BOY SAMUEL CALLED BY GOD 1 Samuel 3:1-21 STRUCTURE Key-persons: Samuel and Eli Key-location: Tabernacle at Shiloh Key-repetitions: • The Lord’s actions: it was rare for the Lord to speak (1 Sam 3:1); he called Samuel four times (1 Sam 3:4, 6, 8, 10); he spoke to Samuel (1 Sam 3:11-14); he was with Samuel … “Why then do you ask me?” is not an encouraging response from Samuel. After a time, Samuel learned that Saul had been rejected by God to lead His people because of Saul’s disobedience (1 Samuel 13:11–13). The difference between Samuel and the sons of Belial is that Samuel does not yet know the Lord. Like Eli’s sons, Samuel does not know the Lord (compare 1 Samuel 2:12 and 3:7). How was it possible that a witch called up the servant of God? Samuel saw nothing, but the Lord was there, as He had been each time He had called. God’s call to Samuel came with greater intensity each time. He has no doubt about the Lord’s control of events. He told Samuel to answer God the next time he heard the call. My question is, why did the name change from seer to prophet. There aren’t many men of God that it says this of, 1 Samuel 3:19-21 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. Once more the use of “ask” incorporates a play on Saul’s name (cf. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. The Call of God 1 Samuel 3:1-21 The Call of God 1. Then a voice calls out from the flames: “Moses, Moses!” It is the God of Moses’ ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. After three times, Eli realized that God was calling Samuel. At first Eli did not realize what was happening. When God called him in the night, of course Samuel thought it was Eli. And the Lord wants Moses to bring the nation of Israel out of slavery (Ex 3:1–10). Samuel had not been taught how to receive revelation from God-how to listen, how to recognize revelation. :8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. This happened three times, and finally Eli understood that God was trying to speak to the young boy. A third time God called Samuel and Samuel got up and went to Eli. In 1: Samuel 9v9 it is written, (Formerly in Israel,if a man went to enquire of God,he would say,"come let us go to the seer," because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.) Question: In the text of 1 Samuel 28:6 we read that King Saul used the practices of a spirit medium who called up Samuel from the dead. :7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And Samuel said: “Here I am!” Finally, Eli realized that it was God who was calling Samuel. When God called Samuel, he thought it was Eli calling. This last time He called his name twice, a signal that this was a crucial moment. And Samuel said: “Here I am!” “I didn’t call you, go back to bed,” Eli answered a second time. 28:6). Other people whom God called by repeating their names include Abraham (Gen. 22:11), Jacob (Gen 46:2), and Moses (Exodus 3:4). Can the same situation happen now too and various wizards can talk to different holy people? Compared to Saul’s single mention of God in 1 Samuel 28:15, Samuel refers to “the Lord” seven times in his reply. The Priority Of God's Call - 3:1-10 (a) It Was a Precious Call - 1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. comment on 1 Sam. Even so, Samuel called on God for a sign to show the Israelites the evil of choosing to replace their true king—God—with an earthly king (1 Samuel 12:16–18). Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” Samuel jumped out of bed and and went to Eli. Since the lamp of God has not yet gone out, we know it is still dark, in the early morning hours, that God calls to Samuel. But as to my title, “Samuel, Samuel,” he was a man of God throughout his life and was used by God mightily until the end and even after his death his bones had resurrection power. Samuel! Samuel! If it is possible, bring some arguments for this text. He was used to obeying, so he got up right away.