The Book of 1
Samuel
It may be difficult
to hear what God says
1 Samuel 3 SCC
10/5/14
There have been many spiritually
dark times within the church, amongst God’s people (Eze
9-10). We would agree that we are living in one of them now within the church
in the west. God confronts that spiritual darkness to remove its influence and
replace it with the light of His proclaimed word by faithful ones whom he
raises up for that purpose. The story of 1 Sam 3 reveals how God works toward
this end.
GOD RAISES
UP A PERSON TO SPEAK INTO THE SPIRITUALLY DARK TIMES 1-9
1. The writer informs us that, word
from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent v 1. Men were
not listening to God in those days, and God did not speak very often. This silence is often a form of divine
judgment, and if not broken, would prove to be Israel’s undoing (Psa 74:9; Isa 29:9-14; Micah 3:6-7). We are told that
prophecy was rare, so that we see the calling of Samuel as an end to God’s
silence.
2. With Eli’s age, weight, and visual impairment, he needs the help of a
boy like Samuel. Samuel can bring Eli a drink of water or run other errands for
him. It is only natural for Samuel to assume that a call late at night comes
from his master, Eli. From the writer’s statement in verse 3, we know that the call of Samuel comes in the early hours
of the morning, for he says, the lamp of
God had not yet gone out. The lamp is the golden
lamp stand, with its seven lamps, which are to burn continually at certain times.
3. The first two times Samuel is called by God, he assumes he is hearing
the voice of Eli, his master. Note v 4, 6, and 8. It makes sense, especially if
Eli sometimes calls to Samuel for assistance during the night. It is not until
the third “call” that Eli finally
grasps the situation and realizes that God is calling Samuel to reveal His Word
to the boy. At his instructions, Samuel responds to God when He once again
calls.
4. God announces to Samuel that what He is about to do will cause the
ears of those who hear the news of it to tingle, both ears. This is no
exaggeration. When Eli hears, he collapses, resulting in his death
(4:18). The message seems to be a
personal one addressed to Eli. In fact, the prophet will be Eli’s replacement,
functioning as a prophet, a priest, and a judge. The message given to Samuel
focuses on Eli’s sin more than on the sins of his sons. More specifically, God
indicates that He is bringing about judgment on Eli and his house because Eli
knows of the sins of his sons and does nothing to hinder them. In contemporary
terms, Eli is an “enabler.” He facilitates his sons’ sinful behavior rather
than resist and oppose it.
NB: God hates sin,
and He judges sinners who will not repent. These are dark days for the nation
Israel. The priesthood is corrupt. Those who are to serve God and the nation
are abusing their office and abusing the people. The priests are thieves and
robbers. They are corrupt and immoral. God’s Word clearly indicates the
sacredness of this office and ministry and reveals the ways in which priests
should reflect and respect the holiness of God. Eli’s sons shake their fists in
God’s face, and finally their day of judgment comes, precisely as God has said.
God’s day of judgment may come later than we expect, but it will most
certainly come.
GOD REMOVES THE
INFLUENCE THAT CREATE THE SPIRITUALLY DARK TIMES 10-14
God’s
explanation to Samuel provides us with two more glimpses of Eli’s
troubles.
First, in
verse 13 we discover that Eli’s house would be judged because of the sins of
his sons that Eli knew all about, for his
sons brought a curse on themselves. Actually it is better to
translate the concept of ‘curse’ here
as their blatant disregard for God’s expectations as priests had meant they ‘cursed God’. This atrocity would be
unthinkable, namely, that the priests were actually cursing God (treating him
lightly, with contempt) by there perverted
priesthood—one God had personally constructed for fellowship with his people.
Secondly, when
Eli heard about it, he did not rebuke them v. 13. Rebuke is not the best choice, since Eli did rebuke them, albeit
too little and too late. It can mean that admonish or restrain. Eli’s eyes are
dim; they can barely see. But Eli does not take a dim enough view of his son’s
actions. He may not be able to extinguish the high beam light of their sins, but he can have a dimming effect. He can exercise some
restraint -- for example, he can remove them as priests. He can make it difficult for them to sin. Instead, he facilitates their
sins, and it is for this that God deals so severely with Eli and his entire
house v 14.
