King JOSIAH – Serving God In Youth

 

 

Unlike his evil grandfather and father, King Josiah tried to lead the people of Judah back to God. When he ordered the temple of the Lord cleaned and repaired, the high priest found the Book of the Law that had been lost and forgotten. Convicted by the words in the book, Josiah gathered all of the people together and read the Book of the Law to them. For the first time in hundreds of years, God’s people celebrated the Passover according to God’s law. Although the Word of God had been in the temple all along, it had not been read.

 

After the death of Solomon, the people of God had divided into two kingdoms – Israel and Judah. During the reign of Hezekiah, Israel had been captured by the Assyrians. Although Judah had had some good kings, it was often corrupt and was beginning to follow more and more in the footsteps of the rebellious Israel. 

At the age of eight Josiah inherited a corrupt kingdom that had turned away from the Lord. His father, Amon, had been the king of Israel only two years before his servants assassinated him.

Both Amon and his father, Manasseh, had done “evil in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 21:20). Manasseh reigned fifty-five years, longer than any other king of Judah, and he was considered the wickedest king. It was Manasseh who introduced many forms of idolatry to Israel and broke Israel’s covenant with the Lord. Eventually, it was Manasseh’s sins that destroyed the nation and led it into captivity.

Taking over such a kingdom would have been bewildering to anyone, but Josiah showed great wisdom, for he “began to seek the God of his father David” in the eighth year of his reign (2 Chronicles. 34:3). By his “twelfth year” Josiah had instructed that idols were to be destroyed in Judah, Jerusalem, and throughout the land. In the eighteenth year of his reign he raised money to repair the temple.

It was during the work on the temple that a discovery was made – the Book of the Law was found. Scholars disagree whether this book included the entire Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) or only the Book of Deuteronomy. It may be that only Deuteronomy was found, since the reforms after this event are closely related to this book.

When Josiah read the Book of the Law, he was distressed and tore his clothes because of what it said. God’s Word told of the destruction that was to come to the nation because of the evil idolatry that had occurred under Manasseh and Amon.

The King sent Hilkiah, the priest, and four other officials to “inquire of the Lord”.  This was done by going to speak to the prophetess, Huldah.  Her message from God was that God’s judgement would fall on the people and their home.  Because of his genuine response to God King Josiah would not have to see this take place (2 Kings 22:13-20).  Later on we will find that this was a message with both “good new” and “bad news”.  The good news was that Josiah would not have to see the full measure of God’s wrath on the people.  The bad news was that he did not see it because he was killed in battle (2 Kings 23:29-30).

After Huldah’s prophesy, Josiah called all the people together to read God’s Word to them. Then he renewed the covenant to keep God’s commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and soul.  The people pleadged themselves to the same covenant (2 Kings 22:1-3).

Following that there was a major cleansing of the idolatrous altars and shrines of the high places.  The observance of the Passover was restored.

Josiah reigned from 640 to 609 B.C. During his reign Judah returned to reading God’s Word and experienced spiritual renewal. For his work Josiah is remembered as one of the greatest kings of Judah. “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.” (2 Kings 23:25).

 

 

LESSONS that the young King Josiah leaves.

 a. He leaves an example of courage!
  He was a man consumed with following God’s will in life.

 b. He leaves an example of influence!
  2 Chron 34:33. The young King’s dedication to God was honored by those who were in his Kingdom. After him there would be no other King who would uphold the Truth.

 c. He leaves us an example of how to receive God’s Word!
  He shows us that we ought to “hear and heed” God’s Word! He listened and allowed it to sink deep within his heart. He was diligent in applying it to his life even it such was not to his liking.

  d. He leaves us an example of how to serve God even if no one else does!
  There was outward conformity to his decrees, but Judah’s heart was not converted. The nation was waiting for a change of Kings so they could once again bow to their idols. But he did not miss his opportunity to serve and urge others to do so! In lip the people honored God, but their hearts were far from God (Is 29:13). Regardless of the people’s pretense, Josiah remained firm in his devotion.

 e. He leaves us an example of true zeal for the Lord.
  He was guided by allegiance for God’s way. His motive was to restore the proper devotion/worship to God. His authority was strictly God’s revealed word. He zealously fought to restore pure and undefiled religion. Like him we should be dedicated in uprooting all that is false in religion and call people back to the purity of the Bible’s authority!

