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𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝟯–𝟱: 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹’𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 If you haven’t already, take time to read 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝟯–𝟱. These chapters mark significant turning points, including Samuel’s calling as a prophet, God’s judgment on Eli’s household, and the dramatic events surrounding the ark of the covenant. 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹’𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 (𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝟯:𝟭–𝟮𝟭) The chapter begins with an important observation: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯” (1st Samuel 3:1). This sets the tone for a time of spiritual drought in Israel. God calls Samuel one night while he’s lying in the temple near the ark of the covenant. At first, Samuel mistakes God’s voice for Eli’s, but after being instructed by Eli, he responds, “𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴” (1st Samuel 3:10). Samuel’s readiness to listen and obey stands in stark contrast to Eli’s sons, who disregard God’s commands. From that moment, Samuel becomes a faithful prophet of the Lord, delivering God’s messages to Israel. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: • Are we ready to listen when God speaks, even if His message is challenging? • How can we cultivate a heart like Samuel’s, eager to serve and obey God? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗘𝗹𝗶’𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝗱 (𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝟰:𝟭–𝟮𝟮) God had warned Eli of the consequences of his failure to discipline his sons, and in Chapter 4, those warnings come to pass. Israel faces the Philistines in battle, and in an attempt to secure victory, they bring the ark of the covenant into the camp, treating it as a good-luck charm rather than respecting its sacredness. The Philistines defeat Israel, killing 30,000 men. Hophni and Phinehas die, and the ark is captured. When Eli hears the news—not just of his sons’ deaths but of the ark’s capture—he falls backward, breaks his neck, and dies. This moment underscores the dangers of complacency and the consequences of dishonoring God. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: • Do we sometimes treat God’s presence or blessings as tools to serve our own agendas, rather than revering Him as holy? • How can we guard against complacency in our spiritual lives? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁? Before we continue, let’s take a moment to understand the significance of the ark of the covenant. The ark was a sacred chest made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, and topped with the mercy seat, where two cherubim faced each other. It was built during the time of Moses as instructed by God (Exodus 25:10–22). Inside the ark were: - The tablets of the Ten Commandments, representing God’s covenant with Israel. - A jar of manna, a reminder of God’s provision in the wilderness. - Aaron’s staff, which had budded as a sign of God’s chosen leadership. The ark symbolized God’s presence with His people and was kept in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle. Its capture by the Philistines was not only a military loss but a spiritual crisis for Israel. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗸 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀: 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 (𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝟱:𝟭–𝟭𝟮) The Philistines, thinking they’ve triumphed over Israel’s God, place the ark in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, they find Dagon’s statue face down before the ark. They set it up again, but the following day, Dagon’s head and hands are broken off. God then afflicts the Philistines with plagues wherever the ark is taken. Realizing they can’t handle the power of Israel’s God, the Philistines prepare to return the ark, acknowledging God’s supremacy. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: • How does this story remind us of God’s unmatched power and sovereignty? • Are there areas in our lives where we’ve underestimated or taken for granted God’s holiness? 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝟯–𝟱 1. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲: Samuel’s story teaches us the importance of being attentive and obedient to God’s calling, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. 2. 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: The Israelites treated the ark as a tool for their own purposes, leading to devastating consequences. We are reminded to honor God with reverence and humility. 3. 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆: The Philistines’ defeat, even after capturing the ark, shows that God’s power is not confined by human hands or circumstances. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 • Are you actively listening for God’s voice in your life, and how can you create space to hear Him? • How do you approach God’s presence—with humility and reverence, or with casual familiarity? • What steps can you take to ensure your life reflects trust in God’s power and sovereignty? 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 Next, we’ll continue with 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝟲–𝟳, exploring the return of the ark and how Samuel leads Israel to repentance and victory. Take time to reflect on the lessons from Chapters 3–5. Let’s keep pressing into God’s Word, seeking deeper understanding and application for our lives!

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