I Samuel 3:1 - 4:1 - The Lord Calls Samuel

I Samuel 3:1 - 4:1

19 Now Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and He let none of his words fail. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.

Message: The Lord Calls Samuel

Time: This book is a biography of Samuel's life and career up to his death. It took place over a period of about 110 years, stretching from the closing days of the judges, when Samuel was born (ca. 1120 BC) through the death of Saul (1011 BC).

What the Lord is Saying: Verse 1 seems to highlight a difference between the two sons of Eli and now Samuel. It states, "Now the boy Samuel" in contrast to the words of I Samuel 2 of his sons and "the report is not good" (2:24). The reality is those individuals who marked their lives consistently in growing up in the Lord and ministering to the Lord were rare. 

In this 2nd chapter the Lord calls Samuel and yet Samuel does not recognize the Lord. He thinks instead it is Eli. This happens 3 tunes through verse 8. Verse 7 says, "Samuel did not yet know the Lord." Then in verse 9, Eli instructs Samuel on how to answer the next time he hears the Lord. 

The Lord is speaking a word to Samuel and that word is He will curse Eli and his household. The issue was "because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he (Eli) did not rebuke them" (v.13). One problem was the sin and the other was the father not rebuking the sin. The sin needs to be called out and brought to the attention of others as not being acceptable. 

Samuel is now scared to tell Eli (v. 15), but eventually he does and Eli accepts it - "It is the Lord: let Him do what seems good to Him" (v. 19). It was not good for Eli, but he would accept it. As what is important is that it is good for the Lord. That's the crux of this. God will do what is best for Him in the moment. 

Thus:

• Samuel grew and the Lord was with him (v. 19)
• [he] let none of his words fail (v. 19)
• he was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord (v. 20)
• the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel (v. 21)
• the word of Samuel came to all Israel. (4:1)

The Lord speaks not simply alone himself, but uses people to speak through. This chapter chronicles the life of Samuel up to being a prophet. It started with his mother dedicated him to God's service and then he responded by growing up in the Lord. But even as God spoke to him, he did not hear Him as Lord. He needed instruction and Eli as a priest provided him that guidance and instruction so that next time the Lord called him, he heard. And then God asked him to do something and He replied and did it and in the process he became one God can count on. He grew to be a Prophet of the Lord and eventually one that speaks to all of the people. There is a progression here with many involved, his mother, a priest, and the Lord ultimately. 

Summary: Samuel, unlike Eli’s sons, is growing with the Lord God, as a prophet, and bringing God’s word to Israel. 

Promise: I need to take time daily to listen to God. 

Prayer: Father God, I am yours, created by You to not only live morally but to live always pleasing to You. Samuel modeled this and I pray my life now and going forward will be a life well lived according to the truth of who you are and who I am in You. I am to bring You glory. Like Eli’s sons though I am often so selfish and am only seeking what makes me feel good. I ask for strength each day, Your strength, so that I will be one that honors You. I ask this and come to You in the name of Jesus and because of Him. Amen 

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John 9:24-33 - Opening Blind Eyes

John 9:24-33

24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

Message: Opening Blind Eyes

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: Jesus was just walking by the temple and saw a man born blind and spoke to him, but the discourse we have throughout much of John 9 is Jesus answering the disciples and then the Jews interacting with the blind man following Jesus healing him. John here takes time to allow this former blind man to provide the defense of Jesus. In the previous lesson, the Pharisees spoke to him. These seem to be different Pharisees that don't have the same history as others about Jesus. In the previous passage, they have concerns about Jesus healing on the sabbath and the former blind man's response is he is a prophet. It seems that this blind man is going through a process of trying also to figure out who Jesus is as well and perhaps the Pharisees questioning him is helping him process. 

These Jews don't believe what the former blind man has said and so go to his parents for their testimony but they tell them to ask their son. And that is how the previous passage finishes and so today we have the Pharisee's going back to the former blind man and they speak to him with authority asking him to tell the truth (Give Glory to God; sort of like one placing a hand on the Bible in a court room). The Pharisee's have already made up their mind. This is common among people. Many people are not really out to figure Jesus out, but rather they are set to confirm their own suspicions. And the blind man responds that all that he knows is he can now see. His life is a living testimony. He is not a theologian, but he knows that he has been affected. 

This is a great testimony. We do not need to be theologians to talk to people or defend our Christianity. We can start by simply telling them how we have been affected. My friend and I were at the mall recently and after saying to a man that God loves you and him saying there is not a God, while surprised by his response, I never offered what He had done in my life. But the Pharisees continue to say that this former blind man is a disciple while they are a disciple of Moses. 

And then the man starts to educate the Pharisees. Jesus opened his eyes. There are references in scripture that seem to infer that God does not hear sinners (Psalm 66:18, Jeremiah 11:11). But we also know that those who do God's will and fear Him, God will listen (verse 31). This seems to be the former blind man's defense to the Jews asserting that Jesus is a sinner (v. 24). This is interesting. I still think this former blind man is still trying to understand who Jesus is and he is also trying to figure out his own theology. I wonder what this is about, as there is a contrast being mentioned. Is Jesus from God? Merely a prophet? Or a Sinner? Not sure what is meant by sinner. Could this mean he is merely a man? 

Again, looking back at verse 24, the Pharisees are calling Jesus a sinner. For healing on the Sabbath and that he is not a prophet. So the contrast to a prophet is a sinner. Could 'sinner' be speaking more that Jesus is merely human? I suppose I find it interested that the former blind men makes the statement that to be of God, to do God's will, one must fear him. I don't think there is anything in this text speaking of Jesus as God. I don't think the former blind man knows this yet or has to come to this conclusion. He is simply confessing that for the Man Jesus to have done what He has done, He must be from God. The Pharisees don't believe this as Moses is from God they know, but they still don't know about Jesus. Either way, this is more than believing Jesus was only a normal walking man. 

As Tabletalk records today, miracles were not uncommon with prophets. But the miracles that Jesus did set him apart from the prophets of the past (Moses, Elijah, Elisha). Jesus exorcised demons. Healing a blind man set him apart and is also a prophetic healing of the Messiah (Isaiah 42:1-9, verse 7). No one born blind had been healed previously, only those that received blindness later in life. The problem remains that people have prejudiced ideas about Jesus and nothing that is said about them will change their mind. 

Summary: The former blind man believes Jesus is from God and bears testimony of this that he can now see. The Pharisees don't believe. 

Promise: Share your testimony...though I was blind, now I see. 

Prayer: Lord, I hate it that sometimes it takes me so long to sit down, take the time to read Your Word and instead spend my time on just other things, other things that don't ground me in Your Word. And yet I know you have given me grace and just because I spend this time in Your word it does not make me any greater of a Christian or person than someone else, and yet this time enriches me. I enjoy the process of reading Your truth and discovering about You. And perhaps you are directing me and training me. I thank you always for my mom and her modeling this in my life. She trained me that reading Your word is the best way to start a day. The more I return to You the better I am. I thank You here for the testimony of this man born blind, but then healed from that blindness. In doing this miracle, you did something significant. In life people believe different things, contrary things. This is being presented and testifies of You. Keep providing me insight. 

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