In this message we will begin to consider Samuel's ministry. Under God's sovereignty, Samuel was given to God by his mother, he grew up under the custody of Eli, he was educated and perfected, and his eyes were opened to see both positive and negative things. As a result, he became a person who was ready to be used by God to turn the age.
First Samuel 7:1 tells us that the men of Kiriath-jearim brought the ark of Jehovah to the house of Abinadab. "It was a long time from the day when the ark began to abide in Kiriath-jearim, for it was twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah" (v. 2). Here we see a dividing line in the history of Israel. Prior to this time Israel's situation was upside-down; after this time the situation became right-side-up. According to verse 3 Samuel "spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you are returning with all your heart to Jehovah, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from your midst, and direct your heart to Jehovah and serve only Him; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines." Then the children of Israel removed the Baalim and the Ashtaroth and served only Jehovah (v. 4). Following this Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Jehovah for you" (v. 5). The picture portrayed in these verses is very beautiful. Here we have a people returning to God and a man—Samuel—who was one with God on earth. We may say that Samuel was the acting God on earth. At least we may say that Samuel was the representative of the very God in heaven to rule over His people on earth. As such a person, Samuel began to minister.