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Now let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Would you turn in your Bibles, please, to the book of First Samuel? The books of Samuel and Kings and Chronicles form a new period in history that lasts five hundred and seventy-five years. There are books of transition, and it's First Samuel is the first of the first and second books, First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles. In the Hebrew Bible, it was simply the books of Samuel, the books of Kings, and the books of Chronicles.
Interestingly, in the Greek version, this is just all extra added information. It's a bonus. It's for free. In the Septuagint version, first and second Samuel is first kings and second kings, and first kings and second kings is third kings and fourth kings.
So in our Bibles, it's First Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, Second Kings, First Chronicles, and Second Chronicles. It begins around 1100 B.C. and stretches all the way to the Babylonian captivity.
Now we'll be talking a little bit about those dates and that time later on. What's important for you to know is that essentially this will cover almost to the very end of Old Testament history. Once they go into captivity and then they return from captivity, and that's the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Esther is thrown in there somewhere. When they return, there's 400 years of silence, and then God speaks again afresh in the New Testament.
So we are beginning a march in First Samuel to the end of Second Chronicles, which takes us all the way to the Babylonian captivity.
Somebody once said that there's three types of leaders. There's those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who have no idea what's happening. We find all three of those types of leaders in the book of First Samuel, and we find those three types of leaders in four distinct people: Eli, Samuel, Saul, and David. Those are the four big pillars. That this book really is centered around Eli, Samuel, Saul, and David.
So it's the story of a priest, a prophet, a politician, and a poet. And you know, preachers like to alliterate things.
So these are handles you can grab a hold of for memory. The key concept of this book, as I see it, is influence. Influence, good or bad influence.
Sometimes you can have tremendous power and be a wonderful, awesome influence. At other times, you can have lots of power and you can be the worst example to the people that you are called to lead.
So we're going to look at the role of a prophet, the ruin of a priest, the rule of a politician. And the rise of a poet.
Now, because we're at thirty thousand feet, and you can see how many chapters are in this book, thirty-one, we don't, we can't be afforded the same type of pace we had last time in the book of Ruth, with only four chapters. We could almost read the whole thing, and we didn't even do that.
So we are again at cruising altitude. We are again at thirty thousand feet, and we're just going to notice. The landscape, and I'm going to break it down for you in in terms of the most memorable things to look at.
Now, many will regard Samuel as the last judge in the period of judges, and they call him that for a good reason. The book of First Samuel says that he judged Israel for forty years, so he could be classified as a judge. But more than that, he is called also in this book a seer. And a seer was the old name. This book tells us for a prophet.
So when Samuel emerges on the scene, God calls him to be a prophetic voice to the nation.
So you can look at him as the last judge and the first prophet, technically in terms of the prophets that emerge on the land. The book opens with a couple, a guy by the name of Elkanah, and his wife Hannah. Actually, he has two wives, so you can just see that this is shortly after the period of judges. There are problems even in this family. Any man that thinks he can please two women is absolutely insane.
He has two wives, and he is unable to please them. One is named Hannah, and she really occupies the the main thrust of the early chapter of chapter one, and even chapter two of this book. They are infertile. Penina, the other wife, can bear, but Hannah is infertile, and because of that, she is in deep grief. And in her grief, she she does the right thing, man.
She talks to the Lord about it, and the Lord opens up her womb. And so we come to the role of a prophet. When we look here, I'm going to take you to chapter one, verse twenty. I'm not going to begin in verse one. God answers the prayer of Hannah.
Verse twenty: It came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Shmuel. That's the Hebrew pronunciation, Samuel, as we say it. Saying, because I have asked for him. From the Lord, she names the baby after a circumstance at the baby's birth. She feels that this is a direct answer to prayer.
She asked God for a child; God gave her this child.
So she calls the child God hears, Shmuel, or God answers. God has answered my prayer. I'm going to look at you and call you by name. Your whole life, I'm going to say, "Hey, God answers. Come over here." Hey, God hears.
