I have been reading in I Samuel and I came to the part where the child Samuel is now living at the temple. Chapter 3 and verse one tells us a little about the times: the word of the Lord was precious, there was no open vision, and then we see in verse 2 that Eli was getting old, his eyes had begun to wax dim and he could not see. Perhaps application wise, he was getting weary in well-doing and this was starting to affect his eyesight!
Jump down to I Samuel 3:3. Here we a phrase, just a small one, kind of insignificant, but nothing in the Bible is there by chance, so I think that it is worth taking a look at! The phrase, "ere the lamp of God went out in they temple of the Lord,:" Ok, so what's the big deal, why even mention it, because in that same verse it says, "Samuel was laid down to sleep;" So who doesn't put out the lights when they go to sleep? Oh yeah, all those who are protesting the green propaganda they are trying to shove down our throats! No, seriously, what's the big deal about turning out the lights when its bedtime? I'm sure you have that ONE person in your home as I do in mine, that you have to constantly be after to "TURN OFF THE LIGHTS"! But that is not what this is talking about.
If you jump back to Exodus 27:20, 21 you find a very interesting command given to the children of Israel! "...command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always...it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations..." This lamp, the lamp that Eli and his sons were in charge of, the lamp of God, the lamp in the temple to be a statute to generations, this lamp was not to go out, EVER! Not for a minute. It was supposed to be constant. During sleeping, when you wake, wherever you go, this lamp was supposed to be burning!
Now go over to Psalms 119:105 and the Bible tells us something, I probably don't even have to write down, because you are probably already quoting it, but just incase you've fallen asleep as did Eli, you've become weary in well doing, let me write out this verse for you: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Hmmmmmmm...If I were writing a Psalms, I might use the word Selah. Do you see it? Can you draw the comparison? The lamp, the lamp of God, the Bible is never to go out of our lives! It is there to guide us, it should always be shining! It should be constant, wherever we go, whatever we do, God's word should guide and direct us!
But wait! There's more! I know, as if that's not good enough! But remember back in Exodus, what were you to use in this light? oil, and not just ANY oil, pure oil from olives! Do YOU know what oil is a picture of? Ding, Ding, Ding, yep you got it! The Holy Spirit! So not only is the Bible not supposed to go out of our lives, for a month, a week, a day, even a moment but we are to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit! I think God used this little insignificant passage to try to teach us an important truth, that if heeded and lived by would CHANGE our lives and possibly the world around us! We ARE to live our lives being Spirit filled! Every moment of every day God's Holy Spirit should guide us, drive us, lead us, determine our actions and reactions! We should be God's vessel, cleaned inside and out so God can do great and mighty things through us and often inspite of us!
I hope you find this post helpful. If you would like, please feel free to leave a comment about how God has worked in your life recently!
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