1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:06,880 Our fall sermon series is on First Samuel, and you can catch 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:10,040 up on previous messages on our website. 3 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:12,760 If you like. Today's message from First 4 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,160 Samuel 3. It's page 2. 13 in the. 5 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,520 Church Bible for. Samuel 3 is an invitation to 6 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,240 listen and trust in the Lord. Let's pray together. 7 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:26,440 As we begin, Lord, we thank you. That you do speak. 8 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,640 To us and that your. Word is good. 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,320 True and life changing, Thank you. 10 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,600 That you build our world through your word. 11 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:41,160 And you build our imagination and our purpose. 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,880 All of our. Calling and sense of belonging 13 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,440 and identity. We thank you that we find 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,440 ourselves rooted in Your word now Will. 15 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,840 You guide us. According to Your word, open our 16 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,240 minds and hearts to understand what you have to say. 17 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,400 To us today. And give us the courage. 18 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,959 To live it. As we go from this place in 19 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:11,560 Jesus name, Amen. So page 213 for Samuel. 20 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:17,280 Chapter 3 for Samuel first and second Samuel together really 21 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:21,280 combined that's how they began originally is a story about how 22 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,960 God intervened in history once again to. 23 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,840 Rescue his people. From destruction, as in the 24 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:33,480 Exodus and as he'll do in the Gospels, it begins with a woman 25 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:38,520 of faith, a woman who has a miraculous son and. 26 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,560 She trusts. The Lord for a son and then 27 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:47,280 entrusts her son to the Lord, and through Samuel Hannah's son, 28 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,800 God is going to. Deliver his people. 29 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,600 From their enemies, he's going to unite them under King David, 30 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:58,640 and then through King David, a man after God's own heart. 31 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,000 Ultimately, our Lord Jesus, the King of Kings will come. 32 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,000 So today's lesson. Chapter 3. 33 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,520 Verse one begins with Samuel serving the Lord in the 34 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,160 Tabernacle in Shiloh and in our English translations in verse 35 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,560 one he's described as a. Boy, but as I've said before. 36 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,080 He's probably not as our children's picture. 37 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,520 Bibles. Depict him because the Hebrew 38 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,880 word translated boy is not so much about an age. 39 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,480 As it is. About junior status, and so 40 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,960 Samuel's. Status as a boy. 41 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,880 Means that he is junior to Eli. The same word is used for Eli's 42 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,080 sons, who are in their. 40s or 50s? 43 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,280 And so it does not mean boy as we think of it. 44 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,440 And I think that Samuel by this point in the story is in his 45 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:54,480 late teens. And what we find in the first 3 46 00:02:54,480 --> 00:03:01,560 verses here 3 signs immediately. Of just how dire. 47 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,360 Things have become. For God. 48 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,480 'S people in Israel look at verse one first of all. 49 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:09,920 The word of the Lord was. Rare. 50 00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:13,280 In those days, there was no frequent vision. 51 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,280 God had visited. Abraham and Isaac and Jacob the 52 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,720 patriarchs, and guided them. He gave Joseph. 53 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,480 Dreams. He met with Moses, and he gave 54 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:25,960 Moses. The very word of God to be 55 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,840 recorded for future. Generations and he led Moses and 56 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:30,720 the. People through the. 57 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,480 Wilderness and to the Promised land he. 58 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,120 He guided Joshua. Into the promised land, but 59 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,640 then? Israel got rich. 60 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:45,080 And they quit listening to God. They moved into cities they did 61 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,480 not build into houses they did not build. 62 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,800 They drank from cisterns that they did not dig. 63 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:56,320 And over 3 centuries, their faith atrophied and they stopped 64 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:58,400 listening. To the Lord. 65 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,840 And everyone did, as we hear again and again. 66 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,000 And in the book of Judges, everyone did what was right in 67 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:10,400 their own eyes, so they were neither listening to God nor 68 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,440 hearing from. God, this. 69 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,360 Was the first sign. Second sign. 70 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,399 Look at verse 2. Eli's eyesight. 71 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:20,760 Had begun to grow dim so that he could not see. 72 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:25,200 And as we heard last Sunday, Eli did not teach his sons to love. 73 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,000 God first with all their. Heart, soul and mind. 74 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,560 And then when his sons became priests. 