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Comment: After answering many questions about whether Samuel was a Levite, it seemed timely to state it once and for all. To some people it had become a real issue because I had made this claim, and at least one man accused me of being a false prophet because of it. Samuel was a Levite Priest and the Bible states this very clearly. So the importance of his priesthood cannot be emphasized enough. The answer to the following question goes at least part way towards detailing this importance. Neville V. Stevens New International Version quoted throughout unless otherwise specified. QUESTION: Hello, In one the online document related to
Could you check if that is correct? I think he is an Ephraimites,
for his father is so claimed the Bible. This is why after Eli, the [high]
priest was not Samuel [he is a judge, just like his sons are] for he is not a
Levite. I believe Zadok was the priest after
Eli, as can be seen in David's time. But I maybe wrong. Thank you Andreas S. Hello Andreas, Samuel was indeed a Levite, even though he descended from an ancestor
who is described as an Ephraimite in 1Sam 1:1. Not only was Samuel a Levite priest who wore the Ephod, but he was also a
prophet. The importance of the Ephod is stated by God Himself in 1Sam 2:27 “Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "This
is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your
father's house when they were in It’s very clear that Samuel is of the linage of Levi and this is clearly shown in the Bible, but we’ll get to that shortly. God chose to strip away the priesthood from
Eli and his family because of the ungodly conduct of his sons. He made
this known to Eli through Samuel while he was a mere child. ISam 3:11 “And the LORD
said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in At this appearance of the Lord Logos – later to be called the Lord
Christ – Samuel gained fame throughout To further clarify that Samuel was a priest and prophet, there was a time when Saul prepared a sacrifice to God while he waited for Samuel to arrive to make the sacrifice. When Samuel’s arrival was delayed, Saul went ahead and made the sacrifice himself (1Sam 13:9-10). It was a serious mistake and Samuel duly told him (V11) and further reiterated that his kingdom would not endure. Only a Levite priest could make that burnt offering to God and Saul knew it. It was a costly mistake for Saul. It should be noted that not only was Samuel a priest and a prophet, but he was also a king-maker through the appointment of God. God chose Moses, a Levite, and Aaron his brother, to rescue the House
of Israel from Being a prophet doesn’t indicate that someone is a Levite, since Joseph the father of Ephraim and Manasseh, was a prophet, but not a Levite. Nor does being a Levite mean that all Levites are prophets, though a disproportionate number of prophets were Levites. As a matter of fact, Moses foretold of another prophet, just like him, arising at a later time. Deut 18:15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” God confirms this: V17-18 “The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my Name, I myself will call him to account.” There was a prophet just like Moses who arose at the time of Christ. In fact, this prophet was appointed to precede Jesus and to prepare the way for Him. The former was a Levite, and the latter, a Jew from the Tribe of Judah. Yet both shared the same ancestral linage, and their mothers were cousins. At least one of Mary’s recent forebears had to be a Levite for them to be cousins. Both the parents of John the Baptist were Levites (Luke 1:4-6), both descended from Aaron, and both kept God’s Commandments blamelessly (same verse). The Lord Jesus, on the other hand, was of the Tribe of Judah and of the direct linage of David. This is confirmed in the final verses of the Book of Revelation: Rev 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this Testimony for the Churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” It’s worth noting that John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, kept God’s Commandments blamelessly as did both John and Jesus. Few people in the churches today keep this Testimony. And this is why they don’t understand the Testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of Prophecy (Rev 19:10). John the Baptist was of the priestly line, and was a prophet. Samuel also was a priest and a prophet, and we find a passage in the Book of Acts that details all of these things: Act 3:17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus. 21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through His holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people. 24 Indeed, all the prophets from SAMUEL on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up His servant, He sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” From Samuel on, all the
prophets spoke of that time – and beyond. Jesus is to remain in Heaven until
the time comes to restore everything. All prophecy concerns the
12 Tribes of For most of the churches today, the lamp of God has gone out. They don’t obey God; instead they choose to serve God as they see fit. They are so very different from the Priests, Prophets and Apostles – all of whom lived by and obeyed God’s Commandments. And do they look forward to the day of the restoration of all things? Or do they dread the day when they might have to obey all of God’s Commandments – including the fourth? The Holy City of God Jerusalem is under siege today by God’s ancient enemies. These are the descendants of the very people that God ordered destroyed – utterly! A situation arose when King Saul went out and slaughtered them, but chose to grant life to their king. Samuel was outraged and immediately ordered Agag, the king of the Amalekites, to be brought in before him (1Sam 15:32). Samuel then hacked him to death on the spot and made it known to King Saul that he, Saul, was finished forever! All the prophets, from Samuel on, have
warned of any repeat of such madness as sparing mass murderers of God’s
people The restoration of all things will bring
many changes, not least of which will be the return of the mightiest Warrior
of all – the Promised Messiah Jesus. Perhaps most people are unaware of
what one of the Lord Christ’s first acts will be. The prophets recorded
it for all to see: Isa 63:1-6 “Who is this
coming from In these very verses, we see a reference to salvation,
and a lesson on what it actually means. In this instance, the Lord
Christ fights and kills His age-old enemies, as it happens, in the
