Metaphysical meaning of Samuel (mbd)
Samuel, sam'-u-el (Heb.)--name of God; sublimity of God; heard of God; instructed of God; God hath heard.
A prophet and judge of Israel, the last one before Israel began to have kings to rule over it (I Sam. 1:20 to 10:25).
Meta. Spiritual discernment; that in man which has conscious contact with God and learns of God (God hath heard, instructed of God).
The boy Samuel represents the inner voice, through whose expression we come into a larger realization of ourselves.
Samuel also signifies judgment. He judged Israel forty years; he was brought forth in direct answer to prayer and his mother dedicated him to the Lord even before he was born in the flesh. At two years of age "the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before Eli," for it was recognized that he was to serve in the Temple, that he would unfold and become great in spiritual understanding. By listening to the voice of divine wisdom we bring forth the Son of God in our soul.
Samuel represents both judgment and the inner voice; he is the wisdom and the judgment that come often as a still, small voice at the heart center. It is deep within the stillness of the silence that our ears first become attuned to the rhythmic motions of Spirit, and that we are first enabled to catch the sound of the inner voice. Man makes connection with Jehovah by building up a consciousness of divine ideas. This is accomplished through thought, prayer, meditation, and realization. Receptivity to Spirit and obedience, fearlessness, and candor are essentials to the inviting of communion with the inner voice. Hannah, mother of Samuel, earnestly petitioned God for a son. She made regular trips to the Temple, where she made known her desire; she listened attentively for the inner leadings, which showed her just what to do that she might comply with the law and have her prayers answered. This earnest seeking led her deep into the things of Spirit; therefore when her prayers were fulfilled the child that she bore possessed the faculty of spiritual hearing. Samuel was first conceived in Spirit, and by the sure law of Spirit the outer manifestation came into visibility.
Samuel was so quickened that he heard the word of Spirit. As you sit in the silence you no doubt often get the inner word through the still, small voice, yet you do not hear it; you do not feel it --you simply know it. When Samuel first heard it he went to Eli, the high priest, and said: "Here am I; for thou calledst me." A similar experience may come often to you. You hear, yet you do not understand; but as you go on in unfoldment you finally come to the place where you say, "This is Spirit talking to me." When you have once made union with Spirit you will understand and will get the messages, just as Samuel did.
I Samuel 7:2-12: The Spirit of God in man knows no defeat. Though it be kept for a time in bondage to man's material ideas, it sooner or later resumes its search for deliverance and free expression. Samuel, the inner spiritual perception that has the capacity for receiving spiritual inspiration, brings to the outer consciousness that which is necessary for this deliverance.
Samuel here tells the Children of Israel of the three great steps in spiritual progress. These are as applicable to man today as they were to the Children of Israel. First, if man is to serve the one true God he will put away all false gods. With a single standard in one's life there is a centralizing force at work, and wherever this centralizing influence becomes active, organization results. Thus all the scattered forces of man's being are brought together and are made capable of undertaking effectually the tasks of life.
The second step that Samuel took was to have the Children of Israel assemble at Mizpah (watchtower). In order to maintain his unity with God and to keep his forces organized in singleness of thought and purpose, man must keep his attention steadily fixed in the direction of that to which he aspires. Samuel is here only carrying out that Scriptural injunction, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." By looking away from the besetting forces of materiality and maintaining the high watch, one is enabled to discern the action of God, in meeting the various situations of life.
The third step for man in his spiritual progress is to conform his action to the action of God; when he has done that, the opposition of material forces becomes as nothing. The matter of importance is always to maintain one's perfect relationship with the movement of Principle, regardless of what may arise. Victory is inevitable when this unity with God is maintained; no adverse condition in the life of man can prevail against him, because there never has been and never can be any effective opposition to God. Victory is truly won the moment one establishes one's unity with God, because the adversity that appears is not in God, and when the situation is seen in God its aspects are entirely changed. When adversity appears the sure cure is to "cease not to cry unto Jehovah our God."
When man has succeeded in any overcoming after this manner of procedure, he reaches Beth-car (house of the lamb), that place where he consciously abides in the overcoming power of Spirit. This is a genuine milestone in the spiritual progress of man, and he has conquered all the ground that his consciousness grasps of that which is real in man and in the universe.
I Samuel 7:16, 17: In the high places in consciousness (represented by Beth-el, Gilgal, Mizpah, and Ramah, the places where Samuel went from year to year to judge Israel), spiritual judgment in us discerns the Truth and adjusts our life.
I Samuel 8: Samuel symbolizes that in man which keeps him in touch with the Source of wisdom. He stands for man's own higher judgment, and is active in consciousness so long as man depends on that judgment and trusts Spirit to direct him and to fight his battles. The Children of Israel were not willing to be guided by their own higher judgment (Samuel, the wise judge) because they lacked understanding and were mentally and spiritually lazy.
When man meekly goes with the crowd, uniting with some popular religious movement and trusting the authority of man-made creeds and doctrines for his salvation, he retires the wise judge Samuel. The king of man's consciousness is the will. When the will is given supreme control and the judgment ignored, the mind and the body are under autocratic rule.
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Preceding Entry: Samson
Following Entry: Sanballat
