Samuel was the last of the judges, and was born at what was perhaps the darkest time of Israel’s history up until that time. The last verse of the book of Judges is very significant, and reveals a state of corruption and anarchy. "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes". Ideally God never wished Israel to have a king. He was to be their king, and He would rule them by His word, (The Law). But the Law had been disregarded and there was no longer any clear demarcation of what was right or wrong. When every man does what is right in his own eyes, this is a recipe for total anarchy. Neither were the people of tender conscience, such as Joseph was centuries earlier, because though he had no Bible or law, yet he did have a conscience that told him that to grant the request of Potiphar’s wife, would be to sin against God.

Thus Israel had sunk into a moral abyss and the people from the priests down, lived for self, if not for sin. It is at such a time the book opens, and we read about a man that had a lofty name, Elkanah, (‘Whom God possesses’), yet it seems that he lived for himself, and his own pleasure.

Elkanah was a Levite, a descendant of Kohath, one of the three sons of Levi. It was the sacred duty and privilege of the Kohathites to carry the Holy Ark on their shoulders during Israel’s forty year journey through the wilderness. It was the feet of the Kohathites that dipped in the brim of the Jordan, which was to open the way for Israel to enter the promised Land. But 280 years had passed since that triumphant day. Israel had been through many ups and downs and they were now in a sadly backslidden state. They were at the bottom of the deepest trough of departure from God and from His word. The Ark did not have to be carried any more, (for the moment), but still it was the duty of the Levites to dwell amongst the people in the cities provided for them, and to teach those people the Law, the word of God. It was God’s intention that by their holy life and example that they should turn many from iniquity. But there is no reference to any Levite doing this, at this time. It is possible that like the Levites of Malachi’s day they caused many to stumble at the Law. Malachi 2:5-9.

The name Elkanah, means ‘Whom Jehovah possesses’, however it would seem that like the Church at Sardis much later, he had a name to live, but was dead. Though his name would suggest that Jehovah possessed him, yet it seems that he was controlled by self, by sin and its lusts. Elkanah had two wives, and this was a source of misery and unhappiness. There may have been a reason for this. Perhaps Hannah was his first wife, and as Jehovah had shut up her womb, she had borne her husband no children, this may have caused him to take another wife, but the word does not tell us anything about this. It seems that he used Hannah to gratify his lust, and though he cherished a selfish kind of love to her, yet he failed to understand the grief of her heart. The name Hannah means ‘grace’, and it seems that this dear woman was true to her name. I picture her as a soft and gentle person, and probably beautiful also, but not the kind of person that would pride herself in her beauty, or show it off to others. We will deal more with her character later.

Peninnah was also beautiful as the meaning of her name would suggest. I have seen it suggested that her name means coral. Coral grows in the sea, and is very beautiful, but is also very hard and cruel. There is a world famous coral reef off the coast of Queensland, (Australia). This reef though very beautiful has been the graveyard of many ships, and has literally torn the bottom from many vessels. When swimming amidst coral, if one treads on it with their bare feet, it will pierce the feet, and inflict a painful injury. It seems that Peninnah was such a person, very beautiful, but hard and cruel. Another meaning of her name is Gemstone, or Diamond. The meaning is similar, because gemstones are very beautiful, but also very hard. This comes out later in the chapter. The tragedy of this whole situation was that Peninnah had children, (there could have been ten of them), but Hannah had none.

Elkanah only made a yearly pilgrimage to Shiloh to worship Jehovah, when God had said the all the males amongst His people, (not just the Levites), were to appear before Him three times in the year, and none were to appear before Him empty. That is each one was to come laden with the tokens of His goodness, to present an offering to Jehovah. However it seems that Elkanah went only once a year, this was enough for him. We find a similar situation today, where so many of God’s people would not think of missing the remembrance meeting, but it seems that most come empty, (judging by the long silences that there are in many meetings for remembrance and worship). But with most this is the only meeting that they attend, though there may be other meetings, such as the meeting for prayer, for Bible study, for fellowship and ministry etc. I recall a missionary from Jamaica who used to speak about S.M.O’s. (Sunday morning only) people. Thus it seems that Elkanah was a careless half-hearted kind of person, and his attitude was characteristic of the time in which he lived. (Very much like our own day).

These annual pilgrimages to Shiloh where the Tabernacle was, were a very torturous time for Hannah. She felt that she was a failure. She had never fulfilled the purpose for which she was created she was a wife, but not a mother. She was just like her Nation, though they professed that Jehovah was their husband, yet they bore Him no fruit. This grieved her more and more as the years dragged by. Her rival also made this a terrible time for her, and provoked her relentlessly, reminding her of her failure, and this brought bitterness to her soul. Added to this it seemed that their religion was a farce. They professedly went to offer to Jehovah, yet their main interest was in the feasting and drinking that filled those days. When her husband offered the peace offering, he divided the meat amongst the family, but to try to compensate for her lack, Elkanah gave Hannah a double portion. This probably pained her all the more, and she felt that their ‘worship’ was just an empty ritual, an excuse to minister to the flesh and to gratify its lusts, there seemed to be little or nothing for God’s pleasure in it at all. (May we comment that so much that is called worship today is just the same.)

The time came when she could bear it no longer. Her faith reckoned that if God was to act sovereignly, and to give her a male child, and she was to give that child back to God; then it may be that God would use her child to bring the Nation back to Himself. Her rival’s provocation and her own broken heart led Hannah to take desperate measures. She refused to take part any longer in the farcical religious exercises that Elkanah and the rest participated in and she offered to God the sacrifice of her broken spirit. Psalm 51:17. She wept and God saw her tears, in fact He put them in His bottle, (Psalm 56:8). She would do what others had no thought of doing, she would pray to the Almighty Jehovah.

But she found none to encourage her to begin with. Her tears and the sight of her weeping troubled her husband. The fact too that she would not join them in the festivities, the excitement, the feasting troubled him too. It was no occasion of joy for her, she could no longer be part of those formalities that pretended to be for the pleasure of God, but in reality were only just ministering to the flesh. She was a bit like the prophet who said "I sat alone", Jeremiah 15:17, & Psalm 26:4-7. Poor Elkanah tried in vain to get her to join in the religious festivities, professing great love to her, but nothing would move her now from her intention.

When she spoke to God she addressed Him as "The Lord of Hosts", the almighty, the One that possessed almighty power. Yet she did not just ask, or demand of Him, but she vowed a vow that was to cost her very much. She pleaded with the Almighty to look on her affliction, she asked that she might be given a place in His mind, and heart, that He might remember her, poor and needy as she was. She there vowed that if that Almighty God would give her a male child, then she would give that child back to God, so that He might use him as He saw fit. She would dedicate that child wholly to God, not just for a part, but for the whole of his life. Her wonderful prayer was never heard by men, and we are indebted to God for giving us the substance of it, for letting us into the secret of this communication. Could I ask, have you ever prayed a prayer like hers? If there were more of such prayers today, I fear that things would be much different than what they are in the testimony of God.

Eli was sitting on his special seat by a post of the temple, (probably by the gate of the Tabernacle). We are told three things about Eli, 1). That he was very old, 2). That he was almost blind and, 3). That he was very heavy. All of these things go together to make a picture of decline and decay in the High Priest, and Judge of God’s people. The fact that his eyes had grown dim, though a physical condition, yet it means that he had almost lost his ability to discern, right and wrong. He saw Hannah as she poured out her heart to God. He saw her lips moving, but he could hear no words and he presumed that she was drunk. Perhaps he had seen other women drunk also, and he assumed that she was like them, and he rebuked Hannah with harsh words. But she did not retaliate in the same way, but addressed him with respect and grace. Her soft answer came as a rebuke to the old priest. She gently urged him to change his attitude towards her, revealing the fact that she was not like other women that he had seen, she was a woman of sorrowful spirit and she had poured out her soul to God. Suitably rebuked Eli did change his attitude, (though he did not apologise), but he joined his spirit with hers desiring that God would grant the request that she had asked of him. If she had responded in the same spirit that he had shown to her, then the result may have been different. Proverbs 26:4.

From that moment on Hannah’s attitude changed, and though her circumstances had not changed, yet she had the answer, and her faith laid hold upon the Almighty whose help she had sought. She dried those tears of sorrow and repentance, her joy returned, she ate and drank, (she broke her fast), her countenance was no more sad. She hoped now in God, and was sure that He would intervene in her circumstances, for His own glory. They arose early in the morning and worshipped. To the others it may have just been a form or ceremony, but it was not so for Hannah now. They returned to their home, and God caused that she was now able to conceive, she yielded the inner shrine of her being to God. This conception was not by any supernatural means but just in the course of normal married relations. The glad day came when Hannah was able to inform her husband that God had answered her prayer, and that she was going to have a child.

Thus began for Hannah nine months of physical strain and tension. To be a mother involved many things that she had never known in the years of her barrenness. But she did not complain, but bore it all patiently, knowing that at length she would have a son, and that God would use her son for His glory. To produce new life is a very costly exercise, but whatever it cost she knew that at the end, there would be glory for God. If her son was to be a Nazarite, then there were some things that she must deny to herself also. She could not expect her son to live a life separated to God, if she was not prepared also to separate herself to God in the same manner. Judges 13:4. No believing mother has the right to expect her child to be godly, unless she is first godly and sets an example for the child to follow. It is important to note the part that a mother plays in the life of her child. There never could have been a Timothy unless there had first been a Lois and a Eunice. (2 Timothy 1:5.)

Thus those nine months, though months of strain that she had never experienced before, yet they were months of expectancy, months of preparation for the coming birth of the long awaited son. During these months Hannah was careful not to do anything that would put a hindrance in the way of her Nazarite son who was soon to make his entrance into this world. Every movement of the child in her womb made her to rejoice. Though it was costly, yet it was more than worthwhile because there was a new life within, a life full of promise. She was barren no longer!

At last the great day arrived, and with it the labour pains, agony untold, for both mother and baby. When all the labour and agony was passed, she quickly forgot it all, as she held in her arms the baby boy that she had prayed for, and longed for all her married life. A man was born into the world, John 16:21, and what a man he proved to be, as the decades unfolded. But many years were to elapse before he would reach manhood, and the years that this baby would spend with her were very important years indeed. She held in her arms a living testimony to the fact that God does answer prayer, especially when we are willing to meet His conditions. She had no difficulty in choosing a name for the baby, she called his name Samuel, saying "Because I have asked him of the Lord". The name means "Asked for of God", or in other words, "Answer to prayer". Thereafter wherever he went, or whenever his name was mentioned; people were confronted with the fact that God is real, and that He does answer prayer, he was a living testimony to this fact.

God blessed Hannah with an abundant supply of mother’s milk, and as she put her little son to her breast, she doubtless gave thanks to God for His goodness. It has been said that when a mother breast-feeds her child, she not only give the child her milk, but she also gives it herself. So Samuel was brought up by a praying mother, in a daily atmosphere of prayer, it was little wonder that he became a man of prayer in his later life. (1 Samuel 12:23.)

