The Samuel Generation: Becoming a Prophetic People Luke Cantadella Intro: 1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. 6 Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 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. 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." 19 The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-21 Story: My mom tells me that when I was just 6 mo.s... dedicated me to God. Who Was Samuel? Back story to Samuel’s life: • Hannah his mother is married to Elkanah, but she is barren and hasn’t had any children • She cried out to the Lord year after year, finally God gave her a son – then more children. Her first son was Samuel, whom she dedicated to God. • When Samuel was just 3 years old or so, Hannah took Samuel to the house of God at Shiloh and gave him to Eli, a leading priest in Israel at the time. He served Eli for years there in the house of God. • Samuel appears on the scene when everyone’s doing what they want – even Eli’s sons, who were priests, were involved in immorality and stealing from God. Samuel is the mirror opposite of the spirit of the age. He sets the standard for what it means to love and follow God. • Samuel – critical, trans. Time in historywas the last of the Judges of Israel, and the first of the prophets. He was also the main ruler of Israel because they had no king – at the time it was a republic, not a monarchy. • Through Samuel, the people of God are able to fight back against their Philistine enemies and overcome them. He was Israel’s rock star – hero! 1

Samuel – a type of Christ There are at least five ways that Samuel and his life foreshadows Christ: 1. The name “Samuel” comes from the Assyrian word “Sumu” meaning son, and el, the Hebrew word for God. Assyrian was as common then in the middle east as English is today. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, wanted the entire world to know, not just the Jews, that Samuel was asked from God and given by God. So the name Samuel literally means, “The Son asked from God and given by God.” – Mirroring Jesus as the Son of God 2. Additionally, Samuel was a type of Christ in combining the offices of prophet, priest, and ruler. The Schools of the Prophets founded by him are a foreshadowing Jesus’ ministry in pouring out His Spirit upon apostles, pastors & elders. 3. Hannah’s song and prayer in 1 Samuel 2 is very similar to Mary’s song where she sings about the coming Lord and Savior in her womb. Hannah's Song, and the name she gave her child, are alike a prophecy of Christ. 4. She has the honor of being the first to use the name ''Messiah.'' (1 Samuel 2:10 – “His anointed = meshiyach.” Obviously Points to Christ 5. The phrase “Lord of Hosts” is first used in 1 Samuel 1:3 - Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh... Lord of Hosts points to Jesus our Messiah/Savior A Prophetic Generation (Samuel started a prophetic generation) What does it mean to be a prophetic people? Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. – 1 Corinthians 14:1 Being prophetic is very important! Paul was intent on seeing the church filled with spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. Why – there’s a great big awesome wonderful purpose in it! According to the apostle Paul, the purpose or goal of the prophetic is that: “...everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.” – 1 Corinthians 14:3 Personal story of Ken Dew encouraging Amy & me – changed course of life We need more of that today! Does anyone here have too much strengthening, encouragement and comfort? You got too much of that? No one – this shows the need has always been there and will always be there for God’s people to have a prophetic dimension.

2

Prophetic people are not necessarily people who have the gift or office of a prophet, but they are listening to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying. They are listening to the heart of God communicated through the Holy Spirit. They are listening moment by moment, day by day. God wants us to be ready to hear his voice day by day – we all can have the anointing of the prophet – to speak for God – in our home, in our work place, over our families, at school. Everyday, God is speaking and waiting to see who will listen. Isaiah 50:4 says, (amplified) - “The Lord has given me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens me morning by morning, He wakens my ear to hear as a disciple.” • Prophetic = simply means someone who sees, hears and speaks from God’s perspective, based on God’s word. Being prophetic does not mean walking around prophesying to people in the name of the Lord and telling them their future. Being prophetic means speaking God’s word from scripture into the here and now – seeing and sharing the heart and mind of God into our culture and our time in history. Samuel had a group that he started, the school of prophets. This is found in 1 Samuel 19: 20 - “so Saul sent men to capture David. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul's men & they also prophesied. 3 times this happened before Saul himself came to capture David. When Saul arrived, he prophesied as well. The meaning is this: God desires all of his people to be prophetic and see, say & do things from God’s perspective. Even a depraved, self-absorbed king Saul can see, hear and speak from God’s perspective and be prophetic. Another example: Joshua came to Moses and reported that some people in the Israelite camp were prophesying and Joshua asked Moses to stop it. Moses’ response: I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on all of them!" Numbers 11:29 God’s wish – all to be prophetic! Being prophetic is to communicate and demonstrate the passion, feelings and emotion of the heart of God. The Jewish rabbi, Abraham Joshua Heschel, (in a book called The Prophets), says that the prophetic word is ‘a blast from heaven.’ He uses an expression - the ‘pathos’ of God. The word ‘pathos’ carries the meaning of ‘anguished longing.’ 3

