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Samuel was a man according to God's heart—God's heart was duplicated in him, and he was pure and single (cf. Matt. 5:8; 6:22-23; 2 Tim. 2:22).
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Samuel's whole being and person, not just his doing, living, and work, were according to God; his being and God's heart were one; he was the acting God on the earth.
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God's mind was Samuel's consideration; he had no other thought or consideration.
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He was altogether not self-seeking; he never sought to gain anything for himself (cf. Matt. 16:24; Luke 9:23-25).
８
He had no heart for anything besides God's heart and God's elect; his heart was a reflection of God's heart (cf. 2 Cor. 3:16-18), and his living and working were for the carrying out of whatever was in God's heart.
９
Because Samuel had no heart to build up a kingdom for his descendants, it was easy for God to bring in the kingdom; thus, Samuel was one who turned the age.
１０
Although it was not easy for Samuel to stand for God in his particular environment, he cared for God's interest and turned the age; according to the Old Testament, Samuel is ranked with Moses in being for God and for God's interest (Jer. 15:1).
Ｂ
Samson is a negative example of a Nazarite (Judg. 13:3-5; 1 Cor. 10:6):
１
His origin was a miracle initiated by the appearing of the Angel of Jehovah (Judg. 13:3).
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Samson was sanctified in his mother's womb to be a Nazarite (vv. 3, 5).
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He grew up and was clean and pure according to God's ordination (vv. 4-5).
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Samson was empowered by the Spirit of God as the holy, economical Spirit (v. 25; 14:5-6, 19).
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Samson is an illustration of one who moved in the Spirit of power but not in the Spirit of life; he was very powerful, yet with him we cannot see anything of life.
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Samson failed in not contacting God and in indulging in fleshly lusts (v. 1):
ａ
He was not genuine in seeking for a spouse; rather, his contacting of women was to indulge his lusts (vv. 1-3, 10-17; 16:1-20a).
ｂ
Although he had been empowered by God, he was damaged to the uttermost because of his indulgence in lust.
ｃ
Ultimately, Jehovah left him, and he came to a miserable ending because he did not know how to restrain the lust of his flesh (cf. 2 Tim. 2:22).
７
A Nazarite does not need the Spirit of God rushing upon him (Judg. 14:6, 19); rather, a Nazarite needs a heart that is a reflection of God's heart.
Morning Nourishment
1 Sam. 13:14 ...Your kingdom will not continue. Jehovah has sought a man according to His heart for Himself, and Jehovah has appointed him ruler over His people; for you have not kept that which Jehovah commanded you.Jer. 15:1 And Jehovah said to me, Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My soul would not turn toward this people. Send them out of My sight and let them go.
Samuel knew that within God's heart there was a desire for a kingdom. God wanted the kingdom to be brought in not through Samuel but through David.
If you had been Samuel, would you have given any ground for someone to match you or be above you? Samuel was pure and single. He was a Nazarite according to his mother's vow and was altogether not self-seeking. He never sought to gain anything for himself. He had no heart for anything besides God and God's elect. God loved Israel, and His heart was duplicated in Samuel. (Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, p. 44)
Today's Reading
Because God's heart was duplicated in Samuel, Samuel did not care for his own interest or gain....Due to the situation at the time, Samuel appointed his sons to be judges, but, contrary to Saul, he had no intention to build up a kingdom for them. His sons did not follow in his ways but went after unjust gain, took bribes, and perverted justice (1 Sam. 8:1-3). When the people asked Samuel to appoint a king, he was not offended by anything related to his sons; on the contrary, he was offended by their desire to replace God (vv. 4-7)....Samuel's concern was not for his children but for God's people. In such a situation it was easy for God to bring in the kingdom.Samuel would never have cooperated with God if he had been a self-seeking person....God said to him, "At about this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him ruler over My people Israel" (9:16). When Saul and his servant came to Samuel, Samuel did exactly as God had instructed.
Now we can see why Samuel was so useful in the hand of God. He had no self-seeking nor any thought of self-gain. Instead, as a Nazarite, who allowed no razor to come upon his head and who did not drink any wine, he was absolutely for God. He was happy to go wherever God wanted him to go and to do whatever God wanted him to do. He was a man according to God, a man according to God's heart. Therefore, he was a man whom God could use to carry out His economy.
Many people have a high character, but they are just for themselves, their enterprise, and their kingdom. They are not for God's kingdom. Samuel was not only high in character; he was high in the Nazarite vow.
It is worthwhile to compare Samuel with another Nazarite—Samson. Samson also was a Nazarite by his mother's vow, but he was very different from Samuel. When the Bible speaks of Samson and the other judges, it often says that the Spirit of God rushed upon them (Judg. 14:6, 19). But there is no such word about Samuel. A Nazarite does not need rushing power; rather, a Nazarite needs a heart that is a reflection of God's heart.
Although it was not easy for Samuel to stand for God in his particular environment, he cared for God's interest and he turned the age. According to the Old Testament, Samuel is ranked with Moses in being for God and for God's interest (Jer. 15:1).
God used Samuel to anoint first Saul and then David....Saul only had a monarchy. The kingdom of God came first under David, when God's throne was established in Jerusalem. (Life-study of 1 & 2Samuel, pp. 44-47)
Jehovah's Spirit came upon Samson (Judg. 13:25; 14:6, 19); there is no doubt that he had the real power of God. Nevertheless, he and so many of the judges had no control over their indulgence in lust. (Life-study of Ruth, p. 38)
Further Reading: Life-study of 1 & 2 Samuel, msg. 7; Life-study of Judges, msg. 8; Life-study of Ruth, msg. 8