“IT IS THE LORD!”

 “IT IS THE LORD!”

1 Samuel 3:15-18                         (ESV)

“15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.

16 But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am."

17 And Eli said, "What was it that HE told you? Do not hide it from me. May GOD do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that HE told you."

18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, "”IT IS THE LORD”. Let HIM do what seems good to HIM.””

The history of Samuel is an remarkable one.  His mother was loved deeply by his father, but she initially was unable to have children.  Once, while praying at the temple, a priest named Eli saw her demonstrably praying inaudibly for a remedy to her situation.  He thought that she was drunk but she explained that she was only praying for GOD to open her womb.  1 Samuel 1:17 tells us “Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the GOD of Israel grant your petition that you have made to HIM." Eli’s word made Hannah’s countenance to be lifted greatly and she went her way rejoicing.  

Now the sons (Hophni and Phinehas) of the priest Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD, according to 1 Samuel 2:12.  Eli had just been used to encourage Hannah, but his sons were not walking in the same path that Eli did.  Samuel was “given to the LORD” by his parents, as they had promised GOD!  Samuel would grow in stature and presence of the LORD.  Conversely, Eli was being visited by “man of GOD” who called out Eli for allowing him sons to desecrate the things that they were entrusted with from Heaven.  Apparently Eli didn’t head the warning???

One night Samuel was sleeping a voice awakened him.  He was not accustomed to hearing the VOICE OF GOD so he went into Eli, who after hearing about Samuels ordeal instructed him how to reply the next time he heard the voice.  Samuel obeyed, but the message he was given wasn’t one that he relished!  GOD told Samuel, “And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming GOD, and he did not restrain them (1 Samuel 3:13).  

When morning came Eli inquired about what GOD had spoken to Samuel during the night.  Even though he was distraught by the message, Samuel relayed precisely what he had been told.  Eli already had been alerted about his sons behavior, BUT he did not offer to correct them.  His reply in 1 Samuel 1:18 was “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to HIM.”  

When “IT IS THE LORD” sends us an alert that we are not following HIS WAYS, it would behoove us to adhere to the MESSAGE!  The final sentence in the alert sent by the CREATOR was “Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever."  When “IT IS THE LORD” sends the MESSAGE, please LISTEN TO HIM!!!