Samuel: March 2016
Table of Contents
The Gathering at Mizpeh
The singular position of Samuel in relation to the people of God is clearly seen in connection with the spiritual revival and national deliverance so graphically described in 1 Samuel 7. While the ark was in Kirjath-jearim, the people realized little by little the calamity which had befallen them and how disorganized, in consequence, were all their relations with their God. Ultimately, “all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord” (1 Sam. 7:2). This is truly delightful, and we should welcome discipline which can produce such a result! They missed God; they felt the distance that now subsisted between themselves and Him.
The twenty years referred to is not the length of time that the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim. As a matter of fact, it was there more than forty years. David in his childhood “heard” of it when living in Ephratah (Bethlehem), and during his afflictions he vowed to provide a resting place for it. When he became established upon the throne he found it (Psa. 132) and brought it up to Zion with rejoicing. The twenty years was the period of divine working in Israel’s heart, which led to the complete restoration to Jehovah that is now before us. Mark it well, it was really Jehovah they wanted, and no mere symbol, for the ark is not once mentioned in connection with the wonderful doings in Mizpeh. Israel was at that juncture spiritually in advance of multitudes in modern Christendom who rely upon sacramental symbols, not to mention pictures, images and other follies.
Preparation for Deliverance
Jehovah had delivered His ark from the hand of the Philistines, but He had not yet delivered His people. The time had now come, but note the humiliating contrast with Joshua’s day. Then the people were able to go forward, conquering and to conquer, no enemies being too powerful for them; now their highest expectation was that they might be strengthened to cast off the yoke of but one of Canaan’s many peoples. Similarly, we read in the Book of the Acts the story of the early power manifested in the church of God, and we lie low as we contrast it with what we behold in our own day.
Samuel’s voice is now heard: “If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines” (1 Sam. 7:3). Observe the words “with all your hearts” and “prepare your hearts.” Note also the word “only.” Nothing external or superficial could be accepted. Out of the heart are the issues of life (Prov. 4:23), and the heart must be really reached.
We must pause here. Brethren, does God have our affections in their entirety? Do we “serve Him only”? Remember the reply of the blessed One to the tempter in the wilderness: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve” (Matt. 4:10). Has the world any place with us? Has self? Have we indeed seen the displacement of everything in the death of Christ? Paul saw this, and he could say with holy enthusiasm, “This one thing I do” (Phil. 3:13).
No deliverance came to Israel until they put away Baalam and Ashtaroth. In like manner today, if aught has been suffered to come in between our souls and God, so that the joy that once we experienced has fled, there is nothing for it but the complete abandonment of the evil or the casting out of the intrusive thing. It is not sufficient to sing lustily at a public meeting:
“Revive Thy work, O Lord;
Thy mighty arm make bare.”
Stern action is required. God ever waits to bless His people and lead them on from victory to victory, but the platform must first be cleared of every offensive thing.
Personal Devotion
Samuel next summoned the nation to Mizpeh, telling them, “I will pray for you unto Jehovah.” Here is one who kept right with God during the years of Israel’s deplorable declension. He did not suffer himself to be carried along by the prevailing current. Thus he was ready for service to the people of God when the time became ripe for it. Let us remember that if the whole church of God waxes cold and turns aside from the right ways of the Lord, we may personally be right with God and so “be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21).
The procedure at Mizpeh was remarkable. “They gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord” (1 Sam. 7:6). We know of no precedent for this, but we are persuaded that the poured-out water gave pleasure to the heart of God. If there is one thing more clear than another in the Book of the Acts, it is that the Spirit of God is absolutely sovereign in His actings. What He is graciously pleased to do at one time furnishes no clue to what He may do at another. He may use Peter awhile, and then turn abruptly to Stephen. He may commission Philip, and quickly send forth Peter again. Then He calls out a new laborer in the person of Paul, and He acts through him more extensively than through any other. The gift of the Spirit also to Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles differs widely in its manner (Acts 2; 8:8). With regard to the deliverance of imprisoned witnesses, on one occasion the doors were opened the same night (Acts 5:19); on another, not until the night before the promised execution (Acts 12); and on yet another, no angels were employed but an earthquake (Acts 16). Truly, “the wind bloweth where it listeth” (John 3:8), but the church has never learned this simple lesson, or she would never have clogged herself with routine and ritualism.
