto.

• He seemed to go from one job to another. Having been a high school dropout, he couldn't get the good jobs with good pay.

• He was working as a labourer for the CNR when we met. 

OUR MARRIAGE AND THE SNOWBALL OR SPIRALLING EFFECT OF DISOBEDIENCE.

• Though John wasn't obedient to the call that God had on his life, he never stopped serving the Lord.

• I met John on a train as I was heading to visit missionaries in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec.  John & his buddy were going to John’s home church in South Porcupine to help with kids meetings during Easter break. When I saw them reading their Bibles, THIS SHY GAL back then approached them, thinking they were college students. Long story short, John ended up sitting with me the rest of the 10 hour trip. I found out he was Pentecostal.  Me being a strict Baptist back then gave every argument against speaking in tongues.  However in the end I opened up to the Holy Spirit and ended up attending Queensway Cathedral with John. 

• For John it was love at first sight.  He told his friend, I was the girl he was going to marry. We met one Easter and married the next.

• Our marriage went fairly well for the first 10 years, but then disillusionment set in for both of us, mainly because of the cost of disobedience. John wrote, “I WORE THE MASK OF INDEPENDENCE and that pattern of behaviour carried over my relationship with my wife.”

• John went into a taping ministry where he would tape the various Christian conferences and sell the tapes. He was doing well with that but then ended up opening a Christian book store in Guelph. That was during the financial crunch of the 1980’s. I tried to discourage John from buying more books than we had the cash flow to cover.  He did it anyway and we ended up having to file for bankruptcy now losing everything we had worked hard for.  Here's how John describes it: “I eventually went into business for myself, only to have it end in bankruptcy.  Due to me holding these frustrations to myself, I became secretive of my struggles to Jean. I believed our marriage was beginning to crumble.  Jean became less and less interesting in my eyes.” I need to interject here.  I became like a nagging mother instead of a loving wife.  John said, “I began looking to the outside world to have my needs met. That did not prove to be fulfilling.”

• Jean wanted me to go for counselling with her but I didn't  see the need. After all, I didn't have a problem, Jean was the one with the problem.”

• One weekend while John went one direction, I took off with my kids to Mississauga, just to have time to think. My girlfriend opened her home to me while she worked all weekend.

• At that time Steve and Marie Charter, our long time friends, were still in Mississauga. Though Marie didn't know what was going on, she sensed my need for alone time and took my kids for the entire weekend.  What a God send.  

•  That weekend I lay on the bed praying in the language of the Holy Spirit and God showed me I needed to forgive my husband, even though at that point, I didn't know what I was forgiving.  In obedience to Christ I chose to forgive.

• Before I returned home, John said, he realized he had thrown away the most precious gift God had given him.

• When I returned home, John and I talked more than we had done in years.  We chose to forgive each other and to go for counselling together.   We also attended a Marriage Encounter Weekend. We both realized we had been living married single lives. We learned on that weekend that love is not a feeling.  We choose to love.  John said, “As I grow and continue to reach out to Jean, I believe the singleness will disappear”.  And it truly did. That was in our 16th  year of marriage and this coming March we would have been married 50 years.  Praise God for His faithfulness.

THE FINAL TURNAROUND

• As I stated earlier, John jumped from job to job. For awhile we were both doing an MLM Business, but again money was the obstacle.  The product came from the States, and at that time the exchange rate was very high so we were losing our shirt financially.

• John decided then to retire at 60 so he could have a set income coming in.

• As a result, he was home while I was still working.

• Unbeknown to me until later, I found out John fell on his  face before God for a whole week.  He says, “Lord, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.  From now on it has to be Your way, or I can't go on. That reminds us of Jacob struggling with the Angel (Gen. 32:24-26). One of the things John struggled with at that time was having faith to tithe when we had bills to pay. He gave that to the Lord as well. 

OBEDIENCE BRINGS CHANGE

• Just as disobedience took John in a downward spiral, being obedient, took him in an uphill positive direction.

• One thing I learned with John, he could take something he knew nothing about and learn how to do it and do it well.  

Queensway Cathedral had a poor excuse for a library. John took it over and learned how to do barcodes, etc., and eventually had a beautiful library running with a staff of about 10 volunteers. John was content to do that for the rest of his life.  However the wind of change was just around the corner. God moved us to eastern Ontario to the Trenton area.  We never had the desire to move East but while there, God blessed our obedience.

• 4 years later God called us to go to BC to help a 

• friend with his Haitian ministry. I believe we both, like Gideon, put a fleece out to the Lord to make sure it was God calling. We had done enough without the Lord being in control. We both knew we couldn't afford a mortgage here and the high BC rent. A few days later God confirmed through a phone call that we would receive a rent-free apartment. John learned when God opens a door no man can close it. A year later when we came home for vacation, we were able to sell our mobile home and use that money to buy a mobile home in Mission BC.

• 3 years into working with the Haitian ministry, John felt an unrest and felt he should step down.  I was with him in his decision.  We were going to move back to Ontario, when our pastor asked John if he would consider working in his mission organization. After much prayer, we accepted. Once again John took on a new challenge and taught himself how to keep books, do tax returns, etc. Kris was easy  to work with as well as a great friend. In John’s words, “Pastor Kris was the best man I ever worked for.” 

• As a result of the time spent with Kris, John became a new man.  He reached out more to others even though down deep he was shy and a loner. However if  you became his friend, you were a friend for life.

• John, along with myself, were so looking forward to moving back from BCto be close to the grandkids. We felt the urgency to get back, thinking it was for them. 

• We tried to sell our mobile home for over a year and had no movement. Sadly, we did a lot of work to upgrade it and went into debt doing so. Then we took a loss in selling it.  

