1 Samuel 3
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Samuel 3
Guzik adds Samuel was ministering "just as Aaron and his sons did at their consecration as priests (Exodus 29:1+) and just like Paul and Barnabas did before they were sent out as missionaries (Acts 13:1-2+)." THOUGHT - When you were born again you too entered into a lifelong (and even eternal) ministry to the Lord. From that moment you were no longer your own, for Jesus has purchased you with His blood (Rev 5:9+, 1Cor 6:19+, Titus 2:14+), and the goal of your life to glorify God in your body (1Cor 6:20+; cf question 1 in Westminster Confession). How are you doing priest ______ (fill in your name). 1 Peter 2:9+ affirms that now "you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (cf Col 1:13+, Acts 26:18+) As an aside, a clerical outfit does not a priest make! And Word (Lxx = rhema = spoken word) from the LORD was rare (yaqar) in those days, visions (chazown/chazon) were infrequent (literally "were not breaking forth" Lxx = Greek word for "not" [ouk] preceding the verb diastello = "a vision continually giving commands or instruction") - Word and visions are parallel. Rare (yaqar) is translated precious in 2/3's of the OT uses (35 uses total) which is certainly what the Word of the LORD is (OR SHOULD BE) to us - PRECIOUS! The Septuagint translates rare with timios which means valuable, precious, costly, of great worth or value, held in honor, respected. Why was revelation from God rare? Clearly this was a form of judgment on the nation. For one thing the nation of Israel was in the final days of the dark time of the Judges characterized by repeated cycles of apostasy and idolatry (God is jealous and will not tolerate other "gods!" Ex 34:14+). Secondly, the current priestly leadership (using that term very loosely) was polluted by the sins of the worthless sons of Eli who functioned as Israel's priests. And what was one function of the priests? To teach the Word of God (Dt 24:8+, cf 2Ki 12:2, Mic 3:11), but they did not even know the God of the Word (1Sa 2:12+)! Yahweh clearly stated that "the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." (Mal 2:7+) Note the first use of visions (chazown/chazon) in Scripture is found here in 1Sa 3:1. Could this have anything to do with the fact that 1 Samuel historically immediately follows the 300 year period described in the book of Judges (Jdg 21:25+)? THOUGHT - When God's Word is "rare" and "visions" are infrequent, a society (AND AN INDIVIDUAL) is in grave danger as indicated by Proverbs 29:18+ which says "Where there is no vision (same word as in 1Sa 3:1 - chazown/chazon)(PROPHETIC WORD FROM GOD), the people are unrestrained ("run wild"; Hebrew = para' means to let go, to let loose literally used of hair that was "loose" or unkempt), But happy (blessed) is he who keeps the law." This "truism" proved true in Judges which ends on a low note as expressed by the "theme verse" - "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Jdg 21:25+) Evil leaders cause a drought of revelation (i.e., Ezek. 7:26; Micah 3:6). America 2022, are you listening? Dear teacher or preacher of the Word of God, please heed Paul's dying words "preach (NOTE 5 "STACCATO-LIKE" aorist imperatives [LIKE THE NIKE COMMERCIAL = 'JUST DO IT!'] calling for continual dependence on the filling/enabling of the Holy Spirit to obey) the Word (NOT OTHER MEN'S WORDS/SERMONS, NOT FUNNY STORIES, NOT "DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS," ETC, BUT THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD, BECAUSE SAINTS WILL GROW IN RESPECT TO SALVATION NO OTHER WAY! - 1Pe 2:2+); be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." (2Ti 4:2+, and 2Ti 4:3-4+ explains why this is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL!)
1 Samuel 3
Guzik - The only word of the Lord we read of in the first two chapters of 1 Samuel is the word of judgment brought by the man of God against Eli. God didn’t speak often, and when He did, it was a word of judgment. The word of the Lord rare in those days because of the hardness of heart among the people of Israel and the corruption of the priesthood. God will speak, and guide, when His people seek Him, and when His ministers seek to serve Him diligently. THOUGHT: Guzik's comment reminds me of Pr 8:17 where God says "I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me." Could it be said of you/me "I love You LORD and I am diligently seeking you every day?" Let the words of this following spiritual song spur you on to "Seek the LORD and His strength. Seek His face continually." - 1Chr 16:11. Think of young Samuel as you listen to the words of this song, for he was laying near the LORD in the Temple and he cried out "Speak for Your servant is listening." (Hint you might open the song in one window so you can read the Scriptures in another window as you seek His face). I WILL SEEK YOU (play song) Hide me in the place where Your glory dwells, (Ps 17:8, 27:5) Speak to me as I wait. (1Sa 3:10) All that I want is Your presence Lord. (Ps 73:25) To meet with you face to face. (Ex 33:11, Jdg 22:6, 1Jn 3:2) Just one glimpse of Your glory (Ex 33:18) Just one, and I know I'll be undone (Isa 6:1-4,5, Rev 1:17) To the ends of the earth. (Ps 22:27, 2:8) From the depths of my heart, (Ps 27:8) I will seek You, I will seek You. (Ps 63:1, 9:10,1Chr 16:11) Like a child I will run (1Sa 3:5, Ps 119:32) To wherever You are (Ps 139:7) And You'll catch me in Your arms. (Isa 40:11, Ps 89:13, 21) Falling to my knees here on holy ground (Lk 5:8, Josh 5:14,15, Ex 3:4,5) In awe of Your love for me. (Zeph 3:17) My life is transformed by Your presence Lord (2Co 3:18) You've opened my eyes to see (Ps 119:18, Lk 24:31, 45) One thing I ask, One thing I need (Ps 27:4, Lk 10:42, Php 3:13) To be in Your presence (Ps 16:11, 41:12, 140:13) To lay at Your feet (1Sa 3:2, Lk 7:37, 38, 8:41, 10:39, 17:16) "Seek the LORD and His strength. Seek His face continually." - 1Chr 16:11.
1 Samuel 3
Guzik - As a figure of speech, this simply means “before dawn.” But it is also suggestive of the dark spiritual times of Israel – it is dark, and will probably get darker. Exodus 27:21+ refers to the responsibility of the priests to tend the lamps until sunrise, or just before dawn. THOUGHT - Without taking the text too far, in "light" of the fact that Ps 119:105+ says "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path," there could be a spiritual implication that figuratively the lamp of God had gone out to a large degree and certainly 1Sa 3:1 supports this thought. Later in the 400 year intertestamental period, there was no revelation from God in Israel until Jesus' day. And Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was - Talk about a safe, "soft pillow" for your head -- next to the Holy One's presence in the Holy of holies (cf Ps 4:8 and the beautiful promises in Ps 121:1-8+, Pr 3:24, 6:22)! Samuel's sleeping in the Temple reminds me of Anna the Prophetess in Luke 2:36+ "And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers."
