Eli's lack of discernment is also noted. He did not recognize that God was speaking to the child. Yet the call was thrice repeated. Poor Eli blundered quite as seriously in his dealings with Hannah. He supposed her to be drunken, when in reality she was a sorrowful woman pouring out her heart to her God (1 Sam. 1:13-16). Nearness to God was intended to give the priests good judgment concerning holy and unholy, unclean and clean, so that they might instruct the people (Lev. 10:9-11). The divine arraignment of the priesthood in the closing book of the Old Testament might well be studied here with profit: “The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law” (Mal. 2:7-8). How is it with us? Grace has put every believer into the priestly place, but are we in the power of it? Are we spiritually discerning?
Doubtless that which happened in Shiloh that night was altogether without precedent. Indeed, there had been no divine manifestations of any kind for some time in Israel, as this chapter tells us in its opening verse. But, had Eli been spiritually alert, he would have recognized the act of God sooner than he did. The poor old man was sleepy and could only say repeatedly, “Lie down again.” “Let us not sleep as do others,” says the Apostle, “but let us watch and be sober” (1 Thess. 5:6). Nothing is easier than to develop a drowsy spiritual condition. To all who are in that condition, the voice sounds like a trumpet-call, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from among the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee” (Eph. 5:14). The Lord in His infinite mercy preserve us from that deplorable state which would lead us drowsily to quiet others who are awake. God forbid that we should ever say to one to whom He is speaking, “Lie down again.”