Acknowledged Weakness
The pouring out of water was the acknowledgement of utter weakness and emptiness. This figure was employed by the wise woman of Tekoah in her reasoning with David. “We are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again” (2 Sam. 14:14). The action being altogether without precedent serves to show that Israel perceived what was morally suitable to the circumstances of the moment. Such an acknowledgement of weakness cannot fail to bring blessing from God. In the spiritual realm, felt weakness is power, as Paul lets us know in 2 Corinthians 12 and as Hannah also said, “They that stumbled are girded with strength” (1 Sam. 2:4). Is it not a singular lesson to have to learn that our self-sufficiency is our undoing? God can use those who are “not anything,” that is, nothing (1 Cor. 3:7). God alone counts, whether now or in ages past. When weakness calls Him in, all is well.
Samuel at Mizpeh is wonderfully suggestive of Him who is our all in all. As prophet, he admonished the people; as priest, he offered sacrifice on their behalf; and he judged them as though he were the king. God’s “emergency man,” most assuredly.
W. W. Fereday (adapted)
ISIS - Redefining the World
For several years the ISIS group has been prominent in world news. Its ruthless use of power in carrying out its terrorist actions have affected many parts of the world, and despite every attempt to limit its influence, it continues to be a major factor in world affairs. At the time of writing this article, the recent downing of a Russian passenger aircraft in the Sinai desert, coupled with a major massacre of civilians in Paris, has left the world shaken and terrified.
The ISIS group has become the successor to the Al-Qaeda group, which gained notoriety ten to fifteen years ago for its Islamic extremism and terrorist activities. But ISIS is not merely an outgrowth of Al-Qaeda, although its ideology and long-term goals are similar. Nor is it simply another splinter group, intent on doing whatever harm it can to so-called infidels in the name of Allah. Rather, it is an organization of Sunni Muslims that proposes continued conquest, with a view ultimately to take over the world. It has an extremist view of Muslim beliefs and regards as infidels not only those of other religions, but even Muslims who do not agree with their ideology and goals. As another has commented, “Much of what the group does looks nonsensical except in light of a sincere, carefully considered commitment to returning civilization to a seventh-century legal environment, and ultimately to bringing about the apocalypse.” It believes that the end of the world is imminent and considers itself a major player in this crisis. It is interesting that they also believe that “an army of Rome” (presumably an army of so-called infidels) will ultimately be defeated at Dabiq in Syria and that this will usher in the beginning of the apocalypse. They look for a final day of judgment by God and wait for one who is almost like a “messiah” to them, called Imam Mahdi.
Its Beginnings
ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, began back in 1999 and actually joined hands with Al-Qaeda in 2004. But in 2014 Al-Qaeda separated from them, and lately ISIS has been far more conspicuous than Al-Qaeda in its activities. As the name implies, the group is composed largely of Sunni Arabs from Iraq and Syria, although it controls some territory in several other Muslim countries, such as Afghanistan and Nigeria, and has adherents in many other countries. In 2011, it became involved in civil war in Syria, seeking to overthrow the government of Bashar al-Assad. In June 2014, it proclaimed itself an Islamic state, with authority over all Muslims worldwide. It considers this authority to supersede any other local or national authority, whether political or military. It is easy to see why its influence is frightening to most of the world. As well as its original Sunni Muslim adherents, it has attracted psychopaths and adventure seekers, drawn largely from the disaffected populations of the Middle East, Europe and North America.
Funding
The funding of ISIS comes from a number of sources. They have taken control of significant oil fields in their conquered territories and sell this oil on the black market at cut-rate prices. They also plunder ancient sites of antiquity, stealing artifacts which they also sell on the black market. Since the sale of antiquities in the world is poorly regulated, this is not hard to do. In addition, they tax the people of their conquered territories rather heavily and gain considerable revenue from this. They are known to receive significant contributions from Sunni individuals and underground organizations in other Muslim countries. Finally, they receive substantial rewards from bank robberies and also the extraction of “protection money” from those under their control, who pay to avoid reprisals from their Mafia-like operations.