75 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,720 They did as they pleased. They robbed. 76 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,000 From God. Robbed the sacrifices. 77 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,040 And they also molested the women in the temple under their. 78 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,120 Care, Eli knew. About this but he didn't do 79 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:46,320 anything to stop them even. After a prophet, as we saw last 80 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,360 week, a. Prophet came to Eli and warned 81 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,800 him that judgment was on the. Way Eli stopped. 82 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,320 Listening to the Lord, and he became. 83 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:59,000 Utterly passive. And permissive like so many. 84 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:03,160 Church leaders today. And his dereliction of duty was 85 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:08,200 the main reason for the first sign, that is, that people were 86 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,760 no longer hearing from the. Lord, so Eli's. 87 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,800 Internal moral spiritual blindness was now manifested 88 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,400 outside. With his eyes. 89 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,240 Growing down, he became blind on the outside because of his 90 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:25,880 inward blindness. This was the. 91 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,440 Second sign. 3rd sign. Verse. 92 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:31,520 Three, the lamp. Of God had. 93 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:38,200 Not yet gone out, this signified God's presence among them at 94 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,800 Mount Sinai. God had given Moses a plan for 95 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,440 the Tabernacle, including the Ark of the Covenant, which we'll 96 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,840 figure very prominently in this story, and a lampstand that 97 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:50,480 would sit. Outside of the Holy of Holies. 98 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,440 And and show the. God's presence. 99 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:59,040 In the Tabernacle, that Tabernacle travelled with them 100 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,680 through the wilderness, and eventually the Tabernacle came. 101 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,600 To Shiloh, where it was parked for. 102 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,240 Centuries and over time it became a more permanent 103 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:09,880 structure they built outbuildings, they. 104 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:11,800 Built places for everybody to sleep. 105 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:16,240 And so on and so the. Priests who served there. 106 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,000 Eli and his sons and Samuel stayed in those buildings. 107 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,200 And it was. Eli's job to keep. 108 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:29,240 The lamp burning to keep it burning, and the lamp, the lamp 109 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:34,920 of God's presence, had not yet gone out, but it's time was near 110 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,800 and we'll. See that that? 111 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:40,280 Time comes next week. This is. 112 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:43,320 The third sign so taken together, these three signs, the 113 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,200 famine of God's word, the blindness of the. 114 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,440 Religious leadership. And 3rd, the flickering lamp of 115 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:50,520 God's presence. These. 116 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:54,400 Help us to see how dire the. Situation have become and help 117 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:57,600 to explain some of what we're feeling in our own context today 118 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:02,120 as many, many of our circumstances are similar that 119 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,160 Samuel was there serving in the Tabernacle. 120 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:12,160 He's our hero, so there's hope. That maybe the next generation 121 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,160 will be able. To to. 122 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,800 Lift them up out of this pit and everything is going to change. 123 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:19,480 All will be set. Right. 124 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,000 And everyone. Will live happily ever after. 125 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,440 That's the hope. At this point in the story, from 126 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:27,400 what we know of Samuel from the last. 127 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,520 Couple of chapters, it's really possible. 128 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,560 It seems like this might happen. It's easy to imagine Samuel as 129 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,160 the change maker that Shiloh needs. 130 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,960 Because he's clearly. Cut from different cloth than 131 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:43,400 Eli's wicked sons, miraculously Samuel has not been contaminated 132 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:45,840 by their licentiousness and greed. 133 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,160 Samuel is different. We read in chapter 2, verse 26 134 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:54,120 that he had been growing in stature and in favor. 135 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,680 With the Lord. And with people. 136 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,640 Just like Luke says about Jesus. In chapter 2. 137 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:03,000 Of his gospel. This sounds very promising, 138 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,120 doesn't it? Samuel seems like he's the man 139 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,440 for the job, and he must have sensed that his day would come 140 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:10,800 and he. Would he he? 141 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:15,560 Was likely dreaming. Of what sort of leader he could 142 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,600 be, How he. Could change things? 143 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,680 Feel familiar? Maybe you can relate to Samuel's 144 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,760 situation. Waiting for the old. 145 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:30,760 Guard to retire? Waiting for your opportunity to 146 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:32,960 put things. Right, so. 147 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,360 Money and Andrew. Talk about this every. 