Wednesday, March 25, 2020

2020.03.25 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Samuel 3

Questions from the Scripture text: What did Samuel do as a boy (1 Samuel 3:1)? What was rare in those days? What was Eli doing in 1 Samuel 3:2? What health problem does he have? What time was it in 1 Samuel 3:3? What was Samuel doing? Who called him (1 Samuel 3:4)? What did he answer? To whom did he run (1 Samuel 3:5)? How did Eli answer? What did Yahweh do in 1 Samuel 3:6? And what does Samuel do? And what does Eli do? Whom didn’t Samuel know yet (1 Samuel 3:7)? What hadn’t yet happened to him? What did Yahweh do in 1 Samuel 3:8? And what did Samuel do? What did Eli realize this time (verse 8)? What did Eli tell Samuel to do (1 Samuel 3:9)? To say? What does Yahweh come and do in 1 Samuel 3:10? How does He call, this fourth time? What does Samuel answer? What does Yahweh say that He is about to do (1 Samuel 3:11)? How much of the 1 Samuel 2 prophecy against Eli is He about to perform (1 Samuel 3:12)? What did Eli know, in 1 Samuel 3:13? But what had he not done (even though he did rebuke them with words, cf. 1 Samuel 2:23–25)? What will not be done for the curse against Eli’s house (1 Samuel 3:14)? For how long? What did Samuel do in 1 Samuel 3:15? For how long? What did he do in the morning? Of what was he afraid? What does Eli call Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:16? How does Samuel answer (for a fifth time this chapter!)? What does Eli ask in 1 Samuel 3:17? How much does he insist that Samuel tell him? What does he curse/threaten if he doesn’t? How much does Samuel tell (1 Samuel 3:18)? How much does he hide? How does Eli answer? What does 1 Samuel 3:19 say Samuel did? Who was with him? What didn’t Yahweh let fall to the ground? Who knew what in 1 Samuel 3:20? And what did Yahweh once again begin to do (1 Samuel 3:21)? In what way?
We don’t appreciate having the Word of God. Sometimes, that shows up in how slow we are to read and meditate upon it in private worship. Sometimes, it shows up in how easily we miss public worship in which Jesus speaks from heaven (cf. Hebrews 10:19–25, Hebrews 12:22–24), or listen with unyielding or uncareful hearts when He does (cf. Hebrews 12:25–29).

But one of our encouragements for repenting of this is our Lord’s history of being gracious to some of those who don’t know to appreciate the blessing of His Word. This chapter is bookended by the rarity of Yahweh’s Word in those days (1 Samuel 3:1), and the return of Yahweh’s Word in the ministry of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:21). Here is a people whose spiritual leaders were under God’s wrath (1 Samuel 2:25), and who themselves had left God in their hearts and were worshiping other gods (1 Samuel 7:3). And yet God is conspiring to renew the ministry of His Word to them in Samuel. Praise be to the God of grace!

The personal interaction with Samuel in the chapter is a little picture of this grace. Samuel doesn’t yet know the Lord, even though he has been serving in the tabernacle (1 Samuel 3:7), yet the God of heaven patiently repeats the call, time after time, until Samuel finally figures it out and responds.

Our God is full of mercy, and He has given us an abundance of His Word—even giving us not great Samuel as our prophet, but infinitely greater Jesus! Let us be chastened for our lack of desire for His Word, lack of recognition of His Word, and lack of response to His Word. And, let us see how patiently and persistently He pursues us, and turn to Him with all our hearts!
How might you increase your intake of and attention to God’s Word?
Suggested Songs: ARP119W “Lord, Let My Cry before You Come” or TPH172 “Speak, O Lord”

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