But like Jesus, John didn’t fulfill this the first time round. Both were killed prematurely, and both prophecies are still to be fulfilled. But both clearly define the meaning of ‘salvation’, and this is diametrically opposite from the vague and meaningless definition given in the churches. God requires far more than mere lip-service! In fact, God wants His people to be just like His Son Jesus, as well as all the priests, prophets and Apostles that served God faithfully. All God’s servants must possess the same Spirit – the Holy Spirit of God, and God gives this only to those who obey Him: Acts 5:32 “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Which brings us to another point, and this is the factor that binds all the Priests, Prophets, Apostles and servants of God in unison. All who served God faithfully were endowed with God’s Holy Spirit, the very Spirit given to God’s Son Jesus without measure. Without this Holy Spirit it is impossible to please God because this is where Godly faith comes from. So what is faith? This is the Bible definition: Heb 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.” And what were they commended for? Heb 11:32 “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, SAMUEL and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.” The Linage of Samuel as defined in the Bible: But getting back to the
linage of Samuel, we find him listed under the clans of the Levites:
1Chron 6:16 “The
sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath
and Merari. 17 These are the names of
the sons of Gershon: Libni
and Shimei. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Shiloh was in the
allotted But I would hasten to add that linage of the Levites today is not the overriding factor, but the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit that leads them to faithfulness and obedience to God. I am a Levite by linage and birth, but many in this Levite Brotherhood are not. Though all share the same Holy Spirit, they also share a healthy fear of the Awesome God of the Universe. In the Book of the Messenger (the Book of Malachi), God details the description of this Brotherhood in these terms: Mal 3:16-18 “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 17 “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” Almighty God also made sure that a Levite teacher would be present to teach the righteousness that God requires. Levi (Mal 2:4, 7) is the one whom God appointed to give true instruction (V6) and to do it without fear or favour and without regard for the opinions of men. Levi is the messenger appointed to precede the True Messenger (Mal 3:1). In confirmation of the foregoing, God makes
it clear that salvation will not be achieved as easily as some like to
suggest. There will be death and destruction everywhere, long before
anyone sees salvation! But salvation will come some time after the Mal 4:1 “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my Name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. 3 Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the LORD Almighty.” And the Book concludes with another warning
about God’s Laws that He gave to His servant Moses on
I noticed a reference to the Salvation Army in your correspondence. I guess at one stage the founding fathers of this church had some vision of what to expect in the future with ‘Army’ being a part of their name. It’s a good indicator of what will bring peace to this earth. Even a quick reading of the Book of Revelation indicates that the meaning of salvation is not what people think it means. One has to admit that the Book of Revelation is not exactly pleasant reading. It details horror and torment on a massive scale. Generally speaking, Bible prophecy is not good news, and was designed to warn of the consequences for disobedience to the Great Creator God. I guess when ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ is sung with the line ‘marching as to war’, it conjures up a wholly different view to the unwary as that of end-time prophecy as detailed in the Bible. Another hymn that is frequently sung in
cathedrals around the world is the song ‘ But as I say, the Salvation Army began with a good premise with the adoption of their name, but it would prove timely to understand the meaning of ‘salvation’. It’s a misnomer in the form it’s used today. Something else that came up in the
correspondence associated with your inquiry, and this was a reference to
Gentiles. I certainly hope that this was not a suggestion that the
Western nations are Gentiles. The Western Nations, predominantly
Western Europe, Britain, America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Israel, are
the ‘lost Tribes of Israel’ – the very nations to whom the Lord
Christ came at His first appearance. If they remained ‘lost’ until the
Lord Christ returns, then His whole purpose was futile. But in fact, we
know these are the Christian nations, and so they obviously did
get the message. It’s these very nations that are being targeted by the
satanic hordes of Islam. The point is that Satan knows who the ‘lost
Tribes of On a slightly different note, the World Council of Churches has just called for a boycott of the Israelis, citing their reasons as ‘the brutal treatment of Palestinians and the occupation of their territories’. It’s hard to believe that anyone who professes to be ‘Christians’ could so blunder in knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures. Have they never read the Bible? God gave the Holy Land to the House of Israel! Had these representatives of the World
Council of Churches understood anything, they might have been acquainted with
certain prophecies that tell the final outcome of the trouble in the Did the World Council of Churches ever back
the wrong horse!! In their madness they have challenged both God and
the Scriptures and backed God’s enemies! For a long time God has
remained silent, just as He said He would. During the course of these
many centuries, foolish human beings have devised their own plans and their
own methods for worshipping God. But they never noticed the Great and
Dreadful Day of the LORD arrive just six years ago, the beginning of the
Seventh Millennial Day, a Day that will usher in the promised rest
from Satan’s hordes. The purpose of the weekly Seventh-Day Sabbath was
to point to this Seventh Millennial Day; this is made very clear in Heb 4:1-11. So it will all begin with the
slaughter of those who surround the God will ensure that the dwellings of Zech 13:1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the
House of David and the inhabitants of This serves to show that when this
And where will the Great God dwell in that day? For all those who have visions of living in heaven for an eternity, they need to know that God will be living on earth, just as David states in this Psalm. What is more, the Levite prophet Ezekiel also confirms this in the visions he had in the presence of God: Eze 43:6-7 “While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. 7 He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my Throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever.” It’s certainly odd that most Israelites from the ‘lost’ Tribes of Israel don’t know who they are, because this is where God is to dwell forever – on earth, and right among them! But there is much to happen before this.
The importance of the priesthood of Samuel is further emphasized by the
reference to I hope you find these few words of interest, and I want to thank you for taking the time to write. May God be with you, Neville
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