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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (15-8-1976 Strandtown Baptist Church)
The period when Samuel was prophet was a critical period
in the life of Israel because it was a time of transition and change. The age of
the judges was coming to an end, and demand for a king was growing. So far
Israel had been a theocracy, and now the nation wanted a man to lead them. They
needed a strong personality to lead the nation and bridge the gap between the
past and the future.
The real power of Samuel was not
in his involvement in politics but in his knowledge of God. He saw Him who is
invisible, and was able to live above criticism of not going far enough or going
too far, by living in God’s will (the only way not to crack under constant
criticism). The darkest part of the night is just before dawn, and during the
nation’s blackest period, God was never without a faithful witness.
We are going to survey the life and character of Samuel. He arrived on the scene amidst a background of moral and spiritual corruption because of the weakness of Eli, constant warfare with the Philistines, during which the Ark, the symbol of God’s presence, was in enemy hands for a while. Shiloh had been its home for three centuries, but it was a shadow of what it had been. There had been no new revelation from God for a long time. The Word of God was rare in these times.
We usually describe Samuel as a
prophet, and in one sense he was the first of the prophets. There had been
prophets before him, e.g. Moses was a prophet, mighty in words and in deeds (Acts
7:22), also special messages from God to Deborah, a woman (Judges 4:4). But
Samuel was the first of that long and unbroken line of heaven sent teachers,
especially inspired of God. From this time till Malachi there were going to be
God’s spokesmen, teaching, guiding and rebuking people and kings as they
brought God’s revelation and knowledge of His will, and awakened the hope of
the coming Messiah.
This is the work that young
Samuel was called to do that night in the tabernacle. He continued faithfully
for 40 years in his prophetic ministry. Sometimes the word “seer” is used to
describe him (1 Samuel 9:9). This is an older name for a prophet. He was
consulted by people from near and far about small affairs of life, e.g. Saul
consulted him when his father’s asses were lost. He was paid by loaves of
bread or a fourth part of silver shekel. His blessing was required at
sacrificial feasts. He made God’s will known about affairs of state, and in
God’s name he warned the people against the dangers of having a king, and
pronounced judgement for Saul’s disobedience of two occasions.
All this made him an influential
leader and ruler among the people. He also provided for his kind of ministry to
be maintained because he set up the first school of prophets at Naioth. He
trained men to carry on the work after he had concluded his own ministry. Thus
the beginnings of great prophetic ministries of the future which have left a
greater mark on the world than anything produced in Rome or Greece.
Now to look in greater detail at three aspects of His character, from which we have much to learn.
Already indicated the background of Samuel’s ministry
was the constant warfare between Israel and the Philistines (which continued
till David’s reign). During one of these episodes, after a period of
backsliding, the people forsook their idols, confessed their sins and sought the
Lord, asking His aid against their enemies. Samuel prayed and offered
sacrifices. Philistines were defeated in battle and their yoke on Israel was
broken. Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He called it
Ebenezer, meaning, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12).
He thought of all that God had
done for them, though they deserved none of it. The stone was set up to remind
them of all the help that had been afforded them. It was a visible sign to aid
their memory, not unlike the elements at the Lord’s Supper.
One of the most helpful things
to do in life is to look back and raise our Ebenezer. We get discouraged, full
of self-pity, our faith burns low, and we fear for the future. How helpful it is
to look back over life and see how God has led us. In trouble, in sickness, in
sorrow, at home and abroad, in honour and dishonour, in perplexity and joy, in
trial and triumph – put it all together, and see God’s hand ever present. It
is delightful to gaze down a long avenue of trees like a leafy temple with its
branching pillars and arches of leaves. So we can look down a long avenue of
years with all the mercy and loving kindness, answers to prayers, deliverances
from trouble, provision for needs, clouds with silver linings, sense of
direction and meaning, time when He has clearly said “This is the way, walk ye
in it.”
We look around us at others and then think what life would have been like apart from God. Think what we have been saved from.