148 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:42,799 Week at lunch. Seriously, if you have a role to 149 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:47,440 play. In reforming an institution or 150 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:52,040 an industry or something else, chances are that you spend your 151 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,480 time thinking about how to improve it. 152 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:01,720 How to do it better? And maybe that will include some 153 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:06,840 cleaning house. Out with the old bad ideas and 154 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:10,400 strategies. Maybe getting rid of some lazy 155 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:16,320 people and so on. But overall, usually the way. 156 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,360 We think. About this is. 157 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,560 That there's going to be reformation and renewal. 158 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:29,080 Once we can get in charge, reformation and renewal, it's 159 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,200 going to go. Up, up, up. 160 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:36,080 As things get better and better and better, that is not how God 161 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,240 is going to use Samuel. Not at all. 162 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,120 We're going to discover this in the next few weeks. 163 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,680 Samuel is going to. Have to preside over a death? 164 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,800 And a resurrection of both church and state in Israel. 165 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,560 That's his job. Things are going to get a whole. 166 00:09:56,560 --> 00:09:59,960 Lot worse before they get better. 167 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:07,840 And if Samuel knew all that was coming, probably quite. 168 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:09,640 Likely that he. Wouldn't take the job. 169 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:14,840 I read. Up this summer on an old 170 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:16,920 theologian by the name of Anselm. 171 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:17,720 St. Anselm. 172 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,200 You probably heard of him. He was one of the great 173 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:21,880 theologians of the Middle Ages. He was. 174 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,160 Archbishop. Of Canterbury after the Norman 175 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:27,960 Conquest and what interested me most about Anselm's. 176 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,200 Story was that. For almost half of his time as 177 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,640 Archbishop of Canterbury, leading the Church of England, 178 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:39,920 he was living in exile. In fear of his life about eight 179 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:44,400 of his. 16 years as Archbishop of Canterbury, he was caught up 180 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:50,240 in this existential battle for church and state separation, 181 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,440 more or less, and he. Suffered a. 182 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:58,400 Tremendous amount because of it, nevertheless the Lord. 183 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,200 Clearly. Called Anselm to. 184 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,560 This work he clearly. Called him to this. 185 00:11:03,560 --> 00:11:04,880 Fight. He was the. 186 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:09,680 Right man for the job. It was a terrible burden to 187 00:11:09,680 --> 00:11:12,200 bear. One that he never would have 188 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,440 anticipated. He certainly didn't go to 189 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:19,200 seminary for this. Many of our lives are going to 190 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:23,280 run a similar course, I think. I think this is often the way it 191 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,320 plays out. We will end up doing good, 192 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,240 difficult, even dangerous things. 193 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:31,840 With God's help. Knowing that he. 194 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,560 Called us to it. Knowing that he. 195 00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:37,720 Gifted us. For it and yet also knowing that 196 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,520 had we. Had a choice way back. 197 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:44,520 When we would have become fly fishing instructors instead. 198 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:47,600 Right, like. This is just no way. 199 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,080 That you would. Have signed. 200 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,760 Up for this? And some of you today already 201 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:53,760 know this. To be true. 202 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,640 Now here's something as you think about. 203 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,760 This that is. Absolutely amazing and I hope is 204 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,080 encouraging to you. Jesus knew. 205 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,760 Jesus knew. Exactly what awaited. 206 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:08,680 Him and he still signed up for the mission. 207 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,160 He knew of the judgment that would fall upon. 208 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:17,400 The corrupt. And useless temple in Jerusalem, 209 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,480 as we heard in the gospel lesson, not one stone would be 210 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,960 left on another. And he knew that he. 211 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,120 Would replace. That temple, through his own 212 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,400 death, his own brutal. Death. 213 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:30,760 And resurrection. He would be. 214 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:32,880 The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 215 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:37,880 He knew this and he still signed up for the mission. 216 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,720 That's pretty amazing. I think few of us would. 