LISTEN CAREFULLY BECAUSE THE LORD GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“Now Samuel did not yet know The Lord; The Word of The Lord had not yet been revealed to him.  A third time The Lord called, ‘Samuel!’  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.”  1 Samuel 3:7-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  The young boy, Samuel, was being raised up in the temple by Eli, the priest. (Samuel 3:1)  His mother, Hannah, had given him to Eli to keep her vow to The Lord God for giving her a son. (Samuel 1:24-28)  Samuel was being trained in the temple but he did not know The Lord God for himself.  That is why he got up from his resting place and ran to Eli three times because he thought that the priest was calling him. (1 Samuel 3:2-8)  Eli finally realized that The Lord God was calling Samuel so Eli told him to answer The Lord the next time that He calls him.  This was Samuel’s call into the service of The Lord and He was with him from this point on, and Samuel was recognized as a prophet of The Lord. (1 Samuel 3:19-21)

Application:

Everyone cannot hear the voice of The Lord God.  Some people hear only a noise, (Acts 9:7) or a sound like thunder (Exodus 19:16) but nothing which they can understand.  Those who hear the voice of The Lord and obey it will be blessed. (Deuteronomy 28:2 and 30:10)  There are times when The Lord God speaks in “a still small voice” to His people. (1 Kings 19:12-13)  At times the voice of The Lord is powerful. (Psalms 29:4-5)  The voice of God can create something out of nothing. (Genesis 1:1-30)  At other times His voice can be soft and gentle.  Jesus, The Christ, said that His sheep know His voice and follow Him. (John 10:27)  This text was Samuel’s call to service of The Lord.  As a believer there a special and unique work which The Lord God has for each one of us to do.  We need to listen carefully for our call, answer it, and then get busy doing whatever it is that The Lord has for us.  He speaks to us today through His Holy Word so read it prayerfully.  Woe be unto them who hear the voice of The Lord and understand it but harken not unto it. (Deuteronomy 28:62 and 1 Samuel 12:15)