When did Samuel begin ministering to the Lord?

Question: Hi Jeff, At what age did the prophet Samuel begin ministering to the Lord? A teacher said seven years. Answer: We don’t know. Samuel was brought to the tabernacle after he was weaned (I Samuel 1:23-24), so he could be anywhere from 2 to 5 years old. As a boy, he served in the…

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Why aren’t Samuel’s sons counted among the judges?

Question: Concerning your post recently about whether Abimelech was a judge or not: I remember a passage concerning the people wanting a king because of the evil of Samuel’s sons, whom he appointed to be judges over the people in I Samuel 8:1-5. I’m not sure if this would help your answer, but I remembered them…

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Was the spirit that came to Saul at En Dor a fallen angel?

Question: Hi, Reading through your questions in 2011, on 01/13 you speak about the spirit who visited Saul. What was the spirit? I’ve often wondered myself and having checked various sites on the web, many actually favor a fallen angel. Why is that? What does the Bible account actually say? Answer: “And Saul perceived that it…

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How could Samuel offer a burnt offering when he was not a Levite?

Question: How could Samuel offer a burnt offering when he was not a Levite? Answer: Samuel was a descendant of Levi, his lineage being traced in I Chronicles 6:33-38. Samuel was born in the territory of Ephriam, where his family had lived for several generations. “Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the…

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It’s Not What I Expected

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 53:1-12   I.         Perhaps you are wondering             A.        Where are the special Christmas displays and decorations?             B.        How come the bulletin doesn’t mention the Christ’s birth?             C.        This is not what I expected! II.        Naaman – II Kings 5:1-19             A.        Naaman was expecting Elisha to come out of his house, wave his arms and chant…

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