1 Samuel 3:1 begins with a sad state affairs for the nation of Israel, to whom God had given the Law on Sinai and then carried them through the wilderness. It says, “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days.” It is particularly sad when you realize that there was a lot of religious activity going on. The Priests and Levites were all busy with their religious duties. They offered the sacrifices on schedule and burned their incense at the appropriate time. They performed all their duties as expected, but God remained relatively silent. The priests had lost their focus and were performing mere rituals. They were also abusing their office. One of the most important tasks of the priesthood was to guide people to God and to help them cultivate their personal relationship with Him. Eli and his family of priests had failed the people. Instead of leading people to God, they were using their office to their own benefit.

But then God speaks. In the first ten verses of chapter 3, The Word of the Lord came to Samuel four times. Samuel thought it was Eli calling him. One of the marks of a faithful servant is an attentive ear and an immediate response. He rises each time and runs to Eli. Even though Eli was a dreadful example of what a man of God should be, young Samuel submitted totally to his authority. Because Samuel was faithful to his earthly master, even though he was an undeserving one, he became a mighty instrument in God’s hand. God wouldn’t speak to the corrupt priests and Levites. But he did decide to break his silence with Samuel.

But Eli got God’s message through Samuel. God did speak to Eli. The Word that came to Samuel was a prophecy about the demise of Eli and his house. It was not a pleasant message, and Samuel did his best to keep from delivering it. But Eli insisted on hearing the truth. Samuel finally delivered it with all its condemnation to Eli. Eli was full of problems. He had more weaknesses than the average man, and many a preacher and teacher will point each of them out to us. But, I can’t help but marvel at his godly response to the catastrophic message Samuel gave him. He simply says, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” Many of the commentators argue that it’s not a positive response, but I’d rather not see it that way.  I like to see Eli as a man resigned to accept God’s will regardless of what it is. I like to think that amidst his many life failures, he still acknowledges God’s sovereignty and submits himself graciously to God’s will. Unlike Saul, who tries to kill David, Eli blesses Samuel and surrenders to the inevitability of God’s will in all the circumstances of his life. If this is accurate, we might compare Eli in some sense to Job. “Naked came I into the world, naked from it I must go.  The Lord gives, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”