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The Disappearing God

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• 1 Samuel 3, verse 21. One verse, but then we will come back and get the context just a little bit later. 1 Samuel 3, verse 21: "And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord." The title of the message is "The Disappearing God."

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• Now that title may sound strange, but I think in light of the context, you will understand what I'm teaching. The Bible says in verse 21, "And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh." Our text gives us a very insightful truth, and it's one for which you and I are not accustomed to considering. We're plainly told in verse 21 that the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. Well, obviously, if He appeared again, there was a time that He disappeared.

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• So the question is, where did He go? Why and how did He show up when He did?

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• Now in order to understand our text, you're going to have to know something about Shiloh. So I want you to turn with me very quickly, first of all, to the book of Joshua, while in 1 Samuel. We're certainly coming back there. But look in Joshua chapter 18 and verse 1. We're going to be turning to several passages, so keep your fingers limber. Notice if you would, Joshua chapter 18 and verse 1. The Bible tells us it was in Shiloh that the tabernacle was first set up. The Bible says that "the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up there the tabernacle of the congregation there, and the land was subdued before them." So, obviously, this is the time when they are in the land now and the tabernacle is first set up at Shiloh. If you would look in Joshua chapter 19, and verse 51, you will also find out that all the land was divided between the 12 tribes at Shiloh. Notice Joshua chapter 19 and verse 51: "These are the inheritances which Eliezer the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided for an inheritance by a lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."

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• So they made an end of dividing the country. But notice they did it by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle. It is also true it was at Shiloh that God was initially worshipped. If you would turn right over just a few books to 1 Samuel and look if you would please at chapter 1 there and verse 3. 1 Samuel chapter 1 and verse 3, and we're reading about Elkanah and, of course, Hannah, his wife, and Peninnah, who was also his wife. But the Bible says in 1 Samuel 1 and verse 3, "And this man," talking about Elkanah, "went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there." So people then went to Shiloh to worship. Now, I want to call your attention to the fact that the Bible tells us specifically that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there. Now, Hophni and Phinehas were wicked reprobates.

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• They were basically sons of Belial. Although they were in the priesthood, they certainly abused the priesthood. So look in 1 Samuel chapter 2, beginning there with verse 12. Let me just show you their corruption. Try to set this up so that you can understand 1 Samuel chapter 3. So in 1 Samuel chapter 2, beginning there with verse 12, the Bible says, "Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial."

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• They knew not the Lord. By the way, that's one of the problems that we have today. We have men in the pulpit who are proclaiming themselves to be men of God who know not the Lord. They're unsaved. Just like these boys were priests and they knew not the Lord, they were sons of Belial. Notice verse 13: "And the priest's custom with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came while the flesh was in seething," or boiling, "with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand."

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• And he struck it into the pan, or a kettle, or a cauldron, or a pot. And all that the flesh hook brought up, the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came and said to the man that sacrificed, now listen, "Give flesh a roast for the priest, for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw." And if any man said unto him, "Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, then take as much as thy soul desireth," then he would answer him, "Nay, but if thou give it me now, and if not, I will take it by force."

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• Wherefore, the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord. Watch the result: "for men abhorred" or hated "the offering of the Lord."

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• Now to show you their unfitness for office, skip on down to verse 22. 1 Samuel chapter 2 and verse 22.

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• Now Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they lay with women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they were committing fornication and adultery at the tabernacle. Notice if you would. And he said unto them, "Why do you such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear. You make the Lord's people to transgress."

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• If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him. But if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearken not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. So here then were wicked, wicked individuals who were in control of the sacrifices and the offerings of the Lord. They were not only fraudulent, they were not only fornicators, they were also corruptors of the people as well.

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• And yet, here they are in the priest's office. Now, the interesting thing is, and I believe you can see this in light of the corruption of the priesthood, Shiloh went then into idolatry. It was forsaken by the people because the people, because of all this corruption, went into idolatry. If you would turn back in your Bibles to the book of Judges, just a few pages back, Judges chapter 18, and look if you would please at verse 31. Judges chapter 18 and verse 31.

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• Now you need to follow me because I'm going to try to tie all this together for you just momentarily. Judges 18 verse 31: "And they set them up Michael's graven image which he had made all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh." So here you have the children of Dan setting up a graven image all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. So the people then basically were forsaking the house of God because of corruption, because of wickedness, and they themselves are wicked as well. Now let me just quote this verse because I'm going to ask that you turn to it momentarily. The Bible tells us in Psalm 78 in verse 60 that God forsook not only the people because of their wickedness, but He also forsook His house there because of the corruption. So in Psalm 78 in verse 60 the Bible says, "So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among the children of men." Now the Bible just tells us in that particular passage that God forsook his tent.

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• God forsook his house. You'll remember the prophet Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. And the people despised Jeremiah. In fact, Jeremiah was mistreated over and over, thrown into a dungeon, threatened to have his life taken. Let me show you why they hated Jeremiah. So, I want you to turn to Jeremiah chapter 7. All this is connected to Shiloh. Notice if you would, Jeremiah chapter 7. And let's begin reading there with verse 12. Jeremiah 7, verse 12.

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• Look what the Bible says. We're going to read through verse 15. Jeremiah 7, verse 12. God says through the prophet Jeremiah, "But go you now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. And now because you have done all these works, saith the Lord, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but you heard not."

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• And I called you, but you answered not. Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein you trust, and unto the place which I gave you unto your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim."

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• Now look what God said. God said, "Alright, you have built me a house." You remember Solomon built the temple. And what did God say? "I'm going to do to this house exactly that which I did to Shiloh. And I'm going to judge you, I'm going to destroy you." Flip right over to Jeremiah 26. Jeremiah 26, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. Jeremiah 26 verse 4, again God says, "And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, If you will not hearken to Me to walk in My law, which I have set before you, to hearken to the words of My servants, the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early and sending them, but you hearken not, then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth." So God is threatening under the ministry of Jeremiah to do to the temple and to the people exactly what He did to Shiloh and to the people in those particular times.

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• Now let me show you what God did. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Psalm 78. Here is why they are so upset with Jeremiah. Look in Psalm 78, and let's begin reading there with verse 58. Psalm 78, verse 58, and we'll read through verse 64. Psalm 78, notice verse 58. You're going to see the corruption of the people, not just of the priests, but of the people as well. Psalm 78 verse 58, the Bible says, "For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, he was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel."

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• So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men, and delivered His strength into captivity and His glory into the enemy's hand." That is, He sent heathen to conquer His people. Verse 62, "He gave His people over also unto the sword, and was wroth with His inheritance. The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not given to marriage. Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation."

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• Now I hope you understand why Jeremiah was so despised. Anytime a preacher usually begins to warn of judgment, and death, and destruction, and that God is turning His hand against the people, he's certainly going to be despised, he's certainly going to be hated. So, God then has threatened to do to the temple exactly what He did to Shiloh. Now, I want you to know, it is true the people went into idolatry and forsook Shiloh. But it is equally true that God forsook Shiloh because of the people and their wickedness.

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• Now I told you the title of this message was "The Disappearing God." Theologically speaking, God cannot disappear. Okay? Because God is omnipresent. When we talk about the omnipresence of God, it means that God is everywhere at one time in the totality of His person. There is no place in which God is not. If you would turn in your Bible to Psalm 139, let me just show you how even David understood the omnipresence of God. Psalm 139, and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Psalm 139, verse 7. Notice if you would what David says. This is a wonderful psalm. It's a beautiful psalm. Psalm 139, verse 7. David asks, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?"

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• If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike unto thee."

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• So David is here talking about the omnipresence of God. That God is everywhere at one time in the totality of His person. So let me explain what I'm trying to share with you. Theologically speaking, God cannot disappear because He's omnipresent. But practically speaking, He may withdraw Himself, and the graciousness of His presence, and His blessings, and His mercies, so that we cannot find Him, and we cannot see Him, and we cannot reach Him.

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• Let me ask that you turn in your Bibles to the book of Hosea. Minor prophet, Daniel, Hosea. Turn to the book of Hosea, chapter 5. As you're turning there, I want to quote another scripture and tell you about it. If you were to read the Song of Solomon, you will find there that the Song of Solomon deals basically with the church and with the Divine Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Song of Solomon, of course, the bridegroom is knocking at the door.