The family’s religious formalities continued as before, but what was Hannah to do? Should she just fall in with the old ritual, or should she take a stand against the deadness of the annual pilgrimage? She decided that she would pour all of her loving care into the life of her precious son. God was going to use him in the coming years to deliver His people from their dead formalities, and from their backslidden ways. She must do all she could to prepare him for his future life and ministry. She declined to go up, and after discussion with her husband it was agreed that she should take no part in their religious formalities. The next time she went to Shiloh it was to make the greatest sacrifice of her life she was to give back to God the son that He had given her. She would have kept Samuel to the breast as long as she was legitimately able, and commentators consider that he could have been at least four years old when she did take him to Shiloh. Elkanah seemed to be afraid that she would back out of the commitment or the vow that she had made. He stated "May the Lord establish his word". But though it was to cost her dearly, and though she had sworn to her own hurt, she would not change it. Psalm 15:4. It is possible that during those years Satan strove mightily to try to turn Hannah from her vow. He had a suspicion of what God was going to do through this boy, that God would use him to turn His people back to Himself. He would try desperately to prevent this if he could. Satan would constantly remind Hannah of what kind of men Eli’s two sons were. He would remind her of Eli’s age, the fact that he was almost blind, that he was fat and probably lazy. He would call to her attention that even the women that served at the Tabernacle, (who might be expected to care for the little boy), were lustful immoral people, little more than prostitutes in spite of their pretended holy occupation. Satan would also remind Hannah of her sacred responsibility as a mother, and possibly chide her and accuse her of a careless disregard of her maternal duty, if she was to commit her only son to the care of such people. All this was in a vain attempt to turn her away from fulfilling the costly vow that she had made that day, as she prayed that God would give her a son. She would trust Samuel to no one but to the God that had given him.

God had kept His side of the bargain, would she now keep hers? But God gave her the strength to master any maternal misgivings that she may have, and to keep her costly vow.

It must have seemed to Hannah that the years had raced away, but the time had now come to part with the dearest object of her affections, and she faced the test with great courage and with a brave spirit. Samuel also had to be prepared for this parting he had to be weaned, not only from his mother’s milk, but also from his mother’s loving care, and her godly teaching. Hannah did not make this an occasion to draw attention to herself and her sacrifice. She did not try to attract the sympathy and the applause of others for her great act of sacrifice. She went with her husband, her son and also took three bullocks and a skin bottle of wine. One bullock was to be offered on Samuel’s behalf. Though he was such a holy boy, a Nazarite in practice, separated to God, yet all that could not make him acceptable to God. They slew a bullock and brought Samuel to Eli. This is to show us that any of us, regardless of our holy beginnings, or the holiness and consecration of our parents, can only be reconciled to God through the death of His Son. Before Samuel (though such a child), could be accepted by God, a sinless victim must die, its blood must be shed.

Elkanah had led in all this, as Hannah humbly took the woman’s place. But as the sacrifice was offered it was now the time for her to give her testimony. Her words are so touching, as she took the mind of the High Priest back over the years. "For this child I prayed" and the Lord had answered her prayer. She could have easily reminded the old man of how that he had rebuked her and charged her with being drunk, but she made no mention of this. Her object was to give the glory to God, to praise His faithfulness, not to expose the failures of man. Then followed that act of total surrender, "Therefore I have lent him unto the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord". Then it adds, "And he worshipped the Lord there". We are not told who the ‘he’ was. Was it Elkanah, was he now moved by his wife’s great sacrifice and devotion? Was it Eli, had he now been humbled by this unusual display of Hannah’s sacrifice and devotion? Or was it Samuel himself, had he just now realised what it had cost the mother that he loved, the one that had conceived him, born him, and nurtured and taught him all his days, to give him up wholly to God? What a sacred moment that was? As the fire in the altar of burnt offering consumed the body of the sinless victim whose life had been given for Samuel, they bowed in the presence of the Lord in genuine worship. As the smoke of that sacrifice ascended to God, its richness and savour filled His heart with joy and satisfaction. He looked on to the day when His only begotten Son would offer himself to God on our behalf.

The skin bottle of wine was doubtless for a drink offering, and spoke to God of the life of this boy that was now being presented to Him, that would be poured out in lowly service for Him until its end. This offering brought great joy to the heart of God, and it also brought great joy to the hearts of all those that witnessed this sacrifice. We are not told what was done with the other two bullocks. Perhaps one was presented as a peace offering the greater part of this sacrifice was eaten by the worshipper and his friends. This was not like the annual ritual that Elkanah had gone through over the years, this was true fellowship. Perhaps the other bullock was given as a gift to Eli? We are not told.

Chapter two,

Hannah’s second prayer is recorded for us, and it has stirred the hearts of the godly down through the ages, and even formed part of Mary’s prayer called the Magnificat, recorded in Luke 1:45-55. It is interesting to note how that godly sisters have contributed richly to the hymnology of the Church down through the ages. The New Testament clearly forbids the public participation of women in teaching, preaching, and even in speaking in tongues in the Church. Yet they have contributed richly and rightly with hymns etc. Hannah’s composition is a very rich one, and it reveals the spiritual depth of her soul. Some of the rich expressions that she used later found their way into Psalms etc. Though she had been tormented and provoked by her rival, yet God had taken account of her sincerity, her reproach is now removed. She expresses her appreciation for this and issues a gracious warning to her rival, and to any that would follow Peninnah’s example. Pride arrogance and presumption are all hateful to God He weighs actions, and knows the motives that lie behind our words and actions. It is interesting that we never read of Peninnah or her children again. Her children are not named, neither are they to be found in the family tree recorded in 1Chronicles 6, whereas God has recorded the whole of Samuel’s life and ministry for us, and his name is given to two books in the Bible. There is great encouragement to be found here in her words, by those that are put down, or written off by others. There are words of warning for those that proudly boast of their seeming successes.

God’s ways are past finding out, He kills and brings down to the grave, and then shows His mighty power in resurrection. It is all His work, so the glory must all be His! He has ordained that no flesh shall glory in His sight. Though He must have all the glory, (and rightly so), yet He does not deny us the joy that comes from witnessing His working. 1 Corinthians 1:29-31. Those that have been through such a humbling process, (as mentioned here), must thereafter be wholly dependant upon God, for His gracious keeping power. "He keepeth the feet of His saints, thus those that have accepted the cross of Christ as their own, and who have been buried with Him by baptism unto death, they then share in His resurrection. Such can count on His keeping power, as they seek in His strength, to live a holy life, for His pleasure. "The wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength, (their own), shall no man prevail". This wickedness, and those that are described as the adversaries of God, were to be found in unusual places, and the wicked sons of Eli, though clothed with priestly garments, and officiating in the capacity of priests, were numbered amongst those just mentioned. It may seem that their wickedne4ness is not noticed by God, but nothing escapes His Holy eyes. In his time His judgment will fall on the unrepentant.

He will see to it that His King, (our Lord Jesus Christ), is ultimately exalted. His power will finally be shown.

When Elkanah and Hannah went to their home, Samuel was left at Shiloh. At a tender age he donned the clothing of a priest, and he ministered unto the Lord, before Eli the priest. He is thereby contrasted with the sons of Eli, because though they occupied the public place of being priests, yet they ministered to themselves, they gratified their own sinful lusts. They used their position to make themselves rich and fat. They "knew not the Lord", they were "sons of Belial", (worthless fellows), yet they occupied such a place. They were greedy, grasping, violent men. God had provided in His Law, for the priests to be maintained by the freewill offerings of the people of God. They were to receive the wave breast, and the right shoulder of every peace offering, as well as the most of the oblation that was offered with it. But this was not enough for them, they put themselves first, they demanded that they be given their portion first, even before the fat was burned on the altar. (Even before God had received His portion). Though the people were in a backslidden state, yet some realised that such conduct was not right, but their objections were overcome with the threat of violence. We are told that "the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord," and that they caused men to abhor the offering of the Lord. We see a similar thing today when wicked men are able to occupy the place of being ‘Great Faith Preachers’. They preach the ‘Prosperity Gospel’, and are able to dupe ignorant and carnal people, (some of whom are believers), into giving them huge amounts of money. They become millionaires, and use the ‘service of God’ as a means of making themselves very rich. They will finally bring down the judgment of God on themselves, as the sons of Eli did.

Little Samuel grew up amidst such evil, yet he was not tainted by it. In fact his witnessing of these vile practices gave him a hatred of such evil which remained with him all his days. Chapter 12:3. No doubt his mother’s prayers played a big part in his preservation in such an environment. This should be an encouragement to all godly mothers to pray for their children constantly. While they remain in the home, they are, (or should be), sheltered from all evil influence. Sadly sometimes it is not so, as in these modern days careless mothers often allow the T.V to take over their role of caring for the children and instructing them daily in the things of God. It is no wonder then, that in Western society we have a generation that will not accept discipline, and no longer want to attend meetings, unless they can be entertained there by worldly things.

The Levite was not to begin his service until reaching the age of 25 years, and they were to retire at the age of 55years. But Samuel began his service as a priest at a very early age, and continued his service until death. He had been dedicated to the service of Jehovah all the days of his life, "as long as he lived". This is an example that we also should follow, and we should dedicate the lives of our children to the Lord and His service from the time that they are born.

Though Shiloh was only seven miles (or at the most twelve miles), from Ramah; yet we do not read of Hannah visiting her son more than once a year. This visit took place at the time of Elkanah’s annual pilgrimage. But each year that she went, Hannah took with her a little coat that she had probably made herself, for her little priest-son. Properly speaking, Samuel should never have been a priest, as he was not of the family of Aaron, but was a Kohathite-Levite by birth. Though the Levites assisted the priests in the slaughter, and the preparation of the sacrificial animals, yet they normally had no part in presenting the offerings to God. But the nation of Israel were far away from God, and many things were being practiced that the Law either did not command, or even permit.

Chapter two,

Hannah’s second prayer is recorded for us, and it has stirred the hearts of the godly down through the ages, and even formed part of Mary’s prayer called the Magnificat, recorded in Luke 1:45-55. It is interesting to note how that godly sisters have contributed richly to the hymnology of the Church down through the ages. The New Testament clearly forbids the public participation of women in teaching, preaching, and even in speaking in tongues in the Church. Yet they have contributed richly and rightly with hymns etc. Hannah’s composition is a very rich one, and it reveals the spiritual depth of her soul. Some of the rich expressions that she used later found their way into Psalms etc. Though she had been tormented and provoked by her rival, yet God had taken account of her sincerity, her reproach is now removed. She expresses her appreciation for this and issues a gracious warning to her rival, and to any that would follow Peninnah’s example. Pride arrogance and presumption are all hateful to God He weighs actions, and knows the motives that lie behind our words and actions. It is interesting that we never read of Peninnah or her children again. Her children are not named, neither are they to be found in the family tree recorded in 1Chronicles 6, whereas God has recorded the whole of Samuel’s life and ministry for us, and his name is given to two books in the Bible. There is great encouragement to be found here in her words, by those that are put down, or written off by others. There are words of warning for those that proudly boast of their seeming successes.

