CENTRAL THOUGHT Personal loyalty and commitment to God distinguishes a man.
INTRODUCTION:
Samuel was one of the very significant historical figures in the evolution of the state of Israel. His birth was a miraculous answer to the prayers of Hannah, a wife of Elkanah, a Levite from Ephraim. In gratitude to God, the family pledged the young boy to the service of God for the rest of his life. Samuel consequently grew up with the household of Eli, the Priest in Shiloh. Samuel showed interest, focus and dedication in the service of God. He was soon distinguished by his loyalty to God and commitment to the ministry. This was in sharp contrast to the privileged sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, who abused the office of Priesthood and would not accept any correction. A remarkable event was the call of the boy Samuel by God and his inability to discern the voice of God, assuming it to Eli’s call. In his innocence, he also related to Eli everything that God told him about the Priest’s impending judgement. In this first part of the study, we shall examine the childhood experiences of Samuel and the important lessons we could learn from them. Lesson objectives:The objectives of this study are to:Compare the lifestyle of Eli’s son’s and SamuelExplain what it means to be in favor with God and with man.Explain how to recognize the voice of God; and List the lessons we can draw from the childhood ministry of Samuel.
Lesson Objectives:
The Objectives of this lesson is to:
1.) Highlight the key points of Samuel’s leadership over Israel;
2.) Identify the major challenges he faced as a judge, a prophet and a seer in Israel;
3.) Explain why the elders of Israel demanded for a king.
4.) Explain how God reacted to the demand; and
5.) Comment on the lifestyle of Samuel’s sons.
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1) COMPARE THE LIFESTYLE OF ELI’S SONS AND THAT OF SAMUEL. Hophni and Phinehas, as well as Samuel, all grew up in the same environment, within the vicinity of the tabernacle; but their characters manifested differently. Hophni and Phinehas were described as sons of Belial, who did not Know God. They exhibited wicked, corrupt, and immoral tendencies. They were overbearing and became burdensome to pilgrims. They would not listen to their father’s warning. To them the priesthood was to serve their lust and greed. In the same household was Samuel, a young innocent mind who had imbibed the fear of God into his activities. He ministered sincerely to God, to Eli and to the people. Soon he became well-known and sought-after and grew from one level of revelation to another by the word of God. While Eli’s sons were a grief to him, the boy Samuel proved to be his source of Joy and was always available to minister grace.
QUESTION 2) WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IN FAVOR WITH GOD AND WITH MAN ? ACTS 24:16.
This is a description of Samuel’s relationship with God, and with fellow humans. Being in favor with God begins with a cordial personal acquaintance with the word and ways of God. This implies an intimacy to the extent that one is admitted into the plans and visions of God. One is thereby clothed with God’s presence and supernatural power, and becomes the mouth-piece of God. It is to enjoy a personalized dispensation of grace from God Almighty and have the capacity to extend such grace to God’s people. To be in favor with man means a general tendency to be accepted and liked. The people honored Samuel and his office so that he became famous through godly service. All spoke well of him as being useful and divinely serviceable.
QUESTION 3) HOW CAN ONE RECOGNIZE THE VOICE OF GOD TODAY? JOHN 10:4-5 Samuel could not recognize the voice of God because he was a child and inexperienced. It takes maturity in spirit to know when God is speaking. The voice of God could come in audible form from external sources, or an inner voice of significance or a circumstantial action that is projected with meaning. God may also speak through matured counsel or through dreams. In any of them, God’s message will not contradict His revealed word, it instils Godly conduct, comes through multiple sources and is emphatically consistent. The voice of God has no respect for personality or office. It does not seek gratification or patronage. Rather it responds to genuine repentance, and humility of spirit.
QUESTION 4) WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM THE CHILDHOOD MINISTRY AND EXPERIENCES OF SAMUEL? 1 SAM 3:15-21.
There are many lessons to learn from the childhood experiences of Samuel. Some of them are directly from him while others are from his environment and ministry. The focus, dedication, and commitment of the boy Samuel to the work of God was outstanding. He never for once felt reluctant about his role. His sense of service and usefulness to Eli was demonstrated in the fact that he could run to Eli at the dead of the night presumably to attend to him. Moreover, he never identified with the negative tendencies of the sons of Eli. He observed godly distance and was not influenced by their corruption. Despite the presence of senior assistants to Eli, the people developed divine likeness for Samuel and God also approved of his conduct. He was not attention-seeking, yet he became famous. He knew the gravity of the office of a priest and discharged it with integrity. Samuel needed someone to lead him into a personal relationship with God. Sleeping in the tabernacle or being a child of the clergy does not amount to knowing God. Every child must be led and directed to build a personal relationship with God and to experience a personal call. Those who inherit offices as a right of birth are very prone to abusing or trivializing such offices. The complacency of Eli towards the impending calamity on his family was a grave mistake. He never bothered to key into the mercies of God. It appears he had already given up on his family even before God’s pronouncement. When the revelation of God is hard on us, He expects us to run to Him for refuge in humility and with a contrite heart.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
It took the intervention of Eli, the Priest, for Samuel to understand that the call was from God. The biological sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, brought sorrow and grief to their father by their conduct. Children brought up in Christian homes should not be assumed to know God. We must consciously introduce them to the Lord Jesus Christ and engage them in activities that will build up their personal encounter with God. Individually everyone should have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
MEMORY VERSE:
Prov. 1:10 “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not”
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
MONDAY: DOING THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE GOD. John 8:29.
TUESDAY: CORRECT THEY SON AND HE SHALL GIVE THEE REST. Prov.29:17
WEDNESDAY: DILIGENCE BRINGS PROMOTION. Prov.22:29
THURSDAY: BEING AN EXAMPLE OF BELIEVERS. 1 Tim.4:12.
FRIDAY: HOLDING FAST THE FAITHFUL WORD. Titus 1:9.
SATURDAY: HE THAT SOWETH INIQUITY SHALL REAP VANITY. Prov.22:8