Chapter three, 1 Samuel chapter three. We're gonna be at 1 Samuel chapter three and we're gonna read for just a little bit here and then pick up some of the thoughts that are in these verses. It tells us in the book of 1 Samuel chapter three, beginning with verse one, and the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli.

And the word of the Lord was precious in those days There was no open vision. It came to pass at that time when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim that he could not see. And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and this is the tabernacle that's there at Shiloh, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I. But he's not answering the Lord here.

I want to emphasize that because he thinks it's Eli that's called him. He ran unto Eli and said, Here am I, for thou callest me. And he said, I call not. Lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, here am I, for thou didst call me. And he answered, I call not, my son, lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord.

Now that's a very important verse of scripture right here in the middle of all of this. He is doing some service. He's doing some work. And you know, most of the time we find ourselves in some kind of religion where we think we're doing a pretty good job by helping out people. I remember I was told by a preacher one time that a friend of mine went to his church and he's really grown spiritually. He's helping in the garden. And it just struck me.

There's two views of spiritual. All right. Samuel did not yet know the Lord. Neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. Very important verse of scripture. All of this that we've read up to this point has happened. And this verse of scripture is put here on purpose. God reveals to us about Samuel. He didn't know the Lord and he didn't know the word of the Lord.

And then it says in verse eight, the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, here am I, for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore, Eli said unto Samuel, go lie down. And it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now this is an interesting verse because it mentions several things about the Lord. The Lord came and stood and called. Now that's the first time that this is in this incident. Three times the Lord calls him and he thinks it's Eli that is calling him. He just calls him. In this instant, we find that the Lord came and the Lord stood and the Lord called. as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for thy servant heareth. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning this house. When I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sons have made themselves vile and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering forever."

Now that's a serious statement that God made here with regard to Eli's sons. There's no greater statement made by God than I'm not paying for your sin. That's a serious, serious statement. And there's not gonna be any purging, there's not gonna be any sacrifice.

And Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, here am I. And he said, what is the thing that the Lord has said unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every wit. And he had nothing from him. And he said, it is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.

Now we're gonna stop here tonight and we'll probably won't get that far in our study of this, but it's such an interesting and yet such a valuable statement is made through all of these verses that we've read up to this point. First of all, we really get introduced to Samuel. Now we've been introduced to him in times past, but now we're really gonna be introduced to Samuel, and in this chapter.

And the word Samuel means God has heard, or there is another definition of it, and it is the name of God. Shem means name, and El means God. But this name is biblically rooted in the phrase that his mother uses. And so if you'll turn back with me to 1 Samuel 1, 1 Samuel 1, we read this about Samuel's name, 1 Samuel 1, and there in verse 20, Hannah mentions this about Samuel, about her son, and it tells us here in 1 Samuel 1, verse 20, wherefore it came to pass that the time was come about after Hannah had conceived that she bear a son and called his name Samuel, saying, now this is why she called him this name Samuel, because I have asked him of the Lord. So, in all of this we have the definition, he is asked of the Lord, he is a gift of God, God has heard her prayer, and the other thing.

So, that EL that we often find in the names, has something to do with God, and that is simply, or surely, is shared with us with regard to Samuel. Now Samuel ministered unto the Lord, and as we mentioned when we read that, there was a ministry that Samuel did that was not effectual.

I mean, it wasn't spiritual. It was just fleshly. And that's just generally what we all do when we grow up. If we grow up in any kind of religion at all, any kind of church at all, we are called on to do things, generally speaking, satisfactory to the people who ask us to do it.

Well, I don't know all that went on here, but I know this, as we read there in verse 7, Samuel didn't know the Lord, and he didn't know the Lord's word. So he's saying this, and Samuel ministered to the Lord, it says, and as we mentioned, Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.

He could only recite what others had already said. He didn't know. And you know, a lot of preachers are in that situation. They can only recite what other people said. I was visiting with Brother Wayne Boyd yesterday, and you just have to bring it up. You just cannot share what you don't have. And that's just the way it is. And a preacher cannot share what he doesn't have. And so here we have Samuel. He could not share what he did not have. And he only had a service to Eli, and it was a very dedicated service to Eli. I believe Samuel loved Eli. He was a father or grandfather figure to him.

And so the words continue on here. The word of the Lord was precious in those days. And what a statement that makes. Let's go over there to 1 Samuel 3, verse one, that the very, well, it says, the word of the Lord was precious in those days and there was no open vision. Now, we have been reminded in the previous chapter that there was a man of God that came along and shared the message that God wanted him to know. And it's interesting that the Lord brings up that.