God’s ways are past finding out, He kills and brings down to the grave, and then shows His mighty power in resurrection. It is all His work, so the glory must all be His! He has ordained that no flesh shall glory in His sight. Though He must have all the glory, (and rightly so), yet He does not deny us the joy that comes from witnessing His working. 1 Corinthians 1:29-31. Those that have been through such a humbling process, (as mentioned here), must thereafter be wholly dependant upon God, for His gracious keeping power. "He keepeth the feet of His saints, thus those that have accepted the cross of Christ as their own, and who have been buried with Him by baptism unto death, they then share in His resurrection. Such can count on His keeping power, as they seek in His strength, to live a holy life, for His pleasure. "The wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength, (their own), shall no man prevail". This wickedness, and those that are described as the adversaries of God, were to be found in unusual places, and the wicked sons of Eli, though clothed with priestly garments, and officiating in the capacity of priests, were numbered amongst those just mentioned. It may seem that their wickedne4ness is not noticed by God, but nothing escapes His Holy eyes. In his time His judgment will fall on the unrepentant.

He will see to it that His King, (our Lord Jesus Christ), is ultimately exalted. His power will finally be shown.

When Elkanah and Hannah went to their home, Samuel was left at Shiloh. At a tender age he donned the clothing of a priest, and he ministered unto the Lord, before Eli the priest. He is thereby contrasted with the sons of Eli, because though they occupied the public place of being priests, yet they ministered to themselves, they gratified their own sinful lusts. They used their position to make themselves rich and fat. They "knew not the Lord", they were "sons of Belial", (worthless fellows), yet they occupied such a place. They were greedy, grasping, violent men. God had provided in His Law, for the priests to be maintained by the freewill offerings of the people of God. They were to receive the wave breast, and the right shoulder of every peace offering, as well as the most of the oblation that was offered with it. But this was not enough for them, they put themselves first, they demanded that they be given their portion first, even before the fat was burned on the altar. (Even before God had received His portion). Though the people were in a backslidden state, yet some realised that such conduct was not right, but their objections were overcome with the threat of violence. We are told that "the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord," and that they caused men to abhor the offering of the Lord. We see a similar thing today when wicked men are able to occupy the place of being ‘Great Faith Preachers’. They preach the ‘Prosperity Gospel’, and are able to dupe ignorant and carnal people, (some of whom are believers), into giving them huge amounts of money. They become millionaires, and use the ‘service of God’ as a means of making themselves very rich. They will finally bring down the judgment of God on themselves, as the sons of Eli did.

Little Samuel grew up amidst such evil, yet he was not tainted by it. In fact his witnessing of these vile practices gave him a hatred of such evil which remained with him all his days. Chapter 12:3. No doubt his mother’s prayers played a big part in his preservation in such an environment. This should be an encouragement to all godly mothers to pray for their children constantly. While they remain in the home, they are, (or should be), sheltered from all evil influence. Sadly sometimes it is not so, as in these modern days careless mothers often allow the T.V to take over their role of caring for the children and instructing them daily in the things of God. It is no wonder then, that in Western society we have a generation that will not accept discipline, and no longer want to attend meetings, unless they can be entertained there by worldly things.

The Levite was not to begin his service until reaching the age of 25 years, and they were to retire at the age of 55years. But Samuel began his service as a priest at a very early age, and continued his service until death. He had been dedicated to the service of Jehovah all the days of his life, "as long as he lived". This is an example that we also should follow, and we should dedicate the lives of our children to the Lord and His service from the time that they are born.

Though Shiloh was only seven miles (or at the most twelve miles), from Ramah; yet we do not read of Hannah visiting her son more than once a year. This visit took place at the time of Elkanah’s annual pilgrimage. But each year that she went, Hannah took with her a little coat that she had probably made herself, for her little priest-son. Properly speaking, Samuel should never have been a priest, as he was not of the family of Aaron, but was a Kohathite-Levite by birth. Though the Levites assisted the priests in the slaughter, and the preparation of the sacrificial animals, yet they normally had no part in presenting the offerings to God. But the nation of Israel was far away from God, and many things were being practiced that the Law either did not command, or even permit.

However Samuel ministered before the Lord, jus a boy clothed in a linen ephod. He was not tainted by the horrible evil that was present there at Shiloh. Great joy and expectation now must have filled Hannah’s heart as she made preparation for the annual pilgrimage. She would have expected that Samuel had grown somewhat during the past year, so that each time she went up, the coat that she took with her would have been a bit larger. But this little boy did not only grow in the sight of men, but ‘before the Lord’, he grew spiritually, though as yet he had not come to know the Lord personally.

The purity and simplicity of the life of this little boy spoke to the heart of Eli also. He saw in Samuel what he could not find in his own sons. He heard the reports of all that his wicked sons were doing, but he did not have the courage or the desire to use the Law against his own flesh and blood. However he did rebuke them, but only very mildly. He challenged them with the words, "Why do you do such things?" He told them of the evil reports he had heard, and warned them of what the consequences for them would be. But his words of rebuke had no power, perhaps it was because he had not set them a good example in his own way of life? However nothing had escaped the eye of the Holy God, that they were supposed to hallow, and to represent. Eli would take no action to discipline them, or to fulfil the tenets of the Law he was supposed to administer. But God was about to intervene directly to punish those wicked men that had sinned so glaringly, He would slay them. The godly example of little Samuel was seen by all, and the contrast of his life with that of those that occupied the place of priests, won the hearts of the people that knew and observed him. He grew on and was in favour with the Lord and with men. Similar words are said about the Lord Jesus. That "He increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man. Luke 2:52. It doubtless brought joy to the heart of God, to see in Samuel what would later be seen in fullness and perfection in the Lord Jesus.

Hannah had given up to God the dearest object of her affections, but she would have her reward. No one ever gives up anything to God but that they receive an abundant reward. He is no man’s debtor, though none can ever give to Him anything that does not first come from Him. Later king David ststed this in his lovely prayer of offering and worship. 1 Chronicles 29:14-17.

Hannah was visited by God, and she bore another five children, though we are not told that she prayed that God would give her any of them. Thus her cup of joy was full, as she nursed child after child. She is a wonderful example to us all. Let us not hesitate to give up to God whatever he may be pleased to give us. Hannah’s reward was double, because in addition to the babies that she bore, she had the double joy of seeing Samuel grow, and ultimately she would live to see him mightily used of God.

Though the state of Israel as a nation was so terrible, yet God still had those on whom He could call in this situation. Who he was, and where he came from we are not told, but he was available to God to deliver His solemn message to Eli. Without fear he delivered that solemn message of judgment to the old priest. In the message God drew Eli’s attention to His own sovereign gracious choice. How that He chose Aaron and his descendants to wear the priestly ephod, to serve Him as priest, and his descendants to burn incense before God. God had given to that family such great privilege and honour, even giving them the honour of being supported by the freewill offerings of His people. Yet Eli and his sons had kicked against (despised), God’s offerings. They had abused their position of great privilege for their own material gain. They had ignored the rights of God, and the Tabernacle was still His house, the Law was still His commandment, they were still responsible to obey, to act with reverence. But they had not done so, and had done things that God’s Law condemned. By their actions they had made God’s offerings contemptible in the eyes of the people. Eli had honoured his sons above God, and the patience of God had now been tried to the limit, He would maintain His rights, He would execute judgment on those that despised His holy name. He would honour them that honoured Him, and those that despised Him would be lightly esteemed. The family of Aaron was now divided into several houses, and the house that Eli came from would be set aside, and ultimately destroyed, and the priesthood would be exercised by another house of the descendants of Aaron. It all began with the slaughter of Eli’s two sons in one day, but it was not consummated until King Saul slew the priests of Nob about 80 years later.

We are told in Galatians 6:7-8, that God is not mocked. It is His unchanging Law, that men will reap what they sow. If they sow to the flesh, (as Eli and his sons had done), then they will reap corruption from the flesh. God is ever faithful to His holy word. Whether it be the promise of reward or of judgment.

God said that He would raise up for Himself a faithful priest, and Eli’s descendants would be reduced to begging. They would come cringing and ask to be put into one of the priests offices so that they might have something to eat. He would see to it that those that served Him in this favoured office would honour Him, and do according to what was in the mind of God. What was in His mind was written in His Law.

The man of God, faithfully and fearlessly delivered the message with which he had been entrusted, then disappeared from view, and we never read of him again. But God set about to begin to fulfil the message sent, the warning given, and the one that He would use to bring that nation back to Himself, would be that little boy that served Him faithfully though surrounded by such evil.

FIRST SAMUEL, CHAPTER THREE

The time had now come for God to reveal Himself to Samuel. Josephus says that he was aged about twelve years at this time. We might think that as Samuel had such a godly praying mother, and as he had been separated to God from his very birth, and for the whole of his remaining life, that he would not need such an experience as is described in this chapter. In spite of his background and upbringing, in spite of his being clothed with an ephod, and ministering before the Lord, yet he lacked something. That something was a personal experience with God, and a personal knowledge of Him.

I have met people in India that become offended when one presents the gospel to them, and insists on the need of repentance, conversion and a salvation experience. Such people have said, "Go and tell that to the Hindus, I am already Christian, I am a born Christian". The Bible is clear that no one is ever "Born a Christian". In order to become a true Christian, the person must be born again. This is the teaching of John’s gospel chapter three. Though Samuel lived in a pre-Christian age, and was never a Christian, yet he needed a personal experience with God, and a personal knowledge of Him, before he could become God’s prophet.

The way that the English Bible reads, it would seem that Eli slept at the Tabernacle, (probably in the Holy Place, and Samuel must have slept in the Holy of Holies). The instructions given to Moses about the Tabernacle made no provision for the accommodation of priest etc. However when Solomon built the temple, other buildings were added. Some were used to store the offerings, and for other different purposes. There were other buildings around the perimeter fence, and these were used for the purpose of accommodation. During the dark days of decline mentioned in the second book of Kings, some of these buildings were used as homosexual brothels. It is possible that other buildings could have been added to the original Tabernacle, but this is not mentioned in scripture.

We read that when Samuel arose in the morning he "opened the doors of the house of the Lord". Verse 15. There were no ‘doors’ in the original Tabernacle, only curtains, beautiful tapestries. Eli sat on a special seat by the gate of the Tabernacle on the outside. This was probably his ‘Judgment Seat’, but the gate was not a hinged wooden affair, but was also made of curtains, Exodus 27:13-16. Because of what the scripture says, I think that we are justified in thinking that the Tabernacle was the one that was constructed at Moses’ command, see Psalms 78:60. If this was so, then our original assumption that Eli slept in the Holy Place, and Samuel in the Holy of Holies, would be correct.

Some question this assumption, saying that only the High Priest was to enter there, and then only once a year. We would agree that this was so when the word of God was obeyed, but there was terrible departure from that word in Eli’s time. We are not even told that the Great Day of Atonement was observed. There was corruption, confusion and anarchy, and blatant sin was being practiced right there at the Tabernacle. It is true that later God dealt with Dagon the fish god of the Philistines, and brought him down before the Ark. God also slew seventy men of Bethshemesh, who out of mere curiosity lifted the lid of the Ark to look inside. He also slew Uzzah who put his hand on the Ark to steady it and to keep it from falling. Yet it would seem that such was the confusion, that Samuel had made the Holy of Holies his bedroom, and it was there that God came and spoke to him.

