1 Samuel 3:19-4:11, God Glorified through Sinful People

In our last post we highlighted Hannah.  1 Sam. 2:11 mentions Elkanah, her husband, and Samuel whom she lent … to the LORD (1:28).  These righteous people are contrasted with the sons of Eli who were corrupt; they did not know the LORD (2:12).  Again, it’s the time of the Judges.  But God is at work.  In 1 Sam. 3 he calls Samuel to be a prophet.  Then He removes the Ark of His Presence from Shiloh.

There were those who spoke for God during the time of the Judges.  But Samuel is certainly the greatest prophet since Moses.  The call of Samuel is a wonderful story.  I remember hearing this story as a child, how God called to him during the night.  Either I wasn’t listening, or the Sunday School teacher didn’t make it clear, that Samuel made his first prophetic announcement at that time, giving Eli the hard message of God’s chastening on him and his house. 

The difference before and after Samuel’s call is clearly stated.  In 3:1 the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.  In 4:1, the word of Samuel came to all Israel.  By the “word of Samuel” is meant the word of God.  The LORD was with Samuel, none of Samuel’s words fell to the ground, for the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.  The Proverbs tell us, where there is no vision, the people perish (29:18).  With Samuel, the vision returned; God was speaking to His people. 

But this did not keep His people from two critical and sinful choices: the carrying of the Ark into battle (Ch. 4) and the request for a king (Ch. 8).  In both these stories we have strong illustrations of the Sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.

·       God’s rejection of Shiloh.  We have noted previously that Psalm 78 gives the explanation of what was happening in 1 Sam. 4-7.  He chose Judah and Mt. Zion rather than Ephraim and Shiloh (Ps. 78:67-68).  But it is proper to ask: was this just an arbitrary choice by God, one without reason?  No!  Psalm 78 clearly speaks of the failure of Ephraim (78:9-11).  In 1 Sam. 4 we see the sin of the people.  They put their trust in the presence of the Ark rather than in the Presence of the LORD (1 Sam. 4:3).  Not only did having the Ark as a “lucky charm” fail to help Israel; it actually emboldened the Philistines to fight harder (4:6-9). 

o   In the end God was fully glorified, of course.  He was glorified in the death of Eli who was shocked, not by the death of his sons, but by the loss of the Ark (4:18).  He was glorified in the birth of Ichabod, whose name meant the glory has departed from Israel (4:18-22).  He was glorified in the Philistines who found out even in victory the hand of God was very heavy on them (5:10-12).  He was glorified in the judgment on the Israelites who disrespected the Ark (6:19).  And He was glorified in the repentance of the people (7:2-6).

·       God’s provision of a king.  The Ark remained 20 years in Kirjath Jearim (7:2).  During that time Samuel judged the people (7:15).  But as Samuel got old, he tried to make his sons judges over Israel, only to see them rejected by the people because they did not walk in the ways of their father (8:1-3).  It was at this time that the people came and asked Samuel, Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations (8:5).  It seems quite clear that God intended, in time, to establish a king over Israel.  The wording of Deut. 17:14-15 is quite interesting compared to 1 Samuel: When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses.  This is what happened.  God directed Samuel to anoint Saul.  But we can’t miss the obvious: Saul is a king like the nations would have.  He was more handsome and taller than anyone in Israel (1 Sam. 9:2).  Some have put it this way: first, God gave Israel a king of their choosing; then He gave them a king whose heart was like God’s heart. 

In both situations, He used the sinfulness of the nation to bring about that plan.  He did the same in the death and resurrection of His Son.  He does as He wills to do, while holding us accountable.  How wise and glorious is our God!