He doesn't bring up the man's name and he doesn't bring up much about the incident, but I've already talked to him about this. So I'm talking to you about it now. I want you to share this with him. But I've already talked to him about the situation in his family and in his life that things are going to come to a close.

So there was a man of God. How many others there were, we don't know. But the word was precious in those days. And I kind of feel that way today. I really do. There's just not many places I can go and visit and find something that would agree with what God has to say in his word. And I've had a lot of friends looking in a lot of places trying to find someplace where they could go. And it's just, the word is precious in our day. It's just, it's not everywhere and we wish it was. There is a verse of scripture that I'd like to read found over in the book of Amos. The book of Amos. The book of Amos chapter eight. The book of Amos chapter eight. We have this verse of scripture that speaks to that subject.

And I think this dearth or famine in the land has been always throughout all time. I don't think, Amos chapter eight, verse 11, I don't think that there has been a time that there hasn't been this kind of famine in the world. And that's a famine of the word.

Now there's a line that we go through down through from, Seth, to Noah, to Abraham, to the 12 tribes of Israel and so forth. In that line, there's generally speaking, there has been the truth of the gospel has been declared in that line. But in most of the world, we find that they had no word. And then even in Israel, in Israel, during the judges, the word was very precious. It wasn't everywhere and we just see that continuously going on.

But here it says in the book of Amos chapter 8 and verse 11, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread. Now that's interesting that that's brought up because the Lord has brought and will bring famine of bread. They are brought on by the Lord. It's not just climate change, the God moves in that direction. And I just love the account of Ruth, but that whole thing started as a result of a dearth and a famine.

And that family moved as a result of that. And they took with them the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and declared it to their daughters-in-law. Now, one of them, it was effectual, and the other one, she could have cared less. And when it came time, she went home to her own gods. And we find Ruth says, your God's my God, and where you live, I'll live, and your people will be my people. Well, there's a big change took place in that Moabitish woman.

So there's going to be a famine. This famine has often been, and it says, a thirst for water, not a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. I am so thrilled. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am about this kind of apparati that we get to use. this Zoom, sermon audio. It is marvelous. It is outstanding that in our day and time, we get to talk and speak the gospel to people hundreds, even thousands of miles away from us.

And every one of them that I've talked to wish they live someplace where there was the word. And some of them do, don't get me wrong, but so often we find out people are just out on the edge of the world and God through this means often has brought them the gospel and has saved them and now they're there and we have the privilege of visiting with them. So there is a famine, it continues on and it will continue to the very end.

But this word will be just like it was to Samuel. It will be particular, it will be effectual, it will be brought to Samuel because he's one of God's chosen. This word will be brought to Samuel. Now, we notice here that in verses going back to the book of 1 Samuel chapter three, in 1 Samuel chapter three, we found there are these thoughts There in verses two and three, 1 Samuel chapter three, verse two and three, it came to pass at that time, now Eli, he's old, we're gonna find out he's quite old, he's blind, he's very heavy, and he's tired. And his servant, Samuel, ministers unto him in this capacity. Now he has been taught, Samuel has been taught, don't let the oil run out of the lamps.

There were some lamps there in the tabernacle that needed oil every day. Do not let the fire go out of those lamps. And that's certainly a statement, but we find out with regard to the true light, the Holy Spirit, the ministry of Christ and God our Father, they never run out. That's not an issue, but the type in the shadow did. It ran out and they continuously needed to refill that. It says there in verse three, ere the lamp of God went out in the temple or the tabernacle of the Lord, Samuel was laid down to sleep. Now it tells us here in verse four, the Lord called Samuel.

Now he's gonna call three times and these three times are not effectual. Every time that he called, he calls again. Now, I don't know how many times he calls his people. I don't know how many times. It's known unto God how many times he calls them. I'm not sure I've ever met anybody that was the first time they ever heard the gospel, they responded. I just don't know. If that happened to you, thank God. But the first time I heard the gospel, I responded negatively. It was not something pleasant. And I didn't respond to it for quite a while. But when it came time, God caused me to respond to it.

Just like we find here. The Lord called Samuel and he answered, here am I. But he didn't know who was calling. He thought it was the preacher. He thought it was Eli. Now Eli did us a favor. Eli did Samuel a favor. You know, he just didn't get Samuel down on his knees. He didn't get him to sign a card. He didn't have him come forward. He didn't have all the things that the modern preacher has developed when someone is troubled and comes to them.

I've heard a voice. I want to know what the answer. What can I do? Samuel was told by Eli, go get alone with God. That's what he told him. I can't help you. I can point you in the direction, and you know that's the only thing we are. I heard something yesterday about one of the preachers who says, all I am is a signboard, and it's just with my finger pointed out this way. That's all we are, signboards.

