God's Shepherd

In order that we might be better prepared to serve the Lord, I want us to consider a passage which gives insight into service in the Kingdom of God. Notice that our text is a transitional passage. The foundation and background have been laid for the monarchy that will be discussed in 1 Samuel 8ff, the writer of Samuel here closes out his treatment of the years prior to Saul in our text. And thus our passage tells us what was going on during the spring and summertime of Samuel's life. And it tells us what life was like for God's people following the revival of 1 Samuel 7:2-14.

Accordingly this text serves as a contrast between what God did when His people trusted Him— a.k.a. (also known as) Hannah and the revival of 1 Samuel 7. And what God’s people did when they went their own way — a.k.a. Hophni, Phinehas, and 1 Samuel 4 and the loss of the Ark, and Samuel's ministry and Israel's demand for a different kind of ruler.

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