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• And the bride is so concerned with herself, she does not immediately answer the knock. And in verse 6, the Bible says this in the Song of Solomon, chapter 1: "I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone. My soul failed when he spake. I sought him, but I could not find him. I called him, but he gave no answer." What did she say? "I opened to my beloved, but he had withdrawn himself." And then she starts seeking for him, but she can't find him. If you will look in the book of Hosea chapter 5 and verse 6, look if you would what God says concerning Judah and His people. Watch. Verse 6: "They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord, but they shall not find Him. He hath withdrawn Himself from them." Isn't that amazing? He hath withdrawn Himself from them. Do you remember that passage in Isaiah 55 where it says, "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found."

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• Call ye upon Him while He is near. In other words, there's a time when God cannot be found. There's a time when God is not near. And if you would turn back to Isaiah, and look in Isaiah 59, verses 1 and 2, here's a passage that is kind of similar, and I think it will help you understand exactly what I'm saying. Look in Isaiah 59, verses 1 and 2, because in this particular passage, the Word of God says this, Isaiah 59, verse 1: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you that He will not hear." Now look what the Bible says. The Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save. His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear. Surely God can hear. Surely God can save.

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• Well, why is there such a chasm? Why is there such a gulf? Because he says your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid His face from you. So what has God done? God has basically withdrawn Himself. You know God does that from time to time when we sin against Him. He withdraws His gracious presence from us. In 1 Samuel 28, and let me just tell you about this. In 1 Samuel 28, you remember how Saul, King Saul, is seeking the Lord. But in order to understand 1 Samuel chapter 28, you have to remember 1 Samuel 15, where Saul refused to obey God. And Samuel the prophet said, "You've rejected the word of the Lord, and He's rejected you from being king."

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• He's going to get someone else to rule over His people, a man after His own heart. And when you get to 1 Samuel chapter 28, the Philistines have gathered together. And Saul is seeking the Lord, and he can't find Him. In fact, God does not answer his prayer. God does not answer him through the Urim and the Thummim. God does not answer him in any way whatsoever.

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• And you know what happens? Saul then turns to a witch. He says, "Get me a diviner of spirits." Have you ever asked yourself, why could Saul not find the Lord? Why would the Lord not answer Saul? When you go to 2 Samuel chapter 7, God is entering into a covenant with David. And God is promising to build David a house. And God tells David that if his son...

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• He's talking about Solomon in this particular instance. If his son sins, that he will chastise him with chastisements. And then God says, "But I will not take my mercy away from Him as I did from Saul." Wow! When God took His mercy away from Saul, it seemed as if God was deaf. Saul cried in vain, but God would not answer. He cried and He cried. He tried and He tried, but God would not answer. God would not hear Him.

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• If you want a good illustration of this, I want you to turn to the book of Judges, chapter 6. And let's read a brief passage. Judges, chapter 6. I think you can relate to what I'm about to read in the life of Gideon. Book of Joshua, Judges. Judges, chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 3, and we'll read through verse 13. Judges, chapter 6, verse 3.

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• Now, I want you to watch what happens to Israel, okay? Israel has sinned against God. Verse 3: "And so it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them. And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come into Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor oxen, nor ass." So all the enemies have come in and devoured the land. Verse 5: "For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came up as grasshoppers for multitude. For both they and their camels were without number, and they entered into the land to destroy it. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites. And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, that the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, and said unto them, Thus said the Lord God of Israel, I brought you up out of Egypt, and I brought you forth out of the

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• house of bondage, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land. And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorites, and whose land you dwell, but you have not obeyed my voice." Now watch. "And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak, which is an ophra that pertained to Joash, the Abiezrite, and his son Gideon, threshed sweet by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor." Watch, if you would, what Gideon said. "And Gideon said unto him, O my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then has all this befallen us? And where be all His miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring thee up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."

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• Wow! When the angel said, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor," Gideon said, "Wait a minute. If God's with us, why are we in the mess that we're in? Why are we experiencing this? Why are our enemies triumphing over us? Why do they have dominion over us? Why are we being subjugated? If God, where are all of His miracles?" You see, until the time of Gideon, God was silent. God had withdrawn His mercies. God had withdrawn His gracious presence. And there were no demonstrations of his power, or of his miracles, and of his might. His enemies had control over his people. And so Gideon rightly asked, "If the Lord be with us, why has all this befallen us? And where are all of his miracles?"

