How Can We Hear the Voice of God?: Daily Thoughts from 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 3)

There is a disturbing sentiment in much of evangelical Christianity that God does not speak to us personally but that we should expect His voice to be heard only in Scripture, because in Scripture is all we need to guide us. So why did God appear to Paul in Corinth to tell him not to be afraid (Acts 18:9-11) when Paul could have gotten that truth from Scripture itself? God very much wants this intimate kind of relationship with us.

He wants it with Samuel and goes to great lengths to develop it.

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

And the LORD called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”

And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD. (1 Samuel 3, ESV)

Samuel had been ministering before Yahweh but he didn’t know Yahweh. The religion of Israel and so the religion of Christianity, has never been one of mere assent to the facts. Fact, Yahweh is God and therefore must be worshiped. But there has always been the factor of a personal relationship that Yahweh desires, a knowing of Him that He longs for and requires. Samuel knew about God but he didn’t know God. His soul had not made personal contact with God.

God is calling us all the time, calling us to this intimate relationship. It may not be in as dramatic a fashion as His calling to Samuel, but it is there nonetheless. And when we hear Him beckon us we must respond and we must certainly obey what He tells us. Eli’s advice is worth heeding. When you sense the Lord, say to Him, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.”

And like in Samuel’s day, when there are those who will listen to and obey God, He will speak all the more. Yahweh had not been speaking much in Israel and especially at Shiloh, because Eli had not been honoring Him. But Samuel did and Yahweh appeared once again at Shiloh. Are we experiencing a drought of God’s presence and voice?

Samuel has now become recognized as a prophet of Yahweh by all Israel. The reversal of fortune between Samuel and Eli and sons is progressing and Samuel is being given a glimpse of it by Yahweh Himself to prepare both Samuel and Eli for what is about to take place. Samuel is being primed to take Eli’s place and Eli is resigned to it. Could Eli even at this point have done something to correct what his sons were doing. Probably. Yahweh’s predictions of judgment are always invitations to repentance.