• Of course we thought we could catch up when we got back here.  Little did I think that my dear husband would be taken 11 months after returning home. I tend to be a worrier so naturally I stressed out over my debt load.  However even, here I have watched the hand of God taking care of me.  As God says in His  Word, “I will be a husband to the widow.”

• God has angels in many human forms.  I am so thankful for this group of men who have been some of the angels that have been there for me.  My heartfelt thanks go out to you.  Each day I am learning to lean on the everlasting arms of the Lord.

• In Closing:

1. When we moved to Georgetown, John decided to get immersed into the community.  Though he only had 11 months, he made them count. He got involved in all the men's groups and both if us in all the seniors groups. But the other big undertaking John put his energy into was the COMMUNITY UNITY which is under the auspices of the Georgetown Ministerial. I know your church is involved. If you can come out on Sat. Oct. 29 to help seniors who can't do their own yard cleanup, I know it would please John. You can speak to me after for the details.

2. John loved this group and all his spiritual brothers here.  He couldn't wait forThursday nights to come so he could again have fellowship and the study of God’s Word with each of you.  

If he could speak to you from above, I know he would encourage you to listen to the heart of God and be obedient to the call of God on your life.  John regretted his wasted years and he wouldn't want you to waste yours. Also if there are men heretonight who have not accepted Christ as your personal Saviour John  would encourage you to not put it off. We never know when It is our time to die. I'm reminded of an old saying we learned as teenagers: “Only one life will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

3. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share the rest of John’s testimony.  I would ask that you continue to uphold me in your prayers.

4. I think Johns testimony would be summed up in the words of Psalms 30:8,11,12

“To You, Lord, I called;   to the Lord, I cried for mercy:   You turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”

Run For Your Life ~ Pastor Carter Conlon

Ed's Note:  Pastor Carter Conlon challenges your church thinking!

About Pastor Carter Conlon

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• Being sincere means little ~ there has to be TRUTH behind it.

20So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

• But the people said nothing.
  22Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” ~ 1 Kings 18
• "30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down" ~ 1 Kings 18
• v30 "... Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”
• A genuine man of God lives to turn the heart of the people back to God!  He lives to bring down the true Presence of God into the Church ...and to see that which is false turned out!   If this is not the case in your church, Pastor Carter says .... " Run For Your Life!"   

Run For Your Life! ~ I Kings 18

38Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 

39When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

• Fire consumes "the World" in us.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness! ~ Chris Rice

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee,
Thou changest not, Thy compassion's, they fail not,
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

He First Loved Us ~ 1 John 4:19

Prayer for Prodigals ~ Judy Douglass

Ed's Note:  Judy Douglass is the wife of the President of Crusade for Christ.  She recently has started a prayer group focusing on people who have grown up under Christian influence, yet have turned to go their "own-way", as in the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Here is her recent letter:
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Peace that Passes Understanding  May 14, 2017 Dear Lover of Prodigals, The chaos was almost palpable. He and his friends barged through the front door. The kitchen was the first stop, then they scaled the stairs to his room in a few leaps. In the early years it was just boy noise and roughhousing. But as years went it on, it escalated. We wanted him and his friends to feel welcome in our home, but over time boyishness became abusive—to our home, to our values, to our peace. Peace. I remember peace in our home—when children were young and responsive. When I didn’t have to hide my purse from his friends. When I didn’t need a man to stay there when we were gone—just to protect our home. I remember peace in my heart—before he had a car and I never knew where he was. Before he had a computer and I never knew where he was exploring. Before his activities became risky, even dangerous and destructive. The promise of peace.  Gratefully, Jesus promised us peace repeatedly: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) The Apostle Paul assures us of that peace: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) The source of that peace: In the first verse above, the peace Jesus offers comes from the Spirit: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you….” (John 14:26-27) In these passages and others Paul also makes clear the source of our peace: “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…” (Galatians 5:22) Thus, when your prodigal and his/her choices bring turmoil, anxiety, worry, fear, you can ask the Spirit for that peace that passes understanding. By the Spirit, Judy Douglass

Hannah's Prayer!

New International Version

Hannah’s Prayer 

1 Samuel 2

1Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;

in the Lord my horn^a is lifted high.

My mouth boasts over my enemies,

for I delight in your deliverance.

2“There is no one holy like the Lord;

there is no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

3“Do not keep talking so proudly

or let your mouth speak such arrogance,

for the Lord is a God who knows,

and by him deeds are weighed.

4“The bows of the warriors are broken,

but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

5Those who were full hire themselves out for food,

but those who were hungry are hungry no more.

She who was barren has borne seven children,

but she who has had many sons pines away.

6“The Lord brings death and makes alive;

he brings down to the grave and raises up.

7The Lord sends poverty and wealth;

he humbles and he exalts.

8He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes

and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;

on them he has set the world.

9He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,

but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;

10those who oppose the Lord will be broken.

The Most High will thunder from heaven;

the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king

and exalt the horn of his anointed.”  ~ 1 Samuel Chapter 2

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Robin Marks has written a great song 
about Hannah's Prayer called "All Is Well" 

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Ed's Note:  What a beautiful prayer of a joyful, thankful heart.  Do you want to know the story behind it?  When God has significantly intervened in your life, you can't help but rejoice.  Here is the "story"  that preceeded this prayer in 1 Samuel Chapter 1! 

New International Version

The Birth of Samuel

1There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite^a from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.7This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

9Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

12As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

15“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

17Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

18She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

19Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,^b saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

21When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”^c

23“Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his^d word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,^e an ephah^f of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27I prayed for this child, and the Lordhas granted me what I asked of him. 28So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.