1 Samuel 3
1 Samuel 3, refresh on 1 Samuel 2: 27-36
Have you ever been through a major season of transition in your life? Maybe you moved, took a new job, started new friendships, or even a different major in college, these are significant changes. Maybe it was just time for a change, maybe God made it clear and you followed His lead in your life. The context here in 1 Samuel 3 is a major transition brought on by God for the advancement of His Kingdom and willful plan.
As we jump in, at this time in his life Samuel was with Eli serving God. In the moment though, we find them both laying down in the temple. What happens next would be a little disorienting. Could you imagine laying down for an afternoon nap or to go to sleep and you hear someone in your house continue to call your name? You get up and ask each time and they say no, no one called your name, it was not me. Well that's what happens to Samuel here. But as mentioned earlier, it is God bringing on the upcoming change and transition, including the next steps for Samuel’s life.
Finally, it becomes clear that God is calling Samuel’s name. God lets Samuel know that it will be the end of the household of Eli as mentioned in 1 Samuel 2:27-36.
I don’t know about you, but if God told me that he was going to bring to an end the household of a friend, priest, and someone else I knew I would be a little freaked out. I would be scared to share that information with them, and even if I did they would probably think I am crazy. But the next morning, Samuel shares with Eli the truth and they correspond about the Lord’s will and direction.
Several significant transitions occur in the passage:
Samuel being called by God and being made known as a prophet of the Lord.
End of the household of Eli.
Foreshadowing of the faithful priest of the Lord to come (1 Samuel 2:35).
There is another significant theme in this passage. Faithfulness of God’s servants.
Hannah’s faithfulness to give Samuel to serve God.
Eli’s faithfulness in commanding Samuel to tell the hard truth.
Eli’s faithfulness in accepting and promoting the will of the Lord, even to his own detriment.
Samuel’s faithfulness to follow the Lord and the leadership of Eli through new and challenging circumstances.
When we take a step back we can see the greater narrative of the Bible that this chapter is a part of. God has a plan and He is faithful to bring it to fruition. God’s plan involves using His creation, His people. His people respond in faithfulness, trust, and submission to His will and direction.
God was moving then, He is moving now. His plan is on track and it involves you and I. Let us step in faithfully, trusting and submitting our lives to Him.
