God Speaks
1st Samuel 3:1-21
This is a great scene in the Scriptures. A little boy is in the temple of the Lord with the ark of the covenant. The very presence of God is there above the mercy seat. The Lord calls Samuel by name and reveals Himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord. How is it that a little boy is in the temple of God? The Lord heard and He answered Hannah's cries.
1 Samuel was ministering to the Lord. A word or visions were rare. There was much sin in the temple. The Holy Spirit was quenched. The Lord does not change His ways because of sin and disobedience. Is it God's will for a word and visions to be rare? No. The Holy Spirit is always looking for people to work through. This is one of the many things He does.
2,3 Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. God was there but the leaders ignored His presence.
4 The Lord called Samuel, not Eli or his sons. It was time to raise up another shepherd of His people. A prophet and priest. Samuel did offer sacrifices to the Lord and God accepted them. Here I am! Most likely He called from His place above the mercy seat.
5,6,7 Samuel had not heard the voice of the Lord so he thought it was Eli. Samuel was about 10 years old at the time.
8 So the Lord called Samuel again. Eli knew it was the Lord. He was pursuing Samuel. He is wanting to speak to you. Are you being still and listening for His voice?
9 Speak Lord for thy servant is listening. Here I am. This should be our reply when He speaks.
10 This is wonderful! The Lord came and stood by Samuel! What kind of God would stand by a little boy and call his name? A very relational God. Do you realize how blessed we are to have a God like that? He wants to be in our lives and work in us and through us. He is for us. He is in us. Amazing God! Why is He speaking to little Samuel? He has a word for Eli and a great plan for Samuel. He has a plan for you too. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are very involved in what is happening on this earth. They are always at work. Are you looking to see where they are working around you and around the world? Are you in your "temple" in the presence of the Lord? Will you say, speak Lord for thy servant is listening?
11 Does He ever speak to Samuel! I am about to do something. Something big!
12 Against Eli. This was Samuel's teacher, mentor, father figure.
13 Samuel did not know what the Lord had told Eli. Judge his house FOREVER. He knew. His sons brought a curse on themselves. He did not rebuke them. Again, God's ways come first, not your children's.
14 The Lord has sworn and He will never break His vow. The iniquity shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering FOREVER. It was too late. They crossed the line. Do you think Samuel was expecting this word from the Lord? What a load for a little boy. But I find it interesting that the Lord thought Samuel was ready for it although he was so young. Children can handle things of a spiritual nature more than we think or what we teach them. Do you think Samuel ever forgot these words from the Lord? Never! Did they shape his life and ministry? Yes! He became a great man of God that changed a nation and history. Samuel was the one that told Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice. Because of Eli and his sons, he knew where Saul was heading if he didn't change his ways. 1st Samuel 15:10,11,22. Saul did not. In fact, he tried to kill David who Samuel anointed as king. God took his life and his sons lives on the same day. 1st Chronicles 10:13,14. Jonathan too!
15 I would think Samuel had a very restless night. He was afraid to tell Eli.
16,17 Eli wanted to know what the Lord said to Samuel. May God do so to you and more. Wow! Interesting that Eli knew it was not good. The words that the Lord said He would do to Eli surely went through Samuel's mind. This was a rough few hours for him.
18 This had to be difficult for him to tell Eli what the Lord said. Eli humbly accepted it. The Lord's judgment came soon. Chapter 4:10,11,18. Disobedience is powerful!
19 Samuel grew through this experience and serving the Lord at the temple. The Lord was with him and spoke through him.
20 All Israel knew Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. Verse 19.
21 The Lord appeared again at Shiloh. He had an obedient person to take Eli's place. The Lord revealed Himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord. How did this come about? Hannah prayed, wept, and poured her soul out before the Lord and made a vow to dedicate her one and only son to God. Hannah's obedience was powerful!
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Parents, have you dedicated your child to the Lord? He has a great plan for their life.
Do you spend time in your "temple" listening for the voice of God? He is waiting to speak to you. Will you respond, "Speak Lord for thy servant is listening?"
Have you carefully considered the effects of obedience and disobedience? They do affect those around you and your offspring.
If you have never sought a relationship with God, spend some time alone in a quiet place, and ask Him to make Himself real and to speak to you. He longs to have a personal relationship with you and to speak to you.