The Changing Face
In the last few years, ISIS has definitely changed the world. Up until the end of 2014, it was well-known that some European countries, notably France and Germany, were somewhat favorable to Islam. While condemning terrorist acts, they often spoke out against the involvement of the U.S. and other nations in operations against Islamic insurgents, particularly the war in Iraq. The immigration of Muslims to these countries was encouraged, and the population of France became 5-10% Muslim, mostly of the Sunni persuasion. Islam was viewed as a peaceful religion. But all this began to change on January 7, 2015, after a brutal attack on the offices of a satirical magazine in Paris and two days later another attack on a kosher bakery that involved hostage taking and eventual bloodshed. Although there was no large-scale backlash from this, the government began to take a much harder stand, and this attitude extended to other countries in the European Union.
Now, after another series of violent attacks in Paris, leaving well over 100 people dead, there has been the predicted strong reaction of public opinion. Civilians are looking with suspicion on all Muslims, who quite justifiably are beginning to fear reprisals. Again, this attitude is extending to the rest of the European Union, as they view the ruthless carnage of ISIS. France is now taking a much harder line towards “uncontrolled immigration,” and the whole of Europe is now on its guard. This is fueled in part by the thought (probably well founded) that some of the refugee immigration does, in fact, consist of disguised ISIS militants.
Russian Opposition
Also, Russia has become involved, and now seems anxious to ally itself with the West in an attempt to control the spread of terrorism. Previously, Russia (and the former Soviet Union) could usually be depended upon to support whatever regime the West was against, often supplying arms to those nations that were in conflict with the West. As recently as a year ago, in the middle of the Ukraine crisis, the atmosphere between Russia and the West was very frosty, to say the least. Now this has changed with regard to extremist Muslims, and we see Russia heavily involved in Syria, seeking the overthrow of ISIS.
Prophetic Significance
In the light of prophecy, these developments may well have significance. Much as we deplore the escalating violence in the world, we can rest assured that God is working “all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph. 1:11). The hearts of men in this world may well be “failing them for fear,” but the believer knows that all the purposes and movements of man will only accomplish God’s purposes in the end. Islam’s determination to conquer and rule the world will never come to pass, nor will God allow man to continue indefinitely on his course of violence and corruption. But in all these situations today, God is surely lining up nations for an apocalypse on His terms — one which will herald the return of the true Messiah — our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Three Main Protagonists
We know that during this final conflagration, there will be three main protagonists — the Roman beast and his armies, the king of the north and his forces, and eventually Russia and whatever allies she may have at that time. ISIS may well be used of God to define these three groups and their attitudes more sharply. At the beginning of the last prophetic week — the seventieth week of Daniel 9 — Israel will make a covenant of protection with the Roman beast. “He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” (Dan. 9:27). But God in His goodness will not allow this to stand, and we know from Isaiah 28 that their “covenant with death shall be annulled” and that their “agreement with hell shall not stand.” The Roman beast will break his covenant with Israel after three and a half years and will “cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease” (Dan. 9:27). The Antichrist will take over, leaving Israel prey to an invasion of the king of the north, who is probably a confederation of Arab nations. When all the rage and hatred that is now held in check is let loose on Israel, it is easy to see why Scripture refers to this invasion as “the overflowing scourge” (Isa. 28:18). Eventually the king of the north, after going down into Egypt, “hearing tidings out of the east and out of the north” (Dan. 11:44), will return to the land of Israel. He will “plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the mountain of holy beauty; and he shall come to his end, and there shall be none to help him” (Dan. 11:45 JND). The armies of the beast will take no immediate part in this, but hearing of the devastation, they will appear on the scene, perhaps coming to Israel’s aid. But instead, they meet the Lord and dare to make war with Him. The annihilation of his army is prophesied in Revelation 19. The beast and the false prophet (the Antichrist) are “cast alive into a lake of fire,” while the remnant are “slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse” (Rev. 19:20-21).
Finally, Russia, who has stood apart from all this, will enter the scene. By this time the Lord will be in the land of Israel, ready to defend His people. But Russia, having seen the end of both the king of the north and the beast with his armies, will “think an evil thought” and will plan to go up “to the land of unwalled villages ... and to them that are at rest, that dwell safely” (Ezek. 38:10-11). They will think to invade the land of Israel and to attack “the people that are gathered out of the nations” (Ezek. 38:12). They will come “as a cloud to cover the land” (Ezek. 38:16), but instead they will “fall upon the mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 39:4), as the Lord defends His land and His people.
Setting the Stage
Are we seeing the stage set for all this now? We do not want to read too much into current events, but it is easy to see that groups like ISIS may well eventually mobilize the Arab nations through their loyalty to Islam. Today many moderate Muslims decry the excesses of ISIS, but as the Antichrist raises his head, this moderate attitude may well disappear.
Likewise, if public opinion in some parts of Europe has been relatively neutral toward Islam, we may well see a hardened attitude as the episodes of violence increase. In all of this, it is easy to see how loyalties and attitudes can change quickly, as God orders all to accomplish His purposes. This will happen to the nations forming the kingdom of the beast, for He will “put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast” (Rev. 17:17). The fear of terrorism may well be a factor the Lord uses to accomplish this. But all is in order that He may “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Eph. 1:10).
For ourselves, we can rest amid the turmoil and strife in this world, while feeling the burden for souls and seeking Christ’s interests down here. The day of grace will soon be over; our part is to be faithful to the Lord in a difficult day.
W. J. Prost
Oh, Give Me. . .
Hushed was the evening hymn;
The temple courts were dark;
The lamp was burning dim,
Before the sacred ark:
When suddenly a voice divine
Rang through the silence of the shrine.
The old man, meek and mild —
The priest of Israel, slept;
His watch the temple-child,
The little Levite, kept;
And what from Eli’s sense was sealed,
The Lord to Hannah’s son revealed.
Oh, give me Samuel’s ear,
The open ear, O Lord,
Alive and quick to hear
Each whisper of Thy Word!
Like him to answer at Thy call,
And to obey Thee first of all.
Oh, give me Samuel’s heart,
A lowly heart, that waits
Where in Thy house Thou art,
Or watches at Thy gates!
By day and night, a heart that still
Moves at the breathing of Thy will.
Oh, give me Samuel’s mind,
A sweet, unmurmuring faith,
Obedient and resigned
To Thee in life and death!
That I may read with childlike eyes
Truths that are hidden from the wise.
J. D. Burns
Samuel
“The man of God” has been defined as “God’s emergency man.” If the divinely established order were working correctly, there would be no necessity for the man of God. In the earliest days of Christianity all was well. But when first love declined and disorder set in, we read of the man of God, and Timothy is the first person thus designated in the New Testament.
What is a “man of God”? Moses is the first servant of God who had this honored title. His life was one of singular devotedness to the Lord. He identified himself with God’s downtrodden people. He pleaded for them with God. His jealousy for God’s holy name was marvelous.
Samuel was a man of God, and rightly so. Matters were critical in Israel when he was born. In the person of Eli, the priesthood had utterly broken down. Although personally a pious man, he permitted iniquity of the gravest kind in those nearest to himself. Then Samuel was raised up by God as a prophet to meet the need where the priesthood had failed.
Samuel’s personal character is an example to us all. His simple and unaffected piety, his blameless administration, his service of intercession, and his faithful reproving of evil in ruler and ruled furnish a delightful picture. We might well aspire to be a Samuel.