 

  f. He leaves us an example of how critical our youth are to God!
  As a young man he knew what was right and was determined to follow right. He knew that as a servant of God, he was obligated to use every power against sin. He acted, not with half-measures, not with popularity calculations, but with a fearlessness and determination that belongs only to one who knows the authority of the Almighty God! He urges young and old alike – never consent by silence to anything that dishonors God or that violates God’s Word. 

 

 



Aaron - First High Priest of Israel

 

Aaron was the firstborn son of Amram and his wife/aunt Jochebed, who were Levites (Exodus 2:1; 6:20). He was born during Israel's time in Egypt, 83 years before the Exodus, 3 years before his brother Moses, and about 10 years after his sister Miriam (Exodus 2:1,4; 6:20; 7:7).

Aaron married Elisheba, a daughter of Amminadab, who was of the tribe of Judah (Exodus 6:23; 1 Chronicles 2:10). They had 4 sons - Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

When the time of the Exodus came, God sent Aaron (Exodus 4:14, 27-30) out to meet the returning Moses (who had just spent 40 years out in the Sinai with Jethro), to join with him in their assigned task. Aaron was to be the spokesman for Moses, who was unable to speak well, perhaps from stuttering (Exodus 6:30; 7:1-2,9-10,19). Although Moses was the leader, it was Aaron who did the actual speaking to Pharaoh through the events leading to the Exodus, and the crossing of the Red Sea.

Aaron stepped up as a strengthening partner throughout the ordeal, then later led the people in formalized worship of God in the wilderness.

 

Aaron was a faultless servant with his brother, at least at first. At Rephidim, when Moses overlooked the battle with the Amalekites from a nearby hill with the rod of God in his outstretched hand, it was Aaron and Hur (his brother-in-law, Miriam's husband), who held up Moses' tired arms until Israel's forces under Joshua won the battle (Exodus 17:8-13).

Aaron's greatest lapse in judgment occurred while Moses was away on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from God. For whatever reason, Aaron gave in to the people's demands, and made that now-infamous golden calf for the people to worship (Exodus 32:4). When Moses returned, Aaron was sternly rebuked, but was forgiven by God after Moses prayed for him. Aaron came very close to being killed for that incident (Deuteronomy 9:20)

Aaron was appointed directly by God to be the first high priest. He and his sons were consecrated to continue the priesthood through time (Leviticus 8 and 9).

Aaron again displayed a failure in good judgment at Hazeroth when he and Miriam spoke out against Moses for marrying a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman. Once again, The Lord vindicated Moses, and punished Miriam, who had led the minor rebellion, with leprosy (Numbers 12:1-16). After Aaron acknowledged his and Miriam's error, at the intercession of Moses they were forgiven by God.

Aaron's career seemed to blow hot and cold. He certainly had his low points (i.e. the golden calf), but overall he remained a steadfast ally of his brother. During the Korah rebellion, Aaron stood courageously with Moses (Numbers 16:1-50). Not long after that, the miraculous sprouting of his staff was used to demonstrate that he was indeed the high priest to those who were questioning his authority (Numbers 17:1-13). That staff was afterwards preserved in the Tabernacle (Hebrews 9:4)

Neither Moses nor Aaron were permitted to enter the Promised Land (See Heartbreak Mountain). Aaron was involved in the water-from-the-rock incident at Meribah (Numbers 20:8-13), and for that presumptuous disobedience to God's instructions both were not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:24).