This is a great scene in the Scriptures. A little boy is in the temple of the Lord with the ark of the covenant. The very presence of God is there above the mercy seat. The Lord calls Samuel by name and reveals Himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord. How is it that a little boy is in the temple of God? The Lord heard and He answered Hannah's cries.
1 Samuel was ministering to the Lord. A word or visions were rare. There was much sin in the temple. The Holy Spirit was quenched. The Lord does not change His ways because of sin and disobedience. Is it God's will for a word and visions to be rare? No. The Holy Spirit is always looking for people to work through. This is one of the many things He does.
2,3 Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. God was there but the leaders ignored His presence.
4 The Lord called Samuel, not Eli or his sons. It was time to raise up another shepherd of His people. A prophet and priest. Samuel did offer sacrifices to the Lord and God accepted them. Here I am! Most likely He called from His place above the mercy seat.
5,6,7 Samuel had not heard the voice of the Lord so he thought it was Eli. Samuel was about 10 years old at the time.
8 So the Lord called Samuel again. Eli knew it was the Lord. He was pursuing Samuel. He is wanting to speak to you. Are you being still and listening for His voice?
9 Speak Lord for thy servant is listening. Here I am. This should be our reply when He speaks.
10 This is wonderful! The Lord came and stood by Samuel! What kind of God would stand by a little boy and call his name? A very relational God. Do you realize how blessed we are to have a God like that? He wants to be in our lives and work in us and through us. He is for us. He is in us. Amazing God! Why is He speaking to little Samuel? He has a word for Eli and a great plan for Samuel. He has a plan for you too. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are very involved in what is happening on this earth. They are always at work. Are you looking to see where they are working around you and around the world? Are you in your "temple" in the presence of the Lord? Will you say, speak Lord for thy servant is listening?
11 Does He ever speak to Samuel! I am about to do something. Something big!
12 Against Eli. This was Samuel's teacher, mentor, father figure.
13 Samuel did not know what the Lord had told Eli. Judge his house FOREVER. He knew. His sons brought a curse on themselves. He did not rebuke them. Again, God's ways come first, not your children's.
14 The Lord has sworn and He will never break His vow. The iniquity shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering FOREVER. It was too late. They crossed the line. Do you think Samuel was expecting this word from the Lord? What a load for a little boy. But I find it interesting that the Lord thought Samuel was ready for it although he was so young. Children can handle things of a spiritual nature more than we think or what we teach them. Do you think Samuel ever forgot these words from the Lord? Never! Did they shape his life and ministry? Yes! He became a great man of God that changed a nation and history. Samuel was the one that told Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice. Because of Eli and his sons, he knew where Saul was heading if he didn't change his ways. 1st Samuel 15:10,11,22. Saul did not. In fact, he tried to kill David who Samuel anointed as king. God took his life and his sons lives on the same day. 1st Chronicles 10:13,14. Jonathan too!
15 I would think Samuel had a very restless night. He was afraid to tell Eli.
16,17 Eli wanted to know what the Lord said to Samuel. May God do so to you and more. Wow! Interesting that Eli knew it was not good. The words that the Lord said He would do to Eli surely went through Samuel's mind. This was a rough few hours for him.
18 This had to be difficult for him to tell Eli what the Lord said. Eli humbly accepted it. The Lord's judgment came soon. Chapter 4:10,11,18. Disobedience is powerful!
19 Samuel grew through this experience and serving the Lord at the temple. The Lord was with him and spoke through him.
20 All Israel knew Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. Verse 19.
21 The Lord appeared again at Shiloh. He had an obedient person to take Eli's place. The Lord revealed Himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord. How did this come about? Hannah prayed, wept, and poured her soul out before the Lord and made a vow to dedicate her one and only son to God. Hannah's obedience was powerful!
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Parents, have you dedicated your child to the Lord? He has a great plan for their life.
Do you spend time in your "temple" listening for the voice of God? He is waiting to speak to you. Will you respond, "Speak Lord for thy servant is listening?"
Have you carefully considered the effects of obedience and disobedience? They do affect those around you and your offspring.
If you have never sought a relationship with God, spend some time alone in a quiet place, and ask Him to make Himself real and to speak to you. He longs to have a personal relationship with you and to speak to you.
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