June 26

The word of the LORD was precious in those days. - 1 Samuel 3:1.

WE may consider Samuel as one of the finest characters recorded, in all history. Here we have his birth, his dedication to God, his employment in the temple, and his call to the prophetic office. Here we notice the character of the period in which the vision came. The days were evil-profligacy had invaded the sanctuary of God -the priestly office was prostituted to the vilest of purposes, so that men “despised the offering of the Lord;” “and the word of the Lord was precious in those days.” Here we have the veracity and the excellency of divine revelation. “The word of God” was “precious,” and also the season of its preciousness “in those days.” The word of God would be “precious” in itself, if no one ever regarded it; just as the jewel is equally valuable, though the swine trample it under its hoofs.

It is with the word as it is with the Author of it, “to them that believe, he is precious,” and to them that believe it, it also is precious. Good men have always so regarded it. Job said, “I esteem the words of thy mouth more than my necessary food;” and David says, “More to be desired are they than gold; yea, than much fine gold.” But there are seasons in which the word of the Lord is particularly precious. “The word of the Lord was precious in those days.” What days?

First, The days of destitution. Such were the days of Samuel. This was the case in after times with the church. We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet.” This was implied in the prophecy, “Thy teachers shall not be removed into a corner any more.” It is expressed in the threatening, “Behold the days shall come when they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it.” How precious was the word of the Lord in the days of King Josiah, who had but once seen a copy of the law in his life; and when a copy was found in the temple, he ordered it to be read, and wept again and again. How precious were the Scriptures before their translation. How many were they to whom they were inaccessible. It was like a spring shut up-a fountain sealed. And after its translation, how precious was it, owing to the trouble and expense of transcription, before the art of printing. In. the days of Henry the Eighth, and of his bigoted and persecuting daughter, Queen Mary, when by the former its use was partially, and by the other totally, prohibited; and in the days of Elizabeth, so precious and scarce was the word of God, that a large Bible was ordered to be chained to a ledge in the aisle of every parish church; and in later days, when, unless by stealth and in concealment, and at night, the people could only hear from their persecuted teachers the joyful sound. And it was no uncommon thing at the time of the formation of the Bible Society, for several families to possess one Bible as their common joint property, each family having the use of it for a week or a month successively.

There may be something like those days of destitution in some individuals now. They may be produced by accidents, by disease, by deafness. “O,” said one who was seen committing the Scriptures to memory, “I am making provision for a dark day, that when I can no longer read, in the multitude of my thoughts I shall have comfort left to my soul.” We all know the value of a thing by the want of it. “The word of the Lord was precious in those days.” What days? The days of conviction. When, by some influence, or some sermon, or by some providence, the carnal heart was broken up. When some have said-

“’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace that fear relieved;

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed.”

How precious was the word of the Lord then. “The word of the Lord was precious in those days.” What days? Days of affliction. This is my comfort; in my affliction, thy word hath quickened me. “The word of the Lord was precious in those days.” What days? Dying days. These we have not yet experienced, but we must experience them. What was it comforted the saints while passing through the valley of the shadow of death? The blessed gospel of salvation; that taught them that “to die is gain,” and enabled them to say, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”