1 Samuel 3
Guzik - This leads us to believe God spoke to Samuel in an audible voice, instead of in an “inner voice,” though this is not certain. But Samuel was so impressed by what he heard, he responded by saying, “Here I am!” This is a beautiful way to respond to God’s Word. It isn’t that God does not know where we are, but it tells God and it reminds us we are simply before Him as servants, asking what He wants us to do. Samuel is among several others who also said, “Here I am” when the Lord spoke to them: Abraham (Genesis 22:1), Jacob (Genesis 46:2), Moses (Exodus 3:4), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8), and Ananias (Acts 9:10). Here I am has some other notable speakers including Abraham (thrice), Esau, Isaac, Jacob (twice), Moses ... Genesis 22:1 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Genesis 22:7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Genesis 22:11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Genesis 27:1 Now it came about, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” Genesis 27:18 Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Genesis 31:11 “Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ Genesis 46:2 God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Exodus 3:4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Here are the remainder of the 22 uses of Here I am - 1Sa 3:4; 1Sa 3:5; 1Sa 3:6; 1Sa 3:8; 1Sa 3:16; 1Sa 12:3; 1Sa 14:7; 1Sa 14:43; 1Sa 22:12; 2Sa 1:7; 2Sa 15:26; Isa. 52:6; Isa. 58:9; Acts 9:10 QUESTION - How do I hear from God? ANSWER - Every Christian has probably wondered at one time or another, “How do I hear from God?” The question is natural because we want to know what God has in store for us, and we are eager to please our heavenly Father. The range of answers, however, has caused much confusion and controversy. We need to be biblical when we answer the question how can I hear from God? The Bible tells us how we hear from God: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2ESV). Before the Incarnation of God the Son, God spoke through the prophets. We heard from God through men such as Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Malachi, and the other prophets. They relayed messages from God, and often their words were written down and preserved so we would always know His promises, His law, and His redemptive plans. There were times when God spoke directly to people. Abraham and Joshua, for example, conversed with God directly at times (Genesis 12:1; 17:1; Joshua 5:13–15). Others, such as Jacob, heard from God through dreams (Genesis 28:12–13). Ezekiel saw visions (Ezekiel 1:1). Saul began to hear from God and spoke for Him when “the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him” (1 Samuel 10:10). But, in most cases, people did not hear from God directly; rather, they were responsible to read God’s written Word or seek out God’s chosen mouthpiece. On at least two occasions, King Jehoshaphat asked to hear from a prophet of God (1 Kings 22:7; 2 Kings 3:11). Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, sought to hear from God through the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 8:7–8). Isaiah told the people of Judah they had a responsibility to “consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning” (Isaiah 8:20); that is, they were to read the written Word of God already delivered to them. With the birth of Jesus, things changed. John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets. Through the ministry of Jesus, God spoke directly to us. Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, the Sermon on the Plain, and the Olivet Discourse; and His pronouncements of being the Bread of Life, the True Vine, and the Good Shepherd are God’s direct revelation of who He is. Jesus’ words “are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63). The writer to the Hebrews says, “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” The “last days” are the current dispensation—the church age. Jesus Christ was the pinnacle of God’s revelation; He is the Final Word to us. In the Bible Jesus’ words are recorded for us. When Jesus ascended back into heaven, He left behind hand-picked apostles who were given the special task of recording what Jesus had said and done. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these men were authorized by God to speak and record God’s words to His church so that all of the church can truly hear from God. We now hear from God through His written Word, which is the Bible. So, basically, we hear from God by reading our Bibles and hearing it preached. For many people who want to hear from God, hearing, “Read your Bible,” is not very satisfying. They desire a more “direct” and “personal” communication. There are many problems with such a desire, starting with the fact that neglecting or rejecting the Bible in order to seek a “new” word from God is spiritually dangerous. It is arrogant for someone to think that he is so special as to receive direct revelation from God, especially when God said in the first century that He has spoken through His Son, who is “appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:2). We can’t top Jesus. There are no modern-day apostles or prophets who function in the same manner as the biblical apostles and prophets. God does speak to people today, but the means He uses always include the Bible. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and gives gifts to them as He chooses. Some are given gifts to teach, correct, admonish, and encourage other Christians. There is no new revelation being given (see Revelation 22:18), but God has gifted people in the church to be able to speak into the lives of other Christians. Exhortation and the offering of biblical advice are important within the community of believers. A pastor’s instruction from God’s Word is one way we hear from God today. A friend’s advice, tied to Scripture, is another way we hear from God. A directive issued by a God-ordained authority figure is another way we hear from God. We should never neglect praying and meditating on God’s Word. As we meditate on a passage of Scripture, and we pray for God’s direction and understanding, we hear from God. When we feed daily on the Bible, the Holy Spirit points us to truths that we know are from God because they come directly from His Word. What a privilege it is to have God’s Word readily available to us! GotQuestions.org “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word” (Psalm 119:15–16) QUESTION - What is the key to hearing God’s voice? ANSWER - Most people want to hear God’s voice when they are facing a decision. If only God would speak to them and tell them which choice to make or which direction to embark upon. Many people will claim to have heard God’s voice, saying, “God led me to do this,” when in fact it was simply their own thoughts and desires that led them in a particular direction. The primary way that God speaks to us today is through His revealed, written Word. When we want to hear God’s voice, the Bible is where we should look. Most of the will of God for our lives is already fully revealed in its pages, and it is simply a matter of our obedience to it. All of Scripture is the will of God, but there are a few places in Scripture that specifically use the term will of God, which may be especially interesting to a person who wants to hear God’s voice: • 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.” • 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” • 1 Peter 2:12–15: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.” Other passages also let us hear God’s voice, even if they don’t use the phrase the will of God. But, just taking the three above passages, we know that a Christian should always give thanks in every circumstance, avoid sexual immorality, and live an exemplary life. If a Christian does not follow these clear dictates given directly by God through inspired Scripture, why should he or she expect to hear more information from God? If you want further direction from God, obey what He has already told you. A heart willing to listen and obey is the key to hearing from God. The primary way that a Christian hears God’s voice is through reading and studying Scripture and then obeying and applying what the Scripture says. People often rely upon “the leading of the Holy Spirit,” which is spoken of in Romans 8:14. In context, the passage speaks of the Spirit’s leading us away from sinful activity and into a confidence in our relationship with God as Father. The Holy Spirit will never lead contrary to Scripture. If a person is considering having an affair, the Spirit will only lead in one direction—toward marital fidelity. The Spirit might very well bring a verse like 1 Thessalonians 4:3 to mind for the person being tempted. When the Spirit leads, He is not imparting “new” information as much as He is impressing on our hearts the truth God has already revealed in Scripture and applying it to our situation. If a person says, “God told me” or “The Spirit led me to do such and such,” and the action taken is contrary to Scripture, we can be sure the person is mistaken. We can also hear God’s voice as God speaks through other people. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22). Good counselors or advisers can help us see a situation with new eyes. Again, the Bible is key. Biblical preaching and biblically sound Christian material can be put in the “advisers” category. The Word of God is the control. If a bunch of counselors advise a person to do something contrary to Scripture, then they are all wrong, no matter what their credentials; however, if the advisers help an individual understand and apply Scripture, then they can be helpful. Godly advisers can often see areas that an individual is blind to. A group of advisers may discern that the person seeking to hear God’s voice concerning a particular plan is in reality seeking approval of his own personal agenda. Another way to hear God’s voice is to pray and ask for wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). When a Christian is facing difficult circumstances and needs to hear from God, the Christian should ask for the wisdom that God promises to give. This wisdom will ultimately come from God, but it may come through the word of a friend; through a sermon, article, or book; or from the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit. Once again, the written Word of God is the standard by which all thoughts, actions, ideas, and feelings must be judged. In this day of self-proclaimed prophets and the promotion of “new revelations” from God, people often mistake the voice of God for their own thoughts or the suggestions of other people. If you are hearing God’s voice, then the message will always be in accord with Scripture. We should all take great care not to misrepresent God. Instead of saying, “God told