IT IS THE LORD!

"And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good" (1 Samuel 3:18)

Hannah, possessed of unusual faith, had asked the Lord to find grace in His sight by giving her a son. She was childless. During her prayer only her lips moved as she cried out in agony of heart. Eli "thought she was drunk," and admonished her to put away her wine. She explained to him she was not drunk, but was pouring out her soul unto the Lord (1 Sam 1:14-16). Speaking from revelation, Eli said her prayer had been answered. She could go in peace and confidence. The Scriptures say, "So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad" (1 Sam 1:18). When her son was born, "she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD" (1 Sam 1:20). The name "Samuel" means "heard of God."

As soon as Hannah had weaned Samuel, "she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young." There, as an extraordinary act of thanksgiving, she "lent him to the Lord" for as long as he lived (1 Sam 1:24-28). She then offered a most insightful prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord (1 Sam 2:1-10). After the dedication of Samuel, Hannah "conceived and bore three sons and two daughters" (1 Sam 2:21).

From a small child, under the supervision of Eli, Samuel "ministered before the LORD . . . wearing a linen ephod," growing up "before the Lord" (2:21). Precisely the same thing is said of Samuel that was said of the child Jesus: "Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men" (2:26; Lk 2:52). During that time, "the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation" (3:1). Young Samuel would prove to be the first one in a long time to whom God spoke directly.

One night, before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle, while Samuel was lying down, God called him. Remember, he was but a lad when this occurred. Samuel concluded Eli was calling him, and ran to the man of God saying "Here I am, for you called me" (v 5). Eli said he had not called him, and told him to lie down again. Again this happened, with Eli responding the same way. Then the Spirit adds a word of explanation: "Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him" (v 7). This, then, was the very first word Samuel received from the Lord.

The third time God called Samuel, "Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy." He then told him, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears'" (v 8-9). To make a long story short, God's message to young Samuel was not a pleasant one. He told Samuel He was going to do something "at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle." That message was that He was going to judge Eli's house because of his sons, and because Eli did not restrain them from their wickedness. Further, there would be no atonement made for their sin forever. Upon Eli's insistence, Samuel told all of this to him.

At this point, the character of Eli surfaces in a refreshing manner. In response to the grievous message, he said, "It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him" (v 16-18). If a man living during the Law could submit to such a message, how much more can we submit to the good news of the Gospel? Upon hearing what the Lord is doing in Jesus, let us say, "Let Him do what seems good to Him."

PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus' name I thank Your for the good news of the gospel, and the declaration of the wonderful things You have done and are doing in Him.

-- Monday, New Series: THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD --