1Sa 3:7 | KingComments | STEP | At the time appointed by Him the LORD reveals Himself to Samuel. That happens at night. Eli and Samuel went to bed. However, there is a fine distinction in the way that is said of each of them. We read of Eli that he was “was lying down in his place”, while we read of Samuel that he “had laid himself [to sleep]”, as it also can be translated. With what we know about Eli it is conceivable that he loves his bed and spends a lot of time on it. In him, the sleeping high priest, we see a picture of the spiritual state of the people in those days. This idea is reinforced by the statement that he can no longer see. Eli is not only physically, but also mentally blind. We read from Samuel that he has laid himself to sleep. This indicates an activity after a day’s work. He longs for it. When he goes to bed, God’s lamp must almost be extinguished. The lamp of God is the candlestick in the tabernacle. It is night and the lamp is still burning weakly. But just when the night is darkest, there may be hope for the dawn of the day. A new day is about to start, to give new and bright light in this young Samuel, who is almost grown up and sleeps near the ark. When people sleep, the Holy One of Israel does not sleep. The LORD appears to Samuel, not to Eli. He cannot address Eli. When the LORD calls Samuel, he hears a voice as if Eli were calling him. It must have sounded like a human voice. Although Samuel does not know that the LORD calls him, he obeys directly. Obedience is the starting point for all spiritual growth and for all increase in service. Eli has no idea that the LORD could have called Samuel. He is blind and deaf for that. The only thing he can say is that the boy just must lie down again and try to sleep. We can see the picture of soothing the conscience with an eye on the condition in which we live. We do not want to be disturbed and if there is anything that disturbs us in our rest, we do not ask any further. We would like to have rest again as soon as possible. There is always a great danger that we will get into a spiritual state of drowsiness and stay in it because we feel comfortable in it ( ). Then we need to be shaken awake. The Lord must say to us: “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” ( ). If we are sleepy ourselves, we will stimulate others who are awake to sleepiness. Let us be careful not to say to anyone ‘lie down again and go to sleep again’ when God speaks to him! When Samuel is called a second time, Eli replies again that he has not called him, and that Samuel should lie down again. Samuel must have done so. Yet it does not say so, but we read a kind of explanation of the fact that Samuel has laid himself down again. For he knows not yet the LORD. This does not mean that he does not believe in Him. Samuel certainly believes in the LORD, but all his contact with the LORD has so far gone through Eli. Eli did not teach Samuel to listen to the voice of the LORD. He cannot do that either because he doesn’t know the voice of the LORD himself. Now the time has come for the LORD to make Himself known to Samuel. As an application we can say that Samuel has so far only heard about the LORD from others, like so many young people today. Many young people know about the Lord Jesus through their parents. This may be normal for some time, but at some point, there must be a personal meeting with Him. Children cannot continue to rely on the faith of their parents or elders, otherwise they will not grow up to maturity. To become spiritually mature, the spiritual eyes must begin to see the glory of the Lord Jesus. The LORD calls patiently for the third time. He knows it is ignorance and not unwillingness. We must be patient with each other and, above all, with those whom we consider slow in understanding. When Samuel goes to Eli for the third time, Eli finally understands that the LORD has called Samuel. That must have told him something. It must have dawned on him that God did not call him, but the boy. We see here that in every new generation there are young people who have received from the Lord something that He has not given or has not been able to give to the elderly. In this case He cannot give it because Eli is spiritually unable to understand His voice. There is no jealousy in Eli that the LORD passes him and reveals Himself to Samuel. When he realizes that the LORD calls Samuel, he gives a good advice. Samuel must, as soon as the LORD calls him again, place himself before Him as a willing listener and standing as a servant. Samuel does the same. By mentioning his name twice, the LORD calls Samuel for the fourth time. Mentioning the name twice is special. It happens a few more times in the Scriptures that the LORD or the Lord Jesus calls someone’s name twice when He addresses him, for example “Abraham, Abraham” ( ) and “Saul, Saul” ( ). In response to the voice of the LORD, Samuel does not say “speak, LORD”, as Eli has said to him. He did so not out of disobedience to Eli, but probably out of awe, because he does not feel worthy calling that Name. This is in stark contrast to the great familiarity with which the name of the Lord Jesus is often mentioned today. Many sermons and so-called worship services often lack respect for that Name. Respectless His Name – Jesus, without calling Him Lord – is called. It is also important that we have respect for all who God has placed above us, such as parents, elders, and rulers. This is prescribed by God in His Word ( ; ; ). That too is not found much anymore nowadays. When respect for God disappears, it also disappears from society.

‏ 1 Samuel 3:7

The LORD Calls Samuel

At the time appointed by Him the LORD reveals Himself to Samuel. That happens at night. Eli and Samuel went to bed. However, there is a fine distinction in the way that is said of each of them. We read of Eli that he was “was lying down in his place”, while we read of Samuel that he “had laid himself [to sleep]”, as it also can be translated. With what we know about Eli it is conceivable that he loves his bed and spends a lot of time on it. In him, the sleeping high priest, we see a picture of the spiritual state of the people in those days. This idea is reinforced by the statement that he can no longer see. Eli is not only physically, but also mentally blind.

We read from Samuel that he has laid himself to sleep. This indicates an activity after a day’s work. He longs for it. When he goes to bed, God’s lamp must almost be extinguished. The lamp of God is the candlestick in the tabernacle. It is night and the lamp is still burning weakly. But just when the night is darkest, there may be hope for the dawn of the day. A new day is about to start, to give new and bright light in this young Samuel, who is almost grown up and sleeps near the ark.

When people sleep, the Holy One of Israel does not sleep. The LORD appears to Samuel, not to Eli. He cannot address Eli. When the LORD calls Samuel, he hears a voice as if Eli were calling him. It must have sounded like a human voice. Although Samuel does not know that the LORD calls him, he obeys directly. Obedience is the starting point for all spiritual growth and for all increase in service.

Eli has no idea that the LORD could have called Samuel. He is blind and deaf for that. The only thing he can say is that the boy just must lie down again and try to sleep. We can see the picture of soothing the conscience with an eye on the condition in which we live. We do not want to be disturbed and if there is anything that disturbs us in our rest, we do not ask any further. We would like to have rest again as soon as possible.

There is always a great danger that we will get into a spiritual state of drowsiness and stay in it because we feel comfortable in it (1Thes 5:6). Then we need to be shaken awake. The Lord must say to us: “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph 5:14). If we are sleepy ourselves, we will stimulate others who are awake to sleepiness. Let us be careful not to say to anyone ‘lie down again and go to sleep again’ when God speaks to him!

When Samuel is called a second time, Eli replies again that he has not called him, and that Samuel should lie down again. Samuel must have done so. Yet it does not say so, but we read a kind of explanation of the fact that Samuel has laid himself down again. For he knows not yet the LORD. This does not mean that he does not believe in Him. Samuel certainly believes in the LORD, but all his contact with the LORD has so far gone through Eli. Eli did not teach Samuel to listen to the voice of the LORD. He cannot do that either because he doesn’t know the voice of the LORD himself. Now the time has come for the LORD to make Himself known to Samuel.

As an application we can say that Samuel has so far only heard about the LORD from others, like so many young people today. Many young people know about the Lord Jesus through their parents. This may be normal for some time, but at some point, there must be a personal meeting with Him. Children cannot continue to rely on the faith of their parents or elders, otherwise they will not grow up to maturity. To become spiritually mature, the spiritual eyes must begin to see the glory of the Lord Jesus.

The LORD calls patiently for the third time. He knows it is ignorance and not unwillingness. We must be patient with each other and, above all, with those whom we consider slow in understanding. When Samuel goes to Eli for the third time, Eli finally understands that the LORD has called Samuel. That must have told him something. It must have dawned on him that God did not call him, but the boy. We see here that in every new generation there are young people who have received from the Lord something that He has not given or has not been able to give to the elderly. In this case He cannot give it because Eli is spiritually unable to understand His voice.

There is no jealousy in Eli that the LORD passes him and reveals Himself to Samuel. When he realizes that the LORD calls Samuel, he gives a good advice. Samuel must, as soon as the LORD calls him again, place himself before Him as a willing listener and standing as a servant. Samuel does the same. By mentioning his name twice, the LORD calls Samuel for the fourth time. Mentioning the name twice is special. It happens a few more times in the Scriptures that the LORD or the Lord Jesus calls someone’s name twice when He addresses him, for example “Abraham, Abraham” (Gen 22:11) and “Saul, Saul” (Acts 9:4).

In response to the voice of the LORD, Samuel does not say “speak, LORD”, as Eli has said to him. He did so not out of disobedience to Eli, but probably out of awe, because he does not feel worthy calling that Name. This is in stark contrast to the great familiarity with which the name of the Lord Jesus is often mentioned today. Many sermons and so-called worship services often lack respect for that Name. Respectless His Name – Jesus, without calling Him Lord – is called.

It is also important that we have respect for all who God has placed above us, such as parents, elders, and rulers. This is prescribed by God in His Word (Eph 6:1-3; Lev 19:32; Rom 13:7). That too is not found much anymore nowadays. When respect for God disappears, it also disappears from society.