Evening star., 1915-02-13
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lM ,Bp Rtb. ,Rugt U.l Sttnensom
Samuel Called to Be a Prophet Il Samuel. 24-2s
312I.
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ought to have been trained in the way
of the Lord. The conservation Of the
parents and the acceptance on the part
of Eli of the boy called for the per-
sonal conservation of the lad himself
when God called him to be a prophet.
Samuel Summoned.
Josephus tells US that Samuel was
about twelve years OF age when God
revealed Himself to the lad whose
character proved his loyalty to the law
and purity of heart. While being train
ed in the temple Samuel WAS not free
from unholy influences. The appalling
infquity of Hophni and Phineas. the
two sons of Ell, whose conduct OF the
sacrif1cial services was contrary to tho
word and will of Jehovah, reveals not
only the character of the age but also
some of the esil influences that tested
the character of Samuel The period
lacked religious vitality. A corrupt
priesthood had contaminated the
spiritual life of the nation SO that there
were few persons 'filled with the spirit
of Jehovah" who possessed tho char
acter essential to the reception or d.
rect revelations from the Lord, which
made them rare and caused the lack of
widely spread vision.
There was the need of a voice to de-
clare the will of God and recall the ma
tion to His service. In the silence or
the night the aged priest. whose fall
ing eyesight showed the march of time
and whose training of his own sons re-
vealed his defects as a religious leader.
was passed over and a boy whose un-
trained ear knew not that il was the
Lord calling him personally was chosen
to become the greatest judge and ruler
of Israel. The channel for divine conf
munica tion called for character. God
showed that in the darkest hour of Is
rael he had in training and in reserve
one whose education had brought him
daily face to face In the services of the
sanctuary with the evil that he would
be called upon to eradicate. He sum
moned Samuel while he was busy about
his menial tasks of opening the temple
doors, lighting and trimming the lamps.
to be prophet that would consolidate
the tribes into national unity through
his spiritual service.
1t required the trained ear of Eli to
recognize that the silence of the years
was breaking and that God WAS call
ing his youthful and faithful attendant,
who ran to minister to Him at the first
call of his name. 1t is the teachers
duty to show their scholars how GOD
is still calling the young children TO
His service. Jesus died to save them
as we'll as US, SO that we all might be
fitted for divine service. There may be
a student in your class or home that
God is speaking with to whom You
must interpret the call to service. Sam
uel was called during his adolescent
days at just about the same period
when Jesus proclaimed that he must
be about his fathers business" The
largest, best and quickest results are
| obtained today by those who are en-
gagged in calling the children to become
hearers and doers of the word Of God.
| Let us help the child to recognize the
Masters call to salvation and service.
When Samuel responded to the divine
call the voice became a vision sum-
moning him to strenuous service.
| Sfrapnoue Sorvfro
The call ended the childhood of Sam
uel. Henceforth he must know care, re-
sponsibility and be a revealer Of the
divine will, word and way of the
Lord to men. His vision of God showed
him the iniquity OF the sons of Ell. He
! was filled with horror at the judgment
| that had been pronounced upon the
| family of his friend and teacher be-
cause ELS two sons had cursed God.
We can well imagine that he slept no
more that night and understand why he
| feared to speak every whit that he
| had heard from the Lord when Eli
asked him to tell all the facts of the
call.
| Every call to the service of the Lord
| has three clements personal con-
sciousness of ones duty. recognition
| of fitness for the work by others, ana
the last. the testimony of service.
| Samuel met the final test with coura ge
when he candidly told Eli how Gods
| hatred of sin had brought an assurance
| of a Judgment that would startle men
| because He would commence with the
| high priests family and make an end
| of their power. Eli meekly accepted
| the message as confirmation of what
he had already learned. His resigna-
| tion showed that he considered the
| judgment just. but he failed during
the time given him to repent or at
| tempt to change. so far as we know,
the conduct of his sons. He had let
them go until they were no longer
amena BILE to discipline.
The fame of Samuel a prophet
grew because God was with him. From
the hour of his call Samuel showed a
sensitiveness to the presence, program
and power of Jehovah that made him
to be recognized by all Israel as
prophet of God. Once more the light
went forth from Shiloh, and in Samuel
the people had the first representative
of the permanent prophetic order that
became the dominant and distinctive
element in Israers religious life.
God honored Samuel. he does us.
when he called him to the difficult and
strenuous service Of a prophet. We
may not be summoned to be like Sam
uel. reformer. judge and king-maker.
but we ought to reply whenever He
calls us in the spirit that the hero OF
our lesson showed, and say to our
God. Speak. Jehovah. for thy servant
heareth." and then so forth to do His
will.