1 Samuel 3
The Lord Calls Samuel
Samuel was still young and he was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. It says that Eli's sight was growing dim, but the lamp of God had not yet gone out.
The Lord called Samuel twice. Both times he responded to Eli. Eli did not realize (dimming eye sight) that Samuel was not referring to him and sent him back to bed.
At this point, Samuel did not know the Lord, nor was the word revealed to him.
By the 3rd time the Lord called Samuel and Samuel responding to Eli, he realized that it was the Lord Himself and told Samuel to respond.
The Lord then calls "Samuel, Samuel) and Samuel immediately responds. The Lord went on to say that the house Eli will be punished forever and that there will be no atonement, due to Eli's knowledge of the blaspheming performed by his sons.
So at this point contact with God was not common, but God decided that this was all going to change now and that Israel's ears would tingle as a result.
The next day, Eli called for Samuel and insisted on knowing what the Lord revealed. I sense a bit of anxiety in Eli as he added that Samuel would be punished if he did not share it completely. So Samuel revealed all of it to Eli and Eli accepted it as it came from the Lord.
Samuel continued to grow in the Lord and all of Israel saw him as a prophet of the Lord.
At Shiloh, the Lord appeared through Samuel by His word.
At this point, Samuel has both spoken to the Lord and the Lord's word has been revealed.
How this speaks to me...
My first experiences where I saw God in moments, happened when I needed to see it. God decided when those moments would happen. Before those experiences, I was led to be surrounded by people that had a relationship with God. I trusted them. Before I could open a channel directly to God, I needed to connect through people. I still do today and may always. In those first few times when I see the Lord call out to Samuel, I see the Lord calling out to me when I was not quite ready.
Previously, I mentioned that Eli symbolized an open minded outside perspective. This open minded trait was essential in Samuel's realization that God was speaking to him. Transferred by spirit. Even as Eli's eyes were dimming, his eyes held on for as long as it took for Samuel to establish his own personal relationship with the Lord. Samuel trusted Eli by this open minded spirit, just as I trusted this open minded spirit from others that led me closer to God.
Samuel was still young and he was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. It says that Eli's sight was growing dim, but the lamp of God had not yet gone out.
The Lord called Samuel twice. Both times he responded to Eli. Eli did not realize (dimming eye sight) that Samuel was not referring to him and sent him back to bed.
At this point, Samuel did not know the Lord, nor was the word revealed to him.
By the 3rd time the Lord called Samuel and Samuel responding to Eli, he realized that it was the Lord Himself and told Samuel to respond.
The Lord then calls "Samuel, Samuel) and Samuel immediately responds. The Lord went on to say that the house Eli will be punished forever and that there will be no atonement, due to Eli's knowledge of the blaspheming performed by his sons.
So at this point contact with God was not common, but God decided that this was all going to change now and that Israel's ears would tingle as a result.
The next day, Eli called for Samuel and insisted on knowing what the Lord revealed. I sense a bit of anxiety in Eli as he added that Samuel would be punished if he did not share it completely. So Samuel revealed all of it to Eli and Eli accepted it as it came from the Lord.
Samuel continued to grow in the Lord and all of Israel saw him as a prophet of the Lord.
At Shiloh, the Lord appeared through Samuel by His word.
At this point, Samuel has both spoken to the Lord and the Lord's word has been revealed.
How this speaks to me...
My first experiences where I saw God in moments, happened when I needed to see it. God decided when those moments would happen. Before those experiences, I was led to be surrounded by people that had a relationship with God. I trusted them. Before I could open a channel directly to God, I needed to connect through people. I still do today and may always. In those first few times when I see the Lord call out to Samuel, I see the Lord calling out to me when I was not quite ready.
Previously, I mentioned that Eli symbolized an open minded outside perspective. This open minded trait was essential in Samuel's realization that God was speaking to him. Transferred by spirit. Even as Eli's eyes were dimming, his eyes held on for as long as it took for Samuel to establish his own personal relationship with the Lord. Samuel trusted Eli by this open minded spirit, just as I trusted this open minded spirit from others that led me closer to God.
