Samuel Hears the Voice of God, Primary - I, Lesson - 15

PRIMARY

AGE: 6 - 7 YEARS

STANDARD (GRADE): I & II

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LESSON – 15

SAMUEL HEARS THE VOICE OF GOD

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இந்த பாடத்தை தமிழில் பெற்றுக்கொள்ள இங்கு கிளிக் செய்யவும்

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Samuel was a great prophet and the last judge of Israel. Samuel's mother, Hannah, did not have a child for many years. Once, when her family had gone to the Tabernacle at a place called Shiloh, she prayed and asked God to give her a child. The Tabernacle of God was a special tent where the Israelites went to offer sacrifices and worship God in the olden days. Hannah promised God that if He gave her a son, she would give Him back to the Lord to serve Him all the days of his life. God gave Hannah the son she had asked for. 

Hannah kept her promise and when the boy was old enough, she took him to the Tabernacle and presented him to Eli, the High priest, to serve God. Although Hannah had left Samuel in the Tabernacle to be brought up by Eli, she cared for him very much. Every year she made a small coat for him and gave it when they went to the Tabernacle to offer their sacrifices. 

Eli was very old and had poor eyesight. Samuel helped Eli in the works around the Tabernacle. Whenever Samuel served in the Tabernacle, he would wear a linen ephod. The ephod was a special holy dress worn by the High Priest as well as others who ministered in the Tabernacle. The Ephod worn by the High Priest was woven out of gold, blue, purple and scarlet threads and was made of fine linen. It was embroidered with gold thread. There is also mention of linen Ephod, worn by Samuel and King David in the Holy Bible (1).

Throughout the history of Israel, God had raised Prophets and men of God and would often give messages through them. But during that particular time in the history of Israel, God had not raised many prophets and rarely spoke directly to anyone. Samuel too had not heard from God. 

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One day, Eli and Samuel had gone to bed, but the lamp in the Temple, filled with oil in the evening had not yet burned out. While Samuel was sleeping, he heard someone call his name. He thought Eli was calling him. So, he got up and ran to Eli saying "Here I am; you called me." But it was not Eli who had called him and he was told to go back to bed. 

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Again, the Lord called Samuel. Samuel once again went to Eli saying "Here I am; you called me." Eli had not called him and he told Samuel to go back to bed for the second time. A third time God called Samuel and Samuel got up and went to Eli once again saying "Here I am; you called me." Eli realized that it was God who was calling Samuel. He told Samuel to go and lie down, and if God calls him again, to say, 'Speak Lord, for your servant is listening." 

Picture credit: Harry Anderson

Samuel went back to bed and sure enough, again he heard the voice of God calling, "Samuel! Samuel!" This time Samuel answered as Eli had told him, "Speak, for your servant is listening." God spoke to Samuel. It was an urgent and important message. Eli’s sons are disrespecting God and hence God is not pleased with them. Eli’s children would not continue as priests because of their sins. 

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Samuel lay back down on his bed until morning. It was almost time to open the Tabernacle. Samuel was hesitant to tell Eli what the Lord had said. But Eli told Samuel to tell him every single word the Lord had said. Eli listened to everything Samuel said, the message was not good. God was not pleased with his sons and they were going to be punished. 

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But Eli was old and weak. He couldn’t discipline his sons enough and correct them. Soon everything that God had foretold through Samuel happened in Eli’s family. As Samuel grew up the Lord spoke to Samuel often, the people of Israel recognized him as a prophet of God and listened to his words. 

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Reference:

1)               H0646, Brown-Driver-Briggs (Old Testament Hebrew-English Lexicon). Lexiconcordance.com

Bible Reference: I Samuel 3: 1-11

Memory Verse: I have called you by name; you are mine (Isaiah 43:1b) 

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Answer the following questions:

1. What did Hannah bring every year for Samuel?

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2. What is an Ephod?

    ......................................................................................

3. To whom did Samuel go, when he heard a voice calling him?

   .......................................................................................

4. What did Samuel tell God when God called him for the fourth time?

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5. Why was Samuel hesitant to tell the message to Eli?

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Answer Yes or No

1. Hannah dedicated Samuel to serve God. (     )

2. The Ephod was worn by all who served in the Tabernacle of the Lord. (     )

3. While Samuel was sleeping, he heard someone call Eli.    (     )

4. God was happy with Eli’s sons. (     )

5. Everything that God had foretold through Samuel happened in Eli’s family. (    )