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Well, with the birth of Samuel, 
we see a new era in God's redemptive plan. Not brand new, but certainly 
a new time, a new season in Israel. One man has well said that the 
birth of Samuel inaugurated a decisive period like the birth of Moses 
or of Jesus. A new era, the era of the monarchy 
was brought about by the birth of the king maker. Now we know 
ultimately God made Saul and David king, but it was Samuel 
who functioned specifically as the prophet and as the one who 
anointed these men to the monarchy or to the kingly office there 
in Israel. Dalich, another commentator, 
says, with reference to Samuel's work, he calls it the establishment 
of a new age. He says, as Abraham is the father 
of believers and Moses is the mediator of the law, so Samuel 
is the father of the kingdom and the prophetic office. Again, 
I don't think that is an understatement. Samuel took a place of priority 
in Israel's history at the end of the period of the Judges, 
at the establishment of the monarchy or the kingdom in Israel. And 
here specifically we find his call to the prophetic ministry 
in chapter 3. Chapters 1 and 2 detail his early 
life, his early ministry. Hannah's prayer of affliction 
in chapter 1, the Lord God answers and gives her Samuel. that lends 
itself to Hannah's prayer of exaltation or rejoicing or praising 
God in chapter 2 of Samuel. And she made good on her vow. 
She delivered Samuel to the house of God in Shiloh so that he could 
minister there unto the Lord. Josephus, the Jewish historian, 
puts Samuel at about the age of 12 here in 1 Samuel chapter 
3. So he's a young man, he's developed 
a bond with Eli, the priest in the house of God. And so we'll 
look at four particular sections this morning in 1 Samuel 3. First, 
the scarcity of the Word of God in verse 1. Secondly, the preacher 
of the Word of God in verses 2-10. Thirdly, the threat promised 
by the Word of God in verses 11-18. And then the prevalence 
of the Word in verses 19-41a. So it begins with scarcity, it 
ends with prevalence. It begins with a lack of widespread 
revelation, and at the appointment of Samuel, now everybody in Israel 
from Dan to Beersheba knew the word of the Lord God Almighty, 
which is indeed an act of mercy. I'll argue this morning, the 
fact that you have Bibles, The fact that there are churches 
that preach the Bible, the fact that you have sermonaudio.com 
and that you have access to a wealth of good, sound theological books 
is an act of God's mercy. It is grace, it is kindness, 
it is goodness. The fact that He has given us 
these benefits If you are a child growing up in a Christian home, 
being exposed to the preaching of the Gospel, being exposed 
to a family altar, having parents who pray for you and parents 
who set forth the Word of God before you, there is no greater 
blessing. This is a chief benefit and a 
chief joy in life. As we move through the exposition 
this morning, we will see at the conclusion there is something 
worse than a famine for food. In the days of the prophet Amos, 
God told the nation of Israel that there would be a famine, 
not for food, but for hearing the Word of God. And if you are 
one who delights in the Scriptures, again, may this be a time to 
reflect on the goodness of the Lord in calling you out of darkness 
into marvelous light through the vehicle of gospel preaching, 
and giving you new eyes, and giving you a new heart, and giving 
you an appreciation into sacred things. And may it be the case 
that in this coming year, we don't have neglected Bibles, 
but rather we use the Word of God. We avail ourselves of the 
Word of God. We are where the Word of God 
is. We make sure of that. Spurgeon says, behold, your neglected 
Bibles hide your God. There's times when people say, 
I really want to know more of God. I really want to experience 
more of God. I want more of the joy of the 
Lord. Are you reading your scripture? 
Well, no, not really. That's like saying, I want to 
be in good shape, but I like to eat Big Macs three times a 
day. I don't like to get up early. 
I don't ever want to pick up anything heavy, and I'm certainly 
not going to exercise my cardiovascular system. But I want to be muscular, 
I want to be fit, I want to be trim, I want to be healthy, I 
want to be sharp and alert. Well, the fact that you eat three 
Big Macs a day and won't get out of bed before 10 and that 
you won't pick up anything heavy and you won't exercise your cardiovascular 
system really argues against the desire that you have of being 
fit and trim and muscular. You see, Christians, it is not 
magic. It is not mysticism. It is not formulaic. The way 
to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ is pretty simple. Pick up your Bible and read it. 
Pick up a good theology book and read it. Always prayerfully, 
to be sure. And may I dare say, when the 
Bible is preached and taught, by men qualified by God and called 
by the Church, then you ought to be present so that you may 
grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. 
For persons to say, I want to know more of God, who don't read 
the Bible, you simply do not want to know more of God. Let's 
look at Israel in 1 Samuel chapter 3. Notice first the scarcity 
of the word. This book is the transition between 
the period of the judges and the monarchy or the kingdom in 
Israel. Now in Judges 4, Deborah was 
a prophetess. There was a man who was a prophet 
in Judges 6, that at the time of Gideon, or just prior to the 
judgeship of Gideon, there was a man who prophesied to Israel. 