W. W. Fereday (adapted)
Samuel - “Heard of God”
It is important for us to consider and apprehend how prayer is used in times of difficulty, and we see it strikingly set forth in the case of Samuel. He is himself the gift of prayer, as his name declares (heard of God), and in his service toward Israel he uses prayer above any of his predecessors; in fact, he introduces and proves to us the power of prayer. Other servants of God were distinguished for works of another kind — Samuel, peculiarly for prayer. Great works had been wrought by devoted servants in the times of the judges, but now the failure of Israel is so deep that all service that made something of man is set aside. What God can be and what He can do for them when called on is now declared and shown forth through Samuel. His power — and the secret of his success in service — is prayer. Hence his example is one of great encouragement to us at the present time.
Helped of God
In 1 Samuel 7 we find an instance of deliverance and succor accorded in answer to prayer and the spirit of true dependence in a moment of greatest difficulty.
“Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering [a picture of Christ, the ground of our acceptance], the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. ... Then Samuel took a stone, and set it up between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”
The Remembrance Stone —
Ebenezer
When we have received mercy of the Lord, it is most important that we should own it. We may pray and receive, but the moment which perpetuates the mercy is not the mercy itself, but the Ebenezer — the acknowledgment of the heart of how God has helped and succored us. The mercy conferred was great — a day ever to be remembered by Israel — but it is not the thing done, or even the marvelous way in which it was done, that is the monument of it, but more, it is the testimony of the heart to the unfailing help of God that is the Ebenezer: “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” I know and own Him as my Helper hitherto; the mercy may remain or it may pass away; the Ebenezer ever remains; I have not only received, but I know the One from whom I have received. I have a fixed judgment about Him, and my heart records it. This is the real strength of the heart — and it’s Ebenezer. It is distinct and positive to me that it is His hand that has done all.
I believe that souls lose immensely by not being able to record more distinctly that hitherto God has helped them. It is the experimental knowledge of God which is acquired by true dependence on Him. When we have true confidence in Him because of what He is and He has been to us, we are enabled to go forward in spite of all difficulties, and then we have no self-confidence. Our tendency is not to have full confidence in Him and, though we have prayed, to have few “remembrance monuments” in our hearts of the power and succor of Christ, and then we seek for confidence in ourselves, which easy circumstances tend to feed. One prays largely and fully in proportion as one has confidence in God, and if I really know Him as my Helper, if I have a sure remembrance of His help, I can easily and simply look to Him. The great principle of prayer is that I know the One whom I am addressing, and I am reckoning on His help.
The Sense of Need
In the church of Philadelphia (Rev. 3) there is both the sense of the need of help and the knowledge of the gain of it, whereas the state in Laodicea is a “need of nothing” — no sense of the use of help, for there is no sense of needing it.
We ought to regard prayer as the prelude to blessing, and thus be able to raise our “Ebenezers.” I know what God is, and how He has helped me hitherto, and I am expecting and reckoning on His help. We have not merely to own our weakness and need; that is the first thing, but we have to expect help and succor.
Prayer is a mighty engine through which the resources of God are made available to us. It is as the needy one, not as the self-satisfied and self-confident one, that I avail myself of it, and as I exercise my heart in my “Ebenezers” as touching what He has been to me, the more am I encouraged to go on in faith and to “continue in prayer ... with thanksgiving.”
Christian Truth (adapted)
Samuel’s Crowning Act
The anointing of David was the crowning act of Samuel’s life, and it was this that God had in mind, since the removal of the house of Eli (1 Sam. 2:35).
David is twice alluded to in Samuel’s addresses to Saul when declaring to him his sin and consequent rejection by the Lord. He says to him, on the first occasion, “Thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought Him a man after His own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over His people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee” (1 Sam. 13:14). The expression, “A man after Mine own heart,” to which the ungodly have ever taken such exception, was nevertheless God’s own pronouncement as to David. He is twice so described by Him in the sacred Word — see Acts 13:22. The second time he is described is in contrast with Saul: “The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou” (1 Sam. 15:28).
