The story of the night revelation to the child Samuel has always appealed touchingly to devout readers of Holy Scripture (1 Sam. 3). There are lessons in it of deepest importance to us all. When the disciples asked the Lord, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And He called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:1-41At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1‑4)). He said more than this. Following up the thought, He showed that the spirit of the little child is always delightful to God. Perhaps if we were simpler in our attitude, more unquestioning in our faith, and more ready to obey, we should learn the mind of God more rapidly than we do.
In this chapter, Eli presents a solemn contrast to the child Samuel. It is not without significance that it is stated, “His eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see” (vs. 3). The physical infirmity was only too sadly a picture of his spiritual condition. We read in 2 Peter 1 of the man who is not “adding” to (or in) his faith, that he is “blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” Oh, the terribleness of it! There is no standing still in spiritual things; one is continually either going forward or going backward. Let both reader and writer beware.
It is also suggestive that the lamp of God was going out in the sanctuary. Aaron and his sons were to “order it from evening to morning before the Lord” (Ex. 27:2121In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel. (Exodus 27:21)). Why the failure in Eli’s day? The lamp is the symbol of testimony, and Israel’s testimony to the nations was at a low ebb at that time through the sinful condition of the people and the corruption and weakness of their leaders. Very soon after this a dying saint exclaimed, “The glory is departed from Israel” (1 Sam. 4:2121And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. (1 Samuel 4:21)), and she was right. Nothing is a testimony for God unless it be pure and holy. This is true both of assemblies and of individuals.
W. W. Fereday