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• Most of you know when you look at your Bible, you see the Old Testament and the New Testament. You know what a lot of people do not understand is between the book of Malachi and the book of Matthew, there were 400 years. Those 400 years between Malachi and Matthew are known as the 400 silent years. God did not speak. God gave no revelation of Himself for 400 years.

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• Now, someone's going to object and say, "Well, now wait a minute, Brother Weaver. Everything you're trying to tell me is from the Old Testament." Well, the Old Testament is just as much the Word of God as the New Testament. We have one Bible, not two Bibles. Besides that, God is immutable. He is unchangeable. God does not change. But let me show you the same truth basically in the New Testament. If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 2.

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• And I want you to notice what our Lord said to the church of Laodicea. Revelation chapter 2. And let's begin reading there verse 14. Revelation 2 and verse 14. He's speaking to the church. Ah, let's see. Revelation chapter 2 and it is verse... Let me skip down. Verse... The church of Laodicea. What? Verse... 23 is it? Chapter 3 or chapter 3. That's what it is. Thank you. It's chapter 3.

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• I was looking in the wrong one. Let's look in verse 14. "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." Now look, "and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich in white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see." Now notice if you would, our Lord said to these Laodiceans, "You're neither cold nor hot. You're lukewarm. Therefore," says God, "I'm going to spew you out of my mouth."

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• I'm going to spit you out of my mouth. And God said, "You do not know the fact that you are naked and wretched and blind and miserable."

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• Now let me ask you a question. Do you think the Laodicean church was experiencing the presence of the power of God in their lives? Do you think that they were having their prayers answered on a daily basis? The answer is no. He was far away from such a wicked people. And he said, "Look, I counsel you, you better start listening to me. You better start buying of me instead of the world. You better make sure that you're paying attention to my truth." Now let me try to make this thing personal. Has God disappeared from your life? Has God disappeared from your family?

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• Have you seen any of His miracles lately? How frequently are your prayers answered? If God is not in your life, in your family, in your church, in your nation, where did He go? How did He disappear? Now let's be honest. Is not the attitude of the American people today, even professing Christian people, is not their attitude the same as the attitude of the people found in 1 Samuel 2 and verse 17 when they despised the worship of God? Let me ask you, why is this building not filled and overflowing with people? When you get a man who will teach and preach the Word of God, why are those buildings not filled? And the answer is, because people are not really interested in truth. They're not really interested in worshipping the Lord.

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• Now, I understand when we talk about Hophni and Phinehas, the corruption of the priesthood. I understand corruption in the ministry today. Everywhere I go, I hear people say, that they really want the Word of God. It may not be a great multitude, but I hear a number of them say, "We really want the Word of God. But, we cannot find a pastor with the backbone and the fortitude that will stand up and preach and teach the Word of God." In fact, most people say, and I'm using a quote, "We hear the same old drivel Sunday after Sunday." And here is the most frequently quoted statement that I hear from individuals.

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• "Preacher, we're starving to death." Now let me tell you something. There are many people who really would love to hear the truth. They just cannot find a pastor who will preach and teach the truth.

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• Now I do understand the lack of leadership, direction and teaching. However, on the other hand, there are some people that do not want the truth. They prefer to have their ears tickled. They believe oddly enough that somehow their ignorance relieves them of their responsibility. They think somehow that if they do not hear the truth and they do not know the truth, therefore they are unaccountable for the truth and they will not have to answer to God. Moreover, you will find people who might find a pastor who will stand up and preach and teach the entire counsel of God, but yet the people will not support him, will not stand with him, will not obey the Word of God. I have known many good men in my life that had to leave churches, some run off from the churches, because the people just would not take the Word of God.

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• They would not stomach it. The point I'm trying to make is this. Listen carefully. We are today at the precise point in our history as in the times of Israel in the days of Samuel.

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• Now what do I mean by that? First of all, let me say, I mean we're at the point where if God does not sovereignly and powerfully raise up men to preach and teach His Word, we are in deep trouble. We're in the midst of corruption and compromise. And in the midst of corruption and compromise, God raised up Samuel. Secondly, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel 3 and look at verse 1, because I will begin to explain to you what it means when the Bible says, "And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh." I want you to look, if you would please, at 1 Samuel chapter 3 and verse 1. Here the Bible says, "And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days."

