A time of quietness

1 Samuel 3:1-9

A time of quietness, a period of no frequent vision from God to the leaders of His people, it was a time when men did what was right in their own eyes.  Samuel, a young boy is experiencing such a culture and he is living among the priests who have adopted the ways of the flesh and have rejected God’s law.  Then we have Eli, and his role is the judge of Israel, high priest, and the dad of Hophni and Phinehas, who were evil and worthless priests.

Now let’s be sure we do not put God in one of those boxes we often have the tendency to do.  God will always find a way to communicate His message; it may be a burning bush that is not consumed or a donkey that stops on the road and speaks to us, for God will always find a spokesperson to deliver his message.   

God has a message for Eli and Scripture gives this information; “And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus the LORD has said."  Now I’m going to cut this real short for we have covered it, but this is the bottom line, those worthless boys of yours are going to die on the same day. 

Often we are slow, and God is kind and patient and sends the message by another messenger.  The boy Samuel is going to be that source and at this point God has not spoken to the youngster.  Now Eli’s sleeping quarters were away from Samuel’s, and we are told that Samuel slept in the temple where the ark of God was.  The Scripture tells us that Eli’s eyesight was terrible and that he had become fat and spent most of his time sitting in a chair.

But on this night God chooses to speak to the boy Samuel and not knowing it is God he runs to Eli, and this happens three times, and each time Eli sent him back to bed.  But on the third time, Eli understands that it is God speaking to the boy, and he gives Samuel this command.  Picking up the story in verse nine, “Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. “

In the culture we live in where there is little understanding of obedience, in that obedience is doing what one is told, at the time you are told, all else is not obedience.  The young boy Samuel had learned obedience not by watching Eli or his sons but from the actions of his mother.  In verse ten we have this act of a faithful and wise young boy; “And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

I often wonder in this instant gratification world we find ourselves living in, how often God is speaking, but we have the noise going or our cell phone is ringing, and we do not have time for God?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice