A Trustworthy Prophet of the Lord

Thursday, March 12, 2015
1Samuel 3:11-21 KJV 

11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all [things] which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. 15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here [am] I. 17 And he said, What [is] the thing that [the LORD] hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide [it] not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide [any] thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. 18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It [is] the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good. 19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel [was] established [to be] a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord tell Samuel that he would do to the house of Israel and the house of Eli? (v.11)
2) What had the Lord told Eli concerning His judgment against the prophet's house? Why? (v.12-14)
3) What did Samuel do the next morning? (v.15)
4) What did Eli ask Samuel to do for him that same day? (v.16-17)
5) What did Samuel tell the older prophet and how did Eli respond? (v.18)
6) What immediately became of Samuel after his discourse with the Prophet Eli? (v.19-21))

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
7) Has the Lord ever used you to deliver difficult and/or troubling news to one of his servants? If so, briefly describe one such time.

LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord expects those who serve Him to be faithful stewards over their God given gifts and the people He has blessed them to serve.
9) When the Lord's servants mistreat the sheep of His flock, He will demote, or remove, that servant and apppoint someone else to succeed him/her/them.