1 SAMUEL 3

1 And the child (boy) Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

• Samuel was no longer a child (2:21, 26). While Jewish historian Josephus suggested he was 12 years of age, he was probably a teenager at this time. The same Heb. term translated here “boy” was used of David when he slew Goliath (17:33).
• The word of the Lord was precious or rare. The time of the judges was a period of extremely limited prophetic activity.
• No open vision. The revelation was in the form of a word "seen" by the prophet (cf. Isa 2:1—"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw"). The lxx implies that there was no publicly recognized prophet whom the people could consult, and no recipient of divine revelation.
• Why was the word of the Lord rare in those days? Why we cannot be dogmatic about it, it would seem that it was because of the hardness of heart among the people of Israel and the corruption of the priesthood. God will speak, and guide, when His people seek Him, and when His ministers seek to serve Him diligently.

 

I want to draw your attention to the phrase, Samuel ministered unto The Lord. Ministering unto The Lord is different than using your gifts and talents to minister unto The Lord. This is the exact same thing that we read in the book of Acts:

• Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
• Saints, all of our public and private ministry is an overflow of our personal ministry unto The Lord Jesus Himself.

 

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see (we know from chapter 4.15 that Eli was 98 years old at the time);

• Eccles. 12 records the affects of aging…. those that look out of the windows be darkened.

 

3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

• The golden lampstand, located in the Holy Place of the tabernacle, was filled with olive oil and lit at twilight (Ex. 30:8). The lamp was kept burning from evening until morning (Ex. 27:20, 21).
• So keep in mind that the first section of this chapter occurred in the wee hours of the morning just before the priests replenished the oil in the Menorah, the seven-branched candlestick in the Tabernacle.
• Just before dawn, while the golden lampstand was still burning, Samuel was called to his prophetic ministry.

 

4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

• Please note that it was The Lord Who called Samuel into the ministry. Ministry is not a job, it is not a career, it is a calling that comes from God Himself.
• The Apostle Paul wrote, 1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.  
• Now let me be clear is saying that every child of God is gifted with talents and resources and abilities that are to be used to edify others and bring Him glory, but ministry as a vocation or calling is from God Himself.
• Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
• Note that the vocational ministry callings are to equip the entire body for the work of the ministry.

 

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

• Please note that Samuel is awakened out of his sleep by what he thinks is Eli calling him. A beautiful picture of cheerful service unto The Lord.

 

6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

• The Lord called yet again. When speaking a word to us, He will confirm that Word or message again and again.

 

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

• Samuel was not destitute of the knowledge of God, for he knew and worshipped the God of Israel:  but the meaning is that he did not know him as communicating special revelations of his will to him, in the manner in which he made it known to the prophets.
• I would only say that young people who grow up in Christian families and in the church are called to make their calling and election church. Being a member of the church or being able to recite catechism is no guarantee that a person is a child of God. You must be born again.

 

8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

• The Lord came….and stood…and called. Because it seems to have been an audible voice, and because it says the Lord stood, it may be that this was a unique appearing of the Lord to Samuel, perhaps in the person of Jesus before Bethlehem. David Guzik
• Samuel is in pretty impressive company with this response to God. Here are some others who said, Here I am when the Lord spoke to them: Abraham (Genesis 22:1), Jacob (Genesis 46:2), Moses (Exodus 3:4), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8), and Ananias (Acts 9:10).

·      Thy servant hears- The word means "to hear with a view to obeying." To hear God properly requires us to be tuned in to Him. Can you imagine trying to listen to 2 radio stations at the same time? Likewise, we cannot fool ourselves into thinking that we can be listening to The Lord and the world at the same time.

·      What hinders me from hearing The Lord is my preoccupation with listening to other people or preoccupation with other things. Oswald Chambers

·      Samuel response was a declaration that he was prepared to be completely surrendered and obedient to the will of God.  Samuel was listening to God's Word and was determined to obey it. Are you? Am I?

• Samuel did not now rise and run as before, when thought he Eli called, but lay still and listened.  All must be silent, when God speaks. TSK note
• Childlike hearts, which thus quietly rest in the ‘secret place of the Most High,’ and day and night are near His ark, will not fail of hearing His voice. Alexander Maclaren

 

11 ¶ And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

This phrase indicates a severe judgment of God that is about to take place.

• 2Ki 21:12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
• Jer 19:3 And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.
• Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

 

When Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the events prior to His Second Coming, He said,

• Lu 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
• Beloved, I believe with all of my heart that we are living in those days.

 

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house (1 Sam 2.27-36): when I begin, I will also make an end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

• For I have told him that I will judge his house: Through the word of the man of God in 1 Samuel 2:27-36, Eli has already heard of the judgment to come. This word, given to young Samuel, is a word to confirm the previous message from God.
• Made themselves vile- LXX reads “his sons blasphemed God.” Cursing God was an offense worthy of death (see Lev. 24:11–16, 23). did not restrain them. Eli was implicated in the sins of his sons because he did not intervene with judgment. If his sons were blaspheming God, they should have been stoned (see Lev. 24:15, 16).
• Men of God, whose duty it is to admonish others regarding their sinful behavior, often fail to notice the presence of sin in the lives of those nearest to their hearts. Paul's insistence that religious leaders must be home leaders, is appropriate.

 

14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

• The iniquity... shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. No sacrifice, animal or vegetable, would cause God to turn from his decision to end the dynasty of the house of Eli.

 

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

• Opened the doors. This was a part of the regular duties of a temple servant. He also lighted the evening lamps and led the semiblind Eli to his posts. The Tabernacle in the wilderness had a curtain at the entrance; the temple at Shiloh had folding doors.
• Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. Samuel reverenced Eli as a father, and feared to distress him by shewing what God had purposed to do.  It does not appear that God commanded Samuel to deliver this message; he therefore did not attempt it till adjured by Eli.

 

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.

17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

• Samuel's first test as a prophet was to bring an ear-tingling message of doom to Eli. —Ryrie Study Notes
• It is very hard to convey unwelcome truth to those you love and honor. Bob Caldwell
• When you do hear from God, you need to be faithful to say what He tells you to say in love and without being a respecter of persons.

 

18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

• In his remarkable answer to this awful sentence, Eli acknowledged that the Lord had a right to do as he saw good, being assured that he would do nothing wrong. The meekness, patience, and humility contained in those words, show that he was truly repentant; he accepted the punishment of his sin. Matthew Henry
• Throughout scriptures there are examples of God's averting His judgment when those He warns respond with acts of repentance. The response of Nineveh to Jonah's proclamation is a classic example.
• Samuel told him everything. It is always the responsibility of God’s messenger to bring everything God says, not just the “easy” words. Paul proclaimed the whole counsel of God.
• 2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
• This is one reason why we teach through the entire word of God.

 

19 ¶ And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

• The Lord was with him. William Newell, in his commentary on Romans, speaks well to this point: “Our weak hearts, prone to legalism and unbelief, receive these words with great difficulty: God is for us . . . They have failed Him; but He is for them. They are ignorant; but He is for them. They have not yet brought forth much fruit; but He is for them.” God is not for us because we are so good, or so great, but because of who we are in Jesus. God is for you.”

• Samuel's words did not fall to the ground because they had the authority of God within them because they came from God. As a pastor/teacher, one of the things that I must constantly remind myself when I am discouraged is that Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
• God’s Word is accomplishing God’s will in our lives right now as we sit at His feet, and like Samuel, hear with the intention to obey it, no matter what the cost.

 

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

• Dan to Beersheba- Equivalent to "from Maine to California." Dan was the northernmost point in Israel. It stood on a hill from which the main source of the Jordan takes its rise. Beersheba was the southernmost point in Israel.

 

21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

• How did He reveal Himself? The Lord revealed Himself . . . by the word of the Lord. God reveals Himself by His word. Whenever God is moving, He will reveal Himself by the word of the Lord.
• Heb 1:1 ¶ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son

 

We learned tonight that the biblical definition of hearing what God is saying means that I am willing to apply that truth to my life, by the grace of God and for the glory of God. What are 4 things that are the willof God for every single follower of Jesus Christ?

• Our Sanctification - 1 Thes. 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality. Purpose to live a holy life…make holy choices.
• Prayer & Thanksgiving - 1 Thes.5:17,18 pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Purpose to be a thankful person….
• Good Works - 1 Pet.2:15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Purpose to do what is good for the glory of God despite how you feel.

·      Suffering - 1 Pet.4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. Purpose to see the Hand of The Potter in every detail of your life.

• Surrender to the will of God is the key to peace in this world and the world to come. Again quoting Alexander Maclaren: There is nothing happy or great for man in this world but to love and do God’s will. All else is nought. This is solid. ‘The world passeth away, . . . but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ Everything besides is show and delusion, and a life directed to it is fleeting as the cloud-wrack that sweeps across the sky, and, whether it is shone on or is black, is equally melting away.

 

As we read in verse 14, do we ever come to a place where our sin cannot be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever? And the answer is only if we continue to reject the sacrifice of Jesus for our sin. As Hebrews 10:26 says, if we reject the work of Jesus for us, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

• Has there ever been a time in your life when you deliberately surrendered your life to Jesus Christ?