The Mourning for Saul
Samuel was loath to give up Saul as lost to the nation, and in this he was something like the Apostle Paul, who said, “I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart ... for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:2-3). We do not read of Samuel’s mourning for his sons’ retirement from office, or grieving over his own setting aside by the ungrateful people he had so long and so faithfully served. Nor do we read that Saul ever mourned for the loss of Samuel’s presence. Noble as it was for the prophet to mourn over the fall of the first of Israel’s kings, he nevertheless receives this mild rebuke from Jehovah: “How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided Me a king among his sons” (1 Sam. 16:1). This is the first inkling Samuel has as to the identity of Saul’s successor. He now knows both the tribe and the family of which he was to come. The tribe of Judah, the family of Jesse, and the town of Bethlehem are designated to Samuel as whence this man chosen of God was to come, who would rule according to His will.
The Sacrifice
But the prophet knew the murderous heart of Saul, and Jehovah, in His tenderness and consideration for His servant’s but too well-founded fears, says to him, “Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto Me him whom I name unto thee” (1 Sam. 16:2-3). This is not deception, as some have imagined, for Jehovah is a God of truth. Rather, God orders him to protect himself with a sacrifice, which was proper when he came to anoint a king (1 Sam. 11:15).
The Family of Jesse
Samuel obediently does as the Lord directs, and on his approach to Bethlehem the elders of the town ask anxiously, “Comest thou peaceably?” We read that they “trembled at his coming.” But Samuel has no controversy either of his own or for the king, and in answer to their anxious inquiry he returns them an answer of peace. “Peaceably,” he says. “I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.” After this, he has all the sons of Jesse to pass in review before him. Eliab, the eldest, comes first, and Samuel, off his guard for the moment or forgetting his former disappointment in the splendid appearance of Saul, says, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” How prone we are to look “on the outward appearance” and so be repeatedly deceived. Paul “in presence” was “base” among his children in the faith at Corinth, and for this they were foolishly inclined to discount his power and worth and be carried away with men who gloried in appearance. It was these very men who wickedly sought to undermine Paul’s influence with the saints, insinuating that his “bodily presence” was “weak and his speech contemptible” (2 Cor. 10). Thus it has ever been and will be till the coming of the Antichrist, who “shall come in his own name,’’ and of whom the handsome Absalom was a fitting type. Of that meek and lowly One who came in His Father’s name, it was written, “He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isa. 53:2). So Jehovah says to the mistaken prophet, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature ... for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
The Youngest Son
When all the sons of Jesse have been made to pass before him, Samuel says to Jesse, “The Lord hath not chosen these.” And then he asks, “Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he” (1 Sam. 16:11-12). Here, for the first time, we behold the “man after God’s own heart,” this “neighbor” of Saul’s who was “better than he.” And the introduction occurs at a most fitting time, at a sacrificial feast. These feasts were evidently popularized, if not introduced, by Samuel, and their establishment was not the least of the blessings this good man’s influence brought to Israel.
The Shepherd
David was so little thought of by other members of the family that he was not called to the banquet at which such a distinguished personage as Samuel was to preside — a rare opportunity indeed to hear his wisdom and profit by his holy conversation. But “a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, and in his own house.” It was thus with David’s Antitype — “great David’s greater Son,” “for neither did His brethren believe in Him” (John 7:5). David seems to have been discounted in his family not only for his younger years, but also for his appearance, for evidently he did not appear as suitable material for warriors (1 Sam. 17:28), who were at a premium in those times of frequent Philistine invasions. Minding the sheep was considered fit service for the youngest of the family. Nor was it a large flock, but being “faithful in that which is least,” God would entrust him with greater matters. “He chose David also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: from following the ewes great with young He brought him to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance” (Psa. 78:70-71). Behold this tender youth following his father’s flock with watchful, gentle eye on them. This marked him out as a man specially suited to be the “shepherd of Israel,” a fitting type of Him who was to be “the Shepherd of the sheep.”
The Anointing
What high honor God put upon Samuel in sending him to anoint the man “after God’s own heart,” of whom God spoke, saying, “I have laid help upon one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him” (Psa. 89:19-20)! God had in vision spoken to His holy prophet Samuel, and it was indeed the crowning event of his life to be permitted to pour the holy anointing oil upon the head of David the beloved. Then “Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.” Our chapter leaves him retiring to the home of his childhood, in the seclusion of his house in Ramah, whence he might wait patiently and in faith for the better days to be ushered in through David.