217 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,920 Take a leadership. Role if we knew that our task 218 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:46,560 would involve. First of all. 219 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,040 Shutting down the institution that we. 220 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,640 Were called to. Lead and then secondly, unfairly 221 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,440 taking the blame for all of its problems and a lot of other 222 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:59,280 things. That's what Jesus came to do, 223 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:03,040 and he did it with complete awareness of the agony and 224 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:04,920 humiliation that it would entail. 225 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,080 That's how much he. Loves us. 226 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:14,760 And he sees us now in our difficult callings, and he can 227 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,360 lead. Us through. 228 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,920 Now back to Samuel. God appointed Samuel for this 229 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,360 Awesome and. Terrible task to preside over 230 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:27,920 the. Death and resurrection of both 231 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:32,000 church and state in Israel. God prepared Samuel for this 232 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,240 work, but in God's merciful kindness, He did not tell him 233 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:39,520 what awaited him. He only told him what he needed 234 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:43,480 to know at the time and what he needed to know in this. 235 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,560 Chapter Chapter 3. In this story, what he needed to 236 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:47,600 know. Was how to. 237 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:52,920 Listen and to trust in the Lord. And that's what he learns in 238 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,680 this story. And as Samuel learned to delight 239 00:13:55,680 --> 00:13:56,760 in God. 'S word we'll. 240 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,200 See that he becomes like. That that tree. 241 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:00,800 Planted. By the river. 242 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,640 In Psalm 1 now. Here's how all. 243 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,160 This unfolded. Look at verse 4 here. 244 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:12,960 In First Samuel chapter 3, late one night in Shiloh, the Lord 245 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,320 called to Samuel, but Samuel thought it was. 246 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:17,600 Eli. Calling. 247 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,560 So he ran to his master, and he. Said here. 248 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,760 I am and then Eli. Said verse 5. 249 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:26,400 I didn't call you go. Back to bed. 250 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:28,560 And. So he did. 251 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:33,120 And so this happened once, and then it happened a second time 252 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,720 all over again in verse 6. And now, up until this time, 253 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:40,400 Samuel had never. Heard the Lord speak directly 254 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:41,160 to. Him that's. 255 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,840 Why in verse? Seven, we are told that Samuel 256 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,400 didn't yet know the Lord. It does not mean that he was an 257 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,440 unbeliever. We've already heard very 258 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,880 positive reports of his faith all through Chapter 2. 259 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:56,800 But up until now, the only way that Samuel had heard from God 260 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,080 was when. Eli would read. 261 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,960 The Old Testament Torah in the. Services at the. 262 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,120 Tabernacle. No wonder when Samuel. 263 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:08,960 Heard the Lord. Calling. 264 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,120 He ran to Eli because that's the only. 265 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,280 Way he had heard God's voice before. 266 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,840 Samuel mistook God. 'S voice for. 267 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:21,320 Eli and ran to his master, saying, here I am now. 268 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:22,960 Eli had been a priest for many, many. 269 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,280 Decades he. Should have known that God was 270 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:31,760 calling Samuel, but after many years of doing his own thing, of 271 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:36,560 being a permissive parent, he had become spiritually and 272 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:41,400 morally blind and now this is being manifest outside him. 273 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,480 So it wasn't until the third time that all of this happened 274 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,720 that Eli understood what was happening. 275 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:52,160 And then verse 9 he said, I know what to do, go lie down and if 276 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:57,120 he calls you again, say Lord. Speak, Lord, for your. 277 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,280 Servant is listening. And so that's just what Samuel 278 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,200 did. And this is the crucial turning 279 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,040 point in the. Story despite the. 280 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,320 Laziness, corruption, and. Abuse of Shiloh. 281 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,400 'S leaders Samuel had been in his. 282 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:14,560 Father's house. Growing in his faith and now God 283 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,880 is about. To activate this. 284 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,560 Young man. For a. 285 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:23,840 Lifetime of ministry to become a prophet and to. 286 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,720 Preside over the. Death and resurrection of both 287 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,840 church and State in Israel. So God visited for the 4th. 288 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,000 Time verse 10 And he called Samuel and he. 289 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,600 Said Speak. For your sermon is listening, 290 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:42,280 Samuel said. Then verse 11 the Lord didn't 291 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,400 men's words. He didn't say how you doing? 