49 – Samuel’s Calling

FULL MEETING WITH MIDRASH HERE

NOTE: THE TRANSCRIPT IS NOT EXACTLY LIKE THE RECORDING.

Samuel had a life calling from YHVH because of Hannah, his mother, who dedicated him to YHVH in order to get him. He was called before his conception like Isaac, Jacob and Samson. Isaiah and Jeremiah would later say they were called from the womb.

Isaiah 49:1  Listen, islands, to me. Listen, you peoples, from afar: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the inside of my mother he has mentioned my name.

Isaiah 49:5  Now Yahweh says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and to gather Israel to him, for I am honorable in Yahweh’s eyes, and my God has become my strength.

Galatians 1:15  But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, 

What is the purpose of being called from the womb?

Galatians 1:16  to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,
Galatians 1:17  nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus. 

It is one thing to have a life call. It is another to be called to start ministry, and yet another still to answer the ministry call when it comes. Samuel had a life call, he heard the call to ministry and then he answered ‘yes’. Not everyone says ‘yes’ when YHVH calls. Jonah is one of the more famous examples. Moses refused at first. Even Jeremiah tried to decline YHVH’s special calling on his life.

Jeremiah 1:4  Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
Jeremiah 1:5  “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:6  Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.” 

YHVH knows who He has chosen even before conception. And those whom He knew, He formed for His special purposes to serve Him in the way He needed them to. Samuel was one of those specially called to service but Samuel was serving YHVH before he was called, unlike his predecessors.

1 Samuel 3:1  The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was rare in those days. There were not many visions, then. 

The priesthood and all Israel was so corrupt that YHVH was no longer speaking to them. Prior, YHVH had used the righteous judges to speak but, over time, even those judges – like Gideon – became corrupt. We don’t have a record of their judgements but, the later judges, we can infer some corrupt judgements based on bad decisions they made. There also is no record of any individuals repenting for their sins or paying restitution during the Judges period. All that Samuel mentions in the Book of Judges is when there was national repentance because Israel was in oppression. We have already studied the sin-oppression-repentance cycle in previous teachings.  

1 Samuel 3:2  At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), 

Eli had put his sons first, over his office of High Priest and over his service to YHVH. We have this same wording in the account of Isaac and Esau.

Genesis 27:1  When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see…

The same Hebrew words, ‘kahah’ (‘keheh’, in Isaac’s case) and ‘raah’, are used in both places. Isaac had a similar problem with his son, Esau, that Eli had with Hophni and Phinehas. There are a matter of degrees of this dimness, this blindness to the faults of the sons, between Isaac and Eli, though. In the account of Isaac are clues that he was not completely blind to Esau’s hatred of YHVH. Eli knew about his sons’ treachery and did nothing about it because his eyes were dim so that he could not see, perceive, ‘ra’ah’.

What does ‘raah’ mean? ‘Raah’ is about discernment. It is about perception, something that a person is to discern clearly. The English words “discern” and “perceive” are 2 of the translation options. Isaac had chosen to turn a blind eye to Esau but, in the end, chose Jacob because Isaac knew what Esau was. Eli, on the other hand, knew his sons’ treacheries against YHVH and still chose them. Eli’s discernment and perception dimmed along with his physical eyesight.

1 Samuel 3:3  and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple, where God’s ark was; 

The phrase “God’s lamp had not yet gone out” is a reference to the coming destruction of Shiloh. Samuel wants his readers to understand that the incident between himself and YHVH, which he will now describe, happened before the destruction of Shiloh by the Philistines.

The coming destruction will be the first time God’s lamp will have gone out since the Tabernacle’s inauguration. All through the wars and troubles of the Books of Joshua and Judges, God’s lamp still stood and was lit. It is now about to go out. YHVH is calling Samuel just prior to the destruction.

Think about Samson now. It likely was that he had already been captured and was being used to grind grain like an animal at this very moment, on this very night when YHVH called Samuel. And soon, Samson would perturb the Philistines to the point of no return by killing them at a celebration. That event which Samson has not yet perpetrated is being orchestrated at the same time that YHVH was preparing to destroy the corrupted Priesthood of Israel and using the Philistine army to do it. The Philistines will remove the tribe of Ephraim from power, after which Israel’s disunity will worsen and, to that, will be added that Israel will have become rudderless except for one man – Samuel!

