A Coming Priest & Prophet St John's 10 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. Readings:1 Samuel 2:12-36; 1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a Introduction & prayer

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1 A Coming Priest & Prophet St John's 10 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. Readings:1 Samuel 2:12-36; 1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a Introduction & prayer The nation has no real leadership. Those leading are all over the place. And very few are leading in the direction God wants. So the people stagger around like blind people with no guide. Doing as they see fit. What else can they do, if God is rarely heard? And if, when he is, his words are treated with scorn? The nation seems to be getting a darker and less safe place. 21st Century Britain or 12th Century B.C. Israel? You choose. Let me pray! Prayer Heavenly Father, please keep this church always a place where your words are heard. Where what you say is listened to, talked about, understood and lived out. Father, as we think together now about this part of your word, please turn up the light. Because if you don t, we really will be stuck in the dark. And please, show us Jesus, the light of the world. Amen. Context We re in the history of God s Old Testament people, Israel. At a crucial moment in God s dealing with people. The events in 1 Samuel are vital to the coming of Jesus. God has revealed himself and his ways to Israel. But with very few exceptions, they ve ignored him. Israel is summed up at the end of the book of Judges like this: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. 21:25 That s because no-one was teaching them God s word. So no-one was living God s way. So the result was national chaos and moral darkness. 21st Century Britain or 12th Century B.C. Israel? You choose. But last week a miracle baby was born to a godly woman in answer to her heartfelt prayers. And as promised, once weaned, she gave him back to God, to help the old priest Eli in God s Tabernacle temple. And today s section is like Dickensian, on TV. It switches between light & dark; good & evil. And as the scenes switch, so the mood changes. From hope to despair; promise to judgement; and back again. A coming Priest chapter 2 v Last week Samuel s parents went home at chapter 2v11, but the boy ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest. Sound like things are picking up? Afraid not: v12, Eli's sons [who were following their father in the priest business] were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD. Literally, the original Hebrew reads, they were sons of wickedness; they did not know the Lord. We were told last week they were called Hophni & Phineas. The rest of chapter 2 is dark, except for the occasional flash of light in the form of young Samuel. Watch out for those bits; you re going to need them! Now, so we re all on the same page, you need to know that God s priests in the Old Testament had two jobs: To teach the people God s words from the Bible. Lev 10:11; Deu 31:9-13 And to handle sacrifices in the tabernacle temple. Teaching God s word was how you knew God and his ways. Sacrificing was how you could be sorted with God when you failed to live his ways. The Lord had said you get sorted with him by sacrificing an animal for your forgiveness, in your place. The priest got two specific bits; the fat was to be burned as it was God s bit; you ate what was left. That may sound weird to our ears but that was the only way before Jesus came. But Eli s priest sons were taking God s portion and whatever they wanted of the people s portion, if necessary using force.

2 And God s view of all this? v17: This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD's sight, for they were treating the LORD's offering with contempt. And they were meant to be helping people not to sin and helping people when they did sin! There s worse to come, but let s enjoy a brief bit of light. v18: But Samuel was ministering before the LORD That means serving; Samuel was giving to the Lord and people, unlike the other two who were just taking. This lighter bit has a lot of giving in it, notice. God give Hannah a child; Hannah gave the child back to God. God graciously gives Hannah 5 more children. And Samuel is a boy wearing a linen ephod. Which was what the priests wore. Samuel isn t a priest, but he s going to be far more of a priest than these two rogues ever will be. And v21 ends with Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD. Which has to be a sign of hope, don t you think? Sorry, it s about to get worse before it gets better! v22: Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Basically, they were the rock stars and they had groupies. These priests should have been teaching people that God invented sex solely for marriage between a man and a woman. And offering sacrifices when people messed up sexually. But they d turned the tabernacle temple almost into a brothel! Now, imagine what this must have done for ordinary people. You didn t know how you were meant to live, because the priests never got the Bible out to teach you. So you never knew if God was pleased with you or not. And you d have had to be really dim to imagine these rogues could bring you forgiveness from a holy God. Which would leave you where? I guess with a vaguely guilty conscience and nowhere to go. Sadly, it s little different in many churches today. Ministers never teach God s word faithfully. And they do nothing to help sinful people approach the holy God for forgiveness and the assurance of eternal life. Hophni & Phineas behaviour was dreadful for anyone; but for priests of the Lord it was a scandal. Which Eli, to give him some credit, tells them in v23. And then he says something very important, v25: If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him [like a lawyer trying to settle things amicably]; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him? Do something bad against the bloke down the pub, sons, and God may sort it through the priest and a sacrifice. Except you re the priests! And it s God you re sinning against. Sons, you re really in trouble! And they said Father, we re so sorry. Please intercede before God. We really want to change. We... That s my made-up version. Here s what really happened, end v25: His sons, however, didn t listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the LORD's will to put them to death. That s a chilling judgement, don t you think? The Lord has made his decision; brought down the gavel! And now it s too late. This is a hard truth, isn t it? But don t make the mistake of thinking it isn t truth. One day God will judge and it will be too late to turn back to him. Jesus taught this truth time and time again. Please don t make that dreadful mistake. The Lord sends a messenger to Eli to tell him both of his sons will die on the same day, v34. They are permanently out of favour with God. But there s another shaft of light as the camera switches back to young Samuel who, v26: continued to grow in stature and in favour with the LORD... What a difference! And there s more light in v35: The Lord says I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind.

