A Revelation Rich Environment of the Lord

“The boy Samuel ministered to the Lord.” Yes, even boys can minister to the Lord.

What? Those energetic, never sit still, adventurers? Yes!

“The Word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” [1]

That is, until the Lord spoke to the boy Samuel and he listened. One little boy listened to the Lord and it started a major change in the environment around him.

Samuel was living with high priest Eli and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas. You would think that these three men would have been the source of Samuel’s revelation, but they were not.

High priest Eli’s eyes were dim. He could not see. People needed a seer. The Lord had tried to work through Eli and his sons but to no avail. So, the Lord turned to the boy Samuel. He gave Samuel a prophetic word for Eli: “Because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” [2] Now, that’s bad.

Eli and his sons were supposed to sanctify God’s people but they defiled them.

As for Samuel, the Bible says of him, “So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. All Israel... knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord. ...The Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of the Lord.” [3]

God speaks by His Spirit to and through His prophets via His Word. We know we have heard from God when it lines up with Scripture and when what He gives us comes to pass. The Word of the Lord that He gave to Samuel came to pass. Both Eli and his two sons died. The Lord replaced them with Samuel. [4]

The revelation of the Lord, the Word of the Lord, is vital to our soul’s eternal happiness. Apart from faith in God’s Word, we cannot be saved. Sadly, many people, like Eli and his two sons, are disregarding God’s Word, preferring to pursue temporary pleasures for a season rather than eternal joys with the Lord forevermore.

The Lord asks us, “How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? Know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the Lord will hear when I call to Him.” [5]

Like David, we should be so captivated by love for God and for God’s ways that we disdain contrariness to Him with prayers of lament: “Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.” [6]

The Word of the Lord is precious so we should prefer it over other kinds of speech:

“He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.” [7]

“He who despises the Word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” [8]

“A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful ambassador brings health.” [9]

Much of the speech coming out of major television networks and movie production firms amounts to wicked messages that yield trouble. Our Lord Jesus Christ is a faithful ambassador. He gives us good news. He brings health to body, soul and mind.

The Lord speaks of unbelievers as poisoners of the mind. They want to abuse and cast stones at God’s messengers. We need to, “Turn from these useless things to the living God.” [10]

While some reject God’s servants, many believe them. God opens doors of faith among them as they, like us, become disciples of Jesus Christ. [11]

God is speaking to His servants. He is revealing Himself to responders to His voice. God has not changed. Boys, girls, men and women, the gender or age does not matter! The response matters!

Let us say to the Lord as Samuel did, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.” Let us be in prayer to the Lord as David was. Let us be wise like Solomon was. Let us be disciples of Jesus as the people were in Acts 14. Let us labor to make a revelation rich environment of the Lord.

[1] 1 Samuel 3:1
[2] 1 Samuel 3:2-18
[3] 1 Samuel 3:19-21
[4] 1 Samuel 4
[5] Psalm 4:2-3
[6] Psalm 6:8-9
[7] Proverbs 13:3
[8] Proverbs 13:13
[9] Proverbs 13:17
[10] Acts 14:1, 5-6, 15
[11] Acts 14:27-28
[12] 1 Samuel 3:9