It's time for dinner, so she will be reminded of the answered prayer every time that name is called.
Well, she goes to the tabernacle where she had prayed and tells the priest that is presiding over the tabernacle by the name of Eli in those days. In verse twenty-seven, for this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.
Now, from the birth of Samuel, the judge slash prophet, to the death of Saul is ninety four years.
So, in this book, we're covering about a hundred year period. She goes back home with the child, weans the child till the child is between three and five years of age. But notice this. Therefore, verse twenty eight. I have lent him to the Lord," she says.
"I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he he lives, he shall be lent to the Lord." And so they worship the Lord, Lord there.
Now that's a strange phrase, right? Here is my kid. I'm going to lend him to God, because truth be told, God lent the child to you. Really not yours. You're a steward over that child, but.
Each child, I believe, is a special creation of God, and we see ourselves as parents, as stewards for a period of time to help shape. But she says to Eli, "Here's my son. I'm going to lend him to God." It's a strange phrase. What it means is I am irrevocably giving him over to the service of the Lord, and essentially, she drops him off at the tabernacle from a very young age. To be a priest in training, or a prophet in training, or a seer in training, he he is to remain in the tabernacle and be exposed to the the rules, the principles, the values of God.
She is giving her child to the Lord.
Now, sometimes we use this verse when we do baby dedications. That this these parents are lending this child in hopes that this child will walk and serve the Lord all the days of his or her life. Hannah's greatest desire was that her child follow God's call for his life. Hannah's greatest desire was not number one, go to the best schools. Number two, get the best possible education and be the smartest in the class.
Number three, make varsity volleyball or basketball. None of that. She was focused primarily. Not that those things are bad. Primarily on a spiritual value, a spiritual emphasis, to serve the Lord all the days of his life.
Somebody once said, "Kids are the only earthly possession you can take with you to heaven." And so we think of how can I train this child to walk hard after the ways of the Lord.
So that's the role of a prophet. He's emerging from this point on.
Now, interspersed with the role of a prophet comes the ruin of a priest. I told you his name. We've already read about him in terms of this conversation she is having with him. His name is Eli. He is serving as the priest of the tabernacle.
Now, Eli was an interesting guy—a good guy, a godly guy—but very passive as a parent because his own kids, who will serve in the tabernacle as priests with him, will do some pretty gnarly things, and all he will do is say, "Why did you do that?" He won't put a stop to it. He won't kick him out of the priesthood. He just asks a lame question without any follow-through response.
So he's very, very passive. This is Connect with Skip Heitzig. Your generosity helps share clear Bible teaching with people who need the truth and hope of God's Word. And as Christmas approaches, we'd love to thank you with two meaningful resources designed to encourage faith in you and the people you love. The Daily God Journal by Pastor Skip will guide you through Scripture and prayer every day for an entire year.
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Now, here's more from Pastor Skip. Chapter two, verse twelve. It says, "Now the sons of Eli were corrupt. They did not know the Lord." Now, just mark that. These are—they're on staff in God's house, and they don't know the Lord.
Some people think, "Well, if you go to church, you're a Christian, right?" That just sort of automatically happens. I come to church, therefore I must be a Christian.
Well, you can go to a garage and you will not become an automobile. Going to a place of anything doesn't make you necessarily what that thing is all about or specializing in. In fact, I would say that Christian hangouts like churches are sometimes more dangerous because they're sometimes filled with people who think. That's all I have to do is just attend and listen and sing, and I'm I'm right with God. I say that it's dangerous for this reason.
Think of it in terms of spiritual warfare. Think of what I'm about to say in terms of spiritual warfare. The upper room in Jerusalem, Jesus had his last supper with his disciples in. I know you've you've often read the passage, but man, that would have been so cool to be a part of the last supper. Probably the upper room was the most dangerous room in all of Jerusalem that night, because Satan was there at that supper.
It said when the supper was ended, Satan entered Judas.
So he was there all along, ready to get to somebody who was that close to Jesus Christ.
Well, Eli's sons, by the name they're named Hophni and Phineas, they're immoral. They're immoral with the tabernacle itself because young women would come to the tabernacle. He'd be checking them out instead of worshiping God, and then he would lay with them—that is, have sexual relations with them—somewhere near the door of the tabernacle. He will find out. Eli will find out.
Ask the question, "Why do you do it?" But make no remediary act at all. Not only that, but they become corrupt with the sacrifices that people are bringing. That's also mentioned in this book.
So, in the midst of all that corruption that's going on, that's mentioned about in verse twenty-two, by the way, of chapter two. In the midst of all that, God calls a prophet. God calls Samuel to be a prophet. Chapter three, verse one. Here's the call.
Then the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord. Before Eli, and the word of the Lord was rare in those days. It's a remarkable passage. I have underlined this in my I'd say Bible, my Bibles that I have had over the years. I always underline this verse.
It's it's insightful. It says the word of the Lord was rare in those days, and there was no widespread revelation. God wasn't speaking much in those days, and for a good reason. People were not listening much in those days. God had nothing more to say to a people that wouldn't hear what He had to say.
Everyone is doing right in his own eyes. Last verse of Judges tells us, that's their M.O.
So I think that's how God works. If you don't want to hear His voice. God has nothing more to say to you. If God gave you a directive, God gave you a revelation. God gave you His Word, and you're not about obeying that.
Why should He speak anything more to you? Until you say, "Okay, I'm going to do that. I'm going to agree with that. I'm going to get in line with that principle." So the Word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no widespread revelation.
I I am intrigued by that verse because I think this verse could be said about many pulpits, even in our own country. The word of God was rare; there was no widespread revelation. This is why Paul told young Timothy years later, "Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season." I believe my opinion is that most contemporary. Preaching is marked by a lack of confidence in Scripture.
Scripture isn't preached. It's not "Bust says the Lord." Here's the word of the Lord. It's just cool, clever sayings and my opinions about life. And I'm not interested in any preacher's opinion. I don't come to a church to hear a preacher's opinion or clever what he's saying.
I want to hear a sure word from the Lord.
Well, unfortunately, many become embarrassed by the Bible, but the Bible says about the Bible, this Hebrews four: the Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. It is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. That little section ends. I think that the modern church has become more fascinated with technology rather than theology. And I think we need to get back to good theological, true the Bible doctrinal preaching to strengthen believers, especially in this day and age.
So, having said that, Samuel's young, and not like the rest of the people who are not listening to the word of the Lord. Samuel is—he's all ears.
So, three times the Lord calls him. And it's funny how he calls him. He calls him like this, Samuel. And he wakes him up out of a sleep. Samuel gets up out of a sleep, goes to Eli the priest.
Go, uh, what do you want? Eli goes, What are you talking about? What do I want?
So, well, you called my name. I didn't call your name. Go back to bed.
So he goes back to bed. When he falls asleep, God interrupts the sleep. Samuel. He wakes up again, goes to Eli. Same thing.
Go back to bed.
Third time it happens. After the third time, verse nine. Therefore, Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down, and it shall be if he calls you, he meaning this is God speaking. It's not me. It's God.
If he calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, Lord, your servant hears.' I love this." It's it's sort of like saying, "Well, pick up the phone, dummy." If if God's calling you from heaven, pick up the phone.
Sometimes God calls us and we don't wait long enough to to get an answer. You know, we pray about something and then, well, what did God say? I don't know. I didn't I didn't like hang around like wait for it.
Now I'm not saying that God will always say something, and certainly don't expect a an audible.
Sound out of heaven, but the Lord can, on occasion, speak to you. Just yesterday, and I don't need to tell you the example of my own personal life. But I felt the Lord spoke, and He happened to speak a very important scripture about something I was wrestling over, and dealing with with another person. The Lord spoke as as clear as day in my mind, an answer to that, and it was so good for me to hear it. And it just hit the nail right on the head.
So, speak, Lord, your servant hears. Tell God that answer the phone.
So Samuel went lay down in his place.
Now the Lord came and stood, and called as at other times. Samuel, Samuel, Samuel. You can just picture the kid getting up out of bed, smile on his face. Here goes. I'm answering the phone.
Speak, Lord, your servant hears.
Now, something just to make a note of. God calls him three times, but does not reveal His will until the fourth time. Gets his attention, and then He tells him the revelation. After He says, "Speak, Lord, your servant hears." Let that be an encouragement to you. If you pray about something, don't don't just do it once.
Jesus said, "Ask, continue to ask." It's in the continual tense. Ask, seek, knock. Keep coming, keep asking. You know, Saul had, Paul the apostle had what he called in Second Corinthians twelve a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan. He said to buffet me.
He said three times I pleaded with the Lord that He would take it from me, three times, and then the Lord told him, My grace is sufficient for you.
So, man, keep knocking, keep seeking, keep praying. Down in verse nineteen, it says, "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground; that is, remain unfulfilled." God made good on the word that He gave to the seer slash prophet slash judge. Verse twenty: All Israel, from Dan, way up north, to Beer-sheba, that's way down south, the length and and breadth of the country. All Israel, from Dan to Beer Sheba, knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord. By the time we get to chapter four and verses chapters four through seven, reveal a crisis in the land.
There's a transition going on in leadership. We're going to see the transition take place here. There's a crisis going on in the land, and the crisis is an invasion. It's an incursion. Of the Philistines who have migrated and settled along and just inland from the seacoast of Israel, the Philistines are occupying the land, and so because of the crisis, you're going to see the people demand a leader.
I mean, a leader like other nations have.
Now, just a back up on the Philistines. You read about them a lot, especially in these books of the Bible. They were at one period of Jewish history the most prevalent enemy to the Jews in the land. The Philistines originally started from the islands out in the Aegean Sea. They then took over parts of Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey.
But then, and that's what speaks to this text, they decided to leave and migrate along the Mediterranean coast, beginning down in Egypt, and then going up north. And north from Egypt is the land of Israel. And the Old Testament says there were five cities, five principal cities that were Philistine cities: Ashkelon, a coastal city; Ashdod; Gath; Gaza. And Ekron; those are the five stronghold cities of the Philistines.
Well, they invade the land. Israel has a hard time fighting them off, and eventually the Philistines capture probably the most sacred relic the Jews had—the Ark. The Ark of the Covenant was stolen and and apprehended by the Philistines and kept. Under their watch.
Now, when Eli the priest heard about this, he's 85 years old. He falls over on the stool he's setting, breaks his neck, and dies. The last thing he heard is that the ark has been captured. Falls over dead. Not only that, but one of his sons' wives is about ready to deliver a baby, and she delivers the baby in hearing the news.
She went into labor, and called the son Ichabod, which is a word that means the glory has departed, because the ark, the glory of God, has embodied in the ark, that sacred relic, had been taken by the Philistines.
So she birthed the son named Ichabod.
Now, at this point, as things are getting worse with the Philistines, the people of Israel want a change, a change in leadership. And it's their desire that marks this transition to a new era for Israel, the monarchy. Thanks for joining us today on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we go, remember that your generosity helps more people discover the truth of God's word and grow in their relationship with Jesus. And this month, when you give fifty dollars or more, we'll thank you with two meaningful resources you can enjoy yourself or give this Christmas.
The Daily God Journal will help you grow in Scripture and prayer throughout the coming year. Plus, Christmas Under the Tree is a beautifully illustrated story that points hearts toward Jesus from the cradle to the cross. Give a gift with eternal value while helping others encounter God's Word at connectwithskip.com/offer or by calling 800-922-1888. We'll see you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
