Part One: The Birth of Samuel
In the town of Ramah, there lived a man named Elkanah and his wife Hannah.
Hannah loved God, but she was heartbroken — she had no children, while her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, had many.
Every year, they went to the tabernacle in Shiloh to offer sacrifices. Hannah prayed silently, tears falling,
“Lord of Hosts, if You will give me a son, I will dedicate him to You for all his life.”
The priest Eli saw her lips moving but heard no sound.
“Go in peace,” he said. “May the God of Israel grant your petition.”
God answered her prayer. Hannah gave birth to a son and named him Samuel, which means “heard by God.”
True to her word, once Samuel was old enough, she brought him to serve at the tabernacle.
The boy grew, loved by God, and the Lord was with him.
Part Two: Samuel, Prophet of God
Samuel heard God’s voice one night.
“Samuel! Samuel!”
At first, he ran to Eli.
“Here I am,” he said.
God called again, and Eli realized it was the Lord.
“Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”
From that day, Samuel became a prophet, speaking God’s words to the people of Israel.
He warned them against sin, injustice, and forgetting God.
Part Three: The People Ask for a King
By now, the Israelites were tired of judges. They wanted a king, like the nations around them.
“Appoint a king over us,” they demanded.
Samuel was troubled.
“You have rejected not me, but the Lord your God,” he said.
Still, God instructed Samuel to anoint a king.
He chose Saul, a tall and handsome man from the tribe of Benjamin.
Part Four: Saul Becomes King
Saul began well, defeating enemies and uniting Israel.
But pride and disobedience crept in.
When God commanded him to destroy the Amalekites completely, Saul spared their king and the best livestock.
Samuel confronted him:
“Why have you disobeyed the Lord?”
Saul’s kingdom would be taken from him.
The Lord would raise another — a shepherd boy named David.
Part Five: David the Shepherd
David was the youngest son of Jesse, tending sheep in Bethlehem.
He was brave, faithful, and loved God’s law.
When the giant Goliath of the Philistines challenged Israel, David stepped forward.
“You come against me with sword and spear, but I come in the name of the Lord Almighty!”
With a single stone from his sling, David struck Goliath down.
The Philistines fled. Israel rejoiced.
David became a hero — though Saul’s envy would soon turn into danger for him.
Part Six: Saul and David
Saul’s heart grew dark with jealousy. He tried to kill David, who fled into the wilderness.
Even then, David did not take the throne by force. He trusted God’s timing.
He gathered loyal followers, lived humbly, and even spared Saul’s life when he had the chance.
“The Lord will strike him down,” David said.
“I will not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed.”
David’s faith, patience, and mercy revealed the kind of king God desired — one after His own heart.
Part Seven: Samuel’s Final Words
Before he died, Samuel reminded the people:
“Obey the Lord, and He will deliver you.
Do not turn to other gods, for the Lord will not bless disobedience.
The king is chosen by God, and He alone sets the course of history.”
Samuel died, and all Israel mourned.
But God’s plan moved forward. David, the shepherd, would rise to become Israel’s greatest king.
Epilogue: God’s Plan Through Imperfect People
1 Samuel teaches that God’s plan is larger than human mistakes.
Even flawed leaders, even jealous kings, cannot stop His will.
Faithful service, courage, and obedience — like Samuel’s and David’s — show how God prepares the way for His promises.
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