Aaron died at Mount Hor after his priestly authority was transferred to his son Eleazar. He was 123 years old (Numbers 20:23-29, Deuteronomy 10:6, 32:50). The people mourned his passing for 30 days

 

Accomplishments of Aaron:

Aaron began Israel's first formal line of priests, was first to wear the priestly garments and started the sacrificial system. He helped Moses defeat Pharaoh. With Hur, he supported Moses' arms at Rephidim so the Israelites could defeat the Amalekites. When Israel had finished its wandering, Aaron went up Mount Sinai with Moses and 70 elders to worship God.

Aaron was loyal to Moses, an eloquent interpreter, and a conscientious priest.

Aaron's Weaknesses:

When Moses did not come down from Mount Sinai, Aaron helped the Israelites craft a golden calf and worshiped it with them. Aaron did not set a good example for his sons and did not instruct them in absolute obedience to the Lord, resulting in his sons Nadab and Abihu offering "unauthorized fire" before God, who struck both men dead.

Aaron joined Miriam in criticizing Moses' marriage to a Cushite woman. Aaron also shared in Moses' disobedience to God at Meribah, when the people demanded water, and thus was forbidden to enter the promised land.

Life Lessons:

We all have strengths and weaknesses, but the wise person asks God to reveal both. We tend to be proud of our strengths while ignoring our weaknesses. That gets us into trouble, as it did Aaron.

Whether we are operating in one of our talents or struggling under our shortcomings, we do well to keep our focus on God for guidance. Aaron's life shows us we don't have to be the leader to play an important role.

Adam

Adam was the first man on earth, and for a short time he lived alone. He arrived on the planet with no childhood, no parents, no family and no friends. Perhaps Adam's loneliness moved God to quickly present him with a companion, Eve. Before God created Eve, he had given Adam the Garden of Eden. It was his to enjoy, but he also had the full responsibility of taking care of it. Adam knew that one tree was off-limits, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Adam would have taught Eve the rules of the garden. Even though she knew it was forbidden to eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden, when Satan tempted her, Eve was deceived. When she offered the fruit to Adam, the fate of the world was on his shoulders. As they ate the fruit in that one act of rebellion, man's independence and disobedience separated him from God.

But God already had a plan in place to deal with man's sin. The Bible is the story of God's plan for man. Adam is "our" beginning, and we are all his descendants.

According to the Bible, Adam was the first human being on Earth and the father of all humanity. In the book of Genesis (1:26), Adam is created by God on the sixth day of creation, in God's own image, and given dominion over all the animals of the world. God then gives Adam a female partner, Eve. Eve feeds Adam fruit from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge, after which an angry God expels them from the Garden of Eden. In Christian theology, Adam's failure to obey God is known as the Original Sin. Adam fathered three sons by Eve: Cain, Abel and Seth.

Adam's Accomplishments:

God chose Adam to name the animals, making him the first zoologist. He was also the first landscaper and horticulturist, responsible to work the garden and care for the plants. He was the first man, the father of humankind. He was the only man without a mother and a father.

Adam's Strengths:

Adam was made in the image of God and shared a close relationship with his Creator.

Adam's Weaknesses:

We see that Adam avoided his God-given responsibility. He blamed Eve and made excuses for himself when he committed a sin. He hid from God in shame, rather than facing his error and admitting the truth.

Life Lessons:

We see from Adam's life that God wants us to freely choose to follow and obey him out of love. We also learn that nothing we do is hidden from God. Likewise, it does not benefit us to blame others for our own failings. We must accept personal responsibility.

Jacob

 
Jacob was one of the great patriarchs of the Old Testament, but at times he was also a schemer, liar, and manipulator .Jacob is a troubling character in the Old Testament. He is conniving and he is spiritual too. He has moments of strong faith as well as of fear. His family is sometimes in disarray, and yet at the end he is the one who sets it straight. Jacob, whose very name suggests "deceiver," is renamed by God as "Israel" -- "one who has struggled with God." And an entire nation is named after this patriarch -- the nation of Israel.