C. Knapp (adapted)
Samuel’s Mission
Samuel came on the scene at a most difficult time in Israel’s history. He was born in the days of the judges, where it is recorded several times that “in those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). The Lord was to have been their king, but they failed grievously under His rule and continually turned away to idolatry. Likewise, the priesthood was to mediate between God and man, but in Samuel’s day the priesthood likewise had failed. Eli, although caring for the Lord’s glory, was himself a failure and allowed his sons, who were wicked men, to dishonor the Lord. The people too were no better, for as we have seen, all were doing what was right in their own eyes, and they were utterly lawless.
But God was preparing for His rightful king in the person of David, who would be a man after His own heart. To be sure, He would first give Israel a king after their own heart, when they rejected the Lord as their king and asked Samuel to give them a king like all the other nations. But after Saul, a worldly man, had proved to be a failure, God set David on the throne, who prefigures our Lord Jesus Christ. Into the gap between Israel’s failure and the ushering in of the rightful king, God introduces Samuel, whom one has termed “God’s emergency man.”
Filling the Gap Today
Today, at the end of the church period, we see a parallel with this particular time in Israel’s history. Like Israel, the church has been a signal failure, and perhaps more seriously than Israel, for the church has had far greater light and blessing than Israel ever had. We are at the end of a ruined dispensation, where man’s thoughts have been substituted for the authority of God’s Word and where worldliness abounds. Surely it is not going too far to apply to most of Christendom what the Spirit of God said about Israel: “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Yet God has before Him His rightful King, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will soon be displayed as “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15). First He will come for His church, but then subsequently He will appear in judgment, as David did in his day, to subdue all things and reign in righteousness. It is in the period just before all this that we are now living. We too have the privilege of filling that gap for Christ, in a day of departure from God. God is looking for “Samuels” now, who will honor Him and display His character while we await the exhibition of glory at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithfulness Amid Failure
There are several things concerning Samuel that should be an encouragement to us. First of all, he did not have what we would call a normal upbringing. His mother, having dedicated him to the Lord, brought him to the house of God as a very young boy. There he was brought up by Eli, an old priest who had failed, and in the presence of Eli’s sons who were wicked men. Yet the Lord was there, and God honored Hannah’s faith in spite of the failure that was present. As a result, we read that “Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him ... and all Israel knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord” (1 Sam. 3:19-20). In the same way we can trust the Lord for our families today, in spite of the failure that is so prevalent among believers.
Judgment
Second, the first message that Samuel received of the Lord was a message of judgment on Eli’s house. This must have been difficult for a young boy to receive and later to have to repeat it all to Eli. So today, we need young men who are “grown up in their youth” (Psa. 144:12), ready to take responsibility. This does not mean that they behave beyond their years, but that they heed the admonition, “The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).
Waiting for the Lord
Third, we find that he was willing to be in the background for some years, waiting until the Lord would use him publicly. “The word of Samuel came to all Israel” (1 Sam. 4:1), yet this did not prevent their going out to battle against the Philistines in their own strength and losing the ark to the Philistines. It stayed in the house of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim for twenty years, during which time there is nothing recorded of Samuel. But he was content to remain quiet, just as Moses in the backside of the desert and the Apostle Paul in Arabia. The time came when the work of repentance had prepared the hearts of the people, and they were ready for his intercession for them. So today, we must be willing to go on in the midst of failure and wait for the Lord to work among His people.
Seeking the Good of the People
Fourth, and perhaps most important, we find Samuel’s heart always seeking the good of the people of Israel. Unlike Elijah, we never find him interceding against them, in spite of their departure and failure. When they asked for a king, he told them clearly what to expect, but they persisted in wanting a king. The Lord eventually showed His displeasure with this decision by sending thunder and rain in harvesttime. Yet Samuel exhorted them to continue following the Lord, and he made the touching remark, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you” (1 Sam. 12:23). He did not attract to himself, but rather pointed them to the Lord, who had done great things for them.
