Useful Bible Studies > 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 3
When the boy Samuel was ready to hear God’s message, God came to him again. The Bible records that God ‘stood there’; he was actually present with Samuel.
Again God called Samuel by his name. Samuel replied as Eli had taught him. Then God spoke his message to Samuel.
The message was a very serious message. Soon, God would do certain things that would cause a great shock to everyone in Israel. Eli’s sons had done terrible things against God (2:12-17). Although Eli, the chief priest, had warned them, he had not stopped them. God had already made his judgement against Eli’s family, and that judgement would certainly happen.
God had already sent a message to Eli about these things. So Eli already knew what would happen (2:27-36). Every one of those things would happen, God told Samuel. The family of Eli must not imagine that their gifts to God would stop this punishment. God had made a serious promise that these things had to happen.
Samuel listened carefully to the message from God. He recognised its importance, and it caused him to be afraid. It was a very severe message, and he was just a boy.
Samuel needed to hear such a message from God at that time. Soon, Eli and his two sons would be dead. Soon, the ark of God, which Samuel guarded, would go into a foreign country. The ark was a box that acted as evidence of God’s relationship with Israel; its loss would be a very terrible event. Soon, the lamp of God would no longer burn in the sacred tent where Samuel had slept. Samuel had to be ready for these events.
Next part: Samuel’s fear to speak God’s message (1 Samuel 3:15-18)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.