Jacob is a bit too much like us -- with very human strengths and weaknesses, but a man with a striving for spiritual things. From this imperfect man we learn important lessons of faith. Especially, we learn about God's grace

God established his covenant with Jacob's grandfather, Abraham. The blessings continued through Jacob's father, Isaac, then to Jacob and his descendants. Jacob's sons became leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel.

The younger of twins, Jacob was born holding on to his brother Esau's heel. His name means "he grasps the heel" or "he deceives." Jacob lived up to his name. He and his mother Rebekah cheated Esau out of his birthright and blessing. Later in Jacob's life, God renamed him Israel, which means "he struggles with God."

In fact, Jacob struggled with God his entire life, as many of us do. As he matured in faith, Jacob depended on God more and more. But the turning point for Jacob came after a dramatic, all-night wrestling match with God. In the end the Lord touched Jacob's hip and he was a broken man, but also a new man. From that day forward, Jacob was called Israel. And for the rest of his life he walked with a limp, demonstrating his dependence on the Lord. Jacob finally learned to give up control to God.

Jacob's story teaches us how an imperfect person can be greatly blessed by God--not because of who he or she is, but because of who God is.

 

Jacob's Accomplishments:

Jacob in the Bible account, fathered 12 sons, who became leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel. One of them was Joseph, a key figure in the Old Testament.

His name is frequently associated with God in the Bible: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Jacob persevered in his love for Rachel. He proved to be a hard worker.

Jacob's Strengths:

Jacob was clever. Sometimes this trait worked for him and sometimes it backfired on him.

He used both his mind and strength to build his wealth and family.

Jacob's Weaknesses:

sometimes Jacob made his own rules, deceiving others for selfish gain. He did not trust God to work things out.

Even though God revealed himself to Jacob in the Bible, Jacob took a long time to become a true servant of the Lord.

He favoured Joseph over his other sons, leading to jealousy and strife within his family.

Life Lessons:

The sooner we trust God in life, the longer we will benefit from his blessings. When we fight God, we are in a losing battle.

We often worry about missing the will of God for our life, but God works with our mistakes and bad decisions. His plans cannot be upset.

Hometown:

Canaan.

Referenced in the Bible:

Jacob's story is found in Genesis chapters 25-37, 42, 45-49. His name is mentioned throughout the Bible in connection with God: "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Occupation:

Shepherd, prosperous owner of sheep and cattle.

Family Tree:

Father: Isaac
Mother: Rebekah
Brother: Esau
Grandfather: Abraham
Wives: Leah, Rachel
Sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali
Daughter: Dinah

Key Verses:

Genesis 28:12-15
He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." (NIV)

Genesis 28:20-22
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's household, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth." (NIV)

Genesis 32:28
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome." (NIV)



Jonah

One of the greatest prophets during the time of Jeroboam II was Jonah the son of Amitai, who, as a prophet disciple, had anointed Jehu and who, therefore, enjoyed the king's benevolence. Once God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, one of the largest cities of that time and foretell its destruction, because the evil of its inhabitants had reached the limit. The mission, however, was not to Jonah's liking. Nineveh was a bitter enemy of Israel, and Jonah would have liked to see its destruction. If he should succeed in his mission and Nineveh would be spared, it would remain a constant threat to Israel. Jonah therefore decided to seek escape. He boarded a ship that sailed for Tarshish, hoping to forget about his mission. Once the prophet was on the high seas, God caused a storm to break that threatened to tear the ship asunder. The sailors were frightened and each one prayed to his god. Jonah, however, lay down to sleep. The captain of the ship, seeing the sleeping man, went over to him and reprimanded him for sleeping in that fateful hour, instead of praying to God. Meanwhile the sailors drew lots to find out whose fault it was that this misfortune had been brought upon them. The lot fell upon Jonah. When the sailors questioned him as to who he was, whence he had come, and what his business was, he told them that he was a Jew and a servant of God, the Creator of heaven and earth. Then the sailors asked what they should do in order to quiet the raging sea and save their ship with all aboard. Jonah replied that all they had to do was to throw him overboard, and the storm would immediately die down, since it had been caused by his refusal to obey God's command. At first the sailors did not want to do as Jonah asked. But the storm grew fiercer and the end was seemingly unavoidable. Very reluctantly, the sailors threw Jonah into the water and the storm ceased at once.

