Tonight we finish up the series on Flawed Heroes. It’s been a great series. I have to laugh… if you remember how when Pastor Nick taught on Shamgar in Judges 3:31, he had one verse about Shamgar… and he had to do 35-40 minutes with one verse. I have the opposite problem. According to some commentators, the beginning of Samuel’s story began in the last 20 years of Samson’s life.
The Jewish historian Josephus wrote, "Now after the death of Samson, Eli the high-priest was governor of the Israelites."
So if that is the case Samuel’s life and influence covers at least 3 Books… and I’m supposed to cover that in one night?
Samuel’s story is the story of a life lived for the Lord, but not perfect…
And I don’t want to go through this a just a history lesson about the life of Samuel. We have to get some meat from it. Paul said we should learn from the OT Stories so that we don’t do the same things…
One thing that Samuel’s story teaches us…
To finish strong, you have to start right.
You have to have a strong foundation.
Who was Samuel?
I’ve read through this book many times and I know that as well as being a prophet, Samuel performed priestly duties. But was he a priest? As I have read through this I often wondered about that.
1Samuel 1:1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
As I read through that I didn’t see any reference to the priestly line so I wondered, “Is this just a reflection of the state of Israel at that time?”.
The very last verse in the book of Judges 21:25, In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.
Zuph, an Ephraimite…
Here is my point… If Samuel was from the tribe of Ephraim then his activity in the tabernacle was a violation of God’s word.
1 Chronicles 6 lists the families from the Levitical line… 25 The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,26 Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son,27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son and Samuel his son.
So it seems that what we read in 1 Samuel tells us the geographic location that Samuel came from – since the Levites owned no property and lived throughout the nation. 1 Chronicles gives his family line.
Why is that important?
God will never call us live in contradiction to His Word.
For believers, the Holy Spirit will never lead you in a direction that will take you out of God’s will. John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
I heard a story from Kenneth Hagin years ago when he talked about being in camp meetings in Oklahoma. After a meeting a young man came up to him and said, “Brother Hagin, I believe the Lord has shown me the girl that is supposed to be my wife” and he pointed out a young lady.
And Hagin asked, “When do you suppose that is going to happen?”
“As soon as I can convince her to divorce her husband”.
God, who is truth, by His very nature can never contradict His word.
As well as being from the right lineage, Samuel is supported by a praying Mom. You know the story. Hannah was the second wife – barren – ridiculed by the rival wife. And she prayed… and dedicated her son to the Lord.
Do you think Samuel is off to a good start?
Another thing we see that while Samuel was connected to a high priest who missed it in a lot of ways, occasionally he would get it right. When Samuel heard the voice in the middle of the night – three time – Eli finally figured it out. I don’t know how. Maybe it was a remembrance of how the Lord spoke to him once. Maybe it was just a revelation… Maybe he just reasoned it out. Regardless – his words to Samuel were important.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
The Hebrew word translated “know” has a variety of meanings but one of them that is key means “to experience”. Samuel had not had an experience with the Lord… until now.
8 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. 9 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. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
The Lord can use imperfect people to give you direction.
After that encounter with God the next day Eli came to Samuel and told him to tell him everything the Lord had said to him.
Don’t hide anything from me… tell me everything God said…
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
The whole word of God…
That’s the key.
We don’t get to go through Scripture and pick out the blessings and throw everything else away. Samuel spoke everything the Lord told him.
Our foundation must be on God’s Word.
Look at what Samuel accomplished because of it.
Samuel served as a prophet and a priest.
But he was also the last Judge of Israel.
In chapter 7 he led Israel into battle against the Philistines.
He anointed Saul as the first king of Israel. (even though he tried to talk the people out of it and even prophesied what would happen when they got a king)
Samuel established a school of prophets. The “group of prophets” in 1 Samuel 19 was clearly comprised of students of the prophet Samuel. These students were likely Levites who served in roles related to the tabernacle and ceremonial worship. The content of their “prophesies” is not specified. Their messages could have been general teachings from God’s laws in the Books of Moses, or they could have included additional revelation.
Samuel continued to hear from the Lord…
Samuel’s last words to Israel as a prophet are found in Chapter 12. Here we see Samuel’s condemnation of the people of Israel not just for asking for a king – but in rejecting God as their king.
What a contradiction of lives. Saul started out strong; anointed, prophesying with the prophets, hearing God’s word through the prophet… and yet Saul became a follower of Saul. He started strong but didn’t finish.
When Saul failed to be obedient to the Word spoken to him by Samuel that was it. And we see that if there was one thing that maybe Samuel got on the wrong side of the Lord with, it was that he wept over Saul’s failures.
15: 35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
But just a little later in chapter 16 we see this; 1 The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?
Never back down from the truth.
Do you see the difference between God’s response to Saul and Samuels response?
The Lord was grieved…the KJV says that God repented… That does not mean that the Lord made a mistake. It’s the same as when the world had turned against God before the flood. God had raised up a man to be king and had given him everything that he needed to be successful. And when it came right down to it, he rejected God and relied on self.
Samuel mourned…
Why did Samuel mourn for Saul?
While he remained on the throne, Saul was spiritually impotent. God had already concluded in his omniscient understanding that Saul in no way represented Israel's future. The longer Samuel grieved, the longer he put God's program on hold. In other words, God had moved on. So it’s now time for Samuel to do the same.
We can live our lives in a constant state of “What if” and miss out on God’s will for us now and for the future.
What if Saul had done better?
What if David isn’t the right one?
What if I receive a bad diagnosis?
What if my kids mess up?
What if there isn’t enough money for my bills?
Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
There’s one more thing about Samuel that we need to see.28:18
Samuel left a legacy.
Even after his death we see a story of Saul going to the witch of Endor to have her call up Samuel from the grave.
28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."
16 Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David.
18 Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. 19 The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines."
Was Samuel the perfect man? No. But he gave us a good picture of what it means to serve the Lord.
Samuel began with God’s word and he finished with God’s word.
And you are called to do the same thing.
John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