At first Samuel thought that Eli was calling him, so he got up from his bed and ran to where Eli was. However Eli told him that he did not call him, and instructed him to go and lie down again. This happened three times, when at last Eli woke up to the fact that perhaps the Lord was calling the boy. It had been a long time since anything like this had happened that he had not expected such a thing to take place. He then instructed Samuel as to what to do if he was to hear the voice again. He was to reply "Speak Lord for thy servant hears." Samuel must have been trembling all over, and doubtless was afraid to go to sleep. He did lie down again, but soon afterwards he heard the voice once again. It seemed to him to be coming from right beside his bed. This was indeed so, because the Mighty Eternal Jehovah had come and stationed Himself right by Samuel’s bed. This was a frightening and awesome experience for the boy. The very God to whom his mother prayed, the One whose glory she sought, had come so near to him. Samuel had known about Jehovah, and for years now he had been ministering to Him, yet he did not know Him personally, even though that God had given him as a gift to his godly mother!

God called Samuel by his name twice, "Samuel, Samuel!" This showed that God new the boy’s name, He was personally interested in him. He was not just a mighty but indifferent power, He desired that little Samuel might come to know Him personally, He wanted to enjoy a close communion with that boy, and it was His plane to make use of him as his mouthpiece. Let me say to the one that reads these words, God is no less interested in you. He wants you to come to know Him intimately! He wants to use you for His glory, and for the blessing of others also. Samuel had no Bible, except the first five books of the Old Testament, and it is possible that he had never seen even those books. (The Torah.)

When God chooses to reveal Himself to us today, He usually does so through His word. He does not do so by appearing to us in dreams, or visions, or by spoken audible voice. The Holy Spirit who inspired the writers of Holy Scripture to write the words down for us, He takes that same word and through it speaks to us. He does not do so with audible voice, but instead He makes the Word itself to speak to us, to come alive, and to convict us.

In my own case, though only a small boy, yet my parents had faithfully taught me the word of God, and the simple truths that my small mind could understand. I never did reject anything that they taught me, I believed it all. Amongst the things that they taught me, was the wonderful fact that the Lord Jesus is coming to take all that belong to Him to be with Himself. I never doubted this, but it did not trouble me a bit. However the time came when I did begin to be troubled by the fact that if He did come, then I was not ready, and in the parable of the ten virgins, it was only those that were ready, that went in to the marriage feast.

This began to trouble me so much that I felt afraid, and I found it hard to sleep, and I was always relieved to wake in the morning and find that my parents were still with us. We may ask, "What made the difference, because I knew about this fact previously?" The answer must surely be that the Holy Spirit had begun to convict me of sin, and to convict me of the fact that I (though but a small child), was not fit for the presence of God. Then when one of my brothers suggested that I receive Christ as my Saviour, and confess Him as my Lord, I was ready and willing to do so. I did so at home one Sunday night after we had returned from a Gospel meeting, and I am happy to say that the Lord saved me then. He gave me the assurance that I was saved. He gave me His peace and I have never been afraid in the same way ever since. I knew then that if He should come I was ready to go to be with Him.

When God came and stood by Samuel’s bed, He called his name twice, & Samuel said what Eli had told him to say, except that (possibly through fright or nervousness), he did not mention Jehovah’s name. However he did not yet know Jehovah, so this could have been why he did not mention His holy name. God revealed to Samuel what He was about to do. Things that He had already told Eli through the un-named prophet and it must have sounded terrible to Samuel. God had patiently borne so long with the terrible departure from His holy word, and the horrible abuses of their privileged position, the great wickedness of Eli’s sons. But now He was about to pour out His holy wrath, and over many years He would perform everything that He had said. Again He warned that no offering or sacrifice that they could offer would purge the iniquity of Eli’s house forever.

Hophni and Phinehas were to die on the same day and Eli too, and his daughter in law also died on that same day. This was to have a profound effect on Samuel’s life also, because he had grown to love the old man Eli, and it was a joy to him to be able to help and serve him. But now he was to lose the protection that the old man’s presence and counsel afforded him. His life would never be the same again, and (at least for a time), the burden of carrying on the priestly service would rest on his young shoulders.

It is said that "Samuel lay until the morning", (verse 15). He lay awake probably unable to sleep, pondering in his mind the implications of the message that he had been given. He feared to tell Eli the vision, the message that God had given him. This was in part because he did not wish to hurt the old man whom he had come to love. It was also in part because he did not know how Eli would react to such awful news. So when the day dawned he arose from his bed, and went about his daily duties, as if nothing had happened. But God did not allow him to keep the message to himself, and though it was very hard for him to do, yet he must faithfully deliver the message that God had given. He was to learn through this bitter experience what it was to be a channel of God’s word to others.

Eli now called Samuel, and spoke to him in the tones of the greatest affection, "Samuel my son"\, and he answered with his normal willingness, "Here am I". But then he said "What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee?" Eli then pronounced a solemn curse, that if for whatever reason, Samuel was to hide from him anything of what God had revealed to him, then the judgement would fall on Samuel himself. Samuel did not want this to happen, and though perhaps he was afraid of what Eli might do to him, he may become angry and violent. Perhaps Samuel looked around, and surveyed the surroundings, so that he might escape if this was to happen; yet he stood like a man and delivered the message that God had given him, and thus delivered his soul also.

Then for the first time in his life, he witnessed the power of God’s word, (he was to see this often in the years that followed). He saw the old man bow his head, and he heard him say, "It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good". Samuel had passed the first test, but if he had failed that test, if he had kept back anything of the message that God had given him, whether out of love for Eli, or out of the fear of the consequences that might come to him, we may never have read of him again.

Thus this little boy became an example to everyone that God would call to serve Him, even in our own day. We have a solemn responsibility. Let us never flinch from declaring what ever message God may give us to whoever God would have us give it! Let us never fail to deliver, either through fear or favour, the message that God has given us, and let us leave the results with him! The word is not ours, but His, and we must answer to him finally. Paul could say to the Ephesian elders, "I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God". Acts 20:18-27.If we fear what men may do to us, then the fear of man brings a snare, let us not be taken in that snare!

Thus began for Samuel a life of sweet communion with God. The Eternal God was no stranger to him now, and as he grew he became a constant channel of the word of God to others. God let none of his words fall to the ground. He did not have to trumpet his successes, or to resort to advertising or publicity, because all Israel from its furthest bounds knew That Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

Shiloh had once again become a place of blessing, because the Lord appeared there again, He revealed Himself, (not to every one), but to Samuel, by the word of the Lord. A spiritual revival had begun. It began first with Hannah, then with Samuel, and ultimately it spread to all Israel.

This is how true spiritual revival always begins. It always begins with an individual, but it is the work of the Living God, and it will then spread to others by His living word. May our prayer be "Lord let it begin with me!"

It seems that eight years passed before God began to execute His sentence of judgement on the house of Eli, and He did not finally fulfil the extent of His sentence until the removal of Abiathar from the priesthood, when Solomon came to the throne of Israel.1 Kings 2:26-27. This is a remarkable manifestation of the patience and the faithfulness of God. During this time Samuel had grown further, and was now a young man. He had gone out from the Tabernacle, to bring the word of God to a guilty people over a wide area. There is no doubt that the word that he delivered was with great power, and was carried by those affected to Israel’s furthest bounds, so that "All Israel" knew that he was now established as a prophet of Jehovah.

During this time Israel had been mightily oppressed by the Philistines, in fact right through the forty years of Eli being judge. It is thought that one message that Samuel brought to the people was for them to rise up and to throw off the cruel yoke of the Philistines. God gave this message so as to begin the events that would lead to the fulfilment of His word. It resulted in the deaths of thirty four thousand of the children of Israel, as well as Eli and his two sons. This was because the people were just as wicked as the two sons of Eli. God was not only going to judge those wicked priests, but also turn His hand against the wicked amongst His people. He too was going to destroy the very place where He had set His name at the first, because of the wickedness of His people. Jeremiah 7:12. He would use the power of the Philistines to bring judgement and disaster to the people that had forsaken Him. However the main burden of the message of the Lord to His people through Samuel was for them to turn from their sinful ways, to turn back to Him.

The people wished to be delivered from the yoke and burden of the Philistines, but they had no desire to turn away from their sin or to turn back to the Lord. This was their undoing, if they had been willing to humble themselves, and to turn from their sin. If they had been willing to turn again to God in genuine brokenness and true repentance, the outcome for them may have been much different.

As it was Israel, full of pride, presumption and self confidence got their army together, and confronted the Philistines. They camped at Ebenezer, and thus presumed on God’s help. (Ebenezer means ‘Stone of help’). The Philistines camped at Aphek which means ‘a strong enclosed place’. Israel presumed that because they obeyed what suited them of the word of God through Samuel, then surely God would help them to throw off the yoke of the Philistines. But it was more than twenty years later that Israel at last came to repentance. In chapter seven of 1 Samuel, they at last came to that condition. Then they were willing to put away the strange gods they had worshipped, and to cease the vile practices that accompanied the worship of such gods. At Mizpah, (chapter seven), they humbled themselves they confessed their utter weakness, and their complete dependence upon God. Then the Lord heard their cry, saw their state and came to their aid. The result was that they achieved a resounding victory over the Philistines. They recovered much that they had lost to the Philistines over the past forty or fifty years.

Let us learn from Israel’s mistake. God has not changed He is just the same today. He will brook no rival to His absolute supremacy in our lives. Simply obeying what suits us in His word will not secure His support, in the battle against the ‘Universal Lords of this darkness’. He will never honour presumption, or self-confidence. He expects nothing less than total submission to Himself, and total obedience to His word.

When the battle was finally joined, Israel met with shameful defeat, and four thousand of their troops were slain by the Philistines. The Elders of the people could not understand why this should be so. They acknowledged that it was Jehovah that had slain them, though He used the swords of the Philistines to do it. They could not understand this, because they had entered into battle at the Lord’s command through Samuel. Some then suggested that if they brought the Ark out of the Tabernacle into their midst, then they would be compelling God to come to their aid, (because the Ark was the symbol of His presence). They treated that Holy thing, as a lucky charm, thinking that it was sure to bring them victory. It was the symbol of the great might of their God, and when it was brought there was great rejoicing, so much so that the earth rang again.

There are many gatherings of believers today, that take hold of the promise of the Lord Jesus found in Matthew 18:20, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst". They consider that all they have to do is claim that promise, and the Lord will be with them, regardless of their state, whether they are living holy lives, or whether they are walking in obedience to His word. Though the Lord will honour that promise, whenever there is in the hearts of any two believers, a warm love for Him, and a longing to know His nearness, and to walk in obedience to His word, yet other verses seem to indicate that it is presumptuous to simply claim that promise, and to expect Him to manifest His power and glory, when we are not doing what pleases Him..1 Samuel 2:30. Malachi 3:7. God will not be treated as a convenience neither will He grant His support to those that give other things a place in our lives that rightly belongs to Him. Any thing that takes the place in our lives that belongs to God is an idol.

When the Philistines heard this shout, when they heard all the noise and excitement that filled the camp of the armies of Israel, their first reaction was one of fear. They said that God had come into the camp, but it was not so. Such a thing as the bringing of the Ark into the camp had not happened before. Though what God did to the Egyptians had happened three hundred and fifty years before, the memory of what He had done remained with them still. They had good reason to fear Jehovah and the Ark of His covenant, (as they found out later), but mere noise and excitement is no indication of the presence and blessing of God. Even today some regard noise and excitement as power, and the manifestation of God’s presence, but it is not necessarily so.

