1 Samuel 3:3, commentary and pictures

It was night in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, ere the lamp of God went out, when Samuel had lain down to sleep in the sanctuary and Eli had lain down in his place with eyes so dim he could not see. God could no longer communicate with Eli as high priest and his sons, for their sins like a thick cloud had shut out the presence of His Holy Spirit. Eli had dishonored God by failing to judge his own sons and neglecting to remove them from the Lord's service, so God left him and spoke no more to him.

In the midst of that evil the child Samuel remained true to Heaven, walking untainted with spotless character. He was surrounded by the most corrupting influences, for Eli's sons who ministered in holy office were controlled by Satan and polluted the whole atmosphere about them, while men and women were daily fascinated with sin and wrong. He saw and heard things that grieved his soul with sights and sounds of sin, yet he had no fellowship with those sins and no delight in them, because he loved God and kept his soul in such close connection with Heaven that an angel was sent to talk with him.

So the Lord passed by His chosen servant, the aged Eli of hoary hairs, and instead spoke and conversed with the child Samuel while Samuel was young and being educated for the Lord. What He gave Samuel was His message of punishment and condemnation upon Eli and his house, revealing what was to come upon them and the sins of Eli's sons that were corrupting Israel. This was given as Samuel's commission as a prophet of the Most High, calling the child to make God's message of truth known to the people. That passing by itself was a bitter yet deserved rebuke to Eli and his house, and Eli showed no envy or jealousy but directed the child how to answer God.

Samuel's calling shows that God prepares even a child for sacred service, and can make people of any age repositories of sacred truth and fit them for His work. He can instruct and shape the minds of children and youth and fit even children to be His messengers, even when older people fail to hear and obey messages He sends. Samuel, still a mere child when the Lord called him, proves that the Lord claims young people as His helping hand to do a good and gracious work and reveals Himself to children. His experience is the example of the character and obedience God expects from children and youth, proving that youth united to God can have principles so firm that even the most powerful temptations of Satan cannot draw them from allegiance, uniting their ignorance and weakness to Christ's wisdom and strength to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life.