The Tupelo journal., 1915-02-12
INTERNATIONAL
SUNMSQIOOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY IA
SAMUEL CALLED TO BE A
PROPHET.
(By e. o. SELLERS. Acting Director of
Sunday School Course Moody Bible In
stitute, Chicago.)

LESSON TEXT Samuel 3:f-13, 10, 20.
GOLDEN TEXT-Speak, jehovah; for
thy servant heareth.-I Samuel 3:9. r. v.
Samuel was the last judge and the
first of the order of prophets. His
name means asked of God" and he
was dedicated to God (1:11) as a Naz-
arite. In fulfllment of his mothers
VOW he was brought to the temple
when he was a young child (1:24), 10
sephus says, at twelve years of age.
Hannah's song of rejoicing (2:1-10) is
the expression of a great soul and a
choice piece of literature. Samuel
had the advantage of being we'll born,
but after studying Ellis household we
are not so confident as to the environ
ment amid which he was placed.
l.. Samuel's Vision, Wv. 40. The
young child entered heartily into the
temple worship and duties as. directed
by the aged priest, Eli. This man was
not faithful in giving the people the
word of God. at was rare" (margin)
and the result was that there was no
frequent vision" Or. W. The word
is also precious" (v. /; Ps. 1879, 100,
though when it is as common as it is
in this land men frequently set but
little store by it. God will judge men
for such laxity ven as he judged
Israel (Amos S:4-6. II, 12). A vision
is a knowledge of a need and Of the
~esource at our command. Eli and
his sons had no vision and a people
lacking in this direction perish prov.
29:18). Jehovah is about to make
known to Israel his will and in so do
ing he passes over this indulgent father
and chooses the child Samuel. Teach
ableness and obedience are the chief
characteristics of childhood and these
traits count for more with God than
does age or experience (Matt. f1:25.
I Tim. Alp, Matt. 21:6). Samuel had
not acquired the conceit of youth, he
was faithful to his duties, respectful to
his elders and did not boast of his
accomplishments nor of the specia
revelation which came to him. Sam
uel slept in the holy place of the "sa-
cred tent near Eli, for the great
temple was not yet built. AS such he
is a type for the Christian FPS. 27:4).
1t was there that the Lord revealed
himself to him John ia r. V. mar
GIN. One of Samuels duties as the
special attendant of Eli was to open
the house of God every morning, also
to tend the sacred lamp which burned
from evening to morning lex. 1920,
21). AS he attended to these duties
God made himself known to Samuel
(v. ~. God frequently calls men and
they are not at home but have gone
into the far country. Samuel knew
God as every devout worshiper knew
him, but had not yet received a direct
revelation, hence he did not yet know
Jehovah" Thinking at once of the
priest, Samuel ran to receive orders
or to render service. Had he disre-
end have received his clear revelation.
To have closed his ears, turned over
for further sleep or to have risen hest
tatingly would, in all probability, have
prevented any further calls prov.
1924, %, 28). God wants, for special
spouse to his first call Elsa. 6:8; Luke
9:59-62; Acts $50. Three times the
call comes and three times Samuel
makes reply.
The teacher needs to be ever alert
to take advantage of these opportu-
,;t{oa - x-foJl o.I 1,f1-oo d. 1Jos.~-
of Christ and to challenge an imme-
date decision of the soul. Happy are
they who like Samuel hear and recog-
nize, eve though it be a progressive
revelation, the voice of Jehovah, and
hearing, obey it. There is little need
at present for the audible voice, for
we have the word and the still small
voice of the Holy Spirit. The voice
Samuel heard became a vision ". 15).
II. Jehovah's Verdict, W.. 11-13, 10.
20. The chapter following tells of the
defeat of Israel, the capture of the
ark and the death of Eli and his sons.
These were the things "at which both
the ears of everyone that heareth it
shall Jingle" The word of Jehovah
stands fast, and what he speaks that
he performs from the beginning W.
unto the end" duke 21:32, Numbers
23:19). The word of Jehovah to Sam
uel about the house of Eli was M
calculated to strike terror and silence
into the lads heart. Eli was not igno-
rant of the w~ickedness of his o 4
~(2:27-36). Eli learns from Samuel Je-
hoyah's message. Eli was a great and
good man, submissive to Gods will,
but he was a weak man, rather than
just piously resigned. He might bet
ter have prayed for mercy and
strength to deal with his wicked sons.
However, it was too late to change
their lives.
And Samuel grew and Jehovah was
with him" wv. 10, 20; see also Luke
2:52). Jesus also grew normally
~ ,Izo 1-QAN sXyhon God coils bn