The Call of Samuel

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: God, Most High Lord of Host. 00:00:08 Speaker 3: If you will, indeed look upon the affliction of your servant and remember me. 00:00:14 Speaker 1: If you will give your servant a son, you know I will give him to you all the days of his life. Hannah conceived as the child grew in her womb, her faith grew in her heart. 00:00:29 Speaker 3: I shall call him Samuel, for I have asked for him from the Lord. 00:00:35 Speaker 1: Samuel counted himself blessed beyond measure to be able to serve the Lord in the tabernacle. 00:00:42 Speaker 4: Welcoonor Hannah. In all my years I have not found one of the Lord's servants to be like Samuel. May the Lord give you more children to this woman for the gift she has given to him. 00:00:58 Speaker 1: For Hoffney and Finna has the sons of Eli life had become monotonous. They had known no other life than that in the shadow of their father. For most Jewish young men to take the role of priest would have been an honor. Yet no honor was found within these two. They strode arrogantly among the worshipers. Though they were to act as intercessors between God and his people, they knew nothing of the Lord. The edict confirmed Eli's greatest fear. He had been broken over evil brought about by his sons. But no good father would ever wish such a fate on his children. The elderly priests sat in stunned silence as the Man of God finished. 00:01:46 Speaker 2: I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before me. Anointed. 00:02:02 Speaker 3: Always speak, for your servant is listening. This should be the refrain in all of our hearts. Shelloh, my friends, from here in the holy land of Israel, i'm l Extein with international fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. It was a time of chaos in Israel, a time when visions were rare and the word of God was quiet. The people, led by priests who had lost their way, were desperate for a voice, for direction, for hope. But isn't that often God's way When the world feels most abandoned. It's then that he moves unseen yet near. This story from First Samuel three is about a boy who is soon to hear the unthinkable, a voice calling his name in the dark, voice that changes everything. Let me ask you, what would you do if God called your name? Would you recognize it? Would you answer? 00:03:12 Speaker 1: The tabernacle at Shiloh lay quiet under the alabaster moonlight. Stars pressed through the darkened veil of night, as a light wind rustled the cloth walls of the empty courtyard. The priests and servants had long retired to their quarters and were fast asleep to chirping crickets. Samuel, on the other hand, lay restless in his small chamber. For him, the sounds of nature only worsened his failing attempts to sleep. Through the door, Samuel could see the warm glow of the golden light from the lamp of God burning in the tabernacle. Faint shadows danced across the linen walls as Samuel watched idly. He rolled over once more and pressed his face into his pillow. If he couldn't find sleep soon, he would spend the next day exhausted. At only twelve years of age, Samuel's days were filled with humble duties, tending to the tabernacle, cleaning utensils, and helping the elderly priest Eli with daily rituals. He performed his tasks diligently, though he still hadn't grasped the entire depth of his work in God's holy service. Samuel's life was simple, but Eli, assured in his work was of immense value. He recalled the events of. 00:04:35 Speaker 4: The day, Samuel, my boy, this will be the last sacrifice of the day. After that you can begin cleansing the. 00:04:42 Speaker 5: Altar understood, Is there anything else you need for me, anything. 00:04:46 Speaker 4: Other than cleaning? More than cleaning, the entirety of Israel needs nothing more than a good cleansing. Trust me when I say the work you are doing is of far more importance than you know. 00:05:00 Speaker 1: Samuel reminded himself to keep his heart open and did his best to believe the priest's words. What Samuel didn't know was that he was unknowingly being prepared for something far more significant. 00:05:14 Speaker 2: Near by. 00:05:15 Speaker 1: Eli, now advanced in years, slept soundly. His body was frail, and his eyes had begun to fail him. Each day of performing his priestly duties left him more exhausted than the last, and the unending burden he felt over the fate of his son's only worsened his condition. The sins of his sons had paved the way for an impending death sentence. They had made a mockery of their role among God's people and exploited honest worshipers in their desire to honor the Lord. But worse, Eli's unwillingness to rebuke them sooner had given them deaf ears to his warnings. This was the end of his family's service the priesthood. All of this reflected the state of Israel. Once rooted in devotion to God, many of the Chosen people had grown cold in their faith. The word of the Lord had become rare, while inspired visions and passionate messages of prophets had all but ceased. But none of this meant God had abandoned his people. In the silence and waiting, God was working. He had not forgotten them. He was simply preparing a new way forward. Samuel was finally beginning to slip into a light sleep. The