Eli did not exert the effort to influence the way his sons
thought, through appropriate instruction, discipline, warning, and
correction. He simply waited until they did vile things, and then said
they should not do such things. He did not admonish them; he did
not put it in their minds to do what God said had to be done. This idea
is close to Paul’s admonition that a minister is supposed to be able to rule
his household and ensure that his children are faithful and righteous. That comes from a life-time of careful
teaching, encouraging, correcting, and warning.
NB: So under the
Mosaic Law the penalty for showing contempt for the priesthood, for disobeying
parents, and for blasphemy was death (Deut 17:12; 21:18-21; Lev 24:11-16). This
was what Hophni and Phinehas
would experience. The cutting off of Eli’s line happened about 130 years later
(I Kgs 2:27, 35). Verse 14 indicates that the sin of Eli’s
house is now beyond repentance; God’s judgment is imminent. There is no
sacrifice or atonement to set this matter straight, only judgment. In simple
terms, Eli and sons have passed the “point
of no return.” They refuse to repent, and judgment is coming. This is
because Eli’s sin and the sins of his sons are committed with a high hand; they are sins of presumption.
IT IS THE WORD OF GOD PROCLAIMED BY
THE FAITHFUL THAT BRINGS LIGHT BACK INTO THE DARKNESS 15-21
1. When morning
comes, Samuel seems to avoid Eli. He goes about his regular routine, just as
always, as though nothing has happened v 15. Eli knows better. He knows that
God has called Samuel three times during the night. He knows it is God who is
about to reveal something to Samuel. He does not know what it is, although he
surely has his fears. The last message he received from a prophet was a
foreboding one. And so Eli presses Samuel to tell him all that God spoke to him
v 16-17. He does not allow Samuel to hold back. And so Samuel reluctantly tells
Eli the whole message v 18.
2. The word of the Lord, when repeated to Eli, drew a sad
response from the unfaithful priest: It
is the Lord; let him do what seems right v 18. Eli could only
surrender to God’s judgment on him, for he knew his life and his failure.
He was old, and made no effort to plead for mercy; he simply gave in. This has
been his track record and it seems a fatalistic response when there is still
time for him to come to terms and at least repent of his negligence before God.
3. The way a true prophet is accredited is spelled out in Deut 13:1-5;
18:14-22. A true prophet speaks in a way that calls upon men to follow God, to
obey Him. A true prophet is one whose words come to pass. Our author tells us
literally that God let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground v 19. Everything Samuel says will happen does
happen. And every Israelite realizes that God’s hand is upon Samuel and that He
speaks the Word of the Lord v 20. From Dan, the northern-most part of the land,
to Beersheba, the southern-most city, all Israel recognizes Samuel as a prophet
of God. The silence is broken v 21.
So What?
1. Many people want
to do something spectacular to obtain God’s blessings and power. Samuel teaches
us that this is not the norm. Samuel does not do anything to prompt God’s
appearance or to reveal His Word in prophecy. Samuel is simply going about his
daily duties. There is nothing particularly romantic or “spiritual” about
dusting and cleaning tabernacle furnishings, about sweeping the floors, or
about serving a nearly blind, nearly dead old man (Eli). But in the course of
going about his assigned tasks, God finds Samuel and reveals Himself to Him. Let us go about our lives, faithfully doing
the work God has given us to do, leaving the spectacular interventions, the
great successes, to God. When it is His time for them to happen, they will
happen, not so much because of what we have done, but because God always keeps
His promises.
2. God will replace spiritual leaders who fail to honor
him. If they live only for themselves, fulfilling their own needs and
desires, and do not preserve the standard of righteousness, and do not
encourage and assist the truly devout, then they should not have a
ministry. God has someone else who is faithful. It is that one he will
bless.