Shape Up Or Ship Out Series

SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT (1 SAMUEL 3)

In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, “Were any great men born in this village?”

The old man replied, “Nope, only babies.”

The development and rise of Samuel as a judge coincided with Eli’s failure as a priest, parent and person. Eli had become a religious, cultural and national symbol in Israel, but Samuel was the one actually growing in faith, learning about God and growing in maturity. Eli had the status, knowledge and honor, but Samuel had the revelation, insight and progress. Eli had hit the brakes, hit the ceiling and hit a wall, and Samuel was about to eclipse, overshadow and replace him.

How should we keep a fresh and growing relationship with the Lord? What are the barriers that hinder us from the Lord and what are the factors that endear us to God?

Lean Childlikely on Him

3:1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 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. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” (1 Sam 3:1-4)

A wise Chinese proverb says it all: “A good beginning is half the job done.”

Robert Fulghum in his wildly-popular book, “All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” states that the basics a child learns will shape his or her philosophy of an adult. These fundamental life-changing kindergarten rules, principles and advice include: “Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt someone. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life -- learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.”

Samuel had a good, if not great, start. He had a childlike relationship with the Lord and an innocent dependence on Him. The boy Samuel’s childlike obedience to the Lord was everything Eli was not. Eli was high, high on top; he was the leader of religious affairs and he was set for life. He was God’s representative, the top dog and the head honcho and Samuel was the priest’s apprentice, aide or assistant. Eli had the title but Samuel had the training, and his training was basic, valuable and straightforward. Samuel ministered before the Lord as a toddler, a child and a youth. The verb “ministered” is not the usual word for “served” but the Hebrew word for “attended.” The same word describes Joseph as Potiphar’s “attendant” (Gen 39:4) and how he later also “attended” the chief cupbearer and the chief baker (Gen 40:2-4). The word has no negative connotation, but it is serious, earnest and adult stuff. It could even mean helper or handyman. The word describes the way Joshua ministered to Moses (Ex 24:13) and how Aaron (Ex 28:35) and the Levites (Deut 10:8) ministered in the temple.

There was nothing Samuel was not asked, expected or ready to do. He was busy with the odds and ends, from top and bottom to the ins and outs of the temple. Menial work was expected, although not necessarily experienced. The youngster was up on his feet, down on his knees, and active with his hands. Nothing was too lowly for him to do: cleaning the restroom, moping the floor, washing the dishes, wiping the tables, opening or locking the doors (v 15), emptying the thrash, chopping the wood, cutting the grass, tidying the sanctuary, watering the flowers, or helping in chores.

The contrast between Samuel and Eli and his sons could not be any starker. Eli was the priest, but thrice the text emphasized that Samuel ministered before the Lord (1 Sam 2:11, 2:18, 3:1). The clause “ministered before the Lord” was the domain of Levites (Num.16:9, 18:2, Deut 10:8, 1 Chron.15:2) and priests (Deut 21:5). Aaron’s descendants were the sole ministers before the Lord (1 Chron 23:13-14).

Although Samuel was from the priestly line (1 Chron 6:16, 26-28), he nevertheless was not officially a priest. Samuel, however, did whatever needed to be done, although not in an official position and never to impress Eli. His service was accepted because he had done it for the Lord. Samuel ministered before the Lord without title, degree, or name. No one ordered, suggested, or pressured him to. He did not do it to please anyone but the Lord. He did not minister to Eli, but before the Lord under Eli. The better Hebrew translation was, “Samuel ministered TO the Lord before Eli.” The word of God was rare as precious stones (2 Sam 12:30), breakthrough visions were uncommon and the only thing worse than no vision was false vision (Jer 14:14). People in the era of the Judges did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (Judg 2:11, 3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6, 13:1) and they did what was right in their own eyes (Judg 17:6, 21:25), but Samuel was a shining light, a ray of hope and a candle in the dark. Interestingly, faithfulness, service and revelation were still possible in the darkest ages of Israel’s history.