6 Valuable Lessons from the Life of Samuel

For those who are willing to surrender their lives entirely to God’s purposes and love Him with all their heart, God will sometimes use them to be a part of world-changing events according to His plan. The Prophet Samuel not only wrote sections of the Old Testament, he was used mightily by God during an important period of Israel’s history. While he was submitted to God’s service at an early age, Samuel remained faithful to the call of the Lord, and stayed in it of his own volition. His life was preserved by the Holy Spirit, and his story can still be read in the Bible today as a source of encouragement, comfort, and important lessons.

Who Was Samuel?

Samuel was a prophet of the Lord who was born during the time of the Judges. His parents were Elkanah and Hannah. His father actually had two wives; Hannah was his favorite, but she could not conceive. Elkanah’s other wife would tease and torment her because of this fact. Hannah prayed fervently at the temple for a son, and promised the baby would serve the Lord in the temple. After Samuel was born and weaned, he served under the High Priest Eli.

One night, God called Samuel three times while he slept, and Samuel responded in obedience. While he had served the Lord as a boy because of his mother’s promise, at that time he chose to serve on his own. Eventually, Samuel would go on to judge the nation of Israel, to anoint two kings, and to prophesy for God.

Verses about Samuel

1 Samuel 1:4-7 - “On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.  But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.”

1 Samuel 1:19-20 - “And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord.’”

1 Samuel 3:10 - “And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant hears.’”

1 Samuel 16:13 - “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.”

1 Samuel 25:1 - “Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.”

1 Samuel 28:7-21 - “Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.’... He said to her, ‘What is his appearance?’ And she said, ‘An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.’ And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. … And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, ‘Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me.’”

6 Lessons from Samuel’s Life

1. God Has Plans for Each Person

God withheld a baby from Hannah until the time was right. Hannah kept her promise to God and put Samuel in place to follow the call God had for him. Even before Samuel was born, God had a plan for Hannah’s sadness, and her child’s life.

2. There’s a Reason Christians Practice Monogamy

It was always God’s design for people to be monogamous, but because of sin a certain level of polygamy was tolerated in the pre-Israelite Hebrew culture, and for a time after, culminating in the life of King Solomon. The life of Samuel’s parents is a good demonstration of the conflict caused by having multiple wives, as his dad played favorites, and his wife who could have children would make Hannah’s life difficult.

3. Ministry Is a Calling, Not a Profession

In the life of Samuel, he received a direct call to service beyond that to which his mother committed him. His mentor, Eli, had two sons who went into service because of their lineage, not because they were called or because they wanted to serve God, and they were rebuked by their father and rejected by God. God calls His servants, and this calling should be taken seriously.

4. It Is Important to Remember What God Does for Us

When God saved the Israelites from the Philistines early in Samuel’s ministry, he set up a stone as a monument and a reminder of what the Lord had done, and called it Ebenezer. In moments of difficulty, or times when it is tempting to be prideful and forget that God is the source of all blessings, remembering the times God intervened keeps the focus and the credit on Him.

5. We Can Rebel against God’s Plans, but He Will Still Use It for Our Good and His Glory

God’s original design for the nation of Israel was for them to be ruled directly by Him. He would raise up judges during times of trial and difficulty, but it was chaotic, and Israel continuously fell into sin. Eventually they cried for a king who could bring them stability. Samuel warned them any king they instituted at that time would rule tyrannically, but they didn’t care. God relented, but used the desire for a king to eventually set up King David, and the line that would lead to the Messiah.

6. There Is a Lot We Won’t Understand on This Side of Heaven

One of the most mysterious passages in the Bible is when King Saul has the Witch of Endor summon the ghost of Samuel for help. When the ghost of Samuel appeared, the witch ran in fear because she did not expect it. No one knows whether or not this was truly the ghost of Samuel, an illusion, or what actually happened. There are many mysteries about the world and the supernatural that will only be made clear in eternity.

Samuel spent his life in service to the Lord, setting a great example for anyone who wants to live a life that pleases God. He was used for leadership, prophecy, and wisdom. For anyone seeking to understand how God calls every person uniquely and individually, studying the life of Samuel can clarify how that happens, and allow someone, in combination with prayer, to discover their calling.

Serving the Lord can come in many forms, since He has a unique plan for every person’s life. God worked a miracle for Hannah, and her sincerity and integrity helped lay the groundwork for those same features in her son. God works through the generations, and ultimately His will is going to be accomplished, just like it was in the life of Samuel.

Sources

Alter, Robert. The David Story: A Translation with Commentary of 1 and 2 Samuel. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009.

Steel, Robert. Samuel the Prophet, and the Lessons of His Life and Times. Edinburgh: T. Nelson and Sons, 1860.

Wilmington, H.L. Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1981.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Everste

Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.