back of his eyelids glowed a dim orange from the faint flicker of candlelight. He imagined himself sinking into his blankets, but he was suddenly stirred when he thought he heard a voice Sirmuel. He lifted his head slightly and bent his ear toward towards the door. Crickets echoed in the distance. He thudded his head heavily back down. He pressed his eyes shut once more, but was startled by the same voice, this time more clearly, Samuel. The voice rumbled in a low whisper. Samuel bolted upright, Sure that he had heard someone call for him, he crawled off his mat and pulled his robe around him. The only reasonable thought was that Eli had called from his chamber. Samuel promptly left his chamber and made his way to Eli. His sandals slapped softly on the stone floor. He peeled back the curtain to Eli's room and knocked gently on the post of the door. 00:07:46 Speaker 5: Here, I am Eli, Did you call me? 00:07:50 Speaker 1: Samuel's gentle voice faded into the dark chamber. He repeated himself. This time Eli stirred from his slumbers. The elderly man rubbed his eyes and peered in Samuel's direction. 00:08:04 Speaker 4: Samuel, are you well? Is everything all right? 00:08:08 Speaker 5: Yes? I only came because you called for me. 00:08:12 Speaker 4: It must have been the wind, my boy, I didn't call you back to bed with you. I morning will be arriving soon. 00:08:21 Speaker 1: Samuel paused in confusion, but soon obeyed the command. He returned to his chamber, folded his robe, and slipped his sandals next to his mat, laying his head down the wind, just the wind. Samuel tried to convince himself the voice was only a figment of his imagination, a precursor to his dreams. As Samuel tried to force himself to sleep again, he couldn't help but notice the deafening silence that enveloped the tabernacle. It was as if the winds and animals had been called to stillness. 00:08:59 Speaker 2: Samuel the Boy. 00:09:01 Speaker 1: Flung his body upright. His heartbeat quickened. He could believe the first voice was all in his mind, but there was no ignoring it the second time. Surely the voice seemed stronger this time. It couldn't have been in his mind. He hurriedly left his chambers and knocked on the entrance to Eli's chambers. Perhaps Eli was having trouble sleeping now as well. 00:09:24 Speaker 5: Karaam Eli. Now I know for certain you called me Samuel. 00:09:29 Speaker 4: I am too old for this. I can assure you I have not called for you. Now, please do your best to get some sleep off now away. 00:09:41 Speaker 1: Eli waved his hand as he eased his way on to his bed. Samuel stood with mouth agape, but could only heed Eli's request. He lay down again, But now the boy was more awake than before. He wondered if it was even worth attempting to sleep. Was going mad? Maybe it was Hoffney or finna Haus playing tricks on him. 00:10:06 Speaker 2: He turned on to. 00:10:07 Speaker 1: His back and covered his face with his arms. He pressed his eyes shut tightly. By now, Samuel had lost any hope of finding rest. He began to think through the next day. He could finish his morning responsibilities faster than usual. If he was diligent, then perhaps he could ease his way into a slow afternoon. But his planning was short lived. For a third time, the voice rang out once more. This time it sounded as though the speaker were standing right beside him Samuel. Samuel shivered and stared fixedly at the black ceiling above his entire body tensed as he waited to see if the voice would call again. If Eli was calling Samuel this time, he wouldn't want to ignore the beckoning. If it wasn't Eli, Samuel would seek the past's guidance on what to do next. Shaking off his fear. Samuel stood up in the cold air and headed towards Eli's chambers. 00:11:09 Speaker 5: Eli, I'm here. You have called for me this time, haven't you. 00:11:15 Speaker 1: Samuel sounded hesitant, if not a little scared, his mind raised with curiosity concerning the phantasmic voice. To Samuel's surprise, Eli was already sitting upright in his bed. His hands were folded neatly in his lap. After Samuel's second visit, Eli's suspicions had grown. Though Eli's connection with God had dimmed over the years, his wisdom remained intact. This was no ordinary occurrence, and it required no ordinary response. He wondered if this was the breaking of the silence that had long plagued God's people. Eli waved Samuel closer. He took a deep breath, in hoping his suspicions were correct. He exhaled slowly, Samuel. 00:12:06 Speaker 4: Long has the voice of our Lord been silent? But I have a feeling that things will soon change. 00:12:14 Speaker 1: Samuel wondered what Eli's lesson could be about. Samuel was only looking for advice on how to overcome his sleepless night, but he respectfully listened with his full attention. 00:12:27 Speaker 4: I believe the boy speaking to you was from the Lord himself. Go back to your bed and lie down, But this time, if he should call to you, you must say to him, speak Lord, for your servant hears. 00:12:45 Speaker 1: Countless questions filled Samuel's mind, but none of them could be composed into a concise thought. So instead he chose to let the matter rest, but not without a hint of trepidation. As you say, Samuel went back to his place near the lamp stand and laid down. As he lay in the stillness of the night, he could hear his heart pounding deep in his chest. He steadied his breathing as best he could. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the flickering candlelight. He noted that the shadows weren't moving as before. He turned his head and made out a silhouette against the wall. Samuel's throat felt dry. He swallowed a gulp of air and held his breath. His ears were ringing from the thudding of his heart. That shadow dragged across the wall towards Samuel. He could see a figure appear towards the feet of his mat. It drew nearer Samuel Samuel. Samuel closed his eyes and drew the frigid air into his lungs. 00:13:56 Speaker 5: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. 00:14:00 Speaker 1: As the last word left Samuel's lips, peace washed over him like a warm bath. The voice carried on, sounding pleased to hear Samuel's response. 00:14:12 Speaker 2: Behold, I am about to do something in Israel, something extraordinary that will cause all the ears of every one to stir. 00:14:23 Speaker 1: Samuel could hardly believe what was happening, but he dared not interrupt it. 00:14:28 Speaker 2: On that day, I will perform all I have spoken against Eli concerning his house, everything from beginning to end. For I have told him I will judge his house forever for the iniquity he knew, because his sons made themselves vile and he did not restrain them. Therefore, I have sworn to Eli's house that their iniquity shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offer forever. 00:15:01 Speaker 1: Samuel listened intently as his eyes darted around the room. His mind could barely keep up with what his ears were hearing. Samuel looked up, but the presence had already gone from the place. The only movement was the tabernacle walls fluttering in the candlelight. As Samuel sat on his mat He noticed the faint chirps of the crickets in the grass, who had resumed their midnight concert. Despite the few remaining hours of the night, Samuel felt like mourning tarried in its arrival. He could hear the movements of servants preparing the tabernacle for another day of sacrifices and offerings. He began to dress for the day, replaying the Lord's message over in his mind. He knew Eli would be expecting him, but fear caused the boy to delay himself as long as he could. When he had no further excuses to delay, Samuel opened the doors of the House of the Lord. There he found the fragile Eli, wearily at work. Eli looked up and squinted in his blindness. Samuel caught his gaze. 00:16:13 Speaker 4: Samuel, my son, is that you? 00:16:15 Speaker 5: Yes, here, I am. 00:16:18 Speaker 1: Samuel's voice was soft. Eli turned from his work and walked towards the boy with a shuffled gait. 00:16:25 Speaker 4: I've been wondering where you've been. Please, now, what is the word that the Lord spoke to you? 00:16:32 Speaker 1: Samuel hesitated. He cared tremendously for Eli. After the years of care and guidance he had provided, he wanted to protect the priest from the grave message, but knew he could not withhold the truth. 00:16:47 Speaker 4: His lip trembled, Ah, I I see, come, come here, child. 00:16:56 Speaker 1: Eli beckoned Samuel to sit beside him. He placed an arm around the boy and gave a reassuring pat. 00:17:05 Speaker 4: I have learned that with age men become too stubborn to hear new and difficult truths. If the Lord has shown you something regarding me, please don't pat it with pleasantries. Speak I will listen. 00:17:21 Speaker 1: Samuel began to share the events of the preceding night, from beginning to end. He paused when he came to the part about the Lord's message. Eli listened in silence. His face was sullen, but nothing about his countenance expressed an unwillingness to accept the relayed message. Samuel finished. He waited, hating the silence that followed. Finally, Eli stiffened himself upright and spoke. 00:17:52 Speaker 4: HM, it is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him. 00:17:59 Speaker 1: He turned in his head, but not fast enough to hide the tear that had escaped from his eye. Eli wasn't angry with God. He was disappointed in himself. He was grieved over his house but he acknowledged the good and sovereign will of God. As a priest, he was tasked with doing what was best for the people of Israel concerning their connection to God. He accepted that in his failure, God had chosen a new path according to his will. Eli chose submission not in reluctance, but in repentance and humility. Samuel couldn't remove the image of the dejected Eli from his mind. He did his best to set his face towards his work, but couldn't help but feel sympathy for the priest in all his pain. But Eli continued diligently in his work, so Samuel too. 00:18:57 Speaker 2: Would carry on. 00:18:58 Speaker 4: In his. 00:19:00 Speaker 1: Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Samue grew in wisdom and stature. The Lord was undoubtedly with him, and none of his words fell to the ground. All of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, recognized that Samuel had been established as a. 00:19:20 Speaker 4: Prophet of the Lord. 00:19:22 Speaker 1: Through Samuel, God's voice had returned to his people. Just as Eli had said, God revealed himself through this beacon of hope for his chosen people. In a time of spiritual darkness. God had not forsaken his people, He returned to Shilah with magnificent grace and spoke lightly through his servant Samuel. 