Step 1: Grasp the Text in Their Town:
This passage’s author is unknown, but it was written around 630-540 BC. The author’s are said to be Samuel, Gad and Nathan. The intended audience for the Deuteronomic history (a modern theoretical construct holding that behind the present forms of the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings (the Former Prophets in the Hebrew canon) there was a single literary work) were the residents of Judah, including successors of refugees who had earlier fled south from Israel when the Assyrians demolished the nation (Deuteronomic History-Biblical Studies-Oxford Bibliographies). While the intended audience of 1 Samuel was for the Israelites. This is due to the correspondence between their conduct, both personal and national, and God’s conduct. The passage speaks on Samuel being under the watch of Eli when it comes to ministering to the Lord. However, Samuel didn’t really know the Lord for himself until God spoke to him directly. And in that God told Samuel that He would be punishing Eli and his house for their sins. After that Samuel was deemed a prophet and taught the word of the Lord. In this, the message to the intended audience at the time, was to listen to God and hear what He has to say to you and to obey His every word.
Step 2: Measure the Width of the River:
The similarities are that most of, like Samuel, don’t know that God is calling us. This is due to our immaturity in our faith. Whereas, once we start to mature, we realize the voice of God and can respond and listen to Him. The differences are that we don’t do sacrifices to be atoned by God, so we don’t have to worry about that. Also we don’t necessarily live in a time where the word of God is “rare.” Many people do know the word of God, they just choose to listen or to not listen to it. Another similarity, is that once we have a strong relationship with God, like Samuel, we don’t ever want to not hear from Him.
Step 3: Build the Principlizing Bridge:
There is an importance in listening to God, and doing the deed that He has called you to do.
Step 4: Consult the Biblical Map:
This principle fits with the rest of the Bible, whether in the OT or NT, because there was also importance in listening to God. Whenever someone in the Bible was punished, it was because they did not listen to what God had to say or what He said to do. For instance, going all the way back to the beginning, Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden because they disobeyed God and His command to not eat the fruit of the tree. And in their case that punishment went on to the rest of humanity who now lives everyday in sin, and having to repent for their sin.
Step 5: Grasp the Text in Our Town:
Identify Key Elements:
listen to God,
do not sin, and
do what He tells you to.
The key elements are:
Identify a Parallel Situation:
Imagine being a child home alone for the first time, or at least you thought you were (there was a babysitter). You were told by your parents to keep your ears open, listen and do what you are told. Things don’t go as planned.
Create a Specific Application
Growing up as kids, you aren’t ever left alone. On this particular night, your babysitter was running a little late, so you thought that you were home alone. You always remember your parents telling you to behave, listen to your elders, and to always do what you are told. However, in this case, you felt that all those rules were void, because there was no babysitter (at least that’s what you thought at first). You start to do things you shouldn’t be doing and hear your name called and ignore it because you think you are hearing things. So you continue with the mischievous behavior path you were on and again hear your name, so you stick your head out of the room and don’t see anyone or hear anything. Finally, you hear your name again, except this time it was yelled and so you go downstairs to find the babysitter standing there in disappointment. Because of all this, you get punished. In some way this is how it was with the Israelites in this passage. The Israelites chose not to listen and to be disobedient to God’s word. Fast forward, your parents come home and find out everything and after a week or so everything is back to normal. Again the babysitter comes over, but this time you answer when your name is called, you aren’t mischievous and you do everything you are told to do. Because of this you are rewarded with certain responsibilities that you would have not gotten before. This is just like Samuel. At first, he didn’t know he was being called. But when he did respond, he listened, and he did as he was told. Samuel never sinned and became deemed a prophet. Overall, you must always listen to God, and do what He is telling you to do as to not be punished.
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ESV Study Bible