THE GODLY MAN CEASETH. 1st Samuel 25:1 From childhood to old age, Samuel was the spiritual link between the nation of Israel and God. The priesthood had failed and had been the scene of divine judgment on those who thought to do God's things in their own way. By the time of Samuel's death, only Abiathar remained in the priesthood, and he was with David in the place of rejection. Samuel had been rejected by the people who wanted a king like the nations around. He welcomed Saul as king even though it meant a man of the flesh would replace him. He counseled and sought to guide Saul into what was right even when he realized that Saul was only a “man of the people.”
Samuel, the man of God, even when young, was established as a prophet of the Lord. He lived to see the deterioration of the nation to the extent that the insane king sought to kill the one who was anointed king after him. The heights of blessing to which Israel should have gone was now a place of sorrow. Ramah, "the heights," which should have, and could have been, the place of blessed fellowship with God for the nation, not just Samuel, now was a place of desolation and loss.
Psalm 12 begins, "Help, Lord: for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." Perhaps David wrote those words at Samuel's death, when "all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him." No one can take the place of another. Samuel was a unique person chosen by God for a particular time in the life of the nation of Israel.
Each of us has a role to fill and a work to do which is unique to us. We are not here "to fill the shoes" of one who lived their life for God. God raises up those He chooses to meet needs He alone knows. There is a special impact on others by the godly life of one who has devoted his or her life to God and His people. The spiritual fragrance of that person's words and testimony is not ignored even by the most carnal people.
Saul may have been "head and shoulders" above the people physically, but Samuel was higher by far than Saul when he was down on his knees in intercession for the failing king. Saul was a self-centered, cowardly man who lived in the darkness of his heart. How absurd it was for him, the king of a nation, to be leading an army of 3000 of his choice warriors in a search for a young patriot who had 600 men with him and was guarding the possessions of the people against marauding bands of those who would steal from them. David had won the people's hearts as a true shepherd who cared for his flock. His courage, faith in God, and grace, even toward the king who pursued him to death, endeared him to those who knew him.
When tears are shed at funerals like those at Samuel's funeral at Ramah, it is well that we take time to learn the lessons that can be learned best at "the house of mourning." We need to consider the goals and motivations of our lives. We need to look ahead to the remaining time to see it there are changes we should make to serve our Lord better. We need to consider the needs of others and find out if we can be effective intercessors on their behalf like Samuel was to those of his day. We need to look beyond our death day to ensure there is nothing we have left undone or of which we might be ashamed. If there are corrections to be made, we need to make them.
A person of faith who lives quietly and consistently despite all the turmoil in the world has an influence on others that may not always be acknowledged but cannot be denied. Such a life lived for the Lord is of great value when reviewed in the light of the scriptures and history. The real worth of a person's life and labor may not be felt nor understood until after the Lord takes that person home. In the life of Samuel, we are impressed that the urgent prayer of a mother like Hannah and the support of a father like Elkanah establishes a solid foundation for their child's life. The consecration of a child to God does not mean that the child will be perfect, but that that young person will grow up conscious of God. Hopefully, that child will appreciate what that means, and he or she will dedicate his or her life to the service of the Lord and His people in a way that suits his or her characteristics and the teaching of the word of God.
There is a spiritual vacuum created when a man of God dies that needs to be filled as soon as possible. Saul was spiritually dead and had no guidance to give the nation that was of any value. Spiritual leadership was missing in Israel until David became the king. I expect David was one who greatly mourned the passing of Samuel and so penned a psalm like Psalm 12 to remember the godliness and impact of a life lived for God in his day. From that place of mourning, he went to Paran, where God in grace met Hagar and Ishmael. The children of Israel stopped there when the cloud that guided them by day through the wilderness "rested." From Paran, the spies were sent to search the promised land. Mount Paran was where Moses said the Lord shined forth and came with "ten thousand saints." "He loved the people; all the saints are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy feet; everyone shall receive of Thy words."
It was a good place for David because God could "shine" again. It was there that he met Abigail, who declared to David her faith in God and him as the future king. We may not always understand the significance of a place and event first, but when we find our way to where God has been pleased to bless in the past, we may be where He can bless in the present and in the future.
We mourn their passing, those ancient saints, as we consider the worth and testimony of those who lived with no complaints about the simple life they lived. We wonder about our own future as we see many of the people of God departing from what they once believed and practiced. Then it comes to mind that even here and now, our Gracious God remains eternally just the same. In faith, we take up the task of divine service, not knowing what we can accomplish or how we can best serve our Lord, but trusting Him alone, we press forward in Jesus' name.
We are not told of each event nor of what will be the end of these days of labor through which we are currently passing. We don’t have to know the final results but trust Him, who sent us to do His bidding daily and fulfill our tasks in faith. When people come to remember us on some future day, hopefully, they will be able to remember our faith, and possibly, as they reminisce, they will be able to say, "He was one who demonstrated daily God's redeeming grace."