Ordinary people, extraordinary God – Samuel hearing God speak
1 Samuel 3:1-4:1
- God’s silence (1 Samuel 3:1-7) – The word of the Lord was rare because Israel had turned their back on God. They were rebelling against God and He was no longer speaking to them. But God had a plan and He was not prepared to abandon His people. Through Samuel He was going to call His people back to Him. By the end of chapter 3 the word of the Lord was no longer rare. Eli should have been hearing from God and bringing God’s word to the people, but he was spiritually blind and compromised by sin. Verse 7 tells us that Samuel did not yet know the Lord. He was religious, but he had no relationship with God. He knew so much about God, but he did know the Lord personally. Do you just know about God or do you have a living relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you born again by the Holy Spirit?
- God speaks (1 Samuel 3:8-18) – God called Samuel four times. He did not give up, was persistent and patient and persevered to get His word to Samuel. God still speaks today. Do you want God to speak to you today? Do you seek His guidance in your decisions? Samuel thought Eli was calling him. Be careful of competing voices in the world today. Be careful of false prophets and the Devil. Do not be half asleep and listen to the wrong voice. God speaks through His word, through the Spirit, through speakers, through worship, through circumstances and through other Spirit filled Christians. God will never speak contrary to His word. We therefore need to read and be familiar with the word of God so we can discern what God is actually saying (Psalm 119:105). God did not speak to Samuel from a distance, He came and stood before him. This was a personal experience of God. We too can have personal encounters with God.
- God speaks to children – God did not speak to Eli. Samuel was probably under 10 years of age. Never underestimate what God can do through children. God can and does speak to and through children. Samuel was faithful and obedient in speaking God’s word. We need to speak God’s word even when it is bad news. We should eagerly desire to speak God’s word (1 Corinthians 14:1).
- God’s prophet established (1 Samuel 3:19-4:1) – God’s word has a transformational effect across the whole of Israel.