00:19:54 Speaker 6: What a story pulls you in with its quiet simplicity, and then stuns you with it depth. 00:20:01 Speaker 5: It's haunting, isn't it? 00:20:03 Speaker 6: The silence of heaven, the longing for clarity, and then, in the most unexpected way, the voice comes, not to the learned, not to the powerful, but to a child. It makes you sit back and wonder what am I missing? What might God be whispering in my own life that I'm too busy or too afraid to hear. The story of Samuel's call is like a flicker of light in a room thick with shadows. It begins in the darkness, both literal and spiritual. Israel still reels from the time of the Judges. The Chosen people are caught in a vicious cycle of sin, oppression, and despair, and over and over the refrain from that era haunts us. In those days, Israel had no king. Everyone did as they saw fit. It says Ellie, who was once faithful, has grown weary, his spiritual sight dimming with his physical eyes. His sons abuse their power desecrate the sacred and exploit the vulnerable. It's a low point for Israel. And into this silence steps a child, a boy, young, remarkable, untested, and we see that despite being called by God, Samuel wasn't sure that he was actually worthy of becoming a prophet of God. So when God began to call Samuel, Samuel assumed that it was the voice of Ellie, the elderly high priest who Samuel served. Finally, after this happened several times, Ellie instructed Samuel, if he calls you, say speak Lord, for your. 00:21:49 Speaker 5: Servant is listening. 00:21:52 Speaker 6: Samuel followed Ellie's instructions, uttering those words to God, and God immediately to communicate to Samuel his first prophecy. That wonderful statement, speak Lord, for your servant is listening, is still so important for all of us today, isn't it. 00:22:16 Speaker 3: Now. 00:22:16 Speaker 6: We might not be prophets, but each of us must always be listening for God's messages. And to make sure of this, our daily prayer and devotions should reflect those beautiful words from Samuel to God, speak Lord, for your servant is listening. And then Samuel received his first prophecy, and it wasn't a pleasant one. God's first prophecy to Samuel was that Ellie's two sons would die in battle, because, as we saw in the last episode, they sinned by misusing their positions as priests, and Ellie himself would die too, bringing about the entire destruction of his priestly family's dynasty, a terrifying prophecy that sadly came true. But here we have one of the most important lessons of the Bible. Using our faith and positions of leadership to do wrong is an extremely severe sin. It goes against everything that the Bible teaches us, honesty, morality, bringing people closer to God. And here in this story we see how serious this sin is, because in God's punishment, we see that he punished those who sinned. 00:23:36 Speaker 5: The story of. 00:23:37 Speaker 6: Samuel is the story of a call, a whisper breaking the silence, a boy stepping into his destiny. It's also the story of God's faithfulness to a broken people Israel. And the time of the Judges was lost, leaderless, visionless, drowning in its own chaos, and yet God did not abandon them. He planted a seed of hope in the most unlikely place, a child asleep on the temple floor. This is the beauty of God's ways. He chooses the weak to shame the strong, and the foolish to confound the wise. Samuel's story mirrors this divine pattern, and what makes Samuel a hero is not his strength but his surrender. He listens, he obeys, He follows the voice of God, even when it leads him to hard truths. This story invites us to consider our own journeys. Where are we in the cycle? Are we growing blind to the voice of God? Are we caught in the noise of our world, too distracted to hear the whisper? Or are we, like Samuel, ready to say speak for your servant is listening? Think about your own life. Maybe you're still in the ordinary world waiting for a call, or maybe the call has come but you're afraid of where it might lead. Here's the good news. The God who called Samuel is the same God who calls you. He doesn't need your perfection, he needs your willingness. But listening takes effort. It means creating space in a world that constantly pulls us away from stillness. Let me challenge you carve out five minutes each day to sit in silence, no phone, no agenda, just openness. Ask God to speak and be ready for whatever he might say. And remember Samuel's story. He was just a child, untrained, unimportant in the eyes of the world. Yet through his listening, he became a hero, not by his own strength, but by the strength of the one who called him. 00:25:51 Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with the Isle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the pray dot Com app today. This Pray dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yil Eckstein, edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland, Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvado, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. 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