And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.

At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men.

1 Samuel 4:1-2

And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3:10

• Israel turned from God. 
• God removed His protection from His people. 
• God allowed the Philistines to defeat Israel. 
• Judges 2:16-17
• Judges 13:1
• Israel had failed their test and would be oppressed by the Philistines until the time of King David. 
• God had warned about the consequences of disobedience. 
• Leviticus 26:17
• Deuteronomy 28:25
• Psalm 44:10
• They did not cease to be the people of God. 
• They removed themselves from the blessings of fellowship. 
• God will judge His own people before He judges others. 
• The Philistines will not escape judgment…just wait until chapter 5!
• God will not use His people to be the instruments of His judgment if they are compromised by sin. 
• 1 Peter 4:17
• Amos 3:2
• Jeremiah 25:29
• If God is going to use you, He must also convict you of your sins to use you as His salt and light. 
• “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye  when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
  Matthew 7:3-5

Remove the log!! Read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5,6, and 7.