And just back from this chapter, in chapter 2, there was an old 
man, an old prophet, sent to the house of Eli to indict him 
with the promised threat of God's judgment. But beyond that, notice 
what the text says. The boy Samuel ministered to 
the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was rare in 
those days. There was no widespread revelation. This probably indicates to us 
the judgment of God upon these people. If, as I've argued earlier, 
the presence of God's word is a blessing, And I've already 
cited or alluded to Amos 8 where he says there will be a famine 
for hearing the Word of God. We must conclude or imply that 
this was a time or season of judgment in Israel's history. Again, when you work your way 
through the book of Judges, there are some heroes, there are some 
awesome things that go on, but there are recurring cycles of 
sin, there are recurring cycles of depravity, there are recurring 
cycles of God's people defecting from Him and not following after 
Him and doing those things which He says. So by means of judgment, 
He removes the work. You see this in the book of Revelation 
with the seven churches in Asia Minor. What is Jesus' threat 
to those churches that continue in Penitent? I will remove the 
lampstand. In other words, I will shut that 
place down. If you continue to make a profession 
that is empty, a profession that is false, a profession that is 
fake, the Lord God says, I will remove the lampstand from the 
midst. The absence of God's Word is 
not a blessing. The absence of God's Word is 
a bad thing, brethren. I've often wondered, if the state 
were to outlaw Bibles today, would it affect you at all? Would 
you say, oh now I can sleep in tomorrow because I don't have 
that Bible to read. Now I don't have to be bothered 
by my parents haranguing me to read the Bible. Now, I certainly 
don't have to go to that church where that loudmouth preacher 
opens up his and tells me what it says, or at least tries to 
tell me what it says, because I don't always really pay attention. 
If the Word of God was withdrawn from your life right now, would 
it affect you? If you've got the Spirit of Christ, 
it would affect you. If you have Jesus in your life, 
if you are in union with Him, It may not affect you to the 
degree that it would have affected a Paul or a Daniel or a Spurgeon, 
but it will affect you. The absence of the Word of God 
is judgment. Notice in Psalm 74, verse 9. It's one of those Psalms of Asaph 
where he laments, essentially, the absence of God, the presence 
of judgment. And in 74.9, he says, we do not 
see our signs. There is no longer any prophet, 
nor is there any among us who knows how long. Yes, the fact 
that the Gentiles are trashing the tabernacle of the temple. 
Yes, the fact that the children of Israel are being led off into 
exile. Yes, to the fact that there are 
calamities and woes and trials and difficulties. But notice 
what he says. There is no longer any prophet. 
When God takes the prophet from a people, this is not a blessing. 
When he takes the false prophets, when he brings judgment to bear 
upon liars, that's a blessing. When he withdraws the lampstand, 
brethren, for the church at large, that is a blessing. If there 
is a local church that professes Jesus Christ and does not preach 
the word of the living God, that lampstand should be withdrawn. That is a boon to the people 
of God, whether they recognize it or not. Notice in Lamentations 
chapter 2, Lamentations is named because it is that. It is Jeremiah 
the prophet's lament over the fall of Jerusalem. And in Lamentations 
chapter 2, Verse 9, our gates have sunk into the ground. He 
has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes 
are among the nations. The law is no more. And her prophets 
find no vision from the Lord. Micah the prophet in chapter 
3. Micah chapter 3. Hosea, Joel, 
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah. In Micah 3.5, thus says the Lord 
concerning the prophets, who make my people stray, who chant 
peace while they chew with their teeth, but who prepare war against 
Him, who puts nothing into their mouths. Therefore you shall have 
night without vision, you shall have darkness without divination. 
The sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be 
dark for them. So the seers shall be ashamed, 
and the diviners abashed. Indeed, they shall all cover 
their lips, for there is no answer from God." And then Proverbs 
29. Proverbs 29, verse 18. Where 
there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint. But happy 
is he who keeps the law, That is the preferred interpretation 
or translation. The text does not say where there 
is no vision. Visionary leaders, full of zeal, 
full of charisma, full of ability to pep up the church and cause 
her to see her greater good. That's not the emphasis of verse 
18. Where there is no revelation, where there is no prophetic word, 
where there is no statement from the living and true God, the 
people cast off restraint. You look at a lawless society, 
what ought you to conclude? They have cast off the very restraint 
of God Most High. Listen to John Gill on Proverbs 
29.18. He says, So it was in the Gentile world before the 
gospel was brought into it. And so it now is in those places 
where the seven churches of Asia were, and in all Asia, which 
once heard the word of the Lord, even all that large country. 