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• There was no open vision. I want to deal with two or three things in verse 1. First of all, the Bible says, "And the word of the Lord was precious in those days." The word precious refers to that which is costly, excellent, honorable, valuable, rare, splendid, and scarce. You know what makes a precious jewel precious? Scarcity. Rarity. The Word of God was precious in those days. The scarcer an object, the more valuable it is. You know what God said in Amos 8 and verse 11? Just listen. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land. Not a famine of bread, nor of thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the Word of God." So why was the Word of God precious in those days? Because it was scarce. It was rare. Now, look at verse 1 again. "And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days. There was no open vision." Hmm. It was so scarce.

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• There was no open vision. Now I have to ask the question. What does that mean? What does the Bible mean when it says there was no open vision? I want you to hold 1 Samuel 3, but I want you to turn with me to several passages. The first one is Proverbs 29 and verse 18. When you get to Proverbs 29 and verse 18, here is a verse that has been abused, misused, and misinterpreted. Proverbs 29, look if you would please at verse 18. This verse has been the theme verse for many pastors, missionaries, and visionaries. This verse has been used to carry churches into debt slavery and Christian people into bondage. Let me tell you up front, this verse has absolutely nothing to do with dreams and visions. No. Listen to what Proverbs 29 verse 18 says: "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

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• But he that keepeth the law, happy is he. I know that you've heard preachers say this. "We need to have a vision. We need to have a thousand by next year. Or we need to have a larger building by next year. We need this church bond program because we need a vision." When the Bible says, "Where there is no vision, people perish," the word vision actually means the public proclamation of the Word of God. The public preaching of the Word of God. When the Bible says in 1 Samuel 3 and verse 1, "There was no open vision," there was no open preaching. No teaching. If you look in Proverbs 29 verse 18, the latter part of this verse explains it. When he says, "Where there is no vision," that is no public preaching and teaching, "the people perish. But, he that keepeth the law," he that has that public preaching and teaching, "happy is he." Because he has the word of God there before him. So obviously what he is saying is the vision here has to do with preaching.

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• Now let me just show you how this is used throughout the Bible. I want you to turn first of all to Jeremiah chapter 14. Because I want you to see the word vision here does refer to preaching. Now I realize that sometimes when the word vision is used in the Bible, yes it refers to a real literal vision because God did speak that way occasionally to the prophets of old time. But most of the time when this word is used, it refers to preaching. It refers to teaching. Notice in Jeremiah chapter 14 and verse 14, look what God says. "Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name."

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• I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoken to them. They prophesy unto you a false vision. Notice the word. So they prophesied, they're preaching to you a false preaching and divination and a thing of naught and the deceit of the heart. In other words, God had not spoken to them. They were making their own message up. If you'll look in Jeremiah chapter 23 and verse 16. Jeremiah 23 and verse 16. Watch carefully. Jeremiah 23 verse 16: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you. They make you vain. They speak a vision of their own heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord." Notice they're speaking a vision. They're preaching what they've dreamed up themselves. They're speaking publicly their own thoughts. They're not speaking the Word of God. One other passage. Go to Ezekiel chapter 12. Turn right over to Ezekiel chapter 12. Wow, you're talking about a passage. I want you to look at verses 21 through 28. Seven verses.

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• Ezekiel chapter 12, beginning there with verse 21. And by the way, when you read, like in the book of Amos, or the book of Hosea, when it says, "the vision of the Lord to Amos," or "the vision of the Lord to Hosea," all that means is the word of God came to Amos and the word of God came to Hosea. But look in Ezekiel chapter 12 beginning with verse 21: "And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, what is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying the days are prolonged and every vision faileth," or every prophecy faileth? "Tell them therefore, thus saith the Lord God, I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel. But say to them, the days are at hand, and the effect of every vision," that is the result of every prophecy, "there shall be no more any vain vision," vain preaching, "or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord, I will speak," now watch, "and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass."

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• It shall be no more prolonged. That was the vision that they were saying was prolonged. "For in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of times that are far off. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord." In this passage, every vision refers to the preaching of the Word of God.

