The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 83

for a grand and difficult career began. Early in his life he had to see evil among those wl10 ought to have shown the best example. He had to see what mischief is wrought by relaxation of morals among the rulers of what we should call Church and State, so that an abhorrence of su~h misconduct might be deeply engraved on his m,_tarnted soul. But :_it the sa1!1e time Smnuel grew up in daily contact with holy tl11ngs. '.J'he sacred ~-1tt~al, ~vl11ch was no more _than a ~orm to the wicked priests, had :in elerntrng and pnnfymg mfluence on the senous sp1rit of this child. And so it w,1s that San~uel, conYcrsai:it day by day w~th holy names and symbols, took a mould of ch~racter rn_liarmony ~-1~h these-took 1t gradually, firmly, unalterably. It gave steadme~s to_ 111~ future mm1stry; for he was to retrieve losses, assuage excitements, re-e~t~bhsh Justice, reprove, rebuke, and exhort the people and their first king. Such a mm1stry nee~ed a ~haracter of steady growth, and the personal influence which attends a consistent life. So the Lord called Samuel when a child and he answered "Spe~k; for thy servant heareth. 11 May God- raise up young cbildren among u~ to qmt themselves hereafter as men--to redress wrono-s 1 establish truth and right heal divisions, reform the Church, and pave the way f~ the corning Kino- 0 and th~ kingdom l-F. Vera. 1-18. (SHILOH.)-Samuel's cal,l to the prophetw office. .'.'The .Lord .called Samuel'' (ver. 4). " In Israel's fane, by silent night, The lamp of God was burning bright ; And there, by viewless angels kept, Samuel, the child, securely slept. A voice unknown the stillness broke, ' Samuel ! ' it called, and thrice it spoke. He rose-he asked whence came the word. From Eli 1 No; it was the Lord. Thus early called to serve his God, In paths of righteousness he trod ; Proplwtic visions fired his breast, And all the chosen tribes were blessed" (Cawood). Introductory.-1. This call to the prophetic office took place at a 'tiJI1e of great moral and spiritual darkness. "The word of the Lord 11 (the revelation of .his mind and wiH to men) " was rare in those days ; for 11 (therefore, as the effect;, or becau:e, as the evidence of the absence of such revelation) "there was no vision" (prophetic communication) "spread abroad II among the people (ver. 1; 2 Chron. xxxi. 5). (1) The word of God is needed by man because of his ignorance of the highest truths, and his inability to attain the knowledge of them by his own efforts. (2) Its possession is hindered by prevailing indifference and corruption. (3) Its absence is worse than a famine of bread (Ps. lxxiv. 9; Amos viii. 11), and most destructive (Prov. x:xix. 18). 2. It was the commencement of a fresh series of Divine com- munications, which culminated in the teaching of the great Prophet,." who spake as never man spake" (Acts iii. 24; Heh. i. 1). This is the chief generul significance of the e,·ent. "The call of Samuel to be the prophet and judge of Israel formed a turning-point in the history of the Old Testament kingdom of God." 3. It was given to one who was nry young (twelYe years old, according to Josephus, when child- l1ood merges into youth; Luke ii. 42), and who held the lowest place in the taber- nacle, wliere Eli held the highest, but who was specially prepared for the work to which he was called. "Shadows of impenitent guilt were the dark background of the picture from which the beams of Divine love which guided that child of grace fhone forth in brighter relief 11 (Anderson). 4. It came in a manner most adapted to convince Eli and Samuel that it was indeed from the Lord (ver. 8), and to answer its immediate purpose in regard to both. Notice- [. THE YOICE of the Lord. 1. It was heard in the temple (vers. 2, 3), or palace of the invisible King of Israel, proceeding from his throne in the innermost sane• tuary (Exod. xx,·. 22; 1 Sam. iv. 4; Heb. ix. 5); not now, however, addressing thff <JR. 11:. 1-21.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SA:\IUEL. 79