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The Lord Calls Samuel
3 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.
(ESV)
1 Samuel 3 Commentary
In 1 Samuel 3, the text states that Samuel served under Eli during a time when God’s revelations were rarely heard or seen (1 Samuel 3:1). One night, as Samuel lay in the Temple, God called him, but he thought it was Eli’s voice and went to him three times (1 Samuel 3:2-8). Realizing God was calling Samuel, Eli instructed him to respond, “Speak, God. I’m your servant, ready to listen” (1 Samuel 3:9).
When God called again, Samuel obeyed, and God revealed His plan to bring judgment on Eli’s family for failing to restrain his corrupt sons (1 Samuel 3:10-14). In the morning, though fearful, Samuel told Eli everything, and Eli accepted God’s will (1 Samuel 3:15-18). As Samuel grew, God remained with him, and all of Israel recognized him as a true prophet, with God continuing to reveal Himself to Samuel at Shiloh (1 Samuel 3:19-21).
God’s Word Was Rare
If you have been following along in the book of Judges and Samuel, you know that during this time, spiritual darkness prevailed. 1 Samuel 3 tells us directly that God’s Word was rare and visions were infrequent. The same could be said today. Many walk blindly in this world. Even among Christians, studying God’s Word is infrequent at best.
Barna’s research highlights a decline in regular Bible reading among American adults. In 1991, 45% reported reading the Bible at least weekly, a figure that remained consistent until 2009. However, by 2015, this number had decreased to 37%, with Millennials showing the most significant decline. (Source)
Lifeway’s 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment found that only one-third of Protestant churchgoers read the Bible daily. (Source) This suggests a gap between the recognition of the Bible’s relevance/importance and the practice of engaging with it daily.
The 2022 State of the Bible report from the American Bible Society reveals a significant drop in Bible use in the U.S., with only 39% of adults engaging with the Bible at least a few times a year, a sharp decline from 50% in 2021. The percentage of daily Bible readers is 10%, with 60% of Americans reading the Bible less than once a month. Additionally, the number of “Scripture-engaged” individuals dropped from 64 million to 49 million, while those disengaged increased dramatically. (Source)
All of this represents a discouraging pattern of neglecting God’s Word. It would be wise for us to observe the consequences that Israel suffered when they abandoned God’s Word. However, there is hope. Although God’s Word was rare, He was still working. He was raising up Samuel, a man who would serve the Lord with all his heart.
Samuel’s Salvation
How old was Samuel when this event occurred? The historian Josephus writes that he was 12 years old. This aligns with the age at which Jewish boys were traditionally considered accountable for their faith. Many commentators believe he was a teenager. Since Samuel was old enough to perform temple duties, understand instructions, and converse with Eli but was still inexperienced in hearing God’s voice, he was likely between 11 and 13 years old.
Why is Samuel’s age important? It is significant because God is calling Samuel to salvation. Samuel had not yet experienced direct revelation from God, but this changed when God appeared to him personally. Thus, we know that in God’s eyes, Samuel was capable of following Him.
God often works in unexpected ways, as seen throughout the Bible. In the case of Samuel, God spoke to him as a child rather than Eli, the more experienced priest. This showed that God’s calling is based on faith, not position or experience. Samuel’s early encounter with God marked the start of his prophetic calling, which became evident to the entire nation of Israel. This story reminds us that God can work through anyone, anywhere, and at any time to accomplish His will.
Application
Warren Wiersbe gives three practical lessons from 1 Samuel 3.
- Never underestimate the power of sin in a family. Eli’s sons needed discipline, but he pampered them instead. This cost him his life, and eventually cost the family the priesthood.
- Never underestimate the power of prayer in a home. Hannah and Elkanah were people of prayer, and God answered their prayers. We are blessed today because of the dedication of Hannah, for through her, God gave the world Samuel, the last of the judges and the first of the national prophets.
- God speaks to children and young people, and adults should make it easy for them to hear God’s voice and respond in faith. How wise Eli was to know that God was calling young Samuel. The training of children in spiritual things is a great responsibility that we must not neglect.