We have no way, we're not doctors, we're not physicians, we're not nurses, we're not, we just have no ability at all of taking care of a spiritual problem. that people have by nature. The fall is so serious that we cannot get to that area. So we have to rely on the Holy Spirit to take care of it. So it's very important that we don't get involved with all of the modern conveniences of religion on how to deal with people. We just have to say, get along with God. So Eli shared with him, perceived that the Lord had called him, you go get alone. You get alone with the Lord.

And you know, as we look at this, we find out the Lord never takes no for an answer from his elect. Now I may hear no first time and second time and 10th time, but there is going to be that time that that word becomes effectual to that one that God has loved with an everlasting love.

There will be a time when God says, come and we come. There will be a time when God says bow and we bow. There will be a time when we are too on our road to someplace, maybe Damascus, then God speaks to us and he brings the glorious gospel to us in such a fashion that we are arrested and we're stopped and he gives us faith to believe the gospel. That's going to happen. Now we make maybe years call to call to call. that non-effectual general call that the faithful preacher gives out every Sunday, every Wednesday night, that general call that goes out.

But here we have, as he shares with us with regard to Samuel, on that three times he went to Eli, and Eli finally told him, if he called you again, this is what you say. So he went back. Get alone. Eli told Samuel to get alone with God. Go lie down, and it shall be, if he should call thee, thou shalt say, speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.

Verse 10 of this passage of scripture, it shares with us this, and the Lord came and stood and called as at other times. Now he called before, but now there's this special presence of the Lord. How thankful we are that there is this special presence of the Lord. The Lord came to him, the Lord came to him. And it tells us here that the Lord stood there with him. I'm so thankful that the Lord does this when he saves his people.

He's so interested in what he does and his salvation of his people that he goes to these extremes. He comes, he stands, he calls, he does everything that is necessary. First thing that's necessary is that someone share the gospel with us. And so God makes sure that that takes place.

The Lord came, verse 10, stood, called at other times, Samuel, Samuel, and when Samuel answered, speak for thy servant heareth. And the Lord said to Samuel, behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle.

Now that's an interesting phraseology that is used there. And, you know, I thought for a moment, maybe it's something like the two on the road to Emmaus, did not our hearts burn within us? I think of times that I'm sitting in my study and going over a passage of scripture, and the Lord shares me something about it, and it just makes me tingle all over. But this is a lot more serious than that, this tingling that goes on here.

Samuel answered, speak, for thy Savior heareth. There is a call that goes out. And there is that effect, an effectual call that goes out. Before I get to that word tingle, I wanna go through a couple of verses here in the Old Testament and New Testament about this wonderful call that God gave to Samuel. And he gives to every one of his lost sheep. He calls them by name. My sheep hear my voice. I call them by name. Did he not do that with Samuel? Samuel, Samuel, he called him by name. He came to where he was. The Lord cannot, we can't go anywhere that we can't go to. So it's the Lord that came to him. And it's just so pictorial of what God does for his people, even today. He came to us. He came to this world. He came to us.

All right, before we go further, let's look with me in the book of Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53, excuse me, Isaiah 43. Isaiah 43, and there in verse one. Isaiah 43 and verse one. In Isaiah 43 and verse one, we have this passage. It says, the Lord, it's the Lord that created us.

But here's what he has to say. He's talking about the church. And so often when we find him talking like here in Isaiah, he's talking about Israel, he's talking about Jacob, or he's talking about one of the personages that we're acquainted with through the history of the Old Testament. But by and large, when he gets to talking about them in a serious manner, he's talking about the church. He's talking about who they represent, who they picture.

And here it says, but now thus saith the Lord, Isaiah 43, verse one, that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee. Now, God never redeemed all of Israel. or there would not have been those who died in unbelief. They would have died just like Joshua and Caleb, but they would not have this tagline added to them, they died in unbelief. All right. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee.

I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. What a statement that the Lord makes here through the prophet Isaiah with regard to his call. I've called you by name, and thou art mine. So when we look at Samuel, before he was born, he was chosen of God. In the covenant of grace, before the foundation of the world, he was chosen of God. That was a miracle how he worked that out for Hannah and her husband to have that boy, to have that child. The name was given, and God was in the choosing of that name. unbeknownst to Hannah and unbeknownst to her husband.

But here we have, I have called thee by thy name, Samuel, Samuel, thou art mine. Turn with me if you would to the book of John chapter six, John chapter six. This chapter six of the book of John is just so full, it's so full of the, blessings of grace, but also the judgment and condemnation of those who believe not. Here in the book of John chapter six and verse 44, we have a very special thing here.

