Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His name; they called upon the Lord, and He answered them. (Psalm 99:6)
It is abundantly clear that, in the beginning of Israel’s call to be a kingdom of priests and holy nation, Moses and Aaron stand out as chosen vessels. That is not to say they were without defect, it is simply to say that, for reasons known only to the Creator, these men were chosen for a special purpose at a special time in history. They, in turn, taught the people the ways of God, encouraging them to walk in righteousness and holiness as they journeyed toward the land of Canaan.
The psalmist also mentions the prophet Samuel along with Moses and Aaron, thus alluding to the idea that, in similar fashion, Samuel guided his generation away from the apostasy of the past and toward the path of righteousness. In certain aspects, Samuel’s stature matched that of Moses and Aaron; in fact, the argument could be made that Samuel was the greatest prophet of all time after Moses (and of course, after the Messiah). Moses and Aaron were used by the Almighty to establish a nation dedicated to God’s service. Samuel was used by God to anoint a king (i.e. David) whose throne would be established forever, ultimately fulfilled when King Messiah sits upon it to rule and reign over all nations.
All these points are noteworthy but here is the more important point: when they called upon the Lord, He answered them. These men exemplified dedicated obedience to the Lord and demonstrated a genuine concern for their countrymen. The fact that they served God without deriving any personal advantage or financial gain is a testament to their faithfulness and devotion. And because of that, when they needed an answer from Heaven, God answered their call. That brings us to our final point for the day.
Messiah told us that, as faithful disciples, we have been granted a privilege which is, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14). Elsewhere in Scripture we are told that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). In other words, though we may never be regarded in the same manner as these great men, we who are the least in the Kingdom are not considered to be inferior to them (Matthew 11:11). Just as they served a purpose in their generation, we too are to serve God’s purpose in this generation. Furthermore, if we strive to serve God faithfully and wholeheartedly, we are assured that He will answer when we call upon Him. Thus it is written, “It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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