SAMUEL’S CALL TO THE PRIESTHOOD
1 Samuel 3:1-9, 19-20, 7:3-5,10-12
GOD’S
WORK IN YOUR LIFE
The work in
Samuel’s life began before he was born.
His father
was a God-fearing man. He had two wives, Hannah and
Peninnah. Peninnah had children but Hannah’s womb was
shut up by
The Lord.
Peninnah provoked Hannah because of her barrenness
He went to The
house of the Lord at Shiloh each year with his wives to make sacrifices.
After many
years of being taunted by Peminnah, Hannah went to the temple
In Shiloh
and prayed and weeped before Eli the high priest. When Eli understood
her
distress, he blessed her with a word from the Lord that she would have
A child.
Hannah
promised Eli the priest that if she had a son, he would be given to
The Lord to
be His servant. Hannah named her son Samuel, “Because
I asked the
Lord For him”.
When Samuel
was three years old, Hannah kept her vow to the Lord and
Brought
Samuel to Eli to serve in the temple. According to the Josephus,
The Biblical
historian of the time, Samuel was 12 years old when he got
His first
call from the Lord. According to the
text, Eli the High Priest did
Not teach
Samuel about the Lord because he did not know Him at the
Time of the
call.
Israel had
rejected the Lord and worshipped Baal. Because of their disobedience
There was no
prophet in Israel.
My first
point in this lesson is parents must start working in the lives of their
Children
before they are born.
Notice how
God works.
1. God selected God-fearing parents for
Samuel.
2. God closed the womb of Samuel’s mom
for a time.
3. God put a thorn in Samuel’s mother’s side
with the
Taunting of the other wife
of his father.
4. The constant taunting of the father’s
other wife drew
Samuel’s mom to prayer
before Eli the High Priest.
5. Samuel’s mom made a vow before the
Lord to
Dedicate him for service
in the temple.
As parents
we are responsible to train our children in the
Knowledge of
the Lord.
The Word of God gives wisdom you
can’t get from the world.
2. Second, God shut up the womb of
Samuel’s mother to bring
Her to point of gratefulness that she gave up her baby for the His
service
3. Third, the Lord allowed Samuel to
be born at a time when
Israel was in need of a
prophet.
4, Forth, God allowed Samuel to be born at a time and in circumstances
where
He would fill him with the Word.
GOD HAS A REPLACEMENT PLAN
Israel had
rejected the Lord and worshipped Baal. Because of their disobedience
There was no
prophet in Israel.
Let me
suggest that it was due to the neglect of the Priesthood.
Eli and His
two sons were priests.
Eli the High
Priest had lost his desire to perform the duties of the Priest
As God
commanded. Eli failed to correct his sons who did evil in the
The sight of
the Lord and the people of Israel.
Eli’s sons
took the best meat that was to be the sacrifice to the Lord for themselves
1 Samuel 2:11-17.
Eli’s son
had no regard for the Lord. Because Eli failed to remove his sons from
The priesthood,
he condoned their actions. Eli was warned that some of
His family
members would be cut off from the altar. Those who were
Not cut off
would die young. 1 Samuel 27-33.
THE
TRAINING OF SAMUEL
1 Samuel
3:1-10
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord
under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many
visions.
2 One night
Eli whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down
in his usual 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.
Samuel
answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am;
you called me."
But Eli
said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay
down.
A. According to Josephus the historian
of the time, Samuel had been
Serving with for Eli 9 years at the time he first heard the voice of the
Lord.
1. At that time of night, there may have
been no one in the Temple
But Eli and Samuel.
2. Samuel was 12 years old at the time
and probably become a useful
Helper for Eli.
B. Eli was nearly blind, so Samuel may
have taken on many of the duties of
1. There is nothing like hands-on
training.
2. I can imagine Samuel stood by or was
involved in all the activities of
Of the High Priest.
3. Samuel may have listened to all the
communication between Eli and
The community.
C. Samuel ran to Eli because he had not heard
the voice of the Lord before.
1. Samuel’s response showed his devotion
to Eli.
2. Samuel’s response showed his
obedience to Eli.
3. Samuel’s response showed his love for
Eli.
THE CALL
TO THE PRIESTHOOD
V:6 Again
the Lord called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and
said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My
son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."
7 Now Samuel
did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to
him.
8 The Lord
called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said,
"Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli
realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and
lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is
listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
A. The Lord’s voice was audible to
Samuel, so he assumed
It came from Eli.
1. We have to learn the difference
between the voice of
The Lord, our voice and
the voice of Satan.
2. God gets us prepared to hear his
voice through time,
Circumstances, trials,
and the study of His Word.
B. Notice that Lord called young Samuel
in the quiet of the
night when all activity had ceased.