“Count
your blessings,
Name
them one by one,
And
it will surprise you what the Lord has done”
Take heart for the future. We do not know what lies ahead
of us even in this coming week – more trouble and triumphs are yet in store
for us, more deep waters and high mountains. Then at the end – death. What He
has been in the past, He will be in the future. Experience helps to deepen our
faith. In the future we will be able to raise another Ebenezer to remind us of
yet more blessings, all the way to the end of our journey.
Stride forward in to the future with this confidence – the Lord will help us. As sure as He has helped us so far, He will help us to the close. He has been with us so far. He will be with us to the end. He will never leave us or forsake us. Take courage and carry on the journey.
A king had been chosen to rule the people (1
Samuel 12:24). Samuel was uneasy about it, and warned the people of the dangers
of oppression by a king. But they insisted that they wanted to be like the other
nations. Samuel promised them that if they and their king would only follow and
serve the Lord with all their hearts, He would still bless them because they
were His people. And Samuel would continue to teach them the good and right way.
God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you (1
Samuel 12:23).
Samuel had been born because of
the prayers of Hannah. His very name meant “asked of God”. As a child in the
tabernacle he had learnt to pray, “Speak Lord for thy servant heareth.”
Throughout his long ministry he knew what it was to be on familiar terms with
God. This gave him the power to rule and teach. When Israel was under attack
from the Philistines he would cry to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him
(1 Samuel 7:5,9). When the people asked for a king, Samuel prayed to God (1
Samuel 8:6,21). After Saul’s grievous sin, Samuel cried to the Lord all night
(1 Samuel 15:11).
Now Israel had their king
against his advice, yet Samuel promised that he would still cry to the Lord for
them. Prayer was the never failing remedy for all his troubles. It is most
striking that he declares it would be a sin to cease to pray for them. This
failure is one which involves every Christian because praying for others is
possible to all. We cannot all preach, or give large sums of money, or go to the
mission field, lead a meeting. But we can all pray and incorporate meeting for
prayer in the life of the church.
Prayerlessness despises
Christ’s cross and access to the Father which He bought with His life’s
blood. Prayerlessness deprives the church of God of blessing. Ye have not
because ye ask not (James 4:2). Someone has said that the real sins of the
Christian church are those which the world would not reckon to be sins. The
world would not be disturbed if Christians did not pray. But what would God
think? Some Christians are very concerned if a lady has colour on her lips –
but not worried in the least if there is not prayer of their own.
We all owe so much to the prayers of others – parents, Sunday School teachers, Christian workers, and ministers. Now in turn we have a responsibility to pray for others. God forbid we should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for them. The best way to discharge this duty as parents, friends and citizens is by the ministry of prayer for others.
The new King of Israel had been appointed. At this time
Samuel was old and grey-headed. He had walked and lived before Israel from his
childhood, and everyone had known him all their lives. They were able to inspect
his life as if it were under a microscope. He challenged them to show before God
whose ox and ass he had taken, whom he had defrauded or opposed, from whom he
had taken a bribe (1 Samuel 12:3). He was willing to put anything right that
needed to be put right. The people testified that he had not defrauded or
oppressed them, he had taken no bribes. No fault was found in him at all. The
Lord was witness to this.
Samuel was not like the Pharisee
who thanked God that he was not like other men. Rather, Samuel put himself on
defence before his fellow men. He had been a public man for half a century,
serving his people faithfully. So he retired, probably a poor man, but with a
clean pair of hands.
There is something very enviable
about this man’s character. The unbroken continuity and uniform direction from
days long past when he wore the little coat his mother made, to the closing of
his life. The steadiness of his course, and fixity of aim. Far better than a
life lived in a great fanfare of trumpets with occasional bursts of enthusiasm
and achievement, but instead a quietly steady consistent life lived in God’s
presence down through the years. Nothing outstanding or startling, but how it
leaves a much deeper impression on us than many an outstanding life.
John G. Paton’s father was a Scottish peasant. John was one of 11 children, brought up in 3-roomed cottage. His parents lived lives of quiet consistent godliness. The Word of God and altar were centres around which family life revolved. This challenged Paton throughout his life.
Samuel was not without faults or without disappointments, e.g. his sons did not follow their father’s example (1 Samuel 8:3), yet he lived in grateful acknowledgement of God, he had a prayerful concern for his fellows, and lived a consistent life before all.