The Philistine’s fear turned to determination, it gave place to courage. They urged each other to fight to the death, for if they were to be defeated, Israel would then be free, and they would be slaves to them, as those people had been slaves to the Philistines for more than forty years. When the battle was joined disaster fell upon the armies of Israel, and a further 30,000 soldiers were slain. Also the two wicked sons of Eli, were slain by the Philistines, and what seemed to be worse, the Ark of the Covenant was captured. This filled the Philistines with pride and joy. They could now boast that not only had they subdued rebellious Israel, but they had triumphed over Israel’s mighty God, they had captured the symbol of His presence and His power. Little did they know that they were only being used by the Mighty Jehovah, to judge and to punish His guilty people: What they thought was a great victory, turned out to be their undoing.

While the Philistines rejoiced, Israel mourned. They were filled with remorse, but did not even then come to repentance. Remorse means one may regret the consequences of their actions, and the grief and disaster it may bring, yet repentance means that one grieves over the action itself, and themselves for committing the sin; and sufficiently so as to confess their guilt and failure and to lead the offender to change their actions, to turn around on the way that they are going. It took another twenty years for Israel as a nation to come to true repentance.

A man of Benjamin ran from the battle field with the tragic news, and when he came into the city (or village), and delivered the sad news, there was a great cry went up from that place. Not now as previously in the camp, a great shout of excitement, but a dreadful wail of bitter remorse. Poor old Eli was sitting on his special seat outside the gate of the Tabernacle, His heart was trembling for the Ark. (This seems to indicate that he had not approved of it being taken into the camp.) He had heard the uproar in the village, and feared the worst. The messenger’s appearance told Eli that all was not well, though because of his poor eye sight, he may not have been able to see the man. His torn clothes and the earth on his head would have been witness to all that could see him, that he was in a state of mourning, and that all was not well. Eli spoke to him in tones of affection, urging him to tell the sad news of all that had happened.

Then the messenger began to unburden his soul. "Israel has fled before the Philistines", disaster number one! It was always a matter of great shame when ever this happened. It revealed the sad state of the nation, because if they were right with God, then one of them would chase a thousand, Joshua 23:10, and Deuteronomy 20:1-8. This held disastrous connotations for Israel, because the cruel tyrant Philistines would humble the rebellious Israel further in the days ahead. "There has been a great slaughter among the people", disaster number two! So many precious lives had been lost, and all because of their sin and wickedness. ‘Thy two sons…are dead", disaster number three! God had begun to fulfil His word, which He had sent to Eli through the un-named prophet, and confirmed through His word to little Samuel. God’s judgment had begun to fall. God had waited many years for those wicked men to repent, but they chose to continue in their sin and wicked ways. Now they had reaped the fruit of their wickedness and rebellion. "The Ark of God is taken", disaster number four! This had never happened before in the history of the nation. What a terrible shame it was upon the nation, that their sin was so great, that God allowed the symbol of His presence to be taken captive by a heathen power. The Glory had departed as Eli’s daughter in-law proclaimed when the news reached her.

When Eli heard the news that the Ark of God was taken, it was too much for Him. The other news he could bear, but this was just too much for Him. His years of self indulgence now went against him he was old, and heavy. He fell backwards off his seat by the side of the gate of the Tabernacle, and his neck broke. That stiff neck, that had refused to bend before the word of God, now brought about his end. It seems that he died where he fell, yet the Spirit of God does not fail to give him credit for the good things that he had done during his life-time. Doubtless he had settled many a dispute during that time, and God did not overlook this. But he was unwilling to apply the Law to his own sons, because though he knew of their wicked doings, and though he warned them, yet he did not rebuke them. Now he paid the price for his laxity. All of these disasters are a warning to us!

It is interesting to note that though on the day when the system of sacrifice was inaugurated God slew the two sons of Aaron who when in a drunken state, offered strange fire to Him,(Leviticus 10:1-5). Yet how long God had endured the even greater wickedness of the two sons of Eli? God’s ways are past finding out, yet He is righteous and fair in all his dealings.

A fifth disaster then took place. It seems that the wife of Phinehas was seven months pregnant, and the shock of the terrible news that had been conveyed of the awful defeat that was conveyed by the messenger made her contractions to start. It seems that she was a woman of some discernment because her assessment of the situation is given in her priorities in verse 19. Her first concern was for the Ark, then for her father-in-law, and lastly for her husband. This showed her appreciation of the events, and it was all too much for her. To her the fact that the ark was now in enemy hands was the greatest tragedy. There was no longer any glory in Israel, it had departed. The nation had sunk to such a level, that the patience and long-suffering of Israel’s God could endure no more.

Then Eli, who though a weak character, and one that had used his office for his own personal enrichment, yet still had some positive features to commend him; but he too was gone. Her husband came last in her estimation, because he was a wicked man. But though so wicked, yet we are told by Jewish scholars that he was not as bad as his more- wicked brother Hophni. The poor woman did not even mention the name of her brother-in-law, whom she evidently despised.

Though the birth of a son would normally have brought great joy to any mother, yet the birth of Ichabod gave her no joy at all because of all the other disasters that had suddenly taken place. The women that attended her at the birth, tried to encourage her, telling her not to fear, but she had no more interest in living. Before her spirit departed she named the baby ‘Ichabod’, saying that because the Ark had been taken, the glory had departed form Israel. It is a sad fact that this name could be rightly written over much of the professing Church’s activities in the present time. Even as I write it has become public news, that the ‘Uniting Church’ in Australia, (similar to the C.S.I. in India), at their recent synod passed a resolution endorsing the ordaining of homosexual men as practicing priests, and also of lesbian women. Truly "the glory has departed!"

In this chapter we see how God takes care of His own glory when men fail so miserably. We read that the Philistines took the ark of God from Ebenezer to Ashdod. They probably carried it on their shoulders with great ceremony, demonstrating the fact that they considered that they had triumphed over the great God of Israel, and had humbled Him in so doing. God is careful to maintain His own glory and His greatness, the fact that He is superior to all the idols, or (demons), that men may worship.

With pride and triumph the Philistines set up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth, beside their god Dagon, as if to suggest that after all Dagon and Jehovah were equals. However when the inhabitants of Ashdod rose early in the morning, (probably to seek the blessing of their god on them and their daily activities); they found that during the night Dagon had fallen down before the Ark.

We must notice the contrast here between the devotion of these idolaters, with the laxity of the people of Israel, the people of God. This is so even today! Once when visiting the town of Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, (India). I had to go to the bus station in the very early morning. When travelling to it in a cycle rickshaw, I saw a well dressed man walking around an idol temple, with his hands together in the attitude of prayer. He was obviously praying to the demon that resided there, and as were the men of Ashdod, seeking its blessing on his day’s activities. This was at 4.30 in the morning! Yet most believers cannot trouble themselves to attend the Assembly prayer meeting, even though they have comfortable cars, and meet in comfortable halls. Shame on us! The devotion of the poor heathen that pray to gods that cannot help and to idols that cannot hear, would put us to shame.

The children of Israel who had the word of God, and who had experienced the call of the living God, could not trouble themselves to obey their God. They took all His blessings that he daily showered upon them, but never did they think of giving Him thanks. In Malachi’s day they offered to God what was worthless; animals that they could not sell in the market. This is an offence to the Great God who gives us all things richly to enjoy.

These benighted Philistines worshipped Dagon, which is said to be an idol that has the body of a fish up to the navel; and from there up has the body, the arms and head of a man. The Philistines were originally fro Crete, (Caphtor) and were known as the ‘Caphtorim’. Dwelling by the sea, they reaped the abundant harvest of the seas. Ashdod was a sea port where the fishing boats disgorged their cargos of fish. Thus their god was a fish, they worshipped that which gave them their livelihood. This is common with the practice of idolatry. In Tamil Nadu (India), there is a goddess called Meenakshi. I am told that this name means ‘the eye of the fish’. Also on the State owned bus lines, the logo on both sides of the bus is a fish, (this Meenakshi). The word ‘meen’ in both the languages Tamil and Malayalam means ‘fish’. Thus even there men worship the thing that provides their living.

Also in India one month of the year is devoted to the worship of the thing that provides their manner of transport, or of living. During this month you will see busses all splattered with sacred colour, like- wise trucks, cars, tractors etc. You will see limes and chillies hanging from bicycles etc. We may think this to be foolish, but I fear that even believers do something similar. If a believer has a shop, and it is the practice for shops to open on the Lord’s Day, then often the believer’s shop will be open also; (even if it means missing the meeting for remembrance and worship). In the lives of many, business or work, or education comes first. Profit comes before principles of honesty. When anything takes the place that God should have in our lives, then that thing is an idol. Should we not be ashamed of ourselves when these things are so?

The Philistines thought that what had happened to their idol was just bad luck, or some freak accident, so they just set up their fish god in his place again, and went on with their lives as usual. But the next night disaster struck again, and when the worshippers came to open the temple in the early morning, they found that their god had fallen before the Ark once more, but this time it was broken, smashed. Its head, its hands were cut off upon the threshold. God would not allow them to think that heir horrible idol was in any way equal with Him. A day is coming when every knee shall bow to our Lord Jesus Christ, the knees of every power or being, whether heavenly, earthly, or things under the earth, (infernal beings), every knee will bow to our Lord Jesus Christ, and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord; (the Supreme Master of all)! We are not told that they restored or repaired their god any more. So we read that the superstitions of the priests and people would not permit them to tread on the threshold of that temple in Ashdod thereafter. This led to the establishment of the practice of leaping over the threshold of the idol temple, and it seems that this was still being practiced in the days of Zephaniah; see verse nine of his book.

After God had thus vented His holy wrath on the god of the Philistines, He then turned his attention to those proud warlike people, and began to pour out His wrath upon them. This came in the form of two things. Emerods (haemorrhoids), which caused them great personal agony and discomfort, loss of blood etc. These at first were outward, but later became inward, and developed into tumours. This makes one think that these people were homosexuals, and the presence of these things would put an end to their sexual pleasure. Just as today there is the alarming spread of H.I.V.A.I.D.S, which began with homosexual men, but has since spread through dirty needles and heterosexual activities to a large portion of the population of some countries. This disease kills millions of people each year, and we hear the poor nations of Africa, (where immorality is rife), crying out for retroviral drugs that will enable the sufferers to live longer, and continue their vile practices. Whereas if the people would turn from their sin and return to a proper and decent way of living, the disease would die out in a generation or so. However people so love their sin, that even if it means death to them and others, they are determined to continue with it.

The second thing that God brought upon the people was pestilence, probably plague. This was spread by mice or rats, (in the Hebrew language the same word is used for both), which at the same time ruined their grain crops. This plague spread rapidly wherever the ark was taken, and it probably slew far more people than the Philistines had slain at Ebenezer. When mice increase to plague proportions it causes great misery for those in the area. There have been several mice plagues in Australia, especially in the wheat growing areas. I read of a believer, who was in very poor circumstances, and when there was a mice plague in his area, he laid down to sleep in his clothes, and as he slept the mice ate holes in his clothes. But when rats spread the plague virus, the death toll is terrible, and this is what must have happened to the Philistines.