One theologian said that being prophetic means to “take a deeper plunge into the reality of God.” It is from that ‘deeper reality’ that the prophetic word comes in order to bring people into God’s heart. Being prophetic is to have an anointing or ability to break through a situation or circumstance and help others break free to totally follow and serve Christ. The Old Testament theologian, Walter Brueggemann, said that the task of the prophet is to critique and to energize. Note that to critique is not the same as to criticize. Prophetic ministry must highlight where something has gone wrong and has gone astray from what God really wants – He longs 4. A prophetic people brings hope and salvation to a troubled world. They demonstrate that Jesus is the answer and take Jesus to the entire world. A prophetic people is the body of Christ expressing the word, will and work of Jesus on earth today. We need to be Christ’s prophetic people – especially now 21st century ! Samuel Generation: Becoming God’s prophetic people (from 1 Samuel only) How do you learn to hear and communicate the voice of God? How do we collectively become prophetic people like Samuel was in his day? 1. Dedicated to the Lord And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head." – 1 Samuel 1:11 This is part of a vow called a Nazarite vow, dedicating a child totally to God. Samson’s parents did this, as did others of that particular time in Israel’s history. This vow was that Samuel would not have his hair cut, that he wouldn’t get drunk (“no” to drugs) and that he’s serve God all his days. There is a power in dedication. Just ask a pro athlete, accomplished artist Are we dedicated completely to God? I’m not asking if you or I are perfect – but just perfectly devoted and dedicated to Christ. Is Jesus our Lord and Savior? Is He in control of our entire life? 2. Serving in the house of God 1 Samuel 2: 11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy ministered to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest. Repeated in 1 Samuel 3:1 NIRV and other translations say that Samuel served the Lord... Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. But the boy Samuel served the LORD under the direction of the priest Eli. 1 Samuel 3:1 NIRV 4

If we want to be a prophetic people, we need to learn how to serve in the house of God. Serve 3. Ministering to God But Samuel was ministering before the LORD--a boy wearing a linen ephod. - 1 Samuel 2:18 Samuel was ministering to the Lord. It’s one thing to serve others – and that’s good. It’s another thing to minister to God. How are you and I ministering to God in our lives right now? Are we worshipping Jesus every day, or just once a week for a few minutes. Are we reading & studying scripture: memorizing & praying the word of God, or are we only doing it when there’s an emergency? (In case of emergency, break glass - Bible.) Is our attitude ministering to the Lord or grieving the Lord Are we using our spare time to bless the Lord and please Him, or are we living mainly to please ourselves and be comfortable? 4. Praying & interceding They said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines." Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf, and the LORD answered him. - 1 Samuel 7:8-9 We need to pray and intercede – missing in most of the church today. 5. Confronting wrongs - Being willing to say things that are unpopular or hard to hear. "What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you." So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. - 1 Samuel 2:17-18 I’m not encouraging you to confront pastors and church leaders. I’m encouraging you to speak God’s word and share His perspective with Christians who are in sin, who have character issues and who are doing things wrong or unwisely. 6. Discipleship: being a disciple & discipling Others 1 Samuel 19: 20 – “so he (Saul) sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul's men and they also prophesied. Samuel was a disciple making machine. He is one of the first people to grow disciples on a large scale. He discipled Saul, David, many prophets and most likely Nathan, who succeeded him. 5

If we want to be a prophetic people, we have to speak into the lives of men and women who we’re discipling. SUMMARY: MINISTRY TIME

6