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19. The Lord was with him. Eli’s sun was about to set, but that of Samuel was already rising. Christ suffered the pangs of separation from the Father (see DA 685, 686, 753, 756), but God has never yet led His people through the total darkness of separation from Him. To Christ on the cross it appeared that He trod the winepress alone, yet His Father was there suffering with Him. To Samuel it might have seemed, after years of observing sin all about him, either that God winked at sin or that His plan for man had changed. But Samuel was unaware of how long God had waited for a young man to whom He could truly impart His Spirit, and commit the leadership of His work on earth.

When Saul, for example, failed, he was not immediately replaced. For a number of years he still had the opportunity of changing his mind and surrendering to the guidance of a loving Father. But bigotry and criticism soon gave way to rebellion against divine leadership, while pride and self-justification robbed him of spiritual virtue. During the years of Saul’s testing, however, David was invited to sit at the feet of the King of kings, preparatory to taking over the responsibilities of the leadership of Israel.

None of his words. Samuel naturally had much to learn, but as a youth he was trained in the school of obedience to God’s call. What a joy it must have been to the Lord to find a lad eager for the privilege of learning the ways of God and determined to obey Him whatever the cost Little wonder he was accepted by the people as a prophet when hardly more than a child!