YHVH never leaves a gap. He never destroys one thing before He has the other in place. YHVH only destroyed the Jews, as He had prophesied through Jeremiah and Ezekiel and the other prophets for hundreds of years before it actually happened, only AFTER, or actually WITH, the crucifixion of Yeshua, their God who came in the flesh and who died for Israel’s sins so all the world could be brought to His Father. Thus, YHVH will sacrifice Samson and employ Samuel but He will have Samuel in place before the destruction.

So here we go.

1 Samuel 3:4  Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.”
1 Samuel 3:5  He ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.” He went and lay down.
1 Samuel 3:6  Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.”
1 Samuel 3:7  Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him. 

Ah! Samuel was not yet at the age where he had been taught to know YHVH (plus, Eli could not teach him to know YHVH) nor had he been taught YHVH’s Word. What is YHVH’s Word? The Torah. The commandments. The Law of YHVH that He expects His people to live by. Samuel had not yet come of age. He was still quite young when YHVH called him to service.

More importantly, was that Samuel should know the LIVING Torah yet to come, the Son of God. Remember, Galatians 1:16 said our purpose is to reveal the Son of God. Samuel revealed the Son of God before the event of the Cross because he looked forward to that day but he still had YHVH’s Spirit in his heart. We will see that Samuel had a face-to-face visit from YHVH Yeshua, Himself.

1 Samuel 3:8  Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. 

YHVH is patient when He calls people. We often hear but don’t know what the voice wants so we have to seek. Every time we hear it, we seek to know what the voice wants. YHVH called Samuel 3 times.

1 Samuel 3:9  Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 

Eli finally realized God, YHVH, was calling Samuel. He knew what was happening and, though the scripture does not elaborate, it is probable that this scared him. We will see the hint of this fear later.

It was time for Samuel to come into the calling for which he had been set apart, even at this young age. I think Samuel was probably about the age of a modern bar mitzvah – about 13.

1 Samuel 3:10  Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.” 

Before this, YHVH called. But now He comes and stands. Samuel saw YHVH standing. This was his face-to-face meeting with YHVH Yeshua. Also, YHVH doubled His call the fourth time. Samuel! Samuel! There was urgency behind the call and, now, YHVH has Samuel’s full attention.

1 Samuel 3:11  Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 

Without the formality of prophetic calling such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel received, YHVH simply starts revealing His plans to His new prophet, Samuel. That is all the introduction Samuel got to his service and calling. No frills. No, heavenly vision, no molten embers on the lips or whirlwinds with chariots. Nope. Just a straightforward word for Samuel which he will be required to deliver to Eli.

In chapter 2, a man of God came to Eli and prophesied against him and his 2 sons. But it takes 2 witnesses to condemn. This is why the prophets’ prophecies from Amos to Malachi have the same repeating themes with the same warnings for Israel. The prophets all validate and confirm each other as multiple witnesses. Samuel will now confirm the man of God’s prophecy. On the next morning, the second witness came to Eli.  

1 Samuel 3:12  In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 

This is a pronouncement from YHVH that would never leave Samuel. He knew it meant a complete change for Israel at that moment of his life, but he would only understand it later in life after anointing 2 Kings of Israel and watching how the Priesthood would be destroyed by an Edomite, the very same priesthood he had served under! Let’s not underestimate the magnitude and significance of what was happening here. It is akin to what we will see in the end of days. There will be a priesthood in Jerusalem who will be destroyed and replaced. This is huge!

1 Samuel 3:13  For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.
1 Samuel 3:14  Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.” 

Numbers 18:1  Yahweh said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your fathers’ house with you shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 

The line of Ithamar will never be able to serve YHVH again. That line bears its own iniquity.

Religions teach that God always forgives. I have taught many times that there is a moment when YHVH will no longer forgive. Here is one of those times. The reason for it is because Eli did not stop his sons’ activities, their corruption, adulteries, idolatries and all the rest.

I said last week that the scriptures don’t tell us how the priesthood went from Eleazar’s line under Phinehas/Pinchas to Ithamar’s line which now end with Eli and his sons. It may be there was some kind of treachery, authority-grabbing. It would have been better for Ithamar’s descendants to let Eleazar’s descendants keep the priesthood. This is why James urged people to now want to be teachers:

James 3:1  Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.

How much more for the holy priesthood of YHVH! People must be careful to know where YHVH’s calling has fallen and where it has not. And now, the line of Ithamar, the entire line, will no longer be allowed to serve YHVH in His Temple! The sins of one man – Eli, who allowed his sons to do whatever they wanted in YHVH’s holy space – will undo the priesthood for the entire line of Ithamar! How sad! If only people would realize how their sins, which they think only affects them, would understand that their sins affect a lot more people than just them.

