Prophets Samuel The Second Moses The Second Founder

Prophets - Samuel “The Second Moses, ” “The Second Founder of the Nation of Israel”

Acts 3: 22 -26 Moses – mediator of the Law, Eph. 2: 14 -16 Samuel – the kingdom period (c. 400 yrs. later) n A Prophet, Priest, Judge & Author n n

Moses and Samuel Ps. 99: 6 “Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the name of the Lord, and He answered them. ” n Jer. 15: 1 ”Then the Lord said to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me, yet My mind could not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth. ” n

Little Prophesy between M. & S. n 1 Sam. 3: 1 “Then the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. ” n Acts 3: 24 “Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow…” n No prophet from Moses to Samuel? n Samuel first after Moses – Messianic?

Why Samuel? He had a Godly mother, 1 Sam. 1: 3, 7 -17 n She prayed fervently, 1: 5, 11 n Dedicated him to the Lord, 1: 11, 20, 28 n He was trained by Eli, 2: 12; 3: 13 His own sons were failures, 2: 12, 22 -24; 3: 11 -13 n A good job with Samuel, 3: 9, 17 -20 n n

He Served Eli and Israel Faithfully related God’s message, 3: 17 -20 n Became the final Judge, 4: 11 -18; 7: 12 -15 n

Served in Face of Rejection Samuel’s sons rebelled, 8: 1 -5 n Did Samuel think: “My kids will never…”? n Israel asked for a king – “They were eager for God’s representatives to be more showy, to make a greater appeal to the eye. When religion has lost its inwardness, men generally seek to make up for that loss by an outward display” (Clovis Chappel) n Samuel anointed Saul, 9: 1 -17; 10: 17 -27 n

He Served Saul Instead of being jealous – he became lifelong friend of Saul’s disobedience grieved him, 15: 10 -11, 34, 35; 16: 1 n He still delivered God’s message, 15: 16 -23 n Even after death, 28: 7 -19 n n

He had a School for Prophets 1 Sam. 19: 20 “Moses had given the people their law, but Samuel in the schools of the prophets provided for them that education without which a written law was powerless… Samuel also established the Jewish monarchy, which was ideally also necessary, because the Messiah must not only be priest and prophet, but before all things a king (Mt. 2: 1, 5; Jn. 18: 37)” (Pulpit Commentary). n n

Conclusion Samuel wrote of these days, Acts 3: 24 -26 (2 Sam. 7: 12 -17) n “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions…” (Heb. 11: 32, 33) n