So we today should look at our brethren through the eyes of Christ and be willing to go on with them in spite of their low state, realizing our own failure and weakness. If the Lord has given us any desire to follow Him, we should be ready, like Samuel, to continue to teach “the good and the right way” (1 Sam. 12:23). On occasion we may have to denounce evil, but it should always be done in the spirit of humility, in faithfulness to Christ, and in love to our brethren.
The Future
Finally, we find Samuel looking ahead to the future. He was used of God to anoint God’s rightful king in the person of David, but he did not stop there. Even while David was still in rejection, he evidently met with David, and together they ordained the service of the Levites, with a view to the day when David would reign (1 Chron. 9:22). More than this, it is also recorded that he made a contribution towards the building of the temple (1 Chron. 26:28), which did not occur until the reign of Solomon. But in faith, he looked on to that day of blessing and laid up for it.
So also we can “lay up treasure in heaven” and use our time, energy and resources down here to build for eternity. All that we have down here is temporary, but we can follow the Lord’s instruction to “make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness” (Luke 16:9). In simple terms, this means to use present advantage for future gain. Samuel did this, and as a result, he had a part in the building of the temple.
In summary, we can say that Samuel filled his role well as a man who spoke for the Lord in a difficult day, bearing with the failure around him, yet loving his people and serving them. He also looked ahead to a day when God would bring in blessing through the man of His choice. We too have this privilege!
W. J. Prost
Samuel’s Reply to Saul
“To obey is better than sacrifice.”
There is immense power in Samuel’s brief but pointed reply to Saul, “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22). Saul’s word was “sacrifice”; Samuel’s word was “obedience.” No doubt the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen were most exciting. They would be looked upon as substantial proofs that something was being done, while, on the other hand, the path of obedience seemed narrow, silent, lonely and fruitless. But oh! those pungent words of Samuel! “To obey is better than sacrifice.” What a triumphant answer to the most eloquent advocates of expediency! They are most conclusive — most commanding words. They teach us that it is better, if it must be so, to stand, like a marble statue, on the pathway of obedience than to reach the most desirable ends by transgressing a plain precept of the Word of God.
But let none suppose that one must be like a statue on the path of obedience. Far from it, there are rare and precious services to be rendered by the obedient one — services which can only be rendered by such and which owe all their preciousness to their being the fruit of simple obedience. True, they may not find a place in the public records of man’s bustling activity, but they are recorded on high, and they will be published at the right time. As a dear friend has often said to us, “Heaven will be the safest and happiest place to hear all about our work down here.” May we remember this and pursue our way, in all simplicity, looking to Christ for guidance, power and blessing. May His smile be enough for us. May we not be found looking askance to catch the approving look of a poor mortal, nor sigh to find our names amid the glittering record of the great men of the age. The servant of Christ should look far beyond all such things. The important business of the servant is to obey. His object should not be to do a great deal, but simply to do what he is told. This makes all plain, and, moreover, it will make the Bible precious as the depository of the Master’s will to which he must continually occupy himself to know what he is to do and how he is to do it. Neither tradition nor expediency will do for the servant of Christ. The all-important inquiry is, “What saith the Scriptures?” This settles everything. From the decision of the Word of God there must be no appeal. When God speaks, man must bow. It is not by any means a question of obstinate adherence to a man’s own notions. Quite the opposite, it is a reverent adherence to the Word of God. Let the reader distinctly mark this.
It often happens that, when one is determined, through grace, to abide by Scripture, he will be pronounced dogmatic, intolerant and imperious, and, no doubt, one has to watch over his temper, spirit and style, even when seeking to abide by the Word of God. But, be it well remembered that obedience to Christ’s commandments is the opposite of imperiousness, dogmatism and intolerance. The time is rapidly approaching when obedience shall receive its right recognition and reward. For that moment the faithful must be content to wait and, while waiting for it, be quite satisfied to let men call them whatever they please. “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity” (Psa. 94:11).
“Study to show thyself approved unto God” (2 Tim. 2:15).
The Remembrancer (adapted)