292 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,120 How was your? Day, he said. 293 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,440 Let me tell you what I'm going to do and it is going to be. 294 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:54,320 Awful. Judgement is coming for Eli and 295 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,560 his sons. God had been extraordinarily 296 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:01,200 patient with them. But they would not forever steal 297 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:02,480 from the Lord. They would not. 298 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,680 Forever abuse the. Women in the Tabernacle with 299 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:08,760 impunity. So when God's judgement comes, 300 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:12,920 Samuel is told everyone who hears it, their ears will ring 301 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:16,319 in verse 12. Just as God. 302 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,520 Already warned Eli through a different messenger. 303 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:21,880 He is now warning Eli. Through a. 304 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:27,880 Second witness so. That just as Jesus said every. 305 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:32,080 Matter before the judgment must be established. 306 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,880 By two or three. Witnesses God is doing 307 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:41,320 everything according to His own law, and God is going to do 308 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,080 everything he is threatened. All of it. 309 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:48,520 From beginning to end and. Here's why Verse. 13 Eli's 310 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,800 dereliction of duty. He knew all along about his 311 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:55,640 son's blasphemy and sexual misconduct in the Tabernacle. 312 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,560 He knew, yet he never disciplined them. 313 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,880 So verse 14 all of the. Sacrifices. 314 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:06,040 In the world won't make a difference for Eli unless he 315 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:10,480 repents and takes action to stop the wickedness. 316 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,440 If only I could hear. God speak well, be careful what 317 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:21,640 you ask for. This is what? 318 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,800 Happened when Samuel. Heard the Lord. 319 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,560 Speak to him. It was a message of judgement 320 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:32,880 and Samuel lay there in bed until the morning, undoubtedly 321 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,320 processing this life changing visit from the Lord. 322 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,000 Then look what happened. Verse 15. 323 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,000 He got up. To do his old job. 324 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:44,640 Which was to open the doors. To God's house but he. 325 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,240 Was understandably very afraid to do his new. 326 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:49,160 Job, the job of prophet that he's. 327 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,800 Just been commissioned to do. To speak God's word to Eli. 328 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,640 Since it's a message of terrible. 329 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,160 Judgement. Whatever. 330 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,880 Samuel may have learned from Eli about pastoring. 331 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:06,080 He has not learned how to do this thing, to speak. 332 00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:10,560 Hard words to. Someone in his parish. 333 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,520 And so this is a moment of decision for Samuel, isn't it? 334 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,400 Whether to accept? His calling. 335 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:20,960 As a prophet to treasure God's. Words entrusted to him. 336 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,160 To obey the. Lord, and to do something. 337 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,960 Very, very hard. Or to go back to sleep. 338 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:29,440 And follow in the footsteps. Of Eli What's? 339 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,280 He going to do well Eli calls him verse 16 and it's. 340 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,120 Really, Eli? Calling this time, not the Lord. 341 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:40,640 Surprise so. Samuel once again goes to Eli 342 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:44,480 and he says, here I am. And then verse 17, Eli made 343 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:46,880 Samuel's decision. A little. 344 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,760 Easier, he did something that was completely. 345 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,640 Out of character. He became. 346 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,320 A strict. Disciplinarian, just for a 347 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:57,000 moment. He said. 348 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,120 May God. Do so to. 349 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:02,080 You and more. Also if you hide. 350 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,240 Anything from me and all that he told you and as he said this. 351 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,880 He probably ripped his shirt or he took a piece of bread. 352 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,920 And ripped it in half. Because this is what they would 353 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,400 do. In order to show, May God do so 354 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,000 to me. May God RIP me in half, or May 355 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:21,440 God. Do to. 356 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,600 You May God RIP you in half. If you. 357 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:27,800 Are not honest or if you don't keep your promise that was 358 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:33,720 bringing a curse upon one or another, dramatizing the curse. 359 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,000 That Eli was. Placing on Samuel if. 360 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:41,080 He soft pedaled. The truth of God's message. 361 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,160 And this is really striking, not only because of Eli's sudden 362 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:51,120 transformation, but also in view of God's mercy and grace. 363 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:56,760 Remember, Eli's family had been feasting for decades. 364 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,640 They have been stealing from God and from his people. 