AWAKE OR SLEEPING
1 Samuel 3:1-20
In our text we see a transition from a Priesthood who had taken God for granted, to a rising Prophet, who would awaken a Nation. From Eli to Samuel.
Eli means to ascend or "lofty". There are two ways to look at him, as a Priest he was called to ascend into the Presence on behalf of the people and to bring the people an answer from God to the people, he was the High Priest. But Eli was corrupt, and began to make, and take decisions, based on his own counsel. He typifies Satan in his pride who wanted to ascend to God's Throne as pictured in Isaiah 14:13-14.
Eli had fallen away from God and become corrupt:
a. He had lost discernment spiritually. 1 Samuel 1:12-13
b. He had failed to leave an inheritance. His sons were more corrupt than he and represent spiritually the fruit that we leave. 1 Samuel 2:12,22
c. He had lost his vision, literally and spiritually. 1 Samuel 3:1-3; 4:15.
d. He had become fat naturally, which speaks of his fleshly ways. 1 Samuel 4:18.
e. He would fall from his throne and break his neck. The neck speaks of our will. (e.g. Stiff Necked) 1 Samuel 4:18.
Samuel was born of a promise, and intercession through his Mother Hannah. 1 Samuel 1:11. Samuel's name means heard of God!
Samuel grew in his relationship with God, and became a defender of God's righteousness. 1 Samuel 8:6.
a. He was born through intercession. 1 Samuel 1:11.
b. He had a miraculous birth! Samuel 1:20
c. He was dedicated to the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:28
d. He ministered to the Lord. 1 Samuel 3:1
e. He grew in grace and relationship with God. 1 Samuel 3:10.
THE LAMP
The lamp was kept in the Tabernacle of God in The Holy Place, the gateway to the Holy of Holies God's Presence. The lamp was the Golden Candlestick which according to Leviticus 24:1-4, was supposed to burn continually before the Lord. In our text the lamp was going out, but was still shining dimly. This has great significance as it represents a dying dynasty who had fallen away from God, it represents the approach of darkness, a time where God's voice was not heard or heeded by the Priestly Leadership. The lamp was the only light in the Holy Place and without the Priests could not fulfill their duties. God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. The lamp was an important reference in our text for it symbolizes, a dying Church who have drifted away from the truth of God and His Purpose. Note Jesus in Revelation: Revelation 2:1. The lamp was fed by oil which meant if it was dimming it was running out of Oil, representing the withdrawing of The Holy Spirit in our times. Zechariah 4:1-7. Matthew 25:1-13.
A PROPHETIC TIME
We live in a time when the Lord is coming soon. Jesus tells us, that this time would be, as described in the parable of the Virgins. Some had Oil some didn't. Is the Church awake or sleeping in this day, can we see God things or are we consumed on the world we live in? I believe the our original text teaches us lessons, on how to be awake, and aware, in this Day, or what causes us to sleep or be unaware of these times. We learn these lessons from Eli and Samuel. Here are their contrasting lessons.
ELI
1. Spiritual Dimness brings Spiritual Slumber. 1 Samuel 3:2,3,5.
2. Spiritual Slumber brings Spiritual Deafness. 1 Samuel 3:1,5,6.
3. Spiritual Deafness brings Spiritual Apathy. 1 Samuel 3:18.
SAMUEL
1. When our spirits are Awake we become Aware. 1 Samuel 3:4-10.
2. Spiritual Awareness brings Spiritual Secrets. 1 Samuel 3:11-14.
3. Spiritual Revelation brings Spiritual Recognition. 1 Samuel 3:20.
CONCLUSION
As Ephesians 5:14 says, "So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,… "
AWAKE
Awake (1453)(egeiro) means to waken, rouse from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; from inactivity, ruins, nonexistence. The present imperative is a command calling for the sleepers continually awaken. "Don't hit the snooze alarm!" It is notable that Paul uses egeiro about 30 times to describe rising again from the dead. He uses the following verb anistemi to describe the resurrection two times (1Th 4:14, 16).
It is also notable that Paul uses the metaphor of sleep in other passages to address saints…
(1Thhttps://account.sermoncentral.com/contributions/sermons/edit/248109es 5:4-7) But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober (Implying even believers can be lulled into a sense of complacency and lose the sense of urgency stimulated by keeping Imminency of Jesus at the forefront of our thinking). For (term of explanation) those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
LIGHT: Christ will shine on you.....
• God’s first act of creation was to say, “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3-4).
• God brings light to the dispel darkness (Psalm 18:28).
• “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).
• “The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out” (Proverbs 13:9).
• “The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light to you: but Yahweh will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, neither shall your moon withdraw itself; for Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended.” (Isaiah 60:19-20).
• Jesus told his disciples, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14-16).
• Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
• Jesus called Saul to be his disciple to the Gentiles “to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me'” (Acts 26:18).
• “You are all children of light, and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6).
• “The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk in its light” (Revelation 21:23b-24).
WALK:
Walk (peripateo) as children of light” (v. 8b). The Greek word peripateo literally means “walk around” (peri means “around”—as in our English word “perimeter”—and pateo means “to walk.”).
From very early times, Jews used the word “walk” to speak of the manner in which one conducted one’s life:
• Enoch and Noah walked with God (Genesis 5:22, 24; 6:9).
• God challenged Abram, “Walk before me, and be blameless.”
• The Psalmist said, “Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners” (Psalm 1:1; see also Psalm 119:3).
• God executed judgments on the Israelites for failing to walk in his statutes—for failing to keep his laws (Ezekiel 5:6-8).
Now Paul calls these Ephesian Christians to “walk as children of light.” In other words, he is challenging them to insure that their lives reflect their true character—as “children of light.” This counsel would not be needed if it were impossible for these Ephesian Christians to revert to their old ways—to backslide into darkness instead of walking in the light. The tempter never sleeps, so the Christian life requires eternal vigilance.
Let us be the Samuel people that God would desire whose speech and conduct bring truth and clarity to a dying world, instead of an Eli church that were viewed as being, unspiritual and as salt that has lost its flavour. Let us have an awakening in this day
