SAMUELS SECRET
In this day and age of broken political promises, deception and lies most people feel betrayed by their leaders and institutions, and may I say somewhat embarrassingly the Church. However the Bible tells us about a man “whose words never dropped to the ground” a statement that means God made good all his predictions. It is metaphor from precious liquids, which when they are spilt upon the ground, are altogether useless because they do not cause their desired effect.
1 Samuel 3:19 So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
What was Samuels secret of being a person who spoke God words, was truthful in all he said and maintained his integrity amongst a people of lying lips. Imagine one person today let alone the hundreds of millions that make up the church spoke words that never fell to the ground!
This sermon reveals Samuels Secret of being such a person. 1 Samuel 7:15-17 reveals the secret of Samuel in the meaning of the places he visited on a regular basis.
1 Sam 7:15-17. “Samuel continued as a Judge over Israel all the days of his life. From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah judging Israel in all those places. But he always went back to Ramah”
RAMAH
Samuel’s starting and finishing point. This was home. Ramah means hill and was located in the hill country of Ephraim. Ephraim means fruitful, this reminds us of John 15:1-8. The Fruitful Vine - Jesus is the Vine – Believers are the branches – Father is the Gardener – abiding is the key mentioned nine times in John’s passage – the result will be fruit, more fruit and much fruit
1. We must abide in Christ v 4,7
2. We must endure pruning v 2
3. We must submit to Christ v 5
BETHEL
Genesis 28:11-18 Bethel means - The House of God – this passage speaks of:
1. The Word – which is the Ground of Truth which Jacob lay upon
2. Jesus Christ the Rock upon which we are built
3. The Holy Spirit which is the oil poured out on the Rock and the Ground
This is the place of accessing heaven:
a. God’s ladder. A way up to appropriate God’s promises. Jesus Col 2:3.
b. Gods Angels. Ministers to those of salvation. Heb 1:14.
c. God’s Presence. An ability to bring His purposes to pass. Sovereign.
d. Gods Promise. V15 “until I have done what I have promised”
Jacob’s Revelation. God causes His will to come to pass. Luz almond tree became Bethel house of God. Jeremiah 1:11-12.
GILGAL
Joshua 5:1-12 Gilgal means rolling away: in Joshua it represents the death of unbelief; doubt; skepticism; murmuring and disobedience. It represents:
1. Covenant = circumcision = shedding of blood representing the renewal of covenant. Flesh is cut away. This whole picture speaks of faith in God, helpless to battle in own strength.
2. Consecration = seperation to God through the act of circumcision revealing their commitment to God.
3. Celebration = of the Passover for the reproach of Egypt, the condemnation of the past had been rolled away.
At Gilgal we discover ourselves, sever yesterday and slice away unworthy values.
MIZPAH
Mizpah = watchtower, to embrace it means to lean forward, to peer into the distance, to observe and to wait it is the place of prayer and waiting on God it speaks of: accountability to God
In 1 Samuel 7 Samuel, gathered the people of Israel to Mizpah. Why was Mizpah so special? Mizpah was where Jacob, and Laban, parted company uneasily. Neither trusted the , each had behaved treacherously to the other as though God could not see ,they stood before a sacred stack of stones where Laban reminded Jacob that God would see if he was faithful to his daughters, who were now Jacob’s wives.
A new perception of the presence of God came to Israel as they remembered what happened at Mizpah. Laban said to their Jacob, the one whose name they carried as “children of Israel,” “May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from the other.” I’ve heard this “Mizpah benediction” repeated as a sort of mutual blessing. But it was not a sweet farewell Laban spoke to Jacob. It was a reminder to Jacob that God knew what he was up to. Before this it seems they thought of God as someone who directed their ways, but didn’t watch too carefully their way of life. Mizpah became a special place for Israel as a reminder that God is present with us and observes how we live.
