Children Should Be Seen And Heard
Devotions for Growing Christians
Children Should Be Seen And Heard
1 Samuel 3 - 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.” 11 And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’ ”
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 17 “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.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.” 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.
“Children should be seen but not heard” is an expression that has been around for years. It’s sometimes quoted as if it were a verse in the Bible, even by those who know it’s not! The point of the expression is well-intentioned, because it’s spoken in an attempt to subdue unruly children who are noisy and disruptive. But taken to an extreme, and applying the expression as a rule for all children at all times, is not biblical. The Bible teaches that God can and does communicate with children, and He can and does work through children. In fact, in reference to godly children, the expression “Children should be seen and heard ” is more biblical than the reverse! Let’s consider God’s communication with the young child, Samuel.
Background Notes
1 Samuel 3 describes the Lord calling Samuel as a boy, and eventually to the office and ministry of Prophet. Samuel has often been called “the last Judge and the first Prophet in Israel.” In Old Testament time, what was the difference between a prophet and a priest? By definition, a prophet is one who speaks for God to the people, whereas a priest speaks to God for the people. Before Samuel’s time there were other prophets - men who spoke for God to the people of Israel. God called Abraham a prophet (Genesis 20:17). The office of the prophet, however, had not been established before the time of Samuel.
Samuel was called by God to the prophetic office, and he began the great tradition of the prophets who spoke for God in Israel. He was a bridge between the time period of the Judges and the time period of the Prophets in Israel. Two Scriptures in Acts refer to Samuel as a transitional figure. When Paul was relating the history of Israel to the Jews at Antioch of Pisidia, he said, “After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet” (Acts 13:20). When Peter spoke to the crowds in the Temple after the healing of a handicapped man, he said, “Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days” (Acts 3:24).
So Samuel was the beginning of the great prophetic tradition in Israel. He was officially called by the Lord Himself in 1 Samuel 3. The chapter begins by saying, “In those days the word of the Lord was rare.” During the times of the judges the moral and spiritual conditions in Israel were so bad that people were not open to listening to the Lord and His Word. Hannah, Ruth and Boaz were representative of the small number of godly people in Israel in those days.
But in His grace, God raised up Samuel as His spokesman. By the end of chapter 3 a shift began, away from the dark days of the Judges and a turn in the right direction for Israel. “All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet from the Lord” (v20). And, “The Lord revealed Himself to Samuel through His word, and Samuel’s word came to all Israel” (v21).
At an early age Samuel went to live at the Tabernacle. He spent his childhood ministering before the Lord with Eli, the high priest, as his guide and mentor. Eli had two adult sons, Hophni and Phineas, who served as priests at the Tabernacle. Although these men were priests, they were “wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12-25). They stole for themselves the choicest meat from the sacrifices that the people offered to the Lord, and they were involved in sexual immorality with the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Although Samuel grew up amidst the sordid behavior of these two evil men, “Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men” (2:26)
Samuel was probably no more than 12 years old when the call of God came to him. He was old enough to "open the doors of the house of the Lord,” the Tabernacle, that was situated at Shiloh at this time (3:15). It’s significant that God called Samuel when he was a child, and this fact has some lessons for us.
Doctrinal / Teaching Points
1. God can communicate with children
Samuel was still a young boy, because “Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the Word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him” (v7). Samuel did not yet know the Lord in a personal way. Although he obeyed and served the Lord, he did not yet “know” personal communication and communion with the Lord. But that was about to change. The Lord was going to speak to Samuel and communicate an important message to him.
Late one night, before the lampstand at the Tabernacle had burned out, Samuel heard the voice of the Lord calling his name - but he didn’t recognize that it was the Lord calling him. “Samuel, Samuel” – the double use of the name indicated that it was an important matter. Samuel thought Eli was calling for him, and hurried to answer. But Eli said, “I didn’t call you, Samuel. Go back to bed!”