me this,” a better approach would be to say, “I think God may be saying this—what do you think?” People often want to hear a specific word from God when He has already spoken in a general sense. For instance, a person may be deliberating the choice of whether to take the family on a short-term mission trip or on a vacation to the beach. Perhaps a specific word from God is unnecessary. What is really called for is wisdom. Which trip will most benefit the family? Which trip will most benefit the kingdom of God? The family will benefit by building the kingdom. The kingdom will benefit from a strong family. Either one could be a good choice. Other factors such as expense and the current state of the family should be considered. (Are the kids selfish and entitled so they need to see how other people live? Has the family been under a lot of stress and needs to get away and relax? Are the costs comparable? If not, which can they afford?) If they go to the beach, they look for opportunities to share their faith and be an encouragement to other believers. If they go on the mission trip, they look for ways to build bonds with each other and enjoy themselves as a family. Both options are good. Neither is inherently sinful. In the end, the husband and wife come to some agreement and throw themselves into it wholeheartedly, trusting that, if the decision is wrong, God will somehow make it clear to them that they should do something different. How will He do this? Probably not through an audible voice but through a combination of circumstances, advice from other people, evaluation of their priorities based on God’s Word, and a lack of inner peace from the Holy Spirit.GotQuestions.org Related Resource: Are You Listening? by Bruce Hurt - In Depth article - includes multiple devotionals How can I know if I am hearing God, hearing Satan, or hearing my own thoughts? | GotQuestions.org How can I know if I am hearing God, hearing Satan, or hearing my own thoughts? | GotQuestions.org How can I get to know God better? | GotQuestions.org How can I have a closer relationship with God? | GotQuestions.org The Vision of God (1 SAMUEL 3) Oh! give me Samuel’s mind, A sweet, unmurmuring faith, Obedient and resigned To Thee in life and death; That I may read with child-like eyes Truths that are hidden from the wise. —J. D. BURNS. IT is very touching to notice the various references to the child Samuel as they recur during the progress of the narrative, especially those in which an evident contrast is intended between his gentle innocence and the wild licence of Eli’s sons—it is like a peal of sweet bells ringing on amid the crash of a storm. Hannah said, “… I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever.” “And she … brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh; and the child was young.” “As long as he liveth he is lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.” “And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the Priest.” “Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they knew not the Lord: … and the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord; but Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child.” “Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel … Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour with the Lord, and also with men.” “And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, … Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering?… And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli.” “And the Lord said, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle … And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground; and all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.” “The Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh, by the word of the Lord, and the word of Samuel came to all Israel.” His life seems to have been one unbroken record of blameless purity, integrity, and righteousness. One purpose ran through all his years, threading them together in an unbroken series. There were no gaps nor breaks; no lapses into sensuality or selfishness; no lawless deeds in that wild, lawless age. Towards the end of a long life he was able to appeal to the verdict of the people in memorable words, which attested his consciousness of unsullied rectitude: “I am old and gray-headed, … and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day. Here I am; witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe?” And they said, “Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man’s hand.” It was a beautiful life—strong in its faculty of administration, wise in steering the nation from the rule of the judges into the royal state of the kings, unimpeachably just, but blamelessly pure, towering above his contemporaries like a peak of glistening chrysolite, on which the sunlight plays, while all the valleys beneath are wrapped in scudding clouds and sweeping rain. Samuel was not a prophet in the sense of foretelling the long future, and was not possessed of Isaiah’s genius and eloquence; his only contribution to his age was a saintly character, which reminds us of that of James, the brother of our Lord, whose pure white robe was emblematic of his spotless character. Samuel was the James of the Old Testament; and it was by the saintliness, the moral grandeur of his character, that he arrested the ruin of his people. We too may be called to face an era of change; our eyes may have to witness the passing of the old and the coming of the new; it may be that in our time also the Lord will shake once more, not earth only, but heaven, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain; in our time also ancient landmarks may be removed, as familiar and sacred as the tabernacle of Shiloh, and the Ark of the Covenant to Israel; but there is one property within our reach which need never pass away, which shall remain unimpaired and radiant through the years—and that is an unblemished character, a soul stainlessly arrayed, and the holy life in which these shall be embodied. “Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children, and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands, establish Thou it.” The noblest gift that any of us can make to our fatherland or age is an undefiled character and a stainless life. Let us live our best in the power of the Spirit of God, and prove that the God of Pentecost is living still. I. THE TRANSITION OF A YOUNG SOUL.—For Samuel, however, a great change was necessary and imminent. Up to this moment he had lived largely in the energy and motive-power of his mother’s intense, religious life. It was needful that he should EXCHANGE THE TRADITIONAL FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL. His faith must rest, not on the assertions of another’s testimony, but because for himself he had seen, and tasted, and handled the Word of Life. Not at second-hand, but at first, the Word of the Lord must come to him, and be passed on to all Israel. Probably this change comes to everyone who desires and seeks after the best and richest life. You may be the child of a pious home, where from boyhood or girlhood you were trained in the traditions of Evangelical religion, you were expected to pray and to serve God, you have been borne along by a blessed momentum; but suppose for a minute that that momentum should fail you, have you come to apprehend Christ as a living Reality for yourself? It may be that God, out of mercy to you, will break up and destroy the traditions and forms on which you have been relying; that the eternal and divine may stand forth apparent to your spiritual apprehension, and be apprehended by yourself for yourself, as though they were meant for you alone. It is a great hour in the history of the soul when the traditional, to which it has become habituated by long wont and use, is suddenly exchanged for the open vision of God; when we say with Job, “I have heard of Thee with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee”; when we say with the apostle, “Leaving the things that are behind, and reaching forth to those that are before, I press toward the mark.” Will you believe then that God may be coming very near you, and is about to reveal Himself to you in the Lord Jesus, as not unto the world? He is about to transform your life, and lift it to an altogether new level, so that though you may have to face the old circumstances, it shall be from a higher standpoint, as the spiral staircase is always returning to the same view-point, though always at the elevation of some few additional feet. II. THE VISION OF THE YOUNG EYES.— (1) When God came near his young servant, it seemed as though He placed his seal upon his faithfulness. Hitherto but small services had been required of him. To close and open the doors of the Tabernacle; to light the seven-branched candlestick in the late afternoon, and supply it with pure olive oil every morning; to render little services to the aged priest, whether by day or night—such were the duties assigned to him and performed with punctilious care. It was meet that he who had shown himself faithful in a very little should have a larger and wider sphere assigned to him. (2) The vision came as night was beginning to yield to dawn; but “the lamp had not yet gone out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.” Thrice the boy was startled from his innocent slumbers on his little bed in the chamber he occupied adjacent to the sacred building. He heard his name called softly, tenderly, lovingly, and made sure that Eli needed him, and thrice sped across the intervening space to report himself. Once, and again, and yet again, he ran unto Eli, and said, “Here am I, for thou calledst me.” When God approaches us to reveal his Son in us, the tendency is always to speed with all haste to some place, or some spiritual adviser, where we suppose that the interpretation of the vision will be given. Young converts, for instance, are apt to say, “If only I could have my questions answered by such a man of God, I am sure I should get blessing.” And thus they are kept in constant perturbation, running backwards and forwards, repeating Samuel’s vain experience—running to Eli and saying, “Surely you called me, and can interpret for me the vision and the voice.” (3) Eli was very wise in his treatment of the lad. He might have posed as the sole depository of the Divine secrets, might have warned the lad against listening to vain delusions, might have given way to ungoverned jealousy and suspicion, might have stood on the dignity and pride of office. But instead of any of these, without the slightest trace of hurt pride, he took the boy’s hand in his, and, so to speak, led him into the Divine Presence, knowing full well that the seals of sacred office, which had been taken from himself, were about to be laid on those youthful palms. If Eli had inherited the traditions of the priesthood merely, he would stand between that young soul and God, hearing its confession, wielding over it a terrorising influence, and directing it, as in the place of God. Instead of this, however, the old man said sweetly, “Go and lie down again, and it shall be when He shall call thee, that thou shalt say, ‘Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.’ ” It is not the business of the Christian minister to lord it over the eager and aroused disciple, to demand confession, or offer absolution, but to say in effect: “Thou needest more than we can give. God, and God only, can suffice thee. Go, and lie down again. Be quiet. Let thy soul be still before God. Wait, for He will assuredly come again. And it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.’ ” As Thomas à Kempis puts it, “ ‘Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.’ “Let not Moses speak unto me, nor any of the prophets, but rather do Thou speak, O Lord God, the Inspirer and Enlightener of all the prophets; for Thou alone without them canst perfectly instruct me, but they without Thee can profit nothing. “Speak Thou unto me, to the comfort, however imperfect, of my soul, and to the amendment of my whole life, and to Thy praise, and glory, and honour everlasting.” (4) The message entrusted to the lad was a very terrible one. We cannot wonder that he feared to show Eli the vision. With a beautiful modesty and reticence he set about the duties of the day, and opened, as usual, the doors of the house of the Lord. It was not for him to blurt out the full thunder which had burst on him. This was another lovely trait in the boy’s character. But he had misread Eli’s character; he did not realise that men like him will die, but not murmur—will resign themselves without a word of expostulation or defence, determined to know the worst, and when they know it, meekly answering, “It is the Lord; let Him do what seemeth Him good.” (5) It is well to notice that the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of the Lord. Let us not seek for revelations through dreams or visions, but by the Word of God. Nothing is more harmful than to contract the habit of listening for voices, and sleeping to dream. All manner of vagaries come in by that door. It is best to take in hand and read the Scriptures reverently, carefully, thoughtfully, crying, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” And in response there will come one clear, defined, and repeated message, asseverated and accentuated with growing distinctness from every part of the inspired volume. “This is the way—walk in it; this is my will—do it; this is my word—speak it.” Let us hear what God the Lord shall speak. David Jeremiah - PLUGGED IN 1 SAMUEL 3:4 The LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” Ernest Hemingway once lamented, “I live in a vacuum that is as lonely as a radio tube when the batteries are dead and there is no current to plug into.” Not so the Christian. We have a mission and a message. God has placed us on earth for a brief time to do an urgent work. Our lives have purpose, and all our days are scheduled in His perfect will. We travel an appointed way. What is the burning vision for your life? What does God want you to do? Ask Him to show you. Read His Word, seeking His will for your life. Tell Him you’re available. Say, like Samuel, “Here I am.” Find something to do and begin doing it. Find a need and begin filling it. Perhaps it’s visiting someone in the hospital or nursing home or working with children in the church nursery. Perhaps it’s singing in the choir, making visits for your church, or serving as an usher or greeter on Sunday morning. Be faithful in that smaller thing, and the Lord will give you more work to do, and more and more—all for His glory. He wants to use you. He has a purpose for your life, and He alone can give you a vision of His will. (Borrow Sanctuary : finding moments of refuge in the presence of God) 1 Samuel 3:5 Then he 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. 1 Samuel 3 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries SAMUEL RUNS WHEN CALLED Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." - That Samuel ran to Eli implies Eli was nearby, but not inside the Holy Place like Samuel, or otherwise he presumably would have heard the LORD's call (assuming it was indeed an audible sound) and Samuel would hardly have needed to run to him. What do we learn about young Samuel? "He ran...for you called me" clearly indicates that Samuel was obedient even as a youth (a time when many are far from obedient! - I have raised 4 children so speak from experience - none were named "Samuel" or responded like Samuel!), even though he did not discern it was the LORD Who called to him. But he said, "I did not call, lie down again." So he went and lay down - The implication is that this was a divine call during the night because Eli tells him in essence "Go back to bed and get a good night's sleep." (And quit bothering me!) 1 Samuel 3:6 The LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he answered, "I did not call, my son, lie down again." 1Sa 4:16 Ge 43:29 2Sa 18:22 Mt 9:2 1 Samuel 3 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries YAHWEH'S SECOND CALL TO SAMUEL The LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he answered, "I did not call, my son, lie down again." - Eli still did not grasp what was transpiring, another "symptom" of the dulling of of aged Eli's "spiritual eyesight." We have to give Eli some credit however because at least he did not say "Quit bothering me and let me get some sleep!" Had he done so obedient Samuel may not have come the third time (just postulating)! Calling You The Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” — 1 Samuel 3:6 Today's Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 A couple of co-workers and I had just gone through airport security and were walking to our gate when I heard my name: “Paging Anne Cetas. Paging Anne Cetas.” It’s not a common name, so we knew it had to be mine. I assumed I had absent-mindedly left something at the check-in point. I checked with an airline agent, who told me to pick up a red phone, give my name, and ask why I was being paged. I searched for a phone and called, but the operator said, “No, we didn’t page you.” I said, “It was definitely my name.” He replied twice, “No, we did not page you.” I never did find out why I had been called that day. A young boy named Samuel heard his name being “paged” long ago (1 Sam. 3:4). The Scriptures say that he “did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him” (v.7), so the temple priest Eli had to help him understand who was calling him (vv.8-9). God then revealed His plan for Samuel’s life. The Lord has a plan for us as well, and He calls to our hearts: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). That’s His call to us to receive the gift of His salvation, rest, and peace. Jesus calls me—I must follow, Follow Him today; When His tender voice is pleading, How can I delay? —Brown Christ calls the restless ones to find their rest in Him. 1 Samuel 3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. did not yet: Jer 9:24 Ac 19:2 1 Samuel 3 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passage: Jer 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD Who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD. SAMUEL DID NOT YET KNOW YAHWEH Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD - Know is the Hebrew verb yada (Lxx = ginosko = speaks of knowing by experience) and thus speaks of intimate knowing (cf 1Sa 1:19+ = Heb = "Elkanah knew his wife." cf "the man had relations [yada] with his wife Eve" Ge 4:1+). The second use of yada (Lxx = ginosko) is 1Sa 2:12 "Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know (yada; Lxx = ginosko) the LORD." So neither Samuel nor Eli's sons knew the Lord, but there are four significant differences. One, Samuel was young, they were older, presumably more "mature" and were the priests who were to serve as the go between for the people and God. Two, Samuel stayed close to the LORD, sleeping in the Holy Place, while they "slept" with the women who helped take care of the Temple (1Sa 2:22+). Third, Samuel was clearly obedient to Eli, while the sons rejected Eli's counsel. Fourth, and most significant, is the fact that Samuel did come to truly know the LORD and eternal life, whereas the two sons of Eli did not know the LORD and ended their life entering into eternal death! THOUGHT - There is an interesting lesson in this section. Samuel was not destitute of the knowledge of God, even as Eli's sons were not destitute of divine knowledge. Samuel knew about God and served Him faithfully, even sleeping in His Temple. But Samuel did not know God personally at this time. That would soon change! In this sense Samuel was like those today (in and out of church) who know Who God is, may even be able to quote Scriptures, may worship in church every Sunday, may give money to God's work, etc, but sadly are devoid of knowing Who God is personally in Jesus Christ. As Jesus prayed "This is eternal life, that they MAY KNOW (ginosko) You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent." (Jn 17:3) This begs the question one must address "Do I truly know the LORD, or do I just know about the LORD? Your answer to the most important question you will ever be asked will determine your destiny in time and for all eternity. (cf those who profess "Lord, Lord" in Mt 7:21-23+). Nor had the Word of the LORD yet been revealed (galah; Lxx = apokalupto) to him - Note not yet functions as a time phrase, indicating not yet, with the implication it would eventually be revealed to Samuel, just as it came to pass! Been revealed is translated in the Septuagint with apokalupto (apó = from + kalúpto = cover, conceal, Eng = apocalypse) literally means to remove the cover from and thus figuratively means to remove that which conceals something, in this case the Word of the LORD. Almost all of the NT uses of apokalupto have a figurative sense, especially to describing some aspect of spiritual truth that had heretofore hidden but now has had the "lid removed" so that it could be seen (understood). We are continually in desperate need for God to remove the lid from His Word, the Bible, so that we might see and understand and obey! Samuel had presumably heard the Word of the LORD (albeit, such a Word was rare in those days). We know that Moses had recorded God's Word because Joshua 1:8+ says "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." THOUGHT - Note the important principle. Supernatural revelation can only transpire by supernatural means! One can know what the Bible says (e.g., most football fans have seen the "John 3:16" signs at games), but have no saving knowledge of Him, because it has not yet been revealed by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.
