1 Samuel 3:2, 11-15 Eli, who was very old, had become almost blind. He was lying in his room;
11 Pay attention! I am about to do something so amazing in Israel that it will sting the ears of everyone who hears it. 12 The day is coming when I will carry out the vow I made to Eli about his family, every word of it. 13 I have told him that I will punish his house forever for the sins of his sons, bringing a curse on themselves that he knew about but did nothing to stop. 14 So I vow that the sins of the house of Eli may never be atoned for by sacrifice or by offering.
15 After hearing this message, Samuel lay there until morning and then opened the doors of the Eternal One’s house, but he was afraid to tell Eli what God had said to him.
Who was Samuel? He was a boy given to the Temple under the supervision of an old man who was going blind with two reckless boys serving as Levites as they stole and womanized. A declaration of judgment is pronounced on the house of Eli for his passiveness and inability to enforce his boys. What can we tell from that situation?
Reading verse 15, Samuel opened the doors of the temple in the morning. From a young age, he is now the servant of the temple. He is the gofer. He is the one who serves the fat old Eli to work as a servant. Samuel does not grow up with a mother to spoil him and tell him how big of a man of God he will become. He does not have a mother to tell him how handsome he looks, nor buys him ice cream every time he throws a tantrum on the floor. Samuel does not have the luxury of having a mother to cover and defend him or do his chores.
He is used as a lowly apprentice to do the bidding of Eli and his two sons. Samuel is trained by God from the very beginning to learn how to serve and serve under reckless and corrupted men who treated him only as a free slave. But Samuel knows nothing else growing up in the temple under these men. Samuel thinks this is the norm. He must serve God as he obeys any orders from Priest Eli or his sons on any given task, such as cleaning up after eating, cleaning the floors, cooking, running errands, and all menial jobs handed down to him. He is not accustomed to talking back, being lazy, not practicing, not studying, wasting his time on Netflix or his phone all day, or giving attitude. He is not a mama boy! He presumes what is assigned, even if harsh instructions may be the norm. He is being groomed to be the Prophet of prophets of Israel who will anoint kings to service. This is the price Prophet Samuel pays to become a prophet. He is one who has learned to serve. He is not a spoiled brat who thinks he is entitled to be served sitting on a reclining sofa barking out orders. This is the price and his intimacy with the Lord to be able to have personal communion with God.
If we look at Joseph, he had to serve under Potiphar as a slave for twelve years and then two more years in prison for a crime he did not commit to become the number two man of the most powerful empire at that time. At first, Joseph was a bit spoiled and favored. He bragged about his dream and vision that was given to him that he would be ruler over his brothers and even his parents. But God had to send him to learn how to serve and build his character as he was literally in chains as a slave under totalitarian rule. As a slave under Potiphar, Joseph was being groomed to become a manager and leader to govern the most powerful empire of that era. He was separated from his family for a long season. He could not call Mama. He could not call Daddy. He could not text anyone. He was ALL God’s! He had to endure and not give up nor give in to any temptation. He had to hold on to his faith. He was tested to forgive and not get offended by his brothers, who sold him to be a slave.
Unless our people get out of their delusion and out of this current cultural witchcraft spell, you will never experience the power of God to deliver you. The Bible says that the traditions of men nullify the power of God in your lives. We want to be served under “Mama,” get your cake, and eat it too. Then, we want to become number one: “Man of God or Woman of God?” No, you are just a brat or one who is deluded with princess syndrome in which your mama told you everything you wanted to hear and anything you wanted to be. This life is not about you! All non-bearing fruitless branches will be pruned and thrown into the fire to make room for new branches. You can choose to accept the calling and the suffering and breaking that comes with it or just be a filler for the moment as you roll around in a tantrum, lying, thieving, manipulating, scamming, and not repenting.
Samuel was Priest Eli’s replacement. Ironically, Samuel is given to Eli so Eli can train him and Samuel can learn what not to do as a high priest and prophet. He learned by watching the corrupted Eli and his two boys what not to do in God’s temple and God’s business. This is called poetic justice, and God is the master author of irony and poetic justice.
Welcome to the true gospel of Jesus Christ! You should make sure you are saved and reborn!
Pastor Steve Kim