Read: 1 Samuel 1-3
Marked: 1 Samuel 3:1, Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; [there was] no widespread revelation.
When men stop listening to God, God stops speaking to men. God speaks to us primarily through His Word, but if we don’t spend time with Him in His Word we can’t recognize His voice.
Eli was the priest and he rarely heard the voice of God any longer due to him not restraining his sons in their sins (V13). His sons were corrupt and did not know the Lord (C2:12).
The way to hear God is to be open to knowing His voice through His Word. Samuel learned from an early age to do what Eli did not do even though he was the priest (V9). Samuel learned to listen and respond.
When we stop listening to God there will be little or no revelation from God. But when we determine to listen, as Samuel did, the Lord will appear and reveal Himself by the Word of the Lord (V21).
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