Priest v. Prophet
Hannah has brought her young
son, Samuel, up to the Temple to live his Nazarite vow and be apprenticed to
the High Priest, Eli.
READ 1 Samuel 2:11-17
What are the differences
between Samuel and the sons of Eli the High Priest?
READ 1 Samuel 3:1-3
What does “ere the lamp of God
went out in the temple” imply?
What does the “word of the
Lord was precious” mean?
What happens when the priestly
leaders (those given priesthood authority) do not connect with heaven?
What is the difference between
a presiding “high priest” and a “prophet” (don’t think about today’s offices in
the Church by the same name)?
Can the presiding High Priest
be a prophet?
Can a presiding High Priest
not be a prophet?
Can a prophet not be a presiding
High Priest?
READ 1 Samuel 3:4-10
Did Samuel hear the voice of
the Lord?
Did Eli hear the voice of the
Lord?
READ TPJS 205:2 "All
priesthood is Melchizedek, but there are different portions or degrees of it.
That portion which brought Moses to speak with God face to face was taken away;
but that which brought the ministry of angels remained. All the prophets had
the Melchizedek Priesthood and were ordained by God himself"
READ 3 Nephi 20:24
How does one “testify of
Christ” as a prophet?
Was Samuel of the Priestly
class with authority – was he a Levite?
Why did the Lord speak to
Samuel and not to Eli (who was the presiding authority or High Priest)?
The power or authority or right
or invitation to see God face to face is not effectively real if a person
doesn’t actually go on to truly behold God face to face!
READ 1 Samuel 3:11
What does it mean to say that
the Lord’s revelation will cause their ears to “tingle”?
Why do the revelations of the
Lord do this?
Will the Lord honor the limits
we impose on Him?
READ 1 Samuel 3:19-21
What does “let none of His
words fall to the ground” mean?
When God has a people,
revelation among them continues. Whether
there is a righteous leadership or a fallen one, the Lord remains committed to
His people. He does not forsake them
until they utterly forsake Him. Anytime
anyone is willing to receive, He is willing to give. As the giver of good gifts, He will never
return a serpent to one asking for a fish.
Losing the Ark: An Allegory
of the Last Days
READ 1 Samuel 4:3-11
Whose idea was it to use the
Ark to deliver a military/political victory?
Why did the Philistines “arm
of the flesh” overcome the Israelites and the Ark?
Why did the Lord allow the Ark
of the Covenant, which represents His throne and presence on earth, to be taken
by the Philistines?
READ 1 Samuel 5:2,4,6
What happens to the
Philistines now that they have the Ark?
In Chapter 6, the Philistines
come to believe in the God of Israel, they repent of their wrong doing, and
take the Ark back to Israel.
How is Israel’s losing and
regaining the Ark from the Philistines an allegory for the last days?
What happens next in the “last
days” story?
Read 1 Samuel 8:5 and 20
In response to the miraculous
intercession by God, what happens next in Israel’s story?
The King of Israel
READ Judges 21:25
What are the advantages and
disadvantages for Israel in this condition?
Had Israel ever had a king?
Why did they want a king?
What is the irony in Israel’s current
situation?
How had Israel used its
“freedom to choose”?
READ 1 Sam 8:6
What was Samuel’s response?
READ 1 Sam 8:7 and 22
What was the Lord’s response?
What is the Lord really trying
to teach Israel through the loss of the Ark?
READ 1 Samuel 9:16-17 and 1
Samuel 12:13-15
Was it the Lord’s will that
Saul be their King?
Why did the Lord select a
mortal king for Israel?
What can we learn about the
Lord and His dealings with us from this experience?
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