And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
— First Samuel 3:19-21
From this point on, the Lord was manifestly with Samuel. He was recognized as a prophet in Israel (1 Sam. 3:20) and soon began to act as judge and priest (7:6, 9, 15). In Samuel we see a recovery of all three lines in one person—prophet, priest, and judge. Throughout Samuel’s life, God continued to speak to him, and he did not allow even one of his words to “fall to the ground” (3:19).
Adapted from David: After God’s Heart, pages 24-25.
Tomorrow: “Preparing the Way”