The citizens of Ashdod were seized with panic, so they convened a meeting of the Lords of the Philistines to decide what to do with the Ark. Though there was such destruction of life amongst them, they were loathe to give up the Ark, which they regarded as an important trophy of their success against Israel. The Lords decided that it should be taken to Gath, and it was carried there with great ceremony by a circuitous route, but the destruction followed with it also. Thus the ark was sent from place to place, and the destruction was such, that a great cry went up to heaven. Not a cry of excitement as went up from the camp of Israel’s army, but a cry of anguish and of terror. It seems that the destruction was principally amongst the men. These were the very men that had warred with Israel, and those that did not die, of them suffered great agony and misery because of the haemorrhoids. So it is today, the preaching of the Gospel is a savour of life unto life, (in those that repent of their sins and accept it, but a savour of death unto death to those that reject it. (2 Corinthians 2:16).

Wherever the Gospel is preached, or is available to men, it adds to the guilt of those that hear, or are able to hear it. I often think of this when I visit some countries that are ruled by other powers. God has sent His people there to practice what the Bible teaches. And in lands where the preaching of the Gospel is forbidden, one can find hundreds of believers gathered for this purpose. Any locals that wish to hear the message of the Gospel can do so if they wish, by attending these gatherings.

Let us remember that if we are unfaithful, He abides faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13. (Darby Trans.) Let us heed the warning of this chapter, because when we are slack, or disobedient to the lord and His word, we may be responsible for the misery and judgment that falls upon others!

This chapter begins by telling us that the "ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months". What devastation must have been wrought amongst those people during that prolonged period? This shows us that wicked men are so slow to discern the judgment of God in any situation. It is the same today. Western nations have benefited so much because of the presence of the Bible amongst them; and also the presence of true and godly believers. Yet (to take the U.K. as an example), they have turned away from God, and from the Bible. Once the laws of that nation were based on the Bible, and justice was done, this can no longer be said. Even their national Church has done the same, and the Bible is no longer the final rule in practice, or the arbiter of what is right and wrong. Once that nation was called ‘Great Britain’, but it has turned away from the source of its greatness, and it is no longer ‘great’. The judgment of God is falling on that nation, and crime, corruption etc. is increasing at an alarming rate. Even the Assemblies of God’s people are in decline, and at least one building that used to be the meeting place of an Assembly, is now a Muslim mosque, just as many Churches have become.

Like the Philistines, these people are laughing, boasting that they have defeated the Christians, and that it is their intention to take over the world religiously, (which they probably will). But what terrible destruction and tribulation awaits them! God did not use armies and weapons to destroy the Philistines, but natural disasters. After seven months of terrible destruction at last they realised that the hand of Israel’s God was upon their gods, and upon them, so they decided to send the Ark back to its place.

They called for their priests and diviners, (they did not rely any more upon their political leaders), to tell them what to do with ‘the Ark of the Lord’. They advised that the Ark should not be sent away empty, the Lords of the Philistines must make a trespass offering, as if God could be bribed to lighten the awful judgment that He had sent upon them! Being religious men, they also reasoned that God was as interested in making money as they were. Demons may be bought off with money, ( and those that serve them also, even if they pose as the servants of God), but not the mighty Jehovah. When that Jehovah came into the world in the person of Christ, He disdained money. His mother was a poor village girl, He was born in a stable and cradled in a manger. He never handled money during His lifetime. The only things that He owned was the clothes that He wore, and at the end even these were taken from Him, and the soldiers gambled even over his body coat, (Singlet). And also His Cross, (no one wanted to take that from Him!) He taught His disciples that they were to take no money with them when they went out to serve Him, but they were to trust Him to supply their needs from day to day.

Because they had no faith they were not sure even yet that the devastation that was wrought amongst them was caused by the hand of God, or whether it was just bad luck. So they proposed that five golden Emerods, (haemorrhoids) should be made. (Copies of the terrible things that caused them such agony, and ruined their sexual pleasures).

The priests and diviners suggested that a new cart be made, two milking cows (that had calves), be tied to it, and the calves shut up at home. There was to be no driver, and the cows that were chosen were never to have been yoked before. The natural thing for those cows to do would be to so object to being tied (or yoked), they would make such a fuss, that they would probably break the cart, and go at once to their calves. I have been a farmer and know that this would be the natural result. If the Ark was to be returned to Israel, then a natural miracle must take place. It is a sad comment on the wilful disobedience of man, whether they were of Israel, or of the Philistines, that though they chose to disobey the word of God, (the Israelis), or to cling to their false gods and their sin, (the Philistines), yet these poor dumb creatures were so controlled by their Creator, that they meekly did what was most un-natural for them to do, in doing the will of God. They denied themselves the liberty that they were accustomed to,by allowing themselves to be tied to the cart). They denied the natural affection that their Creator had placed within them, by being prepared to be separated from their calves, even though it is possible that they could hear them calling their mothers in the distance. They were not without feeling, because they went straight down the highway, lowing (crying) as they went. They accepted a burden that was strange to them, (pulling the cart on which the Ark was placed). They left the territory that they were familiar with, and went to a strange land, (the land of Israel). They allowed God to guide them, and refused to turn aside from the chosen path of God’s will, no matter what temptations were offered, (good fresh green grass growing in the fields on either side of the road). When they reached God’s end, they went to the field chosen by God, (the field o0f Joshua the Bethshemeshite). They stood there by the ‘Great Stone’ and allowed themselves to be slain, and their bodies to be burned as a thanksgiving offering to God. God has endowed us with a much greater intellect, but who of us that read these words would be willing to do those things?

While all that the advisers suggested, the Lords of the Philistines stood by watching. They were to see a divine miracle unfold before their eyes. They saw these poor dumb creatures do what was completely contrary to nature. Yet they failed to believer that there was anything else in human experience, but luck, good or bad. They followed that cart, laden with the Ark of the Covenant, (no doubt hardly believing what they were seeing with their eyes), until it came to a standstill by the ‘Great Stone’, in the field of Joshua. Yet they were unmoved by it, and when all was over returned to their own place. There they continued to serve those dumb idols, and the demons that they represented. Such is the obdurate heart of man!

The men of Bethshemesh were reaping the wheat harvest. It is obvious that there was no plague of mice there, such as destroyed the crops of the Philistines, and spread the plague amongst them. The town of Bethshemesh had been given to the Kohathite-Levites, Joshuah 21: 10-16. Thus it seems that the poor cows had been guided to exactly the right place.

The men of Bethshemesh left off their harvesting, rejoicing, yet amazed that the Ark had returned to its covenant people. These Kohathites now did what they were called by God to do; they took up the Ark from off the cart and placed it on the Great Stone. Some Jewish scholars believe that there was an ancient altar that had been built on that stone by Abraham, centuries before. Though it was contrary to the law of the offerings, the priests that were amongst them offered those patient beasts as a thank offering to Israel’s God. God overlooked their ignorance, (as He still does today, when his people out of a pure motive offer the sacrifice of praise, but not in an intelligent way). Instead he saw and appreciated their obvious joy at seeing the Ark return to them.

The Lords of the Philistines looked on while these men broke up that new cart, slew the cows, and offered the sacrifice. They broke up the cart, because it could never be used again to convey the Ark. David learned to his sorrow that no mere mechanical means could be used to convey the Holy Ark. It had served its purpose, and now its only use was as wood for the offering. Having seen all these things take place, yet their hearts were unchanged, and they returned to their place and to their old ways.

Some of these Levites were overcome with curiosity. There was a certain mystery about that Ark, something that they could not understand. Was there something magic inside the Ark that had caused such disaster, both amongst them, and also amongst the Philistines? They decided to satisfy their curiosity, they lifted its golden lid, and immediately seventy men were struck dead. Historians believe that there was a thunderbolt from heaven that slew those seventy men.

The Ark is perhaps the most perfect type of Christ that there is in the Old Testament. There is a mystery about the Person of Christ that we will never be able to unravel. He could say, "No one knows the Son, but the father", Matthew 11:27. There is that about His person that we will never be able to understand. This is because He is infinite, and we are, and always will be, finite. Those that have tried to delve into this mystery, (such as some of the learned professors in the seminaries of this world) have been smitten by God, and are spiritually dead. This is why in the writings of such "learned" people there is so much ridiculous error. God will always rebuke such audacious curiosity. The secret things belong to our God, but that which is revealed is for us and our children forever. Deuteronomy 29:29.

There is some confusion as to the numbers quoted here. Two numbers are given 50,000, and seventy. It has been suggested that the 50,000 could not possibly refer to the men of Bethshemesh, so it possibly refers to the number of men that were slain amongst the Philistines while the Ark was in their country. The seventy probably refers to the men of Bethshemesh, whose curiosity God mrebuked.

The result of the slaying of the curious, was that those that survived that disaster were made to realise something of the Holy nature of Jehovah, and of His Ark. It seems that they were not willing to meet His holy requirements, but instead only though of getting rid of the Ark, lest more of their sinful character be discovered, and more of them were to fall under God’s judgment. So they sent to the men of Kiriath Jearim, telling that the Philistines had brought the Ark back again. (Though they had not done so), it was Jehovah Himself that had brought it back again. Their only thought was to get rid of the Ark. They were like the Gadarenes of the N ew Testament, who would rather have their pigs, and rather that the formerly demon possessed man should continue in his misery, than to have the Lord Jesus present in their village, so they besought the Lord Jesus to depart from them. Luke 8:27-39. What a blessing they denied themselves by sending the Ark away? If only they had searched their hearts, and searched the scriptures that they were to teach to others, they would have discovered why God was angry with them. Instead they preferred to continue in their sin and ignorance, and to deny themselves the blessing that the presence of the Ark would have been to them! We read later that God blessed the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, and all that he had because of the presence of the Ark in his house.

The Ark never returned to Shiloh again, and we read in Psalm 78:67 that Jehovah refused the tabernacle of Joseph. Historians believe that after the victory of the Philistines over Israel, that Samuel took what remained in the tabernacle at Shiloh, and hid it away for safe keeping. The Philistines evidently returned again, and they totally destroyed the Tabernacle at Shiloh. The Ark remained in a house, until King David had a special tent made for it at Jerusalem, where Hiram King of Tyre had built him a palace.

Perhaps there may be something prophetic about this: In the Church publicly all kinds of evil are being practiced, such as mentioned in an earlier chapter, the ordination of women, and of unsaved and even homo-sexual men, and lesbian women to the priesthood. There are evils being practiced that are too many to mention. All of the same sins that corrupted the priesthood, and the nation of Israel, and finally led to the Tabernacle at Shiloh being destroyed; are to be found in the Public body of the Church today. We also find today that there is a growing House Church movement, and perhaps this is how the Church will end. The Church began in a house, maybe it will end there?

The New Testament emphasises the importance of the believer’s household. We should seek that the Lord Jesus may be honoured and glorified in our homes. I have proved in my travels around the world, that the believer’s home is a beautiful place. When travelling in India, I have often been awakened by the sound of singing; the family were gathered together for their early morning devotions, and were singing the praises of God. I know of no sweeter sound! This is the place where children should learn to pray, and to worship the Lord. This is where young people should be grounded in the scriptures, as gathered around ‘The Ark’, (the Person of Christ); the father of the family opens the scriptures and explains their meaning to the family.

