The barren woman is always presented in Scripture as the type of nature’s ruined and helpless condition. There is no ability to do anything for God — no energy to bring forth any fruit to Him; all is death and barrenness. Such is the real condition of every child of Adam. He can neither do anything for God nor for himself, as regards his eternal destiny. He is emphatically “without strength” — “a dry tree.” Such is the lesson taught us by the barren woman.
However, the Lord caused His grace to abound over all Hannah’s weakness and need, and put a song of praise into her mouth. He enabled her to say, “Mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation” (1 Sam. 2:1). It is the Lord’s special grace to make the barren woman rejoice. He alone can say, “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord” (Isa. 54:1).
Hannah realized this, and before long, widowed Israel will realize it also, “for [her] Maker is [her] husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and her Redeemer the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 54:5). The beautiful song of Hannah is the soul’s thankful acknowledgment of God’s actings in reference to Israel. “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” (1 Sam. 2:6-8). All this will be most fully exemplified in Israel in the latter day, as it is now exemplified in the person of everyone who, through grace, is raised from his ruined condition in nature, to blessedness and peace in Jesus.
C. H. Mackintosh