The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
The verse belongs to Hannah's song of praise arising from her anguish and prayer for a child. It was uttered after God granted her heart's desire and highly favored her, in token of gratitude to acknowledge divine mercy and loving-kindness. She spoke under the spirit of inspiration, and though a retiring and timid woman she lifted her voice in the assembly of the people sounding forth the praise of God.
It declares that the Lord has sovereign power over life and death, bringing people down to the grave and bringing them up. This power governs human fortunes so that He can bring people low or lift them up and reverse their circumstances, and no one prevails by strength alone.
It stands in Hannah's prophetic song that first answered the proud boastings of Peninnah and foretold both David who would reign as king of Israel and Christ the Messiah the Lord's anointed. Its declaration of God's power over life and death humbles the proud and exalts the humble. It points beyond Hannah's own circumstances to the destruction of God's enemies and the complete and final triumph of His faithful servants and redeemed people.
The verse was part of Hannah's triumphant burst of praise, after which she quietly returned to her home at Ramah. She left the child Samuel to minister in the house of God under the care and instruction of Eli the high priest. The verse's power over life and death is seen in the judgment on Eli's sons, in the Lord's decision that they would die because they persisted in wickedness despite their father's warning.
The verse shows God has power to destroy and to make alive, so He could in a marked manner have prevented men from doing wrong in council meetings. Yet He does not use that power to force obedience but leaves men free to choose their own course while sending warnings, entreaties and reproofs to correct wrong and justify right. If a man chooses to give his will to do wrong the sin and its results lie at his own door, as a man who puts his hand in fire is burned without a miracle to save him, or one who throws himself over a precipice or into the sea is not miraculously stopped, or Adam was not physically restrained from taking the forbidden fruit. And when probation closes, as with Belshazzar, the Lord no longer protects a man from the sure result of his own course.
The verse belongs to Hannah's song of praise arising from her anguish and prayer for a child. It was uttered after God granted her heart's desire and highly favored her, in token of gratitude to acknowledge divine mercy and loving-kindness. She spoke under the spirit of inspiration, and though a retiring and timid woman she lifted her voice in the assembly of the people sounding forth the praise of God.
It declares that the Lord has sovereign power over life and death, bringing people down to the grave and bringing them up. This power governs human fortunes so that He can bring people low or lift them up and reverse their circumstances, and no one prevails by strength alone.
It stands in Hannah's prophetic song that first answered the proud boastings of Peninnah and foretold both David who would reign as king of Israel and Christ the Messiah the Lord's anointed. Its declaration of God's power over life and death humbles the proud and exalts the humble. It points beyond Hannah's own circumstances to the destruction of God's enemies and the complete and final triumph of His faithful servants and redeemed people.
The verse was part of Hannah's triumphant burst of praise, after which she quietly returned to her home at Ramah. She left the child Samuel to minister in the house of God under the care and instruction of Eli the high priest. The verse's power over life and death is seen in the judgment on Eli's sons, in the Lord's decision that they would die because they persisted in wickedness despite their father's warning.
The verse shows God has power to destroy and to make alive, so He could in a marked manner have prevented men from doing wrong in council meetings. Yet He does not use that power to force obedience but leaves men free to choose their own course while sending warnings, entreaties and reproofs to correct wrong and justify right. If a man chooses to give his will to do wrong the sin and its results lie at his own door, as a man who puts his hand in fire is burned without a miracle to save him, or one who throws himself over a precipice or into the sea is not miraculously stopped, or Adam was not physically restrained from taking the forbidden fruit. And when probation closes, as with Belshazzar, the Lord no longer protects a man from the sure result of his own course.