1 Samuel 3:15  Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 

Samuel, being from Korah through Kohath, had the job of opening the doors. This continued to be the line of Kohath’s/Korah’s line until the final Temple fell in 70 AD. There would have been other members from the line of Kohath/Korah at the Temple but Eli had rightfully chosen Samuel for this particular honor, and an honor it was, too! It is no small thing to open the gates of the Temple. The opening of those doors signals to the people that they can approach YHVH! And also the doors will fling open wide when Yeshua comes!

Psalms 24:7  Lift up your heads, you gates! Be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in.
Psalms 24:8  Who is the King of glory? Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle.
Psalms 24:9  Lift up your heads, you gates; yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in.
Psalms 24:10  Who is this King of glory? Yahweh of Armies is the King of glory! Selah. 

Can you feel Samuel’s blessing to be the opener of YHVH’s doors, His gates? It seems such a small thing but it carries such honor with it!

Two different Hebrew words, ‘daleth’ (H1817) and ‘sha’ar’ (H8179), are used in 1 Samuel 3:15 and Psalms 24:7, but both mean doors and gates. The difference is that ‘daleth’ refers to the door of a house, in particular YHVH’s House, while ‘sha’ar’ refers to city gates. There was no city at Shiloh. It stood alone surrounded by the hills on all sides. Thus, its doors were to its house, ‘daleth’. But if Shiloh had been a city like Jerusalem, the word would have been ‘sha’ar’. There is another word for “doors” in Psalms 24:7, but I won’t go into that one.

Now, Samuel is about to get a lesson in courage. Notice, also, that Samuel did not provide a description of the farewell between YHVH and himself. With Manoah and his wife, the mother of Samson, there was a marvelous flourish at the end as the Angel of YHVH disappeared in the fire and smoke. Not here. YHVH appeared, gave Samuel the message and the next thing we read is Samuel being rightfully fearful to tell Eli.

1 Samuel 3:16  Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son!” He said, “Here I am.”
1 Samuel 3:17  He said, “What is the thing that He has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He spoke to you.”
1 Samuel 3:18  Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.” 

What else could Eli say? He is now resigned to the fact of his and his sons’ destruction because this was the second witness. If the second witness, Samuel, had not come, the first prophecy by the man of God in chapter 2 might have been a false prophecy, but now there is no doubt about their fate.

1 Samuel 3:19  Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 

Samuel suddenly went from a child with no personal relationship with YHVH to a young man who was a prophet and whose prophecies never failed. There was a reason for this:

1 Samuel 3:20  All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh. 

YHVH established Samuel as a direct connection, a prophet, to Himself. First a prophet, then the final national Judge of Israel. We will see as we study Samuel’s life and activities how afraid the people were of him, and rightfully so!

The establishment of Samuel took some time. This didn’t happen overnight that people began to understand that when Samuel spoke they should listen. It was also during these years that YHVH continued setting up Samson’s final act and his sacrifice which took 3,000 upper echelon Philistines to their death with him (Judges 16:23-30). In that final act of Samson, and with the upcoming prophet of YHVH, Samuel, a new era began for Israel.

1 Samuel 3:21  Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by Yahweh’s word. 

YHVH would now be an ever present entity in Samuel’s life. In actuality, Samuel would speak face-to-face with YHVH. Moses was mouth-to-mouth with YHVH (Numbers 12:8) but even Samuel’s face-to-face relationship with YHVH bore weight!

YHVh would accomplish several things at the same time: the destruction of Eli, his sons, the temple at Shiloh and the removal of Ephraim. I may seem like YHVh waits for a long time, and past the time when we think He should just “get on with it”, but He doesn’t waste His time doing one thing at a time. Rather, He patiently set up all the dominoes so that the moment He pushes them, they all fall suddenly. And they will only fall when He says it is time.

Rev 1:1  This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His servants the things which must happen soon, which He sent and made known by His angel to His servant, John,
Rev 1:2  who testified to God’s word, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw. 

The word, G5034 ‘tachos’, means hastily and “in a short span of time”. We can understand the sudden destruction that comes in a short time by studying what happened at Shiloh. During this destruction, will come a King which turns out to be wicked. He will be followed by a righteous King. Take heart, for the destruction of Mystery Babylon and the beast she rides is already in progress. First, a wicked King will come and then he will be followed by the righteous King and rightful heir to Jerusalem’s throne – Yeshua!