As soon as Jonah was in the water, God sent a large fish to swallow Jonah alive. Three days and three nights Jonah stayed within the fish. In distress, he prayed to God to save him, and God ordered the fish to eject Jonah and set him on dry land.

Jonah in Nineveh

Again God ordered Jonah to go to Nineveh to convey the Divine message. This time the prophet traveled to Nineveh to carry out his mission. Upon his arrival in the city, Jonah stepped right into the middle of the busy thoroughfare and announced that the city would perish in forty days. The prophet's solemn warning electrified the city. The residents believed the prophecy and repented. They fasted and wore sackcloth; even the king himself took off his royal robes and put on the garbs of mourning. Everyone in the city honestly and sincerely decided to abandon his evil past. All the people truly tried to mend their ways. Possessions unjustly acquired were returned to their rightful owners, and false judgments were revised. God saw that they were sincere in their repentance and accepted it. Nineveh was saved

Characteristics of the book of Jonah

Anger: The book of Jonah shows the danger of focusing on anger and allowing feelings of anger to supersede reason and being humble before God. Selfish anger leads to errors in judgment and sometimes feelings of depression.

Disobeying God: The book of Jonah study clearly shows how intentional disobedience by a servant of God can lead to trouble not only for themselves but for those near them.

God uses imperfect people: God does not give up on his people although we may feel far from God when we are unfaithful.

God’s sovereignty: The Bible study of Jonah identifies several instances where God shows his sovereignty through nature as well as through uncooperative people.

God’s purpose for difficult times or pending judgment: The Jonah Bible study shows how God intends for difficult times or pending judgment is intended to turn people to Him. God’s delay in bringing judgment is for the purpose of allowing people time to repent.

Repentance: The people of Nineveh demonstrate the type of repentance God desires; acts of remorse and change in behavior.

Values: The Bible study on Jonah points out how selfishness leads us to prefer personal benefit over the salvation of enemies and that sometimes unbelievers show greater value for human life more than believers.

Abraham

Abraham is considered to have a significant place in the bible. He is know as the father of faith, because of the unbreakable faith in God that he had in his life ,which is well portrayed to the readers in the bible .He was the eldest son of his father. The bible informs us of that fact that he had two brothers. The bible tells that Abraham’s father along with his people and family left their native land Ur to go to promised land of Canaan, however they end up stopping in the middle and end up living in a place called Haran, shortly after we come to know that Abraham’s father dies in this strange land never getting the chance of seeing the promise land .Abraham who is the eldest takes up the place of the in the family of responsibilities after his fathers death. It is In such a state of Abrahams life ,God comes to Abraham and tells him to leave everything fro the land God will show him ,The bible says that Abraham was 75 when god spoke to him, an age perhaps we would like to sit in our easy chairs with a hot cup of cooko ,with our feet on the cushion , experiencing the retired life , and waiting perhaps for the lord to take us home !


We come to know that Abram’s dealing with God are built around covenants,
‘Leave-----for a land that I will show you ‘ Abram is call to venture into the unknown .The way ahead will be revealed to him as he takes the path of obedience , His part is to trust and obey, what a crucial moment this is in his life it will determine his whole destiny , Indeed it will determine the destiny of the world
God does not hold back on what is being demanded. It is spelled out clearly. He must leave his land, to which by now he has become tied by a sense of belonging. He must leave his kinsfolk, those whom he knows so well and has relied on so often. He must leave his position in the family hierarchy, his father’s house, those who are most important to him. The thoughts are progressive.
But in return he is promised what every man dreams of. He is to enjoy a new land. He will become ‘a great nation’. He will experience God’s special protection. He is to become ‘a blessing’. Indeed the whole earth will be blessed through what he does, or rather what God does through him. The ideas are in parallel. He must leave a land to receive a land. He must leave kinsfolk in order to become part of a great nation. He must leave his close family so that all the world might become his family. This is God’s covenant. Obey, he is told, and you will receive abundantly and flowing over. And Abram believes and obeys


The bibles informs us , as Abram moved from place to place where ever he pitched his tend of rest , he with out fail also builted an alter to worship God , this shows how much he desired the fellowship of God almighty, and that he never forgets to worship God.

