Schulamie: September 2007

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Lessons of Samuel

"Lessons of Samuel

1. Being Faithful in All Statuses and Offices
       Samuel was faithful in all his statuses and offices. As a Levite, he served God his whole life. As a Nazarite, he kept his consecration without failure. As a priest-prophet, he spoke for God honestly and initiated the prophethood to replace the fading priesthood in the divine revelation. As a judge, he ws faithful to God and just to the people, terminating the judgeship and bringing in the kingship for the changing of the age in the fulfillment of God's economy ont he earth.

2. Enjoying His Portion of the Good Land to the Fullest for His Whole Life

       Samuel enjoyed his portion of the good land to the fullest for his whole life. He was therefore a person who enjoyed the God-allotted portion of the promised good land, that is, Christ. There was no defect in his enjoyment of Christ.

3. The Only Defect in His History Being His Appointing His Two Sons as Judges among the Children of Israel

       The only defect in Samuel's history was that he appointed his two sons as judges among the children of Israel. His sons did not follow in his ways, and this gave cause for the children of Israel to ask for a king (1 Samuel 8:1-7). Humanly speaking, Samuel made a mistake in this matter, but this mistake helped God to manage the situation among His people for the fulfillment of His economy."

(Life-Study of 1 & 2 Samuel, Msg 19)

For God's Kingdom, the Body of Christ!

"Saul's tragic ending should warn us not to play with God We should not try to build up any kind of monarchy. We are all here to build up the kingdom, the Body of Christ. In the Lord's recovery we do not have many pieces of work. We should not be today's Saul, considering only the work in our region and trying to build up a monarchy for ourselves.

We all, especially our co-workers, should realize that we are not involved in a small work. David probably never realized that his history was fully related to God's becoming a man to join Himself to mankind and to live on earth to accomplish His eternal will. Nevertheless, David was related to the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1, and what we are doing today is related to the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and 22. Therefore, we must have the confidence that we are doing one unique work - the work of His recovery to carry out His economy, which will consummate in the New Jerusalem." (Life-Study of 1 & 2 Samuel, Msg. 17)