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• I could take you throughout the entirety of the Bible and show you that over and over. If you will turn back to 1 Samuel chapter 3, I'm getting ready to try to tie it all together for you. But look in 1 Samuel 3 and verse 1. In 1 Samuel 3 and verse 1, the Bible says, "And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the Word of the Lord was precious in those days."

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• There was no open vision. Let me ask you a question. Do you think a preacher who is stealing, defrauding, committing adultery, fornication, unholy, do you think he's going to really preach the Word of God? And the answer is no. No wonder there's no open vision. There was no one there to preach and teach. Eli was old. In fact, Eli was about to die at 98 years of age. So the Word of God was precious. There was no one there to preach and teach the Word of God.

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• How could there be with the corruption of the priesthood? God had to raise up another prophet and He did by the name of Samuel. So let's begin reading with verse 3. 1 Samuel 3 verse 3: "And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, that the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I."

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• And he ran unto Eli, and said, "Here I am, for thou callest me." And he said, "I call not. Lie down again." And he went and lay down. And the Lord called again, "Samuel." And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, "Here am I, for thou didst call me." And he answered, "I call not, my son. Lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord. Now watch. Neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here am I, for thou didst call me." And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, "Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came and stood, and called, as he did at other times, "Samuel, Samuel." Then Samuel answered, "Speak, for thy servant heareth." And the LORD said to Samuel, "Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle."

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• And that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him, look, for I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever. And Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. What was the vision? It was the word of the Lord. Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son," and he answered, "Here am I." And he said, "What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee and more also if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he saith unto thee."

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• Watch, and Samuel told him every wit. He hid nothing from him. And he, Eli, said, "It is the Lord. Let him do what seemeth him good." Now watch verse 19. "And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground." Verse 20: "And all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established be a prophet of the Lord." Now look in verse 21: "And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh." How did the Lord appear again? He appeared again in and through and by means of His Word. "And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh, by the Word of the Lord." How did God appear again? Here was a man who would now preach and proclaim and teach the pure Word of God. Are you listening? Why has God disappeared from our lives, our families, our churches, and our nation? The answer is, because His Word is not preached and proclaimed. It is not taught. It is not obeyed.

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• Wherever God's Word is neglected, rejected, despised, God always withdraws His gracious manifestation of His presence and His blessings. Do you realize it is only through the Word of God that we understand even the righteousness as well as the judgment of God. The Apostle Paul in speaking in Romans 1 verses 17 and 18 says this, talking about the Word of God, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith." And then he went on to say in verse 18, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness." How in the world can men turn from sin if they do not know what sin is? How can men repent if they do not know what repentance is? How can men turn to truth if they do not know what truth is? And how can men do any of that without the power and the blessing of God?

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• Here's the point I want to make. I asked earlier, has God disappeared from your life? If you do not want God to disappear from your life, you must not only read and study and apply the Word of God, you must hear the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. For the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, it's through the foolishness of preaching that God chose to save those that believe. The Bible tells us it is through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God that the saints of God are edified and built up in the most holy faith. So it's your responsibility to bring your life into conformity to the Word of God.

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• I'm not going to take the time to go back to Deuteronomy 28, but I will tell you about Deuteronomy 28, and I will tell you one of the curses. When you read Deuteronomy 28, the first 15 verses deal with the blessings of God, where God says, "If you obey Me, all these blessings are going to fall upon you." When you get to verse 15, actually God starts there with the curses. And He tells you all the curses that will fall upon you if you disobey the Word of God, if you refuse the Word of God. Okay? When you get to Deuteronomy 28 and verse 23, here's one of the curses. Listen carefully.

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• "And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron." What is God saying? "The heaven that is over thy head shall be brass." I won't listen to you. I won't hear you. You refuse my word. I will refuse to listen to you. Theologically speaking, God cannot disappear. But practically speaking, He can withdraw the blessed manifestation of His presence, and His miracles, and His might, and His power. If we want God in our lives, His Word must have the preeminence in our lives. Let's pray.

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• Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask You for Your grace and for Your mercy and for Your help. We do pray, Lord, that Thou wouldst be kind and gracious to us, and that You would enable us to see the absolute necessity and the importance of Your Word. Give us grace, dear Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear, and we pray Thy blessings upon Ian and Aga as we begin the ceremony just shortly, and ask that you prepare their hearts. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

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• I love you.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:49:56Z