365 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:03,000 His sons had been molesting women in the temple of the Lord, 366 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,360 and yet God had not yet crushed them. 367 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,160 And why is that? Because God. 368 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:13,200 Is long-suffering. All. 369 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,360 The way up until this point he has continued to have mercy on 370 00:21:16,360 --> 00:21:21,880 Eli and his family and he yearns to extend his mercy to save 371 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,720 people. In chapter 2 when he could have 372 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,560 destroyed Eli and his son straight up, he sent a prophet 373 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:31,880 to Eli to warn him and call him to repentance. 374 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:36,200 And now here in chapter 3, he does it once again, only this 375 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,360 time he uses Samuel as his mouthpiece. 376 00:21:38,360 --> 00:21:42,880 And this is a testimony. To God's grace, His grace. 377 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,920 For scoundrels, His grace. For people like us as well. 378 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,320 Eli's family had deserved. God's wrath. 379 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:54,720 For a long time, but God kept on showing him mercy, and He's 380 00:21:54,720 --> 00:22:00,280 doing it here with Samuel nevertheless. 381 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,880 As Eli showed. This moment of courage, verse 382 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:06,760 17. He reverts back to his old self, 383 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,920 his passive self as. Soon as he hears what Samuel 384 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:15,800 tells him, verse 18, he said it's the Lord, let him do what's 385 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,320 right in his eyes. Let him do what's good in his 386 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:19,480 eyes. He can. 387 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,080 Do whatever he pleases. It's. 388 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:29,680 Eli's moment, his last chance really to change and instead of 389 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:31,000 getting up off of. His lazy. 390 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,360 Rear and doing what he's supposed to, he sits back down 391 00:22:35,360 --> 00:22:37,760 in his lazy. Boy, he. 392 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:40,960 Pushes the remote control and he opens another bag of chips. 393 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:48,000 It's absolutely terrible. Don't be like. 394 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,800 Eli. It's never too late to listen to 395 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,320 the Lord. Eli could have turned to the 396 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,560 Lord and repentance and faith even in this moment. 397 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,240 We can too. We can listen to the Lord and 398 00:22:58,240 --> 00:22:59,440 do. What he tells us. 399 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:08,000 Eli didn't and the deed is done now. 2 witnesses have notified 400 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,960 him of the Lord's judgment. God has now made Samuel his 401 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:14,760 prophet. Samuel has moved into this role. 402 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,760 That he will occupy for the rest of his life. 403 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,800 He's been commissioned and he's. Had his first. 404 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,760 Test and he's passed with flying colours. 405 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,960 And now verse 19 makes clear. Of the trajectory. 406 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,160 Of how things were going to go because the famine of God's word 407 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:32,920 is going to come to an end no more shall the blind lead the 408 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:37,560 blind Samuel will unite all Israel from bear sheva up to Dan 409 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,560 that is from the. South furthest S all the way. 410 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:44,160 Up to the north, bringing the. Word of the Lord to. 411 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,360 Everyone but before. All of this. 412 00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:49,160 Happens God has to fulfill his promise to. 413 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:53,440 Eli. And the lampstand in the 414 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,280 Tabernacle is going to go completely out. 415 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,360 Stay tuned. So money is bringing that story 416 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:05,120 next week, but. Today, if you hear the Lord's 417 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,400 voice. You can trust in him. 418 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:14,760 The Word of God is a treasure. Of inestimable value is a bright 419 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:19,280 lampstand to our path. We can listen to the Lord and we 420 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,800 can trust in Him. He has called you to. 421 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,440 Follow him and very likely. To do. 422 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:31,000 Hard things things. That you. 423 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,520 Wouldn't be able to do. Without the power of his holy. 424 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:35,640 Spirit. Things that you would never have 425 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,640 signed up for had you known. But he has. 426 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:40,720 Called you to himself, and he is. 427 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:46,960 With you every step of the. Way and Jesus, the risen Son has 428 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:52,480 already gone before you. He's done the hardest thing and 429 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:56,520 because of him we can do hard things too. 430 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,920 He knows what it's like and He has compassion for you and your 431 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:05,160 difficult calling. By his infinite mercy and grace, 432 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:08,240 he will see you through as well. Let's pray. 433 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,960 Thank you. Lord, for your good word to us. 434 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:17,800 Thank you, how you sustain us. Day by day, by the power of your 435 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:19,440 word. Thank you. 436 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:26,720 For Hope. Of resurrection life and the. 437 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:31,920 World set right through. Jesus, it's in his name we pray. 438 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:32,960 Amen.