Prophecy

In my first blog on the book of James, I included Mary's Song of Praise, delivered when she was told she was to be mother to “Son of the Highest.”

Last Friday, in our Reading Room on the Gold Coast, I read all of Thomas Leishman's articles which were printed in the 1943 volume of The Christian Science Journal. Each of the articles was about women in the Bible, and each woman is referred to as a prophetess. [Correction from Joyce: There are other titles such as, The Great Woman of Shunem, Deborah the Judge, Rahab the Innkeeper.]

Hannah is one of them: Hannah the Prophetess. Leishman points out that Hannah's prayer, after her conception of Samuel, was prophetic. Because I have never taken note of this prayer before, I would like to include it here – in full. I Sam 2: 1-10 --

And Hannah prayed, and said,

My heart rejoiceth in the LORD,

mine horn is exalted in the LORD,

my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;

because I rejoice in thy salvation.

There is none holy as the LORD:

for there is none beside thee;

neither is there any rock like our God.

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.

The bows of the mighty men are broken,

and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread;

and they that were hungry ceased:

so that the barren hath born seven;

and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

The LORD killeth, and maketh alive:

he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

The LORD maketh poor, and he 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:

for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S.

And he hath set the world upon them.

He will keep the feet of his saints,

and the wicked shall be silent in darkness;

for by strength shall no man prevail.

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;

out of heaven shall he thunder upon them:

the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth;

and he shall give strength unto his king,

and exalt the horn of his anointed.

That word “anointed” is of special interest, for Leishman tells us that the word translated as “anointed”, is elsewhere in the Scriptures translated as "Messiah". Leishman says, “Many feel that Hannah's intuition enabled her to be one of the first to foresee the advent of the true Messianic king, whose mother Mary appears to have echoed in her own song of thanksgiving several phrases which were used by Hannah (see Luke 1:46-55).”

James was a beneficiary of this prophecy, as are we all.

Joyce Voysey