Hebraic Musing – What Might be Gleaned from a Typical O T Chapter?
I just read First
Samuel 3 with my old margin notes, and now I am challenged to be more like
Samuel. Why?
Background: The
chapter opens with the boy Samuel being discipled by the high priest, Eli,
whose two sons were downright incorrigible, contemptible and blasphemous.
Samuel, the boy,
heard his name called three times and all three times he ran to Eli saying, “Here
I am, you called me.” And Eli answered,
“I did not call; go back and lie down.”
Already we see the obedient, responsive and submissive nature of the boy
Samuel. “Then Eli realized that the
LORD was calling the boy...” after the third time. “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. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other
times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel
said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’” 1 Sam.3:8-10 NIV
Samuel apparently
was not familiar with the Lord’s voice, so is this Samuel’s salvation
moment? Samuel realized that he was
hearing the voice of Almighty Lord God!
This reminds me of a key moment in my personal testimony when I blurted
out - “I talked to Jesus!” I know that
God was speaking to me many times up to that point, but finally I recognized
“Jesus” and that he was actually talking to me!
Samuel finally realized he was talking to the LORD for the first time!
Then the Lord revealed
to Samuel a heavy insight. “See, I am
about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears
of it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I
spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I
would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his
sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them.
Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli's house will
never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.'” 1 Sam.3:11-14 NIV A Godly man is being held responsible for a
sin he knew about but failed to take action!
That is something to think about.
In verse 17, Eli
asks Samuel what the Lord had revealed; and Samuel is obviously reluctant to
share the “bad news.” But Eli insists
(to his credit), “’What was it he said to you?’ Eli asked. ‘Do not hide it
from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me
anything he told you.’ Samuel
told him everything, hiding nothing from him.” There’s something beautiful about the truth.
Eli was a unique
character as revealed by his response in v.18, “He is the LORD; let him do
what is good in his eyes.” How many
of us would willingly accept the Lord’s judgement like that?
What’s the impact
on Samuel? “The LORD was with Samuel
as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.” 1
Sam.3:19 What does it mean to not let God’s Words fall
to the ground?
Finally, in verse
21 we learn, “The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed
himself to Samuel through his word.”
Will the LORD do the same for us...revealing Himself in His Word?
Point
to ponder
How many times did the Lord Jesus call you before you recognized
His voice?
Might we be held responsible for “non-response” when
confronted with obvious sin?
How important is it to read, study and chew on the Word
of God?
Maybe every chapter in the Bible can reveal thought-provoking
insights like this one?!?!
“Your word is a
lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
Psalm 119:105
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage” Weekly “Hebraic Musings” InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com
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