The men of Kirjath-Jearim had a greater sense of the holiness of God, and of behaviour that was proper in His sight. So they came, without any fear or terror, and took up the Ark, and carried it into the house of Abinadab on the hill. The name Abinadab means ‘Father of nobleness’, this man demonstrated his nobility by preparing a room in his house for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of All the Earth! He was a Levite and he sanctified his son to its care and ministry. Thus began for him seventy years of blessing.

During the next 29 years Samuel moved about amongst the tribes of Israel faithfully ministering the word of God, and exhorting the people to repentance. He was a young man of blameless character, and as we noticed earlier, God let none of his words fall to the ground. Perhaps during that time he thought that it was all a wasted effort. Year followed weary year as he ministered to the people, and it seemed that his words were like water on a duck’s back. Or it seemed that they went in one ear and out the other, but it was not so. This should be an encouragement to every faithful minister of the word. Keep at it my brother! Remember Paul’s final charge to Timothy, "Preach the word, be instant, (earnest), in season and out of season". "Be not weary in well-doing, for in due time you shall reap, if you faint not." But Samuel did not only preach to the people, but he prayed for them also. Faithful Hannah also was praying, and probably others here and there. Then after more than twenty years of faithful preaching, and judging between opposing parties, Samuel began to see a change. Israel began to lament after the Lord. During this time a new generation of warriors had grown up amongst the Philistines who still kept Israel under oppression. Israel then showed a willingness to return to the Lord. However Samuel told them that if they were to do this, they must do so with all their hearts, and to show that they really meant it they must put away the ‘strange gods’ that were amongst them. God was jealous of His rights over them, and He would not tolerate any challenge to His supremacy. Israel must prepare their hearts by genuine repentance and the confession and forsaking of their sin and unfaithfulness, they must serve the Lord only. He gave them the assurance that if they were to do this, then (and only then), God would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines.

The people of Israel were true to their words, they renounced the supremacy of Baal, and they put away the strange gods that were amongst them. The name Baal simply means ‘Lord’, and there were many of these that claimed to rule over the people in different areas. The challenge to us is "are we willing to do the same?" While it is agreed that most believers would never think of having an idol in their house, yet we use the title ‘Lord’ very loosely. However we are often lax in our obedience to the Lord Jesus and His word. He could challenge those to whom He preached, and those that He healed saying, "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, yet do not the things that I say?" Luke 6:46. He is jealous over us, just as He was over Israel. He will not share the throne of our hearts with another. He will not tolerate any rival in our affections or devotion. As another has said, "He must be Lord of all, or else He is not Lord at all."

Samuel then instructed them to gather all Israel to Mizpeh, (which means watch-tower). This was not the Mizpah that was in Gilead, but a place near to where Israel had suffered such a humiliating defeat more than twenty years before. There Samuel promised to pray for them. There they would be under the eye of God who sees what men conceal. There they would witness the power of prayer.

When they gathered there, it was in a totally different spirit and attitude than they had displayed twenty years before. There they drew water and poured it out on the ground before the Lord. By this action they testified to their total weakness, 2 Samuel 14:14. When they did this, they put themselves in the way of receiving the strength of Jehovah. Paul could say, "When I am weak, then am I strong. The Lord Jesus said to him, "My strength is made perfect in weakness". 2 Corinthians 12:9. There they fasted and confessed their sin to Jehovah, they prepared their hearts. Such action is always commendable. The fasting showed their real sincerity. They felt their state so deeply that they lost all desire to eat they denied themselves of the food that was quite legitimate for them. So much that is called fasting today is not fasting at all! One hears of meetings for ‘fasting and prayer’, but though the believers may go without breakfast, yet as soon as the prayer time is ended, then they indulge in a big feast. Such fasting will never move the heart and hand of God.

Next we read that Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. This means that they not only did the former, but they settled the matters of broken relationships and disputes between them. They not only got right with God, but they got right with each other also. These things would teach us the way to spiritual revival, because what followed was the greatest revival amongst the children of Israel from the days of Joshua until the end of David’s reign. If we wish to experience revival, whether in our personal lives, or in our Church or Assembly, or in the wider sense, then this is the way to do so.

The Philistines were quick to notice this large gathering of the people of Israel. They immediately saw a threat to their dominion, and came up with their army. They were intent on crushing any revolt that they thought that Israel might be planning. Israel was full of fear, they had not anticipated an attack of the enemy, and they had come un-prepared, they had no weapons. But they had something more mighty than weapons, that is, they had a broken and contrite heart, and a total dependence upon God, they were truly humble. They pleaded with Samuel to pray for them, so that God would save them out of the hands of the Philistines. What a change there was from the attitude of the army in chapter four? Samuel did pray for them, but he did more than pray. He took a female sucking lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering on an altar that he built in that place. This offering was representative of the state and attitude of the people. Just as the sucking lamb was weak and helpless and absolutely dependant upon its mother for what it needed to stay alive; so they too were weak and helpless, and if they were to survive this threatened onslaught of the enemy, then God was their only hope; they were totally dependant upon Him!

As Samuel was in the act of offering the burnt offering the Philistine drew near to battle. This would not have been a battle really, but a massacre, because the children of Israel had no weapons to defend themselves with. It was then that God intervened on behalf of His repentant and dependent people. He spoke from heaven in mighty thunder with lightning, which terrified the Philistines. God now fulfilled the prophecy of Hannah in part, chapter 2:10 and the latter half of that verse will be fulfilled when the Lord Jesus, (His King) will come in His glory. They witnessed once more the sovereign intervention of God, not now to protect His Ark, the symbol of His presence; but on behalf of His now humbled, repentant and dependant people. They turned and ran, and in their haste to get away, cast down their weapons. History records that God also sent an earthquake at that time, and great fissures opened in the ground, and many of the Philistines fell into these cracks, and were buried alive. The unarmed Israelis then armed themselves with the weapons that were thrown away by the Philistines, and slew their enemies with their own weapons. First God smote the Philistines and most of those that remained were slain by the people of Israel. God’s victory was complete, and Samuel was quick to recognise this. He set up a stone as a monument to God’s help, and called it Ebenezer, (stone of help), saying hitherto hath the Lord helped us. This also demonstrated his faith and expectation that God would grant further help. God did this also, because without any recorded war, the Philistines gave up their possession of villages that they had taken from Israel. Romans 8:31.

Also the fame and power of Israel was such, that even the remnant of the Canaanites feared them and made peace with them. This fulfilled what we are told in Proverbs 16:7. Thus began an era of peace and prosperity such as those living in Israel had never known in their lifetime. Truly the path of obedience, humility and total surrender to God, is the path of peace and spiritual prosperity!

Samuel’s godly influence now increased, and he continued to judge Israel all the days of his life, even after he had anointed Saul to be king over Israel. He went out in a circuit to numbers of places, where the people came to him with their problems. There he was able to settle these matters, to reconcile opposing parties, ant to teach and to give advice from the law, (the word of God). I wonder if Hannah was still living at the time of Israel’s restoration. If it was so what joy would have filled her heart, as she witnessed the miracle of God’s restoring work. It would have been such a comfort to her to know that the person that God had used to bring His people back to His feet again, was the one that she had borne through prayer and pain!

The chapter closes with a reference to Samuel’s family life. After every tour of his circuit of duty he returned to his house which was at Ramah. He built an altar unto the Lord there, and doubtless offered sacrifices on it. He saw to it that his family were taught the ways and the worship of God, but sadly his two sons did not follow his ways. Though Shiloh had been destroyed and the furniture of the Tabernacle and perhaps the Tabernacle itself hidden away by Samuel, for safe keeping. He could no longer offer sacrifices on the brazen altar, so he built an altar to the Lord at his home, and served the Lord in both worship and prayer there.

It has been proved that wherever the family altar has been maintained, it has been a source of strength, and a blessing. I fear that today the television has largely taken the place of the family altar in many homes. Whereas once the whole family gathered each day around the Bible, to pray and to sing the praises of God and to feed upon His word, it is sadly very rare today. Instead often the whole family gather around the T.V to be entertained, and to fill their minds with what is unclean. Is it any wonder that our children and young people go astray? Is it any wonder that the Church or local Assembly is in such a powerless state? Let us follow the ways of godly Samuel!

FIRST SAMUEL CHAPTER EIGHT

Samuel spent a further twenty eight or more years in those days of prosperity and peace, judging the children of Israel. He reached what was regarded by the people as old age. During this time his wife had given birth to two sons, and he had trained them to be judges. It seems that he appointed them to Beersheba in the very south of Israel, as he would be no doubt more restricted in his movements than when he was younger. However we are told that his sons’ walked not in his ways’. They were not of the same moral and spiritual calibre as their godly father. This is a very sad fact that was reported, and we might wonder why it was? It seems to be quite out of character that a godly man such as Samuel was should have sons that did not walk in their father’s ways, or follow his example.

Perhaps it was because he was away so much as he moved from place to place judging the people and presenting the word of God to them. It is a fact that sometimes the most-godly men do not make the best fathers. In Song of Solomon the Shulamite had to lament, "They made me the keeper of the vineyard; but mine own vineyard have I not kept" Song of Songs 1:6. One that is called to serve the Lord on an itinerant basis, needs to either be single, or else he needs to have a faithful wife who will be both mother and father to any children she may bear. Or else should have no children and take his wife with him as he travels. It seems that the Apostle Peter did this, 1 Corinthians 9:5 as did James and Jude, the brethren of the Lord. If one is called to the service of the Lord as described above, and is married and has children, then it is probably wise for them to choose a place of residence where they can remain at home with their wife and children, until such time as the children are grown and mature enough to make their own decisions. Our children are our first responsibility!

The life of the Lord’s servant can sometimes be a lonely one, if they are called to leave home and family for prolonged periods. They need our prayers that they may be kept from sin and from yielding to temptation. After all is said and done, they are only human, and are often confronted with temptation. It is my own prayer that I may be kept from sin and unfaithfulness, lest I should bring the precious name of the Lord Jesus into shame and disrepute. Paul spoke of the battles that he had with himself in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27, greatly fearing lest after having preached to others he himself should be castaway. (That is to be rejected by the Lord from serving Him).

Samuel’s sons though trained, and trusted with great responsibility, turned aside after money and took bribes, allowing monetary considerations to pervert their judgment. Perhaps they had grown up in comparatively poor circumstances, because it is obvious that Samuel had no interest in money, and he refused to indulge in luxury in the kind of home that he had, and the kind of material life that they lived. While Samuel could gladly accept whatever the Lord supplied, yet these boys must have decided that if ever they were entrusted with a position of authority, they would use that position for their own comfort and well being. This is always a temptation to the servants of the Lord. It is a trap into which many have fallen, and some (like the sons of Eli), have made themselves fat, have become millionaires, and they are skilled in the art of getting money out of people, Such an attitude is hateful to God, and when sending His Apostles out to preach, the lord Jesus encouraged them to live a life of poverty, eating what God provided, and sleeping where He ordained. Just as He did Himself! The Apostle Paul lived such a life also as he describes in Philippians 4:10-14. The servant of the Lord will enter into riches and luxury when his service here is ended.

Nevertheless the saints are to see to it that the needs of God’s servants are met, and the poor believers are probably more diligent in this matter, because they are often the most generous. This was so with the Philippians who sent small gifts to Paul several times. When he mentioned the advisability of ministering to the needs of the poor saints at Jerusalem, though their poverty was both abundant and deep, yet they pressed Paul to take the money that they offered. He used their willingness and generosity to shame the rich believers in the Church at Corinth into giving from their abundance. 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.