We come to read that there was a famine in the land of Canaan, were Abram was living , this must have been a real test to Abram’s faith the land that god has brought him to has failed and he must leave it as least for a time, but we never see Abram complaining to God for bringing him to such a land , as the Israelites complained to Moses in the desert for forty years , this tells us that Abram knew God, as “God almighty “ . and we see Abraham returning back to the land with grate riches from Egypt.

We must stay in the way of faith and perseverance, and try to imitating those who though faith and patience inherited the promises of God and in order to underline that great exhortation , Abraham the patriarch is a truly an example for us to follow no man in all the bible stands up than a greater example of faith and perseverance than Abraham the friend of God . we have many today to follow , but Abraham did not have anyone he could learn from , he himself was the first so was he call the father of the faithful

In our reading of the book of Genesis , we come to reed that not one of all the promises that God told Abraham was not immediately fulfilled, everything thing was held for a long time in obedience, something were not fulfilled in the life time of Abraham ,for one thing he never got possession of the land of Canaan , the only thing that Abraham owned in the land of Cannon was cave that he bought in order that he might burry his wife ,not only that he wondered up and down the land for 25 years after he hand forsaken all to follow the lord before God gave him any inheritance, but finally at the age of a 100 God gave him a Son.

Then we come to know about the most amazing thing the holey Bible were God tell Abrham to take his only son Isaac and sacrifice him on the mountain ,that made no sense at all to the purely human point of view, because they waited so long and everything seems to be depend up on Isaac living for the lord has said in Isaac shall your seed be called.

What did Abraham do to stand in faith, Abraham believed God and because he believed he also obeyed ,what was it that gave this man the will to believe two thing .1) he believed in all his Heart God as the Almighty.
2)Abraham believed in the covenant he had with God, with out question. Which became is anchor of faith in his life and his sole that became the firm foundation that on the basis of which he might have hope and certainty. Our life is like a journey at sea, you can not tell how the weather would be the next day ,with the ups and downs in our life , our faith would be tested again and again with thing that come in this life and in our life we need a firm anchorage , we need something that we can lay hold off that will never mover and that will never faille you and never forsake you . the only thing that you can anchor you sole upon is the firm and absolutely certain word of the almighty that cannot lie .
We now are now known to the one who sits in the right hand of god, and in placing our anchor of faith in him Christ Jesus and obedience to him the way Abraham did we will inherit the promises of God our Father .



In the journey of Abraham and Isaac to the mountain, where God had told Abraham to take his son and to offer his only begotten son as a sacrifice.
There are several significant moments in this journey.We read that the journey took three days, on another moment is ,when Isaac looks around and sees the wood and fire, he asks his father ,were is the lamp to offer sacrifice to the lord, Abraham replied to Isaac by saying that the lord will provide.

when Abraham raised his knife to kill his son , the angel of god told abrham ‘Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

When Abraham look around he saw a ram , caught in the bushes ,Abraham caught hold of the lamb and sacrificed the ram in his son’s place , Thus the team ‘Jehovah-Jireh’ the lord that Provides came to be ,
It is said that it is on this very mountain that God offered his only begotten son our Savior Jesus Christ as a living and ultimate sacrifice for our sins and unification of our fellowship with our Lord God Almighty.