And now it is not heard at all in it, but covered with Mahatmatin 
darkness. Maslow darkness. Imagine living in a Muslim world 
or a Muslim nation. Imagine as a constant refrain 
that call to prayer. Imagine the absolute absence 
of any hint or trace of Christianity. You can wander through Walmart 
in December and hear, Joy to the World. People aren't bowing to the Savior 
and glorifying Him. But that is absolutely absent 
in the Middle East. How difficult it must be for 
the believers there. How difficult it must be for 
the church, the Reformed Baptist Church in Islamabad. Brethren, 
we ought to pray for them. Pray for believers that serve 
in the armed forces, that are away from their churches. Bill 
nails it. He says, and this is the case 
in all Popish countries, subject to the Sea of Rome, where the 
Word of God is not preached to the people, nor suffered so much 
as to be read by them. And even in Reformed churches, 
for the most part, only a little morality is preached. I love 
what he says there. Even in reformed churches, only 
a little morality is preached. You can get morality at the Lions 
Club. You can get morality at the Moose Lodge. You get Christ 
crucified in Christian pulpits. You get the gospel that Christ 
came into this world, sinners to save. The gospel isn't try 
a little harder, or be a little better, or conform a little more. The gospel is that Christ has 
died, has risen again, and all those who by the grace of God 
look to Him will be saved. Gill nails that. I'm telling 
you, this is a reality. For the most part, only a little 
morality is preached, and not the gospel of Christ, so that 
here the people are perishing for lack of knowledge. Back to 1 Samuel 3, Dale Ralph 
Davis says, The absence of the Word of God was a sign of the 
judgment of God, of Yahweh's withdrawing the light of His 
Word and allowing Israel to wander in the darkness she apparently 
preferred. You see, that's the point. God doesn't pull His Word back 
because He's vicious. He doesn't pull His Word back 
because He's mean. He doesn't pull his word back 
because he has compromised his goodness. He pulls his word back 
in justice and in judgment. The idea is akin to Romans chapter 
1 when Paul outlines the depravity of men. And he says, for this 
reason God gave them up. Three times the text says that. 
God gave them up. That's judicial. That's justice. That is righteous with God to 
do such a thing. And when Israel goes a-whoring 
from Yahweh, and she bows to Baal, and she offers her children 
to Molech, and she bows to Asherah, then don't think for a moment 
it's unfair for God to pull back His Word. It is judgment. Do 
not think it unfair for Christ to withdraw the lampstand from 
a church that has forgotten or neglected the necessity of preaching 
the truth, and ministers get up with hands in pockets and 
jokes on lips and entertainment just to make people feel good. 
God will withdraw those lampstands. What are some implications? Before 
we move out of verse 3, I'm sorry, verse 1 of chapter 3. First, 
the wretchedness of churches that do not preach the word. 
I know that there are times when I can sound critical. Brethren, 
if it was the difference between the Moose Lodge and the Elks, 
if it was the difference between where you'd spend your Friday 
night in the company of these guys that wear these hats or 
these guys that wear those hats, it wouldn't be that big of a 
deal. You see, when churches exist to entertain people, or 
churches exist simply to grow, or churches exist for whatever 
reason other than 2 Timothy 4, Timothy preached the word. Be 
ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with 
all long-suffering. For the time will come when they, 
the people of God, or the professing people of God, will not endure 
sound doctrine. And you know what they'll do 
when they do that? They'll go out and find teachers that will 
tickle their ears. Right now, somewhere, there are 
men standing in pulpits whose primary objective is to tickle 
the ears of people who don't want to hear God's truth. You 
may not like it said that bluntly, you may think I'm offensive, 
you may think I've got an axe to grind. This is the word of 
God as Paul relates it in chapter 4 of 2 Timothy. Preach it Timothy, 
why? Because the time will come when 
they will not want it. Isn't that beautiful? Imagine 
if Timothy, and I've said this before, emails the apostle Paul 
on a Monday. And Timothy's having a bad case 
of the Mondays. And he says to Paul, you know, 
the people that I'm preaching to don't want sound doctrine. 
What should I do? Paul's email would be very quick, 
very clear, and very concise. Preach the word. Be ready in 
season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort. I'm 
not picking on Timothy. I'm using him as an example. 
I don't think for a moment Timothy would have thought this way. 
Let's say, Timothy, for instance. So when Paul sends back that 
email, you hit replies, but Paul, I told you they didn't want sound 
doctrine. Paul then might write an email 
that says, I don't care what they want. Since when did the 
creature get to define the terms of his or her approach to the 
living God? Since when do pots jump off of 
tables and say to the potter, I don't like this arrangement. 
You see, God has absolute authority. God knows us better than we know 
ourselves. And God says we need good theology. God says we need lots of Bible. God says we need to be under 
a faithful ministry. Now, I'm sure that you would 
all agree with this if you take it back to your home. Your two-year-old 
says, I don't want this substantial nourishing meal. I'd rather have 
a cream-filled cake. I don't care what you want. I 
legitimately and honestly don't care, little two-year-old, because 
I know what's best for you. I know that cream-filled cakes 
aren't going to make you strong. They're not going to cause you 
to have good brain function. Eat your essential fatty acids 
and it'll help your brain and you'll get the nourishment you 
need. We don't reason in that respect, but today the church 
is anybody's business. Oh, we don't like this, we don't 
like that, we don't like this, so let's tailor a church to fit 
our peculiar needs. It's a wretched thing, brethren. 
When did we redefine acceptable worship? Hebrews 12.28. We're 
to come to God acceptably. Who defines acceptably? Us? Well, 
I don't like long sermons. I certainly don't like a man 
who raises his voice. I certainly don't like to go 
past my lunchtime, so I'm going to find... That's not your call. God knows what you need. And 
I'm not saying this church is everything everybody always needs. 