1 Samuel 3
Guzik has an interesting application of God's repetitive speaking to Samuel - When speaking to us, God almost always confirms His word again and again. It is generally wrong to do something dramatic in response to a single “inner voice” from the Lord. If God speaks He will confirm, and often in a variety of ways. Discerned (understood) (0995) bin/biyn means basically to distinguish, to separate, to understand or to perceive. From this is derived the common meaning, “to discern, to see distinctions, to perceive.” The verb refers to knowledge which is superior to the mere gathering of data. Bin/biyn conveys the same idea as our word discrimination. It entails the idea of making a distinction as in 1Ki 3:9 where Solomon ask God for the ability "to discern (bin/biyn) between good and evil". Many of the OT uses of bin/biyn are translated "understanding," an understanding which is the result of comparative "study" or "mental separation". can perceive by means of their senses: eyes (Prov. 7:7); ears (Prov. 29:19); touch (Ps. 58:9[10]); taste (Job 6:30). But actual discerning is not assured. Those who hear do not always understand (Dan. 12:8). In the final analysis, only God gives and conceals understanding (Isa. 29:14). The verb yada can also mean "understanding" in the sense of ability (e.g. Esau as a skilful hunter), but yadaʿ generally describes the process whereby one gains knowledge through experience with objects and circumstances, while bin/biyn is a power of judgment and perceptive insight and is demonstrated in the use of knowledge. 1 Samuel 3:9 And Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Speak: Ex 20:19 Ps 85:8 Isa 6:8 Da 10:19 Ac 9:6 1 Samuel 3 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries ELI GIVES DEFINITIVE INSTRUCTIONS And Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant (ebed; Lxx = doulos see note below) is listening (shama; Lxx = akouo in present tense = continually).' Recognizing the call of God is not always easy. Here Eli performed faithfully as a witness, and Samuel was instructed to return and indicate his willingness to hear whatever God would say. It is notable that Eli saw Samuel as the servant of Yahweh, indicating that he had clearly perceived something different about the demeanor of Samuel in contrast to his worthless sons.
1 Samuel 3
Guzik adds that "Eli gave Samuel wise counsel. Eli told Samuel to: (1) Make himself available for God to speak (Go, lie down) (2) Not be presumptuous about God speaking (if He calls you) (3) Respond to the word of God (Speak, Lord) (3) Humble himself before God and His word (Your servant hears) THOUGHT - This is the type of listening every believer should practice. How easy it is to listen to the Bible digitally or hear a stirring from one of God's men, and yet walk away, allowing God's Words to "go in one ear and out the other." We must avoid this deluding type of listening. And so James commands us to "prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude (paralogizomai in present tense = continually) themselves. For (term of explanation - why we must TRULY "listen") if anyone is a hearer (akroates) of the Word and not a doer (poietes), he is like (term of comparison = simile) a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for (term of explanation) once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten (epilanthanomai) what kind of person he was. But (THE DESIRED CONTRAST) one who looks intently (parakupto) at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, (HERE IS THE PROMISE OF TRUST AND OBEY!) this man will be blessed (makarios) in what he does. " (James 1:22-25+) EXCURSUS ON DOULOS - Doulos is used in this verse in the Septuagint to translate servant - A doulos is one bound to another in servitude and conveys the idea of the servant's close, binding ties with his master, belonging to him, obligated to and desiring to do his will and in a permanent relation of servitude. In sum, the will of the doulos is consumed in the will of the master. Doulos speaks of submission to one's master The doulos had no life of his own, no will of his own, no purpose of his own and no plan of his own. All was subject to his master. The bondservant's every thought, breath, and effort was subject to the will of his master. In sum, the picture of a bondservant is one who is absolutely surrendered and totally devoted to his master. THOUGHT- Based on this description, would you classify yourself as a doulos of the Lord Jesus Christ? So Samuel went and lay down in his place - Don't miss the phrase So Samuel, for this speaks of his unquestioning, unhesitating obedience (As a general rule to hesitate is to disobey when the command or call is clear. Stated another way "delayed obedience is disobedience!"). Samuel would prove true those great words in the hymn Trust and Obey, for he did listen and he did obey and he was blessed, as God made him into one of the greatest prophets and greatest men of the Bible! When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still And with all who will trust and obey Trust and obey, for there's no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey Servant (05650) 'ebed from 'abad = work in any sense) means a slave or bondservant. Slavery in Israel amounted to indentured servitude. A fellow Israelite could not be held indefinitely against his will. In fact, his time of service was limited to 6 yr (Ex 21:2). The master could be punished if evil intent against the slave was proven (Ex 21:14) or if the slave died (Ex 21:20). These types of servants held a position of honor (Ge 24:2ff; 41:12, 15:2). Listening (obey, understand)(08085) shama means to hear (Adam and Eve hearing God = Ge 3:8, 10, Ge 18:10 = "overheard"), to listen (Ge 3:17, Ge 16:2 [= this was a big mistake and was the origin of Jews and Arabs!] Ex 6:9,16:20, 18:19, Webster's 1828 on "listen" = to hearken; to give ear; to attend closely with a view to hear. To obey; to yield to advice; to follow admonition) and since hearing/listening are often closely linked to obedience, shama is translated obey (1 Sa 15:22, Ge 22:18, 26:5, 39:10, Ex 19:5, disobedience = Lev 26:14, 18, 21, 27) or to understand. KJV translates shama "hearken" (196x) a word which means to give respectful attention. Of God's hearing in general or hearing our prayers (Hab 1:2, Ps 66:18, click here for more in the Psalms, cf God's hearing in Zeph 2:8, Ge 16:11, 17:20, 30:17, 22, Ge 21:17, 29:33, 30:6, 17, 22; Ex 2:24, Ex 16:8, 9, 12, Nu 11:1, 12:2). Shama means “to hear intelligently and attentively and respond appropriately." In other words to hear does not convey the idea of "in one ear and out the other!" The greatest significance of the use of shama is that of relation of man to God, especially where the context speaks of obedience. Obedience is the supreme test of faith and reverence for God. The Old Testament conception of obedience was vital. It was the one important relationship which must not be broken. While sometimes this relation may have been formal and cold, it nevertheless was the one strong tie which held the people close to God. The significant spiritual relation is expressed by Samuel when he asks the question, “Hath Yahweh as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying (shama) the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey (shama) is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sa 15:22). It was the condition without which no right relation might be sustained to Yahweh. This is most clearly stated in the relation between Abraham and Yahweh when he is assured “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed (shama) my voice” (Ge 22:18).
1 Samuel 3
Guzik - Coming in this place in Israel’s history, Samuel is rightly seen as Israel’s last judge and first prophet. Samuel bridges the gap between the time of the judges, and the time of the monarchy when prophets (such as Nathan, Elijah, and Isaiah) influenced the nation. Confirmed (0539) aman conveys the basic idea of providing stability and confidence. To be steady, firm and thus trustworthy. Aman speaks of certainty and thus can mean to confirm or to affirm. Some sources consider the primary root meaning of aman to be "to prop" or "to support", a meaning which is literally portrayed in the use in 2Ki 18:16 where aman is used to depict the doorposts, clearly emphasizing the ideas stability or support. Another picture of the meaning of 'aman is seen in the related (derivative) noun 'emunah in Ex 17:12 "But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady (emunah derived from 'aman) until the sun set. The use of aman in Genesis 15:6 provides the key to how a man or woman was saved in Old Testament and that key is by grace through faith just as in the New Testament. OT saints were not saved by works of "righteousness" Prophet (05030)(nabiy) conveys the essential idea of an authorized spokesman, of a person authorized to speak for another. He functions in essence as another's mouthpiece (cf same word used of Aaron as Moses' mouthpiece in Ex 7:1+). In the OT a true prophet spoke or proclaimed the message of Yahweh, neither adding to nor taking away from the message. Moses was the greatest prophet of the Old Testament (Dt. 34:10) and only Abraham is called a prophet before Moses (Gen. 20:7). In Nu 11:29+ Moses said "Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!" Moses predicted Jesus the greatest Prophet in Dt 18:15, 18+. Bible dictionary discussion of prophet. PROPHET, PROPHETESS - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (free for use online - outstanding resource) - The prophet is a strong figure in the OT. There are vast differences in the personalities and particular ministries of individual figures: Elijah, wild and somewhat isolated (1 Kings 17–19); Elisha, pastorally sensitive (2 Kings 4); Amos, possessing a strong social conscience; Deborah, the wise governor (Judg 4–5); Huldah, a noted theologian (2 Kings 22); Isaiah, the distinguished courtier; Jeremiah, the sad visionary; Ezekiel, the exiled priest, to name but a few. Nevertheless, behind these differences is a clear awareness of what it means to be a prophet. Prophets such as Elijah and Elisha cut bold figures in the narrative texts that they occupy. But even the classical “writing prophets” are not anonymous, and though we learn fewer details of their lives, their individuality is apparent in varying degrees. It is interesting that although there are many, many more male prophets than there are female, gender is never raised as an issue. The female prophets are not seen as unacceptable or inferior, rather their existence is taken for granted alongside their ability to hear from God and p 671 to speak for God. A prophet is somebody who is close to God. He or she is expected to be able to discern what God thinks about a given situation, what his attitude is toward their behavior in the past, what he requires of them in the present and how will he act in their future. A prophet is a living example of insight, dedication, holiness and commitment (Deut 18:15–22; 2 Kings 4:9). A prophet is a person with a particular calling to see or hear what God is saying, live it out in their own lives and proclaim it to the people round about. The prophet is set apart, called and sent by God himself (Jer 1:5; 7:25; Heb 1:1). Prophets can be described as anointed and there is often a sense of unstoppable urgency about their messages, they feel so strongly about their message or their mission that it just cannot be held in. The prophet thus stands as a reminder that God has a will for the people, that God makes demands on the people, that God cares about what they do and perhaps most of all that God genuinely wants to communicate to them. The persons we broadly classify as “prophets” were given various titles at various times and places in Israel’s history: “seer” (rō’eh, e.g., 1 Sam 9:9, 11, 19; Amos 7:12), “prophet” (nāḇî’, e.g., Gen 20:7; Deut 34:10; Hos 6:5), “visionary” (ḥōzeh, e.g., 2 Chron 19:2; 33:18), “Servant of the LORD” (Is 20:3; 42:19; 49:5; 50:10), “Man of God” (1 Sam 2:27; 1 Kings 13; 20:28), “Son of Man” (Ezek 2:1, 3, 6, 8, etc.). The Hebrew terms rō’eh, nāḇî’ and ẖōzeh are sometimes used with apparent discrimination (1 Chron 29:29) and sometimes in overlapping senses. The underlying historical reality and social setting of these various titles and roles is complex and has been the subject of extensive investigation. In this article we will look at the prominent images associated with this general class of figure we call “prophet” or “prophetess.” Prophets Called. Prophets sometime record call narratives to provide evidence that they are genuine, that there really has been an encounter with God which validates the prophet’s credentials. Amos describes himself as one who was minding his own business when God interrupted: “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel’ ” (Amos 7:14–15 NIV). Isaiah’s call narrative is one of the most memorable, for it reminds us that some prophets are best pictured as spokespersons for the heavenly court. Isaiah’s call takes place in the temple, but it transports him to the heavenly throne: I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. (Is 6:1–4 NIV) The heavenly king deliberates before his council, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah answers, “Here am I. Send me!” (Is 6:8 NIV). He is then sent on a mission to a hardened Israel; “Go …” (Is 6:9–13). Jeremiah’s does not record so visionary a call. A voice comes to him, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, … I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.… Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jer 1:5, 9–10 NIV; cf. Is 49:1, 5) It is Ezekiel’s encounter with the king of heaven that is most startling and even bizarre to modern readers. The description is given in imagery forged on the anvil of similitude. By the Kebar River in Babylon, “the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God” (Ezek 1:1): I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. (NIV) Here begins a language-stretching description of a vehicle borne about by angelic creatures, by wheels within wheels, a sort of throne chariot that would capture the aspirations of later Jewish mystics who wished to ascend to the heavens, walk the heavenly plain and stand before the throne of God. The wings of the heavenly creatures beat out a sound like “the roar of rushing waters … like the tumult of an army” (Ezek 1:24 NIV). Ezekiel sees someone who has “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD” (Ezek 1:28 NIV) and falls face-down before him. The sonorous voice from the throne then commissions him: “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.… Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day” (Ezek 2:1–3 NIV). In the NT, Paul experiences a summons from the heavenly Lord that resonates with the grandeur of these classical prophetic calls. On the Damascus Road he is intercepted by a “flashing light,” a voice from heaven and a commissioning as a servant and a witness to the nations (Acts 9:1–6; 22:4–16; 26:9–18). Echoing Jeremiah’s call narrative, Paul says, “God who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles” (Gal 1:15–16 NIV). Prophets of the Spirit. The prophets are people p 672 who experience unusual workings of God’s Spirit. Saul demonstrates dervishlike behavior that was apparently expected of prophets in his day. At Gibeah, Saul meets a procession of prophets, the Spirit comes upon him, and he prophecies. But observers wonder, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Sam 10:10–11). Later we read: “The Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’ ” (1 Sam 19:23–24 NIV). Elisha calls for a harpist to play for him, and while he is playing, the “hand of the LORD comes upon Elisha and he prophecies” (2 Kings 3:15). This image of the prophet as one who is overcome by the Spirit is variously expressed: “the power of the LORD came upon Elijah” (1 Kings 18:46); Isaiah says God placed his “strong hand upon me” (Is 8:11); and for Ezekiel “the hand of the LORD was upon him” (Ezek 1:3; 3:14). Even more dramatically, the Spirit transports Ezekiel from place to place. “The Spirit lifted me up” (Ezek 3:12 NIV), or he “took me by the hair of my head” (Ezek 8:3). More sedately, Isaiah says, “the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me” (Is 