This sad shortcoming of the sons of Samuel, gave an excuse to the elders of Israel, to ask Samuel, (who had grown old by this time, but it seems that he lived for another sixty two years after this), to make them a King to judge them, like all the nations had. But this request displeased Samuel. It was not that he cared about his position, or that he wanted his sons to be rulers over the people that he loved so much. But God had told them in His word that the time would come when they would want a king like the nations. Deuteronomy 17:14-20. So He was not surprised that the elders should make this request. However God was deeply grieved that they should wish to change the order that He had instituted. It meant that they were rejecting Him from reigning over them. The Lord told Samuel that they had not rejected him, (Samuel), but that they had rejected the Lord from reigning over them. Samuel had never reigned over them, but had humbly served them as God’s representative. He had never laid claim to pomp or greatness, but humbly got on with the work that God had given him to do.

The people by their request had revealed their gross ingratitude to God for all that He had done for them. Ever since He had brought them out of Egypt, until that very day; they had returned to their old ways again, and now they wanted to have a King like the Nations around them.

Perhaps we can see a similar situation today in many of the Assemblies that we love. One of the first things that God showed to our early Brethren was the wrong of one man ministry. In fact J.N.Darby, who had himself been an ordained clergyman, wrote a tract about this matter and gave it the title of, ‘The Notion of a Clergyman, Dispensationaly the Sin Against the Holy Spirit’. It has been the practice of the denominational Churches to ordain men to rule over their congregations. This practice goes right back to post Apostolic days, and was the fulfilment of the prophecy of the Apostle Paul, Acts 20:29-30, and is condemned by the Lord Jesus in His letters to the seven Churches, where He draws attention to the doctrine, and the deeds of the Nicolaitines. Revelation 2:6 & 15.

However we find today in the sad departure from the truth of God’s word that has come in, many Assemblies have appointed, or inducted ‘Pastors’ or a ‘Pastor’, to rule over them, and they pay those persons a salary also. In at least one case that I know of, the ‘Pastor’ has been divorced and has married again. This is all in an attempt to "Be like the Nations", (the denominations), and is the rejection of the reign of God, through His word.

The sequence of events shows us the close fellowship that Samuel enjoyed with God. Ever since that wonderful night when he heard the voice of God for the first time, Samuel was in the habit of communing with God, and God spoke to him, and revealed His will to His servant. God spoke now to Samuel, and revealed to him His feelings of grief over their request, yet He told Samuel to grant that request, but he was to warn them of what they could expect their king to do to them. When man is exalted to a place of power and glory, there always is a price to pay, and Israel was to pay very dearly for their sin in this matter.

The rest of the chapter is taken up with Samuel’s faithful setting before the elders what this was going to cost them, yet in spite of these warnings, they still refused to listen and to obey the voice of Samuel. They said "No; but we will have a king over us;" It seems to be the way still with carnal people, whatever it may cost them, they love to have the pomp, the show, the glory of having an earthly ruler or leader who they can point to. These people wanted to be like the nations; that had oppressed and enslaved them. Their desire was that their king would ‘judge them,’ ‘go out before them’, and ‘fight their battles.’ But the king that God gave them did none of these things. Samuel was their judge until his death, he told their king what to do, in many situations, and the king finally died fighting a losing battle with the Philistines.

God was angry with His people because of their ingratitude, and their rejection of Himself and His reign. He had fought their battles for them, as we have seen in the previous chapter, but they willingly forgot this. So He "gave them a king in His anger, and took him away in His wrath", Hosea 13:11. They were to pay very dearly for their folly. Samuel rehearsed their words in the in the ears of the Lord. This shows once again, the intimacy that he enjoyed with Jehovah. The people had no such access into the presence of God, they were not a praying people, neither did they seek His will, nor did they wish to do what was pleasing to Him, in spite of all that He had done for them. How sad! Samuel sent the people away to their homes again, assuring them that God would give them a king in His own time.

This is indeed a sad chapter, and one that is full of warning for us. Let us heed the warning!

Chapter ten gives us the details surrounding the anointing of Israel’s first king. It seems that though Saul had lived an ungodly life, God took pains to show him that if he was to rule His people righteously, then he could only do so with the help and guidance of God. As we have noticed previously, during his life he was not in the habit of praying, nor did he seek the company and fellowship of those that were walking with God. It seemed that he had dismissed those that were religious from his thinking, as he regarded them as only being after money, and using their position for their own material gain. God had to teach Saul that though He had been misrepresented by those that claimed to serve Him, yet there were those that in spite of all, still remained faithful to Him, and if Saul was wise he would make friends of such people. God also took pains to show him the wonder of the resources that He had at His disposal, and would make available to Saul, if he was willing to accept such. The anointing of Saul, gave God no pleasure, as He said in Hosea 13:11, yet He tolerated the same and wished to teach His people a lesson, and at the same time He made plain to Saul all that He could and would do for him if he was willing.

A careful study of scripture will show that the vial is always connected with God’s displeasure, and His judgement. It is sometimes called a ‘box of oil’ in the Old Testament, and also a ‘bowl’ in the New Testament. Whereas the horn of oil is mostly connected with God’s pleasure. David was anointed with a horn of oil, 1 Samuel 16:13. So being divinely instructed Samuel took a vial of oil and anointed Saul, then he kissed him, showing his affection for him, even though he knew what kind of a king he would be. Samuel then told Saul what would happen to him that day, and Saul had nothing to do with these events, as if God was showing him from the very beginning that He was in charge, and all was in His hands.

First he would meet two men by Rachael’s tomb, and they would tell him that his father’s lost asses had been found. This would be a humbling thing to Saul, as it would show that the dumb asses had more sense than he did. He was more lost than the asses were! However God used his rashness and foolishness to bring to pass what He had ordained should happen. This is something that we should all take notice of. That is the folly of setting out on any venture without first seeking the guidance and help of God. Then also it will help us if we realise that God is even able to turn our mistakes about to our blessing, and to His glory.

Then Saul would meet three men going up to Bethel to worship, and they would give him two loaves of bread. In this event God was showing Saul that He would supply his daily needs, and He would do it through those that were actively serving Him. Next he would meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. These would be musical people and they would be singing Psalms of praise to God. The garrison of the Philistines would also be there, and this would be a painful reminder to Saul of the bondage in which the people of Israel were. The Spirit of the Lord would come upon him, and he who had left God out of his life; and lips that had never prayed or sang praises to God. That same (unlikely) person would do what he had never done before. The same Spirit of the Lord would enable him to express thoughts that by nature he was incapable of, and would transform him.

All these things came to pass just as Samuel had said. Also Samuel told him what to do on a future occasion, he was to go to Gilgal, (the place of circumcision), and he was to wait there seven days until Samuel came. This event did not take place until two years later, but in what Samuel said, Saul was warned not to give way to his rash and impatient spirit, and he failed in this.

When Samuel had finished passing on his instructions and Saul turned away to go from Samuel, it is said that ‘God gave him another heart’. So from that point onwards Saul had two hearts, and thereafter there was a constant battle between those two hearts. Please note that it does not say that God changed his heart, but He gave him another heart. There was an obvious outward change in Saul’s life, as God had promised to ‘turn him into another man’, verse 6. This outward change was visible to those that knew him. It was a surprise to them that such a one as he, was ‘amongst the prophets’, so much so that the expression became a proverb to them. They were asking with surprise, "What is this that has come unto the son of Kish?" Thus God demonstrated what He was able to do, and what He would do, if only Saul would surrender his whole life to God’s control! Once he had ended prophesying, (probably singing the praise of God), he came to the ‘High Place". The tabernacle was gone now, it had been for many years, and these ‘High Places’, were places where God permitted worship, and sacrifice to be offered to Him. Saul came to such a place. It would seem that throughout his life time, he had never frequented such places. When he reached the family home, his Uncle (probably Ner, father of Abner), recognized that something had happened to his nephew, and he began to ask questions. Where had they been? Saul told that when they could not find the asses, they then went to Samuel to seek his help in finding the lost asses. Then the uncle asked, "Tell me I pray thee what Samuel said unto you" Saul replied that Samuel had "told us plainly that the asses were found", but told him nothing about his anointing, and of kingdom.

The time had now come for what Samuel had done privately to be made known publicly, so representatives of all the tribes and families of Israel were summoned to come before the Lord at Mizpeh.

There Samuel outlined once more the wonderful ways of God. Ever since their national beginning, when on that "beginning of months’, that first day of the year He had delivered them from Egypt’s slavery. Almost 400 years had elapsed since that time, and during those 400 years God had constantly manifested His patience, His goodness, and His kindness to them. He had repeatedly delivered them from the slavery of the many nations that had oppressed them. Yet in spite of all this they had rejected His rule and desired that a king should reign over them. Now the time had come when God was to grant them their desire. So they resorted to casting lots, to understand who it was that God had chosen to be their king. To the surprise of all, each tribe was eliminated, but the smallest tribe was chosen. Then the families of that tribe were gone through until the family of Matri was chosen. Finally by process of elimination, Saul was chosen, but he was not there. Samuel enquired of the Lord further, and God answered that Saul was there but that he was hiding amongst the baggage. So he was brought, and presented to Israel as their king. Samuel told them that Saul was unique he was just what the people wanted physically. Then a great shout of excitement went up from the crowd, and the people used a phrase that they had never used before, "God save the king".

Samuel then told the people the laws of the kingdom, and those statutes were written in a book and it was laid up before the Lord. Samuel then dismissed the people and they returned to their homes, but when Saul returned to his house, a band of men, "whose hearts God had touched" went with him, and became his body guard. So it seems that things returned again to normal. However there were some men that refused to accept the plain ordering of God. Perhaps they were jealous? Maybe they expected God to choose a king from their tribe, or from amongst themselves? So they despised Saul, they sent him no presents, saying, "How shall this man save us?" But Saul held his peace which was a token of his humility, just as his hiding amongst the baggage was also.

This sometimes happens amongst God’s people. It maybe that God, by the Holy Spirit, raises up a brother to a position of leadership and eldership. But sometimes carnal men, who want a place of prominence for themselves, will start a smear campaign, to try and denigrate that person. Such like Absalom have been known to get the support of ignorant or carnal people, and often of their relatives, and raise a revolt against the one that the Holy Spirit is setting over the Assembly. Such people have been known to divide the Assembly in order to get the place for themselves that they lust after. Such conduct is hateful to God, and in His own time He will deal with the rebels. Saul’s example in this case was commendable, he did not rise up in anger, he did not seek to defend himself, he just remained silent, and left all in the hands of God. Those that are similarly attacked would be wise to follow his example. To be like the Lord Jesus, who when "He was reviled, reviled not again, and when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously". 1 Peter 2:23

Thus, (like the Galatians) Saul began well, but like them also he did not continue well. His humility and his goodness was "like a morning cloud" "like the early dew that went away", Hosea 6:4. This comes as a challenge to us. As another has said, "It is not the start, but the finish that counts. What a wonderful King we have! (The King of Kings.)May God work in your life and mine, so that we may be like Him, and manifest His character here, while we wait for Him to come for us, to take us home to be with Himself, and then later to come with us to set up His kingdom here!