After the chaotic days of the judges God raised up a young boy named Samuel to be a prophet. Prior to his birth, Samuel’s mother, Hannah was in…

“distress of soul, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly.”

She vowed that God would look on her affliction and give her a son that she would “give him to the Lord all his life.” Sure enough Samuel was soon born and at an earlier age God spoke to him and said “I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of all who hear it shall tingle.” The young Samuel lived in the tabernacle, under the tutelage and care of Eli, the high priest. Eli lacked passion for God and his sons were “base and worthless, they did not know or regard the Lord.” The word know in this verse makes an important distinction between religion and relationship. Picture in your mind a door and then picture an eye. Through the eyes one experiences his world and learns from it. Combined these words mean “door of the eye.” The eye is the window into the man’s very being.

Experience is gained through visual observation. Knowledge is achieved through these experiences. To know someone is to have an intimate or close relationship with them. God wants the door of our eyes to be opened. He wants us to come to see him spiritually. To perceive that He is real and gain an intimate knowledge of Him in the spirit. Eli’s son’s did not have this and his lineage could not continue to serve God as high priest. Samuel first thought Eli was talking to him. Eli told him the next time he heard something to say “speak Lord, your servant is listening.” God tells Samuel about Eli’s downfall and Samuel becomes a vessel used by God during this time.

The book of Samuel (1^st & 2^nd being really one original scroll) tells the story of how God chooses to work with humble and willing souls. He exalts the lowly and brings low the proud and arrogant. From Eli to Samuel and Saul to David, God uses the one everyone least expects Him to use. The stories of this book can teach us incredible life lessons about the type of heart God is looking for. David, in spite of his mistakes is called a man after God’s own heart.

But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his [Eliab’s] appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

(1 Samuel 16:7 AMPC)