61:1 NIV; cf. Lk. 4:18, 21). Prophets of Vision. Perhaps the image most commonly associated with a prophet is that of a visionary, a seer, a dreamer of dreams, a foreteller of the future. The foreign prophet Balaam, whose prophetic powers are taken over by Yahweh as he is employed by Balak to curse Israel, captures a facet of the prophet as seer. Introducing his oracle, he says: The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened. (Num 24:3–4 NIV) References to visions may be found in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Obadiah, Micah and Nahum, usually in introducing their entire written prophecy. But among the OT prophets it is Daniel and Zechariah who have the most striking visions, earning them the adjective apocalyptic. These latter visions are highly symbolic. Daniel’s vision of four dreadful composite beasts (see MONSTERS) arising from the sea and “one like a son of man” coming on the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:1–14) demands the aid of an angelic interpreter (Dan 7:15–27). It is a story of four evil and beastly empires and the vindication of the people of God, Israel, the true humanity. Along with his visionary gift, Daniel is also given the divine gift of interpreting dreams, a characteristic of Israel’s wise men (Dan 2; 4). Zechariah has highly symbolic visions in the night that center around the restoration of Jerusalem and its temple after the exile (Zech 1–4). In the NT, Jesus the prophet speaks of a vision of Satan falling “like lightning from heaven” (Lk 10:18 NIV; see SATAN CAST DOWN) as the Seventy successfully deploy their mission. This profile of the prophet as visionary suggests an extraordinary gift and calling that sees the world and its events in a different dimension, far transcending the ordinary human experience of seeing and even dreaming. But Jeremiah would remind us that the claim of a vision is not such an elite category as some might think! “Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the LORD. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jer 23:28–29 NIV) Prophets of the Word. As Jeremiah would remind us, prophets are figures closely associated with the word of God. Moses is one with whom God spoke “face to face, clearly, and not in riddles” (Num 12:8 NIV), and God promises that when he raises up a prophet like Moses, “I will put my words in his mouth” (Deut 18:15–18). The classic introduction to the words of the prophet is “Thus saith the Lord.” Amos is to introduce his message with, “Now then, hear the word of the LORD” (Amos 7:16 NIV). God tells Jeremiah to “say whatever I command you,” and God then reaches out this hand and touches his mouth and says, “Now I have put my words in your mouth” (Jer 1:7, 9 NIV). Later, Jeremiah says, “when your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.” (Jer 15:16 NIV). We read of Jeremiah and Ezekiel that “the word of the LORD came” to them (e.g., Jer 1:2, 4; Ezek 1:3). When a prophet proclaims an “oracle,” or “declaration,” it is a “lifting up [of the voice]” (e.g., Is 13:1; 15:1; 17:1; KJV: “burden”). With such emphasis on the word of the Lord, the prophets are among the finest wordsmiths of the Bible. They are as much poets as are the psalmists, and their use of imagery is second to none. Amos snaps us to attention with his opening prophetic words: The LORD roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers. (Amos 1:2 NIV) And Isaiah’s panorama of the new creation enlivens our imagination: “The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (Is 65:25 NIV) Prophets of Falsehood. False prophets, both male and female, and lying prophets are found in abundance in the Bible (Jer 23:9–40; Mic 2:6–11). These are not prophets of alien or false gods, which also exist, but those who purport to speak for and on behalf of the God of Israel and yet do not speak his word or reflect his character. They stand as representatives of all those in Israel who seek to treat God as if he can be manipulated or controlled, of all those who wish to find a way of providing religious support for their own greed and immorality. We find some p 673 colorful images of these false prophets. They are those who would be happy to say, “I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer” (Mic 2:11 NIV). They “tell fortunes for money” (Mic 3:11), “if one feeds them, they proclaim ‘peace’; if he does not, they prepare to wage war against him” (Mic 3:5 NIV). And Isaiah knows well the “prophet that teaches lies” (Is 9:15 NIV). Prophets of Symbolic Action. The prophets are sometimes called upon to embody their message or carry out symbolic actions. Hosea’s marriage to the unfaithful Gomer illustrates God’s covenant relationship with unfaithful Israel. Even his children carry symbolic names: Lo-Ruhamah, “Not Loved,” and Lo-Ammi, “Not My People” (Hos 1:6, 9). Isaiah has a son named Shear-Jashub, “A Remnant Will Return” (Is 7:3), and another named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, “Quick to the Plunder, Swift to the Spoil” (Is 8:1–4). Isaiah goes about Jerusalem “stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush” (Is 20:3NIV). Jeremiah buys a plot of land as a sign of confidence that God will restore Israel to the land after exile (Jer 32:6–15). And Ezekiel is instructed to erect a model of Jerusalem under siege and lie down on his side behind the wall, on his left side for 390 days and then on his right side for 40 days, for the sins of the house of Israel and the house of Judah respectively. He is to cook food symbolic of the food of a city under siege (Ezek 4:1–13). On another occasion he enacts Jerusalem’s departure for exile (Ezek 12:1–7). It is in this prophetic tradition that we should understand Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree and his action in the temple, symbolizing the coming destruction of the temple (Mk 11:12–21). Paul, who identifies himself as being in the prophetic tradition (see above), no doubt sees his afflictions and trials as an apostle as a physical expression of his theology of the cross (e.g., 2 Cor 4:8–9; 6:4–5; 11:23–29; 12:10). He is “persecuted for the cross of Christ” and bears on his body “the marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:12, 17 NIV), by which he may mean the scars of his punishments and afflictions for the sake of the gospel. Prophets Rejected. True prophets stand as a challenge to the people, a reminder of their need to hear God and to obey God. Many times the challenge of the prophets is deeply resented, the people do not like to be reminded of their own failure. They want to feel that God is on their side. But the prophets make it more difficult for them to believe that they and their behavior are approved by God. The reaction is to prevent the prophets from speaking at all, or worse, to persecute them or kill them (1 Kings 18:4, 13; Neh 9:26; Jer 11:21; Mic 2:6). Thus we find images of one hundred prophets hidden in caves from the wicked Jezebel (1 Kings 18:4, 13) and of Jeremiah placed in a cistern, sinking down in the mud (Jer 38:6). It is no wonder that prophets advise, “do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us” (Mic 2:6 NIV). Prophets who will prophesy victory for a king intent on going to war are numbered four hundred to the one Micaiah son of Imlah who will boldly speak the truth, “who never prophesies anything good” about the king “but only bad” (1 Kings 22:18 NIV). Hebrews 11:32–38 includes prophets among those “who … were tortured and refused to be released, … faced jeers and flogging, … were chained and put in prison … were stoned … were sawed in two … were put to death by the sword … went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated … wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground” (NIV). The imagery of the rejected prophet appears at several places in the Gospels. Jesus, speaking of Israel’s rejection of his followers, recalls “how their fathers treated the prophets” (Lk 6:23 NIV; Mt 5:12). He laments, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you” (Lk 13:24 NIV). Jesus’ woes against the Pharisees unleashes a series of images of Israel’s crimes against the prophets: prophets killed and then honored by tombs, prophets sent by God and then killed or persecuted, prophets who have arisen since the beginning of the world and for whose blood they will be held responsible (Lk 11:47–50). The cumulative effect is that a true prophet who visits Israel is destined to be spurned. So it is no surprise that we find stories of Jesus, who in many ways fits the mold of a prophet (Lk 24:19), rejected at Nazareth (Lk 4:24) in accord with the saying “no prophet is accepted in his own hometown” (Lk 4:24), and