Now, Eli's sons never came. Number one, they didn't have an interest in it by nature. But nobody has an interest in coming by nature. I've been told by a young preacher, I don't know how many times, by rejecting Jesus, that's why we don't come. I says, I rejected Christ in the Garden of Eden. I was born rejecting him. I didn't have to grow up rejecting him. I was born rejecting him. Well, here it says, no man can come to me. except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day. No man can come except there be a drawing.

Now this word draw also means to drag. To draw by inward power is another definition, metaphorical statement, to draw by inward power. And certainly that is a statement about the drawing power of the Holy Spirit. It is an inward power that God draws us.

Our flesh would not come, but he draws us. It's to lead or to impel us And so his words to Samuel were compelling. His words to Samuel were inward drawing power that God can exude from his own being because he has complete power over all things in every capacity, whether it be physical or spiritual, whether it be powers or principalities, or demons, or heaven, or hell. He has the power in himself to do as he pleases in every one of those realms. So, no man can come. We hear Samuel coming. How did he come? the Father which hath sent him drew him.

Turn with me, if you would, over to the book of 2 Timothy, chapter one. 2 Timothy, chapter one. As we read this just a little further about God's drawing power and his interest, 2 Peter, excuse me, 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy, chapter one, verse nine. In 2 Timothy 1, verse 9, here we have this wonderful statement, so compact, so full, many, many messages right here in this one.

What a wonderful outline is right here in this verse of Scripture, talking about God who has saved us. Now he saved us before the foundation of the world. He saved us in time and he is saving us in the future. He is doing that. Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling.

Now that's what he did for Samuel. He gave him a holy calling. The call he gave originally, those first three, they were just calls, general calls, and it was witnessed by the fact that when Samuel got up, he ran into Eli, thinking he was the one that was doing the calling. Well, Samuel finally said, go lay down. And if he calls again, answer this way.

Well, here we have, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose of grace. Now he wasn't calling Samuel because Samuel was going to be a good prophet or a good priest. He's going to make him that, but he called him according to his own purpose of grace.

God called him because of his own purpose of grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. So this is not something that catches God by surprise. It's not something that's been out of plan. It's something that has been ordained and purposed and planned before the foundation of the world. We know that to them who are called according to his purpose, all things work together for the good of them that are called according to his purpose. There are times, and I think probably Hofnein-Feeny has, isn't that Eli's son? Hofnein-Feeny, yeah.

They had a call. Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Proverbs. Now, people say God called and they didn't come. Well, God called and they didn't come because they had no special call. But we do find this in the book of Proverbs. The book of Proverbs chapter one. Proverbs chapter one. And this really boils down to the fact that the preacher calls on people to believe. The preacher calls on people to come to Christ. Don't move a muscle, but come to Christ.

And we are so ineffectual Our calls go unheeded. My goodness, if my call was effectual, this building would be full. But it's ineffectual. There's only one that can give an effectual call. Here in the book of Proverbs, chapter one, verse 24, we read this, and I want to read just a few verses here, because I have called and ye refused. Now, I think that that could apply to Eli's sons. their priests, there was some sort of call given to them to put them in that position.

I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded. How the ineffectual call, the preacher's call, the Sunday school teacher's call, the evangelist's call is so ineffectual, but you have said it not all my counsel and would none of my reproof. I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but shall not find me. For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord." What a natural statement is made here. Did not choose the Lord, did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel, they despised all of my reproof. Well, I think the Lord had reproofed those two priests. those two sons, and Eli went through a little effort about doing that, but it didn't change a thing. In fact, they probably just got worse over the issue.

So it is the call of God, the effectual call of God that comes. as we see here with regard to Samuel. Samuel answered and spoken to him. Now Samuel verse seven, we know up to that point, he did not know the Lord and he did not know the Lord's word. He may have read it there in first Samuel chapter three, verse seven. He may have read the word, but he didn't know the word. He may have heard about the Lord, but he did not know the Lord.

And then the Lord is gracious to him and reveals these truths unto him. Now, going back to the book of 1 Samuel 3, let's look at the message that God gave to Samuel to deliver to Eli. And the message is delivered unto us too. We're beneficiaries of this message. So in the book of 1 Samuel 3, there in verse 11, it's 1 Samuel 3, verse 11, the Lord said to Samuel, behold, I will do a thing in Israel.