3 But who s that? I need that person teach me God s ways and sort me with God. The answer is probably several people. Often God s promise comes about in more than one way. Partly it s Samuel; partly it s a guy called Zadok. But ultimately it s Jesus, who became the prophet, priest and king you and I need, all rolled into one. Listen to what the New Testament says about Jesus: Such a high priest meets our need - one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens [which is where he is now, at God the Father s side. Unlike the other high priests, he doesn t need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. Hebrews 7v26-27 Christians, do you see how wrong these priests behaviour was? Because the apostle Pete writes to all Christians: you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood... 1 Peter 2:9 Give some thought to whether there s any way you re ignoring God s word and living entirely as you wish. But Eli wasn t as innocent as you might have been thinking. Second half of v29: Why do you honour your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering...? He s just gone along with his wicked sons. Christians, are you honouring your family more than the Lord. Perhaps by going along with them putting them before the Lord? Perhaps by never disciplining them when young; never teaching them or correcting them from the Bible; never modelling what it looks like in your life? Perhaps they re grown up and are ignoring God and you know you ve never explained to them how serious their situation is? Perhaps you ve never thought of inviting them to come to Christianity Explored with you so they can discover God s ways and how to get sorted with him. Chapter 2 ends darkly. But there s a glimpse of light, a glimmer of hope, v32 : Although good will be done to Israel, in your family line [Eli] there will never be an old man. And still chapter 3v1, The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. A coming prophet - Chapter 3 Let me now ask you a question. If there is a God... and he s good... and if he is a speaking God... What would be the worst thing to happen to us? Would it be chapter 3, second half of v1? In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions? The visions thing is because in the Old Testament God said that whenever he spoke to a prophet he used dreams and visions. Except for Moses, with whom he spoke face to face. Numbers 12. Leapfrogging to the New Testament, we find the same thing at the start of the letter to the Hebrews. In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son... Jesus. In Samuel s day, Jesus hadn t come, so all they knew about God came through prophets and then written down in the Bible. But what God had said was being ignored and never taught. But God s about to do something. Look how v2 sets it up: One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. Get the picture? His optic vision was poor, reflecting his lack of spiritual vision. But, v3, The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Loads of imagery here! Does it mean the oil lamp in the temple which stayed lit all night. Or that God s word hadn t been completely extinguished. And Samuel sleeps inside the temple, by the ark of God. So? So, the stone tablets of the 10 commandments were in the ark. God s word may not have been heard much, or at all, but it s like Samuel was sleeping with the Bible under his pillow! So you won t be too surprised at what happens next in v4: Then the LORD called Samuel. It s a great story, as Samuel wakes up Eli to ask what he wants. And Eli grumpily sends him back to bed; and it happens again.

4 And why doesn t Samuel recognise God s voice? Because, v7 Samuel did not yet know the LORD. And why not? Because The word of the LORD hadn t yet been revealed to him. How could Samuel, or you or me for that matter, ever know the Lord unless he reveals himself to us through his word? Eli now twigs what s going on and tells Samuel to stay put when he hears the voice again and this time say, v9: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. Which Samuel does and the Lord speaks to him, as a prophet. Not audibly, but as normal in a vision, as it says down in v15. Suddenly, the word of the Lord is no longer rare in Israel. Look at v19: The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba [that s like Land s End to John O Groats] recognised that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, [in visions, of course] and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. And Samuel's word came to all Israel. What a turnaround! From a silent God to a God who speaks once again. From moral chaos and darkness to the light of being able to know God and his good ways. Perhaps God could do the same thing in our own land today. What do you think? If you and I are really serious about getting his word heard and understood everywhere we go. In every school and uni; in every workplace and social setting; on every kind of social media; in every family home. Why ever not?! But before I close with some applications, do notice Eli at the end. I can t imagine either Samuel or Eli get much sleep after that. But somehow Eli manages to button his lips until breakfast. Samuel s not keen to tell him God s word, but Eli forces it out. God said v13: For I told [Eli] that I would judge his family for ever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering. And Eli responds humbly, in v18 He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes. Conclusion Three possible applications for you to think and perhaps pray on. Firstly, if you re not yet a Christian. That s you if you re not listening to God s word in the Bible and responding to him in loving obedience. Those last words are really serious words. The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering. An atonement is something that reconciles God to a sinner. And God says there s only one way that can happen. Through a sacrifice of another life in your and in my place. Remember earlier those words from the book of Hebrews? Jesus sacrificed for their sins [that s yours and mine] once for all when he offered himself. Hebrews 7v2 Three chapters later in Hebrews we read this: If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, [like Hophni & Phineas] no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Jesus is the only way to find atonement with God, be forgiven, avoid his judgement and live forever with him. Reject Jesus offer and there s no other option left. Surely, if there s a possibility that this, the Christian gospel, is correct, you owe it to yourself to find out? Ask about the Christianity Explored course that s starting soon. Secondly, I guess to all of us. Our world is a dark place today - I don t need to convince you. God s word is the answer, but it is the only answer. Take it seriously! Thirdly, to some of us. Is your life in a dark place as you sit there today? Are you controlled by guilt and shame for past or present actions, or inaction, or thoughts? Are you full of fear and anxiety for the future? Are you a churchgoer but living half a Christian life because of the pull of the world through family and friends, career and money, power and control? Is your life a mess and out of control because of your wrong priorities; is God bottom of your list?

5 The only hope is Jesus, who lovingly and mercifully opens his arms wide to you on the cross. Who says Let me take the judgement on me, so you can be forgiven by our loving Father God; have a completely new start; and receive the power of God the Holy Spirit to help you begin again, but living God s way. You ll only find it, of course, in God s word, the Bible. And thankfully, the lamp of God hasn t quiet gone out here. The Lord has spoken his word to each of us today. Let s be quiet for a minute or two, to think and pray how the Lord wants each one of us to respond to what he has said. Prayer (do business)