“Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.” Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.” “Here I am,” Samuel replied. “What did the Lord say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the Lord’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.” As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle.”
1 Samuel 3:1-21 NLT
This passage is filled with many great and tragic ironies. Here we see Samuel being taught by Eli how to listen to God, but the message given to him ends in doom. However, there are some more disturbing ironies to consider. The first is the idea that Eli taught Samuel how to listen for God, but obviously failed at this task in his children’s lives. Lastly and perhaps most disturbing is the fact that this passage highlights how Eli successfully was able to transmit the skill of listening to God, but in fact, wasn’t actively listening to God himself. This particular irony demonstrates an important message about biblical teaching and legacy. Gods truth can be transmitted by ungodly people. Perhaps another way of putting it is that God doesn’t need a godly person to raise a godly person. Just as Samuel’s birth was a miracle, so was Samuel’s call to ministry. It should be noted that this isn’t without consequence for Eli. God’s poetry has Samuel using his new relationship with God to pronounce judgement against Eli. The Lord is not mocked nor impeded by evil men. In Gods hands, men are not impeded if God wants to bless them, or even to bring them into an impossible existence.
Irony of Eli’s Teaching: Eli taught Samuel to listen to God but failed to do so in his own life and with his sons.
Transmission of God’s Truth: God’s truth can be transmitted by ungodly people, as seen in Eli’s teaching Samuel despite Eli’s own ungodliness.
Consequence for Eli: Samuel, as God’s messenger, pronounced judgment against Eli for his failure to listen to God.
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