Samuel was a man for "such a time as this." The situation was grim. Chapter 2 reports the deplorable spiritual and moral conditions that infected the family of Eli, the priest at Shiloh. His sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were so corrupt that they stole from the sacrifices. And as though that weren't enough, they slept with the women who served at the shrine. And all the while Eli chose to ignore his sons' sinful behavior. Chapter 3 begins with the dire report that "In those days the word of the Lord was rare."

Was God silent? Had God turned his back on Israel? No, the problem was that the people did not offer a listening heart. Except, that is, for one young boy.

The house was quiet, and Samuel had gone to bed "where the ark of God was"—the most sacred place. His job was evidently to guard the "lamp of God" (probably the candlestick that was part of the tabernacle) and keep it from going out. "Then the Lord called Samuel." Was it an audible voice, a movement, a sound? We don't know. But it was enough that Samuel dutifully got up to see whether old Eli had summoned him. "Here I am. You called me." No, Eli had not called.

The writer explains the problem. It was not that Samuel was obtuse or reticent. Rather, "Samuel did not yet know the Lord. The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him." It takes time and experience to hear and recognize the voice of God.

Three times this happened, and finally even Eli, the old priest who had let Israel sink so deep spiritually, got the message. This time he instructed Samuel to respond to the next summons, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."

And now things get very close and personal. The Lord didn't just call Samuel, rather, he "came and stood there," an even more baffling and mysterious appearance. This time Samuel responded as Eli had instructed him: "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. "

This is often as far as the story goes, especially for small children, since the message Samuel heard from the Lord that night hardly seems suitable for young ears. It was a message of unmitigated judgment against Eli and his family. But the Lord revealed it to young Samuel, who in his long life would be the bearer of many difficult messages to Israel, as well as words of blessing.

Not surprisingly, when morning came Samuel was reluctant to meet Eli. He didn't want to convey this terrible message to a man he had grown to care so much about. But Eli knew the word of the Lord had come to Samuel. It's touching and ironic that this man, whose sons were renegades, now called the young Samuel "my son."

"What was it he said to you?" Eli probed. And he proceeded to threaten Samuel with God's judgment if he withheld anything. Samuel proceeded to tell him everything, and it's as though Eli already knew what was coming. His words of acknowledgment are chilling and powerful: "He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes."

In Samuel, God called a "listener" to whom he could entrust his word—"and he let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground." And every word the Lord gave Samuel concerning Eli came true.