Looking for Samuel

[JLG]

192) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- And Samuel had the opportunity to communicate with God through dreams!


- And it was at a time when God had not communicated with men for a long time because of the Israelites’ misconduct!


- And God tells Samuel his judgment against Eli and his sons!


- They will die!


- Thus he will learn that God is right but when you misbehave you must pay the price which can mean death!


- It often happened to the Israelites!


- They could have even been annihilated many times!


- And they never understood!

 

[JLG]

193) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- Eli and his sons are dead!


- The ark has been captured by the Philistines!


- The Israelites have been defeated by the Philistines!


- God strikes the Philistines till they send the ark back to Israel!


- The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley plain. When they raised their eyes and saw the ark, they were overjoyed at seeing it… So they chopped up the wood of the wagon, and they offered the cows as a burnt offering to God… The men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices on that day to God.


- Everything seems to be alright!


- Do you think so?


- Well, in fact, it’s the contrary, everything goes wrong!


- But God struck down the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked upon the Ark of God. He struck down 50,070 among the people, and the people began mourning because God had struck them down with a great slaughter.


- The Israelites did something which was wrong and they paid a high price as usual!


- And you call them a chosen people!


- And they never behave properly and they are struck all the time by God!


- Think about today!


- They definitely needed a man like SAMUEL to help them to follow God’s will and not man’s will!

 

[JLG]

194) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


A long time elapsed, 20 years in all, from the day of the Ark’s coming to Kiriath-jearim, and all the house of Israel began to seek after God. Samuel then said to all the house of Israel: “If you are returning to God with all your heart, put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth images from among you, and direct your heart unswervingly to God and serve only him, and he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”At that the Israelites got rid of the Baals and the Ashtoreth images and served only God.


- Always the same story!


- The Israelites always go after foreign gods!


- And they always get into trouble!


- And you call them a chosen people!


- Good luck!


- Maybe we don’t read the same Bible!


- And Samuel has to tell them what to do as if they didn’t know it!


- Come on!

- It’s ridiculous!


- They never learn!


- Even children could do better!

 

[JLG]

195) God and Samuel / Samuel and God


- Then Samuel prays for Israel!


- And Samuel becomes a judge over Israel!


When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. So the Israelites said to Samuel: “Do not stop calling to God our God to help us and to save us from the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to God; and Samuel called to God for help in behalf of Israel, and God answered him. As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines advanced for battle against Israel. God now caused it to thunder loudly on that day against the Philistines, and He threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. At that the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down as far as south of Beth-car. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Jeshanah and named it Ebenezer, for he said: “Until now God has helped us.”Thus the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come again into the territory of Israel; and the hand of God continued against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.


- SAMUEL makes a sacrifice to God!


- SAMUEL calls to God for help!


- Then God defeats the Philistines!


- Then SAMUEL takes a stone as a memorial!


- And the hand of God continued against the philistines ALL THE DAYS OF SAMUEL!


- SAMUEL IS DEFINITELY THE CHOSEN ONE!