I'm saying the Bible provides a framework for you to find the 
church that does what God says for it to do. The wretchedness 
of churches that do not preach the Word. How about the blessing 
of churches that do preach the Word? Here's what Davis says. 
It is a sign of God's grace when God's Word has free course among 
God's people. That is the teaching of 1 Samuel 
3. If contemporary believers have 
a church where social activities, committee meetings, and nifty 
programs have not eclipsed the place of the Word of God, If 
the teaching of the Word of God stands at the heart of the church's 
life, if there is a pulpit ministry where the scriptures are clearly, 
accurately, and helpfully preached, then they are rich in the grace 
of God. It's beautiful. So in 1 Samuel 
3.1, we see the scarcity of the Word. And the word of the Lord 
was rare in those days, there was no widespread revelation. The rest of the chapter underscores 
the mercy of God. No widespread revelation, so 
what does God do? He calls Samuel to the prophetic 
ministry. That's grace. That's kindness. That is God meeting an absence 
with His presence. That is God speaking to the particular 
needs of the children of Israel. Now notice the preacher of the 
word in verses 2-10. A lot of it reads pretty quickly 
and there are several times that Samuel hears this voice and he 
runs to Eli. We won't go through each and 
every one of it. Three times this happens. Samuel goes to 
bed in his little bed. Eli's crashed next to him in 
his big bed, because by this time he was a hefty man. He probably 
needed a much bigger bed than little Samuel did. Notice in 
verse 7, it tells us specifically, it explains for us. Now Samuel 
did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet 
revealed to him. This isn't an indictment. This 
isn't a judgment. This is an explanation. This 
is not the same as that 1 Samuel 2.12 statement that Eli's sons 
did not know the Lord. Remember that Eli's sons are 
priests of God Most High. Eli's sons function in the house 
of the Lord God at Shiloh. Eli's son should have known the 
Lord. This is simply an explanation 
as to why Samuel, when he heard this audible voice from on high, 
runs to Eli. Verse 7 explains, Now Samuel 
did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet 
revealed to him. And then in verse 8, Eli perceived 
that the Lord had called the boy. Therefore, Eli said to Samuel, 
verse 9, Go lie down, and it shall be, if he calls you, that 
you must say, Speak, Lord, for your servant hears. So Samuel 
went and lay down in his place." Now, we are not prophets of God 
Most High. We simply are not. There is a 
different redemptive historical situation going on. When Eli 
tells Samuel, say, speak, Lord, for your servant hears, this 
is the call to the prophetic ministry. This is the call to 
function on God's behalf to His people, to the covenant people. But certainly we ought to glean 
the application from this situation in Samuel's life. We don't come 
to the Word of God not to hear it, We don't come to the Word 
of God not to obey it. We don't come to the Word of 
God simply to reject it. There ought to be this posture 
or this disposition. This ought to animate our souls 
when we come to Scripture. Speak, Lord, for Your servant 
hears. Speak, Lord, because I know the 
value of Your Word. Speak, Lord, because I know the 
necessity of it. I have learned, I have proven, 
I have seen that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 
word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Have you ever pondered 
the implication of that reality? Man shall not live by bread alone, 
but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Israel 
didn't learn the lesson, did they? Jesus, the true Israel, 
learned the lesson. He knew the lesson. He appropriated 
the lesson. And it was with that sword drawn 
from Deuteronomy that he slayed the devil out in the wilderness 
so that he would not molest him any further. Christ is tempted 
to turn these stones into bread. And what does Jesus say? He says, 
I'm going to live believing my Father. I am going to live based 
on the Word. I'm not going to let experience 
dictate. I'm not going to let my hunger overtake me. I am going 
to cast myself in dependence upon my Father who is in heaven." 
Brethren, that's the point of man shall not live by bread alone, 
but by every word that proceeds from the mouth. Now certainly, 
if you don't eat bread for a given amount of time, you will die. 
God's not anti-bread. God doesn't say, don't eat. He's 
highlighting the absolute importance of His Holy Word We need to value 
it and prize it above our bread. So Samuel has a disposition that 
we ought to imbibe. And Davis makes the observation, 
and I tend to agree with him, this underscores God's patience. 
God's patience. I wasn't always the most patient 
father when my children wouldn't get out of bed. If I went in 
there and I gave him a little rattle and said, it's time to 
get up, when I came in the next time, my attitude was different. It was different. Three times 
Samuel runs to Eli. Three times Samuel goes to the 
priest. God doesn't say, you rotten little 
kid, how is it that you haven't heard me? How is it that you 
haven't responded to me? Just like our Lord Jesus demonstrates 
in the Gospels. Have I been so long with you 
and you still don't understand? I have other things to tell you, 
but you're not ready at this point. You see, brethren, when 
it comes to me encouraging you to read your Bibles or to attend 
church, it's not with a heavy-handed fist from on high that's going 
to crush you if you miss Monday's devotions. Beware of the formula. I read my Bible five times this 
week and the blessings were not commensurate because we serve 
Yahweh and not Baal. We want to read our Bible so 
that we learn more of our God, not so that we get more of his 
blessings. This is one of the dangers of 
a formulaic approach to devotion. Some people read in the morning. 
