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Bible Notes - Tabernacle Commentaries
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1 Samuel 3:19
Comments
Samuel obviously uttered prophecies which came to pass in the region in his time, leading to enormous respect. ‘And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba’ – a hundred and sixty miles – ‘knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.’ He was vindicated by utterances he was given.‘And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh:’ – the prophetic ministry would now be established – ‘for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD’, and the mantle was passed from Eli to Samuel. There is about to be a great catastrophe, a defeat by the Philistines. The people have brought it upon themselves. The sons of Eli will perish, and he will perish with a broken heart, as it were, and his line will be ended. Samuel: the last judge, the first of a new line of prophets; obedient for years to be prepared for this, accepting humble duties, keeping himself unspotted and untainted from the corruption around him, obeying the voice of God, and relaying his first message so faithfully, even though it must have pained him.
Application
What is the great lesson over-towering everything else in these first three chapters? God expects humility from his servants, whatever our task, whatever our calling. God lifts up his people. He is the one to whom we turn for everything. We do nothing in self-confidence and self-reliance. We are increasingly people of prayer. We don't think like some do: ‘Oh, if we can put on a great show, it will impress.’ We depend only on the word of God and prayer, and that's the great principle of these early chapters, aside from the necessity of addressing ills when they come up in the house of God. I can't deal with that this evening. That is my introduction to First Samuel for this evening.
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