The Prophet Samuel

In the Old Testament, the Lord was instructing the children of Israel in dreams and visions to His prophets and priests. There were several periods during which the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord by worshipping idols. During those periods the word of the Lord became rare and there were not many visions. The Lord also delivered them to the hands of their enemies until they repented and returned to Him. He then gave them prophets and judges to lead them to His way and to rescue them from their oppressors.
Samuel, who was dedicated to the service of the Lord before his birth, became a prophet. He anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. During his lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

The birth of Samuel
During the time of Eli the priest and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas were priests of the Lord in Shiloh, a man called Elkanah from Ramathaim had two wives Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah who had children used to provoke Hannah who was barren, and this went on year after year.
Every year, Elkanah used to go to Shiloh and offer his sacrifices to the Lord in the Tabernacle. There Hannah wept to the Lord in the Tabernacle with bitter soul and prayed that He would remove her shame and give her a child. She vowed saying "O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head." (I Samuel 1:11)
Eli the priest saw Hannah mumble, for she was praying silently, and rebuked her thinking she was drunk. When he realized she was praying out of anguish and grief he blessed her saying "Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him." (I Samuel 1:17)
A year later, Hannah gave birth to a son and called him "Samuel" (which means "heard of God") for she has asked him of the Lord. When Samuel was two years old, she presented him in the Tabernacle in Shiloh to serve the Lord all his life.
Meanwhile Eli's two sons who were priests were wicked, and the Lord rejected them because they did not listen to their father's rebuke. A man of God came and told Eli the priest, their father that He will bring their wickedness on all his house and that they will all die in the prime of life. God also told him that his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be killed together in the same day as a sign for the Lord's anger against them.

The Lord calls Samuel
Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli the priest as a child girded with a linen ephod. His mother Hannah made him a little coat and brought it to him along with their yearly sacrifices. Now Eli the priest blessed Elkanah and his wife to have more children. Hannah later on had three more sons and two daughters, while Samuel grew before the Lord.
One night when Eli the priest grew old and his sight became weak, Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle, where the ark of God was, God called Samuel, so he ran to Eli the priest and answered "Here am I; for thou calledst me". Eli then denied and asked him to go back to sleep. But then again the sound came calling Samuel, and he did the same, and Eli sent him back again. The third time, Eli understood that it was the Lord calling Samuel and sent him saying: "Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." (I Samuel 3:9)
Then the Lord came again and called Samuel. When Samuel did as Eli instructed him, the Lord told Samuel about the things He will do to Eli's house for the evil doings of his sons and for he has failed to restrain them.
Samuel then grew and the Lord was with him and all of Israel knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. The Lord appeared again in Shiloh and revealed Himself to Samuel.

Israel asks for a king
Samuel judged for Israel all his life in Ramah where he also built an altar. He also went on a circuit every year to judge for all Israel, but he always went back to his house in Ramah. When he grew old he made his sons judges over Israel, but they did not walk in his way but perverted judgement. Then, all the elders of Israel gathered to Samuel at Ramah asking him to appoint a king to rule over them as all the other nations had. This displeased Samuel for they have rejected God as their king, but the Lord allowed it asking Samuel to warn them about how the king will rule over them, how they will suffer form him and the Lord would not answer them. The Israelites insisted on having a king and refused to listen to Samuel.
Some time later, the Lord revealed to Samuel that a Benjamite man would come to him, and that to anoint king over Israel. The following day, Saul son of Kish lost his way while looking for his father's donkeys, and he went to ask guidance from Samuel. The Lord pointed him to Samuel who praised him and invited him to dine with him. Before Saul left, Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him and told him that the Lord has chosen him as king. As Saul left Samuel, God changed his heart, and he prophesied. Later that day, Samuel called the Israelites to Mizpeh to choose a king and the Lord chose Saul and he was made king.

Samuel's farewell speech
The Ammonites then besieged the city of Jabesh and were going to gouge out the right eye of every one of the Israelites. Saul then, moved by the Spirit of God and His power, and lead the people of Israel to slaughtered the Ammonites. He was confirmed king over Israel at Gilgal. That same day, Samuel addressed the Israelites and told them again how evil was it from them to ask for a king instead of God. He asked for a sign from God for them to believe; he called upon the Lord and asked Him to send thunder and rain during that wheat harvest season. The Israelites stood in awe of the Lord and Samuel, and wept and asked for God's forgiveness. Samuel assured them that as long as they feared the Lord and followed His commandments He will save them.