Some people read at night. Night-time readers shouldn't 
indict the morning-time readers. The morning-time readers shouldn't 
say, I don't know how you could go a whole day without reading 
a Bible. Look it, as long as he's reading the Bible. Sometimes people wake up in the 
morning and the first thing they do is rub their eyes and grab 
a coffee and they get into the scriptures. That's not everybody's 
technique. Beware of formulaism. Beware 
of the manual that stipulates, thou must do it this way. Just 
do it. Let me borrow from Nike for a 
moment. Just pick it up and put your 
face in it. And say with Samuel, speak Lord, 
for your servant hears. Notice, thirdly, the threat promised 
by the word. The gravity of the situation. 
Verse 11, The Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do something in 
Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 
That's a phrase or an idiom or a statement used in 2 Kings 21 
and in Jeremiah 19 for judgment. Something big is on the horizon. Something bad is coming. Those 
who hear it, it's like both ears will tingle. It's that way today. We hear some news of some magnificent 
event. It's like our ears are tingling. 
We're riveted. We're rooted. We're gripped. 
We're grabbed. We want to see what's happening. Notice the 
promised judgment that God stipulates through Samuel's words, verse 
12, And that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken 
concerning his house from beginning to end. He's already spoken this 
in 1 Samuel chapter 2. For I have told him that I will 
judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because 
his sons made themselves vile and he did not restrain them. 
For those of you who were not present at the Wednesday night 
studies, for those who have not read 1st Samuel 2 for any amount 
of time, in 1st Samuel 2.12 it tells us the root problem of 
Eli's thoughts. They did not know Yahweh. They 
did not know the Lord. Oh, they knew who He was. They 
had a cognitive understanding. They were priests serving in 
the house of Yahweh, for instance. But you see, they didn't know 
Him savingly. They didn't know Him experientially. 
They didn't know Him experimentally. They had no saving relationship. And so in 1 Samuel chapter 2 
it outlines what they did as the men who did not know the 
Lord. They stole sacrifices in the 
very house that they officiated the sacrificial system over. 
Men would come with their animals. Men would come with their offerings. 
Men would come to worship the God of heaven and earth only 
to have these two thug sons take the meat for themselves. And 
the text is very descriptive. They would take big three-tined 
flesh hooks and throw them into the pot and whatever got up on 
there was for them. And if somebody dared to suggest, 
you know, you really need to burn the fat because it belongs 
to the Lord, then the sons of Eli would intimidate them. They'd 
get upset with them. They'd frown them down. They'd 
scowl them out of the place. Do you know what effect this 
had upon Israel? It made men despise the sacrificial 
system. See, brethren, at times our sin 
is such that it brings reproach to the cause of Christ. And then, 
if that wasn't enough, I mean, these are sons of the year. They 
lay with women outside the tabernacle. These probably weren't prostitutes. 
The law in Exodus 38 stipulated there would be women who served 
at the house of God. Well, Eli's sons engaged in immorality 
with these women. Notice. Verse 13, For I have 
told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity 
which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he 
did not restrain them. Parents, grandparents, persons 
in authority, Eli is being held accountable because he did not 
restrain his sons. Yes, in chapter 2, he rebukes 
them, he speaks to them, But proper restraint would have looked 
like removal from the priestly office. Not a pat on the head 
and tell them to try harder. Not a pat on the head to tell 
them, well, do better. Don't steal sacrifices anymore. 
Now there might come a point in time, not only do we tell 
them not to steal sacrifices anymore, but remove them from 
the potential place of even doing that activity. Listen to Gil. He restrained them not from their 
evil practices. He did not make use of his authority, 
neither as a father, and especially not as a high priest and the 
judge of Israel, who ought not only to have sharply reproved 
them, which he did not, but to have censured or punished them 
and turned them out of their office. or did not frown upon 
them, as in the margin of our Bibles. He did not knit his brows, 
or wrinkle up his face, and by his countenance show his displeasure 
at their proceedings, but in an easy, smooth, gentle manner 
he expostulated with them about them." So you read chapter 2, 
you say, well Eli did talk to them. Brethren, the time for 
talk was over. The time for talk was over. You 
men have dishonored God. You may have brought the sacrificial 
system into reproach in Israel. Eli should have acted severely. Brethren, going back to what 
I said earlier, in a bit of a different context, the church, the people 
of God, have no prerogative to tell God how he is to operate. Well, neither does your 5-year-old 
or your 15-year-old. The fifth commandment is binding. As Pastor Kim is reading and 
expounding on the book of Hebrews, there is something consistent 
and continuous between those two covenants. It is God's moral 
law. It's tough. Been there, done 
that. It's tough to exercise restraint. It's tough to tell the child 
you love, no. But you've got to do it. You've got to exercise restraint. Eli brought judgment upon his 
house. Eli brought disaster upon his 
house. You see, for Eli, he inverted 
the order. You see, the first commandment 
precedes the fifth, but he put his family first before God. The best thing you can do as 
a parent is honor the first commandment. The best thing you can do as 
a parent is to serve God. The best thing your children 
will ever acknowledge that you did in their lives is that they 
feared God. It's the best gift you can give. 