exclaiming, “surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!” (Lk 13:33 NIV). Prophets of Kingship and Warfare. We find prophets as friends and foes of the kingly court, involved in warfare and international affairs. The prophets in Israel arise with the advent of the monarchy. It is as if a king on Zion demands an independent voice from the heavenly court who will speak the will of the heavenly king and keep Israel’s monarch faithful to his calling, or redirect him when he fails. But prophets are associated with the royal court elsewhere in the ancient Near East. They function as advisers to kings and serve in other ways, such as the foreign prophet Balaam, who is called upon by the Moabite king to curse Israel. The classical prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah have access to the royal court and audiences with the king. Isaiah in particular is a courtly figure, though he may address king Ahaz “at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field” (Is 7:3 NIV). There he calms the shaken king regarding the threatened invasion by Israel and Aram: “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood” (Is 7:4 NIV; cf. Jer 21:10; 37:16–21). Even more revealing is the scene of 1 Kings 22, where the kings of Israel and Judah are inquiring of the prophets whether they should attack Ramoth Gilead. Four hundred prophets advise attack. Only one, Micaiah son of Imlah, will say “only what the p 674 LORD tells me” (1 Kings 22:14). His truth-telling gains the reward of imprisonment and a diet of bread and water-until the king returns safely! (Alas, the king dies in battle.) Earlier still, the prophets Elijah and Elisha are portrayed as figures closely associated with warfare. Elijah is swept up to heaven in a fiery chariot, with Elisha exclaiming, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” (2 Kings 2:12 NIV). These words are uttered again by King Jehoash as Elisha is dying (2 Kings 13:14). The implication seems to be that these prophetic figures are closely associated with the divine warrior and his heavenly army’s defense of Israel. It is Elisha who repeatedly warns the king of Israel of the designs of the king of Aram, so that it is said of Elisha that he “tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom” (2 Kings 6:12 NIV). In the face of Aramaeans surrounding the city of Dothan, Elisha is boldly confident that “those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then the eyes of Elisha’s servant are opened to see what Elisha sees: “the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17 NIV). The classical prophets strike the image of experts in international affairs. This is fitting, of course, if they are spokespersons for the heavenly king, who is Lord not only of Israel but of the entire creation. Thus we find in the prophets numerous oracles against the nations that reflect the international climate and affairs of the day. Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Cush, Tyre and Moab are some of the nations that occupy the prophetic sights in Isaiah and Jeremiah. Amos reads off judgments against Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon and Moab before turning his attention to the domestic sins of Judah and Israel (Amos 1–2). This role of the prophets gives them a transcendent stature as figures who occupy a high turret from which they can view the nations surrounding Israel and Judah. It is fitting that Isaiah employs the image of the prophet as a watchman who has no developments to report at the moment, but must persist at his post: Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.” (Is 21:11–12NIV) Later we read of the watchmen of Israel lifting up their voices, for they have spotted on the horizon the Lord returning to Zion (Is 52:8). Prophetic Schools. The image of the prophet as a lonely figure, a “voice crying in the wilderness,” is not quite accurate. Saul, for example, falls in with a procession of prophets (1 Sam 10:10). Elijah, who in scene after scene is as bold and stark figure as we might expect to find, has his disciple Elisha, who calls Elijah “My father! My father!” (2 Kings 2:12 NIV). But more striking is that both Elijah and Elisha are leading figures in a “company of the prophets” (2 Kings 2:3, 5, 7, 15, etc. NIV; “sons of the prophets” KJV) that numbers no less than fifty members (2 Kings 2:7). Isaiah speaks of binding up the testimony and sealing up the law “among my disciples” (Is 8:16). John the Baptist, a prophet in the tradition of Elijah, has his disciples (Mk 2:18; 6:29; Jn 1:35, 37; 3:22, 25), and Jesus, who presents himself as a prophet (among other roles), calls disciples to himself. Your Sons and Daughters Will Prophesy. It is clear that God’s sending of prophets to Israel is a privilege, the special provision of an extra opportunity for the people to hear what should already have been understood because of its inclusion in the law. The failure to respond to this privilege in the end leads to its removal (Mic 6:8; Ps 74:6; 1 Sam 28:6; Zech 13:3–5). The last prophet in this tradition, John the Baptist, concludes a period when prophecy appears to have died out completely. John is symbolically linked with Elijah (Mt 17:9–13). Together these two remind us of the way in which the prophets stand in the messianic tradition. There was a hope that just as the prophets of old spoke out for God and told of his intervention in human history, so in the future there would be a “prophet like Moses” who would be the precursor of the supreme intervention of God in his world, and perhaps even a prophet who could reflect God with no possibility of dilution or distortion (Deut 18:15; Mt 16:14; Jn 1:21). We might say that the entire story of the prophets, beginning with the death of Moses, is in search of another “prophet like Moses.” This role is fulfilled by Jesus. In the early church the situation appears to be slightly different. It is still important that the people should hear and heed God’s word and we find again those who are specially called or gifted with prophetic skills or ministry. Acts 21:9 tells of Philip’s four daughters who prophesy, and 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 speaks in some detail about the exercise of prophetic gifts. However, God has now revealed himself perfectly in Christ, and the OT vision that all would be able to hear from God and speak for God in prophetic ways (Num 11:29; Joel 2:28–32) is now assumed to have been fulfilled (Acts 2:17). Every Christian is thus potentially a prophet in a way that was not true for OT believers. See also APOCALYPSE, GENRE OF; APOCALYPTIC VISIONS OF THE FUTURE; CHEAT THE ORACLE; DREAMS, VISIONS; END TIMES; JONAH THE PROPHET; PROPHECY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT; PROPHECY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. BIBLIOGRAPHY. J. Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1983); K. Koch, The Prophets (2 vols.; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980); J. Lindblom, Prophecy in Ancient Israel (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1962); R. R. Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980). 1 Samuel 3:21 And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, because the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD. appeared: Ge 12:7 15:1 Nu 12:6; Amos 3:7 Heb 1:1 the word: 1Sa 3:1,4 1 Samuel 3 Resources - multiple sermons and commentaries YAHWEH APPEARS TO SAMUEL AGAIN And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh - Yahweh continued to reveal Himself to Samuel at Shiloh. Because - Term of explanation - explaining how and why the LORD appeared. The LORD revealed (galah; Lxx = apokalupto) Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD: God was preparing His prophet for some difficult days that would soon come on the nation of Israel. Samuel had faithfully delivered the message he was entrusted with, and therefore God employed him again in his service. God will graciously repeat his visits to those that receive them aright. This passage reminds me of the prayer in Col 1:9-10 "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Samuel was walking worthy and bearing fruit and as a result he was increasing in the knowledge of Jehovah! TECHNICAL NOTE - The Septuagint adds to the Hebrew "LXE And the Lord manifested himself again in Selom, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel; and Samuel was accredited to all Israel as a prophet to the Lord from one end of the land to the other: and Heli was very old, and his sons kept advancing in wickedness, and their way was evil before the Lord." Remember the modern English versions utilize the Hebrew Masoretic text fo translate into English. The Septuagint was translated from another Hebrew manuscript.