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God who came to Samuel

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[ 1 Samuel 3:19~20 ]

The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.

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In the days of Eli the high priest there was a child who served the Lord in the temple. His name was Samuel. Samuel was the son Hannah his mother prayed to God.

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Hannah had Samuel do the work of God in the temple from when he was very young. Samuel was very happy to work in the temple. Samuel was a man who gave satisfaction to God's heart.

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But Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli the priest, were the ones who did evil before God. They intercepted sacrifices to God. And they tormented those who came to offer sacrifices to God with all kinds of evil things. God hated these evils.

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Eli the high priest was lying in his room with a weakened eye, and Samuel was sleeping at his place in the tabernacle. God's lamp was burning without being turned off yet. That night, Jehovah came to Samuel.

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God called him “Samuel”. Samuel heard the sound and immediately rose and answered. “Here I am.” Samuel ran away, thinking he was the voice of Eli Elijah.

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“Did you call me the High Priest?” Eli, the high priest who woke up, replied. “no. I did not call you. You must have been wrong because you were so tired. Go back and sleep.”

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Samuel came back, thinking strangely, and lay down. God again called Samuel “Samuel”

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Samuel went to Eli again and said, “I am here. Did you call me?” Eli again said, “I did not call you. Go back and sleep.”

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Jehovah God once again called Samuel. “Samuel” And Samuel ran to Eli the High Priest.

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Eli saw Samuel come to him three times, and then he knew that God called Samuel. So he told Samuel.

『So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.』(1Sm 3:9)

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Samuel went back to his place with a terrified and trembling heart. After a while, he heard a voice calling “Samuel, Samuel.” Samuel arose from the place, as Eli taught him.

“Speak, Lord. I am a servant of the Lord. I will listen.”

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God told Samuel what He would do to the Eli family in the future.

『And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever."』(1Sm 3:13~14)

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Then Eli's family was destroyed according to God's prophecy. God appointed Samuel as a prophet of the Lord on their behalf. He made all the Israelites know that Samuel was a prophet.

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Samuel lived according to the words of the God throughout his life. He was a great leader of Israel, a man of faith who was honored by the people and glorified God.

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Even today, God, like Samuel, comes to people of faith who are pleased with God's heart.

And God gives them strength and does God's work through them.

I hope that you, like Samuel, become servants of faith that are precious to the work of God.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)