Few people in the biblical record leave us with such a favorable impression as does the prophet Samuel. Sinless he was not (Romans 3:23), yet at every turn we see him faithfully fulfilling his God-given responsibilities. He lived in a time of transition, serving as a "connection" between the period of the judges and the beginning of the monarchy in Israel. He was the last judge, but he also anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. He truly was "a man of God."

There are a number of similarities between the life and service of Samuel and the life and service of Jesus. We might say that Samuel was a type of the coming Messiah. To say that he was a type of Him means that he in some ways prefigured or was a symbol of the coming Christ. What things did Samuel and Jesus have in common?

(1) The birth of both of them was announced in advance. After Hannah prayed to Jehovah and asked for a son, vowing to give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, Eli told her, "Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him" (1 Samuel 1:10,11,17). Before Jesus was born, yea, before Mary ever conceived, the angel Gabriel told her, "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus" (Luke 1:31).

(2) Both were in the house of the Lord at an early age. In Samuel’s day "the house of the Lord" was the tabernacle. That is where Hannah took young Samuel in fulfillment of her vow to God. "And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her . . . and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh; and the child was young" (1 Samuel 1:24). There the young boy worshipped Jehovah (1:28) and served Eli the priest (1 Samuel 3). Jesus, too, was brought to the house of God by His parents. In Jesus’ day "the house of the Lord" was the temple that was located in Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary went each year to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. When Jesus was twelve years old, His parents left Him behind in the temple, where after three days of searching they found Him, "sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions" (Luke 2:41-46). How blessed any young child is that has parents that want to bring him up in the ways of the Almighty!

(3) They went through similar stages of growth, growing in favor with both God and men. "And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men" (1 Samuel 2:26). "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52).

(4) Both were prophets, speaking the word of the Lord. ". . . for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel" (1 Samuel 3:21-4:1). Samuel was also known as a "seer," because "he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer" (1 Samuel 9:9). Jesus was the prophet "like unto Moses" whom God had foretold would come (Deuteronomy 18:15). God now speaks to mankind through Jesus (Hebrews 1:1,2), and Jesus’ teaching was not His own, but it was from the One that sent Him (John 7:16). "And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people" (Acts 3:23). "That prophet" was none other than Jesus.

(5) Both were men of prayer. On many occasions, "Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel" (1 Samuel 7:9; cf. 8:6,21; 12:18; 15:11). Once when the nation confessed its sins and asked Samuel to pray for it, Samuel’s response was, "God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you" (1 Samuel 12:23). No one was more given to prayer than the Christ was. In the Book of Luke alone we see Him praying after His baptism (Luke 3:21), while alone in the wilderness (5:16), before selecting His apostles (6:12), before feeding 5000 (9:16), while alone again (9:18), at the time of His transfiguration (9:28,29), before teaching His disciples how to pray (11:1), for Simon Peter (22:31,32), in Gethsemane (22:41-45), and on the cross (23:34,46).

(6) Both trained others in the Lord’s service. Samuel is the first one in the biblical record that is said to have worked with what is sometimes called the school of the prophets. ". . . and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them . . ." (1 Samuel 19:20). Jesus also trained men to preach the word of God. "And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach" (Mark 3:14; cf. Luke 6:13). What a blessing for those twelve disciples to daily sit at the feet of the Master and learn from Him in His "preacher training school!"

(7) Both play(ed) the role of priest. From an early age "the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli" at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 3:1). Samuel once told King Saul, "And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings" (1 Samuel 10:8). Since only priests had the authority to offer such sacrifices, then the implication is that Samuel served as a priest. The Book of Hebrews time and again speaks of Jesus as our High Priest. He is the "high priest of our profession" (Hebrews 3:1). As we would expect, He is "a merciful and faithful high priest" (2:17). In contrast to the priests of the Old Testament era that offered daily sacrifices, Jesus, "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (10:12). Thanks be to God that our High Priest "ever liveth to make intercession" for His servants (7:25).

(8) Both are described as "judges." "And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places" (1 Samuel 7:15,16). Jesus said, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). Jesus "was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick ["the living," ASV] and dead" (Acts 10:42). While Samuel’s work as a judge or deliverer was confined to the nation of Israel, Jesus "will judge the world" when He comes again (Acts 17:31).

In so many ways there are notable similarities in the life and service of Samuel and our Lord Jesus. We close, though, with a point of contrast. Samuel never served as king over God’s people. However, Jesus is now our high priest "over the house of God" or church (Hebrews 10:21), ruling as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OR LORDS" (Revelation 19:16).

-- Roger D. Campbell