Series: 3:16- Numbers That Bring Hope [#9]
THE HOPE THAT COMES FROM HEARING GOD’S VOICE
1 Samuel 3:16
Introduction:
This morning, we are going to continue our series from chapter 3 verse 16 of each Book of the Bible. Last week we looked at the hope that comes from your Redeemer, today we are going to look at the hope that comes from hearing God’s voice.
Samuel was a miracle baby. His mother had not been able to have children and she pleaded with God to give her a son. In fact, she promised God that if He would give her a son that she would give him to the Lord for his entire life; and that is exactly what happened. After he was weaned, Hannah took him to Shiloh where he served the Lord with Eli and his 2 sons. Eli’s 2 sons were priest; but they were evil and angered God. They proved that you could be at the House of God and not know God.
It also shows us that you can sit in Church all your life and never hear a Word from the Lord. When you come here, don’t you want to hear from God? If you aren’t here to grow stronger in the Lord and follow His plan for your life, then why are you here?
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (NIV)
“The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
There is hope in…
1. Recognizing God’s voice.
God was speaking to Samuel and he didn’t know who it was. If God is speaking to you right now, would you recognize His voice? Now, most likely you haven’t heard God’s voice audibly, but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t speak to us.
God speaks to us…
? Through His Word.
? Through prayer.
? Through His people.
? Through circumstances and situations.
? Through visions and dreams.
If you do not recognize God’s voice, it may be because you don’t know Him. When this happened in Samuel’s life, verse 7 tells us that Samuel did not yet know God. Samuel had been working for the Lord, but had not known Him.
1 Samuel 3:11-18 (NIV)
“And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family--from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, `The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.'" Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son." Samuel answered, "Here I am." "What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you." So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes."
There is hope in…
2. Listening and obeying God’s voice.
Sometimes God tells us things that we really don’t want to hear. For Samuel, this was definitely one of those times. God told Samuel that the man who had been raising him and teaching him was going to be destroyed. Not only did God tell Samuel this but Eli made Samuel repeat it to him.
I do want you to notice that Eli did not get mad about this. Notice what Eli said, “He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
When God speaks, we need to listen…
? With an open heart.
I guarantee you that Samuel did not want to hear what God told him; but he still had to listen.
? With an intent to obey.
God knew Eli was going to ask Samuel what He said. It was even harder to repeat what God said to Eli than it was to hear it.
? With an understanding.
Don’t forget that it is Almighty God, the Creator of all things that is speaking to you. Whether you like His plan or not, He is still in charge. We need to stop trying to get God to change His plan and start following it.
Conclusion:
1 Samuel 3:19-21 (NIV)
“The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.”
Isn’t that what you want; God being with you, hearing every single word you say to Him, and continuing to reveal Himself to you? Do you know God? That may be why you don’t recognize when He is speaking to you. Do you listen to God with an open heart, willing to do whatever it is He asks of you? Is God calling you to a commitment to Him today?
