Samuel's Call
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1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” 15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.” 19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
It is important to note that Samuel finally responds, “Speak Lord, for your servant hears.” It was a beginning of a relationship, of a conversation. It was the beginning of a life of prayer that would culminate in the Lord speaking later in life to Samuel and saying, “Speak Samuel, for your Lord hears.” All prayer must be grown, developed, nurtured and continued.
Notice that Samuel is willing to listen .
Unlike Eli, Samuel’s leader, who disobeyed the Lord and didn’t place God first, Samuel listened. And in that obedience and conversation he revealed to Samuel not only his own heart but the fate or will of God regarding Eli’s family for their sin.
This was a tough message to receive, make no mistake. samuel is told that Eli, his two sons also, will die for their sins. And the priesthood would betaken away from their family.
God revealsed his will to the heart willing to listen., samuel.
15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.” 19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
Eli completed his tasks with a sad heart. His priest, Eli, would hear the details in full .
19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
There are practical lessons to be found in this passage:
Never underestimate the power of sin in one’s life. Eli failed to fulfill his priesthood and his fatherhood- both assigned by God. This would cost him his family- both sons would die. And it would cost him his own life. And the call of God in his families life would be removed as well. No further descendants of Eli would remain priests in the house of the Lord.
Secondly, There is great power in prayer in fulfilling the purposes of God. When you read the earlier chapters of Samuel, you find that Samuel’s parents- Hannah and Elkanah- were committed prayer warriors. And God heard tyeir prayers.
Her prayers delivered the last of Israel’s judges and the first of the national prophets in the person of her son- and it came about because of prayer for a child.
Finally, God speaks to children and young people as well as adults. Samuel was 12 years old. Eli knew that it was God calling in the night, in spite of his own sinful disposition. He recognized the voice of God he once knew more clearly than at this time in his life. He enabled Samuel to listen and respond, in spite of his failure to do so with his own sons.
Christian, when your children are small teach them the word, take them to church, teach them to pray. Enable their spiritual relationship with Christ because it is so much easier to develop when they are young than when they are older.
Many grown adults have told me of their disappointment that their grown children no longer attend worship or practice faith. And often it is because one parent or both failed to teach it when they were younger. Fathers can not afford to sent their children to worship with their mothers while they sleep in. Parents can not afford to see worship as something they drop their children off to instead of modeling healthy spiritual disciplines and lives. Simply will cost so much more later and possibly for eternity.
What You Practice In Private God Will Bless In Public
What You Practice In Private God Will Bless In Public
Jesus said in Luke 12.1-3
1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
Obviously, Jesus is saying that the hidden lives of the religious people- the Pharisees- that hypocrisy would be revealed in public. It’s a warning to all of us that in time all will be revealed.
Eli thought that his son’s sins could be kept hidden. He knew of them, even spoke to his sons about their behavior, but to no avail. So, he dropped it. And that became sin to Eli.
He should have held his sons accountable for their actions. His failure to do so was sin, for which he was held accountaeble by God. And the way God did that was very very public- Eli’s sons died, Eli died, and then the priesthood was taken from their family.
But there’s a positive side to this bottom line as well.
Hannah prayed so incredibly privately that the priest misunderstood her motives… he thought she was drunk. She was actually so heartbroken and distraught, she was pouring out her heart to the Lord in a very private way. And God answered in a very public way.
Hannah became pregnant, had a child Samuel, he’s placed in the house of the Lord- and He rises to become a key figure in the work of God’s plan.
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What You Practice In Private God Will Bless In Public
What You Practice In Private God Will Bless In Public