Now, you know, instantly he's feeding him, giving him some very tough things. You know, when the Lord shows unto us His absolute sovereignty over all things, that's a very tough thing. When He shows unto us that salvation is absolutely and totally of God, that's a tough thing. He shows the tough things to us.

He does not hold back. He lets us know what His Word says about Him and about His Word and about His salvation. There is no boasting on our part. about our salvation. We don't have anything to boast about. And it, you know, our flesh says, oh, give me something. Well, the Lord says, you don't have anything. It's done. Religion gives you something. I don't do that.

So he shares with him some very serious and very tough things. And he just causes him to understand that he is God and beside him there is none else. The Lord said to Samuel, behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone that hears it shall tingle. The ears of everyone that hears shall tingle.

Now as the ears, I know I've had this happen to me. Someone asked me a question and I twisted the truth a little bit. Did you ever feel your ears get flushed? Red. That's kind of what this means. It goes on to tell us, with shame or the teeth of chattering fear, another thing that this is like is, in hearing the dowels, I've had it happen to me more often here than anywhere else that I've ever lived.

And that is, I have been totally shocked by lightning and thunder, the instantaneousness of it. I mean, you're just there and kaboom, it's so close to you, it shutters your doors. Well, that's kind of like what this, what it means to have your, she'll tingle. It's just that shock. that comes by lightning or thunder so close to you that it makes you just a wee bit nervous. Well, this is gonna be some tingling here. There's going to be some tingling here.

The two sons are gonna be lost and so is the ark. Know what shock is gonna come through Israel. Those two things are gonna happen. Both of them are such a shock to Eli We're going to read, he falls over and breaks his neck over. So it's a tremendous shock, such a lightning bolt, such a clap of thunder, so instant, so quick.

Nobody's ready for it. I'm going to have your ears tingle as a result of what's going to happen. I'm going to slay the two sons of Eli. There's going to be an ark that's going to disappear. The Philistines are going to get a hold of it. And all of it is out of nonsense.

In that day, I will perform against Eli all the things which I have spoken." Where did he do that? Previous chapter, man of God came, said almost exactly the same thing. which I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin, I will also make an end.

There's not going to be survivors in Eli's house. There will be no one going on. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sons made themselves vile and restrained them not. So the Lord is going to deal with them in a powerful way. There's going to be the loss of those two sons. There's going to be the ark is going to be taken.

Join me if you would over in the book of the Psalms, Psalm 78. As we think about this, it's in this line of history of Israel is just repeats what we read here about Eli and about his house. So in the book of the Psalms, Psalm 78, Psalm 78, and then begin reading with verse 51. Psalm 78, and there in verse 51, we have these words.

It kind of backs us up there in the history of Israel, back to Egypt where the firstborn were slain. Verse 51, and smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham. but made his people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to his mountain, which his right hand had purchased. He cast out the heathen also from a month before them and divided them in an inheritance by line and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents." What's he mean by that? Dwell safely. They had vineyards they didn't plant. They had orchards they didn't plant. They had, oh, they had the lazy man's life.

Yet they tempted and provoked the Most High God and kept not His testimony. Psalm 78 verse 57, But turned back and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. And on and on this goes.

And finally, you know what the Lord said about Israel and the covenant that he made with them? I regarded them not. That's exactly what he said. to tell Eli with regard to his lineage, I regarded them not. I will not continue on with this." So the history of Israel and what happens to Eli is so much the same.

Go back with me, if you would, to the book of 1 Samuel 3. 1 Samuel 3. And let's close this out. 1 Samuel 3. And verse 14. What is the consequence of sinners when their iniquity is not purged with sacrifice or offering? Depart from me, ye that work iniquity, for I never knew you. All right, let's read this, verse 14.

And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house, the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever." Now, I believe that Eli's sins and iniquities had been taken care of, but his sons, no. His sons, never.

His sons let It wasn't that they, what is that? They didn't rob a bank because that made them a bank robber. They were bank robbers before they robbed the bank. They weren't sinners because they did what they did. They were sinners because of what they were.

And that's just what it is. We are captivated by our own nature. They were captivated by their own nature. And I mentioned there Sunday, it's gonna be in this coming Sunday's bulletin about, you know, it's not our business to blame Satan about our own problems. And they couldn't blame Satan for their problem. They had it right there. So the sacrifice, the offering did not purge them and they will suffer the consequences for it.

Samuel, verse 15, Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors to the house of the Lord, and Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. Why? Samuel's his friend, or Eli's his friend. But you know what? Eli was more of a friend on this, tell me the truth. Tell me the truth. So we'll start there next time. Tell me the truth. We'll stop here for tonight, and we'll pick this up, Lord willing, next time.