However, when this call was repeated a third time, Eli perceived that that God was calling Samuel. He counseled Samuel to reply, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” And when the Lord called again, Samuel answered as he had been told. The Lord then spoke with Samuel, and revealed His plans to remove Eli as the high priest. Was Samuel old enough to handle such news? Yes,God knew that he was!
God can communicate with children – even about unpleasant topics. Some Christians are afraid to speak with children about hell, for example, but children can understand about eternal separation from God. In fact, God can use the doctrine of hell to speak to children, and bring them to Jesus Christ for salvation.
Sometimes children have insights into the Bible and its truths that even some seminary graduates don’t readily see! Children can be open to the Word of God and listen when God speaks – often more readily than adults. God can communicate with children!
2. God can work through children
Some people would say that the job God gave Samuel was not a job for a child. Why would God pick young Samuel to tell Eli, the high priest, of the judgment that was coming upon his family? Well, why not? God can work through children. Samuel must have been aware of the sinful activities of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phineas. Their sinful behavior was taking place right there at the Tabernacle where Samuel lived! Although Eli knew of their wicked practices, he failed to take effective steps to stop their sin, or to remove them from their positions at the house of the Lord.
A man of God had given a message to Eli from the Lord (1 Samuel 2). The man of God denounced Eli for honoring his sons more than he honored the Lord, because he continued to allow them to pollute the house of God with their wickedness. The man of God also pronounced the Lord’s judgment on Eli’s lineage and priesthood because of his family failures. (See 1 Samuel 2:27-36.) Samuel probably knew about the warning from the man of God, and his young soul must have been grieved that Eli still did nothing to correct the terrible situation. Hophni and Phineas were not removed, and they continued to publicly practice their wicked deeds.
God chose to work through Samuel to bring the final message of judgment to Eli. This was not an easy or pleasant job for a child. After he received the message from the Lord, “Samuel lay down until morning… he was afraid to tell Eli the vision” (v15). Under Eli’s authoritative questioning, however, Samuel revealed everything that the Lord had told him. Eli humbly submitted to the message of judgment from the Lord - but sadly he still did nothing to stop his sons’ flagrant immorality.
As God worked through young Samuel in Old Testament days, so God can work through children today. Many times God has worked through the children to bring the entire family to salvation. Christian parents have been brought closer to the Lord as a result of the zeal of their godly children. God has worked through children in classrooms, to refute secular philosophy and the theory of evolution. Many examples could be given here. Maybe you have an illustration from your own experience. God can work through children!
Practical Application
1. Have you ever prayed, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”?
Eli gave Samuel good advice. Samuel was to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” He was not to ask the Lord, ”Please give me my heart’s desire!” or “Help me with my problems, Lord.” No, Samuel was to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” The Hebrew word used here for “listening” means “to hear with a view to obeying.”
Have you ever prayed that prayer? Too often we pray for the Lord’s help with our problems or asking Him to meet our needs - maybe along with praise and thanksgiving. This is good - but are we willing to listen to what God asks of us? Are we willing to obey – even when what He asks us to do is difficult or unpleasant. This is a challenging question, isn’t it? Have you ever prayed, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”?
2. Encourage children to develop their spiritual gifts.
Scripture teaches that most spiritual gifts are given at the time of salvation, but they need to be developed with use. (See 2 Timothy 1:6.) Because many people come to faith while they are children, older and more mature believers should notice and discern the spiritual gifts that God has given to young believers, and encourage them to develop those gifts.
This can be done by giving children opportunities to serve the Lord and speak for the Lord. Children can be included as part of some ministry teams. Older children can be teacher’s helpers in toddler Sunday School classes, and they can be included in music ministry. Even small children can help in some way with Christian hospitality in their homes.
Children should be taught creative, Christlike ways to share their faith in secular settings. And when children use their spiritual gifts in a positive way, older believers should take note - and thank them for being seen and heard! They’ll be motivated to further develop their gifts in service to the Lord. Encourage children to develop their spiritual gifts!
- Dave Reid