GOD IS WORKING IN THE LAND
1 SAMUEL 3:1 – 10
1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me.
And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
IN ORDER FOR ME TO LAY A PROPER FOUNDATION THIS MORNING THERE ARE A FEW PASSAGES THAT I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO
FIRST IN VERSE 1
And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
AS WE LOOK AT THESE VERSES IN THEIR PROPER CONTEXT WE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A DARK TIME IN THE NATION OF ISRAEL
GOD WAS NOT GIVING OPEN REVELATIONS TO HIS PEOPLE, IT WAS AS IF GOD HAD ALL BUT STOPPED SPEAKING TO THE NATION
ELI - A descendant of Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron, who exercised the office of high priest in Shiloh at this time. For the first time in Israel, Eli combined in his own person the functions of high priest and judge, judging Israel for 40 years
SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT ELI’S HEALTH WAS FAILING, HIS EYE SIGHT WAS ALMOST GONE, AS WELL AS HIS AGE ALL OF WHICH WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION
NORMALLY ONE OF THE SONS OF ELI WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIS PLACE, BUT WE ALSO READ THAT NEITHER OF THEM WAS WALKING WITH GOD
IN FACT THEY WERE USING THEIR FATHERS OFFICE OF HIGH PRIEST, AS WELL AS THEIR OWN OFFICE’S OF UNDER PRIEST TO CORRUPT THE WORSHIP AT THE HOUSE OF GOD
1 SAMUEL 2:10 NIV
17 This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD’S sight, for they£ were treating the LORD’S offering with contempt.
1 SAMUEL 2: 22
22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
NOT ONLY WERE THE SON’S OF ELI WICKED SINNERS BEFORE THE LORD THEY HAD GOTTEN TO THE PLACE OF THINKING THAT THEY WERE UNTOUCHABLE
1 SAMUEL 2:25 NIV
25 If a man sins against another man, God£ may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the LORD’S will to put them to death.
IS IT ANY WONDER THAT GOD RARELY SPOKE, IT IS A MIRACLE THAT GOD WOULD SPEAK TO THE NATION AT ALL
1 SAMUEL 3: 3And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4 That the LORD called Samuel:
BUT WE READ THAT BEFORE THE LIGHT OF GOD WENT OUT THAT GOD WAS WORKING ON A PLAN
HOPH ’ NI AND PHIN ‘ E – HAS WERE SO CAUGHT UP IN THEIR SINFUL EXPLOITS THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW OR CARE THAT GOD HAD A PLAN AND WAS WORKING THAT PLAN
ELI WITH ALL OF HIS HEALTH PROBLEMS DID NOT KNOW THAT GOD HAD A PLAN AND WAS WORKING THAT PLAN
UP UNTIL THAT TIME SAMUEL WHO WAS WORKING AROUND THE TEMPLE DID NOT REALIZE THAT GOD HAD A PLAN AND THAT HE WAS A PART OF THAT PLAN
1 SAMUEL CHAPTER FOUR TELLS US THAT IN ONE DAY ELI, AND BOTH OF HIS SON DIED, ELI ALSO HAD A GRANDCHILD BORN ON THAT DAY WHOM WAS NAMED I-CHA-BOD MEANING THAT THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAS DEPARTED
ON THAT DAY SAMUEL BECAME THE PROPHET, AND GOD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO HIS PEOPLE ONCE AGAIN
GOD HAD BEEN WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE FOR SOME TIME
GOD WORKS IN THE LIFE OF A WIDOW
IN 1 KINGS CHAPTER 17 WE READ OF A WIDOW WOMAN IN A PLACE CALLED
ZAR – E - PATH
THIS LITTLE WOMAN WHO NO DOUBT HAD BEEN FAITHFUL TO GOD, WAS IN A BAD WAY
TIMES WERE ALREADY TOUGH ENOUGH FOR HER AND HER YOUNG SON AND THEN HERE CAME THE DROUGHT AND MADE MATTERS WORSE
SHE HAD JUST ENOUGH MEAL AND OIL FOR ONE LAST MEAL AND THEN HER AND HER SON WOULD DIE OF STARVATION
CAN YOU IMAGINE HER THOUGHTS IN ALL OF THIS, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A HUNDRED THINGS RUNNING THROUGH HER MIND
SHE MIGHT HAVE EVEN ASKED THE QUESTION, WHERE IS GOD IN ALL OF THIS?
BUT WHAT SHE DID NOT KNOW NOR COULD SHE SEE AT THAT TIME WAS THAT GOD HAD A PLAN, AND THAT SHE WAS A PART OF THAT PLAN
GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIS ANOINTED AND SENT HIM BY HER WAY
AND BECAUSE OF THE OPENNESS OF HER HEART TOWARD GOD’S ANOINTED MESSENGER,
AND HER FOLLOWING HIS WORD EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT MAKE SENSE, AND IT SURELY WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHE WANTED TO HEAR
HER MEAL BARREL ALWAYS HAD MEAL IN IT, AND HER CRUSE NEVER RAN DRY OF OIL
GOD WAS AT WORK FOR HUMANITY
IN THE FOUR GOSPELS WE COME TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT THE BETRAYAL, TRIAL, DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
IT WAS A DARK DAY IN THE LAND THE DAY THAT JESUS DIED, FROM AROUND NOON UNTIL 3 O CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON THERE WAS TOTAL DARKNESS, FOLLOWED BY AN EARTHQUAKE
WE CANNOT BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THE PAIN AND SORROW THAT WAS IN THE HEARTS OF THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST THAT DAY
ALL OF THEIR LIVES THEY HAD HOPED TO SEE THE MESSIAH
HE HAD CAME TO THEM, WAS WITH THEM, NOW HE WAS TAKEN AWAY
ALL OF THEIR HOPES WERE GONE, THERE HEARST MUST HAVE BEEN BREAKING
THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY GOD WOULD PROMISE THE MESSIAH, THEN SEND HIM TO THEM JUST TO HAVE HIM TAKEN AWAY AGAIN
BUT WHAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WAS THAT GOD HAD A PLAN AND THAT GOD WAS WORKING THAT PLAN
GOD’S PLAN WAS THE PLAN OF SALVATION, CREATED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
JESUS HAD TO DIE
1 JOHN 2:2
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
JESUS HAD TO BE BURIED
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
1 PETER 4:6
6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
JESUS HAD TO BE RESURRECTED
REVELATION 1:18
18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:12
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
GOD HAD A PLAN AND WAS WORKING HIS PLAN FOR ALL MANKIND
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU
GOD IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW, HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE AND IS WORKING THAT PLAN
YOU MIGHT NOT SEE IT AT THE MOMENT, BUT GOD IS AT WORK
YOU MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND IT AT THE MOMENT BUT GOD IS AT WORK
ROMANS 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
DON’T GIVE UP, HANG ON GOD IS AT WORK FOR YOU
