1 Samuel Chapter 3 Part One (Verses 1-9)

God speaks to Samuel

A. Samuel is unable to recognize God's voice.
1. (1 Sam 3:1) The scarcity of revelation in Israel.
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And the word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.

The boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD: This is the third time it is written that Samuel ministered to the LORD (1 Samuel 2:11 and 18). These words come as a refrain, contrasting the quiet life of Samuel which showed his continual growth and service before the LORD with the evil narrative of Eli's sons. Few details are given about Samuel's life. We are given but a few details which fill in only the bare necessities to bring us to this part of the story. According to Josephus, Samuel has just completed his twelfth year of life when the word of the LORD came to him. In later times, this was a critical age in a Jewish boy's life. At the age of twelve, the boy became a son of the Law and was held personally responsible for upholding obedience to everything written in the Law. Interestingly, it was at the age of twelve that Jesus first went up with his parents to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover (Luke 2:42). Perhaps this is another comparison we are to appreciate between the childhood life of Samuel and Jesus.

The word from the LORD was rare in those days: In the first two chapters of 1 Samuel, the only word of the LORD which we read is one of judgment brought by the man of God against Eli. God didn't speak often, and when He did, it was a word of judgment! Why was the word of the LORD rare in those days? Probably, because of the hardness of heart among the people of Israel and the corruption of the priesthood. God will speak, and guide, when His people seek Him, and when His ministers seek to serve Him diligently.

2. (1 Sam 3:2-4) God's first words to Samuel
It happened at that time as Eli was laying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), and 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, that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, "Here I am."

Eli was laying down in his place: This would have been in the court of the tabernacle, where there were a variety of rooms for the use of the priest for various uses including sleeping quarters.

Now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well: This clause serves to explain why Samuel runs to Eli when he heard the Voice. Samuel would suppose that upon hearing a voice, the seeing impaired Eli required assistance. Another interpretation of this passage is that Eli's spiritual eyes were growing dim. The Holy Spirit, which allowed Eli to receive prophecy, was departing from him because of Eli's apathy toward his sons. Henceforth, the word of the LORD departed from Eli and was now bestowed upon Samuel.

The lamp of God had not yet gone out: This is a Hebrew figure of speech which means, before dawn. The priests were responsible for lighting the lamps and keeping the lamps lit during the night. If "the lamp of God had not yet gone out", this means sunrise was near when the priests could extinguish the lamps. "In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come" (Exodus 27:21). 

Another interpretation is that the "lamp of God" is here being used as a figure of speech. Through the disobedience of Eli and his sons, God had abandoned Eli's family. However, there was still hope; a small flicker of God's light remained. Through God's revelation to Samuel, and Samuel's  subsequent obedience to God, the "lamp of God" was about to rekindled.

The LORD called Samuel: Throughout the Old Testament, we are told God dwells between the Cherubim above the ark of the covenant. ("The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; He sits enthroned between the Cherubim" (Psalm 99:1).) Also, God spoke to Moses from between the two cherubim above the ark of the covenant. ("When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him" (Numbers 7:89).) So using Scripture as a guide, I think it is pssible God first called to Samuel from between the cherubim on the ark of the covenant--the place where He dwells. What a beautiful picture this is. After so many years of infrequent words from the LORD and at the start of Samuel's official call to serve God, we see God's glory (the Shekinah) return to His dwelling place.

Here I am: Samuel's response is not intended to declare his location to the voice calling him, but it is to express his eagerness and readiness to obey. The same words are used by Abraham when God calls him to offer his son (Isaac) as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:1), by Jacob when God speaks to Jacob in a night vision at Beersheba (Genesis 46:2), by Moses when God calls to him from the midst of the burning bush (Exodus 3:4), and by Isaiah when God calls Isaiah to be a prophet (Isaiah 6:8). 

3. (1 Samuel 3:5-9) Samuel does not recognize God's voice
Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, lie down again." So he went and lay down. The LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he answered, "I did not call, my son, lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. So the LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. And Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

He ran to Eli: What an obedient child! Despite it being very early in the morning, before sunrise, at the sound of the voice, Samuel immediately gets out of bed to run to his master's side. Samuel's obedience in this small matter helps us understand his future obedience to God in more important matters.

The LORD called yet again: When speaking to us, God almost always confirms His word again and again. It is generally wrong to do something dramatic in response to a single "inner voice" from the LORD. If God is speaking, He will confirm, and often in a variety of ways.

Samuel did not yet know the LORD: This verse explains why Samuel did not recognize the voice. The Hebrew word used here is "yada" which means to know by experience, to be acquainted with or to make oneself known. The word "yada" is used in Genesis 4:1: "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD." The word "yada" expresses a deep, intimate relationship as seen between a man and wife.

Samuel knew who God was and knew some of His word and worship; he knew some of the rituals which would have been performed by Eli and his sons. However, "knowing the LORD" denotes personal knowledge of God. It does not mean having a pious, religious knowledge of God. It means having a personal knowledge, a personal relationship which has been revealed by an intimate revelation. This is similar today in many churches. Folks "know" who Jesus is--they habitually read Scripture passages and utter rote memorized prayers and responses to prayer--but they do not have a personal relationship with Him. They do not study His word, pray to Him, heed to obey Him. Thus, when God calls them, they are just as confused as Samuel--they are unable to distinguish between the voice of God and the voice of men.

The LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli: Wow! Three times Samuel is called, and three times Samuel goes to Eli. What obedience! Samuel continues to heed the voice, and God continues to call Samuel until Samuel is able to do what the LORD wishes. Although Samuel does not yet know the LORD, God shows his patience as Samuel continues to fail to recognize His voice. What hope this passage is for us. If we respond incorrectly or fail to respond at all, God will continue calling us until we respond appropriately.

Then Eli discerned the LORD was calling the boy: After Samuel came three times to Eli, Eli now seems willing to believe Samuel heard a voice calling to him. Since there was no one in the tabernacle but Eli and Samuel, Eli concludes that God must be calling Samuel from the holy place. Eli would have been familiar with speaking to the LORD. Since he was the high priest, he was the person responsible for going into the holy of holies once a year on the day of atonement and was responsible for making intercession between the LORD and  the nation of Israel. Eli recognizes this situation as one in which God is attempting to communicate with Samuel. Being familiar with talking to the LORD, Eli advises Samuel in the way which he should answer the LORD. 

Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening: Eli gives Samuel invaluable advice. The next time Samuel hears the voice, he is to remain where he is. He should not run to Eli, but should respond to the voice that he is ready and willing to listen to the God's instructions. This advice is also of great value to us today. When we hear the LORD'S voice, do we run off and tell our family or friends? Do we run about and act hastily. "I have heard the LORD'S voice, which means He must be answering my prayer. I am to take my life savings and go on an Alaskan cruise!" And when we act without seeking God, does everything turn out badly? When we hear God's voice, we should stay where we are and seek additional counsel. It is better to do nothing and have God call us over and over again than to act in the way in which we hope God is telling us to go.