Samuel: Judge and Prophet from 1050-980 BC
I will raise up for myself a
faithful priest, who will do
according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly
house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. 1 Samuel 2:35 (NIV)
READ: 1 Samuel 1, 3, 12
The
last Israelite leader before the monarchy was Samuel who served as a judge,
priest and prophet. Samuel’s parents
were God-fearing Israelites who annually went to worship at the tabernacle. Hannah, his mother, was barren and made it a
matter of prayer that she might have a son.
As an act of dedication she offered her son to God and brought him to
the tabernacle as a child to live there, returning annually to supply him with
clothes, leaving him to be reared by Eli the priest. Eli had failed to teach his sons the fear of
God and consequently they violated the laws of sacrifice precipitating God’s
judgment on them. Samuel would be the
godly leader that God was raising up as evidenced by his divine call (1 Sam.
3:1-18) and subsequent establishment as prophet in the land of Israel. At this time the religion of the Israelites
had declined to extreme lows as they brought the Ark of the Covenant into
battle with them and it was captured by the Philistines and remained there for
20 years. During these years Samuel
taught throughout Israel, challenging the people to turn from idolatry. His ministry encouraged the people to turn to
a wholehearted love relationship with the Lord.
When the Israelites confronted Samuel with the request for a king,
Samuel was greatly disturbed but was divinely assured that they were rejecting
God and not him (1 Sam. 8:7).
Reluctantly Samuel consented to their plea for a king and anointed Saul
as king as directed by God. Samuel then
outlined the ways of the kingdom (1 Sam. 10:25) reminding the king that he was subject
to the laws that God had given Moses.
Continuing to warn the people of the dangers of diminishing their
attitude of wholehearted devotion to God (1 Sam. 11-12), Samuel faithfully
served in his capacity as priest and prophet.
He also reminded Saul of his failures and of his responsibilities, even
reprimanding him if necessary on the importance of obedience over sacrifice telling
him that he had forfeited his kingdom.
When Saul and Samuel parted, Samuel was divinely commissioned to anoint
David as king of Israel. Although Samuel
served as a judge and priest, he made his largest contribution to Israel as a
prophet. This man responded to God’s
call and through his prophetic ministry served his generation faithfully as a
man of great prayer and intercession. He
ranks high among the outstanding leaders of the nation of Israel.
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. Where do you feel weak in your faith?
2. Ask God how He wants to grow your faith this summer. What does He want to do in your heart?
3. Thank God for what He has shown you, and pray that it would become a reality in your life.
