Samuel the Prophet
After Joshua died judges were called as leaders of the Israelites. Eli was one of those judges. He was also a priest and took care of the tabernacle as well as burning sacrifices for the people.
Hannah could not have children. She came to the tabernacle and pleaded with the Lord for a baby. She promised that if God gave her a baby she would teach him to obey God and that she would take him to the tabernacle to serve God.
Eli, the priest, heard Hannah pray and told her that God would give her a baby boy. Later she did have a baby boy and she named him Samuel. When Samuel was old enough Hannah took him to Eli. She asked Eli to teach Samuel all about God and to teach him to do the Lord's work. Samuel lived with Eli at the tabernacle.
Samuel was a good worker and did everything Eli taught him.
Eli already had two sons but they were not good helpers, in fact, they were wicked, even though they had the priesthood. Even though they were wicked, Eli let them work in the tabernacle. The Lord sent a prophet to Eli and the prophet told him that God was very unhappy with his sons. Eli's sons were not allowed to keep the priesthood. Instead, God gave the priesthood to a righteous man. The prophet told Eli that his sons would be killed. This made Eli sad.
One night after Eli and Samuel went to bed - Samuel heard someone call him. Samuel thought it was Eli, so he went to his room and said: "Here Am I." Eli told him he did not call him and to go back to bed. Three times this happened. The last time it happened Eli told Samuel that God was calling him and told Samuel to go to his room and say "Speak for thy servant heareth."
God told Samuel that Eli had allowed his sons to be wicked so Eli and his son could not work in the temple anymore. They would die. In the morning, Eli asked Samuel what God wanted. Samuel did not want to tell Eli. Eli told him to be honest and tell him. Later, as prophesied, Eli's sons were killed in a battle. Eli died when he heard about his sons' death.
God blessed Samuel because he was righteous. Samuel became the new prophet and judge and was given the priesthood. All the people knew Samuel was a prophet of God. Samuel was a good judge and prophet.
When he became old Samuel chose his sons to be judges, but they were not good judges. The elders of Israel came to Samuel and told him that the people did not want judges anymore --- instead, they wanted a king. Samuel did not think that was a good idea but he prayed to God and God told him to do as the people asked.
God knew that the people did not want their society to be lead by a God. God told Samuel to tell the people about the wicked things a king could do. Samuel obeyed God and talked to the people. He told them that kings would take their fields and animals and their children as servants. Someday they would be sorry for asking for a king.
Samuel still prayed for the people and for a righteous king. One day God told Samuel that a young man would come the next day. This man was a righteous Israelite and was big and strong and that he would be the king. A man came and his name was Saul. Samuel asked Saul to stay with him. He anointed Saul with oil and told him he would be the King of Israel.
Samuel called the people together and told them that God had sent Saul to be their king. Some of the people did not want Saul to be their king. One day some wicked men came to fight the Israelites. Saul called all the men of Israel to get together and fight these wicked men. Saul led the army.
Saul was a good leader and the Israelites won the battle. The people who did not like Saul changed their mind and was happy Saul was their king. Saul was a good king and God blessed him.
Hannah could not have children. She came to the tabernacle and pleaded with the Lord for a baby. She promised that if God gave her a baby she would teach him to obey God and that she would take him to the tabernacle to serve God.
Eli, the priest, heard Hannah pray and told her that God would give her a baby boy. Later she did have a baby boy and she named him Samuel. When Samuel was old enough Hannah took him to Eli. She asked Eli to teach Samuel all about God and to teach him to do the Lord's work. Samuel lived with Eli at the tabernacle.
Samuel was a good worker and did everything Eli taught him.
Eli already had two sons but they were not good helpers, in fact, they were wicked, even though they had the priesthood. Even though they were wicked, Eli let them work in the tabernacle. The Lord sent a prophet to Eli and the prophet told him that God was very unhappy with his sons. Eli's sons were not allowed to keep the priesthood. Instead, God gave the priesthood to a righteous man. The prophet told Eli that his sons would be killed. This made Eli sad.
One night after Eli and Samuel went to bed - Samuel heard someone call him. Samuel thought it was Eli, so he went to his room and said: "Here Am I." Eli told him he did not call him and to go back to bed. Three times this happened. The last time it happened Eli told Samuel that God was calling him and told Samuel to go to his room and say "Speak for thy servant heareth."
God told Samuel that Eli had allowed his sons to be wicked so Eli and his son could not work in the temple anymore. They would die. In the morning, Eli asked Samuel what God wanted. Samuel did not want to tell Eli. Eli told him to be honest and tell him. Later, as prophesied, Eli's sons were killed in a battle. Eli died when he heard about his sons' death.
God blessed Samuel because he was righteous. Samuel became the new prophet and judge and was given the priesthood. All the people knew Samuel was a prophet of God. Samuel was a good judge and prophet.
When he became old Samuel chose his sons to be judges, but they were not good judges. The elders of Israel came to Samuel and told him that the people did not want judges anymore --- instead, they wanted a king. Samuel did not think that was a good idea but he prayed to God and God told him to do as the people asked.
God knew that the people did not want their society to be lead by a God. God told Samuel to tell the people about the wicked things a king could do. Samuel obeyed God and talked to the people. He told them that kings would take their fields and animals and their children as servants. Someday they would be sorry for asking for a king.
Samuel still prayed for the people and for a righteous king. One day God told Samuel that a young man would come the next day. This man was a righteous Israelite and was big and strong and that he would be the king. A man came and his name was Saul. Samuel asked Saul to stay with him. He anointed Saul with oil and told him he would be the King of Israel.
Samuel called the people together and told them that God had sent Saul to be their king. Some of the people did not want Saul to be their king. One day some wicked men came to fight the Israelites. Saul called all the men of Israel to get together and fight these wicked men. Saul led the army.
Saul was a good leader and the Israelites won the battle. The people who did not like Saul changed their mind and was happy Saul was their king. Saul was a good king and God blessed him.
For the children
Samuel the Boy Prophet
Family Home Evening Ideas
For Adults
"Samuel a dedicated man" - a classic movie
