1st- 2nd Samuel- [video links included]
https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/1st-2nd-samuel/ [Old commentary I wrote years ago]
VIDEO/POST LINKS-
https://youtu.be/iImxoD3cRfQ Samuel preview
2ND SAMUEL [Links]
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/21/2nd-samuel-21/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/27/jesus-n-tolstoy-2nd-sam-23/
SAMUEL REVIEW
I’ve been commenting on the book of Samuel- brief overview.
Samuel is born at a time in Israel’s history where ‘the word of the Lord was rare- no open vision’.
God had stopped communicating to his people- because they were lukewarm- not serious about God.
God was looking for at least one passionate person- to cry out to him with all their heart.
He found that person in Hannah.
She was barren- could not get pregnant- and one day her desperate plea came to God.
‘Give me a child- and I’ll dedicate him to you’.
This might have ‘surprised’ God [I know- not really] because that type of desperation was missing from his people.
So- she has a son- Samuel- and she drops him off at the church one day [the tabernacle] and leaves him for good.
He’s raised under the leadership of Eli- and his 2 sons- who were priests.
These sons were using ‘their religion’ for personal benefit- they were wicked and sleeping around- and Eli knew this was going on- and didn’t stop it.
Yet- Eli has this woman [Hannah] who left her son- so he could ‘live for God’.
I’m sure Eli must have felt guilty ‘geez- this lady is living in the past- when people really did sell out to God’
And his own boys- were using religion as a scam.
One day [Samuel chapter 3] the young boy hears someone calling him.
Samuel gets up and thinks it’s Eli- he goes to Eli ‘what do you want- I heard you call my name’.
Eli has no idea what Samuel is saying- and tells him to go to bed.
It happens 2 more times- and Eli realizes ‘Maybe God is calling the boy’.
He gives Samuel instructions to go lay down- and when he hears the voice again- to say ‘Speak God- I’m hear’.
Sure enough it does happen again- and God gives Samuel a message.
He tells Eli what God said- and the news was not good.
God will judge the wicked priests- Eli’s 2 sons- and God will clean house.
Ok- that’s it in brief.
I mention on the video how God revealed himself to Samuel thru his voice- and I have been teaching about the Logos recently.
God’s word comes first- then the ‘flesh’ the actual outworking of what he wants to do-
Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Samuel is an important figure in the nation at this time- because he will be the one to anoint the first 2 kings that Israel has- Saul and David.
God was willing to start speaking to his people again- but there would be a cleansing first.
The prophet Amos said ‘woe to you who ae looking for God’s day- asking ‘why is God not speaking anymore’.
Because there’s usually a reason his communication is cut off from his people- and that’s because his people are not hearing [hearing in the bible is not simply ‘hearing’ but it means you obey what is said] him anymore.
Yet- if we want to hear his prophets again- see his miracles- then that entails repentance on our part.
For many years Eli’s wicked sons were ‘doing ministry’ and the things they were getting away with seemed a common practice.
All the people knew it was wrong- they despised ‘the church’ because bad stuff was going on.
Yet- that’s just the way things were.
But then God had a vessel for his voice- a prophet- dedicated by a passionate mother- who kept her vow.
Much like the Virgin Mary- when the angel appeared to her- she said ‘so be it’.
God needs willing people- then he too will speak again.
Yes- we too can hear his voice- and the word of the Lord won’t be ‘scarce’.
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