1. To hear the voice of the Lord it is
good to get to
A place without
distractions.
2. I have found that I can concentrate
better when I am
In a quiet place.
Mark 6:31
"Come with me by
yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
C. The more we study God’s Word, the
more we learn.
1. It took Eli, a veteran in the Word
three times after hearing
The Word to understand
that it was Lord speaking to
Samuel.
2. The Word of God is so broad, that
each time you review it
You will come away with a
deeper understanding.
3. You must study the Word, then
meditate on what you
Studied.
4. It is when you meditate on the Word
that your understanding
Grows.
5. You do not gain an understanding on
your own, It is your
Teacher, the Holy Spirit
that enlightens you.
A SERVANT
ATTITUDE
V:10 The
Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
A. Once you understand that Lord is
speaking to you, then you
Open your mind to receive a Word from Him.
1. The Lord is always speaking. But are
we ready to listen?
2. Notice Samuel took on the posture of
a servant.
3. When you open your Bibles you must
understand that it
Is the Lord speaking to
you.
B. When you open your Bibles, you must open it with a servant Attitude.
1. If you don’t see yourself as a
servant, you want to see the Lord
As Lord.
2. The Word is God’s commands and
directions to us.
3. If you don’t see yourself as a
servant of the Lord, you
Will never understand the
true meaning of the Word.
4. A servant fears the Lord, therefore
pays close attention
To every word.
2 Timothy 2:15-16
Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.
5. Everyday situations are our
opportunity to apply God’s Word.
6. Everyday situations are our
opportunity to role model a servant
Attitude.
THE GROWTH OF SAMUEL
1 Samuel 3:19-21
V:19 The Lord was with
Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And
all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a
prophet of the Lord.
A. We all have grown-up time in the Lord.
1. The Lord was with Samuel because his actions
and
Attitude was pleasing.
2. The word “grow” is the Greek word
gadal which means
To make large in body,
mind, and estate.
3. Samuel continued to grow in the knowledge
of the Lord.
4. His servant attitude continued in his
growth.
B. Samuel’s words did not fall on hollow
ground.
1. The Lord was his teacher.
2. He became known by Israel as a
prophet.
3. 1 Samuel 3:21
The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and
there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
WORSHIP OF THE LORD RESTORED
1 Samuel 7:2-6
V: 3 And Samuel said to the
whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your
hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit
yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the
hand of the Philistines." 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and
Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
5 Then Samuel said,
"Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the Lord for
you."
A. The words of Samuel became a powerful
force in the minds of
Israel.
1. He began his priesthood following God’s
commands and directions.
2. As a result confidence in the priesthood
was restored.
3. Israel saw Samuel as a prophet led by
God.
4. Israel relied on Samuel for guidance
by the Lord.
B. Under Samuel's commands, Israel put
away their idol gods
And committed to following
God
1. Samuel took charge of Israel and reestablish
the worship of
The Lord.
2. Samuel established trust in the
priesthood.
3. As Priest, Samuel interceded for
Israel before the Lord.
James 5:16
The prayer of a righteous
man is powerful and effective.
LET THE LORD FIGHT
YOUR BATTLES
1 Samuel 7:10-11
V:10 While Samuel was
sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in
battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the
Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the
Israelites.
A. When you honor the Lord with your
obedience and sacrifices
He will fight your
battles.
1. While Israel was in prayer, the enemy
came prepared
To fight.
2. When your heart is stayed on the
Lord. He is on guard for you.
3. The enemy showed up but God confused
them with thunder.
B. No matter what your circumstances
are, you can be confident
That God is in control.
1. The Church today is no longer considered
a sacred place.
2. We live in a society that has no
regard for God.
3. Men and women will come to the church
to kill members.
4. While Israel was in worship, the
enemy was outside ready
To destroy them.
C. While you are on your knees in prayer
your back is exposed
To the enemy.
1. You can be confident that Lord has you
back.
2. God knows the plan of the enemy and will
confuse their
Minds so they turn on
themselves.
TODAY, A MEMORIAL TO
THE LORD
1 Samuel 7:12
V.7:12 Then Samuel took a
stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying,
"Thus far has the Lord helped us
A. every day of our lives
should be a memorial day to the Lord
1. We have no idea what dangers we will
encounter when we rise
From our beds.
2, What we know is God is on the side of
those who worship
Him in spirit and
truth.
3. We should never wait until Sunday
Morning to worship
The Lord.
4. Your worship should be every day all
day.
B, We ought to name every day “Ebenezer”
The Lord Has
Helped Us.
1. Acts 17:28
'For in him we live and move and have our
being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
2. This is the time to be on Lord’s side.
Rev. M. Mit
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