The Encourager
“God's Oversight - by Jeff Curtis”
God’s Oversight
By Jeff Curtis
Throughout the Scriptures, God’s care and oversight of His people can be seen (Genesis 28:15; Exodus 13:21,22; Psalm 121; Isaiah 41:10; Jeremiah 29:11). First Samuel is no exception. God opened Hannah’s closed womb (1Samuel 1:6-20) at just the right time in Israelite history. Through the period of the judges and until Samuel’s time, the Israelite people’s obedience to God had suffered greatly (Judges 17:6; 21:25). Their dedication to God had deteriorated to the point of blatant disobedience, even within the priesthood of God (1Samuel 2:12-17; 22-25). Even so, God had plans for Israel. He would take the nation to a higher spiritual plane. He began by answering a barren woman’s prayer (1:10-28). God had decided to revive Israel by the son of that woman.
Samuel would be trained and prepared under God’s care to become a prophet in Israel and a force for good (2:18). God arranged for Samuel to be trained under Eli, the priest at Shiloh (3:1). Through Samuel, God provided for Israel a leader through who He would reveal Himself and His will to Israel (3:19-21). God’s word “was rare in those days” (3:1); but, through Samuel, God gave divine direction to Israel (3:19). Samuel was a successful prophet and leader of Israel because of God: “The Lord was with him and let none of his words fail… And the Lord Himself appeared again at Shiloh, because the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord” (3:19-21).
The seemingly unimportant prayer from a seemingly unimportant woman (1:10-11) became the means by which God changed the spiritual direction of Israel. God used Samuel as a bridge between the period of the judges the time of the kings. Samuel was a key figure in helping Israel to defeat the Philistines in battle (7:1-14). He was also God’s instrument in anointing the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David (9:15-17; 10:1; 16:12-13).
Life Lessons
By Jeff Curtis
The Bible is filled with “practical lessons.” It teaches several, if we are willing to put them to use in our lives. Such as…
- People will sometimes betray us, so, we should put our faith in God instead of mankind.
- It pays to be watchful in order to protect our souls as well as our bodies.
- Courage will always be needed by God’s people.
- Not every opportunity comes from God.
- The Lord helps us in our efforts to be His children.
- We can’t allow the circumstances of life to squeeze God’s out of our lives.
- Revenge is God business, not mans.
- God is good and merciful.
- We shouldn’t play the fool by rejecting God’s will.
- When we faithfully abide by God’s will, even our enemies will sometimes speak well of us.
