Samuel And Eli

He was such a pretty little fellow with dancing black eyes and curly head, and he
was going on a journey with his parents, Elkanah and Hannah. It was his first
journey, and he could hardly wait for them to start. A few hours is a long time to a
boy only three years old. His mother, Hannah, stopped suddenly in her packing
and, running out to him, hugged and kissed him until he struggled to be free.
Then Elkanah, his father, took him in his arms and acted as if he never wanted to
put him down again.

The servants were busy getting the ox and donkeys ready. There was no express
in those days. When people traveled, donkeys or camels had to carry great bags
filled with whatever they needed. The family rode in the ox-cart or walked. I think
sometimes they walked in order to rest, for the carts had no springs and must
have jounced and jolted them terribly. But as they knew no better way of
traveling, they were content and probably thought they were very fortunate to
have such a fine ox-cart to ride in.

Our little black-eyed boy danced about, clapping his hands and shouting to the
oxen or stopping a moment to pat the sleek sides of the gentle donkeys. His
mother was hugging a little frock she had made him, and her lips moved as she
carefully folded it away in the big bundle which served these people as a trunk.
And his father said, " Jehovah bless him!" as the bundle was tied together and
hoisted on a donkey's back. Our little lad was going with his parents, but he would
not come back with them. He was to stay in the temple with the priests and wear
the tiny dress his mother had packed so carefully.
These people were Israelites, and they lived so long ago that if it were not for our
Bible, we would never have known anything about them. They lived in a town
called Ramah, and they were going to Shiloh, where the temple of God was, to
offer the yearly sacrifice. The baby was not to be left behind because his parents
were too poor to care for him, because they had cattle, and sheep, and everything
which back then made people rich. They were going to leave him because his
mother had promised Jehovah before he was born that she would give the child
to the Lord and that he should serve in the temple of Jehovah all the days of his
life.

This little boy was called Samuel and he was about 3 years old.

Now you know that the little black-eyed fellow in such a hurry to start on his first
journey was Samuel and that the time had come for his mother to fulfill her
promise. All the family went up together to Shiloh. Then the tiny boy said his
prayer, or, as the Bible says, "worshipped Jehovah there."

His mother had taught him to pray and told him that prayers were answered,
because of that he must be careful for what he prayed. She remembered how her
people, the Israelites, had asked a favor of God, something they were better off
without, and "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul."

This little boy Samuel was given a cot in the temple near where the preist Eli
slept.Eli the priest was now going to take care of Samuel and teach him the
temple duties. At first samual was too small to be very useful, but as he grew
older he opened the doors of the temple at sunrise and closed them again as the
sun set. Also at night he kept bright the lights that burned in the great seven-
branched candlestick lit. Eli began to love Samuel and so he gave him an ephod to
wear. An ephod was worn only by the high priest. For the high priest these
ephods were of finer linen than the ephods that other people sometimes were
allowed to wear. Its colors were gold, blue, purple, and scarlet, it was very
beautifl.

Whenever the high priest stood before Jehovah he prayedfor all of Israel. His
prayers must not be selfish; he must remember his people when he prayed.
Praying, you see, was very important. The little boy who had been taught to
listen, and to obey when he heard, must have known all about these things to
wear and do. I am sure his mom taught him that in order to please Jehovah he
must ask blessings for others as well as for himself. the Bible says “ the child
Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Jehovah, and also with men."

Now Eli had two sons. They were not like Samuel. They did not want to open
thetemple gates, or pray for blessings for the people like Samuel. So Eli spent
most of his time with Samuel and did not make his boys obey God. Samuel was
about twelve years old when a prophet came to the temple and warned Eli that,
because of his weakness and his sons' wickedness, Jehovah would take the
priesthood from them and give it to, some one who was worthy. Eli was disturbed
only a little. Soon people had noticed the difference between eli’s family and the
boy Samuel. What power was it, they thought, that kept this child from evil ways?
Could it be that Jehovah was with him? They began to believe so. Though only
twelve years old, the boy was able to show them all what real faith in Jehovah did
for one.

One night something happened to the boy Samuel. He had closed the temple
doors that evening and had seen that the seven lights of the golden candle-stick
were burning. How peaceful the night was as Eli and Samuel went to sleep ! Then
suddenly as Samuel was lying in his bed, he heard his name called, "Samuel,
Samuel," and thinking that Eli needed him, he jumped from his bed and ran to Eli,
saying, "Here I am, you called me?” Eli was falling asleep and was not happy
about being bothered so he said "I did not call you Samuel, go back to bed!”

"Samuel, Samuel," called the voice again, and the boy once more went to Eli with
the same and greeting saying "Here I am Eli." This time Eli was awake and
answered a little nicer, he said “Samuel my son go lie down, I did not call you.”
And Eli began wondering what the boy had heard. He did not have long to wait,
for soon Samuel returned, insisting that Eli had called him. Now Eli knew now that
Jehovah had spoken to Samuel. He knew the place for God to speak was in His
own temple, and the boy was the only one in that temple who had ears to hear.
So he said, " Go, lie down; and if you hear your name again say Yes God, speak I
am listening!” And so God called Samuels name again and told him many things!
Samuel Listened to the voice of God as he grew up!
There was nothing special about God's calling Samuel. Everyone in Israel had been
taught that Jehovah was always calling to His people. The unusual thing was
listening and obeying when one heard. When Samuel heard his name spoken
again, he answered bravely, "Yes God I am listening!”

Have any of you boys or girls noticed the different ways that people answer when
their names are called? Some are loud, others mumble, while often you hear a
cheery, quick response like Samuel's. I say he answered bravely, because when
you answer quickly like Samuel it means that he is not afraid of anything he may
be asked to do.

Do you like to talk to people who are not listening to you? If we are not listening
to God we cannot hear God?

Are you old enough to serve God like Samuel? Yes! How? How did Samuel serve
God? By listening to what God told him and doing it. How do you do that? By
listening to God through what He said in the Bible and what your parents and
teachers teach you!

When we are thinking of God and the things his Bible says we are really listening
to hear GOD!