 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. Meditation Our hearts hunger to hear the Lord, created for intimate fellowship with Him. God still speaks, and His grace grows desire to open our hearts to hear and receive His word. The boy Samuel was raised by Eli in the temple. God called Samuel three times (4, 5, 8), during days when the word of the Lord “was rare” (1). Eli directed Samuel in how to hear the Lord, opening the heart by opening his mouth: “Speak, your servant hears” (9). Samuel obeyed and opened his heart to hear God’s word. Eli was eager to hear God’s word, too. Commanding Samuel to share the word of the Lord, Eli absorbed the promised judgement (18). God had promised to raise up a faithful priest (1 Samuel 2:35) and God was clear that it would not be from his house. Eli surrendered to God’s sovereign plan and God continued to establish Samuel by speaking to him (21). Samuel welcomed God’s word, richly dwelled in God’s presence, and was established as God’s priest. Eli’s sons rejected God’s word and welcomed ruin (chapter 4). The faithfulness of God to speak is consistent. The willingness of God’s people to hear is inconsistent. Jesus is the greater Priest, the word of God made flesh. Jesus taught why hard hearts do not hear God’s word- we ignore it, are distracted, or have other good things choking it out (Matthew 13). Jesus died to atone for the sin of our hard hearts and His grace grows desire to hear. Speak, oh Lord, for your servants are listening. Richly Dwelling -What part of the passage stands out to you the most? Why? -Is your heart open to hear God’s word? Or is it hard- ignoring God’s word, distracted, or choked out by good things? -Will you join Samuel by opening your mouth to open your heart, asking the Lord to speak to you through His word? “Speak, oh Lord, for your servant hears!” Key Verse 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 Comments are closed.
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