Samuel anoints David
The Philistines rose again to fight the Israelites and scared them. Saul was waiting for Samuel to come to the camp but when he tarried, Saul offered the burnt offering. Soon after, Samuel came and rebuked Saul for his foolish act. God spoke on Samuel's tongue that Saul's kingdom would not endure and that God has chosen a man after God's own heart to be a king.
Later on, the Lord sent Samuel to ask Saul to go and punish the Amalekites and not to spare any of them or their animals. Saul fought them all the way to the east of Egypt and captured Agag their king and their best cattle but destroyed all the rest. Again God sent Samuel to rebuke Saul, who wanted to offer these animals to God. But God was not pleased by these offerings more than by obeying His words; and since God rejected Saul. Samuel killed Agag and went back to Ramah and grieved for Saul. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit tormented him.
The Lord then said to Samuel: "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." (I Samuel 16:1) When Samuel did not choose any of Jesse's seven sons who were presented, they sent for the youngest, David, who was tending his father's sheep. He was the one with whom God was pleased and Samuel anointed him, and the Spirit of the Lord came on David in power.
When Saul heard of David, he brought him to play the harp when the evil spirit from God comes upon him. But when David killed Goliath by the name of the Lord Almighty, Saul kept a jealous eye on David for his success and because the Lord was with David. He also tried to kill him twice while playing the harp for him. David fled, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. Sometime later, David sought refuge in the land of the Philistines.

Saul and the witch of Endor
When Samuel died, all Israel mourned for him and buried him in Ramah. Then the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel and scared Saul and terror filled his heart. He sought help from the Lord but God did not answer him. He sought a woman spiritist (because he had expelled them from the land). He found one in Endor, disguised himself and asked her to bring up Samuel.
When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed out of fear; she also realized that the man who sought her was Saul himself. When Saul asked Samuel for help and guidance, Samuel answered: "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? ... Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors--to David. Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines." (I Samuel 28:15-19)


Samuel is also mentioned in the Qur’an
Samuel is also a revered prophet and seer in the Islamic faith. Although he is mentioned in the Qur'an, his name is not given but he is instead referred to as "a Prophet". According to Islamic history, the Israelites, after the time of the prophet Moses, wanted a king to rule over their country. Thus, God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king for the Israelites. The Qur'an states:
Bethink thee of the leaders of the Children of Israel after Moses, how they said unto a prophet whom they had: Set up for us a king and we will fight in God's way. He said: Would ye then refrain from fighting if fighting were prescribed for you? They said: Why should we not fight in God's way when we have been driven from our dwellings with our children? Yet, when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away, all save a few of them. God is aware of evil-doers.
—Qur'an, sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayah 246

The Qur'an goes onto state that a king was anointed by the prophet, whose name was Talut (Saul in the Hebrew Bible). However, it states that the Israelites mocked and reviled the newly appointed king, as he was not wealthy from birth. But, in sharp contrast to the Hebrew Bible, the Qur'an praises Saul greatly, and mentions that he was gifted with great spiritual and physical strength. In the Qur'anic account, Samuel prophesies to the children of Israel, telling them that the sign of Saul's kingship will be that the Ark of the Covenant will come back to the Israelites:
Their Prophet said unto them: Lo! God hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough? He said: Lo! God hath chosen him above you, and hath increased him abundantly in wisdom and stature. God bestoweth His Sovereignty on whom He will. God is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.
—Qur'an, sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayah 247

Conclusion
God knows the hearts and his promises never fail. God puts down the mighty ones from their seats and exalt the humble. God talks to His loved ones and reveals His acts to them. God's Spirit helps His servants and supports them. God is pleased by obeying His commandments more than by oblations and sacrifices.