Samuel

Samuel was one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, serving the Lord and the nation at a pivotal time.  This image shows two scenes of his life–one from his childhood and one in the latter years of his life.  When his mother’s prayers for a child were answered, she determined to give her son to the Lord as a lifelong servant.  She sent him to live and train with Eli the priest and lovingly met his needs at regular intervals.  One night during his stay as an attendant to the aging Eli, Samuel heard his named being called.  Samuel reasoned that it was Eli calling him, so got up from his bed and went to help Eli.  However, Eli told him that it was not he who called.  This happened a few times before Eli figured out that it was the LORD who was calling Samuel the whole time, so he instructed Samuel how to respond to the voice of God with obedience and readiness.  Samuel said to the LORD, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”  At the end of Samuel’s life, God used him to anoint David as a replacement for Saul, whom the LORD had rejected.

For a deeper study of Samuel, read 1 Samuel chapters 1, 2, and 3, along with 15 and 16.