A Voice in the Night

God Instructs the People of God

Listening for God in Changing Times:

Respecting Community Standards

1 Samuel 3:1-14

The Message

"Speak, God. I'm Ready to Listen"

 ^1-3The boy Samuel was serving God under Eli's direction. This was at a time when the revelation of God was rarely heard or seen. One night Eli was sound asleep (his eyesight was very bad—he could hardly see). It was well before dawn; the sanctuary lamp was still burning. Samuel was still in bed in the Temple of God, where the Chest of God rested. ^4-5 Then God called out, "Samuel, Samuel!"
    Samuel answered, "Yes? I'm here." Then he ran to Eli saying, "I heard you call. Here I am."
    Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed." And so he did.
 ^6-7 God called again, "Samuel, Samuel!"
    Samuel got up and went to Eli, "I heard you call. Here I am."
    Again Eli said, "Son, I didn't call you. Go back to bed." (This all happened before Samuel knew God for himself. It was before the revelation of God had been given to him personally.)
 ^8-9 God called again, "Samuel!"—the third time! Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, "Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am."
    That's when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli directed Samuel, "Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, 'Speak, God. I'm your servant, ready to listen.'" Samuel returned to his bed.
 ¹⁰ Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, "Samuel! Samuel!"
    Samuel answered, "Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen."
 ^11-14 God said to Samuel, "Listen carefully. I'm getting ready to do something in Israel that is going to shake everyone up and get their attention. The time has come for me to bring down on Eli's family everything I warned him of, every last word of it. I'm letting him know that the time's up. I'm bringing judgment on his family for good. He knew what was going on, that his sons were desecrating God's name and God's place, and he did nothing to stop them. This is my sentence on the family of Eli: The evil of Eli's family can never be wiped out by sacrifice or offering."

 
For Reflection
Samuel was ready to listen to God.  But was he ready for the message?  Samuel, an obedient prophet, carried God's message.  How difficult was it to sacrifice his relationship with Eli to bring the worst news?  God's justice was announced.  How often have you heard Gods warning?  How often have you ignored it?

Pray
that you will heed God's warning.  Pray that you will confess your sin to God and sacrifice your self for the kingdom of God.  Pray that you will repent and become obedient to God's will.  Pray often.