26 SAMUEL

to be captain over his inheritance?” He would rather not have done so because he knew
the Israelites had made a bad choice in asking a king, but he obeyed the command of
God, who will never force people to do what is right against their will. The second time
was when God told him to anoint another king to take the place-Saul had lost by his
disobedience to God. He went to Jesse’s. house at.Bethlehem, and anointed David, the
youngest of his eight sons, to be king, for he knew that. God had chosen him.

Yes, he was.a-brave. prophet as well as a brave priest, faithful in the service of God, _
speaking boldly the word of the Lord, when he was a grown- up man, just as, when he was .
a boy, he told Eli all the things God had made known to him in the night, and hid nothing
from him.

He was the first of the Jewish prophets, and men listened to him when he spake to
them, “and all Israel knew that Samuel was. a faithful prophet of the Lord.” This is why
in the New Testament, he is. called “the Prophet.”

Samuel was a priest, whose office was to offer sacrifices on the altar unto God. He
was a prophet, coming to men from God,.and speaking to them God’s message, sometimes
foretelling things which would. happen in the future, sometimes in God’s name showing

 

men their sin, and calling them to repent, sometimes telling them what God would have
them do.

But Samuel was a ee as well.

When he first grew up to be a-man, the Israelites had no earthly king. God was
their King and reigned over them. And ‘for many years they used to choose one from -
among the people to be their judge. He was always chosen because he was wise and
great and good. . He was held in great honour, and they came to him for advice in all their
difficulties. There were altogether fifteen of these judges, and Samuel was the last of
the judges as he was the first of the. prophets.

He was a judge for a great many years, and the people trusted him because they
knew he was a faithful judge, always doing what was right and just by those who
came to. him, without fear of man. When he was quite old and was giving up the
office of judge, he told them he had ‘always, judged them with truth and justice... How
grand his words are. “I am old and grey-headed, and I have walked before you from
my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I-am!-witness, against me before the Lord
and before his anointed. Whose ox, have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or
whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or of whose hand have I received
any bribe? And; Iwill restore it you.” And all Israel said, “ Thou hast not defrauded
us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou ‘taken’ aught of any man’s hand.”

' The end of Samuel’s life was very sad. He made hissons judges, to help him in