1 Samuel 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. I. Consider SAMUEL IN HIS EARLY ADVANTAGES. He was in a special and peculiar sense a child of prayer. II. But let us come to contemplate THE RESULTS OF THIS EARLY TRAINING, AS THEY SOON DEVELOPED THEMSELVES IN THE PERSON AND CHARACTER OF SAMUEL. 1. Observe his attention to all appointed duties. This is seen in the promptness with which he rises to obey the fancied summons of Eli even at midnight. 2. Let us consider next the deportment of Samuel towards others. Thus we find it was always modest, and courteous, and respectful. We never find him elated by the honourable position to which he had been advanced. 3. But once more, notice among the personal qualities of Samuel his steady, uncompromising faithfulness. Removed at so early a period from the pious over. sight of his parents; left only to the instruct, ions of the feeble, and as it would seem now careless Eli; compelled to be a witness of the fruits of his master's sinful negligence, and even to be the daily associate of that master's profligate and abandoned sons — we could hardly have wondered if, infected by the surrounding contagion, this plant of early and holy promise had withered and faded sway. "But the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation." III. But let us consider Samuel, in the last place, AS HE STOOD HIGH IN THE FAVOUR OF GOD. This is especially observable in the circumstances of his prophetic calling. The latter times of the Judges were times of great spiritual decline. Good men were scattered like two or three berries on the top of a bough. (D. Moors, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.WEB: Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. |
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