Be faithful to your God. It's interesting. Samorah says, 
Eli's house had despised the sacrifice and offering, 2.29, 
and hence these things will not have any efficacy on their behalf. 
Though normal or inadvertent sins of priests could be expiated 
by offering, Eli's sons had sinned defiantly and their guilt could 
not be removed. Verse 14 underscores the absolute 
necessity, the absolute reality that they would indeed receive 
the punishment of God. Now notice, verse 15, So Samuel 
lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the 
Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. Come on 
Samuel, you're a prophet of God most high! He was afraid to tell 
Eli the vision. If Josephus is right, he's a 
12 year old boy. This is his first message. This 
wasn't go stand out on the street corner and tell sinners God loves 
you and has a wonderful plan for your life. This is march 
right in there to a man whom you have affection with. Twice 
in the chapter, what does Eli call Samuel? My son. They lived 
together, they worked together, there was that fatherly affection 
shown by Eli to Samuel, and no doubt Samuel showed respect and 
honor to Eli as a father figure. Remember, this is Samuel's life. 
Hannah made good on her vow. Hannah gave to the Lord this 
young man. He lived at the tabernacle. He lived in Shiloh. He did not 
live with his mother and his father. So naturally Eli would 
be the man that he would associate as father. Imagine the very first 
message Samuel is given. Go tell Eli that he's doomed. 
Brethren, do not underestimate verse 15. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli 
the vision. Have you ever had to give somebody 
a message from the Lord? Have you ever had to reprove 
somebody or call upon somebody to faithfulness? Is that easy 
for you? Does it come naturally to you? 
How does Paul tell the Ephesians to pray in Ephesians 6? He says, 
"...and pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may 
speak the gospel boldly, as I ought to speak." How did Paul have 
such power in preaching? Because the people of God prayed 
for him. That was one of the things that came out through 
the eyes of Spurgeon. Spurgeon said, at some point 
in his life, I know my people pray for me. What's the secret 
of your success, C.H.? My people pray for me. That's 
it. That was the engine room. That 
was the boiler room. That's what made the whole thing 
go, was that the people of God were praying. And Paul understood 
that in Ephesians 6. And he asks for prayer that he 
may speak the gospel boldly as I ought to speak. Samuel, sorry, verse 16. Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, 
my son. He answered, here I am. Davis 
says, there is always this tension in the Word of God, and any authentic 
messenger of that Word knows and lives in it. If a preacher, 
for example, never places you under the criticism of God's 
Word, never tells you your sin, but only smothers you with comfort, 
you must wonder if he is a phony. You must wonder that. I really 
hope that after you leave here, you're somewhat happy, but I 
hope that if the Word of God is accurately preached, there's 
some conviction. The Spirit is doing His work. 
The Spirit convinces, He reproves, He exhorts, He builds up, He 
strengthens, He fortifies. We eat food and we get the nutrients 
that it was designed to promote in our bodies. If you only ever 
go to a church that ever makes you feel good, One wonders if 
the truth is being preached. I remember hearing a series by 
a famous, famous man that was called a pastor. I don't know 
if I can make that any more clearly. He shouldn't have been called 
a pastor. His sermon on the Beatitudes, the Be Happy Attitudes. I mean I could only get through 
a couple, never anything about sin, never anything about God, 
You can be a better, happier person. Is that why the Savior 
sat on the mount in Matthew 5? Was to bring everybody this message 
that you can be a better, happier person? No. He didn't. Davis continues, if his preaching 
contains only the judgment note and seldom offers comfort and 
encouragement, one must ask if he actually cares for God's people. You see, there's extremes. Be 
happy, be happy, be happy. Be miserable, be miserable, be 
miserable. That's not how the Word of God is. The whole counsel 
of God affords information, dogma, doctrine, data, for both misery 
and rejoicing, for both misery and redemption, for both misery 
and the comfort of Christ to His flock. Davis says, if one 
has a high regard both for the truth of God, even if it's judgment, 
and for the troubles of the church, he will retain the proper tension 
in the biblical world. He will both afflict the comfortable 
and comfort the afflicted. Amen. That's what preaching ought 
to be. He will afflict the comfortable 
and comfort the afflicted." Now, it's been my experience that 
people that need to be afflicted don't get afflicted, and people 
that need the comfort get afflicted. I mean, you can't... I don't know how that all works. 
You know, I've preached sermons with, you know, at least in my 
head, you know, there's this person or persons. I don't typically 
do there's this person. There might be there persons. 
People need to hear this and need to get serious. And some 
dear soul that I didn't even think of will come up and say, 
I'm crushed. That just slayed me. Well, the 
Spirit is working. Spirit knows that person more 
than I do. You see, my categorization did not include that. The Spirit 
is infinitely wise and he does what he pleases for the good 
of his people. So Samuel does what is a difficult 
task. Verse 18, Samuel told him everything 
and hid nothing from him and he said, it is the Lord, let 
him do what seems good to him. You see, Eli did not restrain 
his sons. Eli did not seem to have his 
head in the game, but in certain times and instances he does reveal 
to us something of this. He is submitting to the sovereignty 
of God. In the next chapter, when the Ark is taken out to 
battle, first thing Eli asks the messenger is the Ark of the 
Covenant okay? Is the Ark okay? Yeah, your sons 
died, Israel lost, the Ark has been captured. He doesn't fall 
off his perch when he hears about his son's death. He doesn't fall 
off his perch when he hears that Israel loses. You know what sends 
him to his death? It's when he heard that the Ark 
of the Covenant had been captured. A tough one to figure out, but 
there are hints and places along the way that he wasn't Satan. And then finally, the prevalence 
of the word is given to us in verses 19 and following. So Samuel 
grew, the Lord was with him, and let none of his words fall 
to the ground. All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel 
had been established as a prophet of the Lord. Then the Lord appeared 
again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in 
Shiloh by the word of the Lord. The prophet matures, the Lord 
God continues His faithfulness, He is recognized by Israel, and 
all Israel becomes the benefactor of the word of the Lord as it 
comes through the mouth of Samuel. We begin with no widespread revelation 
in those days to the place now where God Most High has his man 
with his message for his people and their well-being in approaching 
the monarchy. A couple of lessons quickly and 
then we close. First, the role of Samuel the 
prophet. We shouldn't jump into passages 
or jump into texts, pull out a few helpful antidotes, and 
then leave. We should understand what's going 
on in redemptive history. We should understand what the 
context is about. We are moving, transitioned from 
judges to kings. Samuel is key in this ordeal. Samuel has the role of king-maker 
under God Most High. One commentator explains it this 
way. We now see Samuel at the point 
towards which the whole story has led from the time before 
his birth by God's action through the notes of his growing up. 
He had served God as a child in the temple, but now he serves 
all Israel as a prophet. Samuel took, in God's plan, a 
very high role according to the grace, the plan, the purpose 
of God Most High. We don't praise Samuel from whom 
all blessings flow, but we need to recognize in redemptive history 
Samuel was a very significant figure. First and foremost, because 
of the fact that he is God's prophet, speaking God's word 
to God's people. Secondly, The absence of revelation 
is the judgment of God. Amos chapter 8. Behold, the days 
are coming, says the Lord God, that I will send a famine on 
the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of 
hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to 
sea and from north to east. They shall run to and fro, seeking 
the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. For those of you 
who have been here for any time, you'll have remembered that I 
have cited, probably many times, sorry that I only have the experiences 
that I have and the books that I've read. There's a book by 
Ian Murray called The Puritan Hope. It's on revival and the 
interpretation of prophecy. And he's citing a Puritan pastor. 
And this Puritan pastor is preaching to the people of God. And this 
Puritan pastor personifies God to the people. He says, because 
you have despised my word, because you have neglected my ordinances, 
because you have neglected my house, you've neglected my Sabbath, 
you've neglected all of these gifts and all of these means 
and all of these blessings that God has provided. This Puritan 
pastor, personifying God, says, because of that, I will take 
your Bibles. And then the pastor personifies 
the people to God. And he says, we are sorry. We have wronged you. We have 
sinned against you. We have forsaken your house. 
We have forsaken your day. We have forsaken your ordinances. We have forsaken your word. But 
take not thy Bible. He says, on behalf of the people, 
take our houses. Take our coaches. Take our fields. Take even our children, but take 
not thy Bible from us." Brethren, you don't know what happened 
after that sermon. But I gotta tell you, if I was in that audience 
that day, I believe I would have went home and read my Bible. It's powerful. It's Amos 8. It's 
what God says. There's something worse than 
not having food, brethren. There's something worse than 
not having water. There's something worse than 
not having earthly comforts, and that something worse is not 
having your Bible. The blessing of God is seen in 
the presence of the Word. Private reading. Oh, here he 
comes. He's going to guilt manipulate 
us and tell us to read McShane's calendar. No! Just read your 
Bible. It's amazing. You just pick it up and you open 
it and there's words on the page. It's really amazing the way God 
made us. We got eyes, we got brains, we 
got function. We look at something and we can 
understand it. It really is amazing. Pick it 
up. Take it in. Ingest it. Feed upon it. Read it. Remember, you just do it once, 
or you do it twice, and then you say, well, I just didn't 
see any effect. I'll use the gym analogy. January 
1st, or the week of January 1st, you always see a bunch of new 
people join the gym. People want to get fit. They 
want to look good. They go for a week, or two weeks, 
or three weeks, and say, I didn't really get anything out of it. 
Well, try it for 3 years, or 6 years, or 12 years, or 15 years, 
or 20 years, or 30 years, or 40 years, and see what you get 
out of it. It's an amazing thing. The Bible's the same. I tried reading the Bible, and 
I didn't really get anything out of it. Well, pick it up again, 
because the problem is not with it. The problem is always with 
you. You need to reinvest some time. I love Spurgeon's rules for hearing 
the Word of God. This comes from the parable of 
the sower. In his sermon notes, those little 
volumes that I have over here, he says, here, these are profound 
rules, just pay attention, here, with reference to the Word of 
God, whether private or public, here, H-E-A-R, here, That's dazzling, isn't it? You 
mean I don't have to go live on a mountain to get holy? No, 
you need to hear. Just use those two things. Praise God for the design of 
the human head. He wants you to listen twice 
as much as He wants you to speak. He's given you two ears and one 
mouth. Respect the ratio. This is James' 
message. Be swift to hear and slow to 
speak in the context of receiving the Word of God. Hear. It is your wisdom to know what 
God says. Hear well. God's teaching deserves 
the deepest attention. It will repay the best consideration. Hear often. Waste no Sabbath 
nor any one of its services. Use weekday lectures and prayer 
meetings. Hear better. You will grow the 
holier thereby. You will find heavenly joy by 
hearing with faith." You see, we haven't addressed the potential 
that there could be the presence of the Word There could be widespread 
revelation. There could be a closed canon 
and five Bibles in every home. Or a sermon audio at the end 
of every finger click. Or, you know, libraries full 
of good resources and books. Notice I pointed that one. You 
can take those books, but not that one. But it could be, you gotta think 
about this, the lack of spiritual appetite. You say you go to the 
buffet and they got all those gorgeous meals there, all those 
gorgeous foods set out there, but if you're not hungry, you're 
not going to eat. Maybe the problem isn't the absence 
of the word. Maybe the problem is the absence 
of an appetite. Davis again says, starvation 
may not come from absence of food, but from lack of appetite. 
But God's Word, written, preached, welcomed, is the token of God's 
grace to God's people. And finally, if you are not a 
Christian this morning, if you are not a believer in Christ 
this morning, the fact that you are here and I've seen you before 
indicates to me that you know something of the way of salvation. We seek, every Lord's Day, to 
preach and proclaim the Gospel. The Gospel is not a feeling. 
The Gospel is not an idea. The Gospel is an objective truth 
concerning the life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. The response to the Gospel, by 
the grace of God, is to believe it. Christians don't go to heaven 
because they're better people, Christians go to heaven because 
they have a glorious Savior. Christians go to heaven because, 
by God's grace, they believe the truth as it is in Jesus. 
And when we believe the truth as it is in Jesus, all our sins 
are washed away. Isn't that beautiful? All our 
sins are washed away. The blood of Jesus Christ, His 
Son, cleanses us from all sin. I mean, that's enough right there 
to end and praise God from whom all blessings flow. But it doesn't 
stop. Not only are the sins washed 
away, but we need to be clothed in a righteousness not our own. 
We need to have kept the law in its entirety. But, of course, 
we haven't done that. But those who, by the grace of 
God, look to the Lord Jesus, not only receive the forgiveness 
of sins, they receive the righteousness of Christ, imputed to them, and 
received by faith alone. It's like in the prophet Zechariah. That filthy priest, Joshua, standing 
before the Lord God, and Satan is there to accuse him before 
God. Before Satan can even open up 
his mouth, God says, the Lord rebuke you, Satan. God knew the 
condition of filthy Joshua. God knew that this high priest 
representing Israel was full of sin. God knew this and he 
orders his angels to take his filthy garments off and to clothe 
him with rich robes. That's the beauty of the gospel, 
isn't it? I'm also going to assume, if 
you've been here for any amount of time, that it's by faith in 
that message. It's by belief in the truth. 
If you are not a Christian, you ought to ponder Romans 10.17. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing 
by the Word of God. 1 Corinthians 1.21. For since in the wisdom of God 
the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God 
through the foolishness of the message. Preach to save those 
who believe. James 1.18. Of His will, Of His 
will, He brought us forth by the Word of Truth. So what's 
my point, unbeliever? Be where the Bible is. Be where 
the Scriptures are taught. Be where the Scriptures are preached. 
Be where the Scriptures are read. Read them yourselves. Jesus told 
the religious leaders, you search the Scriptures, for in them you 
think you have everlasting life. That was not disputed by the 
Lord. The Lord acknowledges as much 
that in the Scriptures you have everlasting life. What was disputed 
is what Jesus goes on to say, these are they which testify 
of Me. It was not an indictment that 
the Jewish leaders sought the scriptures for eternal life. 
It's that they rejected the Christ who was set forth as the means 
of eternal life. If you're an unbeliever, don't 
miss church. Don't miss opportunities. Don't 
miss those things which God uses to bring sinners out of darkness 
into marvelous light. Believe and you shall be saved. Believe and you will enter into 
this new year praising God from whom all blessings flow. Let us pray. Our Father, we thank 
you for your word and we thank you for the Holy Spirit. And 
again, we acknowledge that it's his power alone that can take 
these things and make them effectual to sinners. I pray that you would 
do this in our midst. I pray as well, Father, for believers 
that you would remind us, cause us to reflect upon how important 
the Word of God is for our growth in grace and in the knowledge 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Help us as well to be a very 
prayerful people, to commune with you in the secret place 
And our Father, go with us now and bring us together again that 